Picture: Andres Putting (EBU)

Poland is no stranger to mixing it up. In recent years they’ve held internal selections and even turned a long-running talent show into a national final. Now the Jastrzab Post reports that yet another change is imminent. 

As reported by the Polish news site, TVP is in the process of creating a pre-selection that will feature up to 10 competitors. It claims the show will air around mid-to-late February, and that it will use a 50/50 system of national juries and Polish televote.

As for the potential artists, Jastrzab claims that the list will include many artists previously rumoured to have been internally selected: Ania Byrcyn, Daria Marx, whose song “Paranoia” has been rumoured to be the Polish song to be sent to Turin; and Krystian Ochman, who has allegedly submitted a song to be considered, called “Where To Go”.

This all goes against earlier news. TVP previously stated that an internal selection for an artist and song would be made by January 2. However, that date was pushed back to January 15, and recent developments indicate that plans will change more dramatically.

Poland in the Eurovision Song Contest

There’s little that Poland hasn’t tried. Following their hiatus from the competition, the country decided to internally select Donatan and Cleo and Monika Kuszyńska in 2014 and 2015. Then they organized a 10-song national final, Krajowe Eliminacje, which had regular instalments until 2018.

Since then they’ve tried their luck internally selecting Tulia and Rafal, for 2019 and 2021 respectively. For the canceled 2020 edition, they repurposed the long-running talent show Szansa na Sukces as a national selection show, which has also been in place to select their Junior Eurovision entries since 2019.

What do you think? Who would you like to see in this new Polish selection? Do you think Poland can find their way in the final once again? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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TheDr Mistery
TheDr Mistery
2 years ago

It doesn’t seem fair to lure the performers under the promise that their names won’t be revealed in order to spare them an eventual humiliation of losing a NF (words with similar meaning were used) and then dropping the NF out of the blue on them. Good luck anyway.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago

Well, it looks like it is true after all, there will be a national final for Poland

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

As follows:

Ania Byrcyn – Dokad (Where To?)
Daria – Paranoia
Emilia Debska (Mila) – All I Need
Karolina Lizer – Czysta Woda (Clear Water)
Karolina Stanislawczyk & Toro Chica – Move
Krystian Ochman – River
Kuba Szmajkowski – Lovesick
Lidia Kopania – Why Does It Hurt?
Siostry Szlachta – Drogowskazy (Road Signs)
Unmute – Glosniej Niz Decybele (Louder Than Decibels)

JustAnESCFan
JustAnESCFan
2 years ago

Wooooooodaaaaa

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Can’t wait to hear Toro Chica and Move. Unmute as innovative and intriguing it is, not sure if a whole song in sign language is something that I could see on ESC stage. Doda didn’t get the chance. But the Szlachta Sisters did? Yup, TVP for you.

TheDr Mistery
TheDr Mistery
2 years ago

Doda apparently opted to submit her song mere two months after the deadline…

JustAnESCFan
JustAnESCFan
2 years ago

Did Ochman really apply for the nf with the English version of gdzie isc I-

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago
Reply to  JustAnESCFan

We’ll find out in a few hours, allegedly.

Niko
Niko
2 years ago
Reply to  JustAnESCFan

New song i guess, “river” is the title

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago

It’s Poland, while I’d like them to do well – because I’ve known very good Polish acts and it’d be cool to have Eurovision hosted in Warsaw or Krakow, I can’t set my expectations too high given their track record and TVP’s messy ways 🙁

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago
Reply to  ete sech

I forgot to add that Poland could definitely hold a strong NF like Ukraine’s Vidbir, but they have to get their act together.

Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago

Off: Eurovision’s site just announced Serbia will have 36 songs and 3 shows on early March. 2022 is definitely the year of national finals.

They also announced all the acts, song names and songwriters, by the way.

Last edited 2 years ago by Sabrina
Xxx
Xxx
2 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Everyone wants their Pabandom Is Naujo this year.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Xxx

Never thought I’d see the day that Lithuania isn’t the country with the most amount of songs in their national final (In fact, they’re now the country with the fourth highest because they have 34 songs competing after two artists dropped out).

Sapphire
Sapphire
2 years ago

Probably still gonna be subpar. Be honest, it’s Poland we’re talking about here.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Sapphire

For the adult contest, that’s true, but they are killing it at junior Eurovision. I don’t understand it. Are there two separate teams?

