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EUROVISION 2018: THE ROUND UP OF NATIONAL FINAL NEWS AND GOSSIP

The national final season is heating up and the signs are good: several countries relaunch national final after years of internal choices, some press the national language use and again some countries break their number of submission records. And then we have some that go the crazy way.....

Albania will host its annual 3-day affair just before Christmas and as usual, the winner will get the ticket to Lisbon - after a major revamp most likely.... Let's see if they provide the first entry of the season or will some other country reveale their cards before? 

Armenia goes for Depi Evratesil again. However there are major changes: Only four shows and the artists must come with their entries already so goodbye karaoke and then shopping for a song? And you must be Armenian citizen or of Armenian heraitage. National pride has its time and place. And that's Eurovision if anything. Take note some other unnamed countries....

Belgium is the only known artist so far: Laura Groeseneken, revealed already late September

Cyprus has a composer. Read more here

Czech Republic has already received over 130 submissions, when the window is stilL open for another two weeks. The interest seems to be quite high among Czech artists.

Estonia received a record number of entries, 258. 15 songs will be chosen by a jury and another 5 by Eesti laul organizers to add some spice and variety if needed.  Update: The semifinalists are here

Finland: YLE will held a press conference next Tuesday, November 7. Information on UMK2018 will be revealed, and who knows maybe even the competing artists? Update: YLE shocked everyone changing the rules and skipping UMK altogerher and chose Saara Aalto instead. The UMK is now only 3 songs affair all sung by her. 

France also returns to the national final format. The songs must have at least 70% French lyrics and no English will be added should a 100% French song win. French and international juries with televoters will determinate the winner. Garou will be hosting the shows; rumored to be two semifinals before the grand final. I would just send Garou. Period. 

Germany is making another desperate move: So called Europe Panel made of 100 people around Europe will select the five finalists. They also will vote in the final along with televoters and international jury. Can this combi lift Germany from the bottom 2?

Greece is working closely with record labels and therefor there seem to be only 16 artists aiming for Lisbon. 8-member jury is valuating the proposals as we speak, but ERT is keeping its right to cancel it all and go for another way if not pleased with the offering. Or so it seems. 
The artists rumored to have submitted an entry are: Cholesterols, Yiannis Dimitras, Duo Fina, Areti Ketime, Dimitris Kiklis, Giannis Moraitis, Vangelis Panatos, Christina Saltis, Vasiliki Stephanou, Stereo Soul feat. DJ Concent, Sunday Derembe feat. Lava, Gianna Terzi, Panagiotis Tsakalakos, Tony Vlach, 

Israel's The Next Star 2018 is already in full swing. In the first three episodes Netta Barzilal, Jonathan Mergui, Jaki Gaforov, Adva Omer, Mor Karbasi, Chen Aharoni, Gal Yaakoni, Hagar Yefet, Rinar Bar, Tslil Goldman, Riki Ben Ari, Jose Steinberg, Eden Meiri and Shir Baruch have survived and the journey to Lisbon continues. 

Latvia had the crazy idea of putting all the 63 songs on internet and people got to give them thumbs up or down. 72% of the thumbs went down. Artists were kept secret. Now about 20 songs will be selected for Supernova semifinals. 

Malta has it's finalists out already. Here

Montenegro relaunches Montevizija. Last time it was used in 2006. Anybody all over the world is welcome to take part but the song must be in national languages :-) Five entries will be in the final with 100% televote.

Netherlands will select once again internally and the rumour mill is in full swing; by media or by wannabes themselves. Shirma Rouse, Dotan, DJ Martin Garrix, Jacqueline Govaert, Chef'Special, Maan, Romy Monteiro, Sharon Doorson and ever present Within Temptation. Let's wait and see....

Norway received around 1200 songs for their one off grand final on March 10, colliding with Melodifestivalen. Nice!

Portugal's Diogo Picarra says he might sing his own entry in the competition. I say: Ai sim! The other composers are here

Romania is going all crazy with their selection. A Melodifestivalen kind of tour around the country is planned. The submissions start soon and close December 15. Live auditions follow before Christmas.  MIHAI has reported to have submitted already seven songs..... 

San Marino goes wild on internet. Over 250 entries from 60 countries were received already and the submission period is still open. OGAE Members get to vote for one of the three wildcards. The usual jokes are taking part as always, but also Eurovision veterans from Iceland and Croatia have sent their application with many national finalists from all over Europe. If you spot them among the hopeless nobodies. I'll get to this process when it makes some sense in later stages.... 

Serbia is also a country that relaunches the national final, Beovizija. The plans are though wide in the open as they don't know yet if there will be one or two shows and where, and guess what? They hold the right to skip it all and just pick up someone internally if the submissions aren't to their liking....And yes, the song must be in national languages and the singer(s) Serbian. Hooray!

Slovenia also hinted earlier the entry should be in Slovenian or other minority languages but that rule seem to have disappeared from the final rules. However, submission period is on but yet there are no news if national final will be staged or if there will be internal selection instead....

Sweden received 2771 entries through open call and from record labels. No changes in the process of selecting the entry when Melodifestivalen travels throughout country to Stockholm, where David Lindgren hosts the show again, this time alone.

Switzerland received a record number of entries, 670. 16 of them were written in a special Euovision songwriting camp.... At least Swiss are trying to get it right this time. Maybe. That might just result as "nice" anonymous Eurovision pop. Something that no one hates but no one likes enought to vote it to the final either. Like most Swiss entries lately. 

Ukraine does again the same national final format they used last year. The submission period is open until mid January and the procuders are wishng songs with modern arrangements but folk instruments. Another nod to lat year's winner and thumbs down to Swedish bubblegum pop? Hooray!

After the jump a couple of rumored Eurovision artists/wannabes:




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