Martijn

🇮🇱 Israel selects an artist for Eurovision

Tonight will be the night that Israel selects an artist for Eurovision. The final of HaKokhav Haba, the talent show that is also the Israeli preselection, will be held. The song that he or she will sing will be published later. The show starts at 20:15 CET and you can watch it here. Artist Dor Shimon Eden Golan Mika Moshe Or Cohen Note that there is a lot of opposition against the participation of Israel, due to the Israel-Hamas war. In a statement, the EBU said that they will not exclude Israel from Eurovision as this is a competition between broadcasters and not between governments. Israeli broadcaster Kan did not break any rules according to the EBU.

🇮🇹 This is the week of Sanremo

Festival di Sanremo 2024 is going to start tonight. Tonight, all the artists will sing their song for the first time. The upcoming five days, you can watch Sanremo every night. After the final, the winner will let us know whether he or she will represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö this year. Tonight’s show starts at 20.40 CET. You can watch the show live here. The participants are: Alessandra Amoroso sings “Fino a qui” Alfa sings “Vai!” Agelina Mango sings “La noia” Annalisa sings “Sinceramente” BigMama sings “La rabbia non ti basta” Bnkr44 sings “Governo punk” Clara sings “Diamanti grezzi” Dargen D’Amico sings “Onda alta” Diodato sings “Ti muovi” Emma sings “Apnea” Fiorella Mannoia sings “Mariposa” Fred De Palma sings “Il cielo non ci vuole” Gazzelle sings “Tutto qui” Geolier sings “I p’ me tu p’ te” Ghali sings “Casa mia” Il Tre sings “Fragili” Il Volo sings “Capolavoro” Irama sings “Tu no” La sad sings “Autodistruttivo” Loredana Bertè sings “Pazza” Mahmood sings “Tuta gold” Maninni sings “Spettacolare” Mr. Rain sings “Due altalene” Negramaro sings “Ricominciamo tutto” Renga & Nek sing “Pazzo di te” Ricchi e Poveri sing “Ma non tutta la vitta” Rose Villain sings “Click boom!” Sangiovanni sings “Finiscimi” Santi Francesci sings “L’amore in bocca” The Kolors sing “Un ragazzo una ragazza” Several participants took part in previous festivals in years that the ESC participant was chosen from Sanremo. No less than 4 participants represented Italy in ESC: Emma (2014), Il Volo (2015), Mahmood (2019 and 2022) and even Ricchi e Poveri (1978!). Diodato was supposed to do the job in 2020, but in that year the festival had to be cancelled due to COVID19. Ricchi e Poveri sing “Questo amore”, 1978 Emma sings “La mia città”, 2014 Il volo sing “Grande amore”, 2015 Mahmood sings “Soldi”, 2019 Diodato sings “Fai rumore”, Eurovision Shine a Light 2020 Mahmood (in duet with Blanco) sings “Brividi, 2022

🇸🇪 Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman to host

Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman will host the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what Swedish broadcaster SVT announced today. For Petra Mede, it’s already the third time she will host the contest. In 2013, in Malmö (!), she did the job alone. Three years later in Stockholm, she hosted the show with Måns Zelmerlöw. She commented on having the job for a third time: ‘Imagine getting the chance to host Eurovision once again! It’s such an incredible honor. After first hosting it alone and then together with the delightful Måns Zelmerlöw by my side, I am now really looking forward to working with Malin. We don’t know each other from before, but we have met a couple of times now, and I’m already completely sold. It’s going to be a joy to work with her!’ Malin Åkerman hails from Stockholm but was brought up in Canada. Currently, she resides in Los Angeles alongside her family. Her impressive career spans across both television and film, featuring notable roles in TV series like “The Comeback” and “Entourage,” as well as memorable appearances in movies such as “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Watchmen.” Malin has shared the screen with renowned stars like Tom Cruise, Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock, and The Rock. Additionally, she has showcased her singing talents on the Swedish theatre stage in productions like “A Piece of My Heart.”

🇲🇹 Sarah Bonnici for Malta

Sarah Bonnici won the Maltese final. The singer gained a first place in Malta Song For Europe with the song “Loop”. The song is written by Kevin Lee, Leire Gotxi Angel, Michael Joe Cini, Sarah Bonnici, Sebastian Pritchard-James. Here are the full results: Sarah Bonnici, “Loop”, 102 pts Matt Blxck, “Banana”, 80 pts Ryan Hili, “Karma”, 71 pts Erba’, “Sirena”, 56 pts Lisa Gauci, “Breathe”, 39 pts Denise, “Mara”, 39 pts Greta Tude, “Topic (bla bla)”, 32 pts Janvil, “Man”, 29 pts Miriana Conte, “Venom”, 25 pts Nathan, “Ghost”, 23 pts Gail Attard, “Wild card”, 20 pts Hailey, “Tell me that it’s over”, 7 pts

🇱🇻 These are the Latvian finalists!

