Following Anouk's ninth place in 2013 with the song "Birds" which managed to take the country to the final for the first time in eight years, artists that were rumoured in Dutch media to be in talks with AVROTROS for the Eurovision Song Contest included backing vocalist in 2013 Shirma Rouse who was promoted by Anouk at several events, and DJ Armin van Buuren who stated in June 2013 that he would participate as long as AVROTROS gave him full artistic freedom and abandoned plans of a national final for his entry. On 5 November 2013, the Dutch broadcaster later revealed that an announcement would be made on 25 November 2013. Van Buuren announced on 13 November 2013 that he would not be the Dutch entrant.