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EXCLUSIVE: Why did ERT not hold a national final for Eurovision 2022?

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It was a keen desire of most of the fans that ERT would be holding a national final giving the public the opportunity to choose the Greek representative for Eurovision 2022. What did occur and a national final never happened? What stopped the Greek national broadcaster’s administration from fullfilling an intention they indeed had?

Procedure beggins with no chance of a national final

As you might remember we had already informed you about ERT having a national final out of their plans, at least for this year. That was the information we had at this very point and this is the reason we were so definite about it. But let’s start from the beggining.

At early September ERT initiates the call for participations, giving that way officialy the opportunity to any artist, creator, company, records label who is interested submitting their suggestion. At that time, a national final was not even a thought. The reason is simple. No one expected the interest people showed, that got translated into entries, NOR the  high quality of the songs submitted.

On October 10th the deadline for the submitions is over and ERT now has to choose between more than 40 songs. The procedure has already been announced by Dimitris Papadimitriou. The jury members would hear the songs, rate them individually and the top 5 would be moving onto the second and final phase of the selection.

Thoughts about a TV show

At this point the ERT administratives start thinking about a possible national final, as they think they have 5 songs that could fit such a concept and hold a decent show. For that reason the head of delegation gets the permission to ask all the finalists whether they would be interested in such a show. Keep in mind that this was essential as the earliest ERT’s proclamation did not refer to that at all.

After communicating with all the 5 finalists (still not publically known), the HoD received 3 negative answers, 1 positive and 1 “maybe”. The doubts of the artists, and their labels, did mostly refer to the on-screen result, the televoting transparency, and their personal style that could possibly not fit to such an event.

ERT, however, kept on trying by suggesting a national final in which the jury vote would be more powerful than televoting, as happens in Romania or Malta. They also suggested the national final taking place on Kostis Maravegias’ show (“Dynata“), which is closer to the 5 finalists musical profile but even then the objections were not avoided.

One-way decision

Under the fear of people suddenly withdrawing, ERT decided to go on with the internal selection publishing the top 5 artists. Still wanting to somehow keep the public involved, they suggested assuming the production of their tracks and releasing them through their radio in order to get a feedback from the public before the commitee gets their final decision. The finalists and their labels did not accept that either, as they insisted on keeping the songs and releasing them the way they wanted to.

More or less this was the background of the previous months and we can now, almost a month after Amanda has officialy been announced as the Greek representative, reveal it to you.

What about the future?

We, as Eurovisionfun, are wondering whether the artists this year would bother submitting their entries if they had been aware of a national final from the start. Based on the previous facts, probably not.

The decision ERT has to take for the future is exactly what type of entries do they want. This question is already being discussed in ERT’s offices, while their goal is keeping the quality high while also keeping the public and eurofans involved to the selection. However a national final is not the only way to do so, and this is exactly what the greek delegation is lately working on.

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding Greece’s participation in Eurovision 2022!

Norway: Amanda Tenfjord on the Headline of the Norwegian media!!

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Since 15:00 CET, Amanda Georgiadis Tenfjord has been announced as the Greek representative at Eurovision Song Contest 2022, the upcoming May, at Turin Italy.

The big news had an imminent impact that reached media abroad, including Norway, the country where Amanda lives in and pursues her carrer.

In particular, the news made headlines on Norway’s largest news sites, from NRK‘s public broadcaster to Dagbladet, one of Norway’s largest tabloids, with 1,400,000 daily mobile readers.

  • Norway’s public broadcaster NRK

  • Trodheim biggest news site, where Amanda attends Medical School

  • Norway’s biggest Eurovision site

  • The biggest newspaper of Norway, based in Oslo

  • One of Norway’s biggest tabloids with over 1,4 million readers

  • The biggest newspaper and site of Norway

  • Ålesund local newspaper

 

The aforementioned headlines show that the interest of the Norwegian media about Amanda is already significant, making us already hoping for a high point from the public televoting of Norway, at least.

Stay focused on  Eurovisionfun.com for the latest news regarding Greece and the rest of the 40 nations competing at the upcoming contest in Turin Italy 2022.

Greece: Ilias Kozas submitted his proposals to ERT!

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An other artist, who is feverishly working his own proposal, is Ilias Kozas. This time as a solo artist, he will try to get on the Eurovision stage for a second time after 2013 in Malmö Sweden, where he ended up in 6th place alongside with Koza Mostra and Agathonas Iakovidis.

It comes out as a surprise the fact that Ilias Kozas has submitted three songs, all of them with English lyrics and not with Greek. His proposed entries are of rock style, a genre he has served in his recent work both as solo artist and together with Koza Mostra band.

