As we continue our weekly series Around The Continent, we will discuss the news and tell the story of each country’s preparation for Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
2 cities reaained in the race to host Eurovision 2023 in the United Kingdom:
Will this be Glasgow or Liverprool?

The host city committee visited Glasgow on the 30th of September, in order to evaluate the city’s ability to host the events.

Kosovan – Albanian singer Mirud has expressed his wish to submit another song to “Festivali i Këngës 61”:
The singer has competed in the festival in its 57th, 59th and 60th editions (national selection for Eurovision 2019, 2021, 2022)
Additional rumored artists include:
- Orgesa Zaimi
- Yll Limani and NOIZY
- Elvana Gjata
- Dafina Zeqiri

Earlier this week, speculation about the possible withdrawal of Azerbaijan from Eurovision 2023 spread to the media.
The primary consideration was that Azeri broadcaster ITV published a list of programs to be broadcastered by the channel, where Eurovision Song Contest couldn’t be found.
That’s why the speculation was born.
However, the Azeri broadcaster denied the rumors.
ITV deputy director Tural Sevdimaly reacted:
” In the information we released about the new television season, we did not provide information about all the programs and projects included in the program. Because in terms of volume, information was received very widely. This information mainly talks about new projects, serials, films to be shown for the first time and author’s programs. In the press release, it was also mentioned that all the other shows, projects and programs that have been widely watched and loved by the public will continue to be broadcast on Public TV Radio.
Eurovision is traditionally an international Song Contest broadcast by Public Television every year. Public TV has been broadcasting this competition every year since 2008, 1 year after it became a member of the European Broadcasting Union in 2007. In other words, there is no new news in this matter. Therefore, claims about refusal from Eurovision are completely false and unfounded.”
On the other hand, Eurovision 2023 participation wasn’t confirmed yet.

The official page of the Czech delegation for Eurovison, hinted that “ESCZ” won’t be held in 2023.
However, nothing has been said about the country’s participation at Eurovision 2023.
In addition, the page dedicated its Instagram stories to former “ESCZ” participants.
Could this be a hint of internal selection, with one of the former “ESCZ” participants?


Fredrik ‘Benke’ Rydman is rumored to be the creative director of “UMK 2023“.
The submission window for “UMK 2023” closed at the beginning of September 2022.
According to unofficial sources, it seems that around 350 songs were submitted to the selection.
YLE considered including more songs in the televised show than usual.
Just for comparison, 7 songs were included in the last 3 editions of the selection.

The submission window will close on the 9th of October 2022.
However, according to Greek media, 50 songs have been submitted to ERT.
For comparison, last year ERT received a total of 43 songs at the end of the deadline.
So far, the following artists have shown interest in submitting songs for selection:

- Leon of Athens
- Melissa Mantzoukis
- Joanne
- Evangelia
- Vasilis Kourtis
- Klavdia
- Antonia Kaouri
- Artemis Matafia
- Operatical
- Aretha Kosmidou – “The Voice of Greece 2014“. She submitted an electro pop and EDM song
- Cynthia Verazie

Irish broadcaster confirms “Eurosong 2023” as part of selection process for Eurovision 2023.
The show will be part of “Late Late Night” in February 2023

The main regulations are:
- Songwriters/composers may only submit one song (including co-writes)
- The song must not have been submitted for consideration to any other country participating in Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
- Songs must be no longer than 3 minutes in duration.
- The songs (lyrics and music compositions) must be original and must not have been released and/or publicly performed in part or in full before the 1st September 2022.
- Entries will only be accepted through the online form at www.rte.ie/eurovision

List of rumored artists to participate in “Festival Di Sanremo 2023” are:
- Marco Mengoni (Eurovision 2013)
- Alessandra Amoroso
- Levante
- PTN
- Ghali
- Annalisa
- Madame
- Mara Sattei
- Manuel Agnelli
- Tiziano Ferro
- Paola & Chiara
- LDA
- Bresh
- Luigi Strangis
- Paola Turci
- Ariete
- Al Bano (Eurovison 1976, 1985)
- Marcella Bella
- Ron
In addition, the submission window for “Area Sanremo 2022” opened. This is the preliminary round (auditions) before “Sanreno Giovanni 2022“.

