# Junior Songfestival

Junior Songfestival (Dutch pronunciation:; lit. 'Junior Song Festival') is a Dutch televised music competition for children, held annually since 2003. It is the children's version of the Nationaal Songfestival. The winner of the contest goes on to represent the Netherlands in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (Dutch: Junior Eurovisiesongfestival), an international version of the competition.

## History

The first edition was organised in 2003 by Dutch broadcaster AVRO (which later became AVROTROS). Kids of age 8 through 15 could submit their own original songs, of which nine songs advanced to the televised final. From 2004 until 2015, the candidates also sang a common song that did not compete, and (with the exception of 2006) the show also consisted of two televised semi-finals.
In 2006, the television programme won the Gouden Stuiver (English: Golden Nickle), a Dutch award for children's television.
In 2016, there was no televised show; the entrant for that year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest was selected internally. Also, since that year the auditors no longer need to submit original songs. The show returned in 2017 with semi-finals, but the finalists sang covers instead of original songs. Since 2018, there are no semi-finals and the competing songs were written by famous Dutch musicians. The 2016 and 2017 songs have also been written by famous Dutch musicians. In addition the common song returned in 2019.

## Editions

| Year | Date of final | Venue | Presenter(s) | Common song |
| 2003 | 20 September | Pepsi Stage [nl], Amsterdam | Angela Groothuizen | No common song |
| 2004 | 1 October | Pepsi Stage [nl], Amsterdam | Angela Groothuizen | "Wij gaan ervoor" |
| 2005 | 24 September | Central Studios, Utrecht | Tooske Ragas | "Alles wat ik wil" |
| 2006 | 30 September | Studio 24, Media Park, Hilversum | Sipke Jan Bousema | "Vrij" |
| 2007 | 6 October | Studio Baarn, Baarn | Sipke Jan Bousema | "Laat ons zijn wie we zijn" |
| 2008 | 4 October | Studio Baarn, Baarn | Sipke Jan Bousema | "Ojee ojee" |
| 2009 | 3 October | Studio Baarn, Baarn | Sipke Jan Bousema | "Morgen is vandaag" |
| 2010 | 2 October | Studio Baarn, Baarn | Ewout Genemans | "Famous" |
| 2011 | 1 October | Studio 1, Crown Business Studios, Aalsmeer | Ewout Genemans | "Yeah! Yeah!" |
| 2012 | 6 October | Studio 1, Crown Business Studios, Aalsmeer | Ewout Genemans | "JSF Party" |
| 2013 | 28 September | Studio 1, Crown Business Studios, Aalsmeer | Ewout Genemans | "Glitter en glamour" |
| 2014 | 4 October | Studio 1, Crown Business Studios, Aalsmeer | Jan Smit | "Connected" |
| 2015 | 3 October | Studio 1, Crown Business Studios, Aalsmeer | Jan Smit | "Living Our Dream" |
| 2017 | 16 September | Theater Hanzehof, Zutphen | Romy Monteiro | "Later als ik groter ben" (cover) |
| 2018 | 29 September | Theater Hanzehof, Zutphen | Romy Monteiro | No common song |
| 2019 | 28 September | Theater Hanzehof, Zutphen | Romy Monteiro, Buddy Vedder | "Stars to Shine" |
| 2020 | 26 September | Ahoy Arena, Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | Romy Monteiro, Buddy Vedder | "All We Need Is Music" |
| 2021 | 25 September | RTM Stage, Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | Romy Monteiro, Buddy Vedder | "Let's Sing Together" |
| 2022 | 24 September | RTM Stage, Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | Stefania, Matheu | "Living in the Moment" |
| 2023 | 23 September | RTM Stage, Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | Stefania, Matheu | "Good Vibes" |
| 2024 | 21 September | RTM Stage, Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam | Stefania, Matheu | "Move On" |

