You’ll be hearing an awful lot about Benidorm in the coming months — and most surprisingly, holidaying Brits will have little to do with it. Spain’s renewed selection method has already attracted attention from established acts — and it doesn’t even have a confirmed name yet!
The summer of 2021 has been anything but calm within the Spanish fandom. Back in July, RTVE surprised everyone announcing a new selection method for Eurovision which will be held in the tourist hot spot of Benidorm.
But it’s not just Eurofans who are excited. In recent weeks, many Spanish artists have expressed interest, so let’s review who they are!
Ladilla Rusa
If you’re not familiar with the Spanish music scene, a group named Russian Pubic Lice may not sound appealing. However, they are one of the country’s most viral acts, and have been headlining festivals even during the pandemic.
”Kitt y los coches del pasado”, “Macaulay Culkin” or “Todos los días lo mismo”, are some of the band’s best known songs. Their style is a mix of trash, kitsch and rave. Basically, the same style as previous Spanish Eurovision acts.
Ladilla Rusa have been one of the most enthusiastic acts about Eurovision. In fact, they claim to have already their song for 2022 — “and it’s a hit!”
?Una cosita: acabamos de parir la idea del tema de Eurovisión. Nos vemos en ROMA en 2022. HIT. Un bechito. ? pic.twitter.com/81LQO5dDEs
— Ladilla Rusa (@LadillaRusa) August 5, 2021
During August, the band have been engaging with fans and have also been sharing La Elección Interna’s post – that’s the annual poll held by our friends at eurovision-spain.com which has become a staple of the Spanish Eurovision fandom.
Tanxugueiras
La Elección Interna was held during the month of August, and at the end, the voters at eurovision-spain.com chose Tanxugueiras as the winners. Quite a departure from the previous editions — Ruth Lorenzo has won three times. But who are Tanxugueiras?
GRAZAS!!! Agradecidísimas por todo o voso apoio e cariño eurovisivo! Que viva o galego, a diversidade, as mulleres e a música! ??? https://t.co/j4GoZPUqb9
— T A N X U G U E I R A S (@tanxugueiras) September 7, 2021
Aida Tarrío, Olaia Maneiro and Sabela Maneiro form Tanxugueiras, a Galician folk trio with an urban twist. They mix their region’s roots with modern beats and deliver bold music videos. “Figa” is the last example, and if you ask me, it’s a bop.
Rayden
If Spain has been criticised for its basic bland pop entries of recent years, the names on this list are anything but that. Rayden is further proof of it.
He’s one of the country’s best known rap artists, who has been around since the early 2000s. Rayden, who is also a writer, has recently received Gold certification for his latest album “Homónimo”. And he has also been enthusiastically tweeting about Benidorm.
Y me apetece y todo https://t.co/GYUjlwRWnt
— R A Y D E N ? (@soyRayden) August 18, 2021
In fact, we may be talking about a die-hard fan. Minutes after he tweeted about Eurovision, he shared a playlist of his Sanremo 2021 favourites. Måneskin’s influence? Or perhaps Ruth Lorenzo’s? Rayden and Ruth recently released “El mismo puñal” as a duet.
Destination Benidorm
Several other artists have expressed their interest. Varry Brava, Cariño and Siderland have tweeted about Benidorm. Is Spain heading for an indie delight next year? It’s looking like that so far!
But what are the acts Spanish fans talking about who have not yet said yes to Benidorm? There are two artists taking the lead: Rigoberta Bandini and Ana Mena.
Rigoberta Bandini came second on La Elección Interna and she was also our pick for the Wednesday Wishlist. Her songs “Perra” and “In Spain We Call It Soledad” have brought her mainstream attention and she’s one of the hottest artists in Spanish industry right now.
Ana Mena, on the other side, may seem like an obvious choice for 2022. Málaga’s queen of summer has been hitting the charts both in Spain and Italy. “Un beso de improviso” — and the Italian version “Un bacio all’improviso” with Italian rapper Rocco Hunt — is 24/7 playing on the radios.
Benidorm 2022 is approaching. It’s expected to be held in January, and with RTVE’s new Head of Delegation Eva Mora already on board, an announcement seems imminent.
Are you excited for Spain’s new selection method? Do Ladilla Rusa, Tanxugueiras or Rayden light your fire? Do you think Rigoberta or Ana Mena give it a try? Let us know in the comment section below!
Tanxugueiras are just really talented! A top10 result for Spain if they are chosen
Things for Spain so far look promising. Tanxugueiras look really promising, their song is fire and if they make it to Eurovision, I’m sure they’d get a way better result than Blas’s dreadful performance. I haven’t heard much of Ana Mena, but her song with Rocco Hunt sounds fine.
Other acts I’ve seen proposed for the festival by the Spanish fandom have been C. Tangana, Lola Indigo, Aitana and Belinda, which in case any of them take part of the contest, would make it even more diverse and interesting.
