| Eurovision Song Contest 2024 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | 
Moldova | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Etapa națională 2024 | |||
| Selection date(s) | 17 February 2024 | |||
| Selected entrant | Natalia Barbu | |||
| Selected song | " In the Middle" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Moldova is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden, with " In the Middle" performed by Natalia Barbu. The Moldovan broadcaster, TeleRadio-Moldova (TRM), organised the national final Etapa națională 2024 in order to select the Moldovan entry for the contest.
Background
Prior to the 2024 contest, Moldova has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest eighteen times since its first entry in 2005. [1] The nation's best placing in the contest is third, which it achieved in 2017 with the song " Hey, Mamma!" performed by SunStroke Project. To this point, Moldova has achieved another four top 10 placings at the contest: in 2005 when " Boonika bate toba" performed by Zdob și Zdub placed sixth, in 2007 when " Fight" performed by Natalia Barbu placed tenth, in 2018 when " My Lucky Day" performed by DoReDoS also placed tenth, and in 2022, when Zdob și Zdub returned to compete for a third time with the song " Trenulețul", performed with the Advahov Brothers, which finished in seventh place. In 2023, the country was represented for the second time (after 2012) by Pasha Parfeni, who performed the song " Soarele și luna"; the entry qualified for the final, where it ended in 18th position. [1]
The Moldovan national broadcaster, TeleRadio-Moldova (TRM), broadcasts the event within Moldova and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. Moldova selected their entry via a national selection show between 2008 and 2020, while their entry in 2021 was selected via an internal selection. A selection show was to be held in 2022 to select Moldova's entry, but it was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions and the entry was internally selected during the audition round. [2] In 2023, the new national final format Etapa națională was organised. TRM confirmed its intention to participate at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest on 13 June 2023, [3] announcing in November that Etapa națională would be held again to select its entry for 2024. [4]
Before Eurovision
Etapa națională 2024
Etapa națională 2024 was the national final format developed by TRM in order to select Moldova's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. The event took place at the TRM Studio 1 in Chișinău and included a final held on 17 February 2024. [4] The show is broadcast on Moldova 1 as well as online via TRM's official website trm.md, Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.md, Facebook and YouTube pages, and for the first time via the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube page. [5]
Format
The selection took place in three stages: the received entries were first assessed by an expert committee between 22 and 26 December 2023; 32 of them (later reducing to 31) were selected to be performed at a live audition on 13 January 2024, broadcast for the first time on Moldova 1, where a jury selected eleven (originally planned to be ten) finalists by assigning each entry a score from 0 to 12; at the final, which was held on 17 February 2024, the winner was determined by a 50/50 combination of jury votes and a televote. [4] [6] [7]
Competing entries
On 22 November 2023, TRM published the rules of the competition, opening a window for interested artists and composers to submit their entries until 22 December 2023. [4] At the end of the submission period, 51 entries had been received. [8]
On 26 December 2023, the list of the 32 artists and songs participating in the audition round was released by TRM. Among the selected competing artists was Natalia Barbu, who represented Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, as well as Denis Midone, who represented Moldova in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2012. [6] Aliona Moon and Milla appeared on the original list released by TRM but withdrew the following day; [9] they were followed by Vovi Robian and his band on 10 January. [10]
