AVROTROS — the state broadcaster in The Netherlands — says that its chances of participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 are small.
That’s the bad news coming out of Hilversum as Eurofans wait for final confirmation that the Dutchies are in — or out — following the disqualification of Joost Klein in Malmö.
The news emerged on Thursday, after Anouk’s management confirmed to RTL Boulevard that she is serious about submitting a song for Eurovision 2025.
The Netherlands at Eurovision 2025: Broadcaster says chances of participation are small
The tea started to flow last weekend at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam.
During her set, Anouk said that she had made the “perfect record” for Eurovision. RTL Boulevard approached Anouk’s manager Kees de Koning to see if the Eurovision 2013 singer was joking — and it turns out that Anouk does in fact have a song to submit.
However, as De Koning explained, there is one big problem. “There is no [Eurovision] committee anymore, so I don’t know who to send it to.”
The broadcaster has subsequently contacted Anouk to say they’re interested in hearing her submission. But only later. They are not in a position to consider it because of their ongoing issues with the European Broadcasting Union.
The Dutch broadcaster has been very clear that it expects certain cultural and structural changes within the EBU before it commits to returning to the contest that expelled its artist just a few months ago (and on the day of the grand final). As RTL News wrote:
“AVROTROS first wants to gain confidence that matters have improved before selecting a new entry. The broadcaster therefore considers the chance that the Netherlands will participate next year to be small.”
“AVROTROS will make a final decision about their participation in the song festival in September. If they decide to participate after all, they will know where to find Anouk.”
Anouk is widely considered the turning point for The Netherlands at Eurovision. Following eight straight non-qualifications, Anouk took the Dutch back to the grand final and to ninth place at Eurovision 2013 with her song “Birds.” She walked so that Ilse DeLange and Waylon could run to second place a year later.
Even so, insiders have told Wiwibloggs that the chances of Anouk being selected are slim because she’s become an increasingly controversial figure. In February, she uploaded a transphobic Instagram post and caption.
NikkieTutorials, trans icon and co-host of Eurovision 2021, clapped back, writing: “Having one of the Netherlands’ most down to earth, respected musicians be a shameless terf [trans exclusionary radical feminist] and transphobe was not on my bingo card for 2024.”
