A record low amount of submissions was received at the desk of the Moldovan broadcaster TRM for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. A total of 40 entries were submitted, and maximum 14 will continue to the next stage of the selection.

The low figures, however pretty similar to last year’s numbers, can be explained by a change to the Moldovan Eurovision rules introduced last year, setting limitations for artists with Moldovan citizenship only. In comparison, last year’s O Melodie Pentru Europa, when the new rules were set, saw a total of 46 submissions. The 2015 edition had 68 entries submitted, and n the golden days of 2009, the number of submissions nearly reached a total of 100.

These are the submitted entries for O Melodie Pentru Europa 2017. Click on the songtitle in order to listen to the entry (on TRM’s website):

  1. Barbas DianaThe moment
  2. Big Flash Sound Logic
  3. Boris CovaliCălător
  4. Cerkoo & Rodica OlişevschiIt’s not fair
  5. Che-MD – Făurit în Moldova
  6. Chirtoacă AurelDor de mamă
  7. Cobîlea ConstantinMama
  8. Dana RogovskiGave you everything
  9. Denny FeytonMet by chance
  10. Diana BrescanBreath
  11. Doga LiubaOn thought away
  12. Doga LiubaSafe
  13. DăoDream
  14. Ethno Republic & Surorile OsoianuDiscover Moldova
  15. Formaţia Ion Krasnopolski – Invitaţie la nunta moldovenească
  16. Irina Kit – Baby don’t cry
  17. Marks & StefanetJoin us in the rain
  18. Max Fall – If I could
  19. Maxim ZavidiaNot over you
  20. Nadia MoşneagaNever give up on us
  21. RadioLIFEForget all
  22. Red LipsKill for me
  23. Roşu OleaMama
  24. Russu Emilia – If only you
  25. Samir LoghinGlow
  26. Sandy C – A beautiful world
  27. Sasha Bognibov – Stop the liars
  28. Sasha Letty – I belive
  29. Second ChanceTwo cats
  30. Serj Coston & Sergey Beloff – I’ve been searching
  31. Seth CohenPust’ eto budet cekretom
  32. ShakyaBeautiful life
  33. SunStroke ProjectHey mamma
  34. Ştefan UrsakiLacrimi de chitară
  35. The One – Dance
  36. ToziUzac, uzac
  37. Tudor BumbacÎntr-o zi de iarnă
  38. Valentina Nejel & Sergiu Pungă – Ne-a fost iubirea un joc
  39. Valeria PaşaFreedom
  40. Vozniuc feat. Vio GrecuDon’t lie

[UPDATE 19/01: TRM has announced that a 40th act was submitted; it is Baby don’t cry by Irina Kit]

The most notable act from the list above is SunStroke Project, representing Moldova in Eurovision 2010 with Run away (featuring Olia Tira) and trying to represent Moldova again several times since then.

So what’s next? A live audition phase will be held for the 40 acts on this Saturday, 21 January. A jury will decide on maximum 14 entries that will participate in the televised semifinal of O melodie pentru Europa which will be held on 24 February. A total of eight songs will advance to the final on 25 February; four will be chosen by an expert jury and four by televotes. The winner will be decided by 50% jury votes and 50% televotes.

In case of insufficient number of participating entries among these 39, TRM reserves the right to skip the semifinal stage and hold a final round directly on 25 February.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for more news regarding O Melodie Pentru Europa and Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017

 


Gil is 23 years old, grew up in Israel and lives in Sweden. He began following the Eurovision Song Contest at the age of five, when the contest was held in Jerusalem in 1999. Gil joined the ESCToday team in March 2008, shortly after co-hosting the Israeli national selection that year.