Last Saturday a dream came true for Ostender Red Sebastian as he won the Belgian Eurosong 2025 competition to select an entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Basel (Switzerland). Belgium hopes to win in May with ‘Strobe Lights’
Red Sebastian and 'Strobe Lights' picked up most points at the Belgian final both from the professional jury and the viewing public. ‘I am shaking all over’ he told reporters after his victory was announced. I hope I can win and, nearly 40 years after Sandra Kim’s win, bring next year’s Eurovision Song Contest to Belgium.
Red Sebastian’s real name is Seppe Herreman. Hans Christian Andersen’s story ‘The Little Mermaid’ inspired Seppe’s stage name that refers to the musical crab that appears in this tale.
Ahead of the Belgian final praise was showered on the Ostender. His fans are thrilled by the broad range of his voice. The first jury, made up of professionals, awarded Red Sebastian 132 points, while a second jury made up of the viewers added a further 291 points. In all, with 423 votes, Red Sebastian stood head and shoulders above all other contenders.
Belgium’s entry ‘Strobe Lights’, with pounding beats, takes us to the disco and urges us to ‘enjoy life’.
Red Sebastian describes his entry as an “all out” song and he wants to take his act” all the way”. The singer, dressed in an outfit in red and black, performs on a platform raised by a lift amid a light show with red hues.
Initially, Emmelie de Forest, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Denmark with ‘Only Teardrops’ in 2013 had her doubts about whether a live version of the song would be a success, but in the event was clearly impressed by how Red Sebastian reached the high notes.
Merol, another member of the professional jury, was clearly wowed by Red Sebastian’s performance: “How he can sing! There were so many ‘wow’ moments. A lot of thought has gone into this. It’s great. He could win in Basel”.
Red Sebastian was keen to thank those close to him when his win was announced: ‘I want to thank a few people: my wonderful parents for always being there for me and supporting me in everything, my manager Maarten Krajsman for believing in me so vehemently. Thanks to everyone at home for voting for me, the professional jury too, that's a dream come true and I also want to thank my friends and family.’
Red Sebastian also paid tribute to his grany. Just before he announced his participation in ‘Eurosong’, the Belgian Eurovision Song Contest final, she passed away very unexpectedly. ‘She was very special to me, it's very sad that she can no longer experience this, but I'm sure she was close to me tonight.’
A little later the singer told VRT NEWS journalist Gianni Paelinck that he ‘still can't believe it’. ‘This is everything I had dared to dream of.’
To keep his voice in shape, Red Sebastian makes sure he ‘sleeps enough, lives a healthy, does a lot of sports’. He will continue to receive support from his voice coach. In fact, in the past, Red Sebastian received singing lessons from Gustaph, a former Belgian Eurovision Song Contest entrant and member of the current professional jury.
Red Sebastian and his team will now focus on how to make his act even stronger. He travels to Basel full of ambition: ‘I hope I can win and bring the Song Contest back to Belgium nearly 40 years after Sandra Kim's win.’
Red Sebastian contests the first semi-final on Tuesday, May 13, and hopes to make it through to the final on Saturday, May 17.