Spain’s representative for the next Eurovision Song Contest will be announced this Saturday
We will have to wait another 48 hours, but the siege is closed to meet Spain’s next representative in the Eurovision Song Contest. Blanca Paloma, Vicco, Karmento and José Otero join Agoney, Alice Wonder, Fusa Nocta and Megara for the Benidorm Fest 2023 final this Saturday. One of the eight will receive the much-anticipated ticket to represent Spain in Liverpool on May 13. But the second semi-final of the Benidorm Fest was experienced in the Palacio de Deportes l’Illa de Benidorm as if it were a final.
And reason, in part, was not lacking. Rakky Rypper, E´Femme, Siderland and Alfred García were eliminated from a gala that mixed different styles of music, but chose to stick with the exciting rhythm and interpretation that Blanca Paloma made of her song ‘EaEa’. It was his second time on stage at Benidorm Fest and this time he pulled out of nostalgia to win the heat of the audience with a lullaby passed down from generation to generation. Quite a credit that he managed to win over the jury as he got the highest score (92). And it is that even when he asked for the mood, he managed to soften the moment. Her a cappella voice, rhythm and emotion captured a Benidorm Fest that did not stop her to give her the golden ticket to the second semi-final with a total of 167 points.
But Nonchentera’, a song that the crowd loved from the start of the evening, had to settle for second place, even though it started as a favourite. “Eighties night / All night long / There’s a line that weaves / But come with whoever you want (uoh)”. A catchy, danceable and undoubtedly Eurovision song that was rated second best by the professional jury, but despite expectations only yielded 28 points from the viewers.
Yet one of the surprises of the evening was given by ‘Quiero y duelo’, by Karmento, that folklore from La Mancha coming to Benidorm for the first time. And how. When the performance was over, the audience cheered her, which led her to get the love of the discerning voters who awarded her 35 points. Something the professional jury did not agree with, so that she fell out of the rankings with 47 points for a first moment and provoked booing from the audience itself.
The gala that gave access to the final to four of the eight participants, added to those already selected last Tuesday, had a number of special guests to give more emotion and life to a musical celebration that was restored last year and has followers for all points in Spain -although the ratings for the last gala were not encouraging-. Miguel Poveda, Gloria Tevi and Álvaro Soler – responsible for relieving the bad booze and nerves of the voting minutes – take the stage at a Benidorm Fest dedicated to their music as special guests. And with sincere tribute to previous Eurovision candidates. Specifically, Poveda opened the second semi-final with his version of ‘Eres tu’, by Mocedades on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
Still, his performances did not stay in the background for what was there. Famous proved it right by being the first of the contestants to take the stage and getting the audience moving at set times to the beat of ‘La Lola’. And although he started with a certain advantage because of his experience, luck turned his back again. After winning Operación Triunfo in 2018 and trying to represent Spain at Eurovision 2019, Famous this time opted for a song that tried to bring out “that feminine side we all have” but failed to capture an audience. fall in love, and above all a popular voice that earned him the worst score (13 points). Something similar happened to Alfred García – who had the chance to get hold of the Eurovision ticket again until the last moment – with his ‘Since you are here’ and his black-and-white staging that recalls that Benidorm Fest of 1962. But the ballad by José Otero snatched his position.
But not everything had been seen at the Fest. Although it was thought that all kinds of genres had already paraded, innovation was not left behind. It was Rakky Ripper from Granada who made another bet, and some may not even know it. Hyperpop, a genre that aims to accelerate and exaggerate pop music to the point of absurdity. But who brought the party to the sports hall with ‘Tracción’, albeit without much success. He only got 24 points from the judges.
With these eight finalists, the selection of who may represent Spain is over. And it won’t be for styles. The proposals, both for this gala and Tuesday’s, ranged from pop to rock, including trap, indie and flamenco. A whole mishmash of genres dreaming of winning in Liverpool and bringing the next Eurovision Contest to Spain in 2024. But first we have to wait and see which of the eight will get the plane ticket. It will be the popular vote that decides 50% who deserves to be the representative of Spain. The other half of the decision corresponds to the professional jury, as already happened last year in the edition it chose, against what was bet, on Chanel.
Source: La Verdad
I am David Jackson, a highly experienced professional in the news industry. I have been working as an author at Today Times Live for over 10 years, and specialize in covering the entertainment section. My expertise lies in writing engaging stories that capture readers’ attention and deliver timely information about the latest developments.
