Israel: A Christian, Arab-Origin singer to represent the country at Eurovision 2025?

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Valerie Hamaty, a 25-year-old Arab-origin, Orthodox Christian singer, is rumored to be participating in the upcoming episode of HaKokhav Haba, the talent show through which Israel’s representative for Eurovision 2025 will be selected.

For the second time, Valerie Hamaty will try her luck on HaKokhav Haba, after already making a significant mark in Israel’s music scene. In 2022, she secured second place, although that year Israel’s Eurovision representative was chosen through a different talent show, X Factor. In addition to her singing career, Hamaty has also built a notable path in acting.

The possibility of Valerie Hamaty, an Arab-origin Orthodox Christian singer, representing Israel at Eurovision 2025 is highly symbolic and impactful. If it happens, it will signal a strong indication of social and cultural unity in a region with deep political and religious divisions. Although of Arab descent, Hamaty is part of Israeli society and represents the multiculturalism that defines Israel, a factor that could prove particularly significant on such an international stage as Eurovision.

We will, of course, have to wait until tonight to see if the rumors are confirmed, and whether Valerie Hamaty is among the contestants. Her potential participation will undoubtedly spark new discussions, with the symbolic weight of her possible representation of Israel in Basel being more than evident.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Albania: Snippets of the Festivali i Këngës 63 entries to be released on 6th of December!

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Festivali i Këngës 63 is going to be used to pick the entry of Albania in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in May, in Basel, Switzerland.

According to the post of the official Eurovision account in Albania on Instagram, the snippets of the songs that are going to take part in Festivali i Këngës 63 are scheduled to be released on 6th of December.

These are the thirty participants of Festivali i Këngës 63:

  • Algert Sala – “Bosh”
  • Alis Kallacej – “Mjegull”
  • Ardit Çuni – “Amane”
  • Devis Xherahu – “Ka momente”
  • Djemtë e Detit – “Larg”
  • Elvana Gjata – “Karnaval”
  • Endrik Beba – “Ishe ti”
  • Epos – “Kurajo dhe Zjarr”
  • Erma Mici – “Mbaje”
  • Frensi Revania – “Rreziko”
  • Gjergj Kaçinari – “Larg jetës pa ty”
  • Gresa Gjocera – “E vërteta”
  • Jet – “Gjallë”
  • Kejsi Jazxhi – “Kur bota hesht”
  • Klea Dina – “Dashuri ndiej“
  • Kleansa Susaj – “Ta dija”
  • Laurjan Ejlli & Adelina Corraj – “A thu”
  • Lorenc Hasrama – “Frymë”
  • Luna Çausholli – “Qiell apo ferr”
  • Mal Retkoceri – “Antihero”
  • Martina Serreqi – “Nese qaj”
  • Mihallaq Andrea – “Porositë e babait”
  • Nita Latifi – “Zemrës”
  • Orgesa Zaimi – “I parë”
  • Rea Nuhu – “Sot”
  • Ronaldo Mesuli – “N’zemër”
  • Santino De Bartolo – “Kur nata vjen si bora”
  • Shkodra Elektronike – “Zjerm”
  • Stine – “E kishim nis”
  • Vesa Smolica – “Lutem”

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2025!

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Eurovision 2025: The Boycott that never happened and Europe’s dynamic return to the musical stage

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The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is already shaping up to be one of the most dynamic editions in recent decades. Early official announcements confirm that at least 38 countries have expressed their intention to participate, surpassing the number of entries in Malmö last year, as Montenegro joins the list of returning nations. However, what truly stands out is the complete collapse of the anticipated boycott that many had predicted following the events of 2024.

The Boycott: A Story That Remained in Theory

Following last year’s contest in Sweden, several voices — including politicians, artists, and fans from various countries — called for a boycott of the competition. The protests mainly focused on Israel’s continued participation due to geopolitical tensions, along with claims that Eurovision was straying from its original purpose as a cultural and musical platform of unity.

Despite these calls, predictions of mass withdrawals fell flat. Not only did no country exit the competition, but Montenegro’s return adds to the participant count, making the 2025 contest even larger than in 2024. This highlights Eurovision’s enduring resilience as a cultural institution, capable of withstanding political controversies and challenges.

The Growing Momentum of Eurovision 2025

The announcement of 38 confirmed participants sends a clear message: the contest is not only intact but continues to unite nations and people through music. Discussions of a boycott now seem irrelevant, as the number of participating countries has increased. Furthermore, the official list from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) may hold even more surprises, potentially welcoming additional returning nations.

The fact that predictions of Eurovision’s disintegration proved baseless underscores the deep-rooted significance of the event. Eurovision is more than just a music competition — it is a platform for cultural diplomacy. Even in the face of challenging geopolitical circumstances, music remains the prevailing force.

Basel Prepares for a Historic Event

With 38 countries already confirmed, Basel, Switzerland, is gearing up to host a contest that already carries the hallmarks of success. Montenegro’s return, along with the potential for additional nations to join, not only reinforces Eurovision’s significance but also disproves exaggerated claims about the contest’s decline.

