Czech Republic: National selection submissions show rising interest among nationals in the Eurovision Song Contest
Just a few days ago the Czech national broadcaster ,CT , completed the submission period for acts and composers interested to represent the country in the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest.
A total of 152 entries were submitted through the submission window the previous period from which 72 entries were by Czech songwriters. This number is higher than the 60 entries sent in by nationals during the 2018 national selection, when the total number reached 300 entries.
In the next phase of the process the Czech broadcaster’s officials will assess the submitted entries in order to pick out the one that will continue and take part in the national final. Rumors and reports want several past participants to have shown interest in participating in the national final.
This year’s national selection is held according to the same rules as last year, with one of the leading singers needed to be of Czech nationality. The national final is set to take place on January 25 at the Forum Karlín in Prague. The country hasn’t seen televised national final shows since 2008. In 2018 it switched to a national selection format that included an online voting through a special app alongside with an international jury voting. The previous years since 2015, when the country made its return to the competition, the broadcaster had opted for an internal selection.
The Eurovision Story so far
Czech Republic appeared for the first time in the Contest in 2007 with Kabat. A a row of disappointing results the country withdrew in 2010 and didn’t return until 2016. In 2016 its return was followed by a grand final qualification with Gabriela Gunčíková who became the first Czech entrant to reach the final, finishing 25th with the song “I Stand” . The best result came for the country in 2018 with Mikolas Josef who achieved a 6th placing in the Lisbon with his song Lie to me.
This year the group Lake Malawi represented the country in Tel Aviv with their entry “Friend of a friend” . The group achieved an 11th placing in the grand final which marked the county’s second best result in its history of participations.