I bet we are going to see lots of influence of Italy/Finland with more rock entries and Go-A with more modern-folk entries in national finals…I think Tanxugueiras certainly falls in that category…it’s such a fine line between Poland 2019 and Ukraine 2021 in terms of what stands out on the stage to modern European audiences…Go-A just felt edgy and forward thinking…I still think Eurovision is due for a very authentic rap/hiphop winner…I think Mahmood showed that urban beats can do well–a country just needs to find that artist that breaks through and feels completely authentic, damn cool and owns the… Read more »
Although I’ve got to admit I full-heartedly fell for Amaia’s and Romero’s kitsch, most of Spain’s 21st century acts gave me absolutely nothing. None of them annoyed me, but I also never bothered to vote for them. Yet, there’s one particular act that still frustrates me even years after … I still can’t get over Barei … in my opinion, she had the most massive pop banger of her year. Then, they decided to revamp it really badly. Then, she displayed a somewhat crampy, forced performance, which felt like she already expected being slapped backstage. That was just so much… Read more »
Tanxugueiras is a very interesting choice that stands out but they might end up as Poland 2019.
Poland 2019 just barely missed the final
i know but the fact is that they didn’t go through!
Tanxugueiras would be an awesome choice and exactly the kind of act I want to see in Eurovision, something that may perfectly happen after Go_A’s success. Rigoberta Bandini is also a name that I would like to see involved in Benidorm’s festival.
Ladilla Rusa is Spain’s Little Big, they could do wonders because people love silliness in ESC.
Tanxugueiras are a representation of Galicia’s folk music and thus they can appeal to Portugal, Ireland and UK.
Rayden is rap and you hardly see rap in ESC, perhaps people can think it’s time for a rap song to win the contest.
These three are notable candidates in my book. RTVE better not mess this up.
Probably unpopular opinion here, but … I’d love for at least one country per year to send a joke act.
But: By that I mean acts like Verka Serduchka, not those ones lost in translation like Kreisiraadio, Homens da Luta or Rodolfo Chikilicuatre.
If you’re trying to make a joke, you should at least make sure people get it as long as you don’t want your country itself to be the joke.
I would like to see what RTVE has to say about Tanxugueiras. Not the first time they say no to an entry just because it’s in one of the co-official languages and not in Spanish… which is a ridiculous mindset…
*cough* *cough* Massiel *cough*
You literally mentioned the worst example. Massiel was not the original singer of “La La La”, it was Joan Manuel Serrat. He wanted to sing in Catalan, that’s why RTVE said no to him… and Massiel took his place.
Girl I said it because she literally took Joan Manuel’s place (with the help of R@cisto Franco), I know my Eurovision and especially the drama (and no, my name is not Amanda Holden)
This is the kind of diversity that I’d love to see from Spain. Can’t wait
tanxugueiras sounds really really promising… they kinda remind me of little big mixed with go_a but spanish and im living for it
Those names get me really excited. I don’t know most of them particularly well but just the descriptions sound like the kind of weird, varied acts you’d typically find in an FdC or Vidbir. A real far cry from what Spain is known for, and this could be the first time I’ve ever been excited to see what they send. I’m surprised that a name that hasn’t come up more is Famous. He competed in OT with the express purpose of possibly making it to Eurovision (otherwise known as “pulling an Elisa”), only to get screwed over when he only… Read more »
I also hope we see the diversity of Spain’s regions and autonomous territories on display. Give us some Basque, Asturian, and Galician! (I feel like they won’t go for anything in Catalan, but you never know)
Does Famous even have a music career?
it’s only been 2 years but I miss vidbir sm
Fingers crossed that these efforts could give Spain a higher place in next year’s Eurovision. This is what you should do would you wanna move on from your flop. You got to try hard to do better, unlike some other countries *side eyes shade to the UK*.
Tanxugueiras was in fact my winner. Maria José Llergo was my 2nd. I’m really excited this time. Let’s wait to see the acts competing in Benidorm but I was glad to know about the new HoD and the president of RTVE. I just hope die-hard spanish fans don’t go for the most cliche act or bland pop.
They will, u know that. That’s why TVE needs to engage the general population and not the fans who are allergic to anything daring.
If I were to choose, I’d go for early noughties’ Dover.
Anyway … looks like Spain is heading in the right direction.
Sadly, Dover disbanded.
I think I remember reading about it. But listening to their latest stuff, maybe that’s the best for their own sakes. I really can’t recall any other band ‘evolving’ (*cough*) that much. Not even Linkin Park.
But up until at least ‘Let me out’ all of their output was pretty darn good and something Spain should be proud of.
Let’s hope they’ll come back stronger than ever one fine day.
Tanxugueiras reminded me Tulia – Poland 2019
Tulia and Hurricane mixed together lol
Loving Tanxugueiras
I really feel this will be the turning point for Spain!
excited!
Spain’s Esc rebirth? It’s always great to see artists showing interest for our beloved contest and to see a country taking the thing seriously, so now let’s see if all of this will become a good national selection, a good show, if a very good act emerges of it and if it translates into a good result in Eurovision, a top 10 for Spain would be great. Off topic but the esc season has begun since one week, and nothing, no host city, no slogan, no logo, no dates, Rai move please, we should know everything about the next esc… Read more »
Wow Tanxugueiras seems very interesting
omg i am living for that Tanxugueiras track. send them to eurovision spain I beg
I really need Aitana in this selection
Also I wouldn’t mind to see Rosalia but that’s just wishful thinking