Song Contest“I have never sung my song like I did in the studio.” Jérémie Makiese is ready to convince millions of Eurovision fans with ‘Miss You’. Our national hope can be the sixteenth on Saturday evening in the final of the Eurovision songfestival, although he himself doesn’t quite know how the song will sound exactly. What does his day look like today? Does he suffer from nerves? How popular is he there in the artist village? And what chance does he have? We asked presenter Peter Van de Veire and the singing goalkeeper himself for text and explanation.
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“Oh my god. I still can’t believe it but this is really happening”, laughs Jérémie Makiese from Turin. Noticeably relaxed after a successful day of rehearsals, and the fact that he was the first to qualify for the final on Thursday. “I rarely suffer from nerves”, it sounds. “But when I was sitting there in the green room, I felt them for the first time. Fortunately, I was quickly released, because our country was the first to be called. A blissful feeling. I also got to share it with my family and some friends. They had tickets for my semi-final. That makes it extra special. They’ll be there tonight too. During this adventure I feel very supported not only by them, but also by my fans. I feel all that love when I’m on stage.”
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See also: Belgium is the first to advance to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest
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musical nest
There is no question of any stress – when not only the eyes of his entourage, but also of millions of Eurovision fans are focused on him. “I’ve been relaxed for a whole match. So I’m going to stay that way too,” it sounds. “If you put pressure on yourself, things will go wrong. A year ago I was just the singing keeper (Jérémie is in the goal at Royal Excelsior Virton, ed.) who won ‘The Voice Belgique’, and look where I am now.”
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Jérémie was thirteen when he discovered that he excelled in two talents: football and singing. He couldn’t choose. Still not. “I love both”, it sounds. “Thanks to my parents, I grew up in a musical family, and I also got the chance to play football. My mom didn’t want that at first, because she thought I would break something all the time. (laughs) For now my football career is on the back burner, and this game gets all the attention. But that makes sense, right? My focus must be here, on the Eurovision Song Contest. And I feel I’m ready to do it right. I have self-confidence, and that also translates into my music. I have never sung my song like I did in the studio, because I have confidence in myself and my voice. So tonight I’m going to bring a slightly different version as well. And no, I don’t know what that’s going to sound like yet. (laughs)”
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Listen here: ‘Miss You’ by Jérémie Makiese
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Yesterday Jérémie still had a busy day ahead of him. He was expected early in the PalaOlimpico to practice the flag parade (the start of the show, ed.). Subsequently, two rehearsals were scheduled, one of which was also for the jury. His day was over around one o’clock in the morning.
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This is what his day looks like today
* 10.30 am: vocal coaching
* 12 noon: pick-up at hotel
* 13.00: rehearsal flag parade
* 2.15 pm: first rehearsal
* 4.30 pm: vocal coaching and rest
* 8 pm: hair & make-up
* 8.30 pm: getting ready for flag parade
* 9 pm: start live show and wait backstage
* 10.19 pm: performance, as sixteenth.
* 10.30 pm: waiting in the green room
* 00.45 am: end of show
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Lucky number
“Jérémie seems like a game bird – and sometimes he is -, but as a football player he has cultivated an iron discipline,” confirms Eurovision commentator Peter Van de Veire. “He means what he says and goes for it. Jérémie is never too late to say something. Quite a difference with the Italians. (laughs) Here in Turin they are already wildly enthusiastic about ‘our’ Jérémie”, continues Van de Veire. “Everyone thinks he’s such an incredibly sweet, approachable and engaging guy. There is also enthusiasm for his song. The bookmakers estimate his number low (at the last five, ed.), but I still think the top ten is achievable.”
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Our hope for several twelve points is scheduled to be sixteenth tonight. Or better: again as sixteenth. “I already had that place in the semi-finals,” it sounds. “That turned out to be a lucky number, and I was the first finalist. Now hopefully too. But you don’t know it: so much can still happen tonight. I hear from people that a place in the second half is usually better, but I don’t believe in that sort of thing. Ultimately, it depends on whether you grab your moment. I’m already planning that. I want everyone in Belgium to be proud of me.”
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The final of the Eurovision Song Contest can be seen on One at 9 p.m.
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The final of the Eurovision Song Contest in numbers
* 25: participating countries. Ten from the first semi-final and ten from the second, supplemented by the big five. Spain, Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy – which won last year – are the biggest sponsors, which automatically gives them a place in the final every edition.
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* 7000: spectators join in the support tonight in the PalaOlimpico in Turin. An offshoot of the corona crisis: under normal circumstances, the stadium can receive 14,350 spectators.
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* 350: euro, the price of the most expensive ticket to attend the final live. Then you have a spot with the best visibility, at the front of the stage. Be there, without it costing people pieces? Then a so-called ‘audio seat’ is the cheapest way: it costs 100 euros.
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* 727: square meter LED, in total.
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* 78: wireless microphones.
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* 39: Humans are responsible for all things audio.
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* 24: cameras to capture everything.
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* 2821: automated lamps.
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* 5,8: kilometers of LED strips were used for the decor.
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* 380: meters of hedge were provided to make the ‘green room’ really turn green.
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* 40: seconds. That’s how much time the Dutch stage manager Richard van Rouwendaal and his team, which consists of about sixty people, have to adjust the stage between songs.
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* 500: journalists are allowed to attend. Before corona, that number was still at 1500.
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* 3: presenters, but with Laura Pausini and Alessandroa Cattelan only two full-blooded Italians. Mika is Lebanese-British in origin, but incredibly popular in the land of Måneskin.
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