Claude: 10 Facts about the Netherlands' Eurovision 2025 singer (2025)

With “C’est La Vie”, he is storming the charts in his home country and he is preparing for his journey to Basel. We are of course talking about the Netherlands’ Claude. This year, Claude is bringing the good vibes, an autobiographical pop song and a willingness to bring the Benelux nation back to the Eurovision final.

Between mixing languages, African roots and settling in a cold country, there’s a lot to learn about him. So let’s dive straight into 10 Facts about Claude!

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10 Facts about Claude

1. Claude was born in Congo

Okay, let’s start with the basics. The Netherlands’ Eurovision star was born in Boma, a port town in the Democratic Republic of Congo back in 2003. He grew up speaking French as his native language.

2. Claude came to the Netherlands aged nine

At the age of nine, following his mother, Claude fled the internal turnoil in Congo and settled in the Netherlands. He started to live in an asylum seekers’ centre in Alkmaar, north of Amsterdam. It took him some time to get used to the Dutch language and society, as he never went to school in Congo due to lack of finances in his family to afford education.

3. His first introduction to Eurovision was Conchita Wurst’s “Rise Like a Phoenix”

In many interviews, Claude recalled that while living in Alkmaar, he first came into connection with the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014. He was watching television with his family and came across the contest. Immediately he liked the mix of different cultures and music. Conchita Wurst’s victory made a lasting impression on him.

4. His label signed him despite the fact he did not sing in Dutch

As a child, Claude enjoyed singing, which included the occasional school performances. He also auditioned for the country’s equivalent of The Voice Kids at one stage. But he got serious about music when he took part in a casting for pop singers for music label Cloud 9. At the casting, they told him they were looking for singers who like to sing in Dutch, but despite that, they still signed him as they saw potential.

5. His debut single “Ladada” was a smash hit in the Netherlands

Following his signing to Cloud 9, Claude debuted with the French-language single “Ladada (Mon dernier mot)” in 2022. The song became a smash hit in the Netherlands, topping the airplay and sales charts and dominating the music landscape for months.

6. His music combines his native language French with English and Dutch

Claude is unique in the Dutch music scene for combining the French language with Dutch and now, for his Eurovision song “C’est La Vie”, English. Previous to his Eurovision entry, Claude duetted with the popular duo Suzan & Freek, who exclusively sing in the Dutch language. Their 2023 track “Vas-y (Ga Maar)” scored well in the charts in the Netherlands. They remain supportive to each other to this day, as Suzan & Freek also attended Claude’s song release in Amsterdam.

7. Claude worked in a train station when his first song entered the chart

Despite the success of his first single, Claude still worked part-time in a restaurant in the railway station of Enkhuizen, where he then lived. In interviews, he recalled that some visitors who came to grab lunch and coffee just before or after their journey, recognised him. However, he is a full-time musician now.

8. Claude was scheduled to open concerts for Stromae

While performing at the Noorderslag festival in Groningen in early 2023, Stromae’s manager told Claude he could perhaps open for the Belgian singer at his scheduled concerts in the country. To confirm their intent, Stromae even sent a Valentine’s Day cake to invite him as an opening act, the singer told newspaper Het Parool. However, Stromae later cancelled all his appearances due to personal circumstances.

9. Claude released his debut album in late 2024 titled Parler Français

Following the commercial success of his first singles, Claude released his first album Parler Français in late 2024. Most of the tracks on the eleven-song album were written by Claude together with Arno Krabman and Joren van der Voort — who also wrote “C’est La Vie”.

10. One of his favourite hobbies is skeelering

For the lovers of trivia: Claude revealed in a small interview to children’s newspaper Kidsweek in 2023 that skeelering is among his favourite hobbies.

Did you learn anything new about Claude? Which fact did you find the most surprising? Are you rooting for the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025? Let us know in the comments down below!

Related Topics

• C'est La Vie
• Claude