ERT has announced it will use an internal selection to find Greece‘s act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.
The news, announced tonight by the Greek state broadcaster, means there’ll be no national final for the fourth consecutive year.
As OGAE Greece reports, ERT will rely on jury of music experts to find a candidate to send to Tel Aviv in May.
Greece will choose artist first, then song for Eurovision
ERT has also revealed work for the selection is already underway:
“We are discussing with several artists at the time but no more details can be revealed.”
Maria Koufopoulou, Director of International Relations of ERT, also said they’ll find a singer first and then a song for them, “based on the music style of the singer.”
Dimitris Papadimitriou to chair jury
The only confirmed jury member so far is Dimitris Papadimitriou. He composed the opening music and act for Eurovision 2006, and will serve as this year’s artistic director for the Greek delegation.
ERT will announce further jury members in due course.
The broadcaster’s decision may be motivated by a “rollercoaster” road to Eurovision last year.
Eurofans will remember the search for a Greek act in 2018 began with a call for songs with a “Greek sound“. Then five acts were announced for a national final that never took place.
Instead four out of five acts were disqualified, in two sets of two, and Yianna Terzi became Greek act by default. Her ill-fated ethnic ballad “Oniro Mou” failed to qualify from the semi-finals in Lisbon.
Despite that experience, the “Oniro Mou” songstress has not ruled out singing for Greece in the future, so perhaps ERT won’t have to look far this year.
One Greek star we can rule out is Tamta. That’s because she’ll sing “Replay” for Greek rivals Cyprus instead.
Recent internal selections have produced mixed results for Greece. Yianna failed to qualify last year, as did Argo in 2016, but Demy made it out of the semis in 2017.
Whether this year’s Greek act will benefit from competing in an “odd” year remains to be seen.
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Photo Credit: EBU
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Greece need to go up-tempo again, and stay away from songs with political meanings.
Or alternatively, just send Maria-Elena Kiryakou every year. (But be prepared to host, cos she might win.)
She was close to the victory with her 19th place!
Wow, that was quite a harsh finishing place for her. 2015 was an outstanding year for songs though, so it is still quite respectable. 🙂
I think Greece does uptempo better. Alcohol is free is case in point.
And “My Number One”, of course. 🙂
And “Aphrodisiac”, “Shake It”, “Secret Combination”, “OPA!”, “Yassou Maria”…
There is certainly a pattern here.
Touche
Last year was a big surprise for me to see Greece failed to qualify; “Onirou mou” has a charming sound and traditional (wich is a good point) vibes; at the same time 2017’s entry, which qualified, was a simple, boring, english-based song with no appeal, but for something that i don’t get worked not so bad. Greece done well last year, and this is a fact, and they shouldn’t care about the result they got; please continue to this way!
I’m glad they won’t follow the same process as last year, with all this drama about the money music labels should guarantee etc. That was a mess.
It’s good that they’ll choose the artist first and then the song, because, let’s be honest, the song has to fit the singer’s style and personality.
The only thing I’m worried about is who they will pick and how the song it’s gonna be, important factors of a good Eurovision entry.
Let’s do it right this year Greece!
I trust the Greek people much more than executives at ERT to pick a suitable act. The two times they did an internal selection were the two times they didn’t qualify for the final. It seems like common sense at this point, and sure there are budgeting issues but what happened to the partnership that the broadcaster had with MAD?
Last year staging was the biggest problem. More focus on that 2019
They should just do a national final, though. Internal selection is good but seeng how messy it is last year I wouldn’t say it’s that promising.
First song, then artist is the way to do it. And no, they shouldn’t abandon their traditional sound like someone below suggested–they just have to make it interesting.
First song??? Levina 2.0
My bad I meant the opposite thing
If Greece wants to do well again, I suggest they should follow Bulgaria’s lead and completely abandon their traditional sound and go in a completely modern and universally appealing direction.
yeah, like they did with “Alcohol is Free”. And Bulgaria will certainly do well again in Tel-Aviv, a true example to be followed.^^
Greece should do an Equinox (Elena Paparizou, Sakis Rouvas, Eleni Foueira, Giorgas Alkaios, Demy)
Cmon that would be a deadly collaboration
Nah, they should send someone who hasn’t gone yet.
Nah, that would be a hot mess TBH!
Internal Selection
2018: Failed to qualify
2017:19th place
2016: Failed to qualify
National Final
2015: 19th place
2014: 20th place
Maybe it’s better for Greece to take a break for a year, and return with a banger, just like Bulgaria did in 2016.
I don’t even understand how and why they never approached Eleni or Tamta to represent them. I mean yes, there are for sure reasons, but in the end, it is them who lose.
Why ?? Germany was in the bottom for many years and we didnt needed a break-up to get Top 4. Greece must work on their internal selection.
I agree, why people keep saying that a country needs a break? In my opinion the secret is the head of delegation. I would like to know what countries have a HOD that the whole year has no other job, but being HOD and knowing everything about ESC. I guess Edoardo Grassi was one of them, and the results came.
Seeing “Rise Up” in 20th makes me sad, honestly. The last real bop we have seen from Greece…
Hopefully, they’ll get a great song for 2019. Fingers crossed!
You don’t need a year-long break to get better results. In fact, all you need is a good song/artist combo which can come at any given time.
Correction: Maria Elena Kyriakou won the Greek National Final (by a landside) in 2015.
I hope they send something like Oniro Mou
I really hope not.
Why would they send a song that sounds like one that flopped embarrassingly? Come on!