If you weren’t raised in Europe, you’ve probably never heard of the Eurovision Song Contest. I certainly had no idea what I was getting into when I sat down to watch my first show. And oh what a show.
If you like American singing shows, you will love Eurovision. Eurovision can be described as a singing competition on steroids in which competitors represent their nation in an Olympic talent defeat. Nothing is too much of a stretch for these titans. Monocles! Unicycles! One princess! I saw all of this in one act with Zdob și Zdub’s 2011 Moldovan performance “So Lucky.”
For lovers of the absurd, this international competition of glitz and glamor is highly addictive television. I often have trouble distinguishing the best from the worst and I look forward to the finals every year. Here’s your guide to Europe’s biggest song contest and Germany’s nominee this year.
History of the Eurovision competition
The Eurovision Song Contest was started in the 1950s by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in an attempt to return to normal after the destruction of World War II. The hope was that this would be a positive way to foster national pride and friendly competition.
The first competition in the spring of 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland. Although only seven countries participated, this has led to one of the oldest television shows in the world. It is the most watched event (non-sporting event) with around 125 million tunings every year.
How does Eurovision work?
After a series of semi-finals, each country performs a song on live television and then votes. Regarding restrictions, all voices must be sung live, songs cannot be longer than three minutes, only six people are allowed on stage, and live animals are prohibited. While many acts are defined by their quirkiness, the competition has also been a platform for such famous artists as ABBA, Céline Dion, and Julio Iglesias.
How to watch Eurovision in Germany: The show is broadcast in all participating countries. In Germany, the show will air on NDR and ARD. It is also possible to watch the program online with a practical YouTube channel available for projection.
How to vote: after all performances, viewers from participating countries can vote for their favorite songs by text message and official Eurovision app. Each person can place up to 20 votes, but cannot vote for their own country. The scores for each country are added together to give 12 points to the most popular entry, 10 points to the second most popular, then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point respectively . Numbers to call will be announced during the show.
Professional juries of five music industry experts also account for 50% of the vote. Each jury again awards 12 points to the most popular entry, 10 to the second, then 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point.
These results are merged and the country with the highest number of combined points wins. A countdown of points from each country at the end of the program adds points in a breathless finale.
Eurovision contest 2019
41 countreis will compete in 2019. For the first time, the contest is being held in Israel, last year’s winning country. Expect to hear last year’s winning song, »Toy» performed by Netta, many times before the event. And if you can’t get enough of this year’s music, buy the contest’s official compilation album, Eurovision Song Contest: Tel Aviv 2019 .
- When: the grand finale is on May 18, 2019 at 9:00 p.m. (There will also be two semi-finals, taking place on May 14 and 16).
- Where: Expo Tel Aviv
- Who: 41 countries will compete
Who represents Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019?
Germany is one of the “big 5” of Eurovision (along with the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Spain) since it has competed almost every year since its inception; in fact, no country has been represented so frequently. They are also one of the largest financial contributors. These countries are automatically qualified for the Eurovision final.
Yes! Sters won the national final with the song »Sister«. Press your thumbs for a German victory!
