The band The Roop, one of the big favorites to win the canceled Eurovision 2020 song contest, confirmed through their social networks that they will try to return to the next contest, participating in the national final of Lithuania! Read more
The announcement of the EBU and the Dutch organizers for the live on tape video that will be made by the 41 participants of Eurovision 2021, although it ensures that the contest will take place even in the worst case scenario regarding the course of the pandemic, but leaves many questions in the part of justice and equal conditions that should govern the competition.
According to what was announced, all participating broadcasters were asked to record a live performance of their entry in their country. This recording will be delivered before the contest and will take place in a studio. The recording will take place in real time (as it would in the Contest) without making changes to the vocals or any part of the show itself after the recording.
There will be freedom in the delegations, to present as they consider their entries better, but instructions will be given which will ensure the fairness and integrity of the competition. There will be no audience and the recording should be unique and not be published before the event in May.
Delegations are allowed to use similar technical capabilities and dimensions that would be available on stage in Rotterdam, but are also free to choose a more limited production facility. Video recordings must not contain augmented or virtual reality, overlays, confetti, drone shots, water, color use or green screen.
In addition to the above, the EBU also announced a series of safety valves, which will ensure that the 41 live video tapes will have been made under the same conditions. Indicatively, we mention that those present in the video recording will be a representative of the Dutch public broadcaster, while the shooting will be watched by the executive supervisor of the contest, as well as a representative from an independent voting observer (E&Y). The duration of the shooting will be one hour and at this time the participants will be able to videotape up to three times their appearance. The selection of the shot will be made by the Head of Delegation and another authorized representative.
First of all, let’s say that even under normal conditions, not everyone competes on equal terms. What do we mean by that? We see in recent years on the eurovision stage, impressive appearances, with the help of the use of technology. Technology that not all broadcasters can use. Fro example Serbian public broadcaster cannot spend the money that Swedish public broadcaster spends. Albanian television cannot spend the money spent by Russian or Azerbaijani television and so on.
So, many times the countries participating in the contest can start from different points of view, but what mitigates the above a bit is that they share the same stage and it is ensured that everyone sings live. With the advancement of technology, and given that each country can use any studio it wants, even that is in question.
We read that Russia uses virtual reality in its appearance for Junior Eurovision 2020, where the contest will take place via live on tape video. An effect that other countries probably will not have at their disposal, for economic and technical reasons.
Of course for the live on tape videos of Eurovision 2021 the EBU has banned such special effects. However, LEDs are not prohibited and it is possible for different sized scenes, something that, as you understand, will differentiate the final result.
What we all hope is that everything you read remains on a theoretical level only. The situation with the pandemic to improve and to have a Eurovision as close to normal as possible, with the 41 artists performing their songs on the stage of the Ahoy Arena!
What is your opinion about the live on tape video? Are equal conditions guaranteed for all?
Dimitris Kontopoulos and Elias Kokotos are in Moscow for the last few days, meeting with their close friends Philipp Kirkorov, Sergey Lazarev and Ani Lorak, as we saw through their social networks. Of course, this visit to Moscow could not be unrelated to their obligations for the Eurovision Song Contest.
After a communication we had with the project manager of Dream Team, Elias Kokoto, he informed us that the reason for their visit to Moscow is the final mix of the songs of Natalia Gordienko and Uku Suviste for Eurovision 2021.
The travel restrictions that have been set in Greece and prohibit travel from the countries of Eastern Europe, has made the work of the creators difficult this year. So, in order to make the final production of the two songs instead of the two artists coming to Athens, as they did this year, Dimitris Kontopoulos went to Moscow.
As you read through Eurovisionfun but also based on what Natalia Gordienko herself revealed, her new song has nothing to do with Prison. This is an uptempo dance track, much younger than the previous one.
The same is true to some extent for Uku Suviste. The Lucky One is a modern radio midtempo song, which definitely has nothing to do with the classic ballad, with which he won this year’s Eesti Laul!
Stay tuned to Eurovision Fun for all the news regarding Dream Team’s entris in Eurovision 2021!
French Public Television (TV France) announced earlier its plans for the second half of the TV season. As mentioned in the relevant press conference, the country’s national final for Eurovision 2021, Eurovision France, c’est vous qui décidez, will be held in January with 12 participants and presenter Stephane Bern. Read more
Up to six candidate songs will be considered for the internal selection of the Bulgarian Public Television (BNT) for Eurovision 2021, as revealed in an interview with Victoria.
Following the release of Ugly Cry, which has been announced as one of the six (at most) songs that will feature Bulgaria in Eurovision 2021, Victoria explained to BNT that she is currently working on two more candidate songs for contest.
The announcement of the song, which will be Bulgaria’s participation in Eurovision 2021, will be announced in March. The internal selection will be made between six candidate songs.
