Austria: ORF confirms Eurovision 2021 participation and Vincent Bueno’s return
The Austrian national broadcaster, ORF, has confirmed that it will be present at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and Vincent Bueno will be the country’s Eurovision 2021 hopeful.
Austria has confirmed that it will be competing in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and will be joining the list of nations that will bring back this year’s representatives that were deprived the chance to perform in Rotterdam after the cancellational of the event due to the coronavirus pandemic. Therfore Vincent Bueno will have the chance to represent the county in next year’s edition but with a new song.
ORF program director Kathrin Zechner says:
We also believe in our artist Vincent Bueno for the replacement ESC 2021! We are convinced that he will represent Austria with a new song at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 perfectly.
The Austrian act comments on the decision:
I am incredibly happy that I can be there next year and thank the ORF for its trust.”
And further:
When I heard about the cancellation, I first tried to think positively and the time saved to spend with my family. Still, it felt like I just couldn’t complete something. It makes me all the more happy that those responsible at ORF give me the chance to complete this unfulfilled mission next year. ‘Alive’ was a strong number for me, and we set the bar very high. My goal is to surpass this for next year and we use the time to start with the best possible song for Austria in 2021.
Vincent Bueno was selected internally to represent the country at Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam witht the song “Alive” but as the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, missed the joy to perform in Rotterdam. However he will have the chance to complete his Eurovision journey with a new song next year.
The Eurovision story so far
Austria debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 and has won the competition twice with Udo Jurgens in Eurovision 1966 and the song Merci, Chérie and Conchita Wurst and her entry Rise Like a Phoenix in Eurovision 2014. In 2018 Austria selected Cesar Sampson via an internal selection and represented the country with his entry Nobody but you. The Austrian act achieved a honorable 3rd placing in the Grand Final by winning the jury voting winning the jury voting.
In 2019, the electropop singer-songwriter PÆNDA represented the coutry with her song “Limits” which unfortunately didn’t make it to the Grand final , as she finished 17th in the semi final.
News Source: ORF
Photo cover: ORF/Roman-Zach Kiesling
