The Netherlands: Ayana will fly to Paris for Junior Eurovision 2021

The Netherlands: Ayana will fly to Paris for Junior Eurovision 2021
Saturday, 25 September 2021

  • Ayana won the Junior Songfestival 2021 singing "Mata Sugu Aō Ne” and secured the right to represent the Netherlands in the upcoming Junior Eurovision in Paris. 

    The Dutch national selection for Junior Eurovision 2021 took place this evening at Rotterdam Ahoy arena, with Ayana winning the competition performing her song "Mata Sugu Aō Ne”  and will the fly the flag in Paris. 

    The show was hosted by Romy Monteiro & Buddy Vedde, while the final outcome of the national final was influenced 33% by an online voting, 33% by an adult jury of music  professionals and 33% by a children's jury. 

    A total of four acts took the stage and battled for the ticket to Paris. The four national finalists were: 

    • Ayana – Mata Sugu Aō Ne
    • Melody – Niet Wat Vrienden Doen
    • Priscilla – Be Alright
    • SH!NE – A Million Little Things

    The jury of adults made up by music professionals consisted of the following members: 

    • Jeangu Macrooy (Dutch Eurovision 2020 & 2021 representative)
    • Emma Hesters (Youtuber, singer and songwriter)
    • Rolf Sanchez (Third place in  X Factor Netherlands 2011)

    The second jury made up by children was formed by: 

    • Unity (Dutch Junior Eurovision 2020 act)
    • Robin de Haas (Dutch spokesperson at JESC 2020)
    • Jackie & Janae (Junior Songfestival 2020 finalists)

     

    A few words for Ayana

    Ayana' s Junior Euovision he song has a unique mix of Dutch, English and Japanese. Not surprising, because Ayana's mother is Japanese. Ayana has already a wide experience of singing before she auditioned for the Junior Song Contest. For 4 years he was part of “Kinderen vor Kinderan”, one of the Netherlands' greatest children's choir.

     

    The Netherlands in Junior Eurovision

    The Netherlands has been participating in the contest since day 1 in 2003 and haven’t missed a year. In 2009 they won the competition and have achieved nine times to finish in the top 10 places. The country’s worst place came in 2015 when it finished 15th. In 2018 the country was represented by the duo Max & Anne and their entry Samen, which finished in 13th place with 91 points.

    In 2019, Matheu represented the nation in Gliwice with his song "Dans met jou" which finished in the 4th place with 186 points. In 2020 the girl group UNITY won the national final and represented the nation in Warsaw, Poland with their song 'Best Friends'  which finished 4th, the second fourth placing for the county in a row.