The Spanish national final for Belgrade 2008, Salvemos Eurovisión, is about to start. Ten acts will fight it out tonight with the aim of representing Spain this year in Belgrade (Serbia). The show is scheduled to start at 22.30 CET and can be followed on TVE1, TVEi (via satellite) as well as on the Internet by clicking on the link below (TVE webcast, external link).
WEBCAST
The show will start later than expected due to the commercials.
The show has just started with a mock video of former Eurovision Song Contests.
The hostess of the show, Raffaella Carrà, appears on stage acclaimed by the public. She introduces the audience to the show. Borja Prieto, in a video, is explaining the voting proccess followed to choose 5 of the 10 contestants. He also refers to the controversy about fake voting.
Now Raffaella receives the guests of tonight's show. The first of them is José Luis Uribarri, TVE's longest running commentator. He claims that the representative will not only represent TVE, but the whole of Spain. Bibiana Fernández is the next one to be introduced. Bibiana is a well-known and respected actress in Spain. Mauro Canut, author of the blog Guayominí du puá and jurymember of Salvemos Eurovisión, appears on stage now. The Venezuelan writer and showman Boris Izaguirre is welcomed by Raffaella and the audience. Boris says that he will watch the contest accompanied by his husband. Boris attended the contest in 2002, with Rosa, who comes into stage right now. Her song Europe's living a celebration is playing and the public is singing along.
Raffaella Carrà is now enumerating the numbers of the 10 contestants. The public cheers loudly (and there are also some boos against Rodolfo Chikilicuatre).
A group of eurofans is now being interviewed. Amongst them, José Juan Santana, president of OGAE Spain.
Time now for the songs!
1. Bizarre – Si pudiera. To vote: 905 44 71 01. SMS CANCION 01 to 5152
The beginning of the song is quite musical, even symphonic, but turns heavier a few seconds later. The two leading voices -male and female- are quite well combined. Si pudiera is a nice pop-rock theme, and could do very well tonight. Only one problem: the female singer should train her vocals to make them stronger.
2. Innata – Me encanta bailar. To vote: 905 44 71 02. SMS CANCION 02 to 5152
Innata calls herself "The Jeanne d'Arc of Eurovision". Me encanta bailar combines the Spanish and English languages, but not very succesfully. Innata's vocals are not very strong and are out of tune every now and then. The melody and the lyrics are quite simple as well. Not one of the hot favourites tonight.
3. Arkaitz – Un olé. To vote: 905 44 71 03. SMS CANCION 03 to 5152
Un olé is surely the most latin-like act tonight. Arkaitz became one of the sensations during the online voting on Myspace, climbing up to the 3rd place. The lyrics of the song are typical Spanish: flamenco, beach, sun, olé… The tune is quite fresh and makes us see that Summer is not very far. Arkaitz's vocals are quite appropiate for this kind of song.
The show will be back after the commercial break.
4. Ell*as – 100×100. To vote: 905 44 71 04. SMS CANCION 04 to 5152
Ell*as are performing a rhythmic pop song. The voices of the two leading female singers are well stuck. This song could be named as a traditional Europop entry. Despite some good details, the overall impression is not the best.
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5. Lorena C – Piensa gay. To vote: 905 44 71 05. SMS CANCION 05 to 5152
Piensa gay seems to be a very plain theme, with poor music and lyrics claiming the gayness, with hackneyed stereotypes. The presence of the Teletubbies on stage is maybe the most remarkable feature in this performance. Let's see if this song does well in the voting round at the end of the show.
Boris Izaguirre claims that he wants to be the fourth Teletubbie.
6. D-Vine – I do you. To vote: 905 44 71 06. SMS CANCION 06 to 5152
D-Vine brings the R'n'B style to the Salvemos Eurovisión stage. I do you, whose refrain is sung in English, could do well tonight due to the good combinations of the singers' voices and because of the quality of the entry itself. Previous R'n'B entries in Eurovision, like Poland's Time to party in 2006, didn't do well. Could this be the time for D-Vine?
7. Rodolfo Chikilicuatre – Baila el chiki chiki. To vote: 905 44 71 07. SMS CANCION 07 to 5152
The song to gain the maximum votes online is now on stage. Rodolfo is a creation of the private TV channel La Sexta and is said to be a parody to make fun of eurovision. But it's true that this song has become a true hit in Spain these days. The political language has been slightly changed to see EBU's regulations. There is division amongst the public: some of them cheer, some of them boo.
8. Marzok Mangui – Caramelo. To vote: 905 44 71 08. SMS CANCION 08 to 5152
Marzok Mangui is a group with northern African influences. One of the members of the group is from the Spanish northern African town of Melilla. Caramelo mixes very accurately Arabic rhythms with Spanish rap. This song could gather votes from the Easternmost participating contries in Eurovision if it is in the end chosen to represent Spain. The public welcomes this performance.
