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Spain: Blas Cantó to sing in Spanish at Eurovision 2020?

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Blas Cantó is one of the first singers to be announced for the Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam. RTVE, Spain’s public broadcaster, for the first time after 2015 selects its representative with direct assignment.

In an interview on the Europa Press website, the 28-year-old artist revealed some early information about the song he is about to perform in the Ahoy arena. Specifically, he stated:

“An attempt is made to interpret the song in English, as this will enable Europe to understand me. However, it is not necessary for people to understand what I am singing. The music is universal”

Still,he continues:

“I don’t want to sing a ballad but not to have a party on stage. On stage, I probably won’t be alone, but I’ll have someone with me. It all depends on the song we will choose”

Blas Cantó is 28 years old and has become known in Spain as a member of boyband Auryn. He is considered one of the most popular artists of his generation and his selection is certainly a pleasant surprise, as Spain has not accustomed us to select artists. It is not the first time it has been associated with the contest, having participated in the Spanish national final for Junior Eurovision in 2004, and in 2011 tried his luck at the national final for regular Eurovision with Auryn.

Source: Europa Press

 

Albania: Candidates for Festivali i Kenges 58 leaked? | Eurostars return and Arilena Ara among them

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The Albanian website “newsbomb” has published a list of the 25 candidates for the Festivali i Kenges 58, the country’s national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Among the names included in the list, we find Arilena Ara who has become well known with the song “Nentori”, as well as Olta Boka who represented her country at Eurovision 2008, taking seventeenth place!

The 25 candidates for the Festivali i Kenges according to the website are:

Bojken Lako
Devis Xherahu
Genc Tukiqi
Valon Shehu
Wendy Mancaku
Genti Deda
Kanita Suma
Olta Boka
Arilena Ara
Kamela Islamaj
Renis Gjoka
Eugent Lito (GENA)
Eli Fara ft Stress
Castro Zizo
Alberie Hadergjonaj
Robert Berisha
The Era of Russia
Aldo White
Elvana Gjata
Sara Bajraktari
Aurora Kapo
Tiri Gjoci
Nita Latifi
Algert Salaj
Arjeta Palushaj

The post goes further, assessing the first-place contenders, predicting Elvana Gjata, Era Rusi and Arilena Ara will claim the victory.
Soon we will have the announcements from the Albanian public broadcaster, since last year at that time we already officially knew the candidates of the festival.

The Netherlands: Floor Jansen of “Nightwish” gives her answers about Eurovision 2020

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Floor Jansen,”Nightwish” singer, in a recent tv interview, expressed her interest in a possible entry to the Eurovision Song Contest. In a radio interview yesterday (22/10), she clarified whether she would be interested in representing the Netherlands in the competition to be held in Rotterdam in May.

Yes to Eurovision, but not to 2020

Floor Jansen says no to her possible entry into the Contest, though as she explains, this cannot happen in 2020, as she has obligations both as a solo artist and with “Nightwish”, as a tour with therm is scheduled for next year.

“It would an honor for me to have  such a proposal (to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision), but I could not now! I have my own tour this time and in 2020 we have scheduled concerts with Nightwish”

Floor Jansen Nightwish singer

At her 38th, Floor Jansen has already had an important career. She has been the singer of “After Forever” and since 2012 she has been the lead singer of “Nightwish”, a band with a significant worldwide career.

Spain: EsPreParty Madrid is coming for the fourth year

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According to the “Eurovision Spain” website, EsPreParty Madrid, one of the Eurovision’s biggest Pre-Party, will take place in La Riviera, Madrid on April 10 and 11, 2020.

https://twitter.com/eurospaincom/status/1186240078764527617

Over 20 contestants will travel to Spain to celebrate Eurovision 2020 shortly before rehearsals. Of course, many old Eurostars will not be missing from the party.

Ticket information will be provided in the coming days. The two nights will be followed by two more parties with 2000 people.

In the 4 years of EsPreParty Madrid more than 100 artists have been in Madrid to celebrate the arrival of Eurovision and many more are expected this year.

Greece: ERT’s new meeting on Eurovision| This is how the Greek entry will be selected! EXCLUSIVE

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ERT held its third meeting on planning how to choose Greek participation in Eurovision 2020 yesterday (21/10).

The meeting was attended by the new administration, as well as the new program directors and, of course, ERT International Relations Manager, Ms. Maria Koufopoulou. Greek public broadcaster has received suggestions on how Eurovision 2020 will be handled by people outside ERT, who have experience and positive results in the contest.

In the near future, ERT will announce a committee, which will undertake to propose to the Board of Directors how to select the next greek delegation. That was the basic decision of the last meeting.

