EXCLUSIVE | Bulgaria and Montenegro will not participate in Eurovision 2023!

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We can exclusively reveal that both Bulgaria and Montenegro will not take part in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, that is set to take place in Liverpool, in May.

The main reason behind RTCG’s (Radio and Television of Montenegro) decision not to participate seems to be the latter’s financial difficulties. It is not the first time that RTCG has withdrawn from ESC due to financial difficulties. They did so in 2010, 2011, 2020 (RTCG announced that it would not participate before the Contest was cancelled due to Covid-19), and 2021.

The BNT’s (Bulgarian National Television) decision not enter the Contest seems to be the result of both BNT’s financial difficulties and the political uncertainty in the country. Bulgaria did not enter the Contest in 2014 and 2015 for similar reasons.

As of this time, only the following 34 countries have publicly confirmed their intentions to participate in the 2023 ESC:

Semi-finals (28 countries)

Albania
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Georgia
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland

Final (Big Five & Ukraine)

France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Ukraine
United Kingdom

Countries that took part in ESC 2022 but have not expressed any intention about ESC 2023

Armenia
Czech Republic
Moldova
North Macedonia

If the above four countries do not enter the Contest, ESC 2023 is set to become the ESC edition with the fewer participants since 2003. Semi-final(s) format was introduced in 2004 with just one semi-final, and was replaced with the two semi-finals’ setting in 2008 and onwards.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the details about the upcoming ESC!

United Kingdom: TaP Music is once again in search for Eurovision!

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TaP Music is a global management and music publishing company behind some of the world’s most successful pop artists, such as Lana del Rey, Ellie Goulding, Mabel and etc.

The United Kingdom has started working with that label since 2022. The collaboration turned out to be magnificent for the country and resulted in a second place, which appears to be the UK’s best result in 24 years. Sam Ryder with ‘SPACE MAN” scored incredible 466 points, placing second at ESC 2022.

TaP Music has confirmed on Instagram that it is once again helping United Kingdom and BBC with their Eurovision entry.

 

Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.

 

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη TaP Music (@tapmusic)

Ben Mawson and Ed Millett from TaP Music said earlier in September that:

TaP are very excited to be back working with the BBC to select the UK entry for Eurovision 2023. Last year we wanted to change the narrative around the UK and Eurovision to something much more positive. We focussed on what Eurovision is all about – we found an brilliant artist, an unforgettable song and an incredible person in Sam Ryder – we’re so proud of his fantastic success, coming 2nd in the competition and then achieving a number 1 single. 2022 will be a hard act to follow but we’re more than ready for the challenge – Eurovision being held in the UK for 2023 is such an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of British musical talent. Our search starts here!

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun regarding the news about ESC!

Eurovision 2023: Memorandum of Cooperation signed by BBC and Suspilne

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Liverpool will host Eurovision 2023 on behalf of Ukraine who won last year with the song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra.

There have been several rumors as to how they contest will look like, given that the contest will not be hosted by the winning country, the first time since 1980 when The Netherlands hosted instead of Israel.

It is announced that the UK Public Broadcaster BBC and the Ukrainian Public Broadcaster Suspilne have signed a memorandum of Cooperation for Eurovision 2023, agreeing on how Ukraine will be showcased in the next years contest.

BBC should work with Ukrainian creatives in terms of design and themes of the contest, ensuring the use of Ukrainian culture in the show, as well as the selection of presenters.

Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Board of Suspilne Ukraine commented:

“I am grateful to our partners at the BBC for productive cooperation. We have already agreed on the key principles and areas of work to jointly ensure a unique Eurovision. This musical festival will combine modern Ukrainian culture and all the diversity of British music and creativity”

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the upcoming updated on Eurovision 2023!

Source: Eurovoix

Netherlands: Eurovision in Concert 2023 will take place on April 15!

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As reported by the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, one of the biggest Eurovision pre-parties, Eurovision in Concert will return for the thirteenth time on April 15, 2023. The pre-sale of tickets for the big concert, which as in previous years will be held at AFAS Amsterdam, will start on Friday 14 October.

The line up of participating singers will be announced in early 2023, when we will know more of the Eurovision 2023 contestants. As usual, many artists of the upcoming competition in Liverpool are expected to take part in the big event in Amsterdam, which will presented by Dutch Eurovision commentator Cornald Maas.

