The confirmation for Tel Aviv keep rolling in. Today the BBC has confirmed that the United Kingdom will participate in Eurovision 2019. The Big Five nation will again use their national final, Eurovision: You Decide.
It will be the fourth year the BBC has used Eurovision: You Decide to select their entry for Eurovision. The contest will operate much the same as it has in previous years. But this year, the initial emphasis is on songwriting, rather than artists.
Could you write the UK song for 2019? ??Today we open our public submissions for #Eurovision ? https://t.co/GX9JfSFreP ?? pic.twitter.com/4lvcrkM3yC
— BBC Eurovision?? (@bbceurovision) September 19, 2018
The BBC will seek songs from “leading professional songwriters”, with help from the BBC’s new music consultant Greig Watts. Watts replaces Hugh Goldsmith who previously held the role on the You Decide team. Watts has recent Eurovision experience — he was involved with the two most recent Polish Eurovision entries, as well as Melfest 2018 entry “All the Feels”.
Entries are also open to the general public. As in previous years, these songs will be short-listed by the OGAE UK fan club. While it’s not explicitly stated, it is implied that this year the BBC is initially looking for songs, rather than artists.
Watts has spoken about his role in the contest, saying, “I’m looking forward to working with the team to get the strongest possible song and result we can for the UK, like we do on the world music stage.” This echoes the wish of many fans who have wondered by the UK — who has an internationally successful music industry — has seemingly been unable to mirror that success with its Eurovision entries.
The music consultant also offers some clues as to what sort of song the BBC will be looking for this year. He notes that there’s no winning Eurovision formula, and says, “I’m looking for melodic songs with impact for the arena as well as on TV. Songs that instantly hit you and never leave your brain!”
Entries are now open for Eurovision: You Decide 2019. More information can be found at the BBC. The standard Eurovision rules apply, and the BBC will only accept one song per songwriter.
Eurovision: You Decide 2019 will be broadcast on BBC Two. The BBC will confirm more details about the show later in the year.
Three years of Eurovision: You Decide
The introduction of Eurovision: You Decide in 2016 followed five years of internal selection with mixed results, from Blue’s 11th-place finish in 2011 to Electro Velvet’s disastrous five-points flop in 2015.
The first winners of You Decide were The Voice singers Joe and Jake, whose uplifting song “You’re Not Alone” was musically well received but criticised for its poor staging. It placed 24th in Stockholm.
The following year, X Factor contestant and West End star Lucie Jones sang the uplifting song “Never Give Up on You”, which placed 15th in Kyiv — the UK’s best result since Blue.
And in Lisbon, fan favourite SuRie delivered the uplifting song “Storm”. Her grand final performance was interrupted by a stage invader, but SuRie admirably recovered. She declined the opportunity to perform again and eventually placed 24th.
So the question remains, will Eurovision: You Decide 2019 deliver another uplifting song to Eurovision?
What do you think? What sort of song should the UK send to Tel Aviv? Who would you like to see represent the UK at Eurovision 2019? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
He wrote Polish 2017 ESC song rhyming fire, wire, desire? Wow, must be a very creative man!
You’re Not Alone was musically well received? If you say so…
IDK if you guys have ever heard of them or if they’re interested but I think Koven should enter You Decide. Their latest single, Voices, literally just blew out of the water!
https://youtu.be/f244Kb8y_a8
Here’s my major suggestion for this year, the only one of my laundry list of hopes from before: INTERNATIONAL JURIES. Pick 10 countries or so and have a jury vote. It’s so important as a way to get a gauge on what other countries might vote for. So many other national finals use it.
Personally I’d look to neighbors and countries that have historically done well and the rest of the Big Five, plus next year’s host (like at Melfest). Off the top of my head, that’d be: Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Israel, Sweden, Ukraine, Australia, and Austria. Maybe throw in Russia and Bulgaria too. I’d trust them.
Apparently Tamar Kaprelian is submitting a song since she has British citizenship. She’s at least writing it, but here’s hoping if she sings it, she does better than she did at the Armenian national final (that was just a plethora of options that were destined to go nowhere, wasn’t it? Tamar, who couldn’t sing, then Kamil Show, who was just kinda silly, and finally Sevak, who didn’t qualify).
