Eurovision 2025 Belgium Profile: Strobe Lights by Red Sebastian

We profile the 2025 entry from Belgium including details on the artist, song, how it was chosen, odds, fan reaction, and how the nation has fared at Eurovision.

Belgium is one of the original seven countries that participated at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. 2025 marks their 66th appearance in the competition. The only countries that have participated more times are Germany, United Kingdom and France- all three are part of the “Big 5”. Their non-participation in 1994, 1997 and 2001 was due to low scores in the previous contests that relegated them from the contest. These are the only three years that nation has been absent. Belgium have won the contest once with 13 year old Sandra Kim in 1986 with the song J'aime la vie.

Belgium have participated in 55 finals. Other than Kim’s win in 1986, they have finished in the top 3 once with Urban Trad in second place with the Modern Celtic imaginary language song Sanomi. Belgium has finished last on eight occasions with their most recent last place being in 2000. They received the dreaded nul points in 1962 and 1965.

After the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Belgium failed to reach the final for five consecutive years between 2005–2009 although things have improved for the dual language kingdom since 2010. They have qualified for the final in eight out of the last 14 contests with five top 10 results in 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2023.

As Belgium is a federal country which is divided into two major linguistic regions, each has its own broadcaster- Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) in the Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north and Radio-télévision belge de la Communauté française (RTBF) in French-speaking Wallonia in the south. Both broadcasters are full members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), thus eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, however as only one entrant per country is allowed in the contest in any given year the broadcasters tak turns to send their chosen participant. After the contest’s cancellation in 2020, VRT is now responsible for choosing a participant in odd years while RTBF does so in even years with both broadcasters sharing the broadcasting rights. Thus VRT was in charge of choosing Belgium’s contestant this year.

VRT chose to run their Eurosong national final this year as they did in 2023 although they made some changes to the format with contestants performing their song and a cover version pre-contest in a pre-recorded television show, then performing their song in front of a live audience in the final.

Representing Belgium at Eurovision 2025 in Basel is Red Sebastian with his song Strobe Lights.

2025 entry: Red Sebastian - Strobe Lights

• Red Sebastian will compete in semi-final 1 in position nine

• My Eurovision Scoreboard ranking: 21st

• Odds to win ranking: 7th

• Aussievision team ranking: 8th

(Rankings as of 15 April 2025)

About the artist

Seppe Guido Yvonne Herreman better known as Red Sebastian hails from the coastal city of Ostend in the West Flanders region of Belgium. He took his stage name from the Disney character Sebastian in the 1989 animation film The Little Mermaid as it was one of his favourite movies when he was a child. He will turn 26 on the day he performs in Semi-final 1 at Eurovision.

No stranger to Flemish television, he first appeared on the Flanders edition of Belgium’s Got Talent in 2013 aged 14. He performed the Christina Aguleira song Ain't No Other Man where he made it to the finals. Most recently, he was a contestant on VRT 1 talent show Sing Again, where again he qualified to the final. He has stated that his reason for participating in Sing Again was to reintroduce himself to the Flanders public as he left the public eye once his experience in Belgium’s Got Talent concluded, “I did BGT and grew up, became an adult, I really feel that it was the perfect opportunity”.

After relocating to the east Flanders city of Ghent, Herreman studied Vocal Performance at the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) where he was taught by 2023 Eurovision Belgian representative Gustaph. In 2021, Herreman released his debut self-released album You. A second album Bedroom Secrets was released in December 2023.

An accomplished pianist, Herreman cites his main musical influence being Lady Gaga. He also grew up listening to a lot of music from Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. He is a fan of Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and Teddy Swims. His favourite Eurovision song is none other than the 2012 winning song Euphoria by Swedish contest queen Loreen.

Herreman credits lemon, ginger and lots of rest to preserve his voice. He branded himself as Red Sebastian and debuted his signature look in 2019. He has been a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest with the 2006 contest being one of his earliest memories “I remember being scared of Lordi as a kid but singing/screaming along to Hard Rock Hallelujah with my friends in school.” His biggest dream is to represent Belgium at Eurovision. Herreman will achieve his dream next month.

About the song

The techno-dance anthem, Strobe Lights was inspired by Herreman’s mentor Gustaph while he was working with Willem Vanderstichele who produced Gustaph’s 7th placed 2023 Eurovision song Because of You. Herreman wanted to write a similar song but with more club-EDM elements as he enjoyed the vibe of the song. They were dancing in the studio and Herreman said that he “wanted to capture that magical moment”. He describes his song as “a fun, euphoric and grand experience. Going out with your friends and not knowing where the night will take you and when or where it will end.”

Along with Vanderstichele, Herreman co-wrote Strobe Lights with Astrid Roelants and Billie Bentein. Roelants, better known as Ameerah also competed at Eurosong 2023 with Gustaph, finishing in fifth place with The Carnival. Previously, she competed in the 2004 Belgian national final with Don't Stop the Music where she placed seventh. Coincidentally the winner, Xandee went on to place seventh at Eurovision that same year.

Strobe Lights peaked at 9 on the Flanders Belgian Singles Chart.

How was Red Sebastian chosen for Eurovision?

On 13 January 2025, Flemish broadcaster VRT announced that it had selected Strobe Lights performed by Red Sebastian as one of the eight songs to compete in Eurosong 2025, Each of the chosen songs were showcased on two pre-recorded episodes that were televised on 18 and 25 January 2025. Red Sebastian was featured in the second show where in addition to his entry he performed a cover version of the 2019 winning Eurovision song Arcade by Dutchman Duncan Laurence. Strobe Lights was officially released on 25 January 2025.

Red Sebastian won Eurosong 2025 on 01 February 2025, where Strobe Lights placed first overall- 123 points from the jury and 291 points from the televote, a total of 432 points. 279 points ahead of second place getter Leez with Perfectly Imperfect who finished with 144 points.

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