Eurovision in Concert is one of the biggest and most popular Eurovision promo parties and takes place every year in Amsterdam in the lead up to the contest. The show started in 2009 and has grown into a hugely popular event among Eurovision fans and artists. At Eurovision in Concert 2022, 26 of the 40 competing artists of Eurovision 2022 presented their songs. The last time Greece participated in Eurovision in Concert was in 2019 with Katerine Duska and Better Love.

Source: AD, Eurovoix

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Lithuania: LRT opens song submission window for Pabandom iš Naujo 2023!

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LRT, the Lithuanina national broadcaster, opened the submission window for Pabandom iš naujo 2023, the country’s national final for Eurovision Song Contest 2023.

The search for Monika Liu’s successor on the representation of Lithuania started a few hours ago with the opening of the song submission window for the 2023 national final. Those interested can submit their songs starting today, until the deadline on Monday, December 12.

Ar least 20 songs will compete to win Lithuania’s representation in Liverpool, with the first of up to five shows airing in January. Depending on the number of the songs that will be chosen, up to five shows will be broadcasted, containing: two heats, two semi-finals and the Grand Final.

Audrius Giržadas, the Head of the Lithuanian Delegation, commented:

“Every year, the Eurovision Song Contest unites and gathers people in front of television screens throughout Lithuania, Europe and even the world. This is not only an important tradition, but also a unique opportunity to show this huge audience the work of Lithuanian music artists, who we are often proud of within the country.

In recent years, in order to further raise the bar for the quality of the Eurovision national selection, we have provided support to the contestants. We will continue this, because we hope that in the selections we will see and hear both artists who attract full arenas and talented artists who are even less heard by the Lithuanian audience.”

The last winner of Pabandom iš Naujo and Lithuania’s representative in Eurovision 2022 was Monika Liu with the song “Sentimemtai” and ended up in 14th place with 128 points:

https://youtu.be/BVqSTVJhD44

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Lithuanian participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Iceland: 132 songs submitted for Söngvakeppnin 2023!

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RÚV has confirmed that a total of 132 songs have been submitted for the country ‘s national final, from which only one will be selected to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The number of songs submitted this year is down 28 songs compared to Söngvakeppnin 2022.

As in previous years, a total of ten songs will be selected to compete. The ten entries will be selected by representatives of FTT, FÍH and RÚV, with experienced and popular songwriters also invited to take part. Söngvakeppnin 2023 will take place on:

  • First semi-final  – February 18th
  • Second semi-final – February 25th
  • Final – March 4th

The ten songs that will compete in Söngvakeppnin 2023 will be announced by RÚV in January. RÚV encourages all artists regardless of genre to apply to take part in the competition.

Systur  represented Iceland in the final of Eurovision 2022 with “Með sárkandi sól “. They reached 23rd place, scoring a total of 23 points.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding Iceland’s participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Source: Eurovoix

United Kingdom: The BBC’s intervention on the extremely high prices of accommodation in Liverpool!

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Organisers of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest have warned visitors not to book accommodation at over-inflated prices during the event.

Liverpool was announced on Friday as the host of May’s competition. Shortly after, accommodation was being advertised from £450 to £8,000 a night. Chris Brown, director of Marketing Liverpool, said details of other options would be released later this week. He added they may “involve cruise ships or a campsite”.

Many of the city’s rooms have already been booked, with the cheapest option on the night of the 13 May Eurovision final now priced at £1,000 on the Booking.com website.

M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool

One house is being advertised at just under £8,000 for the same night. Mr Brown said:

“Organisers were naturally disappointed that some had decided to try to profiteer from Liverpool’s staging of the event. We would certainly say to anybody that received those prices not to book them, he said.”

Some people who had booked accommodation before Friday’s announcement – in some cases months before – reported their reservations had been cancelled, before the rooms were then relisted at much higher prices. Eurovision fans said price gouging was not unusual among some accommodation providers immediately after the announcements of host cities.

Finally, Chris Brown added:

“Organisers would be addressing those who we feel are behaving in a way that we would say is not in the spirit or ethos of why Liverpool went into Eurovision. Also, a number of rooms had already been allocated for artists and broadcasters at rates that were acceptable to Eurovision as part of the bidding process. Options could also include accommodation in Manchester and Cheshire, which are within an hour’s off-peak commute from Liverpool”

The city was selected to stage the contest after this year’s winner Ukraine was considered unsafe, due to the Russian invasion. The United Kingdom was chosen to host the event after its entrant Sam Ryder came second.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Source: bbc.com

Germany: Will they select their representative for Eurovision 2023 through a national final?

