Germany’s broadcaster NDR has revealed who will represent Germany at Eurovision 2020. Ben Dolic will sing “Violent Thing” at the contest in Rotterdam.
The announcement was made ahead of Unser Lied für Rotterdam. The show – recorded this afternoon – will be broadcast tonight on ARD TV station ONE. Barbara Schöneberger returns to host.
Ben Dolic will represent Germany at Eurovision 2020
Ben Dolic grew up in Slovenia. At age 12 he reached the semi-final of Slovenia’s Got Talent. Throughout his years in high school, Dolic became part of the group D Base. They went on to take part in Slovenia’s EMA in 2016, but were eliminated.
Ben Dolic rose to fame in Germany on the The Voice back in 2018.
At his blind audition, he performed a cover of Ariana Grande’s “No Tears Left To Cry”. In the end he came second, behind winner Samuel Rösch. Afterwards, he performed across Germany and Austria as part of The Voice live tour.
Most recently, Ben released music under a project called Usually Quiet, which embraces electronic elements.
Ben Dolic – Violent Thing (Official Video)
The song entitled “Violent Thing,” with which Ben Dolic is competing in Rotterdam, was written by Austrian-Bulgarian producer and songwriter Boris Milanov and his team. Milanov was born in Sofia in 1983. He is the founder of the international music label Symphonix, with which he mainly promotes young and up-and-coming talents.
In the past four years, his compositions have always been among the Top 7 in the European Song Contest, three were among the Top 4: Kristian Kostov won second prize for Bulgaria in 2017 for “Beautiful Mess,” Cesár Sampson won third prize for Austria in 2018 for “Nobody But You” and Poli Genova won fourth prize for Bulgaria in 2016 with “If Love Was a Crime.” The artists’ songs and albums were produced by Symphonix.
The staging for Ben Dolic’s appearance in the ESC finale in Rotterdam is currently being prepared by American choreographer Marty Kudelka, who has already been awarded the MTV Video Music Award twice for his dance shows for Justin Timberlake. Kudelka also developed the singer’s choreography for three world tours and for the halftime show at the Super Bowl in 2018.
Germany at Eurovision 2020
This year NDR ditched the national final format used in the past two years. Instead, they internally selected Dolic and his song.
The selection process itself was barely touched. Following several months of narrowing down the shortlist, the act was ultimately picked in December.
Along with the announcement, NDR’s Head of Entertainment Thomas Schreiber explained what led to this decision.
First Schreiber says it has caused difficulties preparing staging. Second he suggests there are differences between the age of people who watch Eurovision and the people who watch Das Erste, the German TV station where the national final is broadcast.
The format change comes after poor results for Germany in recent years. Germany did place fourth in Lisbon in 2018. But it also often found itself in the bottom of the table, as in 2019, 2017, 2016 and 2015.
Most recently, S!sters finished second-to-last in the Tel Aviv grand final with their song “Sister”.
What do you think of the Germany’s entry? Do you think they can reach the left hand side of the scoreboard in Rotterdam? Let us know in the comments below!
[…] from the broadcaster and countless voting rounds behind-the-scenes, Germany finally revealed its act for Rotterdam and Eurovision 2020. Since then Ben Dolic hasn’t only convinced fans with his studio version of “Violent […]
Such a bop! My favourite so far.
Btw I’m not getting the hype around Lithuania.
Reading the comments here from ESC ‘fans’ makes me laugh! This song is ‘generic’ or like Sweden 2018 – as if! This is by far the best entry picked so far and has the potential to be a hit well after the contest ends! This is catchy, fun and fresh and will no doubt get a good result! I absolutely love it! Lena won in 2010 with one of the most catchiest Eurovision songs ever so let’s hope history repeats itself in 2020! So far, for me, Germany, Italy and Australia are the ones to beat.
I genuinely do feel like too many ESC fans this year are being very dismissive and unappreciative of the songs in general. If this was a song released by Calvin Harris/ Dua Lipa/ Sam Smith or Bieber, it would chart very well, but people seem to be finding fault in it left right and center. It would make a decent pop chart song in its own right, and in Eurovision terms, its crisp production, modern sound, unique vocals, catchy versus/ chorus and rhythm makes it an absolute gem that definitely stands out. It actually has peaks to it and seems… Read more »
Ben is great, the song is great and it should do very well in the competition, but you need your ears cleaning out to declare this the winner, especially so early on. And your choice of negative words to describe the other 4 of the big 5 songs is so ridiculous and over the top. ‘Pure horror’, ‘awful, dreafdul, miserable, ugly’ oh purleeeeeeez, give it up with your pathetic and unnecessarily negative words.
