In 2021, he had given up on participating.
On January 10, 2020, France Télévisions announced the internal choice of Tom Leeb to represent France at the 65th edition of Eurovision organized in the Netherlands, in Rotterdam.
On February 16, 2020, the song championed by the artist, titled The Best in me, was unveiled by enthusiastic organizers who had “fallen in love” with the title. “I’m going to Eurovision Song Contest for one of the best experiences of my life,” his performer told us at the time.
Criticized by the Minister of Culture, Franck Riester, for its refrains in English and contested by the association Francophonie Avenir, the song was reworked to become, a month later, My ally.
On March 19, the 2020 edition of the international song contest was cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis.
“There was bound to be a disappointment at the time because we had put so much effort into it. I was cut off pretty quickly: I said yes in January and in March we said it wouldn’t happen,” said Tom Leeb with hindsight in an interview released Tuesday by Belgian media Télépro.
“After that, it didn’t disappoint me more than that, frankly. Since Eurovision has been around it had never been cancelled except for my year, if that’s not a sign … I took three minutes to mourn, that was fine. Anyway, I had planned my career without Eurovision so when I was told we didn’t do it anymore, I said very well. I continued my journey with my compositions and my passion.”
Tom Leeb confirmed that the French organizers of Eurovision had offered him to return the following year but that he declined.
“During the weeks of preparation until the cancellation, I realized that I enjoyed singing my songs, my lyrics and being free,” he added. I didn’t want singing to become a constraint and an obligation for a singing competition that is subjective. I realized Eurovision didn’t speak to me more than that, it wasn’t something for me. I had accepted to participate with great enthusiasm, I saw it as a great opportunity but, with hindsight and time to reflect, I realized that I had rushed into something that did not suit me.”
After a national competition broadcast on France 2, it was finally Barbara Pravi who was chosen to represent France in 2021 with the title Voilà. She finished second behind Italy.
an oikotimes original text