Eurovision 2025 promises to be much more than a competition: it will serve as a symbol of unity and resilience in the face of challenges. It will leave behind the political disputes and reaffirm that music is a universal bridge.

The voices of a vocal minority predicting the contest’s collapse and the mass withdrawal of nations due to last year’s controversies — including Israel’s continued participation — have been proven to be mere wishful thinking. Public broadcasters, as EBU members, ultimately had a very different perspective, choosing to uphold the spirit of the contest.

With May just around the corner, all indications point to Eurovision 2025 being the most dazzling answer to those who doubted the strength and importance of this beloved event for Europe.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates!

Eurovision Song Contest Latin America: Chile probably the host country of the inaugural contest!

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After a very long period of radio silence regarding the Eurovision Song Contest for Latin America, it seems that there has been some development on the subject. Discussions have already begun about the possibility of Chile being the country to host the first edition of Eurovision for Latin American countries.

A meeting between the Chilean Minister of Culture and the Arts and Voxovation for the Latin American Eurovision Song Contest took place on October 17. Chilean government disclosures show that a 1-hour meeting took place between the Minister of Culture and the rights holders of the Latin American Eurovision Song Contest, Voxovation, who were represented by Omar Retamal and Greg Lipstone.

The topics of the meeting were as per below:

  • Presentation of the Eurovision Song Contest: Discuss the possibility of Chile being the next host of this prestigious festival, which will require collaboration and support from the Ministry of Culture and the Arts.
  • Cultural and Artistic Impact: Analyze how the festival can promote Chilean culture on an international stage, highlighting local talents and strengthening Chile’s cultural identity.
  • Investment and Development Opportunities: Explore the economic and development opportunities that the festival will bring to Chile, including boosting tourism, creating jobs, and increasing Chile’s international visibility.

The Latin American Eurovision was first announced in July 2022, with the competition being produced by Voxovation, specifically by Christer Björkman, Anders Lenhoff, Ola Melzig, Peter Settman and Greg Lipstone, the producers of the American Song Contest and the Eurovision Song Contest Canada.

Source: Plataforma Ley del Lobby

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Netherlands: 331 Songs Submitted for Eurovision 2025!

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AVROTROS has announced that 331 songs have been submitted to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has announced that 331 songs have been submitted to the selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. The deadline for submitting songs for the selection closed last night, with entries to be assessed in the coming weeks.

Particularly pleased with the high number of entries

According to AVROTROS announcement, there is particular satisfaction with the large number of entries

A huge and amazing number, given the short period of time during which the submission was open and the additional requirements attached to each entry

The songs are written in Dutch and English as well as other languages. According to the broadcaster, different genres of music are also represented, such as ballads, fast-paced songs and rock. The Selection Committee will listen to all the songs submitted, then select a number of artists to perform their songs live in front of the committee. From these live performances, the selection committee will choose the artist and song that will represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2025. The jury includes:

Jacqueline Govaert
Jaap Reesema
Carolien Borgers
Hila Noorzai
Cornald Maas
Sander Lantinga

But the news doesn’t stop there as part of the announcement from AVROTROS, the broadcaster confirmed that it will be participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026! Song submission for the selection will open on 1 August 2025.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Source: AVROTROS

Armenia: Depi Evratesil to return for Eurovision 2025?

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It is true that several countries that have opted for internal selections in recent years are now returning to national selection formats for Eurovision 2025. Alongside Montenegro and Greece, reports now indicate that AMPTV will revive Depi Evratesil format for the upcoming contest, after having used internal selections for the past three years.

Depi Evratesil 2025

According to reports from ESC Discord on X, Depi Evratesil will be reintroduced as Armenia’s official national selection format for Eurovision 2025, marking its return for the first time since 2020. The format was previously used to select Armenia’s Eurovision entries in 2017, 2018, and 2020. In 2020, Athena Manoukian was chosen to represent the country, but the contest was ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision to return to a public national selection is a notable shift for AMPTV, which in recent years has opted for internal selection processes, keeping their Eurovision decisions secret until the very last moment. Known for being one of the last broadcasters to announce both its representative and song, Armenia’s early preparations for Depi Evratesil 2025 are surprising, suggesting that the country is taking a more proactive approach this time around.

Ladaniva were AMPTV’s pick for Eurovision 2024 with their song “Jako“. Ladaniva brought the country back to the top ten after eight years, finishing in eighth place.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: ESC Discord

Eurovision 2025: Regardless of the outcome of the referendum, the contest will proceed as scheduled

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In recent hours, various rumors and scenarios have flooded social media, all centered around the upcoming referendum on Sunday in the canton of Basel. Citizens will vote on whether to approve funding for the Eurovision contest to be held in their city. Some of these rumors suggest significant consequences in the event of a negative outcome, claiming it could lead to the event being limited to just one night, with the two semi-finals being canceled. More extreme rumors even suggest the complete cancellation of the contest.

However, the head of communications for this year’s Eurovision, Edi Estermann, categorically denied these claims in statements to ESC Kompakt. He clarified that, even if the funding is rejected, the contest will proceed as planned in its core form, with both the semi-finals and the grand final taking place.

