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EXCLUSIVE: Revealing Greece’s Exciting Contenders for the National Final

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The countdown to the Eurovision 2025 contest has already begun, and Greece is preparing to select its representative through a highly anticipated national final. Following a successful run in last year’s contest, ERT returns in 2025 with an open national final for the first time in 22 years, offering both emerging and established artists the chance to compete for a spot on the stage of the contest to be held in Basel on May 13, 15, and 17.

A Landmark National Final for ERT

The process announced a few days ago by ERT’s CEO, Katerina Kaskanoti, has already captured public attention, with numerous talents confirming their intention to participate. Public interest is high, as every year the Eurovision contest becomes more intense, with the level of artists and songs rising sharply.

ERT aims for this national final to not only be a musical celebration but also an opportunity to showcase the evolution of the Greek music scene, bringing together artists from various genres and musical cultures with a common goal: to represent the country with dignity on the biggest musical stage in Europe.

So, let’s take a look at the artists vying for a spot in Eurovision 2025 and what they bring to the table in this year’s musical showdown. Some of them have exclusively confirmed their intentions to us, while others have publicly expressed their interest in recent months.

Who Will Raise the Greek Flag in Basel?

Almost all the hot names that capture the interest of Greek and international eurofans seem set to enter the national final.

You read about ZAF in a previous exclusive article. The young artist has repeatedly expressed his interest in the contest and intends to submit a song that he will write himself. With his recent performance with Coldplay this summer at OAKA and a large fan base, ZAF hopes to be the winner of the national final and represent Greece in Switzerland.

Staying with PANIK Records, another beloved artist who many would like to see represent us at Eurovision is Tania Breazou. Her participation was confirmed just days ago by the CEO of PANIK Records, Giorgos Arsenakos. She is likely to participate with a song penned by Nikos Terzis.

Good Job Nicky has been circling the contest for many years. In 2022, he came very close when he secured second place in ERT’s closed selection with his song “Heaven is a Sin.” In a conversation with us, he mentioned that he might submit an entry for the national final. As he has revealed in previous interviews, he already has the song ready and is optimistic about achieving a good placement.

Klavdia was also very close to representing Greece in 2023. With her song “Holly Water,” she reached the final five but did not win the closed selection of ERT that year, which was marred by controversial decisions by the artistic committee. Klavdia wants to submit a new song and is currently searching for it.

Another frequent contender is Evangelia, who has tried to reach the Eurovision stage through both Greece and Cyprus. Having switched labels and with a song from the creators of “ZARI” by Marina Satti, she hopes that 2025 will be her year to finally realize her dream.

While Biased Beast did not manage to represent Cyprus in Eurovision 2025, as RIK chose Theo Evan, he is not giving up and will try to make it to Basel via ERT.

However, these are not the only well-known artists trying their luck in the upcoming ERT national final. Artists such as Zoe Papadopoulou, Nafsiika, Melina Makri, Shaya, and Kianna are just a few names that have confirmed their intentions to participate.

Artists who had previously applied for ERT’s closed selections in previous years also plan to enter the national final for 2025. Specifically, Lou is and Artemis Matafia from 2022, Konstantina Iosifidou, Antigoni, and Jimmy Sion from 2023 are preparing their proposals.

Notably, artists who gained fame through talent shows will also participate. Aristea Alexandraki from Fame Story 2023, Angelos Arhaniotakis from X Factor 2022, Alexandra Sieti from The Voice 2021, and Dodona from The Voice 2023. Additionally, newer generation artists who have become known through social media, such as Mikay and ARIÁDNE, are also planning to submit entries.

From our previous suggestions, Steve onemanshow and Socrates Charis are also positive about submitting entries for the national final. Both are very talented and capable of making a surprise.

Finally, representation from the Junior Eurovision is anticipated, as two artists who previously represented our country in the children’s contest are now ready to take the big step to the main Eurovision. This includes Alexandros Chountas and Kalli Georgelli (Xannova Xan), who will attempt to become the first artists to compete for Greece’s colors in both the children’s and adult Eurovision.

So the artists who are mentioned in the above article are:

  • ZAF
  • Tania Breazou
  • Good Job Nicky
  • Klavdia
  • Evangelia
  • Biased Beast
  • Zoe Papadopoulou
  • Nafsiika
  • Melina Makri
  • Sayia
  • Kianna
  • Lou is
  • Artemis Matafia
  • Konstantina Iosifidou
  • Antigoni
  • Jimmy Sion
  • Aristea Alexandraki
  • Angelos Arhaniotakis
  • Alexandra Sieti
  • Dodona
  • Mikay
  • ARIÁDNE
  • Steve onemanshow
  • Socratis Haris
  • Alexandros Chountas
  • Kalli Georgelli (Xannova Xan)

Let’s get ready to welcome the voices that will represent us and support their efforts with all our hearts. Eurovision 2025 is just around the corner, and Greece is ready to shine!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Finland: These are the seven UMK 2024 candidates!

