Twenty acts took to the stage of Moldova’s Finala națională 2020 this evening with the hope of being chosen as the act that will represent the country at Eurovision 2020 in May. In the end, it was Natalia Gordienko who rose to the top of the pack. She’ll be heading to Rotterdam with her song “Prison”.

Natalia previously represented Moldova at Eurovision 2006, performing the fun track “Loca” with Arsenium and Connect-R. The trio finished in twentieth place in the grand final.

This time, however, she’ll be heading to Eurovision with a more sophisticated number, a song which documents a woman torn between conflicting emotions.

Natalia Gordienko wins Finala națională 2020

Finala națională 2020 saw the twenty acts that passed through the live audition stage perform their songs for the Moldovan public at home and the jury in the studio.

Natalia Gordienko performed in the ‘dreaded number two spot’ in the running order. But, the star still managed to earn the highest number of votes from both the jury and the public, securing the victory.

Moldova’s Eurovision 2012 star Pasha Parfeni finished in second place. Maxim Zavidia took home the bronze medal.

Finala națională 2020: Jury Vote

Finala națională 2020: Public Vote

Finala națională 2020: Final Results

Natalia Gordienko – “Prison”

“Prison” is written and produced by the so-called “Dream Team”, who were also behind Sergey Lazarev’s “Scream” in Tel Aviv. Team member Philipp Kikorov previously produced Moldova’s Eurovision 2018 entry by DoReDos.

The “Prison” music was composed by Russian maestro Kirkorov and his Greek counterpart Dimitris Kontopoulos. Meanwhile, the lyrics were co-written by Kontopoulos and the American-born, Sweden-based songwriter Sharon Vaughn. Kontopoulos also produced and arranged the track.

Finala națională 2020: Running Order

  1. Denis Midone – “Like a Champion”
  2. Natalia Gordienko – “Prison”
  3. Geta Burlacu – “Răspunde!”
  4. Viorela Moraru – “Remedy”
  5. Valentin Uzun & Irina Kovalsky – “Moldovița”
  6. Lavinia Rusu – “Touch”
  7. Dima Jelezoglo – “Do It Slow”
  8. Diana Rotaru – “Dale dale”
  9. Pasha Parfeny – “My Wine”
  10. Live Beat – “Love Me Now”
  11. Valeria Pașa – “It’s Time”
  12. Maria Ciolac – “Our Home”
  13. Sasha Letty – “Summer of Love”
  14. Irina Kit – “Chain Reaction”
  15. Petronela Donciu & Andreea Portărescu – “We Will Be Legends”
  16. LANJERON – “Hi Five”
  17. Julia Ilienko feat. Mishel Dar – “Tears”
  18. Catarina Sandu – “Die for You”
  19. Alexandru Cibotaru – “Cine te-a facut să plîngi”
  20. Maxim Zavidia – “Take Control”

What do you make of the results? Are you happy with Moldova’s entry for Eurovision 2020? Sound off in the comments below!

Read more Moldva Eurovision news here

103 Comments
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eurana
eurana
4 years ago

Moldova sending funny songs always achieve best results. All ballads is boring as a hell.

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago

Absolute horrible !

An American ESC Fan
An American ESC Fan
4 years ago

I love how despite withdrawing, Geta Burlacu still managed to beat 4 people. Lol.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

You could at least provide some context.
(Please.)

Valentino
Valentino
4 years ago

We can expect a very dramatic staging for this entry… a little inspired by Dotter’s light rays it seems.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Valentino

It’s a trend. 🙂

Maxim
Maxim
4 years ago

I understand your reaction. However, Moldova first held auditions and said a jury would choose one act from the auditions, to go to Rotterdam, instead of holding a national final. So, if they wanted Natalia to go anyway, why didn’t they choose her right away?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Maxim

Good point.

Mute
Mute
4 years ago

Ok so just to make things clear. Greece’s song is written by a 4 member group (ARCADE) AND Kontopoulos NOT only Kontopoulos and definetely NOT Kirkorov. So keep your dissapointment from yesterday’s results away from Greece’s song reveal tonight because Greece has nothing to do with that and Stefania does not deserve it.

Mia
Mia
4 years ago

She’s so annoying tbh

Miguel
Miguel
4 years ago

Why does Moldova always sends dated songs? Natalia has a great voice but she is not bringing anything new to the table.

eurana
eurana
4 years ago
Reply to  Miguel

Portugal probably will send the most dated song ever. Wait it! A thing like 1930 in Radios of France

blueeyed
blueeyed
4 years ago

From 2:00 onwards it sounds like two different songs are playing together. A clear NQ for me, very boring and not pleasant for ears.