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Anyone I Want To Be and Superhero were great, the other Polish entries were overhyped.

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

It’s too likely, the results and selection process indicate some lag within the delegation

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

jesc standards are abysmal compared to adult eurovision ones… songs like superhero and anyone i want to be wouldn’t go far at esc

Pov
Pov
2 years ago

Doda with Fake Love, please! It’ll be a really great show trust me 😀

West
West
2 years ago

Untill more information will come out about this I will at least imagine that there’s a posibility of seeing one of the many awesome polish metal bands in the nf lineup. I know they’re most likely not interested, but I’ll at least imagine it.

Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago

Still no announcements about Ireland? Did their broadcaster forget they have a NF in 2 weeks?

Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

Since its going to be during the late late show, I suspect the host will mention the selection either in tomorrows episode or Friday week.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

Yeah, I am surprised there hasn’t been any more word on Ireland’s national final, not even an airing date. Maybe it will be announced later or it will just happen randomly. I am not gonna lie, though, I have very low expectations for Ireland.

Zisk
Zisk
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

You have to understand, our broadcaster does not even remotely care about Eurovision. There will be no hype, no marketing, and probably a really pitiful budget for the staging too. They just do not care. It’s such a shame because our music scene is so vibrant with so many wonderfully diverse choices.

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago
Reply to  Zisk

Indeed! I’ve heard many Irish acts at festivals and all of them are diverse and each one of them has an interesting artistry. At this point, if RTÉ doesn’t care at all, at least they should withdraw from the contest instead of miserably wasting taxpayers’ money.

Last edited 2 years ago by ete sech
ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago
Reply to  ete sech

Guys, I get it. You don’t wanna lose a participating country, me neither, but it’s even more painful to see them being indifferent to the contest and bastardizing the country’s legacy and track record.

Safiya
Safiya
2 years ago

This is suspicious. I am Polish and I would love to have a good national final but it should have been more transparent and well planned from the start. These changes don’t look good. Our NFs from the past were always a mess. Poor organization, poor production, unclear rules. And it’s not that we are not able to organize something good in Poland – we are! But it seems that nobody cares. I would love to see a serious NF but I just can’t trust TVP with anything.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Safiya

Bad planning doesn’t always mean bad result. Just look at Russia last year. But, because of Poland’s track record I’ll set my expectations to 0.

Safiya
Safiya
2 years ago
Reply to  GojoSatoru

I know, fortunately sometimes even bad planning brings good results. But for me it’s more about respect – both to viewers and artists. Just look at other countries who announce the list of contestants, publish all the songs at the same time, actually promote them etc. All TVP does is always super messy.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago

i feel like tvp’s choices are very limited bc most a-list singers don’t want to work with them considering the broadcaster’s subjugation to their ruling party PiSS which is unpopular in a mostly progressive environment such as that of arts. and i can’t blame the artists.

Azaad
Azaad
2 years ago

That’s a good point but you had tons of Hungarian artists singing in A Dal even after Orban started attacking immigrants, democracy and the LGBTQ+ community. I do appreciate that things in Hungary and Poland may be a bit different though.

Bela
Bela
2 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

No big names appear in A Dal either anymore, especially since it doesn’t make any sense.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Bela

András Kállay-Saunders appeared in last year’s A Dal. Idk whether he is an actual big name, but for me is one.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Bela

Yeah, what’s the point in competing in A Dal when Hungary isn’t even participating in Eurovision anymore (at this point)?

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

speaking of which, if orbán loses the upcoming elections the end of PiSS will likely follow in poland as well… and we might get hungary back at eurovision, together with more solid attempts from poland 🙂

Azaad
Azaad
2 years ago

I think Orban has a good chance of losing unless he rigs the election because the opposition have united around a fairly centrist candidate who’s quite Catholic with his personal faith but liberal with his political policies, so he can’t face the same smears a more traditional left wing opponent would face. If that’s the case I can see Hungary returning to ESC very soon.

Safiya
Safiya
2 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

I don’t know how it looked like in Hungary but in Poland it’s not just that artists do not want to participate in the NF because it’s on TVP – they literally can’t. TVP fired at least several people, who said something that they did not like and now they pretend they don’t exist. Even if one of those artists decided to take part in the NF, they would never even be considered.

