Eurovision 2023: Voting changes announced for the upcoming contest!

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Today started with a bit of surprise news, with the EBU suddenly announcing a change to the voting system for the upcoming 67th Eurovision Song Contest which will take place in May in Liverpool. This is the first change in the voting method since 13 years and in 2009, when 50/50 voting by the public and the judging panels was introduced.

According to the EBU announcement, the three big changes to the Eurovision 2023 voting system are as follows:

  • Viewer votes will decide countries qualifying from Semi-Finals 
  • Viewers in non-participating countries will be able to vote online
  • Jury votes will be combined with votes from the global audience to decide final result

This means that next year, the countries that qualify from the Semi-Finals will be decided solely based on the votes cast by the viewers, rather than a combination of a jury and public vote as has been the case since 2009.

The professional music industry juries will remain for the Grand Final, but complete control of who gets there from the Semi-Finals has been handed over to the viewing public.

And, for the first time ever, viewers from non-participating countries will be able to vote for their favourite songs too. Those watching in the rest of the world will be able to vote via a secure online platform using a credit card from their country, and their votes, once added together, will be converted into points that will have the same weight as one participating country in both of the Semi-Finals and the Grand Final.

Regarding the changes to the voting method, the Contest’s Executive Producer, Martin Österdahl, said:

Throughout its 67-year history the Eurovision Song Contest has constantly evolved to remain relevant and exciting. These changes acknowledge the immense popularity of the show by giving more power to the audience of the world’s largest live music event.

In 2023 only Eurovision Song Contest viewers will decide which countries make it to the Grand Final and, reflecting the global impact of the event, everyone watching the show, wherever they live in the world, can cast their votes for their favourite songs.

By also involving juries of music professionals in deciding the final result, all the songs in the Grand Final can be assessed on the broadest possible criteria. We can also maintain the tradition of travelling around Europe and Australia to collect points and ensure a thrilling voting sequence with the winner only revealed at the very end of the show.

It is worth mentioning that the introduction of the Rest of World vote means that the correlation of the 50/50 voting for the final changes, which leans more towards the public. The general public will have slightly more impact on the final result – approximately 50.6%. In the coming months, the EBU is expected to publish in detail the countries that will have the right to vote in the Rest of the World category.

These changes are happening in order to keep the event relevant and exciting. Additionally, following the unprecedented nature of the voting irregularities seen at the 2022 Contest a working group of EBU Members was established to look at ways to protect the integrity of the event. Their recommendations are being implemented after approval by the Reference Group, the Contest’s governing board and the Executive Board of the EBU.

Source: Eurovision.tv

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all developments regarding the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.

Greece: Is ERT considering the public voting in song selection for Eurovision 2023?

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A publication that shakes up the current situation and, should it has a basis, overturns the developments regarding the selection of the Greek participation in Eurovision 2023. According to the Typologies, ERT is considering a proposal for public voting in the selection process of the song that will represent Greece in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision!

In the Paron paper and more specifically in Typologies column, which is the most valid television column of the printed and electronic press, is mentioned that:

“There is a proposal and it is being seriously considered this year by the management of ERT to change the way of selecting the Greek participation in the Eurovision contest of Spring 2023 in the United Kingdom. The proposal is for the television audience to choose which of the songs that entered the final selection round will be the one that will represent the country at Eurovision. According to information, while this idea is considered “commercial” for television viewing, it stumbles in the financial part as additional funds will be required for the production.”

The above mentioned are strongly related to what Maria Kozakou stated after the end of this year’s competition in her television interview on ANT1 and on Grigoris Arnautoglou’s show, The Tonight Show

Maria Kozakou had stated that, after having put Eurovision things in a row, after having made suggestions like Stefania and Amanda in recent years, and since the public has been trained in some way, maybe we could also take into account the public voting in the selection.

“Little by little it [public voting] has to enter the process … the five or the ten best songs should be evaluated by people.”

