It’s the Big Five nation that turned around its run of bad luck and regularly brings home good results. Now details have been reported of France‘s plans for a national final to select its act for Lisbon.

French newspaper Ouest-France has revealed details of the upcoming French national selection, which will tentatively be named Eurovision, Qui Portera Nos Couleurs (“Eurovision: Who Will Wear Our Colours”). While broadcaster France 2 has not yet confirmed the format of the national final, today’s report does suggest much progress has been made.

Like many national finals, the winner will be selected by votes from both a professional jury and a public televote. Details of the jury have not yet been revealed.

The contest will be hosted by French-Canadian singer and former The Voice France coach Garou.

Since June, entries have been open for interested artists. The general Eurovision rules apply, but France 2 has also specified that the song cannot have more than four songwriters behind it, and the lyrics must be at least 70% French.

The contest will take place sometime in January and will involve three shows: two pre-recorded semi-finals and one live grand final. Around 15 competitors will compete in the semi-finals where they will be evaluated by a jury. An as yet unspecified number will then progress to the grand final.

In the live grand final, the overall winner will be selected by votes from an international jury and the French public.

The names of the competing semi-finalists haven’t been revealed, but we do know of two singers who are hoping to be on stage in January. Twenty-five-year-old singer-songwriter Jérémy Montana is hoping to get the ticket to Lisbon with his song “L’oiseau, mon ami”. And recently, singer  Nony — known in France for the 2006 hit song “Façon Sex” from his duo Tribal King, and for being a housemates in the reality show Secret Story — has also expressed his desire to represent France at Eurovision.

The last time France used a national final was in 2014, when three acts competed on the music show Les chansons d’abord, hosted by French-Canadian singer and France’s 2001 Eurovision star, Natasha St-Pier. The winner of this national final was Twin Twin, whose catchy song “Moustache” went on to score only two points in Copenhagen —  France’s worst Eurovision result ever.

What do you think? Is a national final the right move for France? Who would you like to enter it? Share your thoughts below!

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Alex
Alex
6 years ago

Well it looks like they understand how to do a proper national final. They’ve learned their lesson from the 2014 selection process.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago

I think this is one final I want to see! Do I have high expectations? Not really… The last French pre-sélections were far from good. I really hope that we will have good songs and a good placing for France, who knows even a win?

Harpsichord
Harpsichord
6 years ago

Eurovision 2014 French National Selection – Joanna – Ma Liberté (live) should have won !!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zcWHEMd-KQ

I hope french dont chooes worst song for esc2018 again !!!

Harpsichord
Harpsichord
6 years ago
Reply to  Harpsichord

JOANNA “Ma Liberté” (Official Music Video) – EUROVISION FRANCE 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ZNfs5z2Kk

The music style sound like “rise like phoenix” & ” undo ” !!

Twisted French
Twisted French
6 years ago

Garou??? Come on!!!! You want to modernize and give a fresh touch to Eurovision in France with him??? That’s a joke. Talking about the contestants, The Voice France has/had many, that’s where the new talents are. Jeremy Montana and Nony? Seriously? That’s the worst you can find in France…. from what I see, it seems like it’s going to be a huge fail. But I hope I’m wrong!

Alexis
Alexis
6 years ago
Reply to  Twisted French

Jeremy Montana and Nony are not confirmed artists, they just candidated to France TV.

thespb01
thespb01
6 years ago

France usually sends good songs (the last song from them that I didn’t like was 2007), but their placings are mixed, to say the least.

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

Another national final? Yes!!
Does France need that? Not sure!

I hope we watch some really good stuff this year! France has talent. And don’t forget: Eurovision found its good reputation in France. It wasn’t a successfull country until Amir in 2016. Then everything changed and I believe France cares more about Eurovision now.

I remember Garou from the Voice, I like him. He will be a good host.

The most important is to find the right song and continue the success of 2016 and 2017! Allez la France!

x95i
x95i
6 years ago

he looks like rocco siffredi…at first i was like: “what is he doing on eurovision news site?”

TheStellarSeaCow
TheStellarSeaCow
6 years ago
Reply to  x95i

I mean he did act in a main stream film once… maybe he wants to branch out into music too?

Kermit
Kermit
6 years ago

Bonne chance a la France! 🙂

They have had lots of great entries lately (apart from 2015). So more different sounding, interesting, “alternative” songs. Like 2008…a masterpiece. In the old days, France used to mean boring euroballads. Thankfully it has changed!

So a national final will be interesting! Hopefully more of the same. Some great musical diversity, some alternative songs, and some rock please….Will be cool. They had a nice NF in 2007 as well.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago

Garou is a huge star. They obviously want to make this a big spectacle.

azaad
azaad
6 years ago

I don’t know how I feel about a multi stage show. It shows that they are making an effort and the songs will likely be of a good quality, but does a Big 5 country need it. They’re already in the final so they need a song that works on first impact rather than a grower…. From a selfish perspective I’m happy to have another national final, but I wonder how beneficial it will be for France. For all its flaw, Eurovision You Decide did produce an act who placed 15th, a great result for a Big 5 country whose… Read more »

Bella
Bella
6 years ago

“Regularly brings home good results” translates as “placed 12th and 6th the last two years, after placing bottom 5 for almost a decade”. I guess we don’t have the same definition of “regularly”.

mad-professor
mad-professor
6 years ago
Reply to  Bella

I’m glad I’m not the only one confused by this. Are we forgetting that France came last in 2014 and third last in 2015? Two good results is not ‘regularly’.

Poseidon
Poseidon
6 years ago
Reply to  mad-professor

More accurate would be to say that the good results came after they’ve changed the HOD.

azaad
azaad
6 years ago
Reply to  Poseidon

That’s true. For a Big 5 country to average 9th is quite an achievement- in the same time, even Italy only managed 11th these years. Edoardo Grassi is the French Bjorkman, albeit with a taste for less generic content (no offence Sweden, you still slay!)

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago

Exciting!