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© De Toppers
Dutch national final on 1st February
De Toppers confirmed for Eurovision
de Toppers is made up of Gerard Joling (Eurovision Song Contest 1988), Gordon (Dutch national final participant in 1990 and 2003) and Rene Froger. They're very popular in The Netherlands and their concerts are always sold out. The trio play at the Amsterdam Arena every year to a capacity crowd of 50.000 people.
The Dutch National final will be held at the 1st of February and there will be an open submission for songs until the 23th of november. NOS has also found a new partner to broadcast the national final, which will be the TROS. TROS already transmitted the Dutch semi-finals of 2003, 2004 and 2005. There's no information yet about the host of the show. The Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcasted as usual by NOS.
NOS will announce all the information relating to the group's participation and the format of a new national final on 30th September. The broadcaster will be hoping that de Toppers' huge popularity in The Netherlands will spread across Europe to take the country back to the Eurovision Song Contest final after missing out on a place in the final since 2004.
Stay tuned to esctoday.com and partner website Songfestival Web-log (in Dutch language) for all the latest news about The Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest.
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Go directly to the reactions
Recent news about The Netherlands
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I hope so too Jeroen, because if they sent one of their usual cheap trash, they can just aswell stay home....
Every country has it's local artists which are very popular. But that does not mean automatically that they will be appreciated abroad. Now we have 3 "dutch schlager"coryfees together. The main reason for their popularity is the ambiance of these kind of music which is loved by many of my felloe citizen, but not by me.
it is very good comparable with those Schwedish Schlager songs that sometimes appear at melodifestivalen, which are broadly appreciated in Sweden, but not outside. I hope that it will be not a song like we are used to hear from them, with dutch lyrics, but they have to try something more international. Maybe then it has some chance because these are professional artists at all. Nevertheless, I wish them good luck, and much fun at Eurovision.
Fabio,
Okay, maybe you need to be irish to appreciate it (i suppose that's where my irish side kicks in) but honestly, there were so many sly little things in the lyrics - Michael Flatley for instance, Bono..
Dustin the Turkey is an icon in Ireland, many people now around twenty grew up with him, and he's always taking the mickey out of things - politics, county Leitrim, certain dreary pop songs, and now Eurovision as the logical successor. It was an in-joke for the Irish, but not a 'crime against good taste'.
I just can believe some people still consider that Dustin The Turkey was funny. Come on, it was an utter pile of rubbish! I can't say such a crime against the good taste was funny! For God's sake, it was one of the worst ESC songs ever.
I agree Jan, France was the only real winner that year. Far better than the 3 others....
dear w s
Although the victories from '57, '59 and '69 belong to another era they are still magnificant songs. The most beautiful song of the 4 winners from 1969 to me still is Frida Boccara's song. Lenny Kuhr was the big surprise and the Spanish and UK winners were OK, but just another "bumpy" Eurovision entry. Don't any reader be effended by that, because those songs were OK too.
Yes, despite being still one of the top winners in the contest, the Netherlands was treated very unfair in the modern days of the contest. Since 1977 (the year when the language rule and the 12 douzepoints-system were both applied) the Netherlands was one of those countries which struggled very hard to get a decent result. Even was the song was great, some of those songs are considered eurovision classics by fans.
As for the four winners: Somehow I feel the 1957 and 1959 win really belong to another era. The tie in 1969 isn't a real win either. And the last winner was in a year we could sing in English. But since 1977 the system was clearly in advantage to countries singing in English.
I saw Maribelle singing it live at a AIDS benefiet and it really moved me. I could never understand why she did so badly. It's one of the most simple, pure songs ever sent to eurovision and I absolutely love it. And I am not the only one. Same for Waar is de zon. Very beautiful, pure song but just not understood by Europe.
You are right about that, Marc. We always "score" with ballads !!!
But we never get the points with those ballads.
"Ik hou van jou" is probably the best song we entered. The song has been covered by Gordon, Cilla Black, Engelbert Humperdinck, Dana Winner and probably more artists, but Maribelle moved me the most of all these.
Musically "Ik hou van jou" is a very simple song, but it is composed so very good that it is brilliant and that is why so many people get goosebumps from it.
Not so sure about that Finn, lots (read most of the Belgian entries are cra anyway), ... Guys don't get me wrong, we have indeed to wait for the song. So for the moment, I don't like the erformers but it's still a songcontest.... Although even that is not that important anymore nowadays.
