After two top-five finishes in the past two editions of Eurovision, Switzerland is sticking with its successful song selection formula. German-Swiss broadcaster SRF has released details of its internal selection process for Eurovision 2022, confirming that they will again use a 100-person panel to help select their song for Italy.
SRF announced details of its internal selection process for 2022. The entry period will open on 1 September which give interested creatives just over two weeks to get their entry in, before closing on 15 September.
Switzerland will again use a 100-person panel to help select its entry. The panel was selected earlier in the year in conjunction with regular partner Digame. The panel has been specially selected to represent the tastes of a typical Eurovision viewer, rather than Eurovision fans.
During the selection process, the songs will also be assessed by a 20-person international expert jury. In recent years, the jury has included former Eurovision acts such as Ruth Lorenzo and Tinkara Kovač, as well as names outside the Eurovision bubble.
The final decision of Switzerland’s song for Eurovision 2022 will be decided in a 50/50 vote by the audience panel and expert jury.
Looking for songs that ‘trigger an emotional response’
SRF has also published terms and conditions of entry, with details of the song selection. The broadcaster says they are looking for a “contemporary, striking song” and that “the lyrics should have a strong, clear and understandable message.”
The broadcaster is also urging songwriters to not hold back with the themes of their songs. In one section, the rules advise that:
“One of the purposes of the Eurovision Song Contest is to arouse the feelings of the viewers and jury members by addressing certain topics. We therefore encourage composers and lyricists to submit songs that address topical issues or which trigger an emotional reaction or recognition among ESC viewers with their content.”
This could be seen as a reference to the success of Gjon’s Tears’ emotional song “Tout l’univers”. The French lyrics and emotional interpretation took the listener on an emotional journey and won over both juries and televoters in Rotterdam.
The rules don’t say when the successful act will be announced but notes that applicants will know by the end of 2021 if their song has been successful. The rules also require the successful acts to be available for rehearsals from January 2022 onwards.
The contest is open to entrants of any nationality, however in the case of a tiebreak, priority will be given to Swiss acts.
Switzerland’s internal selection process
Switzerland switched to an internal selection process in 2019. Prior to that, the four Swiss broadcasters used a variety of national final formats with little success. From 2007 to 2018, Switzerland managed to only qualify for the grand final twice, one time finishing dead last.
In 2019, the broadcasters switched their selection method and went internal. They introduced the demographically selected audience panel and focused on selecting the best song for the competition, rather than the artist alone.
The new system has worked exceptionally well for Switzerland. In 2019, Luca Hänni finished fourth in the Eurovision grand final with “She Got Me”. Earlier this year. Gjon’s Tears did one better, finishing third with his song “Tout l’univers”. Switzerland may be hoping they can do even better in 2022.
What do you think? Who would you like to see represent Switzerland at Eurovision 2022? What sort of song should they take to Italy? Sound off in the comments section below.
77 Bombay Street are now in the middle of releasing the songs from their new album which comes out in October, so I really hope they’ll send one of the remaining songs to the preselection.
My other wish is the yodeller Miss Helvetia (Barbara Klossner) with a song that would feature Swiss accordion, similar to her banger “Angeli im Schnee”. That woman is such a charismatic performer!
I would like Gjon’s Tears to represent Switzerland in Eurovision 2022.
why? it’s someone elses turn…
It would be a serve if they send a song in Italian
In a Ticinese Lombard dialect! Imagine how cool it would be if Italy also invites Davide van de Sfroos who also sings in Lombard as an interval act! But the only Swiss artist I know to sing in that language is the band Vad Vuc. They are not planning to release anything new soon, so that’s unlikely going to happen in 2022. Otherwise, that would be awesome cause their music has a similar style to JaJa Ding Dong.
It would be great for Switzerland to send an Italian song in…ITALY in 2022! So that 2 (or may be 3 with San Marino) Italian entries will be represented in the contest like in…1991 when Sandra Simó sang ‘Canzone per te” in Rome after Toto Cutugno’s victory in 1990…?
I would have a lot to say if I’m starting this topic but… let’s go. I should be one of the only one who prefer the old system… I miss those days when Swiss selection was fair. I know, music industry is a cruel world but please don’t say it’s impossible to come back to these lovely days. There was a time when all the songs were published online and everybody can vote for their favorite act. But, apparently, some chosen singers were not what the executive producer of “Die Entscheidungshow” wanted –‘ He’s trendy, charismatic, influent but started to… Read more »
Damn, it was a lot of text but I read it all and can’t help but agree (it doesn’t sound crazy) and recall this happening in reality shows in my country. Although, the upside has come off pretty well and I’d understand if they stick around with the format for a long term.
Wow! That’s quite a reach! Thank you for sharing this! I supposed there was smth wrong when there were rumours that famous Swiss band Eluveitie was sending their song Ambiramus to the 2019’s preselection, but She Got Me got chosen in the end….
