Since last Friday, Spanish fans have been voting daily for their Eurovision 2020 winner in RTVE’s Eurovision 2020 Online Festival. After deciding their semi-finals qualifiers and giving folks three days to vote in the Grand Final, we finally have a winner. And to everyone’s surprise, it’s Spain’s Blas Cantó!
? ¡España gana #EurovisiónFesitvalOnline!@BlasCanto hace soñar a los fans con "Universo" y le dan la victoria en el concurso de la web de @RTVE#BlasGanador | #Eurovisión2020 |
Mira la clasificación completa:https://t.co/wpCZkUrSUs
— eurovision_rtve (@eurovision_tve) March 30, 2020
With nearly 7,600 votes — that’s about 5400 more than the runner-up — Spain’s act has conquered Spain’s Online Festival with 34% of the total vote. These results prove that Spanish fans have come together in backing their representative and his song “Universo”.
Spain’s song “Universo” was meant to mark the country’s 60th participation in the contest. With a ballad serving emotion and truth – according to RTVE – Blas wanted to explore new sounds while keeping his essence. Blas has been one of Spain’s most popular pop singers since bursting onto the scene a decade ago. His song revealed an inner battle that he – and many of his listeners – face as they try to live authentic lives. Despite not being able to perform this year due to Eurovision 2020 cancellation, Blas has already accepted RTVE’s offer to represent Spain in 2021.
Grand Final results
A total of 22,218 votes have decided the winner of this year’s special online festival. Greece secured an unexpected second place with 2,100 votes, despite sitting 18th in the odds (as in March 13th) and qualified from their second semi-final in 7th place with 6% of the total online voting.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Lithuania, Russia and Bulgaria. As seen from the odds when they were last available, all countries sit solidly in the top 5. However, Iceland who sat 2nd in the odds, placed 6th in the online festival. And Switzerland, who completed the bookies’ Top 5, placed 8th.
Full results are as follow:
- Spain – 7599 votes
- Greece – 2177 votes
- Lithuania – 1617 votes
- Russia – 1452 votes
- Bulgaria – 1086 votes
- Iceland – 1038 votes
- Romania – 820 votes
- Switzerland – 618 votes
- Italy – 603 votes
- Azerbaijan – 589 votes
- Sweden – 508 votes
- Malta – 471 votes
- Austria – 435 votes
- Norway – 398 votes
- Israel – 372 votes
- Germany – 364 votes
- France – 312 votes
- Albania – 297 votes
- Armenia – 280 votes
- Belgium – 215 votes
- Serbia – 207 votes
- San Marino – 198 votes
- Latvia – 166 votes
- Ireland – 156 votes
- The Netherlands – 145 votes
- United Kingdom – 95 votes
Bringing up the rear were San Marino, Latvia, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Many might be wondering what happened to Ireland and San Marino, following their decent showing in the semi-finals.
Inconsistencies explained
Interestingly, both Ireland and San Marino did great in their respective semi-finals, placing 4th and 3rd respectively. However, the opposite can be told in the Grand Final where both countries sank to the bottom 5.
Perhaps fans changed their opinion over the weekend. But perhaps the biggest difference is that fans could vote for their own country in the final. It is a fact that many votes for other countries in the semis have flowed to Spain. Also: during the same semi-finals, Spanish online voters could see countries’ ranking while voting. Perhaps knowing who wasn’t going to qualify impacted their decision-making.
On another note, Greece reported the opposite effect — moving from 7th in their semi-final to a solid second place in the Grand Final. Spanish fans might have again changed their opinion over this weekend, or as reported on social media, the presence of international fans could have made all the difference. They were allowed to vote in the final.
Inconsistencies aside, it is also worth mentioning that double the votes were cast over the sum of total votes from both semi-finals. And opinions might have certainty changed. Of course, only about 22,210 votes were cast so this may not be that representative, but it’s better than nothing!
Meme compilation
As ever, social media has spoken in its ever-artistic language. Here’s the ultimate meme guide.