Stay tuned on Eurovision Fun for all the developments regarding the participation of Greece in the upcoming 2023 Eurovision !

Eurovision 2023: 37 countries will join the 67th contest in Liverpool!

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Just moments ago, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced the countries that will take part in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool! 37 countries will be present in the contest, with three countries withdrawing, in contrast with the 40 countries last year in Turin.

These countries  withdrawing are Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia, which after their participation in Eurovision 2022, all three of them withdraw for financial reasons.

Martin Österdahl, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, shared his thoughts on the line-up:

“We’re looking forward to welcoming artists from all 37 countries to Liverpool, the city of pop, next May. Next year’s competition promises to be an extra special one and we’re working hard with the BBC right now to ensure that hundreds of millions of viewers will enjoy the best Eurovision Song Contest yet, with Ukraine at the heart of the event.”

In detail, the countries that are going to take part are:

  • Albania – RTSH
  • Australia– SBS
  • Armenia– AMPTV
  • Austria – ORF
  • Azerbaijan – Ictimai TV
  • Belgium – RTBF
  • Croatia – HRT
  • Cyprus – CyBC
  • Czech Republic – CT
  • Denmark – DR
  • Estonia – ERR
  • Finland  – YLE
  • France – FT
  • Georgia – GPB
  • Germany – ARD/NDR
  • Greece – ΕΡΤ
  • Iceland – RUV
  • Ireland– RTE
  • Israel – IPBC/Kan
  • Italy– RAI
  • Latvia – LTV
  • Lithuania – LRT
  • Malta – PBS
  • Moldova – TRM
  • Netherlands – AVROTROS
  • Norway – NRK
  • Poland – TVP
  • Portugal – RTP
  • Romania – TVR
  • San Marino – RTV
  • Serbia – RTS
  • Slovenia ​​- RTVSLO
  • Spain  – TVE
  • Sweden – SVT
  • Switzerland – SRG / SSR
  • Ukraine – UA: PBC
  • United Kingdom – BBC

Martin Green, BBC’s Managing Director of the Eurovision Song Contest added:

“We are incredibly proud to be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine and welcoming delegations from 37 countries to Liverpool next year. The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture and showcasing British creativity to a global audience.”

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

Greece: This is the ERT jury for Eurovision 2023!

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The ERT jury for Eurovision 2023 is getting to work in the next few days. The members of the artistic committee of the Greek public television will in the next few days start listening to the 106 songs submitted for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, in order to initially select the better ones, among which the final choice will be made later.

The members of the ERT committee

The team that wins they say does not change and so this time the committee that has been created to choose the artist, but also the song that will represent Greece at Eurovision 2023 is approximately the same that chose country’s last two entries, both of which they brought Greece to the top 10 of the final standings.

The committee therefore consists of the following:

1. PAPADIMITRIOU DIMITRIS – Composer, Board Member of ERT SA (Chairman)
2. ADAM PETROS – Music Producer (Member)
3. APERGIS FOTIS – Journalist, head of radio broadcasting department of ERA (Member)
4. PETRIDIS YIANNIS – Music Producer (Member)
5. KOZAKOU MARIA – Director of the Second Program of ERA, commentator of the contest (Member)
6. ANTONOPOULOS LEONIDAS – Kosmos Director of ERA (MEMBER)
7. BOUROUNIS KONSTANTINOS – Assoc. ERT General Program Manager (Member)

The schedule of procedures

The committee members are expected to listen individually to the submitted songs. This will be done exclusively at ERT’s headqurters, without the possibility of the songs leaving the building and this to avoid any leakage.

Each member of the jury will choose the songs that considers to be better and deserve as a proposal overall to be in the second phase. Don’t forget that ERT had mentioned in its original announcement-open invitation, that it was looking for complete proposals and not just songs. This includes partners, stage presentation concepts, video clips, promotion, etc.

