Are you #TeamKylie, #TeamHarry….or #TeamPiaMaria? Well regardless of which pop star you’re into, your time is now.
The OGAE Song Contest is an annual event organised by OGAE — the Organisation Générale des Amateurs de l’Eurovision, or General Organisation of Eurovision Fans — in which the members of OGAE compete with an original song released in their countries. The song has to have been released in the previous year and be mostly sung in one of the country’s national languages.
This year OGAE Australia is hosting the contest following their 2021 win with “Fly Away” by Tones and I. You’ll recall that OGAE Australia also hosted last year. But that contest was cancelled over the controversy surrounding OGAE Russia’s continued participation against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. You’ll note that Russia is NOT competing this year.
Voting is open to members of the OGAE fan clubs until 21 October.
The first-ever OGAE Song Contest took place in 1986 and has been an annual event ever since. Previous winners include Laura Pausini, Helena Paparizou, Coldplay, Adele, Nina Zilli, Indila and Dami Im.
The United Kingdom has had the most victories so far. Six of its seven wins have come in the last 13 years.
OGAE Song Contest 2023: Familiar faces
As always, there are many past Eurovision stars in the mix. They include Michael Schulte (Germany 2018), Eva Boto (Slovenia 2012), Citi Zeni (Latvia 2022), Mikolas Josef (Czechia 2018), Pia Maria (Austria 2022), KEiiNO (Norway 2019) and Stefan (Estonia 2022). Junior Eurovision winner Malena is also flying the flag for Armenia. There are also a few national selection favourites, including KUUMAA (UMK), Aidan (MESC), and Aitana (OT).
Who should win the OGAE Song Contest 2023?
OGAE members will have their say over the coming weeks. And so can you. Who do you think should win the 2023 fan competition. Listen to all the songs in the playlist below and then vote for your favourites in our poll. You can vote for as many acts as you like, but you can only vote once. So, make it count!
- Andorra: Triquell – ‘Jugular’
- France: Slimane – ‘Des milliers de je t’aime’
- Finland: KUUMAA – ‘Tulipalo’
- Poland: Margaret – ‘Tańcz głupia’
- Portugal: Calema, Nuno Ribeiro & Mariza – ‘Maria Joana’
- Greece: Konstantinos Argiros – ‘Elpida’
- Australia: Kylie Minogue – ‘Padam Padam’
- Hungary: Azahriah – ‘Four Moods’
- Germany: Michael Schulte – ‘With You’
- Armenia: Malena – ‘Flashing Lights’
- Malta: Aidan – ‘Madam’
- Spain: Aitana – ‘Los Ángeles’
- Croatia: Eni Jurišić & Matija Cvek – ‘Trebaš Li Me’
- Ukraine: Artem Pivovarov – ‘Manifest’
- North Macedonia: Pajak ft. Antonia Gigovska – ‘Habibi’
- Italy: Annalisa – ‘Mon Amour’
- Slovenia: Eva Boto – ‘Nočem, da greš’
- Belgium: Oscar and the Wolf – ‘Warrior’
- Ireland: Niall Horan – ‘The Show’
- Latvia: Citi Zēni ft. Labvēlīgais Tips – ‘Baļļīte’
- Denmark: Tobias Rahim – ‘Når Mænd Græder’
- Czechia: Mikolas Josef – ‘Boys Don’t Cry’
- Serbia: Teya Dora – ‘Džanum’
- Austria: Pia Maria – ‘White Noise’
- Estonia: Stefan – ‘Kiri Külmkapi Peal’
- Türkiye: Günes – ‘NKBÍ’
- Cyprus: Loukas Yorkas – ‘Μέχρι Τον Ουρανό’
- United Kingdom: Harry Styles – ‘As It Was’
- Norway: KEiiNO – ‘Nights of Thunder’
- Rest of the World: Two Hearts – ‘Eurovusion (Open Up)’
- Sweden: Zara Larsson – ‘Can’t Tame Her’
I’m part of a monthly forum song contest so it was super cool to recognize some of the songs here! I absolutely love Jugular by Triquell (Andorra) and Dzanum by Teya Dora (Serbia)
Padam can even win Eurovision.
I hear it and I know..
Kylie and Padam Padam all the way..
Padam
Australia for the win. But seriously OGAEUK, why did you not pick Rina Sawayama?
because she’s not British. One of the stipulations of the OGAE Song Contest is that the artist has to be from, or have citizenship of, the country. Rina is Japanese – and in order to become a British citizen, would have to give up her Japanese citizenship – which she’s not prepared to do. This is the reason she wasn’t included in the BRITS or the MERCURY Prize – although interestingly, both have now re-jigged their rules to be able to include people like Rina. In order for Rina to be selected by OGAEUK, then the rules of the contest… Read more »
Sorry but have never seen the point of this “contest” and don’t see how it is Eurovision-related tbh.
