Official Announcement and Song Leak Claude sings “C’est la vie” for The Netherlands. He will perform “C’est La Vie” at the contest in Basel, Switzerland. The song was supposed to premiere today. However, it leaked early on social media and was played by QMusic before the scheduled release. Despite the leak, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS confirmed the song remains the official entry. Who is Claude? Claude Kiambe was born on September 16, 2003, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. At nine, he moved to the Netherlands. His family first lived in an asylum center in Alkmaar before settling in Enkhuizen. There, he completed his secondary education and briefly studied hotel management before pursuing music full-time. Musical Journey Claude first gained attention in 2019 on “The Voice Kids.” Though eliminated in the battle rounds, he later won “Are You Next?” in 2020. His victory secured him a contract with Cloud 9 Music. His debut single, “Ladada (Mon dernier mot),” topped the Dutch Top 40 charts. He also won the 3FM Award for Best Newcomer and Qmusic’s Artist of the Year award. About “C’est La Vie” Claude sings “C’est la vie” for The Netherlands. Claude co-wrote “C’est La Vie” with Arno Krabman, Joren van der Voort, and Léon Palmen. The song blends French and English lyrics. It tells the story of a young man learning to accept life’s ups and downs, inspired by advice from his mother. The track starts as a ballad and transitions into an upbeat melody. Piano elements bookend the song, adding emotional depth. Reaction to the Leak AVROTROS expressed disappointment about the leak but remains committed to the original release plan. Claude took the situation in stride, stating, “It goes up, it goes down, but c’est la vie.” Eurovision Performance The Netherlands has officially chosen Claude as its representative for Eurovision 2025. Claude will perform “C’est La Vie” in the second half of the first semi-final on May 13, 2025. His selection follows last year’s controversy when Joost Klein was disqualified from Eurovision 2024 due to a backstage incident. With his bilingual song and heartfelt message, Claude hopes to capture the hearts of audiences across Europe. Claude is set to perform “C’est La Vie” during the second half of the first semi-final on May 13, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. This selection follows the disqualification of the previous Dutch entrant, Joost Klein, in 2024 due to a backstage incident, leading AVROTROS to continue with an internal selection process for this year’s entry. Share