Franky
Franky
4 years ago

I like the production in the song. Second verse pulsates with the best. I don’t know, I don’t mind it!

eren
eren
4 years ago

enough of this stupidity of so called “dream team” and Thomas G:son . They just create song belonging to 2005-2012 era . All their songs are dated as hell . Eurovision must be freed from those “dream” songwriters as soon as possible…

EuroSluuuuuutty
EuroSluuuuuutty
4 years ago

Can i just say that I like that lil ethnic (??) melody at the beginning? But yeah it’s still not enough to qualify…

Anyways stream the biggest bop of the year — Chainsaw chainsaw ya

Sandrine
Sandrine
4 years ago

Moment of silence. […] Next winning song, please! 0 point from me.

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago

The clearest NQ so far….

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago

Moldova 0/10

Marcelo
Marcelo
4 years ago

From what I see in the Eurovision Moldova Facebook page, it seems many Moldovans aren’t happy with the outcome. Comments tell about corruption, vote buying, too much Kirkorov, and Natalia’s apparent closeness with Moldovan politicians like Igor Dodon. Like, seriously.

Also, many comments praising Pasha Parfeny as the best of the night.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

Owh dear.

Henry
Henry
4 years ago
Reply to  Marcelo

Pasha Parfeny was also terrible.. he only came 2nd because he is famous in Moldova.

Thorbeta
Thorbeta
4 years ago

Oh well, Kontopoulos’ compositions are getting worse and worse over time, especially in terms of originality and creativity. These were 3 very long minutes unfortunately, and Natalia doesn’t seem to help selling this either. I’m expecting this to be accompanied by some uninspired choreography by Fokas in Rotterdam.

MikolasFan
MikolasFan
4 years ago

I dont know which song of tonight is worse, this or Estonian, NQ for me

Emkay
Emkay
4 years ago

Is it weird to say that the live version sounds better than the studio version, with the lower key.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Emkay

Ooo interesting. It’s darker, and maybe resonates with the live staging better. But I miss those lovely clash chords in E minor, and the contrast to the bright G major key; the original keys makes me feel she is really torn between needing the prison and wanting to escape from it.

Polliu
Polliu
4 years ago

Jeez, Moldova, Slovenia, Poland, Albania are all typical screaming women. Can’t stand them.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

This was my only favourite that won tonight. 🙂
Seriously, it’s a good entry if you give it a chance.
I am not sure if I like the lower musical key in the live performance, but the staging was very effective. Full video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spHzNyVVQUE

Chromium
Chromium
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

She was painfully flat all throughout the song. Yikes! Bless those backing vocals for doing the work.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Chromium

So they lowered the key for her and she was still flat?! That’s not a good sign for the ESC. 🙁

Chromium
Chromium
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I didn’t mind it in the first verse. Then it quickly went downhill from the first pre-chorus. She doesn’t even sing the “Prisoooon” part of the chorus (or her volume is way down during that part). Well, she sings the “Prison!” in the last line in the chorus, but still… flat. 😀

David
David
4 years ago

It has been a dire evening of NF winners

Kris
Kris
4 years ago

Well actually this is VERY good.
When I first heard Kirkorov I thought it will be old fashion and dated but actually it is VERY modern. Well done. Moldova will be in the top 10 again.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Kris

I still don’t understand why praise is being downvoted. Please explain.

Daniel_2017
Daniel_2017
4 years ago

I actually like it. But for Rotterdam she needs an edgier styling and staging than in the national final

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

They uploaded the full performance (though not the other entries, until I checked): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spHzNyVVQUE

Guust
Guust
4 years ago

These comments discouraged me to give the song a fair chance, but then I had an actual listen and I liked it!

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

It’s Kirkorov/Kontopoulos, so it’s obviously over the top (though not as much as most of their entries) and oldschool. Not a fan, but it’s not like Moldova had much better options. The studio version is better than the live performance, I’m not convinced by Natalia’s vocals. But in the end, Moldova is in the same situation they’re used to be all the time: having a weak-to-average entry that they’ll try to save with their great staging skills.

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
4 years ago

I know I just said this about the estonian entry like 10 minutes ago, but this song ALSO sounds like it’s 15 years old.

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago

Theres an explaination, both are written by Kontopoulos

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  MagicaSpellman

Which makes me nervous for Stefania’s entry for Greece. Isn’t he involved in writing “Superg!rl ” as well?

EmilyG
EmilyG
4 years ago

this song is very NOW. What are you talking about?

Andrei
Andrei
4 years ago

She’ll definitely be a finalist. Her song is composed by Kirkorov and she’s got the Dream Team behind her staging concept (remember DoReDo’s?)

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago
Reply to  Andrei

Remember Azerbaijan 2018?
Remember how did Demy flop?
Remember Spain last year (staged by Fokas )?

Cool Escian
Cool Escian
4 years ago

Deffo not a finalist but still not that bad for a common Moldovan entry.

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago
Reply to  Cool Escian

Lol this is called eurovision racism xD

BleuKnaveXD236
BleuKnaveXD236
4 years ago

I’ll admit I do miss Moldova sending crazy stuff…. but this isn’t bad, I like it well enough. Good luck to her and Moldova at Rotterdam.

