Exactly one week after Czech TV revealed the identities of the seven acts competing in the third-annual Eurovision Song CZ 2020, the broadcaster has released the seven competing entries.
You can listen to all the tracks below.
Eurovision Song CZ 2020: Entries
Barbora Mochowa – “White & Black Holes”
Barbora is one of two returning acts in the 2020 selection. She enjoyed a strong debut in 2019, coming joint first with the juries and third overall. “True Colors” subsequently went on to secure the best ever Czech placing in the annual OGAE Second Chance Contest, placing eight. As such, she enters this year’s contest as a massive fan favourite — already topping early polls.
Benny Cristo – “Kemama”
Also known as Ben Cristovao, this multi-talented artist of Angolan-descent is one of the Czech Republic’s hottest names. Since 2013, he’s racked up 11 top ten hits in the Singles Digital Top 50 chart, nine of which have been in the last five years. His popularity extends onto social media, where he boasts an Instagram following of over 780,000.
Elis Mraz & Čis T – “Wanna Be Like”
Slovakia hasn’t entered Eurovision since 2012, but it could return via its neighbours if Elis Mraz & Čis T win ESCZ 2020. While Elis is a local pop singer, Mr T is a Slovak. Elis previously reached the semi-final on The Voice.
Karelll – “At Least We’ve Tried”
Karelll is relatively unknown on the Czech music scene, but he’s definitely well-qualified. The man studied at the world-renowned British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) in London and became the first Czech to take part in Los Angeles’ MUSEXPO.
Olga Lounová – “Dark Water”
Olga is a showbiz veteran. She’s been acting in TV and movies since 1998, although her music career only took off comparatively recently with her first LP arriving in 2011. In that decade, she’s enjoyed numerous hits. Her most viewed YouTube clip is “Jsem optimista” with over 23.5 million hits.
Pam Rabbit – “Get Up”
Pam is the second of this year’s two returning artists. Like Barbora, she too competed in 2019. Then she came fourth. The Armenian born singer has already gone through the Eurovision experience once before, albeit as a backing vocalist for Mikolas Josef in 2018.
We All Poop – “All the Blood (Positive Song Actually)”
We All Poop is a four-piece formed especially for the 2020 competition. Its members are Vojtěch Božek on bass guitar, Michal Jiráň on drums, Šimon Martínek on guitar and Jakub Božek on vocals. They are presumed to be the act who described their music genre as “planned coincidence punk-pop”.
Eurovision Song CZ: How it works
It was initially intended that these seven acts would compete in a televised national final. However, that idea was subsequently scrapped. Instead, the method from 2018 and 2019 will be retained whereby fans can vote for their favourites via the Eurovision app.
Voting opened at 8:00 CET on 20 January and closes at 20:00 CET on 2 February. The results are set to be announced one day later.
These public votes will count for 50% of the overall score. The remaining half will come from a panel of international jurors. Once again, international viewers can also vote. In previous editions, these votes were weighted to equal one jury vote.
What song is your favourite? Who should win ESCZ 2020? Let us know in the comments.
What a frustrating selection for me, it’s TOO good, lot’s of great songs won’t be heading to Rotterdam and that’s such a shame! My vote goes to WAP, it’s in the vein of TOP who I love, and we haven’t seen something like that at Eurovision yet. But I’d also be very very happy with Karelll, Olga, and Barbora’s songs too. I like Pam Rabbit’s song too but it is a step down from the 4 for me, and then Benny and Elis’s songs are both still good but not great. It’s kind of random that Cis T is rapping… Read more »
I must confess – my comment down below was not based on a proper listen to all the songs. And the song from We all poop I even left out completely. After I have done my proper listening I need to delete my other comment and it is not possible. The song from Benny is too repetitive. Musically I like All the Blood best. That it has also a message is an add on. My second place is Barbora, but I hope We all Poop will win. Is it Indie Pop? Because if so I knew why I like it.… Read more »
Wanna Be Like is too trashy
‘Wanna Be like’ – here its live performance https://youtu.be/GoD85v80gJg
I quite like Kemama. It’s a fun song and I think it would qualify at Eurovision. We All Poop is quite good as well (reminds me a bit of Green Day and Twenty One Pilots).
I just want to say: We All Poop for Eurovision!! ?
Czech selection was a very pleasant surprise to me! Besides All the Love, there’s 3 more songs I love: White&Black Holes (goosebumps!), At least we’ve tried and Get up. Dark Water is nice, but imo not as interesting as the otheres I’ve mentioned. Benny and Elis are a “no” for me, not my taste.
The video of Dark Water reminds me of the Finnish song last year.
My top 3:
1. All the blood
2. Black & white holes
3. Dark water
I could actually fall in love with Czech Republic after this selection.
Wow, this is really difficult to pick a winner; so many strong entries. Well done CZ.
