The Semifinals
The Dutch Semi-Finals were held at the Pepsi Stage Theatre in Amsterdam, hosted by Nance & Humberto Tan. Two songs in each semi-final qualified for the final – one selected by an „expert“ jury, and one selected by televoting. If both had the same favourite then the 2nd favourite of the televoters qualified. The „expert“ jury included Ruth Jacott who represented The Netherlands in ESC 1993. The 5th semi-final contained 6 of the losing songs from the first four semi-finals (Arno Kolenbrander, Bas & Joël and Voice Male, André Kuik & Camp Girls were chosen by televoting, Charly & Mandy by the „expert“ jury), and again two songs qualified for the final (one selected by the „expert“ jury, and one by televoting). The points awarded by the jury are in the first column of results, with the televoting percentages in the second.
Semi-Final 1 – January 22nd
| 1 | She’ll take your breath away | She’ll take your breath away | Charly | 31 | 10% | – |
| 2 | De dag na de dertiende | The day after the 13th | Arjen & Margriet | 4 | 3% | – |
| 3 | Without you | Without you | Reunion | 54 | 49% | F |
| 4 | Bump! | Bump! | Hot Black Stuff | 12 | 3% | – |
| 5 | The story of my life | The story of my life | Arno Kolenbrander | 16 | 14% | – |
| 6 | Alright | Alright | Babette Labeij | 48 | 21% | F |
Semi-Final 2 – January 29th
| 1 | Love me, don’t leave me | William | 10 | 5% | – |
| 2 | Butterfly | Kaysee | 0 | 4% | – |
| 3 | Celeste | Bas & Joël and Voice Male | 26 | 30% | – |
| 4 | Tell me why | Mandy | 29 | 5% | – |
| 5 | Love me | Judith Jobse | 46 | 45% | F |
| 6 | For you and me | Yellow Pearl | 54 | 11% | F |
Semi-Final 3 – February 5th
| 1 | Ritornero | I will return | Jorge Castro | 29 | 16% | – |
| 2 | Change | Change | André Kuik | 23 | 16% | – |
| 3 | The power of an angel | The power of an angel | Mary Amora | 6 | 7% | – |
| 4 | Heimwee | Homesickness | Varna Springer | 28 | 11% | – |
| 5 | On a wing and a prayer | On a wing and a prayer | Adriana Romeyn | 54 | 15% | F |
| 6 | Mississippi Miss | Mississippi Miss | Suzy ’n‘ the Hi-Rollers | 25 | 35% | F |
Semi-Final 4 – February 12th
| 1 | Bring back the music | Bring back the music | Mai Tai | 31 | 7% | – |
| 2 | One of a kind | One of a kind | Triple 10’rs | 2 | 12% | – |
| 3 | Here’s to the summer | Here’s to the summer | Jaco van der Steen | 16 | 15% | – |
| 4 | Heart of stone | Heart of stone | Anja Wessels | 49 | 21% | F |
| 5 | In het licht van jouw ogen | In the light of your eyes | Camp Girls | 36 | 16% | – |
| 6 | Show me the love | Show me the love | Cherwin | 31 | 29% | F |
Semi-Final 5 – February 19th
| 1 | Tell me why | Tell me why | Mandy | 48 | 9% | – |
| 2 | Celeste | Celeste | Bas & Joël and Voice Male | 36 | 27% | F |
| 3 | In het licht van jouw ogen | In the light of your eyes | Camp Girls | 43 | 13% | – |
| 4 | The story of my life | The story of my life | Arno Kolenbrander | 14 | 9% | – |
| 5 | Change | Change | André Kuik | 6 | 10% | – |
| 6 | She’ll take your breath away | She’ll take your breath away | Charly | 51 | 32% | F |
One of the backing singers for Triple 10’rs was Marjolein Spijkers who represented the Netherlands in ESC 1997 as a member of the group Mrs Einstein.
The Final
The Dutch Final was held on February 22nd at the Pepsi Stage Theatre in Amsterdam, hosted by Nance & Humberto Tan. The winner was chosen by a mixture of televoting (50%) and an „expert“ jury (50%) which included Ruth Jacott who represented The Netherlands in ESC 1993. Anja Wessels won the televote.
| 1 | Show me the love | Cherwin | 13 | 10th |
| 2 | Love me | Judith Jobse | 79 | 3rd |
| 3 | She’ll take your breath away | Charly | 59 | 4th |
| 4 | Alright | Babette Labeij | 18 | 9th |
| 5 | For you and me | Yellow Pearl | 31 | 7th |
| 6 | Celeste | Bas & Joël and Voice Male | 57 | 5th |
| 7 | On a wing and a prayer | Adriana Romeyn | 26 | 8th |
| 8 | Without you | Reunion | 108 | 1st |
| 9 | Mississippi Miss | Suzy ’n‘ the Hi-Rollers | 37 | 6th |
| 10 | Heart of stone | Anja Wessels | 82 | 2nd |
One of the members of Reunion (Fabrizio Pennisi) previously came 9th in the 1999 Dutch Final in the group „All of us“. The other member (Paul de Corte) was a backing singer for The Beanuts in the 2003 Dutch Semi-Finals. At the ESC they came 20th. One of Cherwin’s backing singers was Linda Snoeij who represented the Netherlands in 1997 as a member of the group Mrs Einstein. Babette Labeij was a backing singer for the Netherlands in ESC 1998.