Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998

Eurovision Song Contest 1998
Country	Netherlands
National selection
Selection process	Nationaal Songfestival 1998
Selection date(s)	8 March 1998
Selected entrant	Edsilia Rombley
Selected song	"Hemel en aarde"
Finals performance
Final result	4th, 150 points

The Netherlands were present at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, held in Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom.

The Dutch national final to select their entry, the Nationaal Songfestival 1998, was held on 8 March at the Rai Congrescentrum in Amsterdam, and was hosted by Paul de Leeuw and Linda de Mol. The final decision was weighted 50-50 between a panel of "experts" and telephone voting across the country.

The winning entry was "Hemel en aarde," performed by Edsilia Rombley and written and composed by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma.

National final

Draw	Artist	Song	Informal translation	Points	Place
1	Sylvia Samson	Mijn wens voor 2000	My wish for 2000	38	7th
2	Frederique Spigt	Mijn hart kan dat niet aan	My heart can't take it anymore	70	3rd
3	Marco Marle	Hou me nu maar vast	Hold me now	29	8th
4	Ryan van den Akker and Lone van Remndaal	Over	Over	48	5th
5	Edsilia Rombley	Hemel en aarde	Heaven and earth	138	1st
6	Nubia	Ze kwamen overzee	They came from over the sea	65	4th
7	Nurlaila	Alsof je bij me bent	As if you're with me	84	2nd
8	Claudia Nelson	Zintuigen	Senses	40	6th

At Eurovision

Rombley was the eighteenth performer on the night of the Contest, following Cyprus and preceding Sweden. At the Contest, she performed under her first name only. At the close of the voting the song had received 150 points, placing 4th in a field of 25 competing countries. It was the best placing the Netherlands had seen since their last win in 1975.

External links

• Dutch National Final 1998

References