As we continue our weekly series Around The Continent, we will discuss the news and tell the story of each country’s preparation for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Chairman of the Board of Ukrainian Suspline, Nikolai Chernotitsky and BBC CEO Tim Devy signed a Memorandum of Cooperation during Eurovision 2023.
They agreed on the spheres of cooperation within the preparation and holding of the Competition.
According to the agreement, Ukrainian artists will be involved in the organization and artwork of the contest. Ukrainian elements will be combined in the contest.
The choice of hosts will be joined by 2 broadcasters.
Mykola Chernotytskyi commented:
“I am grateful to our partners at the BBC for productive cooperation. We have already agreed on key principles and areas of work to jointly ensure a unique Eurovision. This musical festival will combine modern Ukrainian culture and all the diversity of British music and creativity”
148 songs were sbumitted for “Festivali i Këngës 61”.
The professional jury will reduce the list to 20-30 songs.
The names of the shortlisted artists will probably be published in 4 weeks.
The brainstorming for the stage has begun:
Azerbaijan confirms official participation at Eurovision 2023.
The selection process for Eurovision 2023 is still unknown.
However, the Azeri broadcaster Ictimai Television will put “The Voice of Azerbaijan” as one of the main TV shows in the upcoming winter.
By doing so, we can suggest that it is possible to have the winner of “The Voice of Azerbaijan” as potential Eurovision 2023 representative.
Belgian media gives more details of Belgain “Eurosong 2023”:
- 7 artists are expected to take part in the national selection.
- The number of shows is yet to be determined, but there will be at least 2.
- Each one of the artists will perform 2 different songs on the selection.
- The public will choose 1 song only for each artist which will be performed in the final
- The final will be held in Palais/Paleis 12 in Brussels.
- The expected date for the final is around the middle of February 2023
A list of confirmed artists is yet to be revealed.
However, it is possible that VRT will finalize the list by November
The format of the selection might resemble the format of Israeli selection for Eurovision 2022 and German selection for Eurovision 2017
It’s still not official, but all the signs show that Bulgaria won’t take part in Eurovision 2023.
We would like to remind you that the country won’t participate in Junior Eurovision 2022 as well.
Icelandic broadcaster RÚV received 132 songs for “Söngvakeppnin 2023”.
The main known details are:
- Each song must be submitted in Icelandic (the English version is allowed as an additional one).
- Representatives of FTT, FÍH, and RÚV will listen to the submitted songs and will narrow down the list to 10 songs.
- Some established Icelandic writers and composers were invited to submit songs.
- However, the selection process was open to everyone, from beginners and rising stars to established musicians.
- The selection process will include 3 televised shows: 2 semi-finals and a grand final.
- The semi-finals will be held on the 18th of February 2023 and the 25th of February 2023.
- The grand final will be held on the 4th of March 2023.
- 5 artists will compete in each semi-final.
- The semi-final results will be determined by a public vote, while the final international jury will be involved as well.
- 4 artists (2 from each semi-final) will qualify for the final.
- The professional committee will have the right to save another song (in a wild-card format), so the final may include 5 songs.
- Each song will be performed in the Icelandic language in the semi-finals. The finalists will have the right to perform a version in another language in the final (English for instance)
According to the German website esc-kompakt, it has been reported (but not officially confirmed!) that Germany will use the method of national selection for Eurovision 2023.
According to the mentioned source, we can infer the following conclusions:
- The national selection will probably be named “Our Song For Liverpool” (in German: “Unser Lied Fur Liverpool”.
- The national selection will include 1 show that will be broadcast on ARD in primetime, in February 2023
- The number of shortlisted songs will be between 7 and 12.
- The results will be determined by 50% public vote and 50% expert jury.
Again, we would like to emphasize that this information hasn’t been confirmed officially yet.
Greek broadcaster ERT received 106 songs for Eurovision 2023.
The leading artists who have submitted songs, revealed last week.
We have reported the full details here
And here’s a short recap:
- Leon of Athens – a powerful pop song, Scottish musician David Sneedon behind the song
- Melissa Mantzoukis – Dimitris Kontopoulos from the Geek Dream team is one of the composers of her song.