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According to the German website ESC Kompakt, Germany will select their representative for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool through a national final that will take place next February and will be broadcasted through their national network of local channels, ARD

At least eight songs and 12 at max will take part, while the public vote will have a great significance in the final result, that comes up to 50%

On the other hand, NDR, Germany’s national broadcaster, has not revealed any information on how they are going to select their representative for Eurovision 2023. In 2022 the channel brought back a national final as their method of selection, while in 2020 and 2021 they used internal selections.

In Eurovision 2022, Germany was represented by Malik Harris and the song “Rockstars” and ended up in last place of the Grand Final:

https://youtu.be/2BYIou-oWXA

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the German participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Source: ESC Kompakt

Greece: Jimmy Sion submitted his proposal to ERT! | EXCLUSIVE

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We met Jimmy Sion, through his taking part in the Greek House of Fame, where he reached the Final.

Last year, he was not among ERT’s five final artists claiming the Greek representation, but now he returns with more dynamism and surprises.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jimmy Sion (@jimmysion)

What does Jimmy Sion’s proposal consists of

According to Eurovisionfun’s exclusive information, Jimmy Sion submitted his own proposal to claim the Greek representation for Eurovision 2023.

Jimmy Sion’s proposal, consists of one dance song, while Chali Jennings is his choreographer (Greece 2018, Cyprus 2019, Cyprus 2021)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jimmy Sion (@jimmysion)

Who is Jimmy Sion?

27 year old Dimitris Evripiotis, known as Jimmy Sion, was born and lives in Athens, but he is coming from Naxos and Koufonisia. He got inspiration for his stage name by a japanese video game as everyone in school called him Sion.

He grew up with 90’s boy bands such as Backstreet Boys, as models, but in the end psychedelic music got his heart.

Sion is not only a singer. He is a composer, director and creative art director.

The singer appeared in the music reality Greek Idol in the past, having a completely different look but he managed to impress with his voice.

In 2021, he took part in the music contest House of Fame, where he reached the Grand Final.

Below you can listen to his latest song “Super Mega Bowl”:

Would you like to see Jimmy Sion waving the Greek flag in Eurovision 2023? Write us in the comments down below!

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Greek participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool!

Greece: Melissa submitted her proposal to ERT | EXCLUSIVE

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Just a while ago, the finalist of the German Pop Idol, Melissa Mantzoukis, submitted her proposal to ERT, in order to claim the Greek representation in Eurovision 2023!

Melissa confirms our article back in summer, saying that she is interested in holding the Greek flag in Eurovision 2023, by sending her song to ERT some time ago. Melissa was on of Eurovisionfun’s proposals for this year’s contest, winning our fan poll between the proposed artists, as well.

What is Melissa’s proposal consisted of:

Melissa’s proposal contains one song, signed by a team of Greek and Dutch composers. Melissa recorded it back in summer in Greece, while she was here for her summer vacation.

We are talking about a modern completely pop dance track, which can easily be played in all night clubs. We can say that the song is an hymn to the women, who have to protect themselves from the toxic and delinquent behaviors that they face in the adversities and challenges of our times.

In case Melissa Mantzoukis gets selected as Greece’s representative, expert Fokas Evangelinos is going to take over the stage direction, Ilias Kokotos the general admission of the attempt and Dimitris Kontopoulos the musical revision.

Who is Melissa?

Despite her young age, Melissa is a singer that can perform literally everything, as you’ll see below. From strong, demanding ballads to dance pop songs, she managed to sing everything she was asked to, from DSDS (the German Pop Idol) with relative ease.

She became known to the enormous German public, after managing to reach the final of the DSDS, winning third place. She devoted this result to her father, saying that she couldn’t reach that high without him. Her father, whom you can see in the end of the show’s first audition video, passed away some months before the end of the talent show.

DSDS came to an end just a few weeks ago, and there are lots of people, even in Germany, who think that Melissa is overflowing with what Eurovision needs. The comments of the judges were laudatory in all of her performances, while on the same time she released her first single.

Below is her performance on the Grand Final, that earned her the third place:

Would you like to see Melissa Mantzoukis represent Greece in Eurovision 2023? Write us in the comments down below!

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Greek participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in the Liverpool!