This year's French entrant, Jessy Matador, and his record company Wagram Music have signed a partnership with France's biggest radio station “for young people”, NRJ. The video of Allez ola olé was premiered on NRJ website and the singer was the host of the 6-9, the morning talk show last Friday.

"I was born in 1983 in Paris, of Congolese origins" he declared. "Eurovision! I'm ready for the challenge, I often used to watch the show when I was a child. In France, people make a lot of criticism towards the contest… but they don't even have a look at it. It's a pity! I am proud to represent France, especially since I am a child of immigration".

Wagram Music will soon release the song digitally. The CD single will be available on May 25, with an album in June. Meanwhile, France 3 presently prepares a special report on the artist, to be broadcast shortly.Regarding the performance in Oslo, rehearsals go on. "It will have a very African mood", Bruno Berberes, French head of delegation, says, "something that has never seen before".

Besides, Mr Berberes explains that "the French song is not at all the official song of the football World Cup". The choice was made by Nicolas Pernikoff, head of Entertainment at France Télévisions, to have a summer hit with the song. The fact that the artist is of African origins would justify another connection with the World cup, but not more.

esctoday will soon publish an interview with the French HoD.