As we stated in our previous articles, the possibility of an open national final (with free entry) seems to have been definitely ruled out. Whether an artist will be nominated, such as this year with Katerina Duska or a small number (no more than 3-4), will be demonstrated along the way, based on the suggestions put forward by the committee.

ERT begins its journey to Rotterdam with dreams and optimism, for something better than it did this year in Tel Aviv with “Better Love”. Stay tuned for all the details!

Sandro Nicolas: In the studio with Dimitris Kontopoulos and Elias Kokotos

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We had informed you in our previous article about the greek-origin rising artist, Sandro Nicolas, who is making a career in Germany, and also about  being a finalist in the German national final. These days, the young performer is in Athens recording with Dimitris Kontopoulos and Elias Kokotos in Kontopoulos’s  studio.

Through social media, and in particular through an Instagram story Sandro posted on his profile , we saw him in Athens, continuing a series of recordings in the UK, US and Germany. Recently we even saw him in the studio with Linnea Debb.

Last night (21/10), Sandro Nicolas was recording in the studio of Dimitris Kontopoulos, with the supervision of the successful artist as you can see below:

Elias Kokotos, Dream Team’s project manager and a close friend of Dimitris Kontopoulos, also added to their group afterwards, further intensifying the rumors that they want Sandro Nicolas to be involved in Eurovision 2020.

If you want to remember who Sandro Nicolas is, you can refer to our previous article. We remind you that he participated in the New Wave Festival in Sochi last August.

Sandro Nicolas (Alessandro Ruetten) has an American father and a Greek mother. He was born and raised in Germany and is now 23 years old. In 2018 he participated in the German version of “The Voice”, reaching the semi-finals.

EBU:”EBU discusses change of vote” as TVE’s entertainment director reveals

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Toñi Prieto, director of entertainment programs on Spanish public broadcaster, TVE, reveals in an interview today that EBU is conducting a survey among its members – public service broadcasters, on changingthe voting system at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Will the 50-50 system change?

Since 2009, when the jury returned to the contest, having 50% of the final result, there have been few times that the voting system has been criticised.

On the one hand, it is those who believe that five people from every country, even if they are music professionals, cannot have the same say in the outcome, as the rest of the public, who vote by tele-voting. On the contrary, those who claim that the level of songs have gone up since 2009, so-called joke entries (see Ireland 2008, Iceland 2006 etc) have disappeared, with all countries making sure to send good voices, hoping this will be appreciated. from the jury.

What has been active since 2009 with some minor variations is that public and jury have 50% of the final results, both in the final and in the two semifinals.

Toñi Prieto: “The EBU is discussing the change of vote in Eurovision!”
In an interview with Vertele, TVE’s entertainment director Toñi Prieto, among others, says that EBU is in discussions with public television stations to find out what the best voting system is.

The EBU is thinking of turning a vote. They think and discuss with the delegations to find out how we see it. If there is to be a jury, only a jury or only the television audience.

Toñi Prieto, TVE’s entertainment director

Sweden: Victor Crone at Melodifestivalen 2020 | Who other artists will be involved?

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According to a new article of Aftonbladet, this year’s Estonian spokesman in Tel Aviv, Victor Crone, will participate in the next Melodifestivalen, seeking to “redeem”  his big radio success, “Storm“.

From Estonia to Sweden Victor Crone

Victor Crone is Swedish and, if the story is confirmed, this will be his second participation in Melodifestivalen, following his 2015 duet with Behrang Miri, which reached Second Chance. His compatriots loved “Storm” and he was second only behind “Spirit In The Sky” in the televoting. So there are few who think that this is the right time for Victor Crone’s second stint in Melodifestivalen. The song, according to Aftonbladet,is signed by Avicii’s team.

What other names are rumored?

Despite Carola’s denial of participating in next year’s Melodifestivalen, Swedish public broadcaster would like to see  her among the contestants and will step up pressure on the 53-day-old singer to say the great yes!

Other names mentioned by Aftonbladet as potential participants include 18-year-old Hanna Ferm and 25-year-old Jakob Karlberg, both former Idol participants, a talent show that feeds Melodifestivalen.

Summarizing, the artists who appear to be participating in Melodifestivalen 2020 are:

1. Amanda Aasa (from the P4 radio competition)

2. Victor Crone

3. Hanna Ferm

4. Jakob Karlberg

Source: Aftonbladet

Iceland: 157 entries submitted for Söngvakeppnin 2020

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A total of 157 songs have been submitted to Iceland’s public broadcaster, RÚV, ahead of the Icelandic selection for Eurovision 2020, in the hope all to compete in the “Söngvakeppnin 2020” national final in February. The application period was open until October 17, with interest being particularly high. In fact, the total of applications this year exceeds 20% of the last year.