With an already good “previous service” at the contest, having been the last Greek entry that has finished in top 10 before Stefania brought the nation back to it this year, do you thing that ERT will give him the green light to represent the Greek colours once more in Turin in 2022?

Below you can watch his maiden participation in 2013 with Alcohol is Free!! 

Greece: More details about Stefania’s candidate songs

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In an interview given by our representative in Eurovision 2021 Stefania Lymberakakis on the tv show “Eftycheite” on OPEN BEYOND Channel, which was aired today, we were provided with some further information regarding her candidate songs for the contest.

Regarding their style, she clarified that they bear no resemblance to SUPERGIRL but are closer to the style of her last single “Friday”. Αfter a communication we had with the team of creators, we were told that Stefania replied that the songs are like Friday and not like Supergirl, since they have no ethnic elements and are pop songs. None of the songs sounds like Friday. Stefania also added that there is no ballad among them.

Apart from the songs, she mentioned her collaboration with Sakis Rouvas and her communication with Konstantinos Argyros, but also was asked about the possibility her boyfriend, who is also an artist, to accompany her on the Eurovision stage. She gave a negative answer.

You can watch the entire interview by clicking here.

Greece: Stefania’s appearance on RTL Boulevard | What did she say about the 12th from Netherlands and the coronavirus

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Shortly after the premiere of SUPERG! RL this afternoon on ERT and YouTube, Stefania appeared on RTL’s live show, “Boulevard”. The most popular magazino on Dutch television.

“I hope to get the 12th of Netherlands”
At first the presenters joked that she represents Greece and did not wait long to represent the Netherlands.

“Why not of time! Anyone can suggest it to me. They know where to find me!”

Stefania was then asked about the position she could reach.

“I don’t know, I’ll just enjoy it and do my best for Greece and the Netherlands.”

Of course Stefania could not leave the step she was given unused and once again stated that she wants the 12 points from Netherlands.

“Hope to get the 12 points from the Netherlands!”

Stefania for the coronavirus

One of the issues that concerns not only Greece, but also the entire world is the Coronavirus. Even a few days ago a leading Dutch virologist had stated that if the virus continues to spread at this rate, the contest may have to be canceled.

The journalist asked Stefania if she was scared by the virus.

“No, I’m not afraid of it at all. I think everything will go well.”

Watch the full interview HERE.

 

Greece: “SUPERG!RL” just released! Enjoy it

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Following its first broadcast on ERT and the tv show “Eurovision Countdown”, the video clip of the Greek entry, “SUPERG!RL“, ​​is now available on Stefania’s YouTube channel. In the following hours there will be in all the e-shops. Enjoy it in repeat!

Once again, the music is written by Dimitris Kontopoulos and ARCADE, while the lyrics are by Sharon Vaughn, Dimitris Kontopoulos and ARCADE. The director of the video clip is talented Costas Karydas.

This is the song and video clip of the Greek entry for Eurovision 2020. Watch it below:

 

The authors’ statements shortly after the first official release of the Greek entry

As has long been known, the creative team includes Dimitris Kontopoulos and ARCADE, while Sharon Vaughn has written some of the lyrics. The director of the performance  in Rotterdam will be Fokas Evangelinos, while the video clip we first enjoyed a few minutes ago is directed by the promising Kostas Karydas.

“Stefania has a very strong voice and a very nice tone,“said renowned composer and producer Dimitris Kontopoulos.

“To be honest, it was difficult to find the right song for Stefania, as we wanted to fit both her age and her personality, but I think we did it. It is my first time competing for the Eurovision contest with Arcade, a very talented group of composers and producers, and it is always my honor to work with Sharon Vaughn, an outstanding songwriter with international success”.

Director and scriptwriter Costas Karydas, speaking about the video clip, said:

“We created a story with surreal elements. We are following a young girl who finds the strength to embrace her specialty in a society that sees her as something foreign. It is a journey of exploring power within it. The video comes to complement the song, which is dynamic and fresh. The whole team is made up of professionals, who in their field have given 100% to get a perfect result. We also had a great collaboration with Stefania, who surprised us with her hard work and acting skills”.

Greece: Today the presentation of “SUPERG! RL”

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The big day for the ubiquitous Greek Eurofans has dawned! Everything is ready for the official launch of the “SUPERG! RL” video clip! Today at 167:00 CET time, with ERT1 frequency and the tv show “Eurovision Countdown”, with presenter Michael Marinos, the wait is coming to an end!