I am quite glad the UK has someone else in charge of picking the songs this year. You Give Me All the Feels was pretty good! I do think the UK can bring something great!
I feel the UK has been playing it safe since You Decide came out. They need to choose songs for the final that are risky and standout-ish as those are the types of songs that do well in Eurovision nowadays. Also get polished, competent singers as well with those songs. Hopefully the UK will be alright
They could just send someone semi-famous, who had a huge hit few years back; UK’s full of those. I’m sure Ella Hendersson, Pixie Lott, Diana Vickers etc. have nothing better to do. My wish would be Duffy, just imagine her with a really good song. A win could really start her career again. Just don’t send them with a terrible song, like Blue, Bonnie Tylor, Humperdinck, fame alone is worthless. A former famous power girl making a comeback with a great banger song like Fuego and we’re good to go.
Great song like “fuego”? So a template to a summer hit of 2015 developed by a lazy Swedish song writer, that has 0 creativity and 0 message is considered a “great song”? Dear god people, don’t you think you deserve better? Don’t you think that Eurovision deserve better?
It’s a good party song and songs like that simply work at ESC. I would also love more indie/alternative music or something like City Lights by Blanche, but that wouldn’t work for UK voting wise.
It came second, the best ever result for Cyprus, so regardless of your opinion, its success is undeniable.
A slogan for all Eurovisions from now on “The yearning for garbage”
once a song reaches through and makes it to 2nd place, it’s a GOOD song. I could see FUEGO being played at clubs across the world with TOY following.
I have been suggesting Diana Vickers for years now, I wish she would consider it. Ieva from Lithuania had a very similar voice and a great song and she came 12th. I’m sure with an extra push we could do a little better!
Well if the UK wants top 10 success they should call RYAN TEDDER from one republic, JAMES BLUNT or SAM SMITH. SuRie being great as she was had an awful song with no relevance to contemporary music.
Sadly, like most UK artists, very well-known worldwide and risky for one’s career.
James Blunt already stated he would do it, if, as he put it, the BBC would have “the cojones” to send him. You can’t deny their cojones. It takes big ones to be completely shameless send rubbish like “Still In Love With You”.
You nailed it. The song was from another era… It had zero chance of a top ten finish.
It boggles my mind that that was internally selected. If it was the stupid hare-brained masses picking it from a national final it’d be one thing, but that was made by the BBC themselves! All of Britain at their disposal and that was the best they could do. They’re already heading in a better direction.
Does this mean we’re getting a bop? If so, I’m ready to stan.
Hopefully…
Songwriting should always be the focus on a song contest but it doesn’t help when you focus on the wrong aspect of songwriting. Set as an objective to bring “songs that instantly hit you and never leave your brain” can be a problem. When you start the process with that in mind, you’re probably not minding about quality itself, but trying to figure out what people around Europe want. Recent Eurovision winners proved that it can go anywhere. Anyway, I hope BBC gets things right this time.
Hopefully Asanda Jezile returns. If so, maybe she’ll win for a change! 🙂
You’re obsessed with underage children, what is wrong with you?
Did you hear the national final performance she gave?
I don’t like when 16 and 17-year-olds are left out. 🙁
But if they get selected, they can’t go to Eurovision.
That is a new approach, right? Because if their focus was on songwriting this year, they couldn’t have possibly done a worse job. Of course, it should be about songwriting. If you’re only going to get some 4th or 8th placed X-Factor has-been to sing for you, at least give them a decent song.
Funny enough, Sweden’s last two winners, Loreen and Mans Zelmerlow, are both Swedish idol alumni.
Who weren’t dependent on the BBC throwing them a bone and giving them sub-par songs.
Many Melfest participants have also went through Swedish Idol.
And then there’s a whole yearly compilation of former The Voice contestants who end up taking part in the contest.
