Just two weeks ahead of Romania‘s national final Selecția Națională, Eurovision star M I H A I has made a shock withdrawal from the competition. The “Baya” singer explained his reason for withdrawing, saying he is unhappy with the way the contest has been organised, and hinting at displeasure with the addition of the two wildcard acts.
Mihai Trăistariu — now going by the name M I H A I — made the shock announcement on his Facebook page, with a message that explained to fans why he was withdrawing:
De la #esc la #exit …In urma unei evaluari complete a Concursului Eurovision Romania 2019, organizat de TVR, am…
Posted by Mihai Traistariu on Saturday, January 12, 2019
The Eurovision veteran wrote:
“Following a complete evaluation of the Eurovision Romania 2019 Contest, organised by TVR, I decided to withdraw from the competition. Eurovision is the contest that gave me the aura of artist in 2006, when I won for Romania the highest score in the history of the country and “Tornero” was resounding success in over 35 countries.
“This motivated me during my musical career and showed me that dreams can come true if you are willing to work for it.
“I signed up this year in the preselections with the song “Baya”, managing to get into the semi-finals. This year I chose an uptempo track because I was coming from five months of filming Your Face Sounds Familiar – a successful TV show on another station, where I was a competitor and in which I performed live 16 famous artists with different vocal styles, different attitudes and personalities, so my voice was successfully completed.
“I am a competitive artist and I have demonstrated this through facts.
“At this point, I do not trust the objectivity of the Eurovision Romania organisers, regarding the unclear situation about the competitors — those who qualified through the pre-selection and those who were later favoured — I decided to withdraw.
“I cannot continue on a journey that has so many “mysteries”.
“Thanks to all the fans who have always supported me and who are with me and my music, and I promise them that for me, Eurovision remains a story… without an end!”
M I H A I was due to compete in the semi-finals with his song “Baya”, an upbeat number offering a Romanian take on the current trend of Latin dance-pop. The song was criticised for resembling Shakira’s 2001 hit “Whenever, Wherever”, but many considered it a potential winner of Selecția Națională.
The competing semi-finalists of Selecția Națională were announced earlier this month. However, after semi-finalist Dan Bittman withdrew from the competition due to scheduling conflicts, he was replaced with two new wildcard acts.
Earlier this week, Bella Santiago and Linda Teodosiu were confirmed as the two new semi-finalists. Fans noted that Bella’s song “Army of Love” was a similar genre as “Baya” and would perhaps be a better choice as a Eurovision entry.
But even though M I H A I is out for 2019, we’re sure this won’t be the last we’ll hear of him at Selecția Națională.
As Mihai Trăistariu, the singer first represented Romania at Eurovision 2006. There his song “Tornerò” placed fourth, which remains Romania’s third-best Eurovision result.
Since 2016, M I H A I has had his eyes on a comeback. He has competed in the national selection every year, with his best result being the 2017 power ballad “I Won’t Surrender”. It placed second to “Yodel It!” in the grand final.
The first semi-final of Selecția Națională 2019 begins in two weeks, on Sunday 27 January.
What do you think? Was M I H A I wise to withdraw from Selecția Națională? Who do you want to win Romania’s national final? Share your thoughts below!
I’m ready for Mihai feat. Doinita Gherman with Baya in the moldovan selection !
I find it so funny that every year, MIHAI is absolutely delusional. He be like: oh i got this amazing song, composed by these foreign songwriters (who are most probably some C list songwriters no one ever heard of), thinking it’s gonna shake the whole world. And yet, every year he delivers a cliché boring song, stuck in the same 2006 era when he was successful. Baya is no difference.
Give him a break, he is talented and he never complaints that he is not on the radio. What the hell do you have against him?
I highly doubt a pop artist does not want to be on the radio or be popular. Why then appearing on TV? Or why the publicity… 🙂
Pop itself is music for the masses.
Probably nobody would have something against him if he wouldn’t have most of the time something to blame… It is just not a good brand strategy. Combined with some other questionable photos… I believe people do not like him as a whole package. Nobody ever doubted his vocal capabilities…
Let’s put it this way: it will officially not happen… Because TVR has included in its rules book a little point saying that if the artist does not withdraw his song in maximum 24 hours after the participants that were selected to participate in the semis were announced, the artist will have to pay some cash as sanction so… Mhm 🙂 Another thing that shows it is also just for attention is that Mihai, with crappier songs than this (not that this one is amazing anyway) has always qualified in the finals. Why wouldn’t he qualify this year? Aaah… Because… Read more »
Do u think he has no money to pay TVR?
It is simply not about the money itself, but this is enough reason to make him back off…
Don’t get me wrong, he is still one of the best voices Romania has to offer, unfortunately the way he chooses to manage his career and present the project ‘M I H A I’ to the World doesn’t bring him many advantages.
Bittman also withdrew, he was replaced, it happened.
It’s not like we lost a quality entry. NEXT.
The discussion can then go on, cause to be fair, Mihai gathered 172 points solely from televoting.
Ilinca & Alex might have gathered a total of 282 from the new system, but, 224 of those points came from the televote, so you can generally see it all from so many different points.
Also, the competition got waaaaaaay more competitive. In 2006, almost the entire West could not be bothered to really try.
Case in point: The Ari Olafsson of 2006 (the Irish snoozefest, obviously) scraped together enough points to get into the top 10. Talk about a low bar.
