Serbia: 90 songs for the Beovizija 2020

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With little increased interest, the songs which sent to the Beovizija 2020, produced by Serbia’s public broadcaster, RTS,  in the process by which Serbia is invited to choose the country’s next entry in the Eurovision 2020 contest.

A total of 90 songs were sent to the channel, compared to 76 from last year’s process, while a special jury of native musicians approved all 90 entries. In the next few days, the panel will listen to all the entries and evaluate them, choosing the best to participate in the Beovizija 2020.

To date, the number of entries in the national final has not been disclosed, nor what form it will take. For history, the 2019 national final consisted of 24 entries in two semifinals. The winner of the 2019 Beovizija was Nevena Božović and the song “Kruna”, which finished 18th in the Grand Final with 89 points.

Source/Image: escbubble

Croatia: Goran Karan withdraws from Dora 2020

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A few hours after Croatia’s public broadcaster, HRT, announced the participants of the Dora 2020, the national final through which the country will select the country’s representative in Eurovision 2020, Goran Karan announced his withdrawal.

Goran Karan, who represented Croatia at Eurovision in 2000, explained the reasons for leaving Dora 2020:

“The song “My Legacy Is Love” in the format sent to Dora differs significantly in the lyrics, music, orchestration and duration from what I sang at my concert in Visoki, Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, in order to avoid all possible misunderstanding, I decided to withdraw the song “My Legacy Is Love” from Dora. In this way I want to close any point of contention and misunderstanding, since, as the verse says, “my heritage is love”

Goran Karan

After Goran Karan’s withdrawment, he was replaced by Elis Lovrić with the song Jušto. Now, the list of 16 candidates for Dora 2020 is as follows:

  1. Marin Jurić Čivro – Naivno
  2. Edi Abazi – Coming home
  3. Mia Negovetić – When it Comes to You
  4. Colonia – Zidina
  5. Zdenka Kovačićek – Love, Love, Love
  6. Lorenzo feat Dino Purić & Reper iz sobe – Vrati se iz Irske
  7. Jure Brkljača – Hajde nazovi me!
  8. Damir Kedžo – Divlji vjetre
  9. Lorena Bućan – Drowning
  10. Alen Vitasović & B. Matija Čerina – Da se ne zatare
  11. Aklea Neon – Zovi ju mama
  12. Indira – You Will Never Break My Heart
  13. Nikola Marjanović – Let’s forgive
  14. Đana – One
  15. Bojan Jambrošić – Više od riječi
  16. Elis Lovrić – Jušto

The final of Dora 2020 will take place in the city of Opatija on February 29, with the winner to represent the country in the 65th Eurovision Song Contest and emerge after the jury and the television audience vote.

The national final Dora was the main selection process for the Croatian envoy from 1993 to 2011, and returned in 2019 to select Roko and “The Dream” song, but failed to win the gold ticket for the Grand Final after reaching the 14th place in the semifinal with 64 points.

Source: escbubble

The Netherlands: Big plans in Amsterdam for Eurovision 2020

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Although the contest will take place in Rotterdam after the city’s victory over Amsterdam for the Eurovision 2020 event, the city of Amsterdam is implementing grand plans for the event.

The de Reguliers business club has plans to install large screens in May to broadcast the two semifinals and the grand final on Reguliersdwarsstraat Street, a street that has linked its reputation with the country’s homosexual life, as there are many gay restaurants and cafes, while hosting the annual Amsterdam Gay Pride.

The municipality has already awarded a € 35,000 grant from the event fund for this purpose. At the same time, there will be events and music playing on Eurovision for the rest of the day.

“We have been working closely with Eurovision Artists, an institution that has been involved with the song festival for at least twenty years”

Eward Koning, President of de Reguliers

However, in order to implement de Reguliers’ plans, special permits will have to be granted by the Centrum district council. Koning himself seems particularly optimistic about the request to the municipality:

“The municipality has stated that this is a unique and extraordinary event and that we want to help us implement it. Normally one can make noise by 23:00, but they have to make an exception on festival days”

Live link to Amsterdam during the contest?

At the suggestion of Sietse Bakker, executive producer of Eurovision 2020, the event could be broadcast live during the competition.

“The competition takes place in Rotterdam. But our community (Amsterdam BC) immediately asked us if we wanted to have something fun. That’s why we do this. We don’t want to steal the show from Rotterdam, but we want to celebrate, share and experience the experience.We discussed the plans with him (ed. Sietse Bakker) a month and a half ago. He suggested to see if we could switch to live broadcasting during the show. I don’t know if it will work, but how perfect would it be to see us in 180 million salons? ”

Finally, Eward Koning did not hold out his optimism by expressing his desire to hear the famous “douze points” from Reguliersdwarsstraat Street.

