The EBU sure know how to tease us. A tweet sent out from the official Eurovision account states that there will be an “exciting announcement” coming tomorrow at 10:00 CET. There’s been no clues about what the announcement could be, but we have a few theories of our own and how it might impact Eurovision 2016…
The last time the EBU warned us about an announcement, they introduced the new voting system. That definitely was a game changer, but tomorrow’s announcement is unlikely to be on that scale. We’ve put our heads together to think what tomorrow’s announcement could — or couldn’t — be about.
Semi final running order to be announced
Let’s start with the most likely of all: the running order for each semi final will be announced. SVT received all 43 competing entries yesterday at the Head of Delegation meeting, including the audio for both Bulgaria and Malta’s yet-to-be-released songs. After the speed at which they turned around the running order of the Melodifestivalen final, we wouldn’t put it past them at all to have done the same for the semis.
Of course, there are reasons to maybe doubt this: last year, it took ORF a week to announce the running order, following the HoD meeting. Also, it’s expected that the host broadcaster will take into account the preview videos for an idea of the styling of each song — and the EBU confirmed that not all countries had yet submitted their videos. Would it be fair for SVT to make an assumption of each song’s styling when making up each semi final?
China / Kazakhstan / Another country to join
One of the biggest rumours flying around at the time of the EBU’s last announcement was that China, Kazakhstan or one of the many other rumoured countries would be entering the Grand Final. This would have echoed Australia’s special guest participation in the 2015 final only. Whilst this may have been a possibility then, it’s highly unlikely that this will happen now. There were no representatives for any new country reported at the Head of Delegation meeting, where all songs had to be officially presented.
Not only that, but Sweden would also have grounds to complain. They drew ninth in the final, presumably with only 26 slots in the running order open. If a 27th country was to participate, then they would surely have grounds to re-draw their slot. Would the EBU go through such a farce just to add another country at this stage?
Interval acts to be announced
SVT’s interval acts in 2013 were certainly some of the best in recent memory. In semi final two, we got a killer medley of performances from Darin and Agnes, whilst the final had Petra Mede’s now legendary “Swedish Smorgasbord”. SVT could have a similar big trick up their sleeve for this year’s interval acts, worthy of an “exciting announcement”…
There’s also the possibility this will include the six automatic qualifiers. Discussions were held about how to improve their visibility in the semi finals, following the poor performances from all (bar Italy) in 2015. Could they be upgraded to a performance slot of their own in each semi final?
Wiktoria / Margaret / Another NF artist will return as a special guest
Okay, maybe this one is more wishful thinking for some fans than anything else. The EBU may have been given a sudden change of artist by a country. Will San Marino have seen their dislike ratio on YouTube and decided to draft in Margaret to save the day? Or did SVT decide to draft in Wiktoria after all?
Y’all, we hate to douse the flames on these rumours — but this surely won’t be happening now. Let the national finals be put to rest!
Are you looking forward to tomorrow’s announcement and what do you think it could be about? Let us know in the comments section below. Make sure to keep your eye on the website and our social media for any further updates as we get them!
Did this happen yet?? I haven’t heard anything!!
China. It’s gotta be a Chinese entry. Jackie Chan, Luhan from EXO, Deliah, G.E.M., Vanness Wu, Jay Cho, Splendid7, and many others.
Those are the on artists I know but I hope they pic well.
So what about announcement?
Andorra will return to the contest?
I really hope for Turkey’s return for 2017<3<3
Allow 8-10 people on the stage instead of 6 to have better perfomances and especially on dance tracks!
Why am I scared?
Probably an official anthem like in 2013 and 2014.
Maybe they’ll invite Conchita over again to perform. LOL
Could it be that they are eliminating backing singers and implementing the vocal backtrack like at Melodifestivalen?
I sincerely hope not. That wouldn’t be very “exciting”.
EBU should change the rules a bit, maybe allow more people to perform on stage, increasing from 6 to maybe 8 people, that would make better performances.
Probably to announce that the Big 5 + Sweden will perform in the semi final intervals. We don’t get to see the interval acts of the semis in the UK nowadays, so I’ve no idea if they’re any good, but they used to be pretty dull.
LOL. Like what I said before, there is no need for China to join because the contest already has Russia and other Eastern European countries that will vote for one another. They will own the contest just like how they are invading neighboring islands that are legally owned by other countries.
Surprise,eh? Hm, don’t think a running order announcement is any surprise. Probably some special guest performance…methinks from Kazakhstan, since they recently became an associate EBU member. (China isn’t even that, so doubt they’ll be the one.) Either that or ABBA’s performing! 😀 We wish!! 😉
2013 was the best production in recent years by miles.
let that communist china out from the contest, I still believe they are only wanting to join to back up vote for Russia every year. The Australia spent 30yrs and more of efforts suddenly this China wanting to join in a snap? what a joke.
For me, it would likely be the announcement for the SF running order or the interval acts. Though I’m hoping that we’d also get the surprise announcement of either Margaret representing San Marino or Kazakhstan entering the contest as a guest performer.
