It’s just 7 months to the middle of Eurovision – yes my number of days to … work could do with a little finessing – and while that may seem like a lifetime away, if history is any guide, we’ll be having glitter and glamour and fabulous tunes rained down upon us at any moment.
The wheels of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019, to be held in Tel Aviv, Israel from 14 to 18 May, are already in motion with Hungary already throwing open the doors to its national selection process, A Dal 2019 – you have until November 8 at midnight so get to work my Hungarian friends! – and 1 September marking the official start of the Eurovision song season as Eurovision’s September wrap-up makes clear …
But that is not all! Of course, for today in fair sunny Australia, well when it’s not raining which is happily a lot lately (we’ve had a rather severe drought), it was announced by SBS, the national broadcaster of Eurovision in Australia, that not only would Australia be participating in next year’s contest but that the people of Australia would decide who represents us at a glittering event called Eurovision – Australia Decides.
OK, not the most original of names, but is hardly the point; what is the point, an especially exciting one is that if you’re a songwriter, any songwriter, you have until 4 November to submit a song which could then go on to be voted, along with a singer, to stand proudly on the stage in Tel Aviv at the 64th Eurovision Song Contest.
According to the SBS release article, “Eurovision – Australia Decides will take place on the Gold Coast in February 2019 in a series of live performance shows on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 February, and a Live Show will be broadcast exclusively on SBS on Saturday 9 February, during which voting will be open to the public.”
Get ready everyone, it’s almost time to vote! Yes, I know it’s October but time passes quickly as I said … best to sharpen those digital pencils now …
In far less happy news, Bulgaria has withdrawn from Eurovision, a shocking decision, notes ESCXtra, given its recent success at the Contest in recent years.
“Bulgaria has earned second place in both contests, has successfully hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Sofia and gained a lot of respect within the Eurovision fanbase for turning their fortunes around so dramatically and gaining three consecutive qualifications to the Final in 2016, 2017 and 2018.”
There’s not been a lot of detail released following the Twitter-based admission by JJ aka Georgi Simeonov, a member of Bulgaria’s 2018 entry Equinox, that the country was calling it quits, supposedly due to financial considerations, but it’s undoubtedly a story that will unfold in coming weeks.
For now, let’s enjoy the music of my favourite Bulgarian act to never make the grand final, Poli Genova with her song “Da Inat” …