Small nations go big: Eurovision 2024 updates from Iceland, San Marino, Moldova and Slovenia

Some countries are already halfway through their selection process for Eurovision 2024. Others have already revealed their artist and song (Bonjour, France!). Others aren’t in such a rush. But that doesn’t mean they’re aimless. Especially the nations with a relatively smaller population, who are going big for next year’s competition. So let’s catch up with what’s going on in Iceland, San Marino, Moldova and Slovenia.

Moldova

Earlier this week, Moldova’s broadcaster TRM started accepting applications for their national selection Etapa Națională 2024. Once again the country will select their entry for Eurovision by a combination of televote and jury vote. The final of the show will take place on 17 February. But even more legendary than the colourful and diverse range of artists in the Moldovan final is the live audition line up.

So get ready for traditional folk bands, senior singers and of course Sasha Bognibov – because the ten finalists for Etapa Națională 2024 will once again need to qualify from the live audition phase taking place on 13 January. During this phase, a jury will rank all songs and the ten highest ranked will secure a place in the final. Interested artists can apply here until the end of December.

Slovenia

Although many suggested Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO might go internal again for 2024, they announced a national selection show for Eurovision next year. But this time their traditional EMA will not return. In fact, the Slovenian selection is meant to be only a four-horse-race as only four songs will battle it out in Misija Malmö.

We don’t even have to wait that long to find out who those four acts are, as organizers plan to reveal the national final acts on 11 December. A strong rumour in Slovenian media is that Raiven might return to the competition as she hopes to finally represent her country at Eurovision next year. The singer has already taken part in the national final three times — but she’s never made it.

Iceland

After finishing 11th in their semi-final at this year’s Eurovision with Diljá, Iceland and its broadcaster RÚV are hungry to make it back to the final next year. The country will again select its entry through Söngvakeppnin. The selection for Eurovision is about to start in February with two semi-finals deciding up to five songs for the shows’ final on 2 March. Here, an international jury and the public will choose two super finalists. After that, only the public decides who will represent Iceland in Malmö.

Broadcaster RÚV already announced that a total of 118 songs were submitted — but only ten will make it to the national selection. The most exciting part, however, is that our favourite nerdy singer from Iceland, Daði Freyr, has already made a very interesting statement about Iceland’s next Eurovision participation. If we can trust his words, the country will have one of the strongest songs in the 2024 competition:

iceland is winning eurovision 2024! you heard it here first!

— Daði Freyr ? (@dadimakesmusic) October 24, 2023

On X the singer says “iceland is winning eurovision 2024!” This of course means the Icelandic 2020 and 2021 representative has some insights about the submissions. We’re excited to find out if there’s actually a potential winner’s song in the competition and if we could really be headed to the first Icelandic Eurovision ever in 2025! The lucky ten Söngvakeppnin participants will be announced on 27 January. 

San Marino

Iceland isn’t the only country that will give us a Eurovision 2024 entry on 2 March. Tiny San Marino will also choose their representative that day through the national final Una Voce per San Marino. Singers from all around the world can apply until January…but the first auditions have already taken place. This time, after applying online, the broadcaster SMRTV will invite the best submissions to the Academy & Casting Round.

There will be four weekends in total where a jury panel will cast the singers within the Academy & Casting round. So far we’ve already spotted a known name: singer MATE will return after already competing in the last two years of San Marino’s Eurovision selection. At the end of January, 80 acts will be selected to make it to the semi final-stage. There will be six semi final-shows in February where only about eight acts are supposed to get selected for the final. This number could change though.

Speaking of changes: compared to last year’s rules of the show, established artists do not need to go through all of these stages as they get selected for the final directly! It is said there will be eight established acts in the final. In the end (at least) 16 acts will battle it out in the final. Again, only a jury will decide the winner of Una Voce per San Marino.  Having only chosen non-qualifiers at Eurovision so far, we can only hope the judges will think twice before making a decision on who will go to Malmö, Sweden in May 2024.

What are your thoughts about these smaller nations at Eurovision? Do you think they’re using the best way possible of selecting an act for the competition? Let us know in the comments below.