Category Archives: 2016 Eurovision Song Contest

UK NATIONAL FINAL ON FEB 26TH

IMG_2675
The BBC has announced that they will be holding a National Final on the 26th February 2016. Eurovision: You Decide, will be the first National Final show that the BBC have had in 6 years. The show will be hosted by television personality Mel Giedroyc, who Eurovision fans will remember as one of the British commentators from last year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna.

Eurovision: You Decide will feature 6 contestants vying to represent the UK at Eurovision. These 6 acts were chosen through 3 different methods. Firstly, the OGAE UK fan club shortlisted entries submitted from the public to the BBC. Secondly, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) ran a song-writing competition amongst its members. Finally former MD of record company RCA and founder of Innocent Records, Hugh Goldsmith acted as Music Consultant to the BBC overseeing communication with established record labels, publishers, managers, writers and producers encouraging high-level music industry involvement.

Eurovision: You Decide will be broadcast live on Friday the 26th February on BBC Four. Good luck UK!

2nd show in Lithuania: Five more acts qualify

Eglė Jakštytė {copyright: music.lt}
Eglė Jakštytė {copyright: music.lt}

The second show of the Lithuanian national selection has taken place. Eight more acts competed and three were eliminated. The eight acts and songs were –

  1. Jurgis Brūzga Hold On
  2. Ugnė Smile You Don’t Know
  3. Lawreigna Falling
  4. Ištvanas Kvikas & Ellada Please Don‘t Cry
  5. Catrinah Be Free
  6. Eglė Jakštytė Leisk dar būti
  7. Valdas Lacko Stay Tonight
  8. Rūta Ščiogolevaitė United

The three acts to be eliminated by a national and international jury were –

  • Jurgis Brūzga
  • Ugnė Smile
  • Lawreigna

Source: www.eurovision.tv

10 acts confirmed in Germany

Flag of Germany
Flag of Germany

10 acts have been announced to take part in the German selection, Unser Lied für Stockholm, to find their representative for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.

The 10 acts and song titles are –

  • Avantasia – Mystery Of A Blood Red Rose
  • Alex Diehl – Nur ein Lied
  • Ella Endlich – Adrenalin
  • Gregorian – Masters Of Chant
  • Jamie-Lee Kriewitz – Ghost
  • Joco – Full Moon
  • Keøma – Protected
  • Laura Pinski – Under The Sun We Are One
  • Luxuslärm – Solange Liebe in mir wohnt
  • Woods of Birnam – Lift Me Up (From The Underground)

Eurovision veterans Ralph Siegel and John O’Flynn have composed the song for Laura Pinski.

The final will be held on 25 February.

Source: www.eurovision.tv

Nine acts announced in Austria…and one more to come via wildcard vote

ZOË {copyright: Global Rockstar/ORF}
ZOË {copyright: Global Rockstar/ORF}

Austria have announced nine acts that will participate in the national final which will be held on 12 February. The nine confirmed acts are –

  • Bella Wagner
  • Elly
  • Farina Miss & Céline Roscheck
  • Lia Weller
  • LiZZA
  • Orry Jackson
  • Sankil Jones
  • Vincent Bueno
  • ZOË

ZOË was a popular finalist in the 2015 Wer singt für Österreich? with Quel Filou and had success with her album entitled Debut.

One more act will make it 10 in the final via a wildcard vote to be held on Facebook on 14 January. Anyone can vote on this so check the official ORF Facebook page on that date for details of how to vote https://www.facebook.com/ESCOesterreich/

The wildcard acts in contention are –

  • Laura Kamhuber
  • Ola Egbowon
  • AzRaH
  • Sara Koell
  • David Siedl feat. Madelene & McVio 

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

First show kicks off in Lithuanian selection

Flag of Lithuania
Flag of Lithuania

Lithuania have started the road to Stockholm with the first of their Eurovision national selection shows. Eight acts performed and three were eliminated in the first week.

The acts and songs in the first show –

  1. Alice Way – Hero
  2. Dovydas Petrošius – Starlight
  3. Behind The Moon – Did It All
  4. Erica Jeniings – Leading Me Home
  5. Elena Jurgaitytė – I Won‘t Come Back
  6. Vlad Max – Don‘t Wanna Let It Go
  7. Petunija  – Tomorrow
  8. Donny Montell – I‘ve Been Waiting for This Night

An expert national and international jury voted in the first phase. The acts that were eliminated were –

  • Dovydas Petrošius,
  • Elena Jurgaitytė
  •  Vlad Max

The first show was won by Donny Montell, the Lithuanian Eurovision representative in 2012 in Baku where he sang Love Is Blind.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

2016 EMA acts announced in Slovenia

Flag of Slovenia
Flag of Slovenia

The 10 acts who will participate in the 2016 EMA national selection in Slovenia have been announced. They include two former Eurovision participants for Slovenia. Regina, who sang Dan najlepših sanj in 1996, returns as well as Nuša Derenda, who gave us Energy in 2001.

Also, in the selection is ManuElla, who progressed far in the Misija Evrovizija competition, to find the competitor for Slovenia for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. The eventual winner was Eva Bota.

