RSI, the Swiss Italian broadcaster has informed esctoday.com that it has opted to change the format for selecting their entries for the 2014 Swiss national selection process. The regional radio final which was scheduled to be held on Rete 3 has been dropped and now a special panel of music experts will evaluate all received entries on November 12 and select 3 songs that will go to the preliminary phase of the Swiss Eurovision selection.

Esctoday.com has learned that RSI has received  aproximately 24 songs for the Swiss Italian Eurovision regional selection, singers and composers still have time to send in their entries until October 28.

Last Wednesday esctoday.com reported that RSI had confirmed the date of the 2014 Swiss Italian regional final which would be aired on the radio. The Swiss Italian broadcaster has now dropped this format and opted for an internal selection where a special panel of music experts will select 3 songs after making their deliberation.

RSI will be releasing more information and details regarding their 2014 Eurovision regional final in due course. Last July RSI opened the submission period for artists and composers wishing to compete in the contest to submit their entries.

NEW SELECTION MODE

The 9 best candidates from the internet platform of SRF / RTR selection +6 candidates of RTS  (via an internal selection)+3 candidates from RSI (via a regional radio selection) will present their song live in front of a panel of experts. Hence a total of 18 candidates will be go through an audition enfront of a special jury. They will all have to showcase their vocal and singing skills live along with their stage presence.

The 3 best performers from SRF+ 2 best performers from RTS +the  best performer from RSI  will qualify to compete at the 2014 Swiss Eurovision National Final which will be held on 1 February 2014 in Kreuzlingen.  A total of 6 acts will fight for the golden ticket to Denmark, each act will have to peform 2 songs ( their respective Eurovision entry + a cover version of a song) in order to showcase their talent and vocal skills to the Swiss audience.

Takasa  represented Switzerland at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo with You and Me.  Takasa failed to qualify to the grand final in Malmo.

Switzerland is one of the founder members of the Eurovision Song Contest, having hosted the very first edition in Lugano in 1956 and winning the very first grand prix with Lys Assia‘s Refrain on home ground. The Helvetic nation has won the event 2 times in 1956 with Lys Assia and in 1988 with Celine Dion’s Ne partez pas sans moi.