It is that time of the year again where many countries are in the process of selecting and presenting their acts for the Eurovision Song Contest! Last year's winning act from Sweden, Måns Zelmerlöw (I got to speak to him at the London Eurovision party last year!!) means that this years contest will be held in Stockholm! Australia will be once again taking part this year! 43 countries in total will be taking part, with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia and Ukraine all returning to the contest and Portugal withdrawing.
Important Dates for the UK:
Friday 26th February - UK National Final (Eurovision: You Decide) BBC4 7:30pm (Info)
Tuesday 10th May - Eurovision Semi Final 1 (BBC4)
Thursday 12th May - Eurovision Semi Final 2 (BBC4)
Saturday 14th May - Eurovision Grand Final (BBC1)
National Final Dates and Acts Confirmed so far (Courtesy of Digital Spy):
Past May
26th BELGIUM Applications for Acts
June
22nd NORWAY Call for Songs
30th DENMARK Call for Songs
July
8th Globen Stockholm announced as hosts
17th SWITZERLAND RTS Call for Songs
24th SWITZERLAND RSI Call for Songs
September
1st FINLAND Call for Songs
7th DENMARK Call for Songs Closed
7th LATVIA Call for Songs
8th FINLAND Call for Songs Closed
10th ESTONIA Call for Songs
11th NORWAY Call for Songs Closed 22nd NETHERLANDS Act Announced - Douwe Bob
28th SWITZERLAND SRF Call for Songs
30th FRANCE Call for Songs
30th UNITED KINGDOM Call for Songs
October
2nd ICELAND Call for Songs 2nd MONTENEGRO Act Announced - Highway
10th EUROVISION Cut off date for countries 13th ARMENIA Iveta Mukuchyan Announced
13th MOLDOVA Call for Songs
16th ALBANIA Announce Festivali i Këngës 54 Participants
19th HUNGARY Call For Songs
23rd BELARUS Call for songs
23rd SWITZERLAND RTS Call for Songs Closed
26th SWITZERLAND SRF Call for Songs Closed
26th SWITZERLAND RSI Call for Songs Closed
29th-30th MALTA Call for Songs
31st FRANCE Call for Songs Closed
LITHUANIA Call For Songs
November
1st LATVIA Call for Songs Closed
2nd ESTONIA Call for Songs Closed
2nd ICELAND Call for Songs Closed
4th CYPRUS Minus One Announced
5th ESTONIA Songs and Acts Announced
16th BELGIUM Acts Announced
17th AUSTRALIA Announced
17th AUSTIA Wildcard round open
19th SLOVENIA Call for Songs
19th UKRAINE Call for Songs
20th UNITED KINGDOM Call for Songs Closed
21st BELARUS Song Deadline 24th FYR MACEDONIA Artist Announcement - Kaliopi 25th BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Act Announced - Dalal Midhat-Talakić, Fuad Backović-Deen and Ana Rucner
25th HUNGARY Call For Songs Closed
26th BELARUS Auditions
December
1st BELARUS Auditions/ Acts Announced
1st LITHUANIA Call for Songs Closed
5th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 1
6th SWITZERLAND Expert Check
7th MOLDOVA Call for Songs Closed 10th RUSSIA Artist Announcement Sergey Lazarev
11th AUSTRIA Wildcards Round Closed
11th MALTA Acts and Songs Announced
12th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 2 14th Eurovision 2016 Hosts Announced 15th GEORGIA Artist Announced - Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz
15th GEORGIA Call For Songs
18th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 3
19th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 4
19th MOLDOVA Live Auditions
21st LITHUANIA Acts and Songs Announced
21st SLOVENIA Call for Songs Closed
25th ALBANIA Festivali i Këngës 54 Semi Final 1
25th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 5
26th ALBANIA Festivali i Këngës 54 Semi Final 2
26th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 6 27th ALBANIA Festivali i Këngës 54 Final -Eneda Tarifa - Përrallë
29th SPAIN Acts Announced
January
1st ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 7
2nd ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 8
3rd BELGIUM Eurosong Heat 1
5th SLOVENIA Acts Announced
8th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 9
8th GEORGIA Call for Songs Closed
9th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 10
9th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 1
10th DENMARK Songs and Artists Leaked
10th BELGIUM Eurosong Heat 2
11th AUSTRIA Artists Announced
12th FINLAND Acts and Songs Announced 12th SAN MARINO Artist Announcent - Serhat
12th GERMANY Artists and Some Songs Announced
13th CZECH REPUBLIC Artist Shortlist Announced 13th IRELAND - Internal Selection - Nicky Byrne - Sunlight
15th AUSTRIA Wildcard Winner Announced
15th ICELAND Acts and Songs Revealed
15th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 11
