Less than a hundred days. It is the time that remains to be able enjoy eurovision. The foci of M&S Bank Arena Liverpool will light up next May. And before this appointment, Spain has to choose its representative in the Benidorm Festival. There are eight songs that aspire to lift the bronze microphone. Eight different themes in style, in staging. Eight songs that have a complicated mission: be the next ‘chanelazo’.
They say that comparisons are hateful, but taking into account the good position of Chanel in the last edition of Eurovision, expectations are very high. The artist conquered Europe with her Slomo and reached third position, the best result of the last 27 years. Spain had not entered the top 3 since Anabel Conde represented us with Come back with me. This year, the Alicante festival returns with a clear objective and that is to demonstrate that the election of last year’s representative was not by chance.
Talking about Benidorm Fest is talking about a festival that has returned the illusion for Eurovision to many Spaniards. You only need to take a look at the audience data to verify it: more than 6.5 million viewers they saw at some point the final of the first edition of the contest. This impulse was also transferred to Eurovision: more than 11 million people They saw the 2022 Song Festival, one of the most viewed in recent years.
This Saturday comes the grand finale. One of the eight songs that are part of this quote will succeed Chanel in Eurovision. What are the chances of each of them? We analyze the candidacies, how the bets are and what styles have been most successful over the years.
Agoney’s fire and vocal power
agoney stands for vocal power. In Spain, few artists -with the permission of Mónica Naranjo- can reach vocal ranges as high as him. If we had to summarize your candidacy It could be done in these terms: fire, low tones, red and black and many treble. With certain similarities to siren songthe proposal of Marov chosen to represent Ukraine in 2019, I want to burn has managed to get into the pocket of the public and professional jury in the first semifinal, not an easy task and even more so seeing what happened in the last edition.
The bets smile at the canary. On the official website of eurovision world put it first. And it is that his proposal has crossed borders and Eurofans have it as a great candidacy. In Wiwibloggs, one of the reference media in Europe specialized in Eurovision, they reacted to the song and they couldn’t help but ‘give it their all’: “Oh my God, fire. Hair on end”, said one of the Englishmen.
The intimacy and delicacy of Alice Wonder
Emotion, subtlety, minimalism, feeling… is what it transmits Alice Wonder. I would It is one of the most intimate proposals. It is one of those songs with which you connect from the beginning or you find it difficult to do so. The artist bets on Start a cappella his performance creating a perfect atmosphere.
She, her voice and a piano. A resource that works, and very well, in Eurovision. You only need to look back a couple of years. 2019, duncan laurence with Arcadian He conquered the hearts of all Europe and Australia. And that is something that Alice can also do with that particular voice that characterizes her. the madrilenian already moved Queen Letizia in it tribute to the victims of COVID with his interpretation of Titans fights. We’ll see if tonight the universe that he generates on stage crosses all the screens.
The roots of Fusa Nocta
There is a name that has not stopped talking since the songs that participated in the Benidorm Fest could be heard, and that is the name of Fusa Nocta. From the first moment, many Eurofans have imagined her on the Eurovision stage. Compared with Rosalía herself, has had the favorite sign hanging on his back for several months. In fact, before the festival, her proposal was the second most listened to on Spotify.
My family It is a song that talks about roots, family -as its name indicates- and home. Has a mix of electronic sounds, flamenco and trap that makes it impossible for the Motomami not to come to the fore. And this is a great compliment. You only need to see how the ‘Rosalía effect’ is liked in Europe.
However, after the live performance of the first semifinallet a bittersweet taste. Perhaps the nerves had a more important role than the power that is needed to interpret this subject. This has resulted in the bets they no longer place you as one of the winners. In fact, he has dropped to fourth position. But not everything is said. The young woman can still break the stage and sweep the final of the Alicante contest.
The ‘fuksia rock’ of Megara
Probably, Megara was the big surprise of the first semifinal of the Benidorm Fest 2023. The rock band was not in many of the pools to represent Spain in Eurovision, but his great stagingthought to the millimeter, and full of originality, turned Arcadia in a deserved finalist. not to mention Kenzy’s vocal quality and precision.
Spain hasn’t brought a rock song to the festival in all these years, but it’s never too late for it. lordy, wig wam, sleeve or one of the last Eurovision winners: the Italians Måneskinare just some of the examples that this genre is alive and with which success can be achieved.
