Russia is getting a national final for 2021. Russia’s broadcaster Channel One surprised many fans when they today announced the country’s first national final since 2012. In a press release sent out to Russian media, Channel One confirmed details about the brand new selection show that will be used to pick Russia’s act for Eurovision 2021.
At 20:00 Moscow Time on 8 March, the Russian broadcaster plans to hold a one-hour long television show to pick Russia’s entry. In a promo ad for the show, the broadcaster already suggested that there are more artists to pick from. Starring Little Big’s “Uno” music video dancer Dima Krasilov, the ad said: “On International Women’s Day, and on the first day of Maslenitsa, we will choose with the whole country who will go to Eurovision.”
?? This is the TV advert confirming that Russia's national selection for #Eurovision 2021 will air on March 8 at 20:00 Moscow time.
"On International Women's Day, on the first day of Maslenitsa, we are deciding with the whole country who is going to Eurovision." pic.twitter.com/XxnkzOJ3hZ
— wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs) March 1, 2021
In its press release, Channel One reaffirmed that it is not only a matter of picking a song. It’s also a matter of picking an artist. This likely means that the broadcaster did not internally select Little Big with a national final to just choose their entry.
However, despite the appearance of Little Big’s dancer in the promotional video, at this stage, the broadcaster has not confirmed which act or acts will compete in the national final. Channel One did not hold open submissions for the national final. The only other large Russian act that showed interest in the contest was rapper Morgenshtern.
As reported by press agency TASS, viewers alone will decide the result of the Russian national final.
Entertainment director Yuriy Aksyuta says it was all planned
Channel One’s entertainment director Yuriy Aksyuta said in the press release that it had all been a conscious decision made a long time ago. Aksyuta said:
“In past years, we usually resorted to [an internal selection]. But this year, we all wanted viewers to have the final say. Viewers will be presented with compositions that will meet the Eurovision requirements.”
Details about potential artists or songs still remain in vain. What is known is that Moldova’s Eurovision 2021 hopeful Natalia Gordienko is set to perform her entry “Sugar”. Her superstar producer Philipp Kirkorov will appear too. Next to that, Eurovision 2004 contestant Yulia Savicheva will appear to talk about her own experiences.
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With just 60 minutes to fill in a television schedule jam-packed with old Russian films to celebrate the holidays, one cannot imagine a large number of participants, suggesting the contest may only involve a small number of acts.
While many countries have chosen to forgo their usual national final and internally select their act for Eurovision 2021, Russia joins France in introducing a new national final for 2021.
What do you expect from Russia’s national final? Do you think Little Big will present a song? Do you plan to watch it? Let us know in the comments down below!
Read all our Russia Eurovision news here
Picture credit: Eurovision.tv
BREAKING News The Super edition has published a shortlist of possible applicants for participation from Russia in the international song contest “Eurovision”. It is known that the popular vote for the best candidate will be held on March 8. Last year’s Little Big is not expected to enter the competition. According to sources close to the artists, they simply did not have the right musical material to beat the success of the song Uno. As a result, the group #2Mashi, consisting of Maria Zaitseva and Maria Sheikh, the founder and frontman of Therr Maitz Anton Belyaev, the rapper Morgenstern, famous… Read more »
And imagine Sergey Lazarev coming and…. winning…
Weird decision really.. I think that they had nothing more to do than selecting little big again
What’s the song in the video where Dima Krasilov is dancing?
100% sure the winner is predetermined. It’s going to be an imitation of choice, as usual in our country.
Sadly, yes. At least this is the right direction with more power to the people. No matter if it’s a stunt or not.
Perhaps they weren’t allowed to choose Little Big as they publicly supported Navalny…
You’re right. It must be the case.
Since it’s Russia we are sure none of it will be rigged in any way. The illusion of choice at its best.
Interesting, let’s hope that this selection isn’t such a dud like Sweden’s.
Little Big family produces a lot of bands/musicians. Organite and the hatters are two of them. As far as I understand we will have 3-4 songs by the same people (basically Little Big), performed by different bands. Sorry for my English.
Very surprised to see Russia having a selection show. But really… An hour long show for artist and song selection? Can’t imagine how they will fit all that in with more than 2 artists.
Tacos, tacos, tacos, tacos, tacos, tacos, burrito, burrito…
I want Little Big. 😛
this is so random, why would they announce it at the last minute and why they wouldn’t give a second chance to Little Big considering they were one of the big favourites to win the contest and Uno went viral? So weird..
Also, how come the show will last only 1h including interval act?
Why they have not announced the artist(s) of the final yet?