Source/Image: parool.nl/Nikolai Karaneschev

Albania: That’s how the judges voted on FiK58-Elvana was the first international judges choice! EXCLUSIVE

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Following the shock of unexpected Arilena victory for many, or better, Elvana’s defeat, Albania’s Public Television (RTSH) will air results of the judges. According to our exclusive information, Arilena’s victory came from the ratings of the two Albanian judges. In contrast, foreign judges gave Elvana the best.

Each judge rated the final 12 songs of the FiK58 final from 1 to 10, 13 and 18 points, starting with the song they liked least. To make it better, each judge assigned 1 score to this song they liked less, 2 to the next, 3 to the coke, up to 18 points to their favorite.

According to our exclusive information, the three foreign judges (D. Kontopoulos, C. Bjorkman, F. Bergsson) gave Elvana an excellent score (18 points), but Arilena also was ranked high. In contrast, the two judges from Albania gave Arilena the best, but they voted low for Elvana! This is how Arilena came first and Elvana second.

So, the comments of the foreign judges on the way to vote for Elvana in May in Rotterdam have no basis whatsoever, as the Albanian judges have basically judged the result.

Full confirmation of EurovisionFun after the Albanian public television announced  the detailed results.

Arilena scored 67 points and Elvana 64. Dimitris Kontopoulos, Felix Bergsson scored 18 points for Elvana and 13 for Arilena. Christer Bjorkman gave 18 to Elvana and 10 to Arilena. In contrast, the two Albanian judges gave Arilena 18 and 13 points and Elvana just 8 and 2 points respectively.

You can view the detailed results HERE.

 

Georgia: Georgian Idol finalists selected- Tornike’s fifth live sequel

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The semifinal of Georgian Idol, through which as it is known for the second consecutive year the representative of Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest will be selected was held on December 21st. Four contestants are left in the talent show, with Tornike Kipiani,the absolute favorite to win the first place for the fifth consecutive time!

The six contestants who continue on Georgian Idol after last week’s fourth Live, performed live once again in front of the television audience, voting for the candidate of their choice, by phone and facebook messenger.

The two contestants who got the lowest percentage of the vote were Davit Rusadze and Mariam Gogiberidze, with the first to leave.

At the sixth Georgian Idol Live Show, the candidates were asked to perform worldwide hits on a duet with participants of last year’s Georgian Idol. Below you can see their perfomances:

1.) Tornike Kipiani –  “Breathe” with Liza Kalandadze – 31.88%

2.) Barbara Samkharadze –  “Juice” with Grigol Kipshidze – 22.42%

3.) Tamar Kakalashvili –  “Runaway Baby” – 16.20%

4.) Mariam Gogiberidze – “Shallow” with Giorgi Nakashidze – 15.28%

5.) Davit Rusadze –  “O (Fly On)” with Giorgi Pruidze – 14.22%

Unlike this year when Georgian Idol selected both the artist and the song that represented Georgia at the Eurovision Contest, for 2020 only the artist will be selected through the popular talent show, since the song will be followed by internal selection.

We remind you that the four jury members who oversaw the three-episode phase of the auditions and will guide the ten finalists in their lives are:

-Natia Todua, a singer who has made a significant career in Germany after her win at The Voice of Germany in 2016.
-Tinatin Berdzenishvili, GPB’s Deputy General Manager and Head of Delegation of Georgia to the Eurovision Contest.
-David Evgenidze, composer. He was the head of the jury for the country’s participation in Junior Eurovision 2019. He will oversee the selection of the song for Eurovision 2020.
-David Aladashvili, pianist.

This year, Oto Nemsadze won the Georgian Idol and with “Keep on Going” represented Georgia in Tel Aviv, taking 14th place in the first semifinal. As he said, shortly after the end of the contest, his song had a political message and was directed against Russia and its politics in his country.

Albania: Arilena Ara with Shaj to represent the country in Rotterdam

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The first song for Eurovision 2020 is a fact! The Festivali i Këngës 58 was completed shortly after the overthrow of the prognosis, as Arilena was the big winner with the song “Shaj”. So Arilena becomes the sixth consecutive country representative of the upcoming Eurovision song contest to be announced.

For another year, Albanian Public Television (RTSH) chose to participate in Eurovision through FiK. Live from the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana hosted by Alketa Vejsiu, the 12 artists who made it to the final did their best to claim the five-member jury’s vote and win the festival and the  ticket to Rotterdam in May as well.