- Aretha Kosmidou – submitted an electro dance pop song with a deep message in the lyrics.
- Vasilis Kourtis – Submitted a ballad that talks about the moment when a relationship ends. Dimitris Kontopoulos from the Greek Dream Team is involved in the composition of the song.
- Jimmy Sion – a dance song with lyrics in English.
- Harris Rivera – pop ballad with a meaningful message.
- Antonia Kaouri
- Antigoni Buxton
- Klavdia
The preparations for “Sanremo Festival 2023” are underway.
Singer Alessandra Amoroso posted an image with orchestra director Pino Perris after being invited by Amadeus.
They have probably worked on her intended song for the festival
In addition, the feadline for “Sanreomo Giovanni 2022” was postpned until October 17th, 2022 at 18:00 o’clock.
The submission window for Lithuanian selection “Pabandom iš Naujo 2023“, opened on the 11th of October 2022 and will close on the 12th of December 2022.
LRT will provide financial support to each participant, which they will have the opportunity to use to produce a program and create a stage image.
Pabandom iš Naujo 2023 will be no longer than five shows. They will have:
- Heat 1
- Heat 2
- Semi Final 1
- Semi Final 2
- Grand Final
If there are fewer number of submissions the selection will have fewer shows.
All stages will be monitored by the audit company. Artists and groups will be able to perform with only one act.This first heat is planned to be held in January 2023.
At least 20 acts will be shortlisted for the televised shows.
The results of each show will be determined by 50% public vote and 50% professional jury.
Here is the list of rumored artists to submit a song:
- GJan (she was recommended by us on the Eurovision wishlist)
- Gabrielius Vagelis (participatd in the national selction in 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020)
- Rūta Loop (participatd in the national selection in 2020 and 2022)
- Monika Marija (participated in the national selection in 2019 and 2020)
- FC Baseball
- Beissoul
Montenegro withdraws from Eurovision 2023.
The broadcaster RTCG cited the costs of participating in the competition. In a statement they released, and they stated:
“In addition to the significant costs of the registration fee, as well as the cost of staying in Great Britain – we also faced a lack of interest from sponsors, so we decided to direct existing resources to the financing of current and planned national projects and organizational and program reforms, which entail significant investment interventions in equipment and premises”
Singer Enisa revealed she was supposed to represent Montengro at Eurovision 2023.
She is an Albanian, born in Montenegro.
You’ll probably remember her as one of the artists competing in “The American Song Contest 2022” where she represented New York with “Green Light“
North Macedonia also withdrew from the contest.
Due to the economic and energy crisis and high costs, North Macedonia will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
The broadcaster mentions the high cost of staying in the United Kingdom (the host country) as one of the main reasons
The acts for “Melodi Grand Prix 2023″ haven’t been revealed yet.
However, last year’s candidate Farida hinted about potential return:
Last year, she was a finalist with the song “Dangerous”:
402 artists applied for the national selection “Una Voce Per San Marino 2023”.
The vast majority of them (334 artists) are from Italy. Only 3 of the artists are San Marino citizens.
The participation fee will increase as the the last deadline comes by.
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.
The format will include 4 semi-finals, second chance round and a grand final.
876 songs have been submitted to the Spanish “Benidorm Fest 2023”.
482 songs have been received via website and email, while 394 songs have been sent directly by record companies and publishing labels.
Also very remarkable is the presence of young people of groups and soloists like indie scene artists, groups that were successful in the 90s and 2000s, and even some candidate who wants to repeat his experience last year in Benidorm.
There are also proposals behind the artists who have very large communities on TikTok.
Speaking of ages, there are candidates for all targets; the youngest will turn 16 in 2023 and the oldest act will be 76.
The submission window for “Vidbir 2023” will close today (15th of october 2022).
To date, around 106 songs have been submitted for the selection
Potential artists to take part in “Vidbir 2023”:
- Slylerr & 100litsa
- Chico & Qatoshi
- TVORCHI
- Sergey Lazanovskyi
- SHUMEI
- Timber Blanche
- Khrystyna Solovay
- Jerry Heil
- Probass & Hardy
- Spiv Brativ
- Gunna Chorna
- Mbreeze
TaP Music starting the search for the right artist to represent the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2023
