Returning for The Netherlands: It's Waylon for Lisbon 2018!

Waylon got his big break on the TV-show Holland’s Got Talent in 2008 and was the first ever Dutchman to be signed by the Motown label. His debut album Wicked Ways achieved platinum status. In 2011 he released his second album, After All, and in 2012 he was voted Best Male Singer at the 3FM Awards. 

The Common Linnets

In 2014 Waylon teamed up with singer Ilse DeLange and formed The Common Linnets. Ilse and Waylon had known each other since they were teenagers when they both played the country music circuit in The Netherlands. Right from the beginning they shared a love for country and related genres like bluegrass, folk and Americana. Most of all they shared a passion for true, stripped-down songs that convey pure emotion, the result of the collaboration was the song Calm After The Storm.

The Netherlands took the Eurovision Song Contest by storm and The Common Linnets won the First Semi-Final in Copenhagen. The duo finished second in the Grand Final, providing the best placing for The Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest since 1975!

The Calm After The Storm

The Common Linnets are still performing today although Waylon left the band to pursue a solo career. In September 2014 he released his third album, Heaven After Midnight which he referred to as his "first real album." Recorded in the United States, it reached number one in the Dutch iTunes charts when it was released. In 2016 he released his fourth studio album, Seeds. 

Waylon's entry for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest will be released next year. Prior to the announcement of his return to Eurovision, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS released a teaser video, encouraging people to guess who will fly the flag for The Netherlands in Lisbon. 

The Netherlands has a strong record in the Eurovision Song Contest having won four times. After failing to reach the Grand Final for several years, The Netherlands has qualified in four out of the last five contests.