In general I love the Netherlands, my favorites are Edislia (on top of the world), Esther Hart, Michelle (absolutely love that song although the number two song from Ebonique would have been better choice), Edsilia (hemel en aarde, in my all time favorite top 3), Willeke Alberti (so beautiful and so undervalued), Ruth Jacott (heaven), Justine (gives me goosebumps), and my all time favorite Maribelle. Everytimr I listen to "Ik hou van jou", I cry.... Love it so much. Also liked Amsterdam, De Mallemolen, De Troubadour....
marc,
i admire your taste. personally i cannot stand any of them..
On the bright side - at least this year the Belgian entry will certainly be better than the Dutch one 
To Marc X:
I agree with you Marc, but at least 2 of them are big fans of the contest. So.. let's wait for the songs. We delivered great singers in the last couple of years, but couldn't give them the right song.
Although I'm not a fan, I think Toppers will surprise us !!! (At least, that is what I hope they will do !)
What do you mean William ?
Don't let me change the subject
I tell you dear Mina, these two horrible old queens are far worse than Paul de Leeuw. At least Paul is funny, these two are just sad....
William,
yes, I remember very well but I can assure you there would be no fight. Sakis has good manners, I'm sure he would just avoid him.
Mina-
Greece are sending Sakis. Remember 2006?
There would be a big fight between the two!
Jan,
But that's just the problem my friend. They are very popular in Netherlands but their kind of music is a s Dutch as your cheese. If even Belgium, that shares more or less same culture as you guys, do not like this, what do you think Europe will make of it ? And because of their popularity in Holland, the expectations will be very high and the dissapointment even bigger if they don't qualify. Comparing to Leto svet is not the case, these guys can sing but it's their repertoire, attitude, etc....
To Robert Walgien:
Obviously not everybody is a big fan ! Even me, myself and I !
I did like some of Gordons' songs, but I was never a fan of Joling or Froger.
I only hope that they will not make a fool of us there in Moscow and bring a song we all like.
OK, not "everyone" likes them, but the fact that all of them had huge chart successes gives them a lot of credit. And do not "minimise" it to facts of 50.000 copies or something like that, because a no. 1 hitrecord means you are "popular" . That is also the reason why I said that "everone" likes them.
John today...
My mother hates them !!! Really.
So... friends again ?
I am not a fan of these "Toppers" myself, but I think it is the best choice possible.
When is Trijntje's turn ? That would be a dream come true !
Well I just hope for a good song then. I was hoping for Anouk... shame 
but lets wait and see !!!
If I say I don't like them, it is because I know them. See bits and pieces of their performances in the Arena. It's a typical Dutch hoempapa trio with as much international charisma as Scooch. Nada, nothing,... And on top of that the guys are really irritating, ecpecially the two girls of the group, Gordon and Gerard. Really funny, about 10 years ago we met Gordon in Ibiza, in one of the gay bars. He was with one of his female hags....He said he was very very popular in the Netherlands, he made a pass on me, thinking I was Spanish and I started singing to him that annoying "Gini...." song, he got bright red and called me all sorts of names... That's how nice they are. And if you watch 5 minutes of their irritating tv shows, you just want to switch of your tv. Losing from a real good singer as Esther Hart, must have hurt his enormous ego,.... I remember he said never to do eurovision again, and oh dear even that promise he did not keep.
Yes, OK, but then who will be responsible if Netherlands won't make it to the final again? Eastern Europe???
geraaaaaaaaaaaaaaard's back that's kewl
Jan, Please stop saying everybody likes them. Not everybody does. You are talking about their concerts. But the same people are going to that concerts each year so what are you talking about? 50.000 people... Wow if everybody likes them why did they not sing all year in Amsterdam Arena for 16 million people?? And yes they had a number one position but you only have to sell 50.000 cd's for that! And pleeeeaaasssseeee read the forums on the internet. You as a journalist have to do research or not? And you also know this facts! So stop talking about everybody likes them. I think your just a big fan but that does not mean we are all a big fan! and as a journalist you also know that your opinion has to be unprejudicted....
OK, Jan. Let's wait and see then. But only if you stop saying that everyone likes them. 
"Kon ik maar even bij je zijn" is a beautiful song yes. But it is fifteen years old. And Gordon solo could be a good choice. He has a good voice, but the combination with Gerard is what makes it so bad.
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