This evening, the Dutch delegation held an online press conference with the four members of their 2024 Junior Eurovision Song Contest act, Stay Tuned!
ESC Covers attended, and below we bring you a selection of questions from both ourselves and various other media outlets that participated in the video call, plus the answers given by the Dutch representatives themselves; Chiara, Inkar, Niek, and Miucha!
Please be aware that the following transcript has mostly been A.I. generated from the audio recording of the press conference, so potential minor inaccuracies/misinterpretations may occur.
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Eurovoix: What are the main things that help you work together well as a group?
I think we all very busy. Busy and crazy. And crazy on a nice way. And, Yeah. I think we’re good. So we’re good friends. Yeah. We can, like, feel each other’s energy. And if so if someone is something doing what we would like from the other person, we also just say it and then they are okay with it. So that’s really nice.
Radio International: How do you feel representing the Netherlands at the Junior Eurovision Contest in Madrid?
It’s a dream coming true. Yeah. I feel like I don’t feel actually yet. I just I it’s like I’m just dreaming the whole time, and I’m just walking here around and just actually, it’s just I live my life right now, actually. I think I think it’s very cool. I never watched it before. I don’t know it was here, and then I saw it on TV. And then I think, yeah. I can do that. And then we are here. It’s so cool.
ESC Everyday: Who is your biggest supporter?
I think it’s family, but the biggest I think my biggest biggest fan is, the site of my grandpa because they’re, like, the most musician family site. So I think they’re, like, the most important. And that’s very special because they’re from Kazakhstan. Right? Yep. Yeah. And mine is my mom. I think. Yes. My mom. Yeah. My family. Yeah. And my brother. There are gonna be, 80 people for us. They’re they’re gonna fly to Madrid. Like, you feel the support that you’re like, wow. They come for us, Madrid, and that’s like Yes. Yes.
ESCplus: Have you met already the representatives of other countries?
Yes. Yes. We meet Armenia, France. Ukraine, San Marino, Germany, Ireland. Actually, all of them. Yes. And it’s very, nice with them. We are very close. Close with each other. We just talk to them. We are being shy like. I think I think there there are kids from our age. The kids from our age. So yeah. They try to communicate easily. Yeah. It feels like we already know each other for, like, 2 years or so. Yes. And it’s very nice to just stay in the same hotel. Yeah. In the evening or in the in the afternoon, we just can chill with them and then talk about how their life is in their country or in our own country.
ESC Covers: Which of this year’s other contestants would you like to hear perform your song ‘Music’?
Armenia. Yeah. Armenia. Now he’s very funny. Or Ukraine. Or France. Yes. Yes. I think those 3. I think that I don’t want to. Yeah. Yeah. Armenian. Because he’s, like, so small and so cute, but he’s so, like he’s not shy. He’s entertaining. Yes. He can entertain very well. So I would like if he also would perform our song and maybe we maybe we and then, we can switch from song. Yes. Yes.
ESC Plus: Although it’s still a few years ago, would you like to represent the Netherlands for the big Eurovision?
Yes. That is also a big dream. I know, like, I think my biggest dream is, like, to represent the of the Eurovision Song contest. Who’s your favorite artist from the big Eurovision? Do you have one? I think, Stefania. I like Stefania from Greece. I like Joost Klein. Yes. Yes. We love Joost Klein.
ESC Covers: What is the best thing about the Netherlands and being Dutch?
I can answer that? I can answer. So, the Dutch people are so if something is free, we take it. Yeah. So, it’s a charm. It’s a rehearsal day, and we free food? Free food? It’s free food. Yeah. It’s, like, it’s free. But not only food. It’s just if if something is free, we take it. Yes. The food is very nice in the Netherlands. Food is delicious. Cheese. Cheese and strobe apples. That’s like a sweet waffle with the caramel with caramel. And our orange sweaters. Yes. The the orange color, it’s just like so bright, and then you can, like, know, everyone knows now in the hotel that we are the Netherlands because we have sweaters.
Radio International: What actually is your ritual when you go on stage? What do you do together as a group?
Dance. And then we squeeze each other.
Eurovoix: I feel like a lot of people must have been asking you over the past week, what’s your favorite thing about Madrid and Junior Eurovision? But what are you guys’ favorite things about each other?
Oh, Niek is a really relaxed guy. Actually, he’s very calm and just and we are sometimes very be like, being crazy, and he’s just trying to relax. And and then it’s very nice to have been in group. Yeah. I think I think Chiara is is a leader. Yeah. So if there is some they don’t make any leader leader that she, like, rules everyone like that. Yeah. Yeah. She can really solve the problems for the and and make them feel like a group. I just want everything to be kind of answered for us. Yeah. I think, Inker, busy or? Busy. Busy. Busy. Oh, it’s busy. Yeah? Yeah. From Miucha, I think Miucha just goes with the flow. She’s just everything of it’s combined. She’s, like, combined with all of us 3. Yeah. It’s just a mix. It’s really nice.
ESC Covers: Did the host of Junior Songfestival, Stefania [2021, Greece ESC and 2016, Netherlands JESC – as a member of ‘Kisses’] give you any tips at all as to what to expect in the whole run up to the competition?
She was the the host host of the national final in the Netherlands, and that was very nice. And when we won, she was just saying, and, it’s a very nice trip, and then you just have to enjoy it and, because it goes so fast. Yeah. If you do time, just, if you blink with your with your, with your eyes, then it’s already done. Yeah. It feels now, like, 2 days, but, actually, we’re already on day 4. Yes. So it goes, like, really fast. Yes. And she’s just telling us to enjoy.
[Inaudible]: I’d like to ask you, if you can choose a 5th member for Stay Tuned among the Eurovision song contest artist, who do you you pick?
But I think nobody but if we needed to choose, then our dance coach, Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Our dance coach. But, actually, it’s going out with each other, which is the 4 of us. And I think, we all need just the 4. We’re already And I’d like Perfect. Yes. Perfect.
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We’d like to thank the Dutch delegation for taking time to arrange this evening’s online press conference, and wish both them and Stay Tuned the best of luck in Saturday evening’s live show in Madrid!
If you’ve not already watched the fantastic music video for ‘Music’, check it out below!
Image: Corinne Cumming / EBU