Saturday 22 February EurovisioN Selection Shows

As of tonight, we’ve only three Saturday’s of national selections left. And this evening — 22 February — is thankfully a little less intense than the past two weeks.

Here are all the details you need for 2020’s seventh Saturday of national selections. We’ll be checking in with semi-finals in Portugal and Sweden and finals in Ukraine and Slovenia.

You can follow all the results on wiwibloggs (and via our Twitter@wiwibloggs and Instagram wiwibloggs) throughout the evening. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening, when it’s on and how to watch.

Saturday 15 February: Eurovision 2020 Selection Shows

Ukraine’s Vidbir 2020

Grand Final

Time: 18:00 CET to 21:25 CET

It’s the national final that fell into complete disarray in 2019 when winner Maruv pulled out of Eurovision for contractual reasons. She triggered a domino effect which saw the remaining acts turn down the opportunity too, forcing Ukraine to withdraw. This year the country’s back with a clean slate. Tonight’s final will see six acts compete for the ticket to Rotterdam. The semi-final winners were Krutь and Tvorchi but it’s not unheard of for everything to get switched up on grand final night.

Click to Watch Vidbir 2020 Grand Final on YouTube

For additional viewing instructions, click here.

Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2020

Semi-Final Four

Time: 20:00 CET to 21:30 CET

It’s one of the most anticipated national selections of the season. And 2020 sees Melodifestivalen return for its 60th edition. As with all four semis, tonight’s big prize will be two spots in the grand final for the top acts, with the next two getting passes to Andra Chansen. The remaining three will be eliminated. Hanna Ferm, Victor Crone and Nanne Grönvall all feature on this evening’s line-up.

Click to Watch Melodifestivalen 2020 Semi-Final Four

For additional viewing instructions, click here.

Slovenia’s EMA 2020

Grand final

Time: 20:00 CET to 22:00 CET

After the convoluted EMA FREŠ wildcard round, we’ve finally reached the grand final of Slovenia’s Slovenia’s EMA 2020 selection. As in prior years, there will be two rounds. The first will see all 12 finalists perform with a jury selecting two acts to go forward to a superfinal. There, televotes alone will determine the winner. Big names include Tinkara Kovač, Lina Kuduzović and Gaja Prestor.

Click to Watch EMA 2020 Grand Final 2020

For additional viewing instructions, click here.

Portugal’s Festival da Canção 2020

Semi-Final One

Time: 22:48 CET to 01:01 CET

Portugal’s Festival da Canção 2020 returns for yet another year. And once again it’s an eclectic mix. Tonight will see eight acts compete in the first semi. Four of these will go on to the final. Those with the most buzz include Bárbara Tinoco and Blasted.

Click to Watch Festival da Canção 2020 Semi-Final One

For additional viewing instructions, click here.

Which show will you watch? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Eurovision 2020 news.

49 Comments
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Mia
Mia
4 years ago

Yay “Movimento” qualified!!! 😀

Kosey
Kosey
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

Really interesting! I think this is the stronger semi, so the winner could be one of those 4!

Mia
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

They did their best with kinda dead audience, that was funny contrast lol

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

The lead singer from that song “Movimento” was holding an ice pack to his muscles after that performance. One could say he literally worked his crotch off for that qualification. 😛

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Too many “heads”. Sorry, it’s late. 😛

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Sanremo would run past 9am here in the Philippines at this very moment.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

I can’t believe Blasted Mechanism didn’t make it.
Filipe Sambado was my #16 before the contest and I saw nothing tonight to change my mind. Oh well.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Owhhh… Rebellion didn’t qualify!! That’s a real shocker!

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I’m not. The entry didn’t feel gripping live and the way the semifinal stage is set up made it difficult for the group to create that visual impact I was hoping they would make despite the studio limitations (as mentioned in another thread).

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  James

It was also the only song in English. Might have been a factor.

Andi
Andi
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Indeed. The Portuguese are very proud of their language.

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

We’ve seen two English songs get to the final since 2017. “Walk Away” was better received by the televote and one of the regional juries as I recall. The country-pop song from 2018 though was borderlining at best on both counts (memories a bit fuzzy since it’s been so long).

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  James

I would have liked to have seen it on the bigger stage though. Is any microstate feeling like a rebellion? San Marino? 😛

Kosey
Kosey
4 years ago

Movimento was my clear favorite, that song just makes me want to move!
I was a bit underwhelmed by Blasted Mechanism, I was hoping for it to be a bit more anarchic.
And Barbara Tinoco, I really approached it with an open-mind, but that song encompasses just about every single one of my worst nightmares. It reminds me of the awful shows my parents used to drag me to in the 80s. I had to physically turn it off, I just couldn’t bear it, sorry!