The contestants

In order of appearance the 12 current runners-up were:

1. Valon Shehu – “Kutia e Pandorës” (Pandora’s box)

2. Sara Bajraktari – “Ajër” (Air)

3. Robert Berisha – “Ajo nuk është unë” (This is not me)

4. Tiri Gjoci – “Me gotën bosh” (With an empty glass)

5. Bojken Lako – “Malaseen” (Without seeing me)

6. Arilena Ara – “Shaj” (Sweet as the curse)

7. Gena – “Shqiponja e lirë” (Free eagle)

8. Kamela Islamaj – “Më ngjyros” (Draw me)

9. Alberie Hadergjonaj – “Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua” (Where can I find someone to live)

10. Elvana Gjata – “Me tana” (With all)

11. Olta Boka – “Shkrime në mur” (Slogans on the wall)

12. Era Rusi – “Eja Merre” (Come and get it)

This evening, Eleni Foureira, who just before leaving for the USA, shone a spot on the FiK58 stage with all her big hits! But what we would like to dwell on is in the words of Eleni Foureira shortly after her interpretation is over. The popular singer commented on the refugee and the fact that Greece is the only country that has received so many immigrants on its territory and treated them, with the audience in the room applauding. ! Before the results came also Guisy Ferreri, the Italian superstar who has made success in and out of her country.

The results at Festivali i Këngës 58 were determined exclusively by the jury vote in which apart from two domestic music professionals, Greek Dimitris Kontopoulos, Swedish Christer Bjorkman and Icelander Felix Bergsson were involved.

In third place was Sara Bajraktari and in second place Elvana Gjata!

Albania at the Eurovision Contest

In 2020 we will have Albania’s 17th entry in the contest, which debuted in 2004, with Anjeza Shahini and “The Image Of You”, which reached seventh place! RTSH showed interest in the Eurovision song contest in 2003. However, three more countries made their debut that year and Albania was not eligible to participate. In the following years it managed to qualify seven times in the final and many more in the semifinals.

The best it won was 2012 with Rona Nishliu and “Suus”. The last two years it has managed to qualify for the final and obviously wants to continue her series.

In Tel Aviv Albania was represented by Jonida Maliqi with “Ktheju Land”, after winning the FiK 57 first! She managed to score 90 points and finish 17th in the final!

Listen to Albanian participation for Eurovision 2020 below:

 

Cyprus: Sandro: “The song will not be dancing, it will have a strong message”

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A few days ago, Sandro Nicolas, the representative of Cyprus at the 65th Eurovision Song Contest, was found in London to record the songs that would be a candidate for choice.

In an interview on the well-known Wiwibloggs website, Sandro revealed, among other things, that the song he will be performing will not be dancing.

“I’m probably the worst dancer in the world, I don’t have it with dance. I’m not a good dancer, I wish I could, but it’s not for me. The song is not going to be a dance track, it’s going to be a heart thing, I’m a very emotional guy, I have a story to tell and I want to help people because I know there are a lot of problems out there. I know a lot of people have a lot of problems, music is about helping each other, I write music for people who are sad, they just feel that everything is not just happiness. The song has a strong message.”

As for the song selection process, Sandro said:

“We’re very close to find a song. We have 5-6 songs, and it will be very difficult to choose. I like everything, it will be a difficult decision. Each one is a unique song, you can’t compare them, so the decision will be extremely difficult”

We met and loved Sandro through his participation in The Voice Germany, where he performed Shawn Mendez’s “In My Blood” in blind auditions because it meant a lot to him. How would he describe the song he will perform in the competition?

“It’s going to be an emotional song. It will be a combination of Shawn Mendez, James Arthur and Lewis Capaldi ”

You can watch the entire interview below:

It is recalled that Sandro was recently in Athens after recording the songs, where he met Eleni Foureira and Tamta, the last two representatives of Cyprus at the Eurovision contest. In addition, he met our beloved Eurovision Buddies and gave them an exclusive interview that will be released soon.

Source/Image: Wiwibloggs/CYBC: Eurovision Cyprus

Albania: The 12 Finalists of the Festivali i Këngës 58

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After the two FiK58 semifinals were completed, the festival’s five-member jury selected the 12 participants to compete in Sunday’s 22/12 final. The winner of the final night of Festivali i Këngës 58 will be honored to represent Albania at Eurovision 2020 in May in Rotterdam.

