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.
Yay “Movimento” qualified!!! 😀
Really interesting! I think this is the stronger semi, so the winner could be one of those 4!
They did their best with kinda dead audience, that was funny contrast lol
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. 😛
Too many “heads”. Sorry, it’s late. 😛
Sanremo would run past 9am here in the Philippines at this very moment.
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.
Owhhh… Rebellion didn’t qualify!! That’s a real shocker!
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).
It was also the only song in English. Might have been a factor.
Indeed. The Portuguese are very proud of their language.
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).
I would have liked to have seen it on the bigger stage though. Is any microstate feeling like a rebellion? San Marino? 😛
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!
Owh wow. Very strong Festival da Canção Semi 1!! I didn’t expect that tonight! High quality stuff. Such a tough decision for Portugal!
Omg, Barbara is so cute.
EMA in Slovenia just recently finished, and… Slovenia’s participant is going to be Ana Soklic.
Welcome to my top 1, Ukraine!
Wonderful choice! #TeamSolovey !!
No way. Terrible choice.
Khayat better win <3 <3
I don’t speak Slovene… so could someone explain the joke behind the bleeding presenter?
That was a joke? :S
Any alternative link to watch EMA? Cause it is buffering as hell on my laptop. :'(
Works perfectly here. There’s also an RTVSLO app for smartphones and tablets.
It is OK now. 🙂
Off-topic: Do you think the coronavirus issues may affect Eurovision next May? Have you heard anything?
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.
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.
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.
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.
99 or Call For Love & Man Like U are my winners
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.
That’s a good thing though. They’ll get a good airing and won’t be forgotten by casuals when voting comes live.
you like ethnic songs yet generic english songs are like overall majority in here 🙁
#BringOwnLanguageRuleBack
Where did this come from?
22:48 CET is a very specific start time, Portugal!
I expect you to be punctual!
Portugal and punctuality …two Ps that dont know each other …
Until 01:01 CET
Hope I will see Throws+The Shine around 00:23 CET 😀
The voting starts at 23:45 CET
What’s happened to the UK. How close are we to the big reveal.
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.
Likewise for San Marino. Ireland has been teasing, although much of it has been coming from their creative director for this year.
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.
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!
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
I’m probably gonna watch Melodifestivalen but until then imma watch Vidbir
Please let Khayat win it’s the best one <3
Splish splash your opinion is trash