It’s Belgium’s time to shine on the Eurovision Top 100 list. At number 31, we have Loïc Nottet’s standout entry, “Rhythm Inside.”
On the Euro Yard, we will sing the praises of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest all day long. It remains one of the best shows I have seen, and the top tier of music was very good. This website stands in fundamental opposition to “recency bias” – I groan when I see Eurovision top all-time songs lists and the vast majority are from the past 15-20 years – but I have to tell you, 2015 was one of the contest’s best shows.
As for Loïc Nottet, he served something far different from any Belgium had ever done to that point – or after it, for that matter. In my possibly unpopular opinion, this was Belgium’s best entry to date. Not the most successful, to be clear, but best.
Vital Information: “Rhythm Inside”
| Song | Rhythm Inside |
| Performed By | Loïc Nottet |
| Written By | Loïc Nottet & Beverly Jo Scott |
| Country | Belgium |
| Year | 2015 |
| Language(s) Performed In | English |
| How It Fared | 4th place (217 points) |
| Was It Fair? | Not angry about placement |
What I Liked
He can sing, sure. Yet, this performance was a lot more than that. It was a full package of artistry. The song had such an energy that I found it captivating. All of this in spite of the fact that this is not something I would seek out and listen to on my own. When a song that’s not my style can win me over like this, that’s how I know it’s quite good. As a side note, I think the live version was even better than the studio recording. That is not the case with a lot of songs but with this one, it is.
Aside from being infectiously catchy, some of the lyrics (and the way they were delivered) were, as the kids say, fire. “And if we die tomorrow / What do we have to show / For the wicked ways down below” lives rent free in my puny brain. (Eurovision 2015 Belgium: Loïc Nottet – “Rhythm Inside,” n.d.) One could say a theme of the song was solidarity, as the rhythm is inside all of us.
Loïc is a talented singer, and is someone I would be beyond pleased to be back on the Eurovision stage at some point.
Other Facts
- Nottet was just 19 years old when he gave that top-five performance in Vienna.
- He was on Belgium’s version of The Voice, where he finished as the runner-up on his season.
- This song placed second in its semifinal, and performed in 13th position in the grand final.
- 2015 marked only the second time Belgium had finished in the top five since Sandra Kim’s win in 1986.
Listen to the Sound of Thunder…and “Rhythm Inside”
The big performance is available on YouTube.
References
Eurovision 2015 Belgium: Loïc Nottet – “Rhythm Inside.” (n.d.). Eurovisionworld. https://eurovisionworld.com/eurovision/2015/belgium
