Spain’s Blas Cantó is calling — and he’s brought two songs with him.
After endless speculation over how Spain will choose Blas’s song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, the Spanish Broadcaster RTVE has today confirmed the rumours. There will be a song selection gala to pick Blas’s song. It’ll be 100% televote and it’s set for sometime in February.
?Los espectadores elegirán la canción de Blas Cantó (@BlasCanto) para Eurovisión 2021
? TVE emitirá una gala en directo, en febrero
?El artista interpretará dos canciones
?Voto único del público, online y telefónico#BlasIsBack | #Eurovisión
??https://t.co/jwRY1bZQ09— eurovision_rtve (@eurovision_tve) January 28, 2021
Spain’s Song Selection Gala
For those of you scratching your heads, yes: Spain does have a long record of using different methods for Eurovision. RTVE is set to deliver a song selection gala for Blas, just as it did for Pastora Soler (ESC 2012) and El Sueño de Morfeo (ESC 2013). However, this time the audience will have 100% of the vote and there will not be a jury.
RTVE said: “If we want the people to decide, they will really decide. There won’t be any juries.”
Blas Cantó is all in for this method as he wants to count on Eurofan voices. As Blas says: “I want everyone to come with me, hand in hand, and support each other as in Eurovision we all go together.”
Despite the rumours of four songs participating in this gala, RTVE has finally confirmed that Blas will only sing two. RTVE will make both songs available soon. They were shortlisted by a team at RTVE, Blas Canto’s record label, Blas’s team and Blas Cantó himself. This reduction from four to two songs comes after Manel Navarro (ESC 2017) claimed the team already has “the song” for Eurovision.
“We are going to present two songs that are absolutely different,” the singer says. “However, both are pieces that represent me on the stage and that I can defend perfectly.”
Blas has had time to prepare, after being the first confirmed artist to return to Eurovision in 2021. As Blas explains to RTVE, this process has been intense and focused on composing new songs. “We have not stopped. Since Eurovision 2020 ended, we have focused on recording new songs, and looking for sounds that won’t be reminiscent of ‘Universo’. I worked with lots of artists that have given me their point of view [on my songs]”.
Change of strategy
Spain can claim one of their longest — if not the longest — records of poor results in the history of the contest. Since Ruth Lorenzo’s “Dancing in the Rain” in 2014, Spain has not placed any higher than 21st place and has the unenviable streak of four-in-a-row in the bottom five. Bad results require new strategies.
And once more, Spain is all in for trying something new. This year the public has all the power. And the gala will occur outside of January for the first time since 2017, when Manel’s song was picked in February.
Choosing early or late seems to be a matter of interest in Spain. Following RTVE’s announcement today, Blas tweeted whether it is better to pick “sooner or later”. The exact date of the show is not yet decided.
Una pregunta..
— Blas Cantó ? (@BlasCanto) January 27, 2021
Are you excited about the song selection gala in Spain? What’s your preference for the date: early or late February? Let us know in the comment section below!
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I think that’s a good idea. Why add a third song he might not like much, if he already has two super strong songs that he loves? Two songs is not much, but at least the fans will get to have the final word. I’m excited to listen to these songs. After the “Universo” fiasco, I’m curious to see what Blas is bringing this time. Sure, “Universo” wasn’t the masterpiece, but I was a bit shocked about who badly received it was. I mean, it wasn’t that bad! A bit generic, sure, but it sounded (and looked) current, polished and… Read more »
I’m from Spain and the problem was that Universo is probably the blandest song that Blas has ever made. He really has potential Top 10 songs throughout his career, so it was very frustrating to see him choose Universo for ESC. Of course is a nice song but nowhere near what he can deliver…
I think it’s actually better to have a final with 2 good songs the artist is deeply invested in than adding fillers and risking the audience to make a choice the performer and/or the delegation will forever perceive as the wrong one. My only concern is that, since they’ll probably have an uptempo option and a ballad, there are always those people who will vote for the genre, even if the other song is better.
agree with everything you said!
We all know the uptempo song will win the wiwi poll with 70% no matter what xD
That’s true. 😛 I’m under the impression the Spanish fandom has passionate groups on both sides though. There are those who always want Spain to send bops, but also those that remember that their recent best results were with Pastora Soler and Ruth Lorenzo and their ballads.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap (well I’m an spaniard lol)
It will be an interesting case to see who among Eden, Blas, Ana Soklic and Hurricane will end-up with the best song this year. Last year, for me it was Eden, but this year, Set Me Free isn’t bad, but it’s not exactly a high bar to cross either.
I think they might decided for just one song…
I hope his song for 2021 will be in the style of his beautiful duet with Nia, “Cúrame”
2 songs??
Wow
We have lot of power to avoid a new Universo… Yep…
Mehh
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A gala with 2 songs….. why not but it will be very short…. good luck to Blas, I only hope for him and for us that the toxicity of the spanish eurofans will be down this year after 2020 where they were so contemptuous with Blas, and so bad during the Jesc and especially with Valentina.
And give us the songs and the date please.
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Eh.. organizing a national selection for 2 songs? Well, ok.
They will use the national selection as a little concert for him to sing with other spanish famous singers.
It will probably be one ballad and one up-tempo song… I see him doing a ballad better tho..
Not to sure how I feel about a 2 song selection show. Seems a bit half hearted. Who knows might be an exciting show if they are 2 really good songs. Bit on the fence.
I mean what’s the point of adding another 3 if they are significantly worse.
I agree, quality over quantity should always be priority at esc.