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What is the OGAE Song Contest?


Some of you may have asked that question after my previous post. And what is OGAE? OGAE (Organisation générale des Amateurs de l'Eurovision) is the international fan club of the Eurovision Song Contest. It has branches in 37 European countries. It all started back in 1984 in Finland and now most participating countries have their own clubs. Lebanon also has one and then there's "OGAE Rest of the world" for all the fans in countries that don't have one. Yet.

The OGAE Song contest is an audio contest where each and every club can sent an original song for their country released in the previous 12 months. Naturally, as the fans are Eurovision fans, many Eurovision artists are involved every year but the songs themselves cannot be Eurovision related.

Unlike in Eurovision itself the "old Eurovision countries" have done well: France and Spain have 4 wins, Italy 3, Germany and Greece two. Only 12 countries have managed to win in 22 editions, and if Sweden rules the Second Chance Contest (more of that later) here they have won only once. This year's contest is organized by OGAE Spain due to their win last year with Rebeca.


Here are all the winners (highlighted ones have also done Eurovision):
1986 Germany Juliane Werding - Stimmen in Wind
1987 Israel Yardena Arazi - Ba'ati eleiha
1988 Germany Mary Roos - Explosion
1989 Norway Karoline Kruger & Anita Skorgan - Hjem
1990 Italy Mietta & Amedeo Minghi - Vattene amore
1991 France Myléne Farmer - Décenchantee
1992 Portugal Nucha - Se o dia nascesse
1993 Italy Laura Pausini - La solitudine
1994 Greece Sabrina - Ftes
1995 Spain Paloma San Basilio - Cada vez
1996 Spain Amistades Peligrosas - Me quedaré solo
1997 Spain Marta Sanchez - Amor perdido
1998 Poland Natalia Kukulska - Im Wiecej Ciebie tym mniej
1999 France Leyla Doriane - Jardin de lumiére
2000 Sweden Nanne Grönvall - Svarta änkan
2001 France Alizée - Moi... Lolita
2002 UK Kate Winslet - What if...?
2003 France Nolwenn Leroy - Cassé
2004 Russia Varvara - Grezy
2005 Italy Alexia - Da grande
2006 Greece Helena Paparizou - Mambo
2007 Spain Rebeca - Que no daria yo


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