spain participants

After a heart-stopping Innocents’ Day (that’s the Spanish version of April Fools’ Day), full of fake announcements and jokes, Spain has put the games behind it. Today Spanish broadcaster RTVE finally announced the six acts that will take part in Spain’s National Final for Eurovision 2016. Let the Eurodrama begin! The six hopefuls are: Xuso Jones, Salvador Beltrán, Maverick, María Isabel, Electric Nana and Barei.

We’ll have to wait a bit longer for their songs. They’ll be revealed later in January. We Spaniards like to draw out the excitement!

Spain’s National selection: The Finalists

XUSO JONES

Murcian singer Xuso Jones was the first act to be revealed. Xuso is a young pop singer who participated in Edurne’s edition of Your Face Sounds Familiar. He will sing  an “international and emotional” song composed by Andreas Örhn and Peter Boström, the composer of “Euphoria”, “Amanecer” and “Popular”.

In his presentation video, which you can see here, Xuso says that he is keen to feel the heat of the Eurovision stage, and that his song is “powerful” and “danceable” and that Spain has never sent something like this to the contest.

SALVADOR BELTRÁN

Salvador Beltrán is the first surprise act of the morning. This young Catalan-Andalusian singer is going to sing a song he wrote alongside Miguel Ángel Arenas ‘Capi’. With his entry ‘Días de alegría’ (Days of happiness), Salva wants to showcase the “happy nature of the Spaniards” in an optimist tune.

Salvador says that it’s his first try at Eurovision, but that he “respects and admires” all the participants and likes that the contest has had a “spectacular” level in the past years.

MAVERICK

Maverick will bring the Latin flavour to Eurovision! He is a young singer from Castellón who wants to get Europe up from their seats. With a song penned by popular “Electro Latino” artists Juan Magán, DCS and Luiggi Giuseppe Olivares, Maverick will try to elevate the temperature in cold Stockholm.

MARÍA ISABEL

María Isabel, Spain’s only winner of Junior Eurovision (in 2004), is also aiming for Stockholm! The 20-year old singer form Huelva is ready to take her second Eurovision crown in May. She will compete with a song written by David Santisteban.

Better dead than plain, y’all! María Isabel is determined to fly the Spanish flag in Stockholm with a “fresh and danceable” song. Will it have some resemblance to her JESC hit? We’ll know in a few days!

ELECTRIC NANA

Going indie! Electric Nana is the fifth act announced. She rose to fame in 2011 after collaborating with famous producer Carlos Jean on the hit “Lead the way”, and now she’s back with a self-penned song in English!

Nana says she hasn’t missed a single Eurovision all her life and now she wants to hit the stage with a fun and happy song with a rebel spirit.

BAREI 

Barei was the last act revealed. Born Bárbara Reyzábal, she hails from Barcelona and will compete with a song she wrote with Rubén Villanueva and Víctor Púa Vivó. The tune will be a “very current pop song with an electronic base”.

Barei has been singing for over 15 years. During her early career, she used to cover songs from Laura Pausini, Lara Fabian and Christina Aguilera. She won the Festival de Benidorm when she was only 18 (a kind of Spanish version of Sanremo) and she’s been singing in Miami for years. She picked up some Latino influences there and developed a more international pop style by the time she returned to Spain, inspired by artists like Sia, Michael Jackson or Stevie Wonder.

Are you excited about the selected artists? Do you have any favourites already? Were you expecting other artists? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Aaron Magnusson
Aaron Magnusson
8 years ago

I think Electric Nana might be the most special candidature because she have a personal style, and the things she told about her song, wow sound so amazing, but in the other hand, i think that Xuso Jones will be the winner of the national selection, because he’s so famous and well-known in Spain. I think the two participants might win the national selection, and if their songs sound so good like they said, Spain might win Eurovision 2016. But firstable, we have to listen their songs for take a clear opinion, but i can’t wait for take that opinion.… Read more »

paco
8 years ago

Suerte a TODOS y que por ecima de todo se premie a la cancion que mas conecte con EUROPA.

Julio
Julio
8 years ago

I agree the videos already known by Barei are somewhat weak and lack any hook, but she released her last song in Spotify in late october, it has been deleted from youtube and last exactily 3 minutes. It is called “Get up and go” and I must admitt it is the one i like the most, and who knows? that could be the one.?

Nitzan
Nitzan
8 years ago

Nice lineup! Give me Maria Isabel or one of these hot guys.

For Maria Isabel I’d choose a Flamenco-Pop song, not unlike her Jesc song. Something with lots of Spanish attitude.

Leonel
Leonel
8 years ago

Electric Nana sounds the most exciting of all!!! Plus she’s an eurofan!!!

Anfrers
8 years ago

For everyone here saying no one in spain knows Salva, I do, for two years already, and if you like his style, he’s great at it.