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Owh wow. Very strong Festival da Canção Semi 1!! I didn’t expect that tonight! High quality stuff. Such a tough decision for Portugal!

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

Omg, Barbara is so cute.

...
...
4 years ago

EMA in Slovenia just recently finished, and… Slovenia’s participant is going to be Ana Soklic.

Gurl
Gurl
4 years ago

Welcome to my top 1, Ukraine!

Andi
Andi
4 years ago

Wonderful choice! #TeamSolovey !!

Banana
Banana
4 years ago

No way. Terrible choice.

CoochieStank
CoochieStank
4 years ago

Khayat better win <3 <3

M_K
M_K
4 years ago

I don’t speak Slovene… so could someone explain the joke behind the bleeding presenter?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  M_K

That was a joke? :S

Dreamer
Dreamer
4 years ago

Any alternative link to watch EMA? Cause it is buffering as hell on my laptop. :'(

M_K
M_K
4 years ago
Reply to  Dreamer

Works perfectly here. There’s also an RTVSLO app for smartphones and tablets.

Dreamer
Dreamer
4 years ago
Reply to  M_K

It is OK now. 🙂

Kirby
Kirby
4 years ago

Off-topic: Do you think the coronavirus issues may affect Eurovision next May? Have you heard anything?

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  Kirby

How so? As with any time you’re in a large public space surrounded by strangers, go on the assumption that the smart people got vaccinations and if anyone’s looking sickly they probably shouldn’t have schlepped all the way to Rotterdam in the first place.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Kirby

There are no issues with the actual contest so far. Everyone’s travel plans and quarantine restrictions are always their own. Advice: Keep a watch on the EU’s quarantine restrictions for now, especially if coming in from outside the EU.

Kirby
Kirby
4 years ago

National Finals are the best! They’re truly an appetizer before Eurovision itself. I have a collection of favorite natiinal selection entries. Internal selections suck: sometimes they tease and hype them a lot and then the unveiling is a huge disappointment (salut, France!). Everyone should be doing NS.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago

Thanks Padraig and wiwibloggs for this coverage. When I first started watching the contest we could never have imagined that it would be possible to watch selection shows of other countries with such ease.

Alex
Alex
4 years ago

99 or Call For Love & Man Like U are my winners

James
James
4 years ago

It airs on a commercial TV network that heavily relies on advertisers to buy ad spots from the show to keep it profitable for them to continue. Hence we see a lot of paid in-show advertisements in Vidbir that adds to it being long.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago

That’s a good thing though. They’ll get a good airing and won’t be forgotten by casuals when voting comes live.

Nicky91
Nicky91
4 years ago

you like ethnic songs yet generic english songs are like overall majority in here 🙁

#BringOwnLanguageRuleBack

Isa
Isa
4 years ago

Where did this come from?

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

22:48 CET is a very specific start time, Portugal!
I expect you to be punctual!

Charles
Charles
4 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Portugal and punctuality …two Ps that dont know each other …

Mia
Mia
4 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Until 01:01 CET
Hope I will see Throws+The Shine around 00:23 CET 😀

Hey hey I
Hey hey I
4 years ago
Reply to  Mia

The voting starts at 23:45 CET

yodenman
yodenman
4 years ago

What’s happened to the UK. How close are we to the big reveal.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago
Reply to  yodenman

Good point yodenman. I just hope that the Lorraine Kellys, Philip Schofields and Daily Mail commenters are taking notice of the prominence that other countries are giving to the contest this month. Then they won’t be so surprised when those countries defeat us in May.

James
James
4 years ago
Reply to  yodenman

Likewise for San Marino. Ireland has been teasing, although much of it has been coming from their creative director for this year.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  James

The countries I’m most interested in hearing about are the UK, Ireland, and San Marino, the first two to see if they can improve and the latter to see if they can build on their momentum and not let Serhat be a fluke. So naturally we know diddly about any of them.

AndersP
AndersP
4 years ago
Reply to  yodenman

I reckon it’ll be on the deadline day. Maybe it’s because they’ve got someone amazing… or maybe it’s Electro Velvet the redemption!

Leo
Leo
4 years ago

I think Krut would win this year’s Vidbir
It seems she has a lot of support behind her and if she can pull it live I think the juries would give her high marks

La la love
La la love
4 years ago

I’m probably gonna watch Melodifestivalen but until then imma watch Vidbir

CoochieStank
CoochieStank
4 years ago

Please let Khayat win it’s the best one <3

CoochieStank
CoochieStank
4 years ago
Reply to  CoochieStank

Splish splash your opinion is trash