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Delete this comment. Made a mistake.

Last edited 2 years ago by Jessica Folcker
Niko
Niko
2 years ago

Doda confirmed on her IG that she applied for the final ^.^
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYrU-81tdlB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago
Reply to  Niko

She’d be good but with the stuff she used to do. This would be 4th club song in the mix, if she’s in the selection. Poland can do better. For sure.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago

Tvp is such a hot mess express at adult eurovision. It’s like they never have a plan on what they want to do.

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Given the fact that 3 rumoured songs sound like rejects from the latest Inna’s album, it’s definitely not showcasing the diversity of the Polish music industry.

Polish NFs are just about the Eurovision song. If they were treated as an opportunity to present new songs/potential hits, like it happens f.e. in Sweden, more talented artists would most likely participate. But then if TVP chooses the contestants, we end up with Pablosson or Rafal. And we get a 2nd grade school talent show instead of a festival.

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

They could certainly work on improving the quality of the songs and the show altogether.

I was actually watching the Polish NFs from the past last night as someone had uploaded the live performances to YouTube and they can deliver some great, musically diverse songs when they want to. There’s ballads, club songs, rock anthems, big vocals, kitsch, dancers, fireworks. It can be done, once someone in charge doesn’t treat it as a chore but as a passion.

James
James
2 years ago

Rafal always came across as a cheaper option for TVP because he works for them and just had a song bought for him to sing.

With that said, I do wonder why they couldn’t fulfill their commitment to Alicja Szemplinska by reselecting her when they’ve spent all these taxpayer’s money to put up a Szansa na Sukces ESC edition to try and replicate their JESC success.

All that effort only for it to go straight to the wasteland.

Last edited 2 years ago by James
Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Isn’t it just.

Bartek
Bartek
2 years ago

Doda said on her instagram that she submitted her song – fake love.

TVP Sources
TVP Sources
2 years ago

From sources which are close to TVP this is line up for national final held on February 19:

  • Ochman – Somewhere
  • Daria – Paranoia
  • Kuba – Lovesick
  • Ania Byrcyn – Dok?d?
  • Doda – Fake Love
  • Maja Hy?y – Superhero
  • Lidia Kopania – Soldiers of Love
  • Ewelina Lisowska – Gdyby tylko
  • Anna Cyzon – Losing you
  • Sylwia Grzeszczak – Why?
Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago
Reply to  TVP Sources

Someone has finally convinced Sylwia Grzeszczak? Wow! Ewelina Lisowska is good too. Her ‘W Sercu Miasta’ is still a gem.

KarmaLeon
KarmaLeon
2 years ago
Reply to  TVP Sources

Fake news .. dont listen to him ! I know sylwia personnaly and shes out of it …troll !

Last edited 2 years ago by KarmaLeon
Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

Ok February 2022 will be the busiest month ever for the eurofans I think

Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

Everytime I look at the calendar I get a little dizzier. But the more the merrier, like Joe said.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Yes I love the national finals but we couldn’t be able to follow all of them deeply seeing the numbers and when they will take place but I won’t complain the thing is I hope the selected artists will have the attention they deserve because in one night we will have 5 new esc acts for example. At this point this year the countries that internally select their acts appear like original.

Last edited 2 years ago by Esc addict
Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

Though songs in most national finals have a good window of exposure (Dora is an exception, since it’s one night only and we don’t have access to the songs before it). While with internal selections we’ve seen more than once a broadcaster leaving the release to March and it being suddenly forgotten because a better song was released the same day or the day next. What I would like to see is some country taking a Sunday to hold their national final. I remember Romania did it a few years ago (if I’m not mistaken, exactly on the year they… Read more »

Meckie
Meckie
2 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

How about more NFs being on Fridays rather than Saturday like 90% other NFs each year.

Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago
Reply to  Meckie

In some countries, Friday night is considered a bad night for a TV show, because there are few people watching. But I honestly thing even less people watch TV Saturday night. I can understand the logic behind it, since Eurovision will be on this same night and time, but I wonder if some national selections couldn’t reach a bigger and more diverse audience if they tried a different day of the week.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Yeah you’re absolutely right, why not during a sunday or even during one of the other days except the saturday, it would be clever as all the saturdays are too busy until the deadline in March so far.

