Because of You (Gustaph song)
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}{{Short description|2023 song by Gustaph}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Because of You
| cover = Because of You (Gustaph song).jpeg
| alt = The official cover for "Because of You"
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Gustaph
| album = Look At Us Now
| language = English
| released = 13 January 2023
| genre =
| length = 2:59
| label =
| writer = {{hlist|Stef Caers|Jaouad Alloul}}
| prev_title = The Nail
| prev_year = 2023
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|ORhEoS6d8e4|"Because Of You"}}
{{YouTube|YOMJHF0gLy8|"Because Of You" (Pride Edition)}}}}
{{Infobox song contest entry
| embed = yes
| year = 2023
| country = Belgium
| artist = Gustaph
| language =
| composer = {{hlist|Stef Caers|Jaouad Alloul}}
| lyricist = {{hlist|Stef Caers|Jaouad Alloul}}
| place = 7th
| points = 182
| place_semi = 8th
| points_semi = 90
| prev = Miss You
| prev_year = 2022
| prev_link = Miss You (Jérémie Makiese song)
| next = Before the Party's Over
| next_year = 2024
| next_link = Before the Party's Over
}}
{{External music video|header=Official performance video|{{YouTube|enaSSMIo8AY|"Because Of You" (Second Semi-Final)}}
{{YouTube|U1xD14IMKtg|"Because Of You" (Grand Final)}}}}
}}
"Because of You" is a song by Belgian singer Gustaph, released as a single on 13 January 2023. The song represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 after winning Eurosong 2023, Belgium's national final for that year's Eurovision Song Contest.{{Cite news |date=14 January 2023 |title=Gustaph wins 'Eurosong 2023' in Belgium with 'Because of You' |language=en |work=Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/gustaph-wins-eurosong-for-belgium |access-date=14 January 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Christou |first=Costa |date=14 January 2023 |title=Gustaph wins Eurosong and will represent Belgium at Eurovision 2023 |url=https://escxtra.com/2023/01/14/eurosong-2023-results/ |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=ESCXTRA |language=en-GB}} At the contest in finished in 7th place at the final, with 182 points. It reached number two on the Belgium Singles Charts and was certified Platinum. Elsewhere it reached the charts in Australia, Lithuania, Sweden, Netherlands, and UK.
Background
In an interview with Eurovision fansite ESC Bubble, Gustaph compared both of his songs for Eurosong 2023, "The Nail" and "Because of You". He described both songs as a call for celebrating freedom and "the joy to be yourself". Gustaph, who is gay, said that his experiences of being in the community and wanting to be himself inspired both songs. However, he described "Because of You" as a lighter, "club anthem" song.{{Cite web |last=Juhász |first=Ervin |date=8 January 2023 |title=Gustaph: 'I wanna celebrate freedom and the joy to be yourself' |url=https://escbubble.com/2023/01/gustaph-i-wanna-celebrate-freedom-and-the-joy-to-be-yourself/ |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=ESCBubble |language=en-GB}} In other interviews with Wiwibloggs, Gustaph described the song as an "ode to the queer community", stating that his song was meaningful for people in the LGBTQ+ community.{{Cite web |last=Tudor |first=Ruxandra |date=2023-02-16 |title=Gustaph "Because of You" lyrics - Belgium Eurovision 2023 |url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2023/02/16/gustaph-because-of-you-lyrics-belgium-eurovision-2023/275645/ |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=Wiwibloggs |language=en-US}}
Eurovision Song Contest
{{Main|Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023}}
= ''Eurosong 2023'' =
Eurosong 2023 was the national final used to select Belgium's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The competition consisted of five pre-recorded songclub shows that were broadcast between 9 and 13 January 2023, followed by a live final on 14 January 2023 where the winning song and artist were selected.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-08 |title='Eurosong 2023' vanaf 9 januari week lang op tv |url=https://songfestival.be/eurosong-2023/eurosong-2023-vanaf-9-januari-week-lang-op-tv/ |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=Songfestival.be |language=nl}}