16th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 12
16th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 2 17th BELGIUM Eurosong Final - Laura Tesoro - What's The Pressure
18th ROMANIA Call for Songs
19th NORWAY Acts and Song Snippets Released
19th SPAIN Snippets of Songs
20th SPAIN Songs Revealed
20th UKRAINE Call for Songs Closed
21st AUSTRIA Songs Released 22nd BELARUS National Final - Ivan - Help You Fly
22nd MALTA Semi Final
23rd HUNGARY A Dal Heat 1
23rd LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 3
23rd ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 13 23rd MALTA National Final - Ira Losco - Chameleon
24th LATVIA Supernova Introduction Show 1
24th ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa 14 25th EUROVISION - Semi Final Allocation Draw
28th POLAND Call For Songs
29th AZERBAIJAN Call For Songs
30th FINLAND - Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu - Jury Preview
30th HUNGARY A Dal Heat 2
30th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 4
31st LATVIA Supernova Introduction Show 2
3rd GEORGIA Songs Announced
4th GEORGIA Voting Opens
6th FINLAND - Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu Semi 1
6th HUNGARY A Dal Heat 3
6th ICELAND Söngvakeppnin 2016 Semi Final 1
6th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 5
6th UKRAINE Semi Final 1
6th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Heat 1
7th LATVIA Supernova Heat 1
7th ROMANIA Call for Songs Closed
8th POLAND Call For Songs Closed
9th ITALY Sanremo Night 1
10th AZERBAIJAN Call for Songs Closed
10th ITALY Sanremo Night 2
11th ROMANIA Acts and Songs Revealed
11th ITALY Sanremo Night 3 12th AUSTIRA Wer singt für Österreich?
12th ITALY Sanremo Night 4
13th ESTONIA Eesti Laul 2016 Semi Final 1
13th FINLAND - Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu Semi 2
13th HUNGARY A Dal Semi Final 1
13th ICELAND Söngvakeppnin 2016 Semi Final 2
13th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 6
13th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Heat 2
13th UKRAINE Semi Final 2 13th DENMARK Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 13th IRELAND - Song Presentation 13th ITALY Sanremo Night 5 13th SWITZERLAND ESC 2016 –Die Entscheidungsshow
14th LATVIA Supernova Heat 2 15th GEORGIA Song Announced
16th POLAND Songs Announced
20th ESTONIA Eesti Laul 2016 Semi Final 2
20th FINLAND - Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu Semi 3 20th ICELAND Söngvakeppnin 2016 Final
20th HUNGARY A Dal Semi Final 2
20th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 7
20th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Heat 3
21st LATVIA Supernova Semi Final 21st UKRAINE National Final
22nd UNITED KINGDOM Song Announcement Ken Bruce Show 22nd CYPRUS - Minus One - Alter Ego -Song Presentation
23rd MOLDOVA O Melodie Pentru Europa Semi Final 1
25th MOLDOVA O Melodie Pentru Europa Semi Final 2 25th GERMANY Unser Lied für Stockholm 26th UNITED KINGDOM Eurovision: You Decide 27th FINLAND - Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu Final 27th HUNGARY A Dal Final 27th MOLDOVA O Melodie Pentru Europa Final 27th NORWAY Melodi Grand Prix 2016 27th SLOVENIA National Final EMA 2016
27th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Heat 4
27th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Show 8 28th LATVIA Supernova Final
TBD February
CZECH REPUBLIC - Act and Song Revelation
FYR MACEDONIA - Song Revelation
March
2nd THE NETHERLANDS - Song Revelation
4th ROMANIA Selecția Națională Semi Final 1 5th ESTONIA Eesti Laul 2016 Final 5th POLAND Krajowe Eliminacje 2016
5th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Semi Final
5th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Second Chance 6th ROMANIA Selecția Națională Final 12th SWEDEN Melodifestivalen Grand Final 12th LITHUANIA Eurovizijos Final 14th AZERBAIJAN Song and Artist Selection
?? FRANCE Internal Selection
?? HoD Meeting
TBD
Song Announcement
?? ARMENIA
?? MONTENEGRO
?? RUSSIA
?? SAN MARINO
Full Announcement
?? AUSTRALIA
?? BULGARIA -Female Artist
?? CROATIA
?? GREECE
?? ISRAEL HaKokhav HaBa Final
?? SERBIA
May
10th 61st Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Semi Final 1
12th 61st Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Semi Final 2
14th 61st Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Grand Final
Hosts:
It has been announced that this years hosts will be last years winner, Måns Zelmerlöw and fan favourite Petra Mede.
