Who is Gustaph? Meet the Eurovision 2023 representative from Belgium

Gustaph was unexpectedly proclaimed the winner of Eurosong 2023 in January at Palais 12 in Brussels, just ahead of The Starlings who came in second place by only 1 point. The jury, which consisted of Laura Tesoro (Eurovision 2016), Jérémie Makiese (Eurovision 2022), Alexander Rybak (winner of Eurovision 2009), and 12 other members, gave the highest score to gala dragot, while the televote (the other 50% of the score) wanted The Starlings to win. However, it was Gustaph who won the contest and will represent Belgium in Eurovision 2023 with the song “Because of You”.

Get to know Gustaph (Eurovision 2023 Belgium)

Stef Caers, better known professionally as Gustaph, is a Belgian singer-songwriter, producer, and vocal coach. Born in Leuven in 1980, he wrote his first song when he was only seven years old. He started his musical career while studying at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, initially using the stage name Steffen. In 2000, at just 19 years old, he achieved his first success with his debut single “Gonna Lose You“, which reached number 22 on the Flemish singles chart. He wrote and produced the song himself. Thanks to that song, he won the Summer Hit for Best Debut that same year.

Later, he released a second single titled “Sweetest Thing“. After these releases, Caers began to focus more on songwriting and production. He also became active as a backing vocalist, providing backing vocals for, among others, Lady Linn and Willy Sommers. In the early 2010s, he joined the band Hercules & Love Affair as one of the lead vocalists, which had a global hit in 2006 with “Blind”. Gustaph also has experience on the Eurovision stage. He has traveled to Eurovision twice as a backing vocalist: in 2018 to Lisbon with Sennek and in 2021 to Rotterdam with Hooverphonic, where he also served as vocal coach for Geike Arnaert.

In addition to his singing career, Gustaph currently works as a vocal coach and a lecturer at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent. During the past year, he has been working on his own music. His new and catchy songs seemed suitable for Eurosong, and this time not as a backing vocalist, but as a lead singer.

In an interview with the website ESC Bubble, Gustaph compared his two songs for Eurosong 2023, “The Nail” and “Because of You”. In the interview, he described both songs as a call to celebrate freedom and “the joy of being oneself”. Gustaph, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, 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.

“Because of You,” Gustaph’s Song for Liverpool

Gustaph’s song “Because of You” is a tribute to a person who has had a positive impact on the singer’s life. The lyrics describe how that person has encouraged him to overcome obstacles and believe in himself. The chorus underscores the importance of that person, stating that they are the reason the singer is able to keep going despite the challenges of the world. The use of repetition reinforces the idea that the person’s influence is constant and essential. However, the person being celebrated in the song has changed the singer’s life for the better. The pre-chorus speaks to the importance of self-love and celebrating what life has to offer. The second verse reinforces the theme of overcoming adversity, with the singer specifically referring to moments when the couple was tested but came out stronger. Overall, “Because of You” is a powerful message about the positive impact that one person can have on another’s life. The song reminds us that, even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, the support of a loved one can give us the strength to keep going.

“Because of You” Lyrics

Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest

Belgium was one of the founding countries of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. Since then, it has amassed 63 participations, only absent from the competition in 1994, 1997, and 2001. Due to having two public broadcasting entities for the two main language communities in the country, RTBF (in French), and VRT (in Flemish), the responsibility for selecting the Belgian representative alternates every year between the two broadcasters.

Belgium has only won the contest once, when Sandra Kim took the stage at Bergen 1986 with the song “Jaime La Vie”. In addition to its victory, it has achieved two silver medals, four fourth places, two fifth positions, and has placed in the Top 10 of the contest 14 times.

In Eurovision 2022, Belgium was represented by singer Jérémie Makiese and the ballad “Miss You.” The singer secured a spot in the final for the country for the second consecutive year, rising to 19th place with a total of 64 points.