🇧🇬 VICTORIA is working on two new songs for #Eurovision. During her BNT interview she reviewed that the internal selection will include up to 6 songs, including UGLY CRY 👑
— BNT Eurovision Bulgaria 🇧🇬 (@bg_eurovision) November 21, 2020
You can listen Ugly Cry below:
Would you like to see Ugly Cry as the Bulgarian entry in Eurovision Song Contest 2021?
In less than a month we will officially know the first song of Eurovision 2021. As revealed in a tv interview by Era Rusi, one of the candidates of FiK 59, the annual Albanian song festival will take place on December 17, 18 and 19! Read more
According to the Italian media, the municipality of Sanremo, which is also the co-organizer of the festival of the same name, requests its postponement for April in order to make it easier, on terms as close as possible to normal.
RAI has announced that Sanremo 2021 will take place in the small town of Liguria, from March 2 to March 6, a month later than usual.
However, the increase in cases and deaths from the coronation in recent times in Italy, prompted the city council to ask the RAI to move the dates of Sanremo 2021 a month later. The rationale for the request is quite reasonable, since the city of Sanremo benefits greatly from the holding of the annual music festival, with the capacity of hotels reaching 100% and the shops full of life. The eventual realization of Sanremo 2021 without an audience, due to the pandemic, will mean financial disaster for the professionals of the city.
If, of course, the above happens, then there is an issue with the Italian representation in the Eurovision Song Contest, since the meeting of the heads of delegations is set for March 15, a catalytic date for the submission of the candidate songs. This practically means that all the competing songs at Eurovision 2021 should have been selected by March 15, which in the case of Italy will not be possible through Sanremo, if the dates in April are shifted.
We remind you that according to the recently announced Sanremo 2021 regulations, the winner of the big category will have the opportunity if he/she wishes to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest. In case of refusal then RAI will select another contestant of the big category, most likely following the final ranking of the festival. The artists of the big category of Sanremo 2021 will be announced on the night of the selection of the 8 finalists of the Giovani category, in the Casino of the City of Sanremo, on the 17th of December.
The winner of Sanremo 2020 and the representative of Italy in Eurovision 2020 that was finally canceled, was Diodato with Fai Rumore:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogyi0GPR_Ik
The EBU recently revealed how to ensure that Eurovision 2021 will happen, even in the worst case scenario with the course of the coronary pandemic.
After yesterday’s announcement that the distribution of countries in the two semifinals remains the same as that of Eurovision 2020, but also the presentation of the four possible scenarios for the conduct of Eurovision 2021, now another detail is given, concerning scenario D. In the new announcement of the EBU, concern the case in which in May the situation with the pandemic will be such that it will not allow air travel and reconnaissance, having a contest as Junior Eurovision 2020 will happen in a few days . With video appearances of the participants!
All participating broadcasters were asked to record a live performance of their entries in their country. This recording will be delivered before the contest and will take place in a studio. The recording will take place in real time (as it would in the contest) without making changes to the vocals or any part of the show itself after the recording.
There will be freedom in the delegations, to present as they consider their participations better, but instructions will be given which will ensure the fairness and integrity of the competition. There will be no audience and the recording should be unique and not be published before the event in May.
Delegations are allowed to use similar technical capabilities and dimensions that would be available on stage in Rotterdam, but are also free to choose a more limited production facility. Video recordings must not contain augmented or virtual reality, overlays, confetti, drone shots, water, color use or green screen.
Normally in the Eurovision Song Contest all the artists would appear on the same stage under the same conditions giving everyone the same opportunity to shine. For the live recordings, the Reference Group of the Eurovision Song Contest approved additional measures to guarantee the fairness of the contest.
Prior to the recording, each participating broadcaster will meet with a representative from Host Broadcasters and submit a recording session schedule, studio setup and camera schedule.
The Head of Delegation will be on site during the registration period of 60 minutes and up to three authorized expirations, either alone or with an appropriate mandate, to make the final decision on the selection of the final receipt (from three).
A live link will be created during the recording to allow the Eurovision Executive Supervisor and a representative from an independent voting observer (E&Y) and Host Broadcaster to monitor the recording, provide assistance and support, and ensure the integrity and fairness of the contest.
No videos of the appearances from the national finals can be submitted, but each country can record on the same stage. The “live-on-tape” recordings must be delivered by the end of March.
Of course, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article, all of the above will apply in the case of contestants who will not be able to attend Rotterdam in May. The 65th Eurovision Song Contest will take place anyway!
A little while ago through the official social networks of the contest, it was announced that the draw of the semi-finals of this year’s contest will also apply to Eurovision 2021. Read more
They were one of the big favorites to win this year’s canceled Eurovision Song Contest. Little Big, who are rumored to be re-selected by Russian public television (Channel 1) for the next contest, are essentially confirming their interest, but also that they will seek a new representation. Read more
