Belarus: Alekseev will normally participate in the national final
Ukrainian-born singer Alekseev is the big favorite to win Belarusian national final with the song “Forever”, and to represent the country of the former Soviet Union in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon. But Alekseev was in a difficult situation the last months because he has interpreted the Russian version of his song from May 2017 in several concerts with several videos being released on the internet, which is explicitly forbidden by the EBU regulations .
Six of 10 Alekseev’s opponents (Alen Hit, Anastasiya Malashkevich, Sofia Lapina, Kirill Good, Gunesh and NAPOLI) threatened to withdraw if the Ukrainian artist was not excluded, by a joint letter. Already one of the participants in the Belarusian final, Sophia Lapina announced her withdrawal from the national final , citing the violation of regulations by Alekseev.
In the meantime,Alekseev has made the necessary changes to the melody of his song, so that he is no longer the same. After that, BTRC, Belarus public broadcaster judging that Alekseev’s participation now does not violate neither the relevant national regulations nor those of the EBU. So Alekseev can now participate in Belarusian national final with the new, modified “Forever”.
We will remind you that Belarus’s national final will be held on Friday, February 16, and will be presented by Teo (Belarus 2014) and Olga Ryzhikova.The he winner will be judged by 50% by the jury’s vote and 50% by viewers. The contestants of the Belarusian national final after Sophia Lapina’s withdraw are the following 10:
- Agagio – You and I
- Alekseev – Forever
- Shuma – Hmarki
- Napoli – Chasing rushes
- Anastasia Malashkevich – World on Fire
- Gunesh – I Will Not Cry
- Radio wave – Subway Lines
- ALEN HIT – I Do Not Care
- Lexy – Is not You
- Kirill Hood – Deja Vu
Listen to the controversial version HERE