They should have asked Little Big to perform around 3 songs and the public would have to select one.
Maybe that is the case, but I read an article on another site that speculated that Little Big might not be back after all. I mean, they have the most viewed Eurovision song video of all time, and Little Big might not be back for 2021? That doesn’t make sense to me. I pity whoever may have to succeed them if it’s true Little Big’s not back. I don’t know
I meam they already said that they have gotten all they needed from the contest, and whilst they would love to be back. They think its a good idea for a new face to go.
Little big would never win the contest. The public vote maybe but the juries would never give them enough points.
Omaga! Russia should choose their entries by national final every year. They had many great songs and artists in 2012 – Yulia Volkova & Dima Bilan, Timati, Babushki were great too. But after that they internally selected boring songs (mostly by Kirkorov) every year. Pity, but! Now, they can have finally great song by their most succesfull band in recent history (Little Big), which is loved by fans across the world, and they want to make national final. Their thinking is strange. Choose Little Big for 2021 and make national final since 2022 every year, it would be the best.
It would be great to imagine a Russian “San Remo”.
I hope Little Big, or even The Hatters are there 🙂
Funny – because the Press Release alludes that IT IS “Little Big”
The Eurovision official website alludes to the fact that IT IS “Little Big”!
“Russia makes a little (but big) announcement” that’s a very particular choice of words – and it’s not coincidental.
But hey – we shall see next Monday 🙂
It’s just been announced that Filip Kirkorov is performing in St. Pete in honor of Mar. 8th holiday on that day. So one of the shows has been pre-taped since he can’t be in Moscow and St. Pete on the same day.
It would be ideal if every country could have selections! I realise of course it probably is difficult but public and jury should be involved since it’s their country representative. If it flops it flops, if it succeeds it succeeds. At least the audience have something they can support. With internal selection you never know what the public will think about it..
Imagine if it’s all Little Big. But each song they pretend to be a different band ? But we’ll see! It’s such late notice for a national final though!
Imagine Piccolo Grandi taking part
Haha I actually thought of the possibility of it being sarcastical with only songs from little big in the end.
I wouldn’t put a past it that this could all be a prank that it’s little big all along and that they’re pretending to be different bands
I hope that at least Little Big will take part
With multiple guest acts and a 1 hour runtime, there is no way you could have more than 2 or 3 competitors.
*Technically*, you could squeeze about 6, if you really get to the point and get precise. Songs – 18 minutes, with 1 minute of announcements each = 24 minutes. Plus 15 minutes of voting during which there are two interval acts and a recap. 3 minutes of intro + 5 minutes of results announcement = 47 minutes overall. It can be done, but you’d need to ditch the draggy parts.
What about commercial breaks? Its gonna be 3 songs, all Little Big. My opinion. Look at the three Little Big dancer. Plus the time constraints, need time to vote, guest acts etc. There won’t be more than 3 songs for sure.
Oh, I expect only 2-3 acts too. I was just theoreticizing about possible options. Highly unlikely, tho. 😉
Who said that there will be a public vote? Who said that the show wasn’t prerecorded?
Imagine the contest at Tel Aviv if they cut some of the interval acts. Longest interval ever.
I’m very happy. Finally the Russians get to decide if they want to send a great song or literal clowns.
Finally – Russians get to experience democracy!
And they will respond with MORE BABUSHKAS BAKING COOKIES AND YOU WILLLL EAT THEM
I have nothing against babushkas.
It feels a bit last minute…. My guess is negotiations with Little Big failed, for some reason.
Or they can’t agree on one song. That’s what I think happened in Spain – Blas wanted “Voy a quedarme”, but RTVE wanted “Memoria”, so they had to do an NF.
I heard something on the ESCUnited boards that Little Big submitted 3 songs and the broadcaster did not like any of them
But if thats the case why on earth would little bigs dancer be in the advert . Plus Russia is notorious for being last minute anyway. Last year they gave little big 2 days notice that they were going to eurovision and to record the uno music video before they officially released their entry.
this is fantastic news, even tho it’s just one hour (i assume it’ll be 3 participants ?), i hope this national final sticks so russia can build its own eurovision music festival tradition too
They always produce a big national final for JESC every single year. But not for ESC since 2012.