After so many years of struggle, I am so happy to see Switzerland finally doing well at the contest. As much as I am more in favor of a first time winner, I would be very happy to see Switzerland win again because it’s been long overdue. I am amazed how they turn themselves around in such a short period of time. Before Switzerland was constantly left behind in the semi-finals, now they have achieved two top five positions in a row, imagine how much further they could go if they keep doing what they’re doing. We might see a… Read more »
They got it completely right! BBC, ARD, TVE, take notes. (It all will depend of the actual songs that come up, of course…)
I wouldn’t have expected myself to say this, but I feel the most hopeful for TVE xD
Looking for something emotional / which will cause emotion. Hmmm….this smells a ballad in the making, right?
Not necessarily, no. An upbeat happy song can cause emotion since happiness is an emotion. Dance song too. Rock songs too can provoke emotion. Any genre can provoke emotion, depends on what emotion they want you to feel..
Sooooo… music *is* feeling after all…
music can be feelings and fireworks
Music can have fireworks, but without feeling (or triggering any kind of emotions) it’s just an empty show.
Sebalter comeback but with italian language entry, would be nice contrast from his first effort as well
I liked Hunter of stars but i also like his work in italian a lot
Music in general (and not only ballads) can steer many different kinds of emotion and when it does it fulfills its objective. But even if it is to be a ballad? So what? Better a good ballad, than a bad upbeat song.
Yep, it does not have to be a ballad. We see what happens 🙂
I am so glad that some broadcasters like France, the Netherlands and Switzerland have changed their selection process and treat it more serious now which brought immediate and very satisfactory results, placing those countries in TOP10! This is what another countries should notice and take example from! Especially bigger countries who have really big music industry, lot of talented artists and composers. Yes my dear UK, Spain and Poland, I am talking about you:) You know what to do! Instead of claiming that Europe doesn’t like you and doesn’t understand your musical taste, take the contest seriously, choose the best… Read more »
I hope for another great song for Switzerland next year
Oh, so we’ll most probably have a German-Swiss representative for the land of Emmental and Milka! I’m not sure if this will help, although Luca was German-Swiss as well!
Milka is not swiss at all …lol
Toblerone would be a better example for chocolate in my opinion.
Or just Nestle.
It seems that Switzerland found itself a winning formula. They got it completely right. BBC, ARD, TVE: take some notes!
I’ve certainly noticed in the past few years a trend of countries that previously struggled at Eurovision all of a sudden becoming powerhouses. First it was the Netherlands, then it was Bulgaria, and now it’s Switzerland. It makes me wonder who will be next.
I would say Czech republic? Their 2021 entry was actually quite good, but in the performance something was just missing, energy, probably.
They DEFINITELY it better since their attempts between 2007-2009 (two last places and one second-to-last)
Poland:)
They have potential and many good artists… it comes down to TVP
There are no indications whatsoever that TVP are changing their approach to Eurovision though
Belgium also became a powerhouse (at least in my view), Cyprus as well! a lot of countries have potential to do just that tho: Romania, Lithuania, Finland, Spain, France, Poland, etc… it’s just up to the national broadcaster.
It’s probably too early to tell, but I’d like to see Lithuania take a crack at reaching the top five next year or within a few years. I believe they would’ve hit top five for sure in 2020, and It did manage to get a respectable top 10 place, so if they have a really great national finals next year, who knows? Maybe the Baltic region will finally be complete
Finland 😉
I dare to say that you’re sleeping on Finland, they’ve had two great editions of UMK lately and they look like they’re gaining momentum
Romania
So how come the same process doesn’t work for Germany?
It would have worked in 2020. no idea how any jury could have possibly picked Jendrik, though
exactly Ben’s song was top 10 potential, Jendrik was a clear-cut bottom 3 haha…
Maybe the answer is in “The panel has been specially selected to represent the tastes of a typical Eurovision viewer, rather than Eurovision fans”? I’m not affirming anything, I don’t know who’s part of the German panel, it’s an honest question. In any case, their last pick was something that didn’t appeal to the Eurovision casual viewer or the hardcore fans, so they need to tune in their process.
The dutch broadcaster does the same stating they are preferably looking for ‘a song with an emotional story behind it’. I feel like there’s a lot of good songs you potentially overlook when you work like that though.
Switzerland has been really shows us how to play in the last three years, even though they choose songs not so original based on previous year’s top 3:
Cyprus 2018 (2nd place) -> Switzerland 2019
The Netherlands 2019 (1st place) -> Switzerland 2020 and 2021
I’d say ‘can we please stop saying that songs in the same genre are copies of each other’ but knowing this fandom it would fall on deaf ears
Exactly! I worry that we won’t get any rock songs in coming years because people will just call them Maneskin wannabes
Répondez-moi has zero similarity to Arcade, and Tout l’univers is much more impactful in my opinion. There were many piano ESC songs before Duncan and will be many more after him (hopefully!) 🙂
genuinely so excited for Switzerland. from 2018 onwards they really have become a powerhouse (even though they didnt qualify in 2018, but the song was amazing)
I believe Switzerland always put effort in their entries… Well, at least since 2013. It seems that their work pays off only now, even though 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 were super underrated.
Stones was definitely one of Switzerland’s stronger entries But I think it just had the misfortune of being in one of the toughest semi finals in Eurovision history. If Switzerland had been in semifinal two in 2018, they would’ve qualified.