He specifically stated:

“If the city of Basel rejects the funding, the contest will need to be significantly scaled down, and particularly, the planned parallel events will be canceled. However, the two semi-finals and the grand final on May 17 will still happen.”

The referendum was initiated by the ultra-conservative USD (Swiss Federal Democratic Union) party. The party is urging citizens to vote against the Eurovision contest, considering it a “propaganda event”. The outcome of the vote is expected to begin emerging Sunday evening, as the first results come in.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates on our favorite contest!

Source: ESC Kompakt

Kosovo: Positive statement by a senior official of the EBU!

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Kosovo‘s hopes for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest seem to be boosted.

The reason for this boost was the statements of the senior official of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Ratka Batcheva, regarding the national broadcaster of Kosovo, RTK, as published by the official Kosovo Eurovision account on X.

Ms Batcheva stated that:

“RTK is part of our family as it participates in our activities, as the current director of RTK, Mr. Hysen Honduzi, is invited to the General Assembly. The participation of Mr. Honduzi, the head of RTK, in the EBU Assembly, which will be held on December 4 and 5 this year in Lausanne, demonstrates that this Kosovar media is de facto a member of our organization. However, to be de jure a full member, there are porcedures and criteria set by the EBU, for example, Kosovo’s memberhsip in one of the two organizations like the ITU and the Council of Europe. We remain hopeful that Kosovo will soon become a member of one of these organizations and will automatically be a member and participate in Eurovision.”

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Italy: Sanremo 2025 artists announcement on December 1st

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The artists participating in Sanremo 2025, who will compete for the Golden Lion and the chance to represent Italy in Basel at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, will be announced a day earlier than initially planned, on December 1st.

Last-Minute Changes for Sanremo 2025

The new artistic director and host of Sanremo has revealed some minor changes. Initially, the artists’ announcement for Sanremo 2025 was scheduled for December 2nd, but it has been moved up to December 1st. The announcement will take place at 13:30 cet.

Although it was originally announced that 24 artists would compete in Sanremo 2025, Carlo Conti has decided to increase this number. Reports suggest the final count will be 26 artists.

The most significant and intriguing change involves the duets night, where contestants will now have the opportunity to collaborate with one another.

For the final night of Sanremo 2025, Carlo Conti will be joined by Alessandro Cattelan, one of the hosts of Eurovision 2022, which was held in Turin.

Festival Schedule

First Night: All 24 artists will present their competing songs. The top five of the evening (announced in random order) will be revealed.
Second Night: 12 artists will perform their entries, and the top five of this group will be announced in random order.
Third Night: The remaining 12 artists will perform, with another top five revealed, also in random order.
Fourth Night: Covers’ Night will feature duets, though the results from this semi-final phase will not count toward the final outcome.
Final Night: All 24 artists will compete in the grand final. The top five overall from the semi-finals will advance to the superfinal, where the winner will be determined through a combination of jury and public voting.

Italy’s Eurovision 2025 Representation

Artists aiming to represent Italy at Eurovision 2025 must submit an expression of interest form by the start of the final night on February 15th.

If the winner of the festival has already signed the form, they will automatically represent Italy. If they choose not to participate, the festival’s organizing committee will select another artist based on its criteria.

Rescheduled Festival Dates

Originally scheduled for February 4–8, the festival has been postponed by a week. It will now take place from February 11 to February 15 in the small Ligurian town of Sanremo.

The winner of the 2024 festival was newcomer Angelina Mango with the song “La Noia”, who represented Italy at Eurovision 2024, finishing seventh in the Grand Final.

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Source: Sanremo EN

It’s Official: “Crystal Waters” tops Spotify’s Viral Top 50 in Greece!

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Maria Pissarides and her song Crystal Waters, which represented Cyprus in Junior Eurovision 2024, have achieved an unprecedented viral success. The song has climbed to the top of Spotify’s Viral Top 50 in Greece, surpassing renowned artists like Sicario and The Weeknd!

Despite not securing a high placement in the competition as initially expected, Crystal Waters has become a sensation in recent days. Hundreds of social media users are singing its catchy refrain: Ti na sou protopo? (What should I tell you first?).

The song reached the second spot on November 19 and, as of today, November 20, sits proudly at number one. It’s safe to say that this is the most significant achievement for a Junior Eurovision song in Greece. What makes Maria Pissarides’s accomplishment even more remarkable is that Greece neither participates in nor broadcasts the contest.

The song’s infectious melody and lyrics have captivated Greek listeners, who are humming it everywhere, often unaware that it’s Cyprus’s entry in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest!

Let’s not forget that 11-year-old Maria Pissarides and Crystal Waters placed 13th out of 17 entries in Junior Eurovision 2024, held in Madrid on Saturday, November 16.

Could the massive success of this song prompt CyBC to continue participating in the competition? Could it even encourage ERT to reconsider its stance and return to Junior Eurovision? Only time will tell. Until then, keep singing about the crystal waters of Cyprus!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!