BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/10/2007

Belarus: EuroFest call for songs

One after the other broadcasters around Europe have started announcing the rules for their preselections for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. Belarus has just released the rules for next year's Eurofest.

The deadline for the submission of entries for the Belorussian selection is 20 November 2007. The contest is open to artists who are exclusively Belorussian citizens or permanent inhabitants of the country. Artists must be aged 18+ and only one entry per artist can be submitted. Any artist signed with a company (producer, label) other than Belteleradiocompany is not eligible. BTRC have introduced the particular rule this year probably to avoid problems similar to those of last year when Dima Koldun, the winner of the 2007 EuroFest was almost withdrawn by his label. (see relevant article here.)

There will be three stages of the national selection: During the first stage, juries previously approved by the national committee select fifteen entries, which will qualify to the next stage. The next stage, is the preparation for the semi-final during which the jury (comprising professional musicians) together with the televoters will select two or three songs that will pass on to the third stage - the national final. On the final night, using the same voting system as previously introduced in the semi-final, juries and the televoters will select one final entry that will represent Belarus in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade.

There is also the option of song creators submitting separate entries. 23 entries will be chosen by the professional jury and will be assigned to the selected artist later on by Belteleradiocompany. All entries must be submitted not later than 20th November 2007 and sent to Belteleradiocompany, 9, Makayonka St., Minsk, 220807, Belarus.

You can find additional information at the official website of BTRC by clicking here.

Source:

http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/9425