At first it seemed like the only good song would be one featuring a rapping meatball, but eventually 167 songs were entered in the selection process for the German-Swiss broadcaster SRF, and it turns out there are some good songs in there. Now it’s time to vote.
Members of the public have four votes. The votes can go to four different songs, or you can give them all to one song. Voting is verified by an SMS text message, so you’ll need to have a mobile phone number to use, and each registered phone number can only vote once. The voting period runs for just over two weeks, closing at 8.00am on Monday 16 November.
The public vote will be combined 50-50 with a jury vote to determine SRF’s top 10 songs. Those 10 songs will join six songs internally chosen by French-Swiss broadcaster RTS and three songs from Italian-Swiss broadcaster RSI. Then from the Expert Check stage, six performers will advance to the grand final on 13 February. Cast your votes at SRF.
We’ve previously looked at a selection of some of the best submissions and some of the most memorable. There’s already been plenty of buzz emerging around some of the songs, so here’s a quick summary of the songs that have started to get people talking.
“Boom Boom” – Gisel de Marco
Feel-good dancepop from a The Voice of Switzerland alum.
“That’s What It’s All About” – Maria Christina
Maria Christina is determined to live life to the fullest.
“Still Care” – Crispi feat. Thessa van der Mark
Understated modern electro pop from Germany.
“My Heart is Still Winning” – Ramona Nerra
Uplifting pop from a The Voice of Germany alum and the songwriter behind “Singing About Love”.
“Elephant” – Elias Bertini
Cool folk-pop about a crushing relationship. Elias made it to the Expert Check stage in 2014.
“Closer to my Heart” – Ylva & Linda
The Swedish veteran songwriting sisters try their hand at performing.
“No Boundaries” – Patric Scott feat. Abdullah Alhussainy
Sebalter’s backing singer teams up with an Egyptian singer with a message of hope and togetherness.
“Dark Star” – Patrick von Castelberg & Valentin Akçag
A classical vocalist duets with a violinist. Is it an all-male Uzari & Maimuna? Or Rybak split in two?
“Sunshine” – Germein Sisters feat. Alphorn-Trio Fröschental
Australian sisters team up with a Swiss alphorn trio.
https://youtu.be/VAx4L0UExjM
“The Last of Our Kind” – Rykka
Swiss-Canadian singer delivers an epic anthem, like something from a fantasy film soundtrack.
Who have you voted for? Is there a Eurovision winner in SRF’s entries? Share your thoughts below!
RAMONA NERRA 4 points..
Ramona Nerra 4 points My heart ist still winning :*
The best…Ramona Nerra My heart ist still winning……….4 points
Honestly… most of the tunes are just boring. Not my music. I actually didn´t wanted to vote. And then i heard this song ….. awwwww…. My heart is still winning!!! …. wow!!! I want to have this song at my wedding !!!! <3
Go Swiss !!! This is the song !!!! #winwin
4 points for Ramona Nerra. Amazing song!!!! 🙂
Ramona Nerra 4 points My heart ist still winning.
My opinion is that Ramona can win not only the finals in Switzerland, but can also win the finals in Sweden . My fave this year is Switzerland
4 points RAMONA NERRA My heart ist still winning.
Ramona Nerra 4 points
RAMONA NERRA 4 PUNCTE MY HEART IST STILL WINNING……………… (y)
Votat 4 puncte… Ramona Nerra My heart ist still winning :*
RAMONA NERRA – MY HEART IS STILL WINNING !!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I voted 4 Sunshine 🙂
I’M VOTING SMASHBY! PHARAOH TO WIN!!
I gave all 4 points to #SHAKETHATDOWN
Ramona Nerra all the way!!! She will avenge Timebelle from last year 😀
Rino Dilugano’s “Dimmi se c’è” is amazing and I honestly think this would have considerable chances for a good result.
I’ll probably vote for this.
Thank you Wiwibloggs for the mention! It makes me so happy to know that experts like you, like my song 🙂
@CookyMonzta Yeah, but that’s because their selection ended. After that, the artist could change the song however they want.
But if Vasilije actually makes it to the top 9, I think it would be unfair, cuz the selection is not over yet, not unless the final 6 has been picked, and a winner has been declared.
So yeah, unless the selection is over, I think it would be unfair to change something to the song whiles the selection is still going.
@AnesBosna: It wouldn’t be the first time a song–or any aspect of a song–got the boot between the national contest and the ESC. Albania didn’t like the entire song they were sending with Elhaida (correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought I read that they had issues with the song’s publisher); so, they sent her with “I’m Alive”, and it made it to the Grand Final, something they probably didn’t think would be accomplished with “Diell”.
@CookyMonzta That would be really unfair for the other contestants then, as you submit the song that you will compete with in the show (changes should be made directly after the song wins). If you decide to change song after it wins, then It would not be what the public actually voted for.
Even the music in the song itself would change the song completely.
Then again, if Vasilije makes the first round (the final 18, presumably), can he resubmit the song with new music BEFORE he performs it on the show?