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Finland’s broadcaster, YLE, has announced the seven artists and their song titles that will participate in the country’s national final, UMK 2024.

The 7 artists who will participate in UMK 2024 are:

  • Cyan Kicks – “Dancing With Demons” (Thursday 11 January)
  • Sexmane – “Mania” (Friday 12 January)
  • Sara Siipola – “Paskana” (Monday 15 January)
  • Jesse Markin – “Glow” (Tuesday 16 January)
  • Windows95Man – “No Rules!” (Wednesday, January 17)
  • Sini Sabotage – “Kuori Mua” (Thursday 18 January)
  • Mikael Gabriel x NUBLU – “Vox Populi” (Friday 19 January)

Like last year, the songs will start to be released on different days, from January 11 to January 19.

Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2024 will take place on February 10 at the Nokia Arena in Tampere. Presenters of UMK 2024 will be Pilvi Hämäläinen, Benjamin and Viivi Pumpanen.

Finland won second place in last year’s competition with Käärijä and Cha Cha Cha, as they were the audience winner. This makes it the country’s best result since Lordi won in Athens in 2006:

 

https://youtu.be/l6rS8Dv5g-8

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest news about Finland’s participation in Eurovision 2024, in Malmö!

Source: Yle

 

Latvia: Listen to the songs of Supernova 2024!

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Latvia continues the process of selecting a representative for Eurovision 2024 and presents us the songs that will compete in the semi-final of Supernova 2024!

The jury has chosen the 15 artists who will participate in the Supernova 2024 semi-final, which will take place live on 03 February. The winner of the contest, will be determined by the jury and the public in the final vote held on 10 February and will have the opportunity to represent Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden in May.

The 15 artists and songs we will see in the Supernova semi-final are:

  1. Agnese Rakovska – “AI”
  2. Alekss Silvers – “For the Show”
  3. Avéi – “Mine”
  4. “B/H” – “Amsterdam”
  5. Dons – “Hollow”
  6. Ecto – “Outsider”
  7. Edvards Strazdiņš – “Rock n’ Roll Supernova”
  8. “Funkinbiz” – “Na Chystu Vodu”
  9. “Jar of kings” – “Wildfire”
  10. Katrīna Gupalo – “The Cat’s Song”
  11. “Papīra Lidmašīnas” – “Mind Breaker”
  12. Patrīcija Spale – “Heaven’s Raining Down on Me”
  13. St Levića – “Tick Tock”
  14. Sasha Sil – “Love is a Language”
  15. “Vēstulēs” – “Kur?”

Among the 15 artists we see well-known names such as Dons, the pop star of latvia where he will participate for third time in Supernova and Agnese Rakovska who was the representative of Latvia in 2017. Also participating again are Alekss Silvers, Avéi and Katrīna Gupalo. 

In the semi-final, the audience will have the opportunity to meet the participants and evaluate the performance of the songs live for the first time, while in the final they will choose the winner of the competition. Both in the semi-final and the final, the role of the audience and the jury will be equally important. The Winner will be determined by the total score of the public calls and texts and the vote of the jury.

The Supernova 2024 schedule is as follows:

  • Semi-final – 03 February
  • Final – 10 February

Sudden Lights represented Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with their song “Aija” and finished 11th in the semi-final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEykwl9X9SY

Stay tuned to Eurovision Fun for all the updates regarding Latvia’s participation in Eurovision 2024!

Source: lsm.lv

Finland: The rumored artists for UMK 2024!

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It is true that a single photo is able to bring chaos to the Eurovision community. In fact, a leaked photo has sparked interest this weekend, just a week before the artists’ reveal for UMK 2024.

The photo, which has since gone viral, depicts a schedule for the UMK final. The document is in English, but that’s not what’s strange about it. The UMK production team has expanded to include non-Finns in recent years, putting documents in English to make them more comprehensive and accessible to non-Finnish speakers.

According to this document, Käärijä and Erika Vikman(UMK 2020) will serve as the show-openers, but the rest of the list is what has caught the attention of everyone.

Are these the competing artists in UMK 2024?

The following seven artists are mentioned in this leaked photo, along with their song titles:

  1. Mikael Gabriel & Nublu – “Serenaad”
  2. Sini Saboage – “Taivaan Valo”
  3. Sexmane – “TULTA”
  4. Windows95man & Henri Piispanen – “I Remember”
  5. Jesse Markin – “Anthem”
  6. Cyan Kicks – “Whisper”
  7. Sara Siipola – “Tupre Tunt”

 

Δείτε αυτή τη δημοσίευση στο Instagram.

 

Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs)

 

What’s even more suspicious is that five of the seven nominees were mentioned in a tweet posted back in November by a journalist named Mari Pudas.

The detailed schedule of the artists’ reveal

The candidates of UMK 2024 will be revealed on Wednesday, January 10 at 19:00 CET during a broadcast on Yle TV1, Yle Areena and UMK’s YouTube channel. Also, the broadcast will include commentary in Finnish, Swedish as well as in English, for the international audience.