Italia 9/10
Lituania 8/10
Eslovenia 8/10
España 7/10
Ucrania 7/10
Noruega 7/10
República Checa 6/10
Reino Unido 6/10
Bélgica 5/10
Letonia 5/10
Albania 3/10
Australia 3/10
Alemania 2/10
Francia 1/10
Armenia 1/10
Polonia 0/10
Wow ! Just came across this years German entry today and I love it !! Catchy, upbeat, a definite crowd pleaser. Ben Dolic’s video is great. This just needs good staging on the night. I really hope it gets top 3 .
I’m not hearing Benjamin Ingrosso in the voice. I am getting a bit of Mario Jefferson (from a previous Spanish NF) though.
Now we know who Slovenia will give 12 points too:)
Good modern sound, catchy song, cool voice. And great beat. Second best so far after Roop. But while I really like it I do still think it’s bit to much “car radio” over it. It¨s good when listen to but feels underwhelming. I hope the revamp will improve it. And I also can’t help to think that it¨s one of those that fans will love but audience not so much.
Hope I am wrong though cause it’s really good!
the first great song of the season with potential to win
So proud to be German. I’ve even heard he’s Maraaya’s product. Soo good
Thank god Ingrosso is back, baby!
I like Ben and his voice better than the song. It hasn’t hooked me yet. He reminds me of my own voice at age 18/19, which I was told at the time “wouldn’t sell for a male voice”. Ah, the early beginnings of the Mask were forged right there. I am very happy that Ben can use his high range openly, and I wish him all the best.
Well, there are people who have (un-)naturally high voices (like Loic Nottet, Belgium 2015, for example), and then there are people who have to use sophisticated techinque to overcome the natural “weight” of their voices and sing that high (e.g. Albania’s Eugent Bushpepa from 2018). Notice how the latter type of singers tend to be much older than the former – because mastering these techniques takes a lot of time. In contrast, eople who rely on their naturally high voice usually have a better shot at doing so during their teens than later in life. While Eurovision has always been… Read more »
3 words
THIS
IS
GOLD
I absolutely in love ????????????? my winner so far!
My honest opinion is that the Big 5 have really good songs this year. Possibly even better than most semifinalists, besides Norway and Albania. I’m still waiting on the Netherlands for their song. 2020 is strong for the Big 5.
France, though…
Doesn’t do anything for me, sorry. The big 5 is unfortunately weaker this year for my taste. Butt glad for Germany that it found so many fans this year.
If they can get staging and vocals down this will go far.
Thank god not another power ballad (Screaming and squeeking women)
So generic. next
Not the best Milanov song, but it’s nice and catchy. Not a winner, but a nice song.
The most important is that it’s better than Sisters. That’s a step forward for Germany.
I like it, it has a very nice beat and a sleek production. Although, I can’t help but think that my impression of this song, upon third listening, is that Alec Benjamin was given a Benjamin Ingrosso song.
Edit: Alec Benjamin and Ben Dolic nearly has the same vocal pitch, look it up.
It’s a nice and rather enjoyable song and most likely will come across quite well in the actual contest. I was not very convinced with Ben’s voice at first, but just heard a live acoustic rendition of the song and he sounds fine, although I’m not the biggest fan of his higher registry. Interestingly, I still prefer national finals than internal selections this year.
I don’t mind Symphonix that much, because I enjoy most of their songs, as opposed to G:sson, but you’re absolutely right on your point. All these composers, producers, choreographers that are heavily involved with Eurovision are spreading like a disease every year. There were always people like Ralph Siegel, that had an obsession with Eurovision, but the whole situation is becoming a joke in the last few years and definitely having an impact in the lack of originality and diversity that we so much need in Eurovision.
nice quality voice but the song (the music you know!) do not deliver what really matters!
so – no danger for the fire. 🙂
This will never end up in the bottom 5, even if its bad live.
After listening to it again, I still don’t like his voice. It reminds me of the boy representing Ireland 2017. He better nail it live or it will be a trainwreck with those falsettos.
We finally got a bop! Was about time. Now waiting for bops from Greece and Azerbaijan too.
Will Cyprus be a bop? Does anyone know? Probably not coz the theme will be a dark story they say.
I hope Greece wont dissapoint… We need an ethnic uptempo in the contest
sandro had already said his song was like Shawn Mendes, so probably not uptempo
My new #1.
Milanov, u did great!
Ok, Germany. You have my attention!