So far 6 songs have been decided, with the end of this month being the busiest time for countries deciding their songs. So far my favourite would be Ireland, who have chosen the song 'Sunlight' by Nicky Byrne. You can check out Ireland's entry below, and you can use the calendar posted above to youtube the other confirmed songs so far too!
That's it for now but this thread will be updated when new information, songs etc become available! Who else is excited for Eurovision this year and does anyone else keep up with any of the national finals? I love a bit of Melodifestivalen!! :D
05-02-2016, 08:40 PM
Red
Oooo I like nickys song!!
05-02-2016, 08:45 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red
Oooo I like nickys song!!
Yay! :D I have the chorus stuck in my head haha! Ireland might do better than they have for a few years! :o
05-02-2016, 09:09 PM
welshcake
Very excited for it!
Irelands isn't too bad
bit average but (like alysha just said to me irl) if he pulls off a great performance on stage then it could do quite well
05-02-2016, 09:15 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by welshcake
Very excited for it!
Irelands isn't too bad
bit average but (like alysha just said to me irl) if he pulls off a great performance on stage then it could do quite well
YAY!!! :D
I completely agree, and my favourites always end up changing depending on the live performances! Some of them can be a disaster live. I remember last year Albania's entry had really high notes in and when she hit the notes it was fab, but on some of the live performances (including London) she failed and it ruined the song. :(
I am debating whether to go to the London Eurovision party again this year! It was so fab last year! :D
05-02-2016, 09:16 PM
welshcake
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin
YAY!!! :D
I completely agree, and my favourites always end up changing depending on the live performances! Some of them can be a disaster live. I remember last year Albania's entry had really high notes in and when she hit the notes it was fab, but on some of the live performances (including London) she failed and it ruined the song. :(
I am debating whether to go to the London Eurovision party again this year! It was so fab last year! :D
We host our own party in our family
have done since I was really little
We all pick country names out of a hat (normally have about 3 each) then whoever has the winning country has to host the party in their house the next year
The aim is to not win ;)
06-02-2016, 09:20 PM
-:Undertaker:-
The quality of the acts don't matter as the voting is all political/cultural... hence why Britain never wins and always gets votes from Malta and Ireland. :P
06-02-2016, 09:49 PM
Empired
Quote:
Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-
The quality of the acts don't matter as the voting is all political/cultural... hence why Britain never wins and always gets votes from Malta and Ireland. :P
Well obviously. Graham Norton makes Eurovision for me - love the way you get see him losing faith more and more as the evening goes on and starts being like "oh well obviously they'll get a lot of votes from norway" and hey presto they do. And how rude he is about all the voting announcers from the different countries lol.
06-02-2016, 09:53 PM
lemons
can't wait to hear the uk entry at the end of the month!
Quote:
Originally Posted by -:Undertaker:-
The quality of the acts don't matter as the voting is all political/cultural... hence why Britain never wins and always gets votes from Malta and Ireland. :P
the quality does matter! send a great catchy pop song and you will win
the uk isn't very good at that
sure there is SOME political voting but not enough to prevent us from getting a top 5 result ever again
06-02-2016, 09:54 PM
lawrawrrr
Awww I love Ireland's!