One thing I love about the pre-selection season is constantly discovering new things. Just when I thought that I know how countries work, something like this happens and totally breaks the mold. An eleventh hour selection on Monday night with no contestants, songs or even number of participants revealed. Intriguing ! Of course that hope that Little Big are in the mix. They are just amazing. But in any case, showcasing some of the rich and diverse Russian musical scene can be only for the better. Can’t wait! 🙂
It’s gonna be so much fun to see both Little Big and Morgenshtern at NS. It’s almost similar to KEIINO-TIX case–a prominent band popular with both natinal and European audiences and underappreciated by “musical professionals” vs. totally non-ESC style artist who is at the rage with Russian teenagers and rightfully critisized by adults.
Little Big are known to people outside of Eurovision. They are giving concerts out of Russia all the time. They are like Hooverphonic for example. People know their songs.
If you ask a non-eurovision bubble fan who are the KEIINO they will not know.
Also TIX is not among the non-esc style artists. His song totally meets the ESC standards, but it is just dated.
Mahmood was for example a non-esc style artist, the juries have chosen him to represent Italy but then the audiences loved his song.
Thanks, mate. Find your critique pretty legit.
Probably one of the better news, It was so much a shame when a giant country like Russia with one oh the biggest musical culture and diversity in the world made an internal selection when some little countries (I talk about the population size) like Sweden, Portugal, Albania, Norway, Croatia choose to…
Strangely since the last russian national final was in 2012, between 2013 and 2019, Russia tried to won the contest in vain with the more americanized-generic-cheesy-english songs every years very far from the russian radio-friendly songs taste of the population.
Yet those songs did really well, with 2018 being the only exception. Strange huh?
Which one had won ? Plus they were all in english. Yes Dima Bilan won in 2008 the contest with english song BECAUSE the national final. But is it really normal who Russia choose only two differents artists between 2016 and 2019 ? 146 million people lives in Russia, its not Monaco or San Marino. 1994 -) National final -) finished 9th (not bad for a beginning and would have done better if the scandinavian juries had not snubbed this song). 2008 -) National final -) Winning song (even if it wasnt in russian). 2009 -) National final -) finished… Read more »
Sorry, but your arguments do not convince me at all. Russia has done great since 2012 with internally selected songs, always (except 2018) finishing in the top 7.
The national final may involve more of Russia’s population at home, but it’s the foreign viewers who cast their votes at Eurovision and it’s the performance that matters to them, not the form of the selection.
I am not saying they won, I am saying they did really well which they did. Despite you wanting it to sound authentic Russian or whatever, those generic Americanized? songs got either 3rd or second place. Whether or nor Russians prefer Russian is not important since Russians can’t vote for Russia in ESC
Do you really have no idea how many people speak or understand russian language in Europe ? (Much more than italian, serbian, albanian or portuguese)
Do you know before 1989 what was the first language to be taught in all the schools of the communist countries in Europe ?
And btw Russia finished 3th in 2003 with a russian song and 2th in 2012 with an english/udmurtian song (4 years before Jamala’s ukrainian victory).
So? Do you know how many people speak or understand English in Europe? Many more than those who understand Russian. Do you know which foreign language is the first one Europeans learn? Its not Russian
That Russian entry in 2003 only got 3rd because they already had an English hit across Europe, not because of language. Russsia will send songs in English because thats what gave them sucess. Their purpose is not to please your sudden wish to hear Russian on stage..
“So? Do you know how many people speak or understand English in Europe? ”
Of course and that explain in your opinion why so many english songs ended up in last place in 1974, 1976, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 ?
All very strange (and exciting!)
Usually I’d scream YES.. but not this year.. Little Big deserve to go again 🙁 It’s unfair not to choose them
“As reported by press agency TASS, viewers alone will decide the result of the Russian national final.”
so, LITTLE BIG is definitely going to present Russia this year!
But is it already confirmed that “Little Big” will take part at this national final??
They have not been confirmed yet. Also their member died recently so they might drop out.
wait what? which one?
Anna Kast, founding member who was with them for a short period – that was pre-Sonya.
A former member Anna Kast (39yo) was find death in his apartment in S Petersburg, yesterday.
Wait what? Is this true? I’m so sorry for them.
Their EX-member, please don’t scare people. Anna (who passed away) was part of the band till 2016.
OK I just did research. It’s not one of their current members, but it was somebody who was an important founder of the group. RIP for Anna Kast
If morgenshtern is competing I wouldnt be sure of that. He could 100% be memed into being selected. Literally everything he releases goes to number 1 in russia and ukraine
I think everything will be like a Little Big show…
Oh wow this is something!
I hope Zivert is in the line-up
Or maybe Lesha Svik
If little big is competing they basically can’t lose unless a jury drags them down.
There seems no jury in this selection according to the report. Viewers alone will decide the result of the Russian national final.