Last edited 2 years ago by Esc addict
Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

I say Sunday because if you do it like early in the night, there’s a chance the broadcaster can reach a lot of people that won’t be reached on a Saturday night (those who went out to party, or have dinner with friends, or that took a trip during the weekend). On a Sunday night, a lot of people are just trying not to think about the Monday coming, what else could be a better distraction than complaining online about the results of a national final? 😀

Alo
Alo
2 years ago

If I’m not wrong it’s gonna be the year with the most national selections till now(28)

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

TVP ‘s behavior towards the Jesc: an example
TVP’s behavior towards the Esc: a disaster
Results: jesc powerhouse, esc weakly country,
it’s simple.
We were supposed to know the artist internally selected 2nd january but it has changed and it was scheduled 15th january and 2 days before it has changed again and a new NF appears by miracle….what a mess…
I guess there’s an issue with the artist supposed to be selected, and they use their plan B, but it’s not reassuring at all.

Tomi
Tomi
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

They can do whatever they want. There’s still plenty of time…

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

Sure they do what they want no problem with that, so I can express the opinion I want too

Tomi
Tomi
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

I think Poland will surprise everybody this year.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

I hear and read that every year and not only about Poland, but at the end nothing surprising appear.

Jezinky
Jezinky
2 years ago
Reply to  Tomi

Don’t keep your expectations very high tho…

Oscar
Oscar
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

I think that there are not issues, but they have a lot of famous artists and at the same time they don’t wanna choose them internally cause of their political thoughts, so they do a NF. They already this it in 2016 when they had Margaret, Michal and Edyta…

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Oscar

Well maybe, but they seemed so well prepared already in 2021 for 2022, their plans seemed clear since a long time and it was hopeful coming from TVP to act like that, they seemed confident….but now this change at the last minute…..I don’t know…..

Joe
Joe
2 years ago

I’m all for a national final! The more the merrier! And hey, it looks like they might still be able to keep those big acts interested, which isn’t always the case (nine times out of ten, a country will pivot to an internal selection because major local acts DON’T want to do a national final – Italy, Poland apparently, and if the rumors are true for next year Greece are the exceptions). So for your national final watch, this season has seen the first national finals since the following years for these countries: 2021: Albania, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,… Read more »

Ukraine stan
Ukraine stan
2 years ago

That’s the 10th-8th nf Scheduled for that part of february. Goddamn

Tom
Tom
2 years ago

Apparently from what the source says that had too many good songs that it was difficult to choose from so they Open it up for the public vote. I think this May be quite good.

Kinga
2 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Good or bad. We will find out next month.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Too many good options that they can’t choose by themselves, lol really! Their NF has to be killer then because if it’s not….

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago
Reply to  Tom

I believe it when I see/hear it.

Kinga
2 years ago

Thank God! Knowing TVP’s music taste I was sure that another year my country will not qualify. Now there is at least some hope. Of course only if it is not a set up. Knowing president Kurski everything is possible, unfortunately.

just an esc fan
just an esc fan
2 years ago

honestly poland surprises us for the past days by confusing literally everyone like a month ago, the rumors for daria (sorry if i got it wrong) were huge recently, their voice winner was massively rumored and many were sure (including me) that it’d be poland’s internal choice. but now TVP just announced a NF??? im pretty sure the songs they have are very bad and they try to make the public pay for a possible NQ unlike last year no matter what they’re gonna go with, i dont like being mocked. information was supposed to be out in 2nd january.… Read more »

Kinga
2 years ago

I agree.. TVP is terrible.

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Yeah. It’s to blame the public for yet another non-qualification. Typical TVP.

Let’s just hope we have some quality entries to choose from. Poland can definitely deliver if they put their hearts and minds to it.

Kinga
2 years ago

Definately. Michal Szpak, Dawid Podsiad?o, Sanah.. And many more. But I am afraid that only 3rd ligue singers are interested in taking part in Esc.

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago
Reply to  Kinga

Michal Szpak would be a dream come true. And I will never stop lobbying for Clodie. I think they would rock that stage.

Leo
Leo
2 years ago

Weren’t they supposed to announce their act by January 15th?