AUSTRIA 🇦🇹
Austrian media reports that R&B singer Vincent Bueno is, in fact, the act which will be heading to Rotterdam in May.
FRANCE 🇫🇷
After UK, Germany and Spain, France also cancels national selection. Due to low viewing figures and rather disappointing results, the successor to Bilal Hassani will be internally chosen. France Télévisions has already contacted various songwriting teams in the hexagon, but also abroad for the very first time.
CZECH REPUBLIC 🇨🇿
Nearly six months after the release of the Acapella song, Czech representative at Eurovision 2018 Mikolas Josef is releasing his new single, Colorado. He is the creator of the song himself and is also directing the video clip, which you can see below:
CHINA 🇨🇳
The ABU Song Contest has been removed from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union website. The ABU Song Contest which was due to be held in April 2020, has been removed from the website of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. The page regarding the contest has been removed and the event no longer appears in the calendar of events organised by the ABU for the first half of 2020.
PORTUGAL 🇵🇹
Eduardo Nascimento, Portugal’s representative at Eurovision 1967 with “O Vento Mudou” (“The Wind has Changed”), passed away last week in Lisbon at the age of 76.
CZECH REPUBLIC 🇨🇿
According to CT, 7 finalists (one less than last year) will compete in the ESCZ 2020. But the interesting thing is that in total the competing artists are 11! Which means that there are duets or bands among the finalists. The finalists’ announcement and the entire program as a whole will be postponed for one week on January 13, 2020, when a special press conference will be held. The vote ends on 2 February 2020 and the winner is announced within a week. Until then twice a week until Christmas, CT will give teasers to the 7 finalists of ESCZ 2020 and invite the public to link these items, discovering the artists. The voting for the winner will remain the same as last year. The score of each member of an international jury, the score of foreign fans and the Czech public (via a mobile app) will be summed up and the final result will determine the winner.
JESC 2020 🇵🇱
Speaking to Tele Magazyn Mr Kurski has commented on TVP’s plans to bid to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2020. Poland’s victory in Gliwice made Poland the first back to back winners of the contest, and potentially the first nation to host two contests in a row. Mr Kurski commented:
“Of course, we will submit an application, we do not need to prove anything to anyone, everyone believes that we can do the best show in the world, but I think that the EBU decision may be disappointing for many of you.”