Maybe use a randomiser to vote for this one. 😀
I fully appreciate the evolution of the music/preview videos from last year, and that each video used the origami clues. I think a lot of people gave Lake Malawi a lot of flak last year when their first video came out and it was assumed that it was the actual music video. Cool for ESCZ for being creative and having a clearer theme.
P.S. Does anyone know about which video had the dragon?
Dark Water is a MASTERPIECE!
It is also a Doctor Who episode. 😉
7. ‘Wanna be Like’ – I find this absolutely annoying. 6. ‘At Least We’ve Tried’ – Emotional, but it’s not the best. 5. ‘Get Up’ – upbeat and fun, but it wouldn’t do well in the contest. 4. ‘Kemama’ – another fun piece, but a little repetitive. Very strong with a big fanbase though. 3. ‘All The Blood’ – It’s like 21 Pilots really. I like it. But I can see why it might not win. 2. ‘Dark Water’ – I really like this; it’s simple and has a nice chorus and verse that’s easy to get into. A middle… Read more »
Great line up and good quality, but i’d go for Dark Water or At least we’ve tried. Love both songs and i think they could do really well.
An interesting and diverse line-up. Not outstanding but they have some potential. 1. We All Poop – “All the Blood (Positive Song Actually)” (7.25). The best option for the CZ. Last year an alternative group worked well with the juries (not that good with the televote unfortunately), this could work again. In fact, I think it is mainstream enough to grab points from the televote and the jury, while also being alternative and interesting. Green Day style. Might grow on me even more later, which is kind of weird cause I thought it would be a novelty act. 2. Barbora… Read more »
Barbora Mochowa’s song is pure art.
What a shame this selection won’t be televised, such an unbelievably strong pool of songs, I will be literally happy with almost any of the songs getting picked.
My favourite one us Barbora though, it’s a song that will definitely go in my Spotify, but I will totally get it if the Czech will prefer something different for esc.
Its hard to pick someone but my top 3 would be: 3- We all poop, 2 – Olga and 1 – Benny ( i also like Barbora, Karelll and Elis)
Abot Pam – i dont know she is nice and serving armenian heritage but i dont like her song ( and yes Czech Rep needs points so if she join to ESC Azerbaijan will not vote for her – keep it real)
You fans must be really bored to enjoy some of these songs.. Snoozefest.
I’m dying for this non-basic list. Why have 30 songs competing, if no more than 3 are interesting. The Czech Republic is rocking, unapologetically bringing the contest to 2020!!!!
Some of you rating Dark Water above Black & White Holes really says a lot about your music taste… disgusting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zdq2zvSg5s&feature=youtu.be
Barbora is able to hit the high note at the end and now she needs to go to Rotterdam.
P.S. it happens around 8 mins into the video
Tbh all options seem like they’d do quite well in ESC. We all poop is a big surprise for me I expected it to be another troll act but I’m very pleasantly surprised. Not to keen on kemama or wanna be like tho.
Top 3:
3. Dark water
2. All the blood
1. Black & white holes
Damn, I can’t believe that I’m about to root for a band called “we all poop”. …Only in Eurovision am I right? xD
If those pesky voters don’t choose We All Poop then I predict a riot am I right?
If you told a Eurovision fan ten years ago that the Czech Republic had one of the strongest and most highly anticipated national finals of the season, you’d look insane. But what an amazing lineup! So excited for whoever they pick.
My favorites are Barbora (who got my vote), Benny, and Pam Rabbit. I like all of them to varying degrees, though. No novelty songs or blatant attempts at a “Eurovision song” with cringey English lyrics. Just all good stuff. Just some stuff is better than others.
I’m so happy that a lot of you think that our national final is one of the strongest this year but at the same time I’m so sad that the NF is not going to be televised as it was supposed to be
I just don’t know who I should vote, I just like all of them
In 2018 it was 100% Mikolas, last year I couldn’t choose because none of them was good and this year I can’t choose because I like all of them lol
This is miles better than the last 2 years and every song could go to Eurovision!!!! Absolutely great. No bad songs… But of course I do think some of them would struggle more with the Eurovision concept still and maybe not to that well…. But they are all great ? finally an overall INTERESTING and qualitatively high national selection ?
Olga’s video for Dark Water is now also on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxxoVHpX-2A, so wiwi, you can update it in your article. Reminds me slightly of Tijana Bogicevic’s In Too Deep Video. By the way, you can see Olga also in the video of Elis Mraz – Wanna be like. And if you look closely, you might discover another contestant of a Czech national final in Elis’s video. The school girl with glasses is Eva Buresova (National Final 2018 with the song Fly). Looks like girls were having fun when making this video:) I feel so sorry that there is no live… Read more »
God this national final is so strong! I like all of them. Goodluck picking 1 😉
Barbora her song is magical. I love Pam Rabbit, Olga, Elis as well. I wouldn’t mind any of those winning.
Barbaro and her song got me, immediately. With Benny Christo there is another very strong entry.