It is a contest that is organised by the “General Organisation of Eurovision Fans.” So, it is a fan club’s contest. Whether it has a point or not is for them to decide. I suppose it’s a way of imagining what hit songs could make up an ideal ESC? Or maybe it’s more akin to “fantasy football”?
Cringe
Kylie on top! Not really a surprise ! Zara Larsson gets more votes than Oscar And The Wolf … seriously?
Zara Larsson at least is Young and Hot . Kyle is being Voted by Aging Gays
And what/who are you? Streight? And not aging? Haha
It’s always Australia or the UK because the have the most streamed artists out of the participants. And that’s all.
Nice to see here Oscar and the Wolf, I’ve been listening to some of his songs for a while. Would be a good choice for Belgium.
Kuumaa is also a great choice for Finland. Hope to see them again.
I’d go for Finland, Belgium, Spain and Andorra.
Lol come on the UK has won this useless thing 7 times and your Spain 6 times, and Australia only twice according to wiki so no need to cry cause it’s not right…
the eurofans and their misplaced bias always…
I never followed this event before but as a Belgian I agree with you for the choice from Belgium.
This being said, the belgian artist I want the most to compete in real ESC is Typh Barrow (friend of Mustii). I don’t know if she has already been proposed for the OGAE contest but she is quite well known here and she has an amazing voice.
Please, anything but UK.
Aitana from Spain and her song “Los Ángeles” have made me fall in love ??
Portugal – please listen to the song . Everyone Loves i
So basically this is “who is the most famous artist from our country that we can nominate” and not really about best song
I’m so confused. Isn’t OGAE normally for sending songs from national finals that didn’t make the cut? Why are all the songs from the mainstream charts?
‘Cause you’re thinking of the OGAE Second Chance Contest.
Lol! Why this thing still exists seriously, what a waste of time for nothing. Nobody cares.
Evidently not “nobody”, based on the votes.
Peanuts
i wonder how many times mikolas josef represented the czechs in this contest ^^
Greece ?
I still can’t believe our club, OGAE UK chose this old song from Styles. So embarrassing to choose a 2022 hit instead of something new. It’s the UK and there were so many good songs this year. I really hope it turns against them and flops because that will teach some fans a good lesson. Some fans had even nominated Kylie’s Padam Padam even though she is Australian lol. Cmon guys, there are so many new artists whose songs aren’t hits but their music is great. This shouldn’t be a popularity contest
It’s a 2023 hit too! It was fe Ives earlier in the summer.
I see Kylie pack this win up. Her song is dope
Isn’t harry styles as it was released in like early 2022?
But it was a hit again in 2023.
Who said that
Its not even Question … Winner is Margaret from Poland , she is so Beautiful and Talented . I am glad she sings now in Beautiful Polish instead of Competing for Swedish with Bad English Pop song . song from Ukraine is also Good and Singer is cutie
Why Must Australia send this Song ? I thought its Only Ageing/Balding Gay Men who enjoy Listening to this . Padam Padam it Sounds like the Way it Tastes to leave a bag of Chips open a Week and then Eat them . It is So Stale like Stale chip
Also Serbia has Really Good Song . Poplar on Tik Tok and in Real Life . She is a Big Star like Billy Eilysh
Bot Army is Attacking me with Donewotes Again …
[Hey, that’s “milliers” and not “millers” for France :)]
Otherwise, is this contest still relevant? Kylie? Harry? Even Zara has never been Eurovision-related. That’s a bit of nonsense… and that’s sad, as the rest of the selection is really not bad.
as it was? seriously? everyone knows that song already lmao, it’s completely pointless. i’m happy italy picked annalisa, the fandom loves that song.
Also Harry’s song came out 17 months ago.
Perhaps this reflects either:
1. The immense popularity of Harry Styles.
2. The “lack of momentum” the UK is currently experiencing as a whole (depending on who you ask).
3. A combination of 1 and 2.
Rina Sawayama and Birdy got a lot of momentum in the rumour department earlier this year, this could have been their chance!
Kylie. Obviously.
Yep, same. (Sorry to the others.)
I feel like the OGAE entries should at least be realistic. Its ridiculous that Kylie Minogue and members of One Direction are on this list. What’s even the point of this contest when certain countries pick globally successful artists with very popular songs each year? Most of the countries on this list can’t compete with that . The BBC needs to improve their approach to Eurovision but if they took the OGAE approach it would ruin the whole contest.
Well said, and it really does make this particular fan contest useless.
It’s a song contest, same as the actual one… the point being to find the best song. Why rule out the better songs just because the act is famous? I do kinda see the reasoning behind what you’re saying, but it’s not about giving a launchpad to unknowns. Voters should listen to every song and then pick their favourite.
I wish Styles had remained unknown. Horan is more credible and rounded artist who may even represent Ireland one day.
I think they’re both really just frontmen for the behind-the-scenes talent, with Harry having more flair.
Not “members of one direction” lol
Thanks you OGAE for kicking out Russia, so we won’t have troubles anymore ??