He’s not wrong tho. It’s always annoying when you meet the deadlines, but your boss or teacher will always give another opportunity to those who don’t.
I would give it a pass if the wildcard artists and their songs are good. But in this case, they actually are.
God, he’s not OK. If he is unsure why he sent a song there!!??
I wanted Voodoo by Francisca to enter the competition, maybe is not late at all! U got to listen that amazing track!!
Just heard it, it’s crap.
Mihai is a freaking DRAMA QUEEN,every year he does the same damn thing ,BYE FELICIA YOU ARE NOT MISSED!
Thank God! The comments after every Selectia Nationala he participated in like: I deserved better. HUN, NO! Just accept the results and move on, because if you lose and then decide to go and rant about “the song having more fans, then it was shown in the results” makes you a bigger loser in my books. Kinda sad that we won’t have any cringey, laughable comments from him, but that shouldn’t be the way to remember an act after the results. P. S the wildcards are actually the highlight acts of this competition, so don’t think they should be called… Read more »
He should better make his way to a psychologist.
What a diva! I, me, I, myself and of course I. LOL
This man is a real drama queen! If this was his first year to act strange it would be fine but its not. I dont think Romania wants him ever again after this. I would be suprised. If our melfest would throw in 2 songs after all the others like romania does. NO it would not ever even happen. Romania have their own rules. Not good ones.
Two potential entries in – one out. MIHAI is right to criticize the way TVR is acting. .
Fine how he has now the possibility to leave the competition as the kind of diva he always wants to be.
ok bye
Eurovision should be proud of Tornero, because it made a lot of money after esc. Even now MIHAI has a lot of money because of Tornero. .We should all be proud that esc does a lot of good for its contestants.
I know he loves Eurovision just like I do. But honestly he acts like a total loser. I am sure that he wouldn’t withdraw if Bella and Linda’s songs weren’t that competitive. He’s just afraid to lose again, so he couldn’t take such competition. Noone likes such attitude, Mihai. Just saying. And noone is blind, we all see the actual reason behind your decision. You don’t leave the battle field without fighting, that’s just weak.
mihai is right TVR is a corrupt television.. do you know last year the humans was in second place on televote until 30 seconds remaining then miracle humans won..
The Humans won because the score was always on the screen. Alexia and Matei were the real winners, but their haters could see the score can be reversed.
If Romania will ever win it will be a blast. We have the location, and the desire to show it off. lol.
That may be because voters for other top leading songs became complacent, especially as the votes are being shown live as they are being tallied. This is common in most competition shows that only relies on public voting as the last few moments of the voting period tend to see surges of votes up to the last minute.
There were approximately 5 minutes, not 30 seconds like you say and the score was not by a big margin that moment. It was an anti-Alexia and Matei vote, for sure, that’s why they’ve won, it was the most tied vote from the last years. The problem is that the score is showed during the final, that’s not right, in Eurovision it doesn’t happen, you don’t see even the first votes before they end. And TVR is a corrupt television, Ovidiu Anton still didn’t receive his debt for what happened to him, but here you were exxagereting.
Please don’t hate MIHAI, he is such good person, and he loves Eurovision. Why is this wrong?
MIHAI? Is that you?
lol, I’m not MIHAI, maybe just SJW, I can’t understand the hate.
I am not a fan of his, but if it is true that TVR changed the rules after the call for the songs last November, I acknowledge that he has a point. A competition should be fair for everyone.
TVR published last December its rules for this year’s competition and they were very clear that they have the right to add last minute additions to their final line-up of competing acts within their discretion.
I’m pretty sure the Romanian selection itself have seen a ridiculous amount of drama throughout its entire existence that having wildcards was a backup plan in cases such as Dan Bittman and Mihai withdrawing, among others
Reference: https://wiwibloggs.com/2018/12/11/romania-tvr-confirms-selectia-nationala-with-two-semi-finals-and-a-maximum-of-27-competing-acts/
Strange decision, but he’s partially right about those wildcards. Now, I think TVR added a little more competitive factor and highest chances for a good entry with the wildcards, but it is true that some people that signed for Eurovision were disadvantaged in contrast to people that are there even though initially they didn’t submit.
The evil is defeated
R.I.P. the Mihai that we all know back in 2006. Where was all that spirit you’ve had back when you were in the Eurovision stage? May you roast in peace.
Haha because he knows he has no chance of winning now
Hilarious! Some problems just fix themselves. 😛
The song title is fitting. Bye a <3
I kinda feel a bit relaxed so now… LAURA OR BELLA SANTIAGO WINNER
Guys, Mihai is talking about the best point number, not the best result.
If we’re talking points’ number, then he’s wrong again. That record belongs to Ilinca and Alex Florea, who got 282 points during the 2017 contest in Kiev.
No Robyn, Romania has already been 3rd twice: in 2005 and 2010.
Oh, Mihai. Luminita Anghel and Paula/Ovi both placed higher than you with better songs (Tornero is a bop, though). Even in withdrawing, it’s gotta be an ego stroke.
Go join the bench with Markus Riva and the guy from Montenegro.
Great news, time for Romania to send Laura, Ester or Bella
4th is not Romania’s best result, 3rd is, in 2010, with “Playing with Fire”
Half right, Romania’s best points are 172 in 2006 (Mihai) = 4th place, but best placings: in 2005 Luminita & Sistem (158 points) = 3rd place and in 2010 – Paula & Ovi (162 points) = 3rd place
4th isn’t Romania’s best result. I believe that is a mistake