Szansa na Sukces — that’s “A Chance for Success” — will serve as Poland’s national final for Eurovision 2020. While the grand final will be a mix of jury vote and televote, the three semi-finals will be decided solely by a three-person jury. And as Radio Zet reports, we finally know which giants of the Polish music industry will have the honour: Michal Szpak, Cleo and Gromee.

Szansa na sukces 2020: The Polish national final jury

If you’re a lover of televote memes, then Michal Szpak needs no introduction.  In 2016 he overcame some heavy hitters at home — including Margaret — to book his ticket to Eurovision. He went on the place eighth overall with “Color of Your Life”. That’s despite the jury ranking him second-to-last. An epic televote, which put him third, saw him climb the scoreboard.

Cleo had the honour of bringing Poland back to Eurovision in 2014 alongside Donatan. Their number “My Slowanie” (Slavic Girls) was in-your-face and completely unforgettable, aided by the presence of that woman churning butter. Her deliberately over-the-top and overtly sensual motion was properly memorable. A British Eurovision juror famously said “it was two boobs too far for me”. Poland still won the televote in the UK and finished fifth in the televote overall. Owing to a stingy jury, it came 14th in the final calculation.

At Eurovision 2018 DJ Gromee didn’t fare as well. Performing “Light Me Up” with Lukas Meijer, he finished 14th in his semi-final — failing to make it to the Saturday show. No matter. He’s still remember for his quirky snake dance.

Poland’s Eurovision 2020 national selection

While some countries have ditched their national final and opted to internally select their entry for Eurovision 2020, Poland is doing the opposite. Broadcaster TVP has announced that it will revive the talent show Szansa na Sukces (A Chance For Success) to select its entry for Rotterdam.

The broadcaster confirmed the news with a post on the official Szansa na Sukces Facebook page, where it shared the entry rules.

The show will be run in the classic Szansa na Sukces format. Each week, around six or seven acts will compete in three semi-finals. Each semi will have a special guest and the contestants will cover a song from the guest’s back catalogue.

A three-person jury will vote on the performances. There will be no televote in the semi-finals. The three acts who have each won their semi-final will go through to the grand final.

At the live grand final, the three finalists will each perform a cover as well as an original song which will be their intended entry for Eurovision. The winner will be decided by a mix of jury vote and public televote.

If this format sounds familiar, it is! Last year, TVP revived Szansa na Sukces to use as the national selection for Poland’s Junior Eurovision 2019 act. Given that series winner Viki Gabor went on to win JESC with her song “Superhero”, it’s understandable that TVP would want to stick with a successful format.

TVP Chairman Jacek Kurski previously praised Poland’s Junior Eurovision selection process. He hinted at using a similar format for also selecting their Eurovision act.

Read more Poland Eurovision news

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Luk
Luk
4 years ago

Good luck Poland

Annabeth
Annabeth
4 years ago

In first semi-final contestants will sing songs from ABBA .
Artists competing in first semi-final:
Amelia Andryszczyk (The Voice of Poland Kids 1)
Daj To G?o?niej Band
Kasia Dere? (The Voice of Poland 2)
Maja Hy?y (X-Factor Poland 2013, Krajowe Eliminacje 2018)
Patryk Skoczy?ski (The Voice of Poland 6)
Sargis Davytyan (Szansa na Sukces 2019)
Szlachta Sisters (Szansa na Sukces 2019)

GreenTea
GreenTea
4 years ago

This choice doesn’t surprise me. They represented us recently, so they know what Eurovision looks like now. Their songs are popular among audience and it’s also important for show like this. I hope they will choose wisely (I mean people with really good voice and charisma)

Annabeth
Annabeth
4 years ago

They have been announcing one name every day. For now we know names of three participants:
Daj to g?o?niej (disco polo)
Adrian Makar (he won Polish Got Talent 5 years ago)
Weronika Cury?o (finalist of the Voice of Poland 4 years ago)

Dawid
Dawid
4 years ago
Reply to  Annabeth

That is pretty disappointing

Annabeth
Annabeth
4 years ago
Reply to  Annabeth

Szaszan (Krajowe Eliminacje 2018) also announced her participation

Angelina
Angelina
4 years ago

I would like to see Michal Szpak again at Eurovision. He is very talented. I recently saw his performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5_HGzlRges and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBIoU5lA3L8

ESCFan2009
ESCFan2009
4 years ago

They should just send Margaret with a sassy uptempo-banger and professional staging <3