The submission window will close on 30th October 2022 at 0:00 CET
Artists who are interested and aged 16-30, have so to send two original songs, one for Sanremo Giovani and one for Sanremo in February 2023.
Auditions will take place in November 2022 in Rome, Italy, and the Top 4 will be selected to perform in “Sanreno 2023”.

The submission window for the “Melodi Grand Prix 2023” closed on the 18th of September 2022.
The listening session for the submitted entries has started this week.
Stig Karlsen, the head of the Norwegian delegation, published this image on Instagram’s story:

Our colleagues from “Eurovision Norway” were part of the public who listened to the songs:

So far, around 300 submissions have been sent to the national broadcaster for “Una Voce Per San Marino”. However, the submission window is still open.
Last year, around 700 songs were submitted at the end of the deadline.

Format
- The selection will include 5 semi-finals and a grand final.
- The grand final will be held on Saturday, 25th of February 2023.
- The grand final will be held in the Teatro Nuovo in Dogana.
- The winner of the selection will represent San Marino with the original song performed in the grand final.
- The first phase of the selection will be Academy and Casting. This phase will be held between the 28th of October 2022 and the 27th of January 2023.
- At the end of the Academy and Casting, around 60 candidates will be shortlisted for the semi-finals.
- The 2023 selection won’t include a separate path for established artists (last year, 9 artists got a free path for the grand final).
- It is possible that the established artists will get a free ticket to the semi-finals (without passing the casting).
- 3 semi-finals will be dedicated to candidates that aren’t from San Marino. Meanwhile, the 4th semi-final will be dedicated to San-Marineese candidates. The 5th semi-final will be the “Second chance” round.
- 20 artists will qualify for the grand final.
- The results of each show will be determined by a jury panel, composed of 5 members.

Song Submission
- No restrictions regarding the language or citizenship of the performer
- The song duration will be up to 3 minutes.
- Each candidate will have to submit their original song, as well as a cover of another song
- The performer must be at least 16 years old by the 30th of November 2022.
- Registration and submission will be made online via this link.
- The participation fee for submissions that will come from San Marino by the 3rd of December 2022, will cost 50 euros.
- The participation fee for submissions that will come out of San Marino by the 29th of October 2022, will cost 100 euros.
- The participation fee for submissions that will come out of San Marino (between 30th of October 2022 and 20th of January 2023) will cost 150 euros.

The managers of “Benidorm Fest 2023″ (from RTVE) and representatives of Benidorm City Council met this week in order to make all the required efforts to advance the progress for the festiva’s prepeartions:

“Melodifestivalen 2023” presenters were revealed: Jesper Rönndahl and Farah Abadi


The final of “Vidbir 2023” is reportedly to take place on the 17th of December 2022.
Timur Miroshnychenko will be one of the hosts.
For the second slot of hosting, there are 2 rumored names: Zlata Ognevich (ESC 2013) or Kateryna Osadcha
According to Ukrainian media, the following names are rumored to submit a song for “Vidbir 2023″:
- Slylerr & 100litsa
- Chico & Qatoshi
- TVORCHI
- Sergey Lazanovskyi
- SHUMEI
- Timber Blanche
- Khrystyna Solovay
- Jerry Heil
- Probass & Hardy
- Spiv Brativ
- Gunna Chorna
- Mbreeze

Rachel Ashdown was announced as the Lead Commissioner for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
In the last few years, she was the head of the national delegation for Eurovision.
Graham Norton has ruled himself out of being one of the hosts of Eurovision 2023.
He stated that he prefers to stay in his role as the United Kingdom commentator