Anyway, I’m personaly hyped for Salvador, Maria Isabel (Please, let the song be La vida solo es una, it’s an AMAZING song) and Electric Nana.
Xuso can be good, but i have no faith at all on him, same with Barei, and please, NEVER Maverick, he was cool during the Voice, but the style he got after that contest is pretty mediocre.

AM Casablancas
AM Casablancas
8 years ago

@ñu I know it wasn’t intentional but I loved how the auto correct kicked in, a very hillarious “Espanglish” I laughed 🙂 thanks for the info though..

wow I had no idea people are hardly commenting here, that’s impressive.

Please wiwi stop moderating my comments, I never mess with anyone, unlike other users. Please be objective, i like your blog but this is just too much to handle, other blogs are interesting and they do not moderate me THIS HARSH.

Ben Rafter
Ben Rafter
8 years ago

Cool that the Jess star whatever her name is is entering!!!!!

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

Ñu I didn’t either watch JESC 2010, even if I am from Sweden, who participated then, because I heard about the whole ESC thing in 2012, when Loreen won for our country.
However, here is the video(just available on a computer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfj7nvpK1fw

Thiefo
Thiefo
8 years ago

Awesome! So excited to have another spanish national selection 😀 So far I think these candidates have potential, can’t wait to hear the songs!

Freyah
Freyah
8 years ago

María Isabel is an interesting one. We’ll have to see with the live vocals because from what I’ve heard: Antes Muerta Que Afinada. Her vocal doesn’t seem strong but she is very well known.

Ñu
Ñu
8 years ago

@Oooops To be honest didn’t know about that, I don’t follow JESC since Spain left The competition, and have passed so many years….

andalusianking
andalusianking
8 years ago

@Sal: The least known it’s probably Barei, I think no one knew who she was to be honest, and the most known is Maria, after JESC she released succesful movies and Platinum albums and stuff but after 2009 she desappeared until last November or something with her new album which isn’t being so succesful right now, then it’s Maverick who has an average fanbase, out of all the 6 his fanbase is the biggest I think… Let’s see what happens!

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

Ñu, so that was why Maria had playback at JESC 2010

Ñu
Ñu
8 years ago

@Sal: I would say Xuso Jones, he is known at The beggining for putting music to an adv for McDonalds (Like 5 years ago +-) recently he has been on Your Face Sounds Familiar (YFSF) (same Season as Edurne) and he is from Murcia (as Ruth Lorenzo, and they are friends). María Isabel has success with JESC 2004 but she didn’t do anything noticeable during these years, but I heard she is back this year after finishing her studies. Her Voice has changed and I saw her recently At this Season of YFSF singing fir Rihanna (We Found Love) and… Read more »

Marcos
Marcos
8 years ago

@Sal

The most well known singer may be María Isabel for people older than 15-16 years and most Spaniards can sing the chorus of María Isabel’s “Antes muerta que sencilla”, but currently we’ve heard more about Xuso Jones

The least well-known is probably between Barei & Electric Nana, whilst Salvador Beltrán is yet unknown but released a good single this summer

Sal
Sal
8 years ago

Can a Spaniard tell me, which is the most well-known act here and which is the least well-known? Would I be wrong to think Maria Isabel is most well-known?

Enrique
Enrique
8 years ago

Maverick <3

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

Somehow this return of Maria Isabel reminds me of when Anne Gaadegard participated in DMGP last year

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

Richard Yudistira, I haven’t heard any changes, or the line up from Germany, except that Xavier Naidoo was a withdrawn act.

Hany
Hany
8 years ago

This looks good, and paying attention to the singers-composers’ combination, it seems that Xuso Jones’ act is the most promising one, i hope it doesn’t flop. Anyways we just want nothing but good songs from all of them, some spanish eurodrama is needed!

Fenistil
Fenistil
8 years ago

Hahaha, silly me :). I skipped reading descriptions and for some reason I thought these are songs for ESC. Never mind, I’m happy with these artists anyways and I hope that songs for the contest will be as good as I think they will :).

Héctor
Héctor
8 years ago

Sorry… but I’m not feelings your positivism! TVE said that they were all well-known singers and that isn’t true (Barei, Salvador Beltrán?). TVE had Sara Serena, Raul Gómez or Amelie, but they prefer losing as always. About the other artists, I only like (waiting for their songs) Xuso Jones or Electric Nana (if she had a song like ‘Lead the way’, but looking what she says it will be more like ‘Won’t Stop’), I didn’t want Maria Isabel in this pre, neither a Juan Magan’s song whose lyrics are awful . Rigth now, as we have to listen the songs,… Read more »

oooops
oooops
8 years ago

I especially look forward to hear Maria Isabels song, I want something like Mira Niño, it was seriously a great song, actually IMO better than “Antes Muertas que sencilla”
Speaking about Maria Isabel, I really really want Spain to return to JESC.

