Spain: TVE reveals the 18 contestants of Operacion Triunfo 2018
The Spanish national boradcaster, revealed the 18 candidates of Operacion Triunfo 2018.
Next Wednesday the TV talent show will begin with its first heat on screen, from which 16 acts will move on to the next phase. One of these 16 will be the next Spanish representative in Tel Aviv in May 2019 at the Eurovsion Song Contest. This way Spain will be the first country to open national selection season for Eurovision 2019.
Yesterday the spanish channel TVE confirmed the country’s Eurovision 2019 participation, specifying that Operacion Triunfo 2018 will be the formula through which the country will select its Eurovision 2019 act and entry.
Operacion Triunfo 2018 will last around 14 weeks and will be hosted again by Roberto Leal . The show will take place in Barcelona and is co-produced by national broadcaster TVE and Gestmusic.
The Spanish broadcaster TVE revealed today the OT 2018 contestants
The 18 competing act of OT 2018 are:
- África (22) – Madrid
- Albra Reche (20) – Elche
- Alfonso (22) – Madrid
- Carlos Right (25) – Esplugues de Llobregat
- Damion (21) – Adeje
- Dave (20) – Cádiz
- Famous (19) – Bormujos
- Joan Garrido (22) – Palma de Mallorca
- Julia (23) – Cádiz
- Luis (19) – El Masnou
- María (26) – Madrid
- Marilia (18) – La Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Marta (18) – Málaga
- Miki (22) – Terrassa
- Natalia (19) – Pamplona
- Noelia (22) – Málaga
- Rodrigo (25) – Sevilla
- Sabela (24) – La Coruña
The Story of Operación Triunfo
Operación Triunfo was launched back in 2001 and was used than to determine the Eurovision 2002 Spanish representative. In that first season Rosa Lopez won the goldent ticket to Tallin in Estonia with her song Europe’s living a celebration.
TVE channel used the same method to select the spanish eurovision acts and entries the following two years : Beth (2003) and Ramon (2004). In 2005 the tv programm was cut and the talent show moved to private channel Tele Cinco but without having anything to do with Eurovision. However, notable that two OT contestants from the 4th season represented the country in Eurovision, Soraya Arnelas in 2009 and Edurne in 2015.
The tv show returned back to its initial base in 2017, when TVE aired again the show after 13 years. The great success of the show led to establish it as the mechanism to determine the Eurovision 2017 representative.
The wiiners of ΟΤ 2017, Alfred & Amaia , represented the country in Lisbon with their song Tu cancion and finished 23rd in the final.
Spain in Eurovision
Spain participated for the first time in 1961 with Conchita Bautista and has achieved twice to win , in 1968 (Massiel) and in 1969 (Salome). Madrid hosted the contest in 1969 where there was a four country tie in the first place on the final scoreboard.
Despite not having missed a single contest since 1961 , Spain doesn’t have remarkable results to show the latest year. Exception was Anabel Conde’s 2nd place in Eurovision 1995 held in Dublin.
Lets remember that magical vocal perfromace of Anabel back in 1995: