The Regio Songfestival (Dutch:[ˈreːɣijoːˈsɔŋfɛstiˌvɑl]; transl. 'Region[al] Song Contest') is a Dutch song competition between regional public broadcasters.[1] Held in its current form since 2023, the format of the competition is loosely based on the Eurovision Song Contest and was first used in 1995 under its original title Het Nederlandse Songfestival (transl. 'the Dutch Song Contest').[2][3][4] Every edition features thirteen original songs that are performed in a live broadcast, each representing a region of the Netherlands. From the competing entries, a winner is determined through a combination of televoting and votes cast by regional juries.
Despite ambitions for it to become an annual event, the competition was not renewed for a second edition in 1996. In May 2023, twenty-eight years after the 1995 edition, the thirteen regional public broadcasters announced the launch of a reworked version of the format under the name Regio Songfestival.[4][7] The inaugural edition was held on 4 November 2023, with a second edition scheduled to be held in 2024.[8]
Thirteen original songs representing different regions of the Netherlands are performed in a live television show, broadcast simultaneously by all participating broadcasters.[9][10] A "region" as a participant is represented by its regional public broadcaster – one from each of the twelve provinces, with the exception of South Holland, which is represented by two broadcasters: one serving the province's northern subregions (The Hague and surroundings; presented as "West"),[11] and one serving the southern subregions (Rotterdam and surroundings; presented as "Rijnmond").[12][13]
The programme is staged by one of the regions and is broadcast from an auditorium in the selected host city. The winner is determined by a combination of votes cast by regional juries (67%) and a public televote (33%).[9][17][14] Entries cannot receive points from their own regional jury.[9] The participating broadcaster of the winning entry is given the honour of organising the following year's event.[10][18]
2023 edition
The first edition of the Regio Songfestival was held on 4 November 2023, beginning at 20:30 CET, and lasted approximately two hours.[19] It was organised by the Netherlands' thirteen regional public broadcasters, with the (financial) support of Buma Cultuur, AVROTROS and the K.F. Hein Fund [nl].[20][21] The show was broadcast on television by all participating broadcasters, as well as AVROTROS on the national television channel NPO 1 Extra.[19][22]
RTV Utrecht, the regional public broadcaster of Utrecht, was asked to host the first edition of the Regio Songfestival due to the province's central location within the Netherlands.[24][25] It was subsequently announced that the event would be staged at the Stadsschouwburg [nl], a theatre in the city of Utrecht.[24] The venue has a capacity of 1,000 spectators.
On 2 October 2023, it was revealed that the show would be hosted by Greek-Dutch singer Stefania Liberakakis, alongside RTV Utrecht reporters Riks Ozinga [nl] and Bernadette Keizer.[26] RTV Utrecht announced that Liberakakis and Ozinga would be the show's main presenters, while Keizer would serve as the green room host.[26]
The second edition of Regio Songfestival was held on 9 November 2024, beginning at 20:30 CET, and lasted approximately two hours. It was organised by L1, the regional public broadcaster of Limburg, following its victory in the 2023 edition.[8][36][37] The show was broadcast on television by all participating broadcasters, as well as AVROTROS on the national television channel NPO 1 Extra.[38]
The event was staged at the Theater aan het Vrijthof [nl] in Maastricht.[8] The venue has a capacity of 915 spectators. On 4 July 2024, it was revealed that the show would be hosted by presenter and singer Lex Uiting [nl], alongside L1 reporters Yaël Camille Weijenberg and Riël Linssen.[40] Linssen was later replaced by Bas van Mulken, who served as the green room host.
Contest overview
The running order for the live show was published on 11 October 2024.[41] Singer John Tana [nl] performed the song "Daan kom iech mer aon" as an interval act.
The third edition of Regio Songfestival will be hosted in Gelderland in 2025, and organised by Omroep Gelderland, the regional public broadcaster of the province, following its win in the 2024 edition. The RPO, the organisation that groups together all of the Netherlands' regional public broadcasters, confirmed after Gelderland's win in 2024 that the contest would continue with a third edition.[42]
^Vries, Marion de; Grimmon, Marco (31 July 2023). "Regio Songfestival: Wie haalt 'douze points' voor Groningen?". RTV Noord (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 August 2023. We hebben goede hoop, want het is één keer eerder georganiseerd in 1995; toen hebben wij Wia Buze die kant op gestuurd en toen hebben we gewonnen. [We have high hopes, because it was organised once before in 1995; that year we sent Wia Buze [as our representative] and we won.]
^"RTV Utrecht zoekt muzikaal talent voor Regio Songfestival" [RTV Utrecht is looking for music talents for Regio Songfestival] (in Dutch). RTV Utrecht. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024. Deze editie wordt live uitgezonden vanaf 20.30 uur via de sociale media-, YouTube- en televisiekanalen van de regionale omroepen. [This edition will be broadcast live from 20:30 on social media, YouTube and the channels of the regional broadcasters.]
^"Gelderland wint de finale van het Regio Songfestival 2024" [Gelderland wins the final of Regio Songfestival 2024]. stichtingrpo.nl. Regionale Publieke Omroep. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024. Volgend jaar zal de finale plaatsvinden in de provincie Gelderland, de regio van de winnaar 2024. [Next year the final will take place in the province of Gelderland, the region of the winner in 2024.]
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