Álex, from Spain
Álex, from Spain
8 years ago

So happy it’s not going internally as last year! I don’t know all of the artists, but we could say there are two waves here: A Spanish/Latin wave (Salvador Beltrán, María Isabel and Maverick), and a more international one (Xuso Jones, Barei and Electric Nana), each one with their own particular style, of course. This year I’m longing for a male with an English-language song, so I guess I’ll be supporting Xuso Jones. Nevertheless, it all depends on the song and the live performance, so my vote is far from decided 😉

lobezna_
lobezna_
8 years ago

PP, how do you even know? Has you already listened the songs? Has you already seen the reaction of the people about the songs? Don’t complain so soon!!

I’m very excited about these singers!! For me, right now, Electric Nana is my favourite but I can’t wait to listen all songs.

beccaboo1212
8 years ago

Two words: María Isabel

PP
PP
8 years ago

With these singers I don t see Spain as winner of Eurovision 2016 . Albania also not have chance to win after nationaln final with their song. Only XUSO JONES have some chance to be in TOP 10 from 6 to 10 place in final, with good song.

Fenistil
Fenistil
8 years ago

Maverick and Electric Nana have amazing songs and some others are great as well. I really hope Spain will choose well and finally get what it deserves :).

Hugh
Hugh
8 years ago

A strong bunch, Spain really seem to be in the game recently. Salvador Beltran probably has my favourite of the songs here, but none are too bad. Probably my least favourite would be Maria Isabel 😛

Paul D
Paul D
8 years ago

It seems that they’re bringing only up-tempo songs to this national final, great!

cheesecake
cheesecake
8 years ago

Very promising line-up, well done.
However I still hope for a Spanish song.

marie
marie
8 years ago

it’s just missing raul gomez in this selection.
What a pity!

DenizNL
DenizNL
8 years ago

The selection looks incredible!

Iberian
Iberian
8 years ago

Some people say, it is obvious that RTVE wants and will send Xuso (as he’s the only one who’s famous and has enough support to win the national final). Could that really be the broadcaster’s strategy? In any case, it will be exciting to hear the songs and I do hope all of the candidates get a fair chance to win the final. Oh, and very excited about Electric Nana, I hope she has another great track.

eve
eve
8 years ago

I’M SO EXCITED!! Finally a good NF in Spain, I love all the artists, and they all come from different genres like I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!! RTVE are doing things right this year :___________

Ian D
Ian D
8 years ago

It looks like Spain are trying incredibly hard for the win this year. We haven’t heard the songs yet, but all the singers are good, and judging from their past songs, all of them could do well in Stockholm.

Matenohoru
Matenohoru
8 years ago

I’m quite surprised with this selection, there are various genres here, and some of them not usual for a Spanish entry. Would like to see At Stockholm somebody from Spain singing 100% english. Even there’s one artist to know, I love so much Electric Nana. Xuso reminds me Eric Saade, Salvador sounds nice but not sure about this tipe of song on ESC, Maverik with that Juan Magan song sounds promising and María Isabel brings me back good memorias when she son JESC.

John Christian
John Christian
8 years ago

It’s going to be Maria Isabel! No question! Of all these acts, she is the most famous one! I hope she will do better than Ruth Lorenzo!

Iberian
Iberian
8 years ago

Without knowing the songs yet, I’d go for Electric Nana (the only one with a hairdo more or less close to Rachel from Friends, Robyn 😉

Sal
Sal
8 years ago

Maria Isabel!! Hoping for Brequette but it seems the acts don’t correspond to the silhouettes…

ILVOLOVER
ILVOLOVER
8 years ago

I have a feeling No.6 will be Raúl, no sign of Brequette! 🙁 Hoping that Spain win 2016, they deserve it!

Sal
Sal
8 years ago

Maria Isabel!!

Iberian
Iberian
8 years ago

All of them are fabulous, aren’t they? But, of course, the most important part would be the song… Pity we have to wait for that.

esc1234
esc1234
8 years ago

very promising names so far. hope their songs are as good as they are because spain deserves to win

Denise van Beek
8 years ago

Already a great selection. I’m excited about all 4 of them 🙂 Let’s hope Brequette will be announced later and then this might be one of the best NF this year

Richard Yudistira
Richard Yudistira
8 years ago

I’m scared now. The big 5 is extremely want to host eurovision 2017!!!

ILVOLOVER
ILVOLOVER
8 years ago

Please be Brequette!

jr esc nl
jr esc nl
8 years ago

omg maria!!

eve
eve
8 years ago

So far so good, I’m excited! Three young guys with modern songs