This might get suspenseful. How works the decision process for this national selection?
Anyone pissed as I am that they didn’t go all the way with a televised national selection?
What a surprise! Czech Republic has the strongest preselection by far!
Congratulations! Love every song!
Omg I love Barbara’s song. It’s kinda Lana Del Rey . So good. That high note at the end tho:-)
…. More like Tori Amos I would say…. But it is beautiful yes ?
This is certainly the strongest NF so far. Even though I don’t like some of the songs, none of them feels like a filler, and that is very hard to achieve. I don’t really care for Olga’s, Karelll’s, and WAP’s songs (especially the last one feels very pretentious to me), but I can see why other people like them. Benny’s and Elis’s tracks are very enjoyable and Barbora didn’t disappoint me with her moody and subtle number. However Pam Rabbit is my biggest surprise, I didn’t really like her song last year but “Get Up” is excellent, easily my favorite.
I mean, WAP is pretentious but Barbora sounding too much like Lana isn’t? Don’t get me wrong, I like “Black & White Holes”. But I would say WAP is just ironic, not pretentious. Anyway, I don’t know them and these are just opinions.
Barbora may be inspired by Lana, but she’s certainly not copying her and I have a soft spot for songs like “Black&White Holes”. WAP on the other hand… it’s not my genre. Like I like some old generation punk artists like The Clash or Patti Smith, but the more pop version of punk a la Green Day is not my thing. The social commentary in “All The Blood” to me feels just a bit overblown, if not infantile, but I totally respect your opinion.
Pam is simply the most original this year. Very strong song and my vote.Period.
We All Poop’s song is like if the old Maroon 5 from the 2000s and Twenty One Pilots had a baby lol I loved it, I am honestly disappointed since they didn’t bring Pop Punk, which is a genre that I love but got pretty forgotten over the years, but I am honestly glad with Funk Rock which is also a pretty forgotten genre. I also really loved Karell’s song I’d be really glad if they choose either him or “All The Blood” honestly.
Pop Punk isn’t an invented genre lol it’s been a thing since a long time ago. And “All The Blood” isn’t Pop it sounds more like Funk Rock mixed with Acid Jazz tbh.
Olga for the win!!
Ps: Why is benny being so overrated on here!?
Olga has old-fashioned medicore ballad. Not bad but certainly the worst option to select….
Because he’s the most famous
This is a strong selection, kudos to the Czech Republic! Many countries aim to find radiofriendly songs and come up with things that sound like carbon copies or rejects from famous singers. These songs all sound like proper singles from proper artists. Too bad we won’t see them performed live, it would be decisive to make a choice. So I guess personal taste will play even a bigger part than usual. I personally love Barbora’s song the most. But maybe I would go with Benny or Pam. Both sound super current and smart and I believe have a better chance… Read more »
Oh, I hope it’s true! It will help a lot. I remember that most acts last year recorded some acoustic versions, but I want to see this people on stage to check who can sell their song.
Well, each contestant has 2 media days and during that time there would be unplugged version of their song performed/posted on the official facebook page.
But I hope the versions aren’t unplugged, some of these songs would sound very different. And sometimes it also doesn’t help showcasing stage presence. I remember that I wasn’t very confident about Lake Malawi until I’ve seen them in Vibdir.
I see your point and agree, but that’s what we’re getting – unplugged/accoustic.
We All Poop are excellent!
Barbora has the best song.
Dark Water, Black and White Holes and All The Blood are the best songs, hope they choose one of these 3.
Sorry for the second comment but Yall need to stop overrating Benny because the song has no climax and the beat could have been waaaaaay better. Elis song is soo catchy
You can’t stop people from having a different opinion from you lol
I think that they have a chance to sing unplugged in their media day before the voting ends.
Czech republic went from a country that had 0 impact in the contest, into being a country with a national final full of great songs. Wow
Strong line up! I have no doubts about who should win: Benny all the way. It’s a real current Bop (Not ESC cliche) that gets better and better and you can play all day on Spotify.
I don’t have any strong favourite among these songs. I was counting on Barbora because I loved ‘True Colors’ but ‘White & Black Holes’ seems too ‘artistic’ and overdone. In my opinion the biggest disadvantage is the lack of a strong or at least memorable chorus. It makes this entry too forgettable for an average wiever who would hear it for the first time during the contest.
Ben’s music video is on youtube
Well I must say, I was very unimpressed by the national finals so far and was afraid I wasn’t going to be as hyped this year, but wow did these songs give the competition some new life! All of them are great in their own way and some will definately end up in my playlist. With this quality Czechia deserve to be in the final once more!
Not a bad bunch of songs but cant say theres any i will be rushing to listen to again. Probably go for Barbara mainly for her voice the song is ok but never really got going.
Though i said it earlier , Olga has a good song nothing extraordinary , but in recaps I think it sounds the best on the line up.
All these songs sound great, very current music. Czech is emerging as a new quality powerhouse