I'm really excited for our choosing thing later this month!! It'll be nice to see the OPTIONS so I can then lambast the British public when they choose the wrong one
06-02-2016, 10:09 PM
dbgtz
How long until it becomes Globalvision?
But yeah it is fairly political but it can still be pretty funny nonetheless. They need to just get rid of the panel voting.
Also RIP BBC3 :(
I mean BBC 2!
07-02-2016, 12:38 PM
Gina
IM so excited
so annoyed tho it always takes place in exam period :(
07-02-2016, 08:47 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by welshcake
We host our own party in our family
have done since I was really little
We all pick country names out of a hat (normally have about 3 each) then whoever has the winning country has to host the party in their house the next year
The aim is to not win ;)
Aww that's such a cute idea! :D My family usually have scorecards that I print off! :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by lawrawrrr
Awww I love Ireland's!
I'm really excited for our choosing thing later this month!! It'll be nice to see the OPTIONS so I can then lambast the British public when they choose the wrong one
Completely agree! I much prefer it when we have a selection like this and have some input!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yuxin
IM so excited
so annoyed tho it always takes place in exam period :(
O crap I didn't think about that! Right in the middle of my exam period too! :( Thank god I don't work evenings anymore though so can watch the Semi's live this year :D
Currently watching the Latvian National Final Heat 1 and one of the songs has the line "I don't give a shit" repeated throughout. I bet the BBC would love that! :P
18-02-2016, 01:09 PM
Martin
It's been announced today that there are going to be changes in how the voting is presented this year! :o
In previous years each country's jury and public votes were combined and announced in one go.Now the votes will be split with each country's jury vote cast first, and votes from viewers in all countries combined and announced at the end.
18-02-2016, 08:55 PM
Lill-MeeDK
Denmark is going to win. Its in Sweden, so its tradition ;) ..
Ha ha..
18-02-2016, 09:02 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lill-MeeDK
Denmark is going to win. Its in Sweden, so its tradition ;) ..
Ha ha..
See I loved your song last year and was gutted when it didn't make it to the final!! :(
19-02-2016, 03:21 PM
Julielol
Yay go Sweden :) Hehe x
19-02-2016, 03:27 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Julielol
Yay go Sweden :) Hehe x
I am jealous of you being from Sweden!! I would be there watching the final live haha!
See I loved your song last year and was gutted when it didn't make it to the final!! :(
Have you heard our song for this year?
and if you liked ours last year, you would have liked our number two better.. Just because of the jury it didn't win :)
Where can i listen to UK's song??
26-02-2016, 09:21 PM
Martin
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lill-MeeDK
Have you heard our song for this year?
and if you liked ours last year, you would have liked our number two better.. Just because of the jury it didn't win :)
Where can i listen to UK's song??
I like Denmark this year too yes! :P It's not my favourite but it's in my top 5 already! :D What do you think of it? :)
Here's a video I found on youtube. Although I actually think they performed better live tonight than it sounds recorded! :P They were spot on :D
I didn't really like their song anyway and it opens up another space in Semi 2 for someone to qualify who might not have before (Romania have a 100% success rate), however I do feel really sorry for the artist as he has done nothing wrong!
22-04-2016, 03:09 PM
lawrawrrr
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin
Romania will no longer be participating in the contest this year after their broadcaster TVR has failed to pay debts owed to the EBU!
I didn't really like their song anyway and it opens up another space in Semi 2 for someone to qualify who might not have before (Romania have a 100% success rate), however I do feel really sorry for the artist as he has done nothing wrong!
It's a shame so close to be forced to pull out but surely the government knew it was gonna happen if they haven't been paying the debts and the 20th April date was obviously in place for a while
I don't really like the song either but like you said, I feel bad for the artist so close :(
23-04-2016, 01:09 PM
Ekelektra
Yeah I honestly feel so bad for the Romanian artist to have it taken away from him! I get that Romania should be disqualified for not paying but it really sucks for Ovidiu as it's so so close.
10-05-2016, 07:06 PM
lawrawrrr
revives this for my annual live blog
heroes isn't as good without the digital bits and I thought he'd forgotten how to sing
dying at scott mills' "bye child"
10-05-2016, 07:23 PM
lemons
that astronaut outfit was tragic it just reminds me of this
