The Belarusian broadcaster BTRC is getting ready for their national final, to be held in 2016 in order to pick the country’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. Entries who apply to the rules can be submitted until the 21st of November. The national final will be held no later than the 25th of January.
Two days ago, BTRC revealed that only full televoting would decide the song and the artist(s) who will represent Belarus at the 61st Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm. Yesterday, more details were announced from BTRC, as the open call for applications regarding the entries has already begun.
Two phases will divide this year’s selection process. The first one will be the auditions and the second the televised final show, which will be aired no later than the 25th of January. A special jury will be used to choose the 10 songs that will be in the final.
Songs (music and/or lyrics) that have not been sold/distributed via the Internet, forwarded to radio and television via any media (audio cassettes, CDs, mini-discs etc.) or performed publicly until the 1st of September of 2015 have the right to take part in the project. The maximum duration of a song is three minutes following EBU’s rules concerning the songs. Also, the citizens of the Republic of Belarus, as well as foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the territory of the Republic of Belarus, who have reached the age of 16 on the date of filing the application, are allowed to participate in the selection as performers. Until the 21st of November songs can be submitted.
Further information about the rules and how to apply can be found on Belteleradiocompany’s official website
Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest
Belarus has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 12 times, debuting in 2004. The country entered the contest in the same year that semi-finals began to be used to determine who would compete in the final. Belarus has so far managed to qualify for the final four times (2007, 2010, 2013 and 2014). Their best result until now is a 6th place in 2007 with Dmitry Koldun and his song Work Your Magic.
Belarus is also known in Eurovision, for the interventions in their entries by the president of the country Alexander Lukashenko, who has changed the results of their national final a lot of times!
This year the country was represented by Uzari & Maimuna who failed to qualify in the final as they ended 12th in the 1st semi-final with their song Time.
Below you can watch Belarus’ best result in the contest, Work Your Magic, sung by Dmitry Koldun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ikkqnJNmk0
