She flew the flag for France in Kyiv on Saturday and gave the land of pain au chocolat a respectable twelfth place finish on the big night. But despite placing tenth with the public, and earning a respectable haul of 135 points, Alma couldn’t conceal her feelings from the French media.

Talking to Yahoo France, she revealed that she was in tears when she came off stage and found the jury voting very stressful as she failed to pick up points as results came in.

In another interview with Télé 7 the day after the final, the French star revealed she feels like she’s let down her team and her nation.

“I received a lot of messages telling me people were proud I was representing France. I would have liked to place higher so that I could meet those expectations. The result is an immense disappointment.”

To that we have only thing to say: No more tears baby girl, chanter you slayed.

It’s difficult to forget how far France has come in the past two years and that 2017 marks the second year France has placed in the top 10 of televoting. It’s a long way from Anggun’s nil points in the televote at the 2012 contest in Azerbaijan.

And after initial disappointment, it appears the chanteuse herself is looking on the bright side too.

Speaking to Europe 1 today, she described the result and her Eurovision experience as, “the beginning of another story.”

Her focus now is her debut LP Ma Peau Aime and she told Paris Match she’s not afraid of her Eurovision result impacting her future. “I had an incredible opportunity to perform in front of 200 million viewers and it’s up to me to do something about it.”

It isn’t only the French media singing the star’s praises. France’s most recent Eurovision winner Marie Myriam is a firm supporter: “I think she deserved much better. But there is always a somewhat mysterious side, inexplicable in the result of a contest. Not to mention the talent of the opponents, and there were some … But I’m not worried about her. Eurovision is no longer like my days. It has become a real springboard. And, as for Amir, I predicted a great success for him.”

Alma gave France its second best result of the decade in Kyiv. What do you think of her result? Did she deserve to do better? Let us know in the comments below!

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