The “Eurovision Countdown” show for the Eurovision 2020 song contest kicks off at ERT. From this Sunday and every Sunday, Michael Marinos will take us to the magical world of our favorite contest. As part of the broadcast, the videoclip of the Greek participation in this year’s song contest will be broadcasted – at first viewing! But it will not only have a Greek “color” as the other 65 Eurovision entries so far will be screened. Also throughout the coming weeks the show will feature a variety of reports on this year’s participants as well as a look at the history of the competition!

The first show guests are George Kapoutzidis and Maria Kozakou, who will also be the commentators fro Greece in the upcoming contest. Apart from the twin Greek commentators, of course, we will have the opportunity to see Stefania, as well as her loved ones who wish her good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greece: ERT Working Group on Eurovision 2020 just revealed| All the names

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ERT’s  Eurovision 2020 Working Group announced! The five-member committee, headed by Dimitris Papadimitriou for a second consecutive year, has been tasked with delivering an opinion / proposal to the company’s board of directors for the artist who will represent Greece in May in Rotterdam!

The decision signed by the company’s CEO, Mr. Gabritsos Georgios, was announced at today’s meeting of ERT’s management with the reporters of the television reporting, consisting of:

1. PAPADIMITRIOU Dimitris – Composer, Member of the Board of Directors of ERT SA (Chairman)
2. ADAM Petros – Music Producer (Member)
3. MARKAKIS George – Journalist (Member)
4. PETRIDIS Giannis – Music Producer (Member).
5. KOUFOPOULOU Maria – ERT SA International Relations Manager (Member)

It is worth noting that ERT is moving much faster than last year, since the corresponding committee for Eurovision 2019 was set up on 10 January! This announcement also fully confirms the EurovisionFun report on the non-completion of a national final in 2020.

According to the announcements, ERT wants to choose its participation before the holidays so that it has the right time to prepare as best as possible, with the aim of returning Greece to the top ten. The selection for 2020 will also be made by direct assignment.

 

Greece: The extroversion is the goal of ERT

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New administration of ERT presented today its plans and “vision”  to reporters covering television reporting. The main purpose of the next television season is to win the television bet, even after many years of betting on entertainment. Of course, the presentation could not miss the reference to Eurovision, which remains the strongest paper on Greek public broadcaster.

The ERT administration has committed to prepare a program (in the full sense of the word, as we refer to television and radio stations) that will have content that will appeal to the majority of the television audience.

The evidence presented by ERT CEO George Gabritsos in his speech is many, interesting and ambitious we would say! But what has been said many times is that ERT intends to become an extrovert, which means that it will give its viewers more attention. The main objective of ERT is to increase the viewership.

So for the next season, in 2020-21, ERT will have a full schedule focusing on entertainment. So ERT1 will be a channel that will not only have information but also entertainment. It is no coincidence that series (such as the one that will bring Victoria Hyslop’s signature) are on the air next season, and new releases.

For the current season, as the CEO said, few new productions were planned by the previous administration. A sample is expected to be received in the coming days, as we have informed you, and what mechanism will be used by ERT to choose our participation in the upcoming Eurovision Contest. The days that for some people in ERT, the competition was faced with disgust and disgust, have gone irreversibly and hold on to what we are told, the new administration has taken it very patriotic and wants nothing more than to bring Greece back to the top 10 in the standings. So it may be late, as some say in the official announcements … but many are already being prepared!

So with our wish, ERT will win the position it deserves among viewers and society!

 

Greece: Working Group composition not to be announced soon| The way Greek participation will be selected! EXCLUSIVE

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The announcement of the ERT working group was widely expected this week, following reports that confirmed it. In the end, this has not happened and will not be done until at least the final details of the procedure to be followed by ERT for the selection of the greek representative at Eurovision 2020 will be settled.

The committee may not have been announced, but that does not mean that ERT is not preparing for its next involvement. It has already held a number of formal and informal meetings over the past period and appears to have come up with the procedure to choose this year’s representative.

An open national final is not going to take place as we have written for months, since neither the time nor the ability to organize something worthwhile would have been possible. What qualifies is an internal choice. Indeed, it is very likely that there will be some kind of open invitation to interested artists and creators. The working group, which this year will be a 6-member group, in which the composer Dimitris Papadimitriou will again participate, will be invited to propose to the Board of Directors the best of the proposals. Then the Board of Directors. whether or not to approve the proposal of the working group.

The working group will be announced in the coming days (with no announcement coming next week), after all the details of the selection process have been settled and decided. In addition,  these days the head of the Greek Delegation  and International Relations Manager, Maria Koufopoulou, is in Geneva, in the General Assembly of the EBU.

Anyone in a hurry should think that the relevant  announcement last year was made on 10 January. The intention of the new ERT administration is to do everything possible for Greece to be at the top 10 of the Eurovision 2020 rankings and we do not hide that we are optimistic that it will do so!