Selectia Nationala 2018: TVR announces semi-finals dates, host cities and line-ups

The preparation for Romania‘s Selectia Nationala 2018 is well underway. 60 semi-finalists are gearing up for the live shows, culminating with the National Final on 25 February. Today, broadcaster TVR has officially revealed the dates, host cities and line-ups for the five semi-finals — and we’re going on a journey!

This year, Romania is celebrating 100 years of existence as an independent state and united country. To mark the centenary, TVR is going all out and organising a pan-Romanian Selectia Nationala!

The contest is heading outside of Bucharest and into the countryside. This gives more opportunities to Eurovision fans all over the country to witness the selection firsthand, and support their favourite artists.

The five live heats will be hosted by five different cities, as follows:

Semi-final 1: 21 January in Focsani

Semi-final 2: 28 January in Timisoara

Semi-final 3: 4 February in Craiova

Semi-final 4: 11 February in Turda

Semi-final 5: 18 February in Sighisoara

It’s important to note that all semi-finals and the national final will take place on Sundays. This avoids a collision with many other major national selections — phew!

Semi-final 3 will take place in Craiova, which also hosted the 2015 National Final.

And how’s this for a potentially fascinating venue. Reports suggest the chosen venue for Semi-Final 4 is Salina Turda, a salt mine that was placed by Business Insider at the top of their list of the ten “coolest underground places in the world”.

Deep in its cavern lies an amphitheatre — and we have reason to believe that is where our semi-finalists will have to perform. How cool is that?

Selectia Nationala semi-finals running order

We also know where the likes of M I H A I, Feli, Xandra and Alex Florea will battle it out for a place in the final. TVR has now released details of competing acts in each semi-final, as follows:

Semi-final 1

1. Lina – “A love Worth Falling For”
2. Johnny Badulescu – “Devoted”
3. Hellen – “From Underneath”
4. Eduard Santha – “Mesom Romales”
5. Echoes – “Mirror”
6. Alex Florea – “Nobody Told Me It Would Hurt
7. Waleska – “Renacer (Reborn)”
8. Liviu Anghel – “Rise Up”
9. CornEL – “Take Me Away”
10. Tom Hartis – “Teardrop Rain”
11. Elena Turcu – “The Perfect Fall”
12. Alexia & Matei – “Walking On Water”

Semi-final 2

1. Jukebox feat. Bella Santiago – “Auzi cum bate”
2. Alessandro Danescu – “Breaking Up”
3. Meriem – “End The Battle”
4. M I H A I – “Heaven”
5. Jessie Banes – “Lightning Strikes”
6. Romeo Zaharia – “Maybe This Time”
7. Othello – “Noi suntem padure”
8. Miruna Diaconescu – “Run For You”
9. Serena – “Safari”
10. Pragu’ De Sus – “Te voi chema”
11. Endless feat. Maria Grosu – “Thinking About You”
12. Rafael & Andy – “We Are One”

Semi-final 3

1. Erminio Sinni & Titziana Camelin – “All The Love Away”
2. Zavera – “Come Back To Me”
3. Mares Pana – “Daydreamer”
4. Aurel Dinca – “Fire In The Sky”
5. Tavi Clonda – “King”
6. VYROS – “La La La”
7. Diana Bratan – “Paint It Rainbow”
8. Carolina Gorun – “Reach Out For The Stars”
9. Elena Hasna – “Revival”
10. Eliza Chifu – “So Good Without You”
11. Ayona – “The Story Goes On”
12. Xandra – “Try”

Semi-final 4

1. Feli – “Buna de iubit”
2. ZØLTAN – “Daca dragostea e oarba”
3. TIRI – “Desrt de sentimente”
4. Paula Crisan – “I Am Here”
5. Cristian Siminonescu – “Nirvana”
6. Alice Jeckel – “Out Of The Dark”
7. Dan Manciulea – “Raza de soare”
8. Lion’s Roar – “Rekindle The Flame”
9. Claudia Andas – “The One”
10. Ioana Ciornea – “Time After Time”
11. Bernice Chitiul – “Too Busy For My Heart”
12. Nicoleta Ticala – “Una oportunidad”

Semi-final 5

1. SAVE – “All We Need”
2. Tomher Cohen – “Baby You’re The Only One”
3. Sergiu Bolota – “Every Little Thing”
4. Dora Gaitanovici – “Fara tine”
5. Teodora Dinu – “Fly”
6. The HUMANS – “Goodbye”
7. Iliana – “I Won’t Lie”
8. Evermorph – “Live Your Life”
9. Alexandru Ungureanu – “Sail With Me”
10. Manuel Chivari – “Somebody To Love”
11. Maria Suciu – “Sweet Nothing”
12. Denisa Trofin – “Tears”

Tomher Cohen replaces Freia in the semi-finals, as her song “Fix Me” was commercially released in China and on Spotify before 1 September 2017.

In each semi-final, the jury will select three songs that will make it to the National Final. In the final, the public will be granted sole power to send the best act and song to Lisbon, via televote.

The National Final will take place in Bucharest on 25 February. The venue is yet to be announced.

What do you think about Selectia Nationala’s new selection style? Which semi-final looks most interesting to you? Sound off in the comments below!

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