National selection season is approaching and we’re already marking up our calendars and booking leave so we can see our favourite countries choose their Eurovision 2020 singers. At the moment we have around half of the dates in the Eurovision 2020 calendar of events. Most of the songs will be revealed during February and March, while Belgium and Spain have already confirmed their artists.
And on Sunday, just hours after the Junior Eurovision finale, we learned new details about Russia’s 2020 selection process. Several Russian Eurovision fans sent us an Instagram Stories post from Iurii Aksiuta. He’s served as Russia’s Eurovision commentator on several occasions — from 2002 to 2007, and in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018.
He shared a photo of Tatyana and Denberel — Russia’s Junior Eurovision act — along with the following text: “Soon the next step in the Eurovision selections will start, which you have all been waiting for. Channel One will choose a participant in a closed selection.”
This shouldn’t be so surprising. Russia gone for internal selections from 2013 to the present. The last time there was a National Final — in 2012 — the Buranovskiye Babushki won (beating Dima Bilan!) before finishing second at Eurovision. Other artists chosen through the Russian national final system include Peter Nalitch with “Lost and Forgotten”, Anastasia Prikhodko with “Mamo” and Dima Bilan with “Believe”. All of them placed in the Top 15.
So who is going to Rotterdam? Speculation has been coming thick and fast and centres on the usual suspects. The names mentioned most frequently are Olga Buzova, Alexander Panayotov and Dima Bilan.
Alexander has been trying to get into the contest since 2005. He came second in 2007 in the internal selection, and then in 2008 he earned just two points less than Dima Bilan. In 2009 he tried to go for Ukraine, but came second again, falling to Svetlana Loboda by just one point.
Olga Buzova, a famous TV personality, recently claimed that her “next song in English I will sing on Eurovision!” Iurii Aksiuta told RIA Novosti that this is nonsense, while Channel One refused to comment on the matter. Olga went even further, asking Filipp Kirkorov on Instagram to join her in Eurovision 2020 for a duet.
What are your thoughts? Who do you want to see represent Russia in Rotterdam? Let us know in the comments below!
Arina Petrova has the most beautiful voice. Has won multiple awards. Has years of experience, and she’s only 16. I can not explain it properly. You just have to watch her videos on YouTube and VK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCZfriK2USs&list=PLA8Qr5sFMaN5DjPHYoqi10ysG4E6JZCm1&index=6
is it too late to bring tatu back
It will be Zivert, I have a strong suspicion. She has been one of the top stars this year, and can sing in English. Philipp Kirkorov also sang on the remix of her biggest hit for her debut album, it makes me think she’s being groomed for the spot.
Buzova is one of the biggest stars here, but I have a feeling her star power won’t translate to the Eurovision stage (besides Russian speaking countries)
I agree
I even listened to Beverly Hills and Credo
Alexander Panayotov
Russia is the biggest country in the world and has one of the biggest music scenes and markets of Europe, there’s gotta be plenty of talent in the Federation. Sadly, we don’t get to see much diversity on what the Russian music scene has to offer on the Eurovision stage. We could have got literally the Die Antwoord of Russia (Little Big) participating and bringing rave this year but they went with Sergey Lazarev and his generic epic ballad. I don’t blame them, it worked the first time but it’s a bit tedious at this point with all that epic… Read more »
They have one of the most beautiful languages in the universe and they send songs in English… That’s sad, bro.
They will be awesome, I’m pretty sure about that.
I think Polina Bogusevich would be a good choice for Russia. Her victory in Junior proves that she’s a great performer who can sing live, and Russia’s other JESC winners (the Tolmachevy Sisters) represented their country in regular Eurovision in 2014 and ended up in the top 10.
Maybe both of them will team up together in the Russian language. Taylor Swift will write the English language version,
Doesnt matter WHO will go ….just bring back RUSSIAN language ! And good song of course
“All finished in the top 15” Good one. Not even mentioning that one of them won. Maybe they could really use a national final since their only winner came from one?
Yeah…but that song was Believe, quite possibly the least-liked winner of the last fifteen years.
I legit can’t watch his performance. Just cringe galore.
Could it be Tolmachevys. Taylor Swift will write their entry and will probably capture hearts of Europe,
I didn’t like how they brought Sergey back this year. Did they really think “Scream” would get a higher place this year than “You are the only one”. You already got a 3rd with Sergey; you won’t get higher than that. Scream was good but 2016’s staging was epic. And there were far too many good song this year to get higher than he got .
No Dima Bilan, please. I don’t understand winners coming back. You can’t do better, you already won?
i don’t want comebacks at all from a country like russia tbh, they could offer something new every year
I have a feeling it’s going to be Tolmachevys. Taylor Swift will write their entry and will probably capture hearts of Europe,
You’re a bit of a broken record aren’t you?
Stop trying to make Olga Buzova happen. It’s not going to happen.
It is her dream #daretodream
No more Kirkorov team please. I want fresh Russian music. For example Timati (NF 2012)
If you think Timati is fresh music, then you simply don’t know Russian music scene.
Your name remind me – “Shut up about it” ….
Timati is a horrible homophobic assh*le who loves bloody Putin and produces cheap cringworthy songs, ugh!
He is not the commentator, he is the head of entertainer of C1R and the head of the delegation.
But this is not his Instagram profile. The account is fake.
the act for sure wont be dream team related cause they will be behind moldova’s entry and probably cyprus
If that was true, it would surely be good news for everybody who would like Russia to send a good song.
Dream Team mostly seems to work for the other Russian channel – some or all of them were responsible for their last three entrants (both Sergey entries and the Tomalchevys). With Moldova, it was at least silly and fun as opposed to pretentious and showy. That kind of extreme staging works best when it’s being purposefully goofy.
Tolmachevys should represent russia again. Taylor Swift will write their entry and will probably capture hearts of Europe,
OK, let me just make sure I understand what you’re saying: you’re trying to say that the Tomalchevys will come back with a song by Taylor Swift and win the hearts of Europe? You’re being a bit subtle so I just want to be sure.
It was on GMA3 in the USA to promote Rudolph shines again
Sofia Tarasova 😀
She is Ukrainian…
Yep
And what?