@Robyn: I thought I read this post elsewhere. Suppose they don’t DQ Vasilije BEFORE the Entscheidungsshow final, and he wins; is it possible that he and his production team can create new music for this song, and rework the lyrics to fit that music in order to meet EBU rules? Or is he and his song due to be scrapped no matter what he does? 🙁
If the answer is ‘no’ for the revamp, and he’s out, that leaves 165 songs up for the vote.
All 4 went to Rykka! 🙂
All of my four votes went straight to Ramona Nerra’s basket. She absolutely stunned me with that charming videoclip (that ‘would you like to marry?’ face, dude! It defo HAS to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen), and the song is quite catchy and somehow ‘radiofriendly’, which is always a plus – even more if you’re used to land on the dark side of the scoreboard as Switzerland does year after year lately.
Good news are: if dismissed, she can always have a try on her homeland, Romania!
@moco: Thanks for alerting me on that. I watched all 166 videos at the SRF site, and this was among the many that I didn’t watch at YouTube. Excellent song Rino has; he’s on my short list of sleeper insurgents, aside from the 7 that I have already named here.
@CookyMonzta
actually, Rino Dilugano’s has 77,000 views which is more than anyone else’s
just to throw that out there since nobody has mentioned him to date
OK, from now I’ll write only about politics.
VOTE FOR VASILIJE – “ZAUVIJEK”
IT HAS OVER 7000 VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, AND IF WE CAN JUDGE FOR IT, IT’S PRETTY GOOD POTENTIONAL TO WIN*
http://esc.srf.ch/en-ch/vasilije-ojdanic-0
When I submit my votes and put in my phone number, I’m not getting the SMS with the code I need to confirm my votes. Any idea why that is?
I would give one thousand votes to Rykka if I could
“Sunshine” and “Have A Little Faith In Me” are my favourites, I’d be really happy if those two made it to the Swiss final! 🙂
My bad. Make that THIRD for Vasilije.
Be warned: Suppose if YouTube views were any indication of what the final outcome might be; then the Germein sisters would have this all wrapped up. They have nearly 22,000 views for “Sunshine”. Sean Berger’s “Melody” has over 11,000. Vasilije, whose “Zavuijek” may need a musical overhaul, is running second with nearly 6,800. As far as I know, hardly anyone else has over 1,000, and some still don’t have more than 100.
All my ideas have clear reasons and they are necessary for the proper functioning of ESC. This is not a revolution, only the most necessary changes.
Ramona Nerra “My Heart Is Still Winning” THE BEST AMAZING SONG..!
@Firehunter – You post the same thing on every article that you post on! Do you think Jon Ola Sand is tapping into these websites and reading your comments thinking ‘Oh God, that’s what we’ll do next year, for sure. Thanks Firehunter!’ No. This is getting old now, please. I can’t judge these selections! Everyone loved Timebelle last year, yet the Swiss sent Melanie. She finished bottom cause it was just a bit neutral – it wasn’t bad, But not good enough for people to vote for. I hope they choose a song with a bit more impact this year.… Read more »
Where is Velvet?
by the way Americans who want to vote make sure you include +1 in front of your phone number
Voted for Rykka, Crispi (sorry guys, you weren’t that convincing,) Rino Dilugano, and VERAH in order from best to okay
Evelyn Zangger is worth mentioning. She has a very radio friendly ballad that – shock horror – is top 10 worthy in Eurovision! She’s quite famous in Switzerland, so I imagine should *could* win the selection.
The current rules are shallow, unfair and pointless. In the long run, it must get bored and lose popularity.
Time for the changes in the Eurovision Song Contest: 1) Reduce the number of finalists to 22, because quality is more important than quantity, and many people are waiting mainly for the results. 2) Input points for the starting position. Add two more points per earlier position, because subsequent performances have a better chance in the viewers voting (especially strongest entries). 3) Do not put the favorites at the beginning and the end, because it causes inequality in their opportunities. At least for the first three and the last three positions put outsiders. The first performances will have the most… Read more »
Every time I’ve tried to submit my votes and I’m told that I will get an SMS with the code, I’m left waiting ages for it. Can anyone give me advice as to why it’s taking so long for me?
Ultimately, however, the most important are the whole performances on stage. Talk that only song counts is an obvious fisher demagogy. Yet everyone sees, that it is a nonsense.
2 John Hänni
1 Omar Naber
1 Horst Blue
Some fantastic entries here. What is really sad is that just a fraction of what i have heard so far to enter for swiss selection is of a higher standard of song compared to what the uk have. Maybe we should also seek to use a more european selection. I cant wait to trail thru the rest of these entries for swiss selection!
Rykka got my four votes.I like the potential and she has the talent to sell an ethereal anthem.Elias Bertini nearly got some votes as i think he is very talented,but perhaps wouldnt transfer onto an ESC stage.
Finally I think only Evelyn can win ESC 2016 in Stockholm for Switzerland. The rest also has a chance for a good result, but not for 1st place.
Rykka is the same crap as Aminata last year for Latvia. Here for success you need more luck than sense.