Alexandra Nagy
This Artist 101 guide contains everything you need to know about France’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Bilal Hassani.
Who is Bilal Hassani?
Bilal Hassani is a French singer-songwriter, social media star and queer icon who won Destination Eurovision in Paris and will be representing France at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel with his song “Roi” (“King”).
Born in France to a Moroccan Muslim family, Bilal began to sing when he was only 5, and participated in the second season of The Voice Kids in 2015, auditioning with a cover of “Rise Like a Phoenix” by Conchita Wurst. He was eliminated during the battle rounds but never gave up his dreams. In 2018, he was announced as a candidate participating in the French national selection show for the Eurovision Song Contest, which he won later with a total of 200 points in the final.
Bilal came out as a gay when he was 17, and was subject to abuse, racist and homophobic attacks, which has led to the organizations Urgence Homophobie and Stop Homophobie joining forces to take legal action against anyone who has insulted, discriminated against or threatened him on social networks.
When is his birthday?
Bilal’s birthday is on September 9, 1999.
What is his most popular song?
To date, his competing entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest “Roi” is Bilal’s most popular number.
“Roi” was written by Emilie Satt and Jean-Karl Lucas, aka the duo Madame Monsieur who represented France last year in Lisbon. The song is about self-acceptance and hope, and it is indeed loved because its music video has been now viewed by over 5 million people.
Where can you follow him?
Bilal can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and you can also listen to his songs on YouTube and Spotify.
