Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
| Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurovision Song Contest 2008 | ||||
| Participating broadcaster | Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) | |||
| Country | Belgium | |||
| Selection process | Eurosong '08 | |||
| Selection date | 9 March 2008 | |||
| Competing entry | ||||
| Song | "O Julissi" | |||
| Artist | Ishtar | |||
| Songwriters | Michel Vangheluwe | |||
| Placement | ||||
| Semi-final result | Failed to qualify (17th) | |||
| Participation chronology | ||||
| 
 | ||||
Belgium was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song "O Julissi", written by Michel Vangheluwe, and performed by the band Ishtar. The Belgian participating broadcaster, Flemish Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT), selected its entry for the contest through the national final Eurosong '08. The competition featured twenty competing entries and consisted of seven shows. In the final on 9 March 2008, "O Julissi Na Jalini" performed by Ishtar was selected as the winner via a public televote. The song was later retitled as "O Julissi".
Belgium was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 20 May 2008. Performing during the show in position 6, "O Julissi" was not announced among the 10 qualifying entries of the first semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Belgium placed seventeenth out of the 19 participating countries in the semi-final with 16 points.