Following the reveal of the candidates, the seven nominee’s songs will be released gradually, starting on January 11 and ending on January 19. The release will be conducted in the following order:

  • Thursday 11/1 – First nominated song
  • Friday 12/1 – Second nominated song
  • Monday 15/1 – Third nominated song
  • Tuesday 16/1 – Fourth nominated song
  • Wednesday 17/1 – Fifth nominated song
  • Thursday 18/1 – Sixth nominated song
  • Friday 19/1 – Seventh nominated song

UMK 2024 will consist of a final which will be held on Saturday, February 10 at 20:00 CET.

Last year’s UMK winner and hence the country’s representative in Liverpool was Käärijä with his song “Cha Cha Cha“. Käärijä ended up in the second place, giving his country its best result since Lordi’s win in 2006.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: wiwibloggs

Spain: Benidorm Fest 2024 participants announced!

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Just a few minutes ago, through RTVE’s special show, the names of the shortlisted artists who will be part of Benidorm Fest 2023 and will compete to represent Spain in Malmö next May were made public.

This year, for the first time, the presentation of the participants did not take place in Benidorm but at the Teatro Alameda in Seville! This was because, according to the organisers, this month Seville becomes the “epicentre of Latin music” as the Latin Grammy Awards will be held there this Friday.

In Seville, along with the participants of Benidorm Fest 2024, artists who took part in the festival in previous editions such as Blanca Paloma, Agoney, Alice Wonder, Alfred Garcia, Karmento, Megara, Sharonne, Tanxugueiras and Vicco were also present.

The 16 artists announced tonight that will fight for the Eurovision 2024 ticket are the following:

  1. Almacor
  2. Angy Fernandez
  3. Dellacruz
  4. Jorge Gonzalez
  5. Lerica
  6. Mantra
  7. Maria Pelae
  8. MARLENA
  9. Miss Caffeina
  10. Nebulossa
  11. Noan
  12. Quique Niza
  13. Roger Padros
  14. Sofia Coll
  15. st. Pedro
  16. Yoly Saa

The songs that will compete in this year’s Benidorm Fest will be published on 14 December!

Source: RTVE

Is there a name that stands out to you? Do you think Spain can be back in the top of the scoreboard? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding Eurovision 2024!

Greece: 7 songs on ERT’s final shortlist!

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A short while ago, during a broadcast on Greek public television, more details were revealed about the process that will be followed from now on for the final selection of the country’s participation in Eurovision 2023. The most important thing that was revealed is that seven songs were selected for the shortlist, as opposed to last year’s five.

As it was said in the broadcast the “Public Committee”, a number of Greek civilians that will be involved in the final song selection, has already been completed through the electronic lottery held at ERT’s radio building yesterday.

The members of the committee will listen on Wednesday 28/12 with headphones and in small groups, but also in different rooms, to the seven songs that remain in the process and have been selected by the creative committee.

Furthermore, ERT’s legal department has drawn up specific confidentiality protocols, which the 70 members of the Public Committee will be asked to follow. so that none of the songs are leaked.

Immediately after the evaluation of the seven songs by the Public Committee, the names of the seven artists who continue to compete for the Greek representation in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest will be publicly announced.

After the audition and scoring of the seven songs by the Public Committee, the artists will have separate appointments with their teams and the ERT committee, in order to present their plans for the contest, in case they are selected.

The final decision on the artist and the song that will represent Greece will be announced in early January.

Which seven artists do you think are on ERT’s final shortlist? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates!

USA: The States and Territories of ASC’s Second Heat!

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After the premiere show of the first heat of the American Song Contest, the second heat with 11 more States and Territories of the Union will take place this Monday, March 28.

As in the first heat, participants announced their presence in the second heat through their social media accounts.

The participants

The territories and states that will be taking part are the following:

  1. US Virgin Islands: Cruz Rock – “Celebrando”
  2. Virginia: Almira Zaky – “Over You”
  3. North Dakota: Chloe Fredericks
  4. Kansas : Broderick Jones – “Tell Me”
  5. Kentucky: Jordan Smith
  6. Maine: King Kyote – “Get Out Alive”
  7. Montana: Jonah Prill – “Fire It Up”
  8. New York: ENISA
  9. Nebraska: Jocelyn – “Never Alone”
  10. Oregon: courtship. – “Million Dollar Smoothies”
  11. Ohio: Macy Gray

As in the previous round, most of the artists in this round have published the titles of their entries, while the titles of the remaining entries and samples of the songs are expected in the following days, until their full publication on Monday 28 March.

At this point it is worth mentioning that the show next Monday will also be announcing the top 3 States/ Territories from Heat 1 that made it to the semi-final round from the public vote.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the American Song Contest!

Don’t forget to Vote in our poll! For the First Semi-final you vote HERE and for the Second Semi-final you vote HERE.