I’m hoping the announcement will be something to do with the non-qualifying countries of the semis, similar to Andra Chanson in Melfest, the non qualifiers could be made sing again in a second chance semi, with the top 2 going into the final or else SVT and the EBU pick them behind the scenes.
This could benefit the underdog countries, who never qualify (Czech Republic) or the countries placed in a tough semi, where any of them could have qualified (like semi 1 this year).
Please God let it not be China. The endless pursuit of “bigger is better” is ridiculous. Someone shout “stop”!
Also, bare in mind they did say the news would be “exciting”. Let’s see if that’s true.
Maybe it’s the “rest of the world” being able to vote and give points as a nation? That could be cool!
@Wokkel: I was thinking about exactly the same thing! I would really appreciate this in the first semi-final which is just to tough.
@nick: frans can’t even win the jury votes in melodifestivalen. what makes you think it will be different in eurovision?
EBU is going to cancel eurovision song contest! hooray!
jk. could they be introducing new big members? i want russia and australia to have permanent finalist status. it’s not like they can’t afford it…
I think that Sweden can win despite that their song is a bit weird.And I think that this time Frans will win both televote and jury.
Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country
And besides, if Frans were to be yanked, Oscar Zia would take his place, with Ace Wilder waiting in the wings if Oscar declines.
And they’re not going to redraw the running order to appease Sweden. They positioned them in 9th, and 9th is when they’ll perform. To redraw them for a better spot will surely cause an uproar, if not a withdrawal or two…
…And no, Christer Björkman will not yank Frans for Wiktoria. Unless there is a foul egregious enough that he must be disqualified, let the kid sing.
@Robyn: If the news is nothing more than the running order, why the dramatic headline?
I would do anything to let MARGARET represent POLAND!! 🙁 <3 <3 <3
http://www.escgold.com/eurovision-now/frans-sorry-sweden-review/
Everyone should read this! He’s absolutely right. Haters gonna hate. Sweden is the one to beat whether you like it or not. I do believe we will struggle to win, yes, but it’s not impossible.
I bet France will win. Russia will be killed by the juries.
And according the news tomorrow. I don’t think the news will be that big. SVT wants to make the contest moving forward, but not kill it.
I hope:
1) Running order (of course)
2) App to permit the rest or the world, outside Europe voting.
3) The best 11th classified considering semi 1 and 2 gain a ticket to final. (add emotion)
@Elainovision: You could be right. If they invite China to send a guest performer, you can bet the farm that they plan to invite them to send a contender next year.
My horse money is on China. Jon Ola is probably disappointed with a great many national contest outcomes; enough to force him to make this move now (as opposed to next year) to prevent a big viewership drop…
…But then again, he probably started making plans the very second after Måns got his trophy last year.
11 songs from 2nd. Are crazy with this Margaret? Only u like it. I am from Poland and me and my friends dont undestand why Europe wanna see Margaret at ESC. She CANT SING LIVE. Only Edyta. Or Micha?.
Maybe EBU invite China becuae Russia is leading on betting odds. With huge diaspora in all 43 countries Chine will be best in televote, and there is no problem to fix juries result to overrated china in points like overrated was votes for Sweden from 2012 to 2015 when they had almost 100 % hihger points from jures than their concurente for win in 2012 Russia and Serbian in 2015 Russia and Italy.
This China television Hunan is not member of EBU like SBS from Australia who is not full members of EBU but like from China Central Television.
Kazakhstan is also not member of EBU and their Khabar Agency is Associate members like SBS from Australia.
Generally I think still Eurovision Song Contest 2016 will be by far the biggest disappointment of the year.
There’s no reason it can’t be China.
But not as an actual participant, more like a ‘guest performance’ like with Jessica Mauboy in Copenhagen – which serves as a trial run for an actual entry, of course, but not this year.
Lin
They are not in EBU area like Australia. And we don t need another country from ex Soviet zone, who will give all votes from 1 to 12 to ex soviet republics and now independent statas.
I think another country as a guest. Sweden must with EBU help to broke record with participating countries to 44 in contest.
Removal of jury is the best solution, but EBU is too stupid for this decision.
People, for the last time:
Kazakhstan IS european, unlike Israel and Australia.
Just sayin…
If eneda tarifa exposes her feet i swear to god i will lose my shit so hard
12 qualifiers from the semifinals and 30 finalists . …
@Milla
That would be wonderful. Big 5 have really good songs this year, but because of not enough performances / exposure, they risk again being way down the list. This would be really good – 3 of them performing as intervals during each semi.
Yes big 5 + Sweden preforming in the semi finals they are voting in …
I could be more qualifiers for the final
running order or new sistem of votation
I think perhaps that the Big 5 + last years winner will perform in the semi-finals (3 in each SF) so that they get the same exposure as the other songs. They have talked about it before..
Probably interval acts. I would LOVE to see Abba as an interval act. Alsom I would love to hear Wiktoria with Save Me as a guest / interval act too.
Changing songs / performers at this point would breach the rules, so no.