My point was if you’re going to select a bunch of former talent show participants, at least pair them with a song that fits them or even make them participate in the songwriting process. Example: Blanche with City Lights. Am I supposed to be getting some hidden information from your comments? You simply can’t compare throwing random songs at random participants (BBC) with carefully selecting an artist and a song (other countries you might be alluding to).
I don’t see why getting former talent show participants as UK national finalists is such an issue when it shouldn’t be.
The issue is that you obviously don’t understand my comments so I’ll stop here.
He thinks it is fine for former British talent show participants to represent the UK. However he believes that they should be given an actual good song, not a poor song. The Swedish idol stars who go on Melfest enter with very good songs.
Its been almost 20 years of awfull results. I cant believe that a country with such an important Music scene cant produce a descent entry. I cant.
They got top 5 in 2009
Top 5 in 2002 and 2009. Top 15 in 2001, 2011 and 2017. There are MANY countries far worse than the UK
Well yeah, thank you Portugal
And Finland
(“Do It for Your Lover” starts playing in the background…)
in 90s (which i am sure you werent even born) they were almost every year in top5. Spare me the lecture, please
I may just be speculating. But if they are looking for songwriters rather than the artists themselves maybe SuRie could be making a comeback in Tel Aviv!!
No more SuRie thank you. Even the name sounds bland!
“Emphasis on the songwring, not the artist”
Oh goody, last place here we come again
It is a SONG contest. You sound like one of those Brits that simply give no sh’ts about Eurovision.
Give it a rest!
Actually most countries have focus on songwriting rather than performers. Sweden has had that focus since MF started and especially since it became on tour. Germany had that focus this year year. Portugal since 2017.
The fact that UK didn¨t sent it¨s best is another issue..
Y’know what? Call me foolish, but this just might work. Any time a national final says something about putting songwriting first, I get excited (that’s what Germany said for 2018 and Portugal said for 2017, and look at the results they got). I’m hoping for the best, but as ever, I’m just glad they’re around. Now we just need Italy to confirm and we’ll have all our automatic finalists!
Or they might already have an artist in mind – a la Finland and Saara Aalto (James Blunt!)
Or SuRie?
We need more professional songwriters, not songwriting camps in Sweden and Denmark (which only write generic trash pop songs)
The finalists need to be all potential Eurovision winners. No filler, no OGAE bait, no chance to mess up again.
I’d love it if the UK sent something with a bit more an urban feel. Imagine if Lethal Bizzle or Skepta did Eurovision!!
Failing them, something like Asanda’s “Legends” would be an acceptable alternative!
Jaz Ellington – “You” was perfect. In the same league with Cesar Sampson (3rd place) and Michael Schulte (4th place). Don’t vote for a song because “it sounds like a song for Eurovision”. Is not 2000’s anymore.
Was a sin that that didn’t win.
Funnily enough, i think You Decide is a move in the right direction for the U.K. but just that…..only a move!! 5 or 6 acts is not enough , and the complete lack of transparency in the marking of the acts is unacceptable (especially when it’s the taxpayers of the UK thats footing the bill through the tv licence) The attitude must change Sticking You Decide on BBC2 tells you all you need to hear, as does the ESC semi-finals hidden away on BBC4….the U.K. pays lip service to having winning ambitions but their actual delivery of the product tells… Read more »
I would love too see You Decide and the SFs on BBC1 but apart from us ‘hardcore’ Eurovision fans, there’s no audience. It’s similar to when ITV put football on Saturday evening, it was a ratings flop because it appealled only to fans. Just because you are putting a programme on the main channel doesn’t make it a viewers favourite. I think the final being shown on BBC1 is enough, if all the SFs etc were also on prime channels I could see the final loosing its appeal to the mass audience as it would be overload.
Placing it on BBC 3 is certainly not an option either.
The BBC will really need to make a lot of effort to get as many professional songwriters as they can to deliver the best crop of quality songs for the selection. As seen in past years and in this year’s Young Musicians, the BBC is certainly capable of delivery a quality one-off show (especially if introducing semifinals is out of the question for them), but promoting You Decide to drum up interests and even excitement has been underwhelming, to say the least. What’s the likelihood of their social media team reusing that same picture of Mel Giedroyc’s on their online… Read more »