From the public body, they assure that there are “more familiar faces among the applicants”
RTVE has received 876 applications for the Benidorm Fest 2023, ten fewer than in the previous edition, but with “more famous faces among the candidates” to represent Spain at Eurovision 2023, to be held in Liverpool on 13 May.
RTVE closed the process of selecting candidates for the Benidorm Fest 2023 this Monday at 11:59 PM. In a statement, radio and television stated that the number of applications received is “comparable data to the first edition”, but that in this case they have “experienced a more active participation of the record companies and a professionalization of the proposals received, with more well-known faces among the applicants to take part in the Spanish preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest.”
Of the songs received, 455 came in via the web form, 27 by email and the remaining 394 were sent directly from record labels and publishers, a number that is double the number of 2022. In 2021 they received 886 songs, 692 via the web and 194 by record companies.
At the moment, the RTVE Eurovision Working Group is immersed in listening carefully to the songs received in order to choose the 16 best candidates who will participate in the Benidorm Fest on January 31 and February 2, in the semi-finals and in the grand final of the day 4 .
Television believes the initiative has been “excellently received” and has emphasized that the first proposal was received two minutes later and the last, a few minutes after the process concluded, at 11:56 pm. Another noteworthy fact is that many artists rushed to the last minute to send in their candidacy, and in the past 24 hours, about 150 applications have come in.
It is also noteworthy that the submission of proposals via the open form on the RTVE website has been standardized by both professional artists and amateurs.
For the new edition there have again been “songs sent by new talents unknown to the general public and emerging artists, as well as an increase in requests from artists of recognized prestige and trajectory, singers of talent shows, new promises and even Eurovision faces from other editions.
The presence of young people is also very remarkable; indie scene artists; groups that were successful in the 1990s and 2000s; and even a candidate who wants to repeat his experience of last year in Benidorm. There are also proposals behind which artists with very large communities on TikTok, as happened last year with Briton Sam Ryder, whose success crossed social networks and took second place in Turin.
In terms of age, there are candidates for all audiences: the youngest is from an artist who turns 16 in 2023, the minimum age to participate in Eurovision; and the largest, from a pro who blows out 76 candles this year.
As for styles, as in 2021, a diversity of names, a diversity of music styles: from the most commercial pop to ballads, folk, flamenco, fusion, rock, Latin sounds and those most consumed by young people, such as rap or reggaeton .
Once the screening is completed, RTVE will notify the chosen artists who, during the month of November, will have to send the master of the song to start the production process of the various galas that La 1 will broadcast.
Eight songs will compete in the first semifinal to be held on January 31, and the other eight will compete in the second semifinal. The top four from each semi-final will advance to the grand final on Saturday. Finally, eight numbers will compete to win the second edition of the competition.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