Seven artists were sought to compete in Eurosong. In the five songclub shows, the show featured each artist presenting their two candidate Eurovision songs in front of the six other artists, who provided commentary and feedback. Based on the feedback, the artist selected one of the two songs to proceed to the final.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-20 |title=Verrassing: artiesten kiezen zélf eigen inzending voor 'Eurosong'-finale |url=https://songfestival.be/eurosong-2023/verrassing-artiesten-kiezen-zelf-eigen-inzending-voor-eurosong-finale/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Songfestival.be |language=nl}} Gustaph presented his two songs, "The Nail" and "Because of You" on 12 January and 13 January, respectively. On 13 January, he revealed that he had chosen "Because of You" to take to the final of Eurosong 2023.{{Cite web |last=Meersman |first=Boris |date=13 January 2023 |title=Belgium – Eurosong 2023: Gustaph and The Starlings reveal their songs for tomorrow's final! |url=http://www.escunited.com/belgium-eurosong-2023-gustaph-and-the-starlings-reveal-their-songs-for-tomorrows-final/ |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=escYOUnited |language=en-US}}
In the final, the winner was chosen by a combination of a jury vote and a public televote. Eleven jurors accounted for 50% of the vote, while the public decided the other 50%.{{Cite web |last=Granger |first=Anthony |date=2023-01-02 |title=🇧🇪 Belgium: Fifteen Member Eurosong 2023 Jury Revealed |url=https://eurovoix.com/2023/01/02/belgium-fifteen-member-eurosong-2023-jury-revealed/ |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Eurovoix |language=en-GB}} "Because of You" earned 121 votes from the juries, earning the third jury spot overall. In the televote, "Because of You" earned 157 points, placing second overall with a total of 278 points. When the full voting results were revealed, the song was revealed as the winner, beating televote favourite "Rollercoaster" by one point due to the latter's lacklustre jury score of 94 points. "Because of You" was therefore scheduled to represent Belgium at Eurovision.{{Cite web |last=Veen |first=Renske ten |date=14 January 2023 |title=Gustaph will represent Belgium at Eurovision 2023 with "Because of You" |url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2023/01/14/gustaph-belgium-eurosong-2023-final/274630/ |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=Wiwibloggs |language=en-US}}
= At Eurovision =
According to Eurovision rules, all participating countries, with the exception of the host nation and the "Big Five", consisting of {{Esccnty|France}}, {{Esccnty|Germany}}, {{Esccnty|Italy}}, {{Esccnty|Spain}} and the {{Esccnty|United Kingdom}}, are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final.{{cite web |title=Rules–Eurovision Song Contest |date=31 October 2018 |url=https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408073043/https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/ |archive-date=8 April 2020 |access-date=10 October 2021 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}} The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 31 January 2023, an allocation draw was held, which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, and determined which half of the show they would perform in. Belgium was placed into the second semi-final, held on 11 May 2023, and performed in the first half of the show in the fifth position.{{Cite web |last=Groot |first=Evert |date=2023-01-31 |title=Eurovision 2023: Allocation Draw results |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2023-allocation-draw-results |access-date=2022-01-31 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU)}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-22 |title=Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Semi-Final running orders revealed! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2023-semi-final-running-orders-revealed |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=Eurovision.tv |publisher=EBU |language=en-gb}}
The performance featured a cameo from vogueing dancer PussCee West.{{Cite web |last=Granger |first=Anthony |date=2023-04-30 |title=🇧🇪 Belgium: Gustaph to be Joined by PussCee West at Eurovision |url=https://eurovoix.com/2023/04/30/gustaph-pusscee-west-eurovision/ |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=Eurovoix |language=en-GB}} After qualifying from the second semi-final in eighth, they were placed to perform in the 16th position for the grand final. The song finished in seventh place with 182 points.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col 2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col 2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Because of You" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2023|title=Jaaroverzichten 2023|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=7 January 2024}}
| 9 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Because of You"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|artist=Gustaph|title=Because of you|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2023|certyear=2023|access-date=5 July 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2023}}
{{Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest}}
Category:Eurovision songs of Belgium