Ten artists will be participating in this year's Austrian national final Song:// null.drei, which will take place March 14th. Although Austrian broadcaster ORF wanted to keep the participants secret until their press conference somewhere in February, the newspaper Kleine Zeitung recently leaked six names.

Probably the best-known name is Alf Poier (picture), a stand up comedian who has a huge following not only in Austria, but in Germany too, where he is regularly featured in the popular TV show Quatsch Comedy Club on private station Pro Sieben. His kind of chaotic yet poetic comedy has earned him the status of a public's favorite. Poier has a history as songwriter, drummer and rock musician.

Other names include 18 years old Patricia Kaiser, a former Miss Austria who recently released a latino pop song; the John Otti Band, known as a party band playing covers; the Lutz Family, who did some funny TV adverts; musical singer Sabine Neibersch and Ramona from Starmania, an Austrian talent show, who will be part of a girl group.

The voting procedure is said to be split into three parts: televoting, televoting from mobil phones and SMS voting.