Tonight, Romania will select its six finalists for Sunday evening’s national final, but until then, our readers have chosen their favourites to advance from the semi-final. According to you, Ovidiu Anton, Florena, M I H A I, and also Vanotek feat. The Code & Georgian, Xandra and Andra Olteanu should qualify.

After 2,113 votes were cast in our Selectia Nationala 2016 poll, we have two clear frontrunners, as just 11 votes separate Ovidiu Anton from Florena. Their songs amassed almost a third of the total votes.

1. Ovidiu Anton – “Moment of Silence” –  

Last year’s third place Ovidiu Anton returned to Selectia Nationala with a vengeance and an epic song, determined to steal the spotlight. “Moment of Silence”, which was inspired, in his own words, “by OUR reality”, stirred a lot of emotions in our readers, who gave him their support and their votes.

2. Florena – “Behind The Shadows” –  

Sixteen-year old Florena Ticu Sandru, former X Factor Romania contestant and shooting star of Selectia Nationala, is your second favourite with just 11 votes behind Ovidiu. The newcomer is certainly generating a lot of hype with her power ballad that was also our Wiwi Jury’s top choice this year.

3. M I H A I – “Paradisio” –  

Early favourite M I H A I is your third choice for Romania’s National Final. With almost 300 votes, “Paradisio” is widely expected to advance — and even win in Stockholm, if you ask its most fervent supporters.

4.  Vanotek feat. The Code & Georgian – “I’m Coming Home” –  

The radio-friendly track also convinced a lot of our readers. With just ten votes behind “Paradisio”, “I’m Coming Home” also claims its spot in your top six.

5.  

Xandra, a.k.a. Alexandra Sipos, is your fifth favourite to qualify tonight with her Eurovision-ready ballad. Will the “Superhuman” make it?

6.  

Andra has a lot of pull with the foreigners thanks to her song’s “ethnic” sound, but not so much with Romanian fans of the contest. Either way, “Nai Nai” made your top six. Will it also make it tonight?

The outsiders

Doru Todorut feat. Irina Baiant, Irina Popa, Gasca De Acasa, Dream Walkers, Mihai Bajinaru and Jukebox make up the rest of the contestants who — according to our readers, at least — should pack their bags tonight. However, it will be up the expert jury, who will select four acts, and the public, who will save two more, to decide the line-up of Romania’s national final on Sunday.

Full Results

[polldaddy poll=9309712]

Romania’s sole semi-final will be broadcast live from Baia Mare starting 19:30 CET on TVRplus.ro and on YouTube. For the running order, click here. An expert jury will select six acts to advance to the final on Sunday, while the viewers will save two more songs. In the national final on 6 March, the winner will be chosen by 100% televote.

What do you think about the results of our poll? Do you agree or disagree with our readers’ top six? Who are your six finalists? Sound off below!

William and Deban’s first reaction to Selectia Nationala 2016

FOR MORE EUROVISION ROMANIA NEWS, CLICK HERE

Photos: TVR

11 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

After seing the actual performances, Florena has become my only choice! Vanotek had less than perfect vocals and they were really static, not really impressing… Florena on the other hand – young, beautiful, superb voice, great song, I really hope she wins the selection!

P.S. Ovidiu – great vocals, a lot of emotion, but the song would have been great in the first half of the 90s… No thanks, let’s keep it in the 2010s please!

Colin
Colin
8 years ago

Forget Xandra and Bajinaru, the Voice must have been better, I think, I hope.

Colin
Colin
8 years ago

I just watched the live semi and this is my opinion: 1) The Voice – The only song I missed to see, but I loved the video version and their outfits obviously matched the song. 2) Nai Nai – Awesome performance! We need more funny and catchy songs too! She did an energetic live too! I only hope Romanians won’t jump this year’s bandwaggon of marginalizing songs in national language. 3) Let it Shine – This was… BORING to the extreme! Generic even for ‘Shine’ songs standard. 4) Letting Go – Poor dear, her English was unintelligable. 🙁 Whoever told… Read more »

Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

My favourites are Florena and Vanotek, but at this point I would settle for anyone but Mihai! I would be soooo embarassed should he represent us!

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
8 years ago

Marcus (day one) More sense would make to read with more attention, the procedure is exactly as you said it should be. There are just 6 six entries which qualifies, not 8. Four are picked by the juries and then 2 from the 8 left will be saved by televoters.

Dee
Dee
8 years ago

Yee! Ovidiu the winner! \m/

MGR
MGR
8 years ago

Why everyone have so many votes in this poll?

Marcus (day one)
Marcus (day one)
8 years ago

I don’t see the point in them having a singing final if 8 out of 12 acts are going through.
Maybe the jury should pick 4 and then the televoters pick 2 for the final.

That wwould make more sense.

Either way the selection isn’t strong and it makes me really miss mandinga 🙁

Pavel
Pavel
8 years ago

Mihai will pull even this song to an amazing level live, so if he’s chosen there will be a top 10 finish for sure. Juries will love this

Angel
8 years ago

I hope Vanotek wins… It’s the only one who can get a good position.

MarioMario
8 years ago

Vanotek should win. Not that it would be too high on my list though.