The jury panel that evaluated the songs during the live auditions and selected the 11 finalists consisted of Elena Stegari (head of broadcasting at TRM), Andrei Zapșa (deputy general manager for development at TRM), Lidia Isac ( 2016 Moldovan Eurovision entrant), Paul Gămurari (President of the Union of Composers of Moldova) and Liviu Știrbu (composer). Entries were assessed on criteria such as the melodic line, originality and interpretation of the composition. [11]
Key: Selected for the final Entry withdrawn or disqualified
| Draw | Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) | Points | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Aliona Moon feat. Milla | "Obosit" |
|
— | |
| — | Trupa Vovi Robian | "Robotul Vovi" | Vladimir Ciubotaru | — | |
| 1 | Maria Ciolac | "Break Free" |
|
35 | 21 |
| 2 | DPSTP | "Rise Up" | Anton Polygalov | 28 | 27 |
| 3 | Oliv Sky | "Another Universe" |
|
36 | 16 |
| 4 | Victor Gulick | "Fever" | Victor Gulic | 41 | 8 |
| 5 | Formația Vele | "Carnaval" |
|
34 | 24 |
| 6 | Sasha Bognibov | "Married to Twins" |
|
5 | 29 |
| 7 | Denis Midone | "Back to Me" |
|
37 | 15 |
| 8 | Y-Limit | "Revolution" |
|
40 | 11 |
| 9 | Oliv Sky | "Loud and Clear" |
|
34 | 25 |
| 10 | Victor Lozinsky | "Dirty Wind/Joker and Harley Move" | Victor Lozinsky | 30 | 26 |
| 11 | Tudor Bumbac | "Tudorel" | Tudor Bumbac | 21 | 28 |
| 12 | Laura | "Spune-mi" |
|
35 | 22 |
| 13 | Poli | "Lui" |
|
36 | 17 |
| 14 | Iulia Teleucă | "Runaway" | Eugen "Natan" Doibani | 50 | 3 |
| 15 | Viola Julea | "Light Up!" |
|
43 | 6 |
| 16 | Max Cara | "Broke the Chain" |
|
38 | 12 |
| 17 | Sasha Letty | "DNA" | Jacob Jonia | 40 | 10 |
| 18 | Reghina Alexandrina | "Contrasens" |
|
42 | 7 |
| 19 | Valleria | "Rule (Rai Di Ri Di)" | Valeria Condrea | 36 | 19 |
| 20 | Natalia Barbu | " In the Middle" |
|
58 | 1 |
| 21 | Anna Gulko | "Perfect Place" | Anna Gulko | 36 | 20 |
| 22 | OL | "No Time No Space" | Denis Nazarov | 45 | 5 |
| 23 | Cătălina Solomac | "Fever" |
|
46 | 4 |
| 24 | Anna G | "Ay ay ay" | Anna Grosu | 38 | 13 |
| 25 | Valeria Pasha | "Anti-Princess" |
|
52 | 2 |
| 26 | Oleg Spînu | "Jungle" |
|
— | — [a] |
| 27 | Y-Limit | "What's the Fun" | Roman Lupu | 38 | 14 |
| 28 | Nicoleta Sava | "Bravo" |
|
40 | 9 |
| 29 | Nino | "Up Again" | Sergiu Cristian Baba | 35 | 23 |
| 30 | Valleria | "Run" |
|
36 | 18 |
Final
The final of Etapa națională 2024 took place on 17 February 2024. 11 songs competed and the winner was selected based on the 50/50 combination of a public online vote and the votes of an expert jury. [14] In addition to the competing entries, Romanian band Holograf performed as a guest. [15]
Immediately following the final, runner-up Valeria Pasha, who came first with the public but lost to Barbu in the tiebreak, announced to have filed an appeal to secure "transparency" about the results. [16] The official rules of Etapa națională did not define whether a potential tie for first place would be resolved in favour of the public or jury, only stating that the winning entry would be "the song receiving the most points". [17] The organizing broadcaster responded that following the tie for first place, the organising committee decided that Natalia Barbu would be declared the winner. They further stated that approximately 950 votes for Valeria Pasha had come from invalid phone numbers, and that a certain number of votes had been submitted from 48 different countries, likely using VPNs. [18]
| Draw | Artist | Song | Jury | Public vote | Total | Place | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | Points | Votes | Points | |||||
| 1 | Nicoleta Sava | "Bravo" | 22 | 5 | 211 | 3 | 8 | 7 |
| 2 | Valeria Pasha | "Anti-Princess" | 43 | 10 | 4,771 [a] | 12 | 22 | 2 |
| 3 | Reghina Alexandrina | "Contrasens" | 19 | 3 | 294 | 6 | 9 | 6 |
| 4 | Viola Julea | "Light Up!" | 21 | 4 | 285 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| 5 | OL | "No Time No Space" | 26 | 6 | 107 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 6 | Sasha Letty | "DNA" | 12 | 2 | 233 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| 7 | Natalia Barbu | " In the Middle" | 60 | 12 | 2,421 | 10 | 22 | 1 |
| 8 | Y-Limit | "Revolution" | 7 | 0 | 147 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 9 | Cătălina Solomac | "Fever" | 29 | 7 | 905 | 7 | 14 | 4 |
| 10 | Victor Gulick | "Fever" | 11 | 1 | 76 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 11 | Iulia Teleucă | "Runaway" | 40 | 8 | 2,178 | 8 | 16 | 3 |
| Draw | Song | E. Stegari | L. Ştirbu | P. Gǎmurari | A. Zapşa | A. Moon | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Bravo" | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 22 |
