Switzerland: RSI opens song submission window for national selection

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 717 views

Following Switzerland’s Eurovision 2019 participation confirmation, RSI, the Swiss Italian speaking broadcaster has opened the submission window for artists and composers to submit their entries and applications in order to compete in the upcoming Swiss selection.

The 2019 Swiss national selection will be co-organized by the four Swiss national national broadcasters SRF, RTS, RSI and RTR as tradition has it.

The Swiss have eradicated the live televised national final due to budget cuts and have replaced the televoting with a special audience panel, thus the 2019 Swiss Eurovision entry will be determined via a 50/50 international jury-spectator panel deliberation.

Following RTS and SRF, the Italian speaking broadcaster RSI has now opened a call for artists to send in their songs in their quest to partake in the 2019 Swiss selection. You can find the rules and regulations for the Swiss Italian Eurovision 2019 regional selection here.

Artists, composers and songwriters wishing to enter the regional selection can send in their songs and applications to RSI via post or digitally online from 27 July-30 August.

RSI is looking for modern songs with an international appeal and a strong, clear and understandable message.

Singers wishing to enter the Swiss Italian regional selection have to send in the following material to the broadcaster:

  • Audio file of the complete song (music and voice) in mp3 or wav format
  • Audio file of the basic song only in mp3 or wav format
  • The lyrics of the song in word format, text only or pdf
  • The biography in word format, text only or pdf
  • Copy of the document (passport or identity card) pdf or jpg format
  • 1 recent photo in pdf or jpg format

Songs and applications can be sent to RSI via post on a USB to the following address: RSI – Radiotelevisione svizzera, Eurovision Song Contest, Cassella postale, 6903 Lugano.

Switzerland in Eurovision

Switzerland debuted at the 1956 Eurovision Song Contest and won the competition the very same year with Lys Assia. Then in 1988 Celine Dion gave Switzerland its 2nd Eurovision victory when she was crowned the winner after a nail biting and exciting voting sequence just one point ahead of the United Kingdom.

In 2018, the Swiss selected the duo Zibbz to fly the Swiss flag at the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon with their song Stones. Despite an energetic performance Switzerland failed to qualify to the Grand Final for a fourth consecutive time.