Singer Essyla has qualified for Saturday’s final of the Eurovision Song Contest, Belgium’s first appearance in the final since 2023.
Essyla, a former finalist on The Voice Belgique, was chosen as the Belgian entrant in December. In this first semi-final, she was one of 15 contestants vying for a place in the final, with the song Dancing on the Ice. A second semi-final takes place on Thursday.
“It really is a long journey, where you have to prove you deserve your place,” she said after securing her place in Vienna. “This makes me so proud. It means our little country counts. We’ve worked hard to secure this spot for Belgium.”
This year’s contest takes place amid widespread protest against Israel’s participation. Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia have all refused to take part in the event, and thousands of high-profile musicians around the world have called for a wider boycott.
In an open letter , the artists condemned the fact that Israel will be “celebrated onstage despite its ongoing genocide in Gaza”, while Russia is banned following its invasion of Ukraine.