The songs that receive positive votes from the majority of the jury members will advance to the final stage of the selection. ERT, after the evaluation of the 106 songs by the committee members, will announce the selected artists. Theoretically, an artist can qualify for the next phase with more than one song, since many contestants having the right, submitted two or even three songs.

After the announcement, as happened last year, the artists who have passed to the next phase, will hold meetings with the administration and the committee of ERT, to present their plans. There will of course be interviews on ERT shows so in order the audience can get to know them. The people of Greek public television attach great importance to these meetings, since as they told us last year, the artist who will be selected, represents ERT for months and his or her personality is also important…

After all the above is completed, the announcement of the lucky winner, who will be invited to represent Greece in Liverpool on May 9, 11 and 13, is expected. Last year this was done in mid-December, but this year it might happen even earlier.

Which artists from those who have been known to have submitted participation do you think will be in the final selection phase of ERT? Tell us in the comments below!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Greek participation in Eurovision 2023!

Greece: More than 5.100 votes in our fan poll | The final results!

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Our website’s big fan poll for Greece’s representative in Eurovision 2023 came to an end. More than 5.100 votes from different IPs and 54 countries took part, with the final result being determined in the last seconds. In first place is Klavdia, with only 16 votes more than Vasilis Kourtis. Many votes below, is Evangelia in third place.

Klavdia in first place with a slight difference

The public seems to be divided, having voted for both Klavdia and Vasilis Kourtis, by a percentage of around 30%, as the artist they want to see on Eurovision’s stage waving the Greek flag. Evangelia follows, then it’s Melissa Mantzoukis and Jimmy Sion that rounded up the Top 5.

Vasilis Kourtis in first place of votes from Greece

The same, but with Vasilis Kourtis first and Klavdia second, happened in the votes that came only from the Greek public. Both of them had a little more than 30%. In third place is Evangelia, fourth is Jimmy Sion and in fifth place is Melissa Mantzoukis.

We remind you that artists that somehow it was clear that they submitted song to ERT for Greece’s representation in Eurovision 2023, took part in our poll 

You can see more of their proposals in out article HERE.

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

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!

Greece: Antonia Kaouri submitted her proposal to ERT! | EXCLUSIVE

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Antonia Kaouri has submitted her proposal to ERT a while ago, hoping to be the one that claims the Greek representation in Eurovision 2023!

Totally confirming our article from the summer, that wanted the young performer to be interested in waving the Greek flag in Eurovision 2023, just moments ago she has sent her proposal to ERT.

What does Antonia Kaouri’s proposal include?

Antonia Kaouri’s proposal includes a song she wrote herself, both lyrically and musically. The song describes the inner battle from somebody that has to balance between what the society defines as what they must do and what they personally wish to do.

It’s a mordern uptempo song, with sounds that have never represented Greece before in the contest. Taking into consideration that the piece has Antonia’s unique style and her voice quality combined, it’s a proposal with the absolute meaning of the word.

If Antonia Kaouri gets selected as our representative, expert Fokas Evangelinos is going to take over the direction, Ilias Kokotos the general admission of the attempt and Dimitris Kontopoulos the musical revision.

Who is Antonia Kaouri?

We met Antonia Kaouri through her participation in The Voice of Greece where, as early as her Blind Audition, Sakis Rouvas stated that he has already found the winner. She turned all four chairs fast and fairly easily, performing Purple Rain. Although she managed to progress upto the final, the fact that she caught Covid-19 did not allow her to compete and get crowned as the winner.

Antonia Kaouri, despite the fact that she did not win The Voice of Greece, signed a contract with MINOS EMI. Last year she released her first single which is a re-release from Iro’s and Dimitris Kontopoulos‘s great hit, Etsi Einai oi Sheseis (tr. That’s How Relationships Are). The music video is directed by Kostas Karydas, while the instrumentation and production are signed by Dimitris Kontopoulos himself.

