Over the last weeks, the nominations for the 2009 esctoday.com national final awards took place. Now it is time to reveal the nominees and to announce that the polls are open now! You can cast your votes until Sunday, 15th November 18:00 CET.

BEST SONG

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1. Ajër (Albania)
   performed by Besa Kokedhim
   music by Alban Male, lyrics by Olti Curri
   video
2. Someday (Denmark)
   performed by Hera Björk
   music and lyrics by Christina Schilling, Jonas Gladnikoff, Henrik Szabo & Daniel Nilssonvideo
   video
3. Surrender (Finland)
   performed by Passionworks feat. Tony Turunen
   music by Harriet Hägglund & Kristian Pihlajaharju, lyrics by Harriet Hägglund
   video
4. Bo'i lirkod iti/Will you dance with me (Israel)
   performed by Noa & Mira Awad
   music and lyrics by Noa, Mira Awad & Gil Dor
   video
5. Butterflies (Norway)
   performed by Tone Damli Aaberge
   music by David Eriksen, lyrics by Tone Damli Aaberge & Mats Lie Skåre
   video
6. Juntos vamos conseguir (Yes we can) (Portugal)
   performed by Luciana Abreu
   music by Carlos Coincas, lyrics by Luciana Abreu & Carlos Coincas
   video
7. Nada es comparable a ti (Spain)
   performed by Mirela
   music and lyrics by Tony Sanchez Ohlsson, Thomas G:sson & Andreas Rickstrand
   video
8. Stay the night (Sweden)
   performed by Alcazar
   music and lyrics by Andreas Lundstedt, Therese Merkel, Lina Hedlund, Anders Hansson & Mårten Sandén
   video

BEST PERFORMANCE

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1. Hera Björk (Denmark)
   for her performance of the song Someday
   video
2. Aleksandar Belov (FYR Macedonia)
   for his performance of the song Zastani solzi izbrisi
   video
3. Melody (& dancers*) (Spain)
   for her performance of the song Amante de la luna
   video
4. Alcazar (Sweden)
   for their performance of the song Stay the night
   video
5. The Twins (United Kingdom)
   for their performance of the song It's my time
   video

BEST BALLAD

Vote here.

1. Ajër (Albania)
   performed by Besa Kokedhim
   music by Alban Male, lyrics by Olti Curri
   video
2. I wish I could pretend (Ireland)
   performed by Krisitina Zaharova
   music and lyrics by Lauris Reiniks
   video
3. Bo'i lirkod iti/Will you dance with me (Israel)
   performed by Noa & Mira Awad
   music and lyrics by Noa, Mira Awad & Gil Dor
   video
4. Nada es comparable a ti (Spain)
   performed by Mirela
   music and lyrics by Tony Sanchez Ohlsson, Thomas G:sson & Andreas Rickstrand
   video (semi final performance)
5. Snälla, snälla (Sweden)
   performed by Caroline af Ugglas
   music by Heinz Liljedahl, lyrics by Caroline af Ugglas
   video

BEST MID TEMPO SONG

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1. Surrender (Finland)
   performed by Passionworks feat. Tony Turunen
   music by Harriet Hägglund & Kristian Pihlajaharju, lyrics by Harriet Hägglund
   video
2. Butterflies (Norway)
   performed by Tone Damli Aaberge
   music by David Eriksen, lyrics by Tone Damli Aaberge & Mats Lie Skåre
   video
3. Juntos vamos conseguir (Yes we can) (Portugal)
   performed by Luciana Abreu
   music by Carlos Coincas, lyrics by Luciana Abreu & Carlos Coincas
   video
4. Amante de la luna (Spain)
   performed by Melody
   music and lyrics by Fernando Bermudez & Manuel Carrasco
   video
5. You're my world (Sweden)
   performed by Emilia
   music & Lyrics by Emilia Rydberg & Fredrik Boström
   video

BEST UP TEMPO SONG

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1. Det' det (Denmark)
   performed by Sukkerchok
   music & lyrics by Lasse Lindorff, Mogens Binderup & Lise Cabble
   video
2. Destiny (Estonia)
   performed by Laura
   music & Lyrics by Sven Lõhmus
   video
3. Tricky (Norway)
   performed by Velvet inc.
   music & lyrics by Hanne Sørvaag, Niklas Bergwall & Niclas Kings
   video
4. Stop (Romania)
   performed by Catalin
   music by Eduard Carcota, lyrics by Cristian Hriscu-Badea
   video
5. Stay the night (Sweden)
   performed by Alcazar
   music and lyrics by Andreas Lundstedt, Therese Merkel, Lina Hedlund, Anders Hansson & Mårten Sandén
   video

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

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1. Ana Bebic (Croatia)
   for her performance of the song Mrzim spore stvari
   video
2. Hera Björk (Denmark)
   for her performance of the song Someday
   video
3. Tone Damli Aaberge (Norway)
   for her performance of the song Butterflies
   video
4. Mirela (Spain)
   for her performance of the song Nada es comparable a ti
   video (semi final performance)
5. Sarah Dawn Finer (Sweden)
   for her performance of the song Moving on
   video