The 10 acts competing in the 2016 EMA are –

  • Anja Baš
  • Anja Kotar
  • D Base
  • ManuElla
  • Nuša Derenda
  • Raiven
  • Regina
  • SAN Di EGO
  • Sebastijan Lukovnjak 
  • Žan Serčič

The EMA final will be held on 27 February.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

Six finalists introduced in Spain

María Isabel {copyright: 20minutos.es}
María Isabel {copyright: 20minutos.es}

Spain have decided to go for a national selection to decide their act for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Stockholm, Sweden. Six acts have been announced and one of them is the winner of the 2004 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, María Isabel. Her winning song was called Antes Muerta Que Sencilla.

The six finalists are –

  • Xuso Jones
  • Electric Nana
  • Salvador Beltrán
  • Barei
  • Maverick 
  • María Isabel

More news of the televised national final will be announced soon by TVE.

Source: TVE; www.eurovision.tv

Eneda Tarifa will represent Albania at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest

Eneda Tarifa {copyright: RTSH}
Eneda Tarifa {copyright: RTSH}

Eneda Tarifa has been chosen to represent Albania at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. She won the 54th Festivali i Këngës in Tirana with her song Përrallë (Fairytale). The song was composed by Olsa Toqi.

There were two semi-finals and 22 songs participated in the final. The voting was by an expert jury that included the 2008 Albanian Eurovision representative, Olta Boka.

The 22 acts and songs competing were –

  1. Sigi Bastri – Engjëll i lirë
  2. Rezarta Smaja & Klodian Kaçani – Dashuri në përjetësi
  3. Dilan Reka – Buzëqesh
  4. Adrian Lulgjuraj – Jeto dhe ëndërro
  5. Erga Halilaj – Monolog
  6. Evans Rama – Flakë
  7. Jozefina Simoni – Një det me ty
  8. Egert Pano – Mos ik
  9. Genc Tukiçi – Sa të dashuroj
  10. Kozma Dushi – Një kafe
  11. Luiz Ejlli – Pa mbarim
  12. Teuta Kurti – Në sytë e mi
  13. Besa Krasniqi – Liroje zemrën
  14. Nilsa Hysi – Asaj
  15. Kristi Popa – Ajo çfarë ndjej
  16. Flaka Krelani – S’je për mu
  17. Enxhi Nasufi – Infinit
  18. Lindi Islami – Për një mrekulli
  19. Florent Abrashi – Të ndjek çdo hap
  20. Eneda Tarifa – Përrallë
  21. Renis Gjoka – Ato që s’ti them dot
  22. Aslajdon Zaimaj – Merrmë që sot

You can see Eneda performing her winning song below.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

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

Hungary: 2016 A Dal acts announced

Hungary flag
Hungary flag

Hungary has confirmed the 30 acts participating in the 2016 edition of the national selection for Eurovision – A Dal.

  1. André Vásáry – Why
  2. Anna Patai – Colors
  3. B The First – You Told Me You Loved Me
  4. Bálint Gájer – Speed Bump
  5. Benji – Köteltánc
  6. ByTheWay – Free To Fly
  7. C.E.T. – Free
  8. Egy Másik Zenekar – Kéne közös kép
  9. Fatima Mohamed – Ott leszek
  10. Freddi – Pioneer
  11. Gergő Oláh – Győz a jó
  12. Group’n’Swing – Szeretni fáj
  13. Ív – Love Kills Me
  14. Jázmin Török – Power Of Love
  15. Júlia Horányi – Come Along
  16. Kállay Saunders Band – Who We Are
  17. Karmapolis & Böbe Szécsi – Hold On To
  18. Laci Gáspár – Love And Bass
  19. Maszkura és a Tücsökraj – Kinek sírjam
  20. Misztrál – Reggeli Reggae
  21. Mushu – Uncle Tom
  22. Nika – Beautiful Love
  23. Odett – Stardust
  24. Olivér Berkes – Seven Seas
  25. Parno Graszt – Már nem szédülök
  26. Passed – Driftin’
  27. Petra Veres-Kovács – Singing Peace
  28. Petruska – Trouble In My Mind
  29. Reni Tolvai – Fire
  30. Szilvia Agárdi – It Is Love

The final will be on 27 February with three quarter finals and two semi-finals preceding. Some previous national final acts are taking part again including the group Passed and the 2014 Hungarian representative Kállay Saunders.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

Six acts announced for final in Switzerland

Switzerland flag
Switzerland flag

Switzerland have revealed the six acts that will participate in the national final on 13 February to see who will represent them at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. The individual broadcasters were involved in special round of auditions organised by SRF & RTR (Swiss German and Rumantsch); RTS (Swiss French) and RSI (Swiss Italian).

The six finalists are:

  • Bella C – Another World
  • Vincent Gross – Half A Smile
  • Stanley Miller – Feel The Love
  • Stéphanie Palazzo – Perché mi guardi cosi?
  • Rykka – The Last Of Our Kind
  • Theo – Because Of You

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com