Eurovision 2024: Who is Joost Klein, the offbeat Dutch candidate ranked among the favourites?

Do the Netherlands stand a chance of winning the 68th Eurovision Song Contest this year? At the moment, Joost Klein, the Dutch candidate, is one of the 5 bookmakers' favorites to win. So who is he, and what song does the Dutch representative intend to perform this spring? We've got the answers!

The 37 candidates forEurovision 2024 are in the starting-blocks. The 68th edition of the song contest is fast approaching. Following Loreen' s victory last year, the event takes place in Malmö, Sweden, with two semi-finals scheduled for May 7 and 9, followed by the grand final on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

For the time being, we already know the first 6 countries to qualify, namely France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain (the famous 'Big-5' countries), as well as Sweden, this year's host country. But which countries will join them? The suspense remains. However, predictions are rife, and a number of candidates are among the favourites, including Joost Klein , representing the Netherlands.

As of April 20, the Dutch candidate ranks 3rd in the Eurovision Song Contest, with a 15% chance of winning the final, according to the bookmakers. Joost Klein, on the other hand, has a 32% chance of being in the Top 3 and a 53% chance of being in the Top 5.

So, who is Joost Klein? A musician, writer and former Youtuber from Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, Joost Klein 's striking, original style blends mainstream pop, electro and rap.

In the Netherlands, Joost Klein - now 26 - regularly tours with his band. The rapper has already played at some of the country's most famous festivals, including Lowlands and Pinkpop. Proof of his fame, Joost Klein also performed two sold-out concerts at Amsterdam's AFAS Live last November. The artist also won the prestigious Popprijs 2023, awarded each year in the Netherlands to the group or artist who has had the greatest impact on Dutch pop music that year.

And the success of Joost Klein, who already has 8 albums to his name, is also being felt outside the Netherlands, as his track " Friesenjung " reached number one in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

ForEurovision, Joost Klein will perform the catchy, offbeat song " Europapa ", whose clip has already been viewed over 19 million times on the contest's Youtube channel. In fact, it is the most viewed clip for a candidate at this 68th edition of Eurovision.