Rotterdam in the Netherlands will host the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest
The Netherlands won the right to host the Eurovision Song Contest following the win of Duncan Laurence’s “Arcade” in Tel Aviv, Israel in 2019. Rotterdam was selected as the host city following a multi-city bid process.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Coronavirus in 2020, that year’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest was cancelled. While many of the acts originally selected to compete in 2020 will continue to represent their respective countries in 2021, this edition is effectively a new playing field.
Rotterdam Ahoy has been selected to host guests from around the world for the event. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place Tuesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 20. The Grand Final of the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held Saturday, May 22. However, it won’t be Eurovision as usual. The Dutch broadcaster has abandoned plans to try to stage the event in front of a full audience. Three plans balancing audience size, the need for remote performances, and social distancing are still under consideration, though the goal is to have all 39 acts compete live on stage in Rotterdam.
First Semi-Final
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 First Semi-Final
These are the countries that will participate in the First Semi-Final of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on May 18, 2021. The Netherlands, Germany, and Italy will broadcast and vote in this semi-final. Ten of these entries will move on to the Grand Final on May 22. (Last update: March 30, 2021)* Artist was selected to compete in 2020
º Artist was selected as representative for the 2020 Contest, but had to win their spot again
Running Order | Country | Artist | Song |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lithuania | The ROOPº | Discoteque |
2 | Slovenia | Ana Soklič* | Amen |
3 | Russia | Manizha | русская женщина (Russian Woman) |
4 | Sweden | Tusse | Voices |
5 | Australia | Montaigne* | Technicolour |
6 | North Macedonia | Vasil Garvanliev* | Here I Stand |
7 | Ireland | Lesley Roy* | Maps |
8 | Cyprus | Elena Tsagrinou | El Diablo |
9 | Norway | TIX | Fallen Angel |
10 | Croatia | Albina | Tick-Tock |
11 | Belgium | Hooverphonic* | The Wrong Place |
12 | Israel | Eden Alene* | Set Me Free |
13 | Romania | Roxen* | Amnesia |
14 | Azerbaijan | Efendi* | Mata Hari |
15 | Ukraine | Go_A* | SHUM |
16 | Malta | Destiny* | Je Me Casse |
Belarus was originally scheduled to participate in this semi-final. Their initial entry “Ya nauchu tebya (I’ll Teach You)” by Galasy ZMesta included lyrics with what some referred to as “obvious political subtext” and was rejected by the EBU. After an extension to the submission deadline, the song “Pesnya pro zaytsev (Song about hares)” was also rejected, resulting in disqualification from the 2021 Contest.
Second Semi-Final
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Second Semi-Final Participants
These are the countries that will participate in the Second Semi-Final of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on May 20, 2021. France, Spain, and the United Kingdom will broadcast and vote in this semi-final. Ten of these entries will move on to the Grand Final on May 22. (Last update: March 30, 2021)* Artist was selected to compete in 2020
º Artist was selected as representative for the 2020 Contest, but had to win their spot again
Running Order | Country | Artist | Song |
---|---|---|---|
1 | San Marino | Senhit* | Adrenalina |
2 | Estonia | Uku Suvisteº | The Lucky One |
3 | Czech Republic | Benny Cristo* | Omaga |
4 | Greece | Stefania* | Last Dance |
5 | Austria | Vincent Bueno* | Amen |
6 | Poland | Rafał | The Ride |
7 | Moldova | Natalia Gordienko* | Sugar |
8 | Iceland | Daði & Gagnamagnið* | 10 Years |
9 | Serbia | Hurricane* | Loco Loco |
10 | Georgia | Tornike Kipiani* | You |
11 | Albania | Anxhela Peristeri | Karma |
12 | Portugal | The Black Mamba | Love is on My Side |
13 | Bulgaria | VICTORIA* | Growing Up is Getting Old |
14 | Finland | Blind Channel | Dark Side |
15 | Latvia | Samanta Tina* | The Moon is Rising |
16 | Switzerland | Gjon’s Tears* | Tout L’Univers |
17 | Denmark | Fyr Og Flamme | Øve Os På Hinanden |
Armenia was initially scheduled to participate in this semi-final. In late 2020, conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region escalated. While a ceasefire agreement was reached in December, political instability continued in Armenia, including a coup attempt in February 2021. The Armenia Eurovision account tweeted on March 5: “After careful and detailed discussions, the @ArmPublicTV decided to withdraw from the @Eurovision 2021, considering the latest events, the shortness of production time as well as other objective reasons that make the proper participation of 🇦🇲 #Armenia at #ESC2021 impossible.”
Automatic Qualifiers
Since the year 2000, France, Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom have been granted an automatic pass to the Grand Final, thanks to their respective broadcasters providing significant financial support for the Contest. When Italy returned to the competition in 2011, they were also granted this pass. This group is known as the Big Five.
The Netherlands, as the hosting country, is also granted an automatic pass into the Grand Final and will draw its running order assignment prior to the competition.
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 Grand Final Participants
Country | Artist | Song |
---|---|---|
France | Barbara Pravi | Voilà |
Germany | Jendrik | I Don’t Feel Hate |
Italy | Måneskin | Zitti e buoni |
Netherlands | Jeangu Macrooy* | Birth of a New Age |
Spain | Blas Canto* | Voy a Quedarme |
United Kingdom | James Newman* | Embers |
º Artist was selected as representative for the 2020 Contest, but had to win their spot again
Selection Season
Participant countries will use a variety of method to select their entries for Rotterdam:
- Internal Selection: The broadcaster selects the act and the song.
- National Final: The broadcaster holds a one-off competition to determine their act and song.
- Festival: The broadcaster holds a slightly longer competition, usually with one or two semi-finals and a grand final. Sometimes the competition takes place over the course of a week (Italy’s Sanremo or Albania’s Festivali i Këngës) or over a couple of weekends (Portugal’s Festival da Canção or Estonia’s Eesti Laul).
- Selection Series: The broadcaster holds a long-form competition to determine their artist and song, usually with multiple rounds of winnowing down options. Sweden’s Melodifestivalen (Melfest) is the gold standard.
- Hybrid: A broadcaster may use one method to determine their artist and another method to select their song. Many of the artists selected in 2020 have been invited back to represent their country while the public may have input in what song is selected.
Here is a schedule of upcoming events. Click on individual events for more information and to add to your calendar (times shown US Eastern).
#99: Merry FiKmas
Eurovision season usually begins in December with Albania's Festivali i Këngës, sometimes known as FiKmas. We dig into FiK's history.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
100: Spotify Warped
We're celebrating 100 episodes and the end of 2020! After checking the news, we look at our Spotify Wrapped, ESC250 ballots, and our origin stories.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
101: Disco Toilet
From Albania's FiK selection to Senhit's latest disco cover to the results of ESC 250, we discuss a lot of Eurovision news from over the holidays.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
102: Hoe is de Zorg?
We have songs to talk about! Israel and Norway have Eurovision tracks in the wild while we consider the optics of putting on the Contest amid a pandemic.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
103: Pabandom is When?
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo and Norway's Melodi Grand Prix have begun and we are optimistic about Eurovision Selection Season 2021.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
#93: Rotterdam, Ahoy! Take 2
Rotterdam gets to take a mulligan on 2020 as we look ahead to how preparations for the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest begin to take shape.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download