The 12 finalists of the Song Festival 58

(You can watch the finalists’ live appearances by clicking on the song title)

  1. Albërie Hadërgjonaj – “Ku ta gjej dikë ta dua” (Where can I find someone to love)
  2. Arilena Ara –  “Shaj” (Sweet as curse)
  3. Bojken Lako – “Malaseen” (Without seeing me
  4. Elvana Gjata – “Me tana” (With all)
  5. Era Rusi – “Eja Merre” (Come and Get it)
  6. Gena – “Shqiponja e lirë” (Free Eagle)
  7. Kamela Islamaj – “Më ngjyros” (Draw me)
  8. Olta Boka – “Shkrime në mur” (Slogans on the wall)
  9. Robert Berisha –  “Ajo nuk është unë” (This is not me)
  10. Sara Bajraktari – “Ajër” (Air)
  11. Tiri Gjoci – “Me gotën bosh” (With an empty glass)
  12. Valon Shehu – “Kutia e Pandorës” (Pandora’s box)

We remind you that the results at Festivali i Këngës 58 are exclusively determined by the jury vote in which apart from two domestic music professionals, are involved: Dimitris Kontopoulos for who we have long been informed that he will be among its members, Christer Bjorkman (producer of Melodifestivalen and Head of the Swedish Delegation) and Felix Bergsson (Head of the Icelandic Mission).

As you may already know in the final of Festivali i Këngës 58 will be featured as a guest unique Eleni Foureia, who through Instagram has shown her preferences for the festival winner and is none other than Elvana Gjata!

See you on Sunday, 22/12 from the Pallati i Kongreseve in Tirana and presenter Alketa Vejsiu to learn the first Eurovision 2020 song!

Slovenia: The EMA 2020 Contestants

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Yesterday, Slovenian Public Television (RTVSLO) announced the names of candidates to participate in the EMA 2020, through which the winner will represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam next May.

The list includes a former Slovenian representative at Eurovision, among nine others hoping to impress the public and jury at the EMA 2020 final on 22 February 2020.

Tinkara Kovač, who represented Slovenia in 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark, will try to get back on the Eurovision stage in 2020. In her previous participation, she finished 25th with the song “Round And Round”. This time she will sing “Forever”.

The other nine contestants are:

-Ana Soklič – Voda
-Božidar Wolfand Wolf – Maybe Someday
-Gaja Prestor – Vjamem vase
-Imset – Femme Fatale
-Inmate –The Salt
-Clara Jazbec – Stop the World
-Lina Kuduzović – Man Like U
-Manca Berlec – Večnost
-Simon Vadnjal – Started sam

Lina Kuduzović was Slovenia’s last representative at Junior Eurovision 2015, finishing third, with the song “Prva Ljubezen”.

Two more new artists will be added to the ten acclaimed artists from the EMA FREŠ competition on January 18th.

Slovenia At the Eurovision Song Contest

This will be Slovenia’s 26th entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. It made its debut in 1993 with the 1X Band and the song “Tih deževen dan” finished in 22nd place. After losing its maiden entry, Slovenia returned in 1995 to win the best position to date, when Darja Švajger took 7th place with the song “Prisluhni mi”. Nuša Derenda placed seventh in 2001 with “Energy”.

Since 2004, when the semifinal system started, Slovenia has been difficult to qualify for the final, losing ten times!

Last year Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl finished 15th with atmospheric “Sebi”.

Below, remember Tinkara’s previous appearance at Eurovision 2014:

US: With entries by state the US song contest as Christer Bjorkman reveals

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An interesting interview was given by Christer Bjorkman at Mellopodden and talked about the processes being done in the US for the creation of the American song contest.

Last year, Christer Bjorkman literally split his time between Sweden and the US, having taken over Eurovision’s move across the Atlantic on behalf of EBU. Together with his compatriots Anders Lenhoff, Ola Melzig and Peter Settman, all of Melodifestivalen’s production partners, they have taken over the creation ff the American song contest rom scratch.

Christer Bjorkman thinks it’s time to move Eurovision to America, as traditional music contests (Pop Idol, X Factor, The Voice, etc.) are losing their momentum.

From what Christopher Bjorkman has always said in the American song contest, the various US states will compete.

“Interestingly, each state generally has a rather distinct musical identity, along with, of course, its adjacent states as well. This will almost automatically give us a variety of types of music in the competition”

Christer Bjorkman for the American Song Contest

As with regular Eurovision, both established and young artists will participate. After the end of Melodifestivalen 2020, Christer Bjorkman and his team, after fully defining the product, will present it to American television stations to buy it.

The interest already says it’s big, since everyone who works in television in the US knows Eurovision, they just wonder how it can be done in their country.

There is great interest in this. Next summer, we need to know if this will happen and how.

After four years where Christer Bjorkman was a Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest, he will only travel to Rotterdam as Sweden’s only dead of delegation. The focus of his interest is now abroad and as he typically states, it is something that intrigues him.

“It’s so fun to work on something new. It feels a bit like finding another jar of jam in the closet I’ve never seen!”

The American Song Contest is planned to come to our screens sometime in 2021. Unlike the Eurovision Asia Contest, which has swamped for political reasons, at least as Christer Bjorkman claims, he is optimistic that this project will go ahead as it concerns one only country!