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Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975
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Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1975 with the song "Gelukkig zijn", written by Mary Boduin, and performed by Ann Christy. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep (BRT), selected its entry through a national final. Ann Christy had previously taken part in the 1971 and 1973 national finals. Future Belgian representatives Micha Marah (1979) and Dream Express (1977) also took part in the national final.
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Before Eurovision
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 | This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2025) |
Eurosong
Eurosong was the national final format developed by Flemish broadcaster Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep (BRT) which determined the song that would represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 1975. This was the first edition of Eurosong, which would become the name of every BRT and VRT national final after 1975 (With the exception of 1996), and would become synonymous with the Eurovision Song Contest itself in Belgium.[1] This was also the first ever national final called Eurosong in the history of Eurovision Song Contest national finals, a name that would be adopted by several other countries for their national finals, such as: Ireland, the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovakia.[citation needed]
Format
The first stage of the selection process consisted of seven semi-finals at the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels, taking part between 17 November 1974 and 16 February 1975, hosted by Staf Van Berendoncks. The format was similar to the former Belgian national final Canzonissima, where each semi-final had ten artists and the top three songs would be reused by their artists in the next semi-final while the other seven artists would select new songs. Songs that got top three in two consecutive semi-finals qualified to the final.[1]
Competing entries
BRT shortlisted eight singers and two groups for Eurosong 1975: Ann Christy, Rita Deneve, Ingriani, Micha Marah, Ann Michel, Connie Neefs, Luk Bral, Joe Harris, The Lollipops, and Magenta.[1] A rule in Eurosong 1975 allowed artists to also participate with bands, causing Dream Express, Jeremiah, Road, and The Pebbles to participate as well.[1] A total of 58 songs competed in Eurosong 1975.
Shows
Semi-finals
Voting in the semi-finals was done by five provincial juries, each consisting of ten members of the public, five men and five women. After every show, all fifty were replaced. Since songs introduced in semi-final 9 could not get top three in two semi-finals and qualify to the final, the rules to qualify for the final were changed for semi-final 9. Songs had to receive at least 377 points, the average number of points that every song that qualified to the final got in their last semi-final.[1]
The first four semi-finals were recorded on a Saturday and broadcast on the Sunday. The fifth semi-final was never recorded and broadcast due to a strike at BRT, but it still took place behind closed doors. The sixth and seventh semi-finals were broadcast live on a Saturday.[1]
Ann Christy was absent from semi-final 1 as she was abroad at the time.
Rita Deneve would have participated with the song "Maar toch blijf je de eerste" but was absent due to the birth of her son.
The fifth semi-final was not broadcast due to a strike at BRT, but it still took place.
After Semi-final 6, Micha Marah withdrew "Ik weet" as she wanted to participate with a different song in semi-final 7.
Final
The final, consisting of ten songs, took place on 1 March 1975 also at the Amerikaans Theater, hosted by Staf Van Berendoncks. Six singers were involved, with four (including Christy) performing two songs apiece. Voting was by five regional juries, each consisting of 20 members of the public, and "Gelukkig zijn" emerged the winner by a margin of almost 60 points.[1]
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At Eurovision
On the night of the final Christy performed 11th in the running order, following Israel and preceding Malta. Under the free-language rule in operation at the time, Christy performed the first half of the song in Dutch, before switching to English. At the close of the voting "Gelukkig zijn" had received 17 points, placing Belgium 15th of the 19 participating countries.[2]
Voting
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References
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