The names for the 2022 national final season are coming fast. And this time, it’s Spain that are getting ready to announce who will be taking part in Benidorm Fest, which is set to be held next month. Eurovision Spain is reporting that RTVE will reveal the 12 artists taking part in the upcoming national final in a press conference on 10th December.
886 songs were submitted to RTVE for consideration, including 194 songs which were submitted from direct invitations from the broadcaster. Submissions include songs from a range of genres – including pop and rock – and in a range of languages – such as Spanish, English and Catalan.
Contracts signed for the show
The 12 artists who are set to take part in Benidorm Fest have all reportedly signed the contract to compete in the festival, with a press conference lined up for this Friday (10th December) to reveal the names to the public. Eurovision Spain have reported that this date may change, if plans cannot be finalised to present the artists this week.
While initial reports hinted that international producers and writers of Billboard hits have submitted entries, the RTVE Working Group have said that they have prioritised the songs over the names of the artists, in order to find a competitive entry to take part at Eurovision in Turin next year.
A total of twelve acts will compete – six artists will compete in each of the semi-finals, with three progressing from each to the Grand Final. The winner, who will receive the ticket to Eurovision, will be chosen by a 50/50 split of professional jury (60% national, 40% international) and the general public. The final is expected to take place in late January.
Benidorm Fest: What we know
In July, RTVE announced that a modernised successor of the Benidorm Song Festival will select their entry for Eurovision 2022. The festival will be organised in collaboration with RTVE, the Generalitat Valenciana and the Benidorm City Council. The broadcaster has also signed a four-year agreement with the Generalitat Valenciana for Benidorm Fest to run until 2026.
Benidorm is a great launching pad for a message: Spanish music to Europe through Eurovision. We want it to be a real and participatory contest, open to all kinds of music. Especially young music.
José Manuel Pérez Tornero, President of RTVE
The President of RVTE reiterated the broadcaster’s commitment to the contest by describing the selection as a “launching pad to win in Italy. The efforts will be to launch the best candidacy.”
Are you looking forward to Benidorm Fest? Who would you like to see compete?
Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to follow us on Spotify and YouTube to see our reactions to the news in the run up to the 2022 national final season!
