The Netherlands Antilles was represented at the OTI Festival 1980 with the song "", written by Nena Bennet and Eddy Bennet, and performed by Lidwina Booi. The Netherlands Antillean participating broadcaster, (ATM), selected its entry through a televised national final. The song, that was performed in position 12, placed twenty-second out of 23 competing entries, tied with the entry from Bolivia with 0 points.
(ATM), held a national final to select its entry for the 9th edition of the OTI Festival. Sixteen songs would be selected for the televised final, seven each from Aruba and Curaçao, and one each from Bonaire and the Dutch Windward Islands. Pre-selections were held on Saturday 30 August 1980 in Sint Maarten, on Saturday 6 September in Bonaire, on Sunday 14 September in Curaçao, and on Sunday 21 September in Aruba.
The Curaçaoan pre-selection was held on Sunday 14 September 1980 at the Cave de Neptune Room of the Plaza Hotel Curaçao in Willemstad, to select seven songs for the national final from among ten candidates. The songs performed by Harrie Zimmerman, Orlando Victoria, Juny Juliet, Farley Lourens, Mr. Dynomite, Filomena, and Wilbert Domacassé qualified for the national final.
The Aruban pre-selection was held on Sunday 21 September 1980, beginning at 19:30 AST (23:30 UTC), at the Rembrandt Room of the Sheraton Hotel in Palm Beach, to select seven songs for the national final.
Lidwina Booi won the Voz supremo di Aruba award with "", with Efrem Benita in second place with "", and Don Ramon in third place with "". Danilo Santinili won the award for best songwriter, and Gilda Fernandez for most popular singer. In addition to "" by Lidwina Booi, "" by Efrem Benita, and "" by Don Ramon, the songs performed by Trio Steba, Henky Braafhart, Tommy de Cuba, and Luis Rodolfo also qualified for the national final. Betico Croes, Nelson Oduber, and Wilfred Ho Sing Loy presented the trophies and prizes to the winners.
ATM held the national final on Sunday 28 September 1980, beginning at 17:00 AST (21:00 UTC), at its studios in Willemstad, and broadcast on TeleAruba and TeleCuraçao. Fourteen songs ultimately participated in the final, as there were no songs from Bonaire or the Dutch Windward Islands.
The winner was "", written by Nena Bennet and Eddy Bennet, and performed by Lidwina Booi.
On 15 November 1980, the OTI Festival was held at the MartÃÂn Coronado hall of the in Buenos Aires, Argentina, hosted by (ATC), and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Lidwina Booi performed "" in position 12, with Roberto Montiel conducting the event's orchestra, placing twenty-second out of 23 competing entries, tied with the entry from Bolivia with 0 points.
The festival was broadcast live on TeleAruba and TeleCuraçao.
Each participating broadcaster assembled a jury who awarded 5âÂÂ1 points to their five favourite songs in order of preference. The Netherlands Antilles did not receive any points.