### Winners

| Year | Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) | Points |
| 2003 | Roel Felius | "Mijn ogen zeggen alles" | Roel Felius | 118 |
| 2004 | Klaartje & Nicky [nl] | "Hij is een kei" | Klaartje MeulenmeesterNicky Bruyn | 32 |
| 2005 | Tess Gaerthé | "Stupid" | Tess Gaerthé | 36 |
| 2006 | Kimberly Nieuwenhuis | "Goed" | Kimberly Nieuwenhuis | 30 |
| 2007 | Lisa, Amy & Shelley | "Adem in, adem uit" | Lisa VolAmy VolShelley Vol | 36 |
| 2008 | Marissa Grasdijk [nl] | "1 dag" | Marissa Grasdijk | 34 |
| 2009 | Ralf Mackenbach | "Click Clack" | Ralf MackenbachJan van den Langenberg | 36 |
| 2010 | Anna & Senna [nl] | "My Family" | Anna LagerweijSenna SitalsingTjeerd Oosterhuis | 32 |
| 2011 | Rachel Traets | "Ik ben een teenager" | Rachel TraetsWilliam LaseromsMaarten ten HoveJoachim Vermeulen Windsant | 36 |
| 2012 | Femke Meines | "Tik tak tik" | Femke MeinesTjeerd Oosterhuis | 31 |
| 2013 | Mylène & Rosanne | "Double Me" | Mylène WaalewijnRosanne WaalewijnTjeerd Oosterhuis | 33 |
| 2014 | Julia van Bergen | "Around" | Julia van BergenRobert DornJoost Griffioen | 36 |
| 2015 | Shalisa van der Laan [nl] | "Million Lights" | Shalisa van der LaanHans TomassenJoost Griffioen | 36 |
| 2017 | Fource (band) | "September Song" (cover)"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" (cover) | N/A | N/A |
| 2018 | Max & Anne [nl] | "Samen" | Babette LabeijDimitri VeltkampRobin van Veen | 34 |
| 2019 | Matheu [nl] | "Dans met jou" | Jermain van der BogtWillem Laseroms | 36 |
| 2020 | Unity | "Best Friends" | Robert Dorn | 34 |
| 2021 | Ayana [nl] | "Mata Sugu Aō Ne" (またすぐ会おうね) | Ferry Lagendijk | 33 |
| 2022 | Luna | "La festa" | Robert Dorn | 36 |
| 2023 | Sep & Jasmijn | "Holding On to You" | Robert Dorn | 36 |
| 2024 | Stay Tuned | "Music" | Jermain van der BogtWillem Laseroms | 34 |

### Jury members

The winner is determined by three sets of points; one given by a professional jury, one by a kid's jury, and one by public voting. The following table lists the members of the professional jury in the final.
| Year | Professional jury members | Professional jury members | Professional jury members | Professional jury members | Professional jury members |
| 2003 | Bastiaan Ragas | Jamai Loman | Gijs Staverman [nl] | Sylvana Simons | Birgit Schuurman |
| 2004 | Manuela Kemp [nl] | Jeroen Kijk in de Vegte | Kim-Lian van der Meij | Sander Lantinga | |
| 2005 | Kim-Lian van der Meij | Sander Lantinga | Manuela Kemp | René Froger | |
| 2006 | Simone Kleinsma | Gerard Ekdom | Sita | | |
| 2007 | Gordon | Yes-R | Nikkie Plessen [nl] | | |
| 2008 | Gordon | Hind Laroussi | Curt Fortin [nl] | | |
| 2009 | Jeroen van der Boom | Lange Frans | Yolanthe Cabau | | |
| 2010 | Jamai Loman | Stacey Rookhuizen [nl] | Yes-R | | |
| 2011 | Stacey Rookhuizen | Ruud de Wild | Lieke van Lexmond | | |
| 2012 | Lieke van Lexmond | John Ewbank | Ferry Doedens [nl] | | |
| 2013 | Katja Schuurman | Tim Douwsma | Brownie Dutch [nl] | | |
| 2014 | Xander de Buisonjé | Niels Geusebroek | Yvonne Coldeweijer [nl] | | |
| 2015 | Gerard Joling | Leona Philippo | Yes-R | | |
| 2017 | Kim-Lian van der Meij | Tim Douwsma | Sharon Doorson | | |
| 2018 | Maan de Steenwinkel | Buddy Vedder | Tommie Christiaan [nl] | | |
| 2019 | Edsilia Rombley | Tabitha Foen-A-Foe [nl] | Kaj van der Voort [nl] | | |
| 2020 | Duncan Laurence | Ronnie Flex | Fenna Ramos [nl] | | |
| 2021 | Jeangu Macrooy | Emma Heesters | Rolf Sanchez | | |
| 2022 | Chantal Janzen | Flemming | Glen Faria [nl] | | |
| 2023 | Soy Kroon | Sosha Duysker [nl] | Meau | | |
| 2024 | Jim Bakkum | Roxeanne Hazes [nl] | Anne Appelo [nl] | | |
* ↑ Ramos replaced Emma Heesters, who had been in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19.