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE

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1. Aleksandar Belov (FYR Macedonia)
   for his performance of the song Zastani solzi izbrisi
   video
2. Alexander Stenerud (Norway)
   for his performance of the song Find my girl
   video
3. Omar Naber (Slovenia)
   for his performance of the song I still carry on
   video
4. Måns Zelmerlöw (Sweden)
   for his performance of the song Hope & glory
   video
5. Mark Evans (United Kingdom)
   for his performance of the song It's my time
   video

BEST DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

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1. Passionworks feat. Tony Turunen (Finland)
   for their performance of the song Surrender
   video (semi final performance)
2. Noa & Mira Awad (Israel)
   for their performance of the song Bo'i lirkod iti/Will you dance with me
   video
3. Melody (& dancers*) (Spain)
   for their performance of the song Amante de la luna
   video
4. Alcazar (Sweden)
   for their performance of the song Stay the night
   video
5. The Twins (United Kingdom)
   for their performance of the song It's my time
   video

*Melody competed with "los Vivancos" in the semi final, but the group withdrew from the competition before the final. The singer performed in the final with different dancers and although she competed simply as "Melody" this time, we still consider it a group performance as it followed a similar concept as in the semi final.

BEST ACT ELIMINATED IN A SEMI FINAL, QUARTER FINAL OR HEAT

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1. Gergana Dimova with Yasno slantse (Bulgaria)
   eliminated in the semi final
   video
2. Riika with Meren (Finland)
   eliminated in the second chance round
   video
3. Surferosa with U look good (Norway)
   eliminated in the second round of the second chance round
   video
4. Besa Kokedhima with Nothin' gonna change (Romania)
   eliminated in the second semi final
   video
5. BWO with You're not alone (Sweden)
   eliminated in the first round of the second chance round
   video

BEST NATIONAL FINAL

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1. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2009 (Denmark)
   organised by DR
2. MGP 2009 (Norway)
   organised by NRK
3. Festival RTP da Canção 2009 (Portugal)
   organised by RTP
4. Melodifestivalen 2009 (Sweden)
   organised by SVT
5. Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (United Kingdom)
   organised by BBC

BEST STAGING AND PRESENTATION

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1. Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2009 (Denmark)
   organised by DR
   hosted by Birthe Kjær and Felix Smith the MCH Messecenter in Herning
2. MGP 2009 (Norway)
   organised by NRK
   hosted by Maria Haukaas Storeng & Per Sundnes at the Spektrum in Oslo
3. Piosenka dla Europy 2009 (Poland)
   organised by TVP
   hosted by Paulina Chylewska & Radek Brzózka at the TVP studios in Warsaw
4. Melodifestivalen 2009 (Sweden)
   organised by SVT
   hosted by Petra Mede at the Globe Arena in Stockholm
5. Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (United Kingdom)
   organised by BBC
   hosted by Graham Norton at the BBC studios in London

BEST VOTING SYSTEM

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1. MGP 2009 (Norway)
   Semi finals: 100% televoting selects two acts to move forward to the final. The third and fourth placed entries along with the act in the bottom two of all semi finals that received the most votes and a wildcard advance to the second chance round.
   Second chance round: The eight acts compete in pairs. The favourite of each pair (as chosen by televoting) reaches the second round, where the formula is repeated.
   Final: The winner is chosen in two rounds of voting. In the first round, televoting alone selects the top four. In the second round, the eventual winner is chosen by four regional juries who gave points before the absolute televoting numbers were added to reach the final score.
2. Festival RTP da Canção 2009 (Portugal)
   20 juries first vote in Eurovision style. The top ten of the jury are then given 1-8, 10 and 12 points. The televoting results are converted in the same style and added to the jury result to decide the winner.
3. Eurovisión: El retorno (Spain)
   Qualification: Songs are presented on the internet in ten different categories and an online voting is held. The top five of each category move on to the next round. The 20 songs with the most votes go directly to the televised semi finals. Another ten are chosen by a jury.
   Semi finals: Both a jury and televoting give 1-8, 10 and 12 points to the ten songs. The top four go forward to the final (originally, a second chance round was supposed to be held for the fourth placed entries, but it was cancelled).
   Final: The voting was done in the same style as in the semi finals.
   
4. Melodifestivalen (Sweden)
   Semi finals: The finalists are chosen by televoting in two rounds of voting. In the first round the top four are chosen, but the bottom three are already announced before the close of the voting and eliminated. The top four compete in pairs and the favourite of each pair qualifies for the final. The other two entries enter the second chance round. Furthermore, an international jury chooses its favourite of each heat, which would be in the running for a wildcard in the final.
   Second chance round: The eight songs compete in pairs. Televoting chooses the favourite of each pair to move forward to the second round, where the formula is repeated and two finalists are chosen.
   Final: An international jury and eleven regional juries all give 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 points to their top seven songs. The top seven of the televoting are then given 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 and 144 points.
5. Eurovision: Your Country Needs You (United Kingdom)
   Six acts compete in three heats. There is a jury that gives advice and televoting selects the bottom two. Andrew Lloyd Webber then decides which act is eliminated from the competition. In the final, televoting alone selects the winner out of the three remaining acts.

BEST WEBCAST

This award will be chosen internally based on your nominations.

While you are voting over the next weeks, we will take a look at the nominees and the statistics.