If you’re scrapping a NF and making everyone wait for your internal selection, at least make the wait worth it. You kinda did!
This type of song needs a great live vocal. It could be a massive letdown, it could also be massive. But well done Germany for giving us something we weren’t expecting.
We just saw him performing this song live in TV – it was very good
It was an acoustic version though. Tamta sounded great on the acoustic version too last year, its a different thing than doing the normal version.
I gotta say though, he sounds awesome on it!
What a ride of a song!! And I usually tend to be pretty suspicious towards the ‘banger’ songs, especially at Eurovision. The detail that really sold it to me is the very interesting contrast between the intro and the rest of the song. A great “mix and match” situation. Ben’s voice and singing give me Michael Jackson/Prince vibe which I really like a lot. All in all, I’m waiting to see how it will all look on stage, so far it’s one of the favourites. PROS A good match between the music and the artist/voice. Very atmospheric while up-tempo .… Read more »
The chorus is a letdown. Like a Swedish song.
And isnt he very cute too???
He’s not, but each to their own 😛
To all comparing this with Benjamin Ingrosso, please stop. He was a cringy guy full of himself, singing about himself. This is a super cute guy singing about love. Come on, eurofans. No relation or whatever. This is more like a Czechia 2018 than Sweden 2018.
Music/vibe wise is more Sweden 2018 than Czechia 2018 but I do agree Ben is more likeable ala Mikolas and not ala Ingrosso.
Hopefully staging will not ruin his likeable side.
Interesting how German people loved Czechia in 2018 (3rd) and didn’t care at all about Sweden (21st)
Their juries did the opposite lol
The attitude in Benjamins entry was “Oh, let me show you my sexy moves”, that would go well with good looks, like Justin Bieber from 3 years ago (not Justin from now, nobody wants that look). But Benjamin actually not that good looking, he’s an average guy, so the whole “super sexy” attitude didn’t fit him at all.
I’m not a fan of his voice but the song is quality material. A current song from year 2020 is always welcomed in Eurovision. Looking at the composer and the staging designer, I can say this is the real dream team. Expecting great things from Germany this year.
Dear Symphonix, please let us know for which countries you are going to write the songs for ESC 2021. Has my country booked you for the next years 😉
Ben Dolic certainly can sing and Symphonix/Boris Milanov knows how to write ESC songs, this is a save bop. Has a good groove. text: love at first sight with happy end (mehh).
And I am with Tibor. I want diversity at Eurovision. The more diversity the more all artists can learn from each and enrich each other and new things can happen.
For me, the best song of the year so far. Good work Germany!
I like it. Feels current but still with a vintage edge, a bit like Sweden’s 2018 entry. Definetly one of Germany’s best entries in the past decade
Nah, too generic, a bit bland, too artificial, not for me, sorry
this is the song going up with the bookies???? BYE.
Bye Jo! Hahaha
It’s a good, solid entry and together with Italy certainly better than the other big 5, but to call it a winner is a bit premature I think. I like a good bop, but this is a tad too generic for my liking. Maybe the live performance will change my mind. But nevertheless, good job Germany!
Good choice, in my current top 5
He sounds a bit like Alvin the chipmunk, this is all a bit to teeny Boppy for me but probably wont do him any harm in the contest.
Woah, a quality entry from Germany? What the actual f***?!
Not that I think it’s winner material by any stretch of the imagination, but with some luck this might land a top 10 placing.
Sounds awful in my Maltese ears , uk just much classy
Whoa, Germany’s got a bop
It’s by far the best song in the Big Five and the best song Germany has sent probably since Satellite. However, my one concern is that it reminds me of Benjamin Ingrosso, who did poorly with televoters, and I worry that this might suffer the same fate and also flop in the televote. I hope not because this is such a good-quality song that deserves a good result with both jury and televote.
I think that it was bec it’s sweden and I think our song this year as a better beat and stronger on – sounds like dua lipas Songs imo
I feel the same. Televote is my concern. It is so jury bait.
They need to keep staging simple and show Ben’s likeabilty to reach televoting.
Dont compare this with Benjamin. He was a cringy guy full of himself, singing about himself. This is a super cute guy singing about love. Come on, eurofans
Ooooh Germany Thats a bop. Ingrosso vibes but make it better. In my top3! I still am rooting for Sweden if bulletproof wins. Btw the song is 3.15, im curious about which part theyll cut
I’m sorry for saying this but this song is not good enough to win. It’s not bad either. It’s just … okay in my opinion. The song is not my taste but I can arrange myself with it as a german. It’s not embarrassing and that is all I was hoping for.