Eurovision 2020: Wrapping-up this year’s 41 ESC participants

With the last of the ESC 2020 representatives been selected the previous weekend , the puzzle of this year’s participants has been completed. 41 nations to take part with 41 representatives ready to fly the flags in Rotterdam next May. 

Lets go and see now that the picture is clear the overview of the ESC 2020 class:

This year the Eurovision stage will see 15 male soloists 

A total of 15 nations have selected male solo acts to represent them in Rottedam:

• North Macedonia – Vasil 
• Croatia – Damir Kedžo 
• Cyprus-  Sandro 
• Austria – Vincent Bueno 
• Czech Republic – Benny Cristo
• Estonia – Uku Suviste 
• Finland – Aksel Kankaanranta
• Georgia – Tornike Kipiani 
• Switzerland – Gjon’s Tears
• France – Tom Leeb 
• Germany – Ben Dolic 
• Italy – Diodato 
• The Netherlands – Jeangu Macrooy
• Spain – Blas Cantó 
• United Kingdom – James Newman

Eurovision 2020 will see 17  female solo artists

On the other hand 17 countries selected female solo singers to defend their colors in Rotterdam:

• Australia – Montaigne 
• Ireland – Lesley Roy 
• Slovenia – Ana Soklič 
• Azerbaijan – Samira Efendi
• Israel – Eden Alene 
• Malta – Destiny Chukunyere 
• Norway – Ulrikke 
• Romania – Roxen 
• Greece – Stefania
• Moldova – Natalia Gordienko 
• Poland – Alicja Szemplińska 
• San Marino – Senhit 
• Albania – Arilena Ara 
• Armenia – Athena Manoukian 
• Bulgaria – VICTORIA 
• Latvia – Samanta Tīna 
• Portugal – Elisa

The 65th Eurovision will see 9 groups or duos 

A total of nine nations opted for groups or duos instead of soloist artists:

• Belarus – VAL 
• Lithuania – The Roop 
• Russia – Little Big 
• Sweden – The Mamas 
• Belgium – Hooverphonic 
• Ukraine – Go_A 
• Iceland – Daði & Gagnamagnið 
• Serbia – Hurricane
• Denmark – Ben & Tan 

The comebacks 

This year’s contests will see some acts return on the Eurovision stage after their past involvement in the competition. Namely, Senhit represented San Marino again back in Eurovision 2011 with her entry “Stand by”  while this year she’s make a second attempt with the song “Freaky”. Sanja Vučić who this year is representing Serbia as member of the Beovizija 2020 winning group Hurricane, had represented the country in 2016 with “Goodbye (Shelter)” .  Also returning is Moldova’s Natalia Gordienko. She represented Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 alongside Arsenium and Connect-R. Their song “Loca” came 20th in the grand final .One more Hurricane member Ksenija Knežević was the backing vocalist of Knez ( Montenegro 2015) who is her dad. 

Additionally, three more acts are returning to the Eurovision staging after serving as backing vocalists to past participants. North Macedonia’s Vasil was backing vocalist of last year’s representative Tamara Todevska while Vincent Bueno supported vocally Nathan Trent in 2017. In this category are The Mamas from Sweden, who after serving as John Lundvik’s backing vocalists in Tel Aviv in his song “Too late for love” , this year won the Melodifestivalen 2020 and are off to Rotterdam!

Junior Eurovision 2015 winner Destiny Chukunyere , and backing vocalist of last year’s Maltese entry with Michela is making a comeback on the Eurovision stage this year representing herself Malta after winning X-factor. On the other hand, Stefania representing Greece has experienced the Junior Eurovision stage in 2016 represent this year’s host Eurovision country. 

The age factor

A total of four participants are in the 18th year. Namely  Destiny Chukunyere, Stefania, Alicja Szemplińska and Benjamin Rosenbohm have all been born in 2002. But the fact that Stefania turns 18 in December makes her the younger contestant of this year’s competition. On the other hand, Raymond Geerts, a member of the Belgian group Hooverphonic is the oldest participant.

Selection formats 

A total of 21 nations selected their representative and entries through national selections or some kind of formats , while 16 counries selected internally their hopefuls through strictly internal procedures. 4 more nations saw their Eurovision acts determined via music talent shows as Malta used the “X-factor” show, Israel “The Next Star” , Georgia the “Georgian Idol” and Poland the “Szansa na Sukces” talent show. 

Two Composers/songwriters for six entries

We coudn’t close this first overview without outlining the two composers/songwriters that stand out as they are involved in this year’s competition through 3 entries each. First of all Dimitris Kontopoulos is seeing himself involed as a writer or producer in Greece’s, Moldova’s and Estonia’s entry while Borislav Milanov is behind the entries of Bulgaria, Germany and Malta.

Sources: EscXtra, Eurovision.tv

Photo cover source: Eurovision.tv