9. La Casa Azul – La revolución sexual. To vote: 905 44 71 09. SMS CANCION 09 to 5152
La revolución sexual has become one of the hot favourites for this year's Spanish final since the very first moment. Only Guille Milkyway is on stage, while the rest of the group appears on screens. The tune is quite ages 70 and has to be narrowed down to 3 minutes. A different a fresh song that could bring Spain a good result in Belgrade.
10. Coral – Todo está en tu mente. To vote: 905 44 71 10. SMS CANCION 10 to 5152.
Coral is another hot favourite to win the Spanish ticket for Belgrade. Todo está en tu mente is a Europop song that starts softly and speeds up in the refrain part. This song is quite suitable for Coral's powerful voice. The final part of the song proves that Coral has a privileged voice, comparable to the world's greatest divas.
Time now for a recap of all songs. The lines are open.
The show is full of comical acts. Now, the group The Chanclettes are on stage performing a parody act of Eurovision, based on several songs that represented Spain in previous years: Europe's living a celebration, Quién maneja mi barca, Su canción, Nacida para amar…
Raffaella is now explaining that the votes registered before the show represent 20% of the total value. Votes submitted from now on worth 80%. The hostess now interviews the guests about their favourite songs tonight, Rosa's participation in Eurovision 2002 together with other Operación Triunfo former contestants…
A hot topic comes now: Italy's absence from Eurovision since 1997. Raffaella says that they have a very important festival, San Remo. José Luis Uribarri stresses on the automatic qualification for the final of the 'Big-4' countries, saying that Spain, United Kingdom, France and Germany are "special guests" in the Eurovision final.
Before lines are closed, another recap of the songs is displayed. And another one after the commercial break!
José Luis Uribarri is now asked by Raffaella to give 3 names that could win tonight. José Luis says 2: Coral and La Casa Azul. The public receives his words with a huge applause.
Raffaella now asks Rosa which song of the ones competing tonight she would like to sing. Coral would be her choice. Boris Izaguirre states that his favourite is La Casa Azul because it's not "folkloric". He has also kind words for Ell*as and D-Vine, Lorena C, Innata and Arkaitz.
Marzok Mangui is also well judged by the guests, stressing on their Northern African flavour. Rodolfo Chikilicuatre is already said to be the Summer hit this year and Bibiana Fernández states clearly that her favourite act is La Casa Azul.
The debate is focused now on the changes in Eurovision these last years. Eurovision has changed because Europe and its map has also changed, Bibiana Fernández claims. From the prevalence of the song and the music, now the performance seems to be the most important thing.
The conversation turns to San Remo for a short moment: Raffaella says that this festival has become too sofisticated.
Time now for LA PAJARRACA, maybe the most post-modern creation ever made! La Pajarraca was one of the Spanish candidates in this year's preselection, but failed to qualify for tonight's show. Her/his/its song Europajarraca (Pajarraca, pajarraca / raca raca raca con La Pajarraca) is being played. Pajarraca is a strange being: bird body and human head wearing a red wig. La Pajarraca has been created for the Sonar Festival, an annual festival of independent music held in Barcelona. La Pajarraca reveals that she/he/it comes from a factory in central China, devoted to create new domestic animals.
A video comprising the Spanish songs througout the years is now shown.
Don't remember the 10 entries? Here you are a new recap of them.
Raffaella now will perform one of her gretest hits: En el amor todo es empezar (maybe better known as Explótame explótame expló, explota explota mi corazón). The public hugely cheers her performace, shouting "Raffaella a Eurovisión".
Here comes one of the big surprises tonight: Jaana Pelkonen, co-hostess of Eurovision 2007, is in the public. In perfect Spanish, Jaana states that Raffaella is an excellent artist.
The comical group Muchachada Nui is now performing again.
THE PHONE LINES ARE CLOSED! Now, another commercial break before knowing the results.
All 10 contestants are sitting in a kind of Green Room, awaiting the results.
The notary gives Raffaella an envelope containing the votes cast before the show (20% of the final result) and another one with the votes received during the programme (80%).
The results are:
Before the show
D VINE 1 pt
LORENA C 2pts
INNATA 3pts
ARKAITZ 4pts
ELL*AS 5 pts
BIZARRE 6 pts
MARZOK MANGUI 7pts
CORAL 8pts
LA CASA AZUL 10pts
RODOLFO CHIKILICUATRE 12pts
The jury says that these results were expected. Bibiana stresses on the opportunity that all artists had to appear on a public TV show.
During the show
ELLAS 4 pts
D-VINE 8 pts
INNATA 12 pts
BIZARRE 16pts
LORENA C 20 pts
MARZOK MANGUI 24 pts
ARKAITZ 28 pts
CORAL 40pts
RODOLFO CHIKILICUATRE 48 pts
Spain has decided!! Rodolfo Chikilicuatre to Eurovision with Baila el chiki chiki