Many TV appearances followed, where Antonia with her striking appearance and unique voice quality stood out for her unique style. Kostis Maraveyias in Dynata characterized her as the representative of quality pop music in Greece, while Dimitris Kontopoulos trusted her to perform another one of his songs.

We remind you not to miss our YouTube livestream at Sunday at 00:00, after the closing of the submission window at ERT for Eurovision 2023, where we are going to discuss all the last details for the song selection process for the Greek participation in Eurovision 2023!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the news!

 

 

Greece: Antigoni reveals details on her proposal for Eurovision 2023! | EXCLUSIVE

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The submissions deadline set by the Greek Public Broadcaster ERT is soon over, and many proposals for Eurovision 2023 are sent during the final days. One of them is by the 26 years old Greek-Cypriot singer-songwriter Antigoni.

Despite growing up in London, Antigoni speaks very well Greek, while many of her songs include ethnic sounds and even Greek words. She took part in the British reality program Love Island 2022, managing to increase her followers on Instagram from 30.000 to more than 700.000.

Antigoni recently visited Greek record label PANIK Records which sparked rumors about an upcoming Eurovision proposal, since the company is cooperating with Cypriot Public Broadcaster RIK during the recent years, selecting Eurovision artists from the PANIK roster.

As we revealed yesterday, Antigoni submitted a proposal for Eurovision 2023 to ERT. We came in contact with the Greek-Cypriot singer and we have details on what her proposal includes.

She submitted three songs with one of them being her favorite:

“I’m submitting 3 songs but one in particular is my favorite. It’s an up-tempo powerful, firey & romantic track with both Greek & English lyrics. Combining modern sounds/Hip-hop production with Greek traditional sounds + melodies is my style!”

“I am proud of my Greek roots”

Antigoni adds that she is proud of her Greek roots and she aims to spread Greek sounds and culture not only on Eurovision but to the rest of the world. Since the contest will be held in the UK where she lives and works, will be an ideal occasion for her to represent Greece in the contest.

“As the Eurovision is being held in the UK where I live, it would be an honor to be able to use my platform here to shine a light on the country I’m representing!”

Would you like to see Antigoni representing Greece in Eurovision 2023? Tell us in the comments!

Greece: Klavdia submitted her proposal to ERT | EXCLUSIVE

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Klavdia submitted her complete proposal to ERT, in order to claim the Greek representation in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, confirming what we exclusively revealed back in the summer.

What does Klavdia’s proposal include?

Klavdia’s proposal includes a melodic, slow ballad, with fluctuations and modulations. The song showcases the young singer’s powerful vocals, in a ballad scattered with emotional outbursts.

The song is written by ARCADE (Greece 2020 and 2021), and it has strong religious elements.

Who is Klavdia?

The 20-year-old  Klavdia rose to fame through her participation in The Voice of Greece in 2018. Klavdia is a special artist with an ethereal voice. She very recently made her record debut, with the song “Lonely Heart” (released, together with a music video by Arcade Music and Panik Records).

She was introduced to the general public four years ago, as a contestant in “The Voice“, where she reached the show’s final, with Elena Paparizou being her coach. Klavdia impressed the judges and the audience with her amazing vocals. In the following years, she continues to “enchant” with her live performances.

Among other things, she appeared alongside the great Dionysis Savvopoulos, as well as Good Job Nicky at the “Summer Nostos Festival”. “Lonely Heart” is an ethnic pop dance track, which stands out from the first listen. The music was written by the creative team of Arcade, which is behind many great hits and Pantelis Loupasakis (Pade). The lyrics of the song were written by Arcade.

Listen to her first single below:

Would you like to see Klavdia representing Greece at Eurovision 2023? Tell us in the comments below!

Don’t miss our Live on YouTube on Sunday at 12pm, right after the end of ERT’s submission window for Eurovision 2023, where we will discuss all the entries, but also reveal many hitherto unknown details.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments regarding the Greek participation at Eurovision 2023!