Wolfik19857
Wolfik19857
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

Margaret is sick now, she even refused Silvester party in TVP

Angelina
Angelina
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFan2009

In Poland there are a million times better singing girls than margaret

ESCJudge
ESCJudge
4 years ago

I’d rather give money to Cleo and send her to Rotterdam with song “Dom” (produced by Robert Lewandowski and Donatan)

Anyway we’ll see what will be the three songs in the final and hopefully it will be as suitable for ESC as “My slowianie”, “Dom” or “Color of your life” was… 🙂

Wolfik19857
Wolfik19857
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCJudge

I agree, this banger hit is telling about to be far away from home and missing to come to home (country od town od village) perfect to Eurovision but chairman Kurski decided to make A National final

NickC
NickC
4 years ago

I can understand Cleo and Michal, but Gromee? They should have persuaded Edyta Gorniak and the dude who sang Keine granzen with his raspy voice.

Dawid
Dawid
4 years ago
Reply to  NickC

He’s quite big producer in here. He was helping with JESC organisation. He has bunch of songs in English so that TVP could test participants there (basically everything from Cleo is Polish and Michal has both). And he’s keep saying he’s genuinely interested im ESC as a whole since he learned more about it. I mean, he learned a lot by now and I don’t think he would send something that would do bad.

I’m ok with these juries, really. Now I just hope that televote won’t screw it up by voting on some disco polo or something for memes.

Aneysa
Aneysa
4 years ago

There will be my idol, Madox. This artist releases new, amazing music ( I had an opportunity to listen to some snippets straight from him) and if he won It would be a total Révolution in Polish Eurovision. I’m pretty sure Eurovision fans from all over the Europe will love him and I hope they’ll appreciate Him more than Polish society. Unfortunately due to the fact that Polish broadcaster for Eurovision TVP and its management don’t get on well with my idol because he stands for the values like Equality, Tolerance, Freedom, Peace and Love and they don’t want to… Read more »

Angelina
Angelina
4 years ago

I would like to see Michal Szpak again at Eurovision. He is very talented. I recently saw his performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5_HGzlRges and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBIoU5lA3L8

GreenTea
GreenTea
4 years ago

This choice doesn’t surprise me. They represented us quite recently, so they know how Eurovision looks like now. Moreover, their songs are popular among audience and it’s also important for show like this. I hope that they will choose wisely (I mean people with really good voice and charisma).

ESCFanGA
ESCFanGA
4 years ago

I have a sneaking feeling that Poland might do well this year and come up with a strong entry. Their recent success at Junior Eurovision as well as hosting it is a bit like when Bulgaria hosted Junior Eurovision 2015 right before they gave us Poli Genova and Kristian Kostov. Also, TVP recently invited two Eurovision artists (Duncan Laurence and Mahmood) to perform on The Voice of Poland, something which I’m sure has never happened before. It seems like the broadcaster, delegation, etc. in Poland is taking the contest more seriously and putting more effort into it this year!

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFanGA

Poland are visibly upping their game. I personally thought Tulia were absolutely robbed this year if only their staging was a little better. Deserved it more than Belarus.

Tom
Tom
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Zena would not like your coment lol

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

A disco polo band named Daj To Glosniej (“turn up the volume” in English) confirmed their participation. They’re famous in Poland for their huge (and hella catchy) hit “Mama ostrzegala”, which has 98 mln views on Youtube. If you don’t know what disco polo is, that song is a pretty good example.

Dawid
Dawid
4 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

Its crap

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago
Reply to  Dawid

I don’t say it isn’t, I’m just providing additional information. Disco polo songs ain’t no high art, but knowing TVP I’d say that they might have a shot.

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
4 years ago

I’m satisfied with these choices. Last year the jury consisted of artists, who were popular 15 years ago and had little to no Eurovision experience. Michal Szpak, Gromee and Cleo are all relatively famous in Poland, know what the contest is like and which of the singer’s qualities matter the most when participating is such a huge event, which makes them a great set of judges.

nikiin
nikiin
4 years ago

meh…did Michal Szpak come out finally? or still pretending?

Timi
Timi
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

Is that relevant to his music?

nikiin
nikiin
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

hahahaaahha….yeah, sure, Apparently he didn’t come out to keep his girl fans

Tom
Tom
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

Better in than out

Angelina
Angelina
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

nikiin is a troll

Aneysa
Aneysa
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

Lol not yet and I don’t think he ever will

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  nikiin

Sure, accepting your first sentence…but he can still do all that and be gay, one has nothing to do with the other. That is, if Poland joined the 21st century.