Blanca Paloma’s flamingo
White Dove He wanted to repeat the experience at the Benidorm Fest after his participation in the last edition and he has done so with a totally different theme. With secret of water it was like fifth runner-up and now with eaea he has opted for cante jondo. A lullaby that perfectly mixes flamenco with more electronic sounds.
With a staging very well worked and full of personality, the artist presents something different. It is not unreasonable to say that nothing like this has ever been seen at Eurovision. She got the highest score from the professional jury: 92 out of 96 points what could they give. After the first semifinal, the bets have placed Blanca Paloma as second, we will see if they are correct. What is certain is that if there is something that represents Spain -besides other sounds- it’s the flamingo from which this song is nourished.
The loud voice of José Otero
Jose Otero he’s loud The quality and power of his deep voice is the great protagonist of winters on mars. A power ballad that for many is the dark horse of this edition of the Benidorm Fest. At Eurovision ballads always workyou just have to see the performances of last year: Brividi (Italy), River (Poland), Not The Same (Australia), Fade To Black (Azerbaijan)…, and a long etcetera.
In his performancealmost millimeter, a turntable take center stage. Otero wants to reach the Eurovision 2023 stage, but the bets only place him, for the moment, as seventh to succeed Chanel at the next festival.
Vicco’s Pop Party
If someone bring the party to the stagethat is vicco. This was demonstrated in the second semifinal by filling the stage with neon lights and garish colors. “Eighties night, all the whole night… The whole night, it was, eh-eh-eh, like an eighties night, it was, eh-eh-eh”, is the letter that has not stopped repeating itself during these months . nocturna It is one of the songs that have been listened to the most before the Benidorm Fest. The song with the most plays on Spotify, exceeding one million, and it is also one of the few songs from the festival that has been heard on some radio stations.
Despite this, it is already known that reproductions on Spotify is never synonymous with victory. Last year, Ow mom Y earth were the favorite songs, but finally slomowith its perfect choreography and its direct, ended up being the chosen one.
Dancing, good vibes, catchy lyrics… are some of the attributes that have made her one of the favorites of this edition. Vicco made himself known through social networks. One day, Alejandro Sanz heard one of his songs and invited her to be his opening act on tour Syrup in 2015. Now, she is one step away from being the representative of Eurovision. The bets put it, for the moment, as third. Will Europe dance to the rhythm of the nocturna?
Manchego folklore from Karmento
If Megara was the surprise of the first semifinal, Karmento was the one in the second semifinal. The singer-songwriter earned her pass to the final. Although it was very close -Alfred was the other contestant who was risking his position-, I want and mourn reached viewers, who voted it the second-best performance of Thursday night. And that when the songs came out, the Albaceteña I was not among the favorites of the eurofans. The magic of direct
Karmento took to the Benidorm Fest the manchego folklore. A performance set in the countryside, with a play of light and shadow, nods to family and origins. This is her song. At the moment, her stakes don’t put her very high, in eighth position, but she just might be able to hit the table tonight.
The pre-selection ‘what you want, the one you want’
Spain has never had a traditional preselection. The way to choose the representative of Eurovision it has always been very irregular. Italy and Sweden, among many other countries, do have a specific festival for this, sanremo and the melodifestivalen, respectively. The truth is that RTVE He has tried in a thousand ways: Eurovision Objective, Look who is going to Eurovision, Let’s Save Eurovision, Eurovision Destination, Operación Triunfo, Eurosong… these are just some of the programs that have decided our representative over the years, but none have managed to materialize on the screen.
However, the Benidorm Fest, which arrived under the direction of Jose Manuel Perez Tornero, it seems that it can become our particular Sanremo. It is something that the new president of the Corporation wanted to highlight, Elena Sanchez Caballerobefore its second edition: “Things that work, love stories that go well, some last for a lifetime… We had been trying for years and we couldn’t quite get it right, and find a formula that competes from music. Let’s have the route that we have in Eurovision later, but the way has been found ”.
We do not know if the Benidorm Fest it will be the preselection ‘what you want, the one you want’ -as stated in the motto that RTVE has created for the festival-, what is certain is that it seems that has come to stay. Will it also be successful this year and will Spain return with another top 3 under its arm? Or better yet: Eurovision 2024 in Spain? It only remains to wait and see what happens with Agoney, Alice Wonder, Fusa Nocta, Megara, Blanca Paloma, Vicco, Karmento and José Otero. Place your bets.
