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| Sandra Kim |
Today, The Grandma has been in contact with The Watsons. They have been talking about Rennette Watson and her next candidature to Eurovision Song Contest.
She has explained them who is the youngest winner of this Contest, Sandra Kim, who won it when she was thirteen representing Belgium in its only triumph along this Contest.
Before talking about Belgium and Sandra Kim, The Grandma has offered The Watsons a new Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example.
Before talking about Belgium and Sandra Kim, The Grandma has offered The Watsons a new Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example.
Belgium has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 61 times since making its debut as one of seven countries at the first contest in 1956. The only countries with more appearances are Germany (63), France (62) and the United Kingdom (62).
Belgium have been absent only three times in total, in 1994, 1997 and 2001, due to low scores in the previous contests that relegated them from the contest.
Belgium has won the contest once, in 1986.
In the first 20 years of the contest, Belgium's best result was Tonia's fourth place in 1966. In 1978, Jean Vallée achieved Belgium's first top three placement, when he was second.
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| Sandra Kim |
Sandra Kim became the first and to date only winner for Belgium in 1986, when she won as a 13-year-old in Bergen, performing the song J'aime la vie.
Belgium's only other top three result came in 2003, when the group Urban Trad finished second in Riga, losing out by only two points.
Belgium has finished last in the contest five times, most recently in 2000, and has twice received nul points; in 1962 and 1965.
After the introduction of the semi-final round in 2004, Belgium failed to reach the final for five consecutive years (2005–09).
Since 2010, Belgium has become more successful, qualifying for the final in five out of nine contests and placing in the top 10 four times, with Tom Dice sixth (2010), Loïc Nottet fourth (2015), Laura Tesoro tenth (2016), and Blanche fourth (2017).
Belgium has two national broadcasters of the contest, Flemish broadcaster Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep (VRT) and French-speaking broadcaster Radio télévision belge de la communauté française (RTBF).
The two broadcasters rotate selection for the Eurovision Song Contest each year, currently starting with 2002, VRT in the even-numbered years and RTBF in the odd-numbered years; until 1993 BRT/BRTN in the odd-numbered years and RTB/RTBF in the even-numbered years).
More information: Eurovison TV
Tonia's fourth-place at the 1966 contest remained Belgium's best result until Jean Vallée finished second in 1978.
Following good results for Stella (fourth in 1982) and Jacques Zegers (fifth in 1984), Belgium finished last for the third time in 1985. This was followed by Belgium's first and only Eurovision victory in 1986, when Sandra Kim won with her song J'aime la vie in Bergen, Norway.
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| Sandra Kim |
Although she claimed she was 15 years old, she was actually only 13, but was allowed to keep her victory. Currently the minimum age for participation is 16 and thus Sandra Kim will remain the youngest winner unless the age limit is lowered.
By winning in 1986, Belgium became the last of the French-speaking countries to win the contest, as France, Luxembourg, Monaco and Switzerland all had won at least once before.
Belgium scored an absolute record at the time, with Sandra Kim earning a never seen before number of 176 points, that record remained until 1993, with Ireland scoring 187 points, an average of 9.26 points per voting nation.
Sandra Kim received 77.2% of the maximum possible score, which, as of 2017, still ranks eighth among all Eurovision winners.
Belgium finished last for the fourth time at the 1993 contest, before achieving its only top ten result of the decade at the 1998 contest in Birmingham, where Mélanie Cohl finished sixth.
More information: Song Festival
Sandra Caldarone (born 15 October 1972), better known as Sandra Kim, is a Belgian singer of Italian descent who won the Eurovision Song Contest 1986.
Her father was an Italian immigrant from Torrebruna in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
Kim was born in Montegnée, near Liège to a hairdresser mother and accordionist father, and started singing when she was seven.
At the time of her Eurovision win, she was only 13 years old, making her the youngest winner of the contest, even though the lyrics of her song J'aime la vie claim her to be 15; the Swiss petitioned to have the song disqualified after her real age was revealed.
Sandra Kim also represented Belgium at the Yamaha Music Festival in Tokyo during the autumn of 1986 and sang the title song for the French animated television series Il était une fois... la vie.
Sandra Kim's pop rock album Make Up was released on 12 May 2011, containing songs written by famous Belgian artists like Salvatore Adamo, Dani Klein (Vaya Con dios), Ozark Henry, Anthony Sinatra (Piano Club), Jacques Duval and David Bartholomé (Sharko).
More information: Sandra Kim
Devant Jacques Brel, devant Mozart
Je m'sens petite, j'ai le cafard
Je ne suis rien qu'une poussière
Dans cet univers
(C'est la vie-la vie, toute la vie)
Before Jacques Brel, before Mozart
I feel small, I'm depressed
I am nothing but a speck of dust
In this universe
(That's life, life, all of life)
Je m'sens petite, j'ai le cafard
Je ne suis rien qu'une poussière
Dans cet univers
(C'est la vie-la vie, toute la vie)
Before Jacques Brel, before Mozart
I feel small, I'm depressed
I am nothing but a speck of dust
In this universe
(That's life, life, all of life)
Sandra Kim
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