After SRF the Swiss-German broadcaster already started its online voting to find their representatives for the second phase of this year’s Swiss selection, now the Swiss-Italian broadcaster RSI, reveal details for their regional final which will be held on 9th of November.
RSI announced today through its official website that on the 9th of November the broadcaster will choose the three songs that will represent the Swiss-Italian region at the second phase – the live auditions, of this year’s Swiss national final. A special jury consisting of three 3 members appointed by RSI will choose the 3 songs for the 2nd phase of the 2016 Swiss Eurovision national selection- the live audition scheduled to be held in Zurich on 6th of December.
In the live auditions, the ten best performers from the internet platform, as well as six candidates put forward internally by RTS, and the three winners by RSI’s special jury, will present their songs live to an expert panel. The experts will judge their live performance skills, voice quality and stage presence. Of these 19 candidates, the team of experts will send three for SRF, two for RTS and one for RSI through to the final selection show.
In the live national show on 13th of February 2016, the six qualifying performers will present their own song, plus a cover version of another song. This show will be broadcast live from the Bodensee Arena in Kreuzlingen. The television audience and an expert jury will then have a 50/50 say in who should represent Switzerland at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.
Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Switzerland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 56 times since making its debut at the first contest in 1956, missing only four contests, in 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Switzerland hosted the first contest in 1956, and won it themselves with Lys Assia. Switzerland won the contest again in 1988 with Celine Dion.
All Swiss absences happened due to poor results in previous contests that relegated Switzerland from the contest. Switzerland has four official languages, French, German, Italian, and Romansh. For decades, the song requirements stated that the song had to be performed in a national language, which gave Switzerland more options as they could perform in any of the four languages. Out of their 55 appearances in the Contest, Switzerland has sent 52 songs, 24 of which were in French, 12 in German, nine in Italian, nine in English, and one in Romansh. Both of Switzerland’s winning songs have been sung in French.
The last time the Swiss representative in the contest was apointed by RSI was in 2014 when Sebalter was the winner of the Swiss-Italian region, and the eventually winner of the Swiss national final. Sebalter finished 13th overall with 64 points, marking the country’s best placing in the final since 2005.
This year at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna Mélanie René with her song Time to Shine won the Swiss national final ESC 2015 – Die Entscheidungsshow, organised by the Swiss German speaking broadcaster SRF. Mélanie René with 4 points ranked 17th out of 17 songs in the 2nd semi-final and failed to quallify to the Grand Final.
Below you can watch Sebalter who was apointed by RSI at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, performing his song Hunter of Stars in the Eurovision Final.