— ? ? ? (@plabete) March 30, 2020
— Ron (@Ronkesc) March 30, 2020
— That's so Chris? (@SeverusHorcrux) March 30, 2020
— Chueca FM (@chuecaFMoficial) March 30, 2020
Me gusta reir pic.twitter.com/UpF2li5fiU
— Jérémy (@JirryESC) March 30, 2020
What you think about RTVE’s Eurovision 2020 Online Festival? Do you agree on the winner? Who would you have voted? Let us know in the comment section below!
Nobody in the country knew about this, except the fans club of Blas Cantó. Greece 2nd? loool
Malta finished 12th?
Oh yeah, Greece 2nd… so realistic.
Of course he was goings to win since all votes are from Spaniards and there are many people who don’t even keep the other entries into account and just vote away simply because it’s their country. They didn’t vote objectively. I think they shouldn’t have been able to vote for their own country in the first place, so I reckon the real winner of this poll is the runner-up.
We lost Madrid 2021………
??? there was never gonna be a madrid 2021
Well in these sad times everyone can dream
That’s not fair. That poll was literally set up for the UK to fail and Spain to win it’s own poll. Not happy.??
LOL What a travesty!
Lmao
UK last and Spain first? U must kidding me
So ridiculous!
here are the results from the Spanish jury:
Spain.. One point
Spain: two points
Spain: three points..
four pts go to…… Spain….
And so on….
makes ever stronger the arguments for juries..and not voting for your own country!
Classic Spain!
So no other country would do the same?? LOL
At least that was for fun, harmlesss… worse is in the real festival
Sweden did the same I think
So the winner is Greece?
Greeks also voted for themselves. Greece was just 7th in its SF where only locals voted..
And this is why you can’t vote for your own country at Eurovision!
Congratulations Spain!
my top 5 (in real ESC):
1. Switzerland
2. Lithuania
3. Russia
4. Iceland
5. Bulgaria
We all know this song would be bottom 5 in real eurovision….so better get real.
While Spain winning in Spain is ridiculous, Greece defeating the other favourites by at least 560 votes is another joke. With that said, the rest of the table seems to be a legitimate result. Taking away the top 2, I would assume that Lithuania is the real winner.
What a bizarre and pointless vanity project
of course
Gotta love the spanish fans!
Well, I didn’t expect that! :/ In the real contest it would have been bottom 5.
Also, TWELVE POINTS FROM SPAIN GO TO… SPAIN
HAha
You should cover the Radio Times Eurovision competition, since it isn’t, y’know, as biased. Basically the same concept, except that the semifinal voting was done in groups. The voting is already over as of yesterday, not sure when they’ll reveal the winner. I think it’s gonna be Bulgaria though, that’s who I voted for 🙂
jajajaja
Wow… that’s just ridiculous. I guess the song Spanish eurofans really apprciate is the one of Greece ? Stefania is your real winner guys.
well, not
What a joke…..
Did RTVE honestly think the results would be legit?
Shocking if they did.
I don’t understand why they had Spain to be voted lol Pointless. We don’t even really like Universo xd
– That said, Spanish televote was going to give 12 to Bulgaria and 10 to Romania this year.
– Follow them: Russia, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania and Switzerland.
– And probably Sweden and Germany would have gotten some point as well.
Spanish televoting was going 12 p to Greece 100%, from Spain
What a surprise!
its like a joke
Spain wins in Spain? I never would have guessed! /s
I mean, this would happen in every country so nothing much to report. What’s interesting is to see how other countries would have potentially fared in Spain’s vote.
um… wasn’t the point of this thing rtve was doing to see who spain would’ve voted for at the eurovision? they should’ve taken themselves out lmao
I knew it hahahahahhhahaha, I KNEW IT. Such a objective people. xD
Well, congratulation Spain and Blas. Well deserved. :’)
Spain wins vote by Spanish fans… go figure.
xD
Impartial voting anyone? lol
xD
¡Qué sorpresa!
I am ready for the Wiwi jury – any idea when it might start?
Yes me too. It should still go ahead hopefully.
Very disappointed by the UK placing last. It isnt brilliant but come on…..last.
That song wouldn’t even go to final.
I’m Spanish and I’m completely dissapointed by this. I don’t know why Spanish eurofans vote for themselves, whats the point of being so blind. Blas song was never going to be near the top 15
What a shocker!!!
Patriots