Jo.
Jo.
4 years ago

dunno, too repetitive. I still think she’ll qualify tho, specially being in that weak SF and using Kirk’s “magic”.

Jake Dallas
Jake Dallas
4 years ago

OK. I know the saying. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”. However I have to be brutally honest. Alright, the song was definitely in the top half of this selection when it comes to song quality, but I NEVER saw this as a winner. Every time I listened to the song I thought of Cristina Scarlat in 2014, who came last in her semi final. I also shared a theory that Moldova tend to do particularly well when they send something cultural, something you can identify with Moldova and that is what this… Read more »

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

Please, if anyone knows where we can watch the full performances, let everybody know!
The first part of the live stream was unwatchable and I really want to see them. 🙁

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago

Kontopoulos’s music really is stuck in 2008. He will be having 3 songs in the contest this year, this dated mess ( Moldova ), the meh Estonia which won over the wonderful Beautiful Lie, and Greece ( ???? ).

Kosey
Kosey
4 years ago

This has some potential, well done Moldova. Staging is going to be key for the success of this song – dark and gritty is the way I would go.

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago

I hate everything about this. How fake and plastic her face looks, the dated song, the dated performance.
Its the first entry I hate this year.

IVANOV
IVANOV
4 years ago

KIRKOROV POWER. 10/10

Jake
Jake
4 years ago

I can see people hating this song because it has the same light trick as Dotter…remember when Greta Salóme had the same trick as Sergey but Russia did it better and it was more epic and Greta suffered in comparison and was eliminated from the semi

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

We all knew it from the beginning, didn’t we? Moldova didn’t even have to bother with the NF, the winner was decided before the show even started. “Prison” is not terrible, it’s just average (like most of the entries Kirkorov was involved in) – a tad repetitive and dull, but well produced and sung. Moldova is in the same situation as in 2018 and 2019 – they’ll have to make up for an underwhelming song by creating a mindblowing staging. Shall they succeed this time? We’ll see in May.

Tyuk
Tyuk
4 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

Oh, It is terrible though.

Ohi
Ohi
4 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

I hope they have Ksenia Simanova on speed dial

Denis
Denis
4 years ago

Moldova always gets their best results when they are sending crazy dance songs with fun staging. Whenever they attempt to be serious no one is liking it.

De Nada
De Nada
4 years ago

She won’t be a finalist but the song itself is okay, at least for Moldovan standards.

Ben
Ben
4 years ago
Reply to  De Nada

She will definitely be a finalist because if Kirkorov has anything to do with it, the staging in Rotterdam will be incredible.

MagicaSpellman
MagicaSpellman
4 years ago
Reply to  Ben

Didnt he have a poor boy dressed as a silly angel last year??? Lololololololol

Angelika
Angelika
4 years ago

Iceland made the biggest mistake ever!

why
why
4 years ago

As a Dutch who bought tickets for the ESC show, I sort of want to throw them away now because I can’t see the reason to go see a show full of ballads

ME TANA WAS ROBBED 2
ME TANA WAS ROBBED 2
4 years ago

WTF IS HAPPENING TODAY?
FIRST JAAGUP
THEN INDIRA
NOW IVA ISNT IN THE SUPERFINAL

Angelika
Angelika
4 years ago

Sorry…but IVA is out! I can’t believe it! The potentional winner is out…..

Daniel_2017
Daniel_2017
4 years ago
Reply to  Angelika

I couldn’t belive it… But to be fair, there were some sound mixing problems, while the backing vocalists were quite far from perfect. But Iva should have sailed through anyway…

Zileenah
Zileenah
4 years ago

Is this the best song there is so far? No, but I kinda like it and it has great staging potential and with Kirkorov being involved I‘m sure it‘s gonna be great when it hits the Eurovision stage

Milan
Milan
4 years ago

I’m sorry to sya but Hasta la vista was dreadful live, I sincerely hope we will not pick it (they just have a strong local fanbase and are not that bad if you turn the sound off). The comparison with Cicceeolina is quite fitting.

Milan
Milan
4 years ago
Reply to  Milan

I’m not spreading lies, people can see/hear that for themselves. No need to be rude. This has “Moje 3” written all over it. We both know it will win in Belgrade so no need for me or anyone to “spread lies” as if we could affect the result. I just say I’m sorry the result will be the way it will be.

Milan
Milan
4 years ago
Reply to  Milan

Thanks for asking. I was rooting for Naiva (“Baš baš”) – but they were a bit underwhelming live, although still very likeable. But by far the best on the previous two nights were “Niti”, it is a song quite different from others (in a good way) and their performance was flawless. It could very well be a dark horse in Rotterdam, but as things stand, there is virtually no chance of that. What I can only wish is that they all continue making great music.

Blue Kite
Blue Kite
4 years ago

I don’t see her in the Grand Final but she might have a better placing in the Semi than her predecessor. Good luck nonetheless!