Mony
Mony
4 years ago

Justified picks for both Cleo and the amazing Michal Szpak, they qualified into the final. But Gromee? What’s his best effort? I would trade him with Kasia Mos, deserved better to be in this jury. Hope all these 3 jurors with their Eurovision experience will pick the best act to represent them! Good luck, Poland!

Natalie
Natalie
4 years ago
Reply to  Mony

I don’t know if Kasia Mo? has enough songs to be a jury.

Natalie
Natalie
4 years ago
Reply to  Mony

maybe she has but not a lot of people know them

Malalinka
Malalinka
4 years ago
Reply to  Mony

Competitors will have to cover our jurors’ tracks at first. Kasia Mos recorded 3 maybe 4 of her own songs, which is not enough, as 6 to 7 will perform during each episode. Cleo recorded an album with Donatan, another one on herself, Michal 2 albums, Gromee one and some popular singles. That’s why 3 of them 🙂

Eurovisionfan12
Eurovisionfan12
4 years ago
Reply to  Mony

She was one of the jury members of their national final in 2018

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

televote legends

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

The first two, at least. Gromee, even by Polish diaspora televote standards, could only manage tenth. (See, if they’d dropped Poland into the same semi Austria, Ireland, Lithuania, the UK, and Iceland were voting in, it’d be a different story.)

jack
jack
4 years ago

I love their enthusiasm, not sure whether they will win in 2020 but they will win within the next years

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  jack

Central Europe goes 50/50 on heartwarming comeback stories. Poland is working to be more of an Austria, Switzerland, or Czech Republic than a Hungary or Slovakia.

jack
jack
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Definitely and i am here for that. Their jesc production was amazing, Its like they have done this many times. The hosts however were a bit…not the best choice but i dont care

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  jack

i mean they’re a highly developed country of 40 million, i had nothing but high expectations from them

Tom
Tom
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Well, SLOVAKIA also tried and people did not like our music or singing but i had feeling people and jury voted based on country name and not song ( till 2012) …

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Tom

No, no, your songs were pretty meh except for 2010. Your neighbors seemed to figure it out when they were in the same boat.

John the Go
4 years ago
Reply to  jack

I hope so – I think Poland would put on a really good show, just like they’ve done with JESC.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

I’m hopeful. I’d love to see Poland match their JESC success in the adult contest. (Gonna jump in here before Rasmus does so he can’t say anything: “They only did well in JESC cuz they voted for themselves blah blah blah Nordic countries voting for Sweden isn’t the same thing blah blah blah.” There. Took care of that.)

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

someone’s pressed at rasmus spilling the tea on jesc being a vote for yourself contest huh

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

So that second place in the jury vote just popped up out of nowhere? (If anything, JESC now is LESS political than Eurovision. Compare the Belorussian HoD pitching a fit that the aggregate vote meant they couldn’t give Russia 12 with their JESC jury ranking Russia SECOND TO LAST, with no consequences).

James
James
4 years ago

Poland 2017

Kris
Kris
4 years ago

Last year they wouldn’t have won had it not been online vote !! I think this year though they might have won even if it were an offline vote cause the jury did put them pretty high

But she was very vocally off on the live show !! Maybe she did better in jury show and Spain didn’t do as well , IDK

Natalie
Natalie
4 years ago
Reply to  Kris

she wasn’t off vocally, she was good, this “nananana parts” are really hard to sing for 12 yo and she slayed it

esc1234
esc1234
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

HAHAHA legendary comment! As the opening of second semi final in 2016 said “When sweden gives 12 points to Norway its just good taste”. But when Greece gives 12 points to its biggest pop star representing another country (eleni), thats sad, unfair, and ebu should do something. The hypocrisy of it all

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  esc1234

It was about Sweden getting twelve, not giving. But the funny part is that then Norway’s jury went and didn’t give Sweden anything that year. (And once upon a time, the Nordic juries were really selective about whether or not they voted for each other. Plenty of years where they wouldn’t vote for each other.)

jack
jack
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

rumor has it if you write Bjorkman Bjorkman Bjorkman he appears and starts crying like the guy on the Leave Britney alone video

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  jack

Say it into a mirror three times and he’ll appear to say your favorite was drawn second in the running order. (I got nothing against the guy but he’s easy to make fun of. Especially the fact that the same man who witnessed his country get two victories in four years also placed second-to-last for them on home ground.)