Eurovision Song Contest 1998 | ||||
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Country | Netherlands | |||
National selection | ||||
Selection process | Nationaal Songfestival 1998 | |||
Selection date(s) | 8 March 1998 | |||
Selected entrant | Edsilia Rombley | |||
Selected song | "Hemel en aarde" | |||
Finals performance | ||||
Final result | 4th, 150 points | |||
Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
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The Netherlands were present at the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, held in Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom.
The Dutch national final to select their entry, the Nationaal Songfestival 1998, was held on 8 March at the Rai Congrescentrum in Amsterdam, and was hosted by Paul de Leeuw and Linda de Mol. The final decision was weighted 50-50 between a panel of "experts" and telephone voting across the country.
The winning entry was "Hemel en aarde," performed by Edsilia Rombley and written and composed by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma.
Rombley was the eighteenth performer on the night of the Contest, following Cyprus and preceding Sweden. At the Contest, she performed under her first name only. At the close of the voting the song had received 150 points, placing 4th in a field of 25 competing countries. It was the best placing the Netherlands had seen since their last win in 1975.