Broadcaster NDR's strategy of cooperating with private music Viva to ensure the participation of current chart acts in the all-new national final Germany 12 Points! seems to work: today, the broadcaster announced six of the up to 12 participants of the upcoming preselection – including the current Number One of the German singles charts!
The six finalists are Germany's leading female rapper Sabrina Setlur, hip hop band Beginner, soulsinger Laith Al-Deen, girlgroup Wonderwall, techno act Scooter and boygroup Overground (pictured) – a band pulled together through casting show Popstars (in which Sabrina Setlur acted as part of the jury), who recently tops the German single charts with their hit Schick mir 'nen Engel.
“Finally, some big names from the German charts dedicate themselves to the Eurovision Song Contest. Opposite to previous years, there are no No-Names competing anymore, but established popstars with their current hits”, Jürgen Meier-Beer of NDR happily commented. All artists, who indeed already enjoyed notable chart success, have to produce a videoclip for their particular song, which is going to be played on music channel Viva.
From January 12, Viva is going to air specials with the participating finalists, trying to create even more hype and get as much of the songs as possible into the German sales charts. A “special weekend” on March 13 and 14 with highlights of all specials and live performances of the artists from afternoon show Interaktiv adds to it.
The German representative for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul will be selected on March 19, through ARD show Germany, 12 points!, hosted by Viva VJ Sarah Kuttner and ARD talkshow host Jörg Pilawa. As usual, the winner will be selected by televoting.