All songs will be evaluated by a seven-member jury composed of RÚV executives, professional musicians, composers and songwriters. In the process of listening to the songs, the committee will know neither the singers nor their composers.

The top-ten songs chosen by the experts will be revealed in January. Then, on February 8 and 15, they will take part in the two semifinals that will take place at the Reykjavik Háskólabíó Convention Center. Two songs from each semifinal will qualify for the grand final on February 29 at the Laugardalshöll Indoor Stadium.  RÚV reserves the right to issue a wild-card for the final in one of the 6 songs that failed to reach the final stage.

In the semifinals, all songs must be interpreted in Icelandic. Instead, in the final, the artists have to interpret the songs in the language they intend to sing in the Netherlands if they win the Icelandic national final. The winner of the “Söngvakeppnin 2020” will represent Iceland at the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena.

In the 64th edition of the contest held in Tel Aviv last May, the iconic Hatari represented Iceland with the song “Hatrið mun sigra” ranking 10th with 232 points.

Sweden: Carola refutes rumors of her participation in Melodifestovalen 2020

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Former Eurovision contest winner and three-time Melodifestivalen winner, Carola Häggkvist, in a lengthy post on Instagram, denied what Aftonbladet said in its yesterday’s article that it wanted her to participate in Melodifestivalen once again with a religious song that she wrote herself.

The news shocked Eurovision Bubble as Carola clarified through her Instagram profile that she will not be attending the upcoming Melodifestivalen.

View this post on Instagram

Jag önskar jag kunde säga Ja…., vi kör! Men jag tackade ödmjukt nej tack redan i augusti då en av de absolut starkaste kompositörerna inom Esc sammanhang erbjöd mig en fin låt. Och senast nu i oktober då en annan tungviktare inom denna genre önskade, tillsammans men Christer B, att jag sjöng sången som skulle kunnat bli en sann hyllning till hela universums Skapare. Men det krävs lite mer än så för mig.. efter alla år och olika erfarenheter. Vill ändå säga ett STORT TACK till alla som ändå någonstans hoppades på att det kunde varit sant.. att jag faktiskt skulle vara med! Tack för förtroendet, intresset, kämparglöden och förvåningen.. ( men ändå inte.) För du som känner mig Vet att jag gillar oväntade skeenden i livet. hi hi Men just i detta läge finns det bara andra vinnare än jag. Och just nu är jag faktiskt smartare än så – än att tacka ja. Vem vet i framtiden. Men just nu gick jag inte igång tillräckligt på varken låtarna, mello eller medias circus. Jag bygger något annat på hemma plan från mitt hjärta, på lång sikt. Men med stor tacksamhet för vad Melodifestivalen en gång var för mig, o för många andra. Tack! Och media får gärna fråga den säkraste källan på en gång innan ni basunerar ut på tv att jag är ’klar’ … bara att det kan få ske? Puh! Mina uppgifter till mitt management finns ovan i min bio och är tydligt som korvspad i en korvgryta! I mitt advents program tar jag bla upp varför jag av ren överlevnads instinkt och som beskyddare av mina barn INTE kan ställa upp i varken Mello, Lets Dance el andra liknande program just nu – även om jag både älskar att dansa ( hemma i köket ) eller tävla. Det är ju egentligen helt förfärligt och beklagligt men så länge den nivån på arbetsmoral finns mellan kvällspress och SVT så vore jag mycket naiv om jag ännu en gång skulle tillåta mig vara offer för det. Vet att allt har sin tid och jag är inte långsint heller. Men just nu finns visheten högt upp på listan och då kommer både barnen och en påsk produktion före melodifestivalen. Till och med Gud Fader själv skulle behöva övertyga mig rätt hårt att vara med. Då förstår ni. Då skulle C.B behöva be så intensivt att få med mig innan JESUS hinner göra sin stora comeb

A post shared by Carola Häggkvist (@carolaofficiell) on

Carola clarifies that while she had many suggestions from major and notable creators, due to her  full program she will not be able to participate in either Melodifestivalen or “Dancing with the Stars”, as it is rumored. To make it even clearer by completing her statement she states:

“For the sake of truth, I haven’t written a song to perform at the Melodifestivalen this year on our Jesus, as today’s reports say”.

Carola & Melodifestivalen

Carola already has five Melodifestivalen entries and has won it three times. In 1983 at the age of just 17 she won with “Främling” and represented Sweden for the first time in Eurovision, taking third place there. In 1991, in Rome with “Fångad av en stormvind”, she took her third victory for her country. Finally, in 2006 in Athens performed “Invincible” and was found in the top5 for the third time, specifically in fifth place.

In 2008 she once again tried to reach the Eurovision stage, joining Melodifestivalen in a duet with Andreas Johnson, but stopped in  the second chance round.