Latvia has chosen 10 finalists out of 15. Next week, they will compete in the final, in order to select the Latvian entry. Here are the results: Agnese Rakovska sings “AI” Patrīcija Spale sings “Heaven’s raining down on me” B/H sings “Amsterdam” Alekss Silvers sings “For the show” Jar Of Kings sings “Wildfire” Saint Levića sings “Tick Tock” Sasha Sil sings “Love is a language” Papīra Lidmašīnas sings “Mindbreaker” Avéi sings “Mine” Ecto sings “Outsider” Dons sings “Hollow” Katrīna Gupalo sings “The cat’s song” Funkinbiz sings “Na chystu vodu” Vēstulēs sings “Kur?” Edvards Strazdiņš sings “Rock ‘n’ roll Supernova”

🇱🇹 Results are in in Lithuania

Lithuanian results are in! Two more finalists head to the final, one more semifinal to go. We will see Il Senso and Monika Marija back within 2 weeks. These are the full results: Il Senso sings “Time”, 22 pts Monika Marija sings “Starting tomorrow”, 20 pts Kasparas sings “Fools”, 18 pts Martin sings “Jigsaw”, 13 pts Hansanova sings “Dragons and rainbows”, 10 pts Agnė Buškevičiūtė sings “Puppeteer”, 12 pts Danielė sings “Cold shower”, 8 pts Vilija sings “Save me”, 7 pts

🇳🇴 Gåte represents Norway

It’s Gåte for Norway! After an exciting voting, the group is chosen to sing their song “Ulveham”, written and composed by Gunnhild Sundli, Jon Even Schärer, Marit Jensen Lillebuen, Magnus Børmark, Ronny Graff Janssen and Sveinung Ekloo Sundli. Here are the full results: The results are decided by an international jury and televoting, combined. Where KEiiNO was the favourite of the jury, televoters chose Gåte. Gåte, “Ulveham”, 250 pts KEiiNO, “Damdiggida”, 244 pts Super Rob & Erika Norwich, “My AI”, 120 pts. Gothminister, “We come alive”, 115 pts. Dag Erik Oksvold & Anne Fagerno, “Judge tenderly of me”, 105 pts Miia, “Green lights”, 76 pts Margaret Berger, “Oblivion” , 45 pts Ingrid Jasmin, “Eya”, 42 pts Annprincess, “Save me”, 33 pts

🇪🇸 Spain: Benidorm Fest comes to an end

Tonight we will know the winner of Benidorm Fest 2024. Out of eight finalists, one will be chosen to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest. The show starts at 22.00 CET and you can watch it here. The show will be hosted by Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Calderó and Ana Prada. The winner will be decided by 50% jury, 25% demoscopic jury and 25% televote. Here are the songs: nr. Title Artist (s) 1 Remitente María Peláe 2 Dos extraños (cuarteto de cuerda) St. Pedro 3 Sé Quién soy Angy Fernández 4 Caliente Jorge González 5 Zorra Nebulossa 6 Here to stay Sofia Coll 7 Bla bla bla Miss Cafeina 8 Brillos platino Almácor Jorge González took part in the Spanish national selection in 2009 (3rd) and 2014 (3rd).

🇲🇹 Malta will select a song

Malta will select a song tonight. The national final, Malta Eurovision Song Contest, will be held in Valetta. 50% jury and 50% televote will select the song. Twelve songs will compete. The show starts at 21.00 CET and you can watch it here and on YouTube. Below you’ll find the twelve titles: nr title artist(s) 1 Man Janvil 2 Tell me that it’s over Hailey 3 Sirena Erba’ 4 Ghost Nathan 5 Breathe Lisa Gauci 6 Loop Sarah Bonnici 7 Topic (bla bla) Greta Tude 8 Venom Miriana Conte 9 Karma Ryan Hili 10 Wild card Gail Attard 11 Mara Denise 12 Matt Blxck Banana Janvil took part in 2005 (3rd), 2006 (4th), 2009 (10th), 2010 (semifinals), 2011 (10th) and 2012 (14th).Hailey took part in X-Factor Malta 2020.Nathan was 11th last year. His song is co-written by KEiiNO’s Tom Hugo.Sarah Bonnici participated in X-Factor Malta 2019, and in MESC 2022 (12th).Last year, Greta Tude reached the semifinals.Miriana Conte took part in 2017 (16th), 2018 (12th), X-Factor Malta 2019 ánd 2020, 2022 (6th).Last year, Ryan Hili reached a 5th place.Gail Attard participated in X-Factor Malta 2019 and 2020.Denise took part in X-Factor Malta 2019 and MESC 2022 (5th).Matt Blcxk was involved in X-Factor Malta 2019 and 2020, MESC 2022 (7th) and 2023 (4th).

🇳🇴 Norway: will KEiiNO return to ESC?

Tonight nine songs will compete in Norsk Melodi Grand Prix, in order to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Out of 3 semifinals, nine songs were chosen. KEiiNO and Gåte are the hot favourites to win this thing. The show starts at 19.50 and you can watch it here. Below you’ll find the nine contestants. nr Title Artist(s) 1 Damdiggida KEiiNO 2 Save me Annprincess 3 We come alive Gothminister 4 Eya Ingrid Jasmin 5 Green lights Miia 6 Oblivion Margaret Berger 7 Judge tenderly of me Dag Erik Oksvold & Anne Fagerno 8 Ulveham Gåte 9 Super Rob & Erika Norwich My AI KEiiNO represented Norway in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest with “Spirit in the sky”. They also took part in the 2021 Melodi Grand Prix and became 2nd.Gothminister took part in the 2013 Melodi Grand Prix semifinal.With “I feed you my love”, Margaret Berger represented Norway in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.