| 2 | "Anti-Princess" | 8 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 43 |
| 3 | "Contrasens" | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 19 |
| 4 | "Light Up!" | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 21 |
| 5 | "No Time No Space" | 10 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 26 |
| 6 | "DNA" | 6 | 1 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 7 | "In the Middle" | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 60 |
| 8 | "Revolution" | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 9 | "Fever" | 5 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 29 |
| 10 | "Fever" | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 11 | |
| 11 | "Runaway" | 6 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 40 |
Promotion and preparation
As part of the promotion of her participation in the contest, Barbu confirmed her presence at the PrePartyES event in Madrid on 30 March 2024, [21] the London Eurovision Party on 7 April 2024, [22] the Eurovision in Concert event in Amsterdam on 13 April 2024 [23] and the Copenhagen Eurovision Party (Malmöhagen) on 4 May 2024. [24] In addition, she will perform at the Eurovision Village in Malmö on 8 May 2024. [25] Her entry "In the Middle" was revamped ahead of the contest. [26]
At Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will take place at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden, and consist of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 7 and 9 May and the final on 11 May 2024. All nations with the exceptions of the host country and the " Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final will progress to the final. On 30 January 2024, an allocation draw was held to determine which of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show, each country will perform in; the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. [27] Moldova was scheduled for the second half of the first semi-final. [28] The shows' producers then decided the running order for the semi-finals; Moldova was set to perform in position 11, following the entry from Finland and before the entry from Azerbaijan. [29]
Semi-final
Natalia Barbu will take part in technical rehearsals on 28 April and 1 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 6 and 7 May. [30]
Notes
References
- ^ a b "Moldova". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (28 January 2022). "Moldova: TRM to Select Eurovision 2022 Representative Tomorrow". Eurovoix. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ Carros, David (13 June 2023). "Moldavia confirma su participación en Eurovisión 2024" [Moldova confirms its participation in Eurovision 2024]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Regulament cu privire la desfășurarea Selecției Naționale și desemnarea reprezentantului Republicii Moldova la concursul internațional Eurovision Song Contest 2024" [Regulation on how the National Selection and the designation of the representative of the Republic of Moldova at the international Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be conducted] (PDF) (in Romanian). TRM. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ TRM [@eurovision.md_oficial] (15 February 2024). "Pe 17 februarie, ora 19:00 va începe un show de excepție, în care vom afla cine va reprezenta Republica Moldova la Eurovision Song Contest 2024! În premieră, Finala Națională Eurovision va fi transmisă pe pagina oficială a Eurovision și pe canalul Youtube al organizatorilor @eurovision" [On 17 February at 19:00 an exceptional show will begin, in which we will find out who will represent the Republic of Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024! For the first time, the Eurovision National Final will be broadcast on the official page for Eurovision and on the Youtube channel of the organisers @eurovision] (in Romanian). Retrieved 17 February 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b Farren, Neil (26 December 2023). "Moldova: Etapa Națională 2024 Audition Participants Revealed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (4 January 2024). "Moldova: Etapa Națională 2024 Live Auditions on Moldova 1". Eurovoix. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (22 December 2023). "Moldova: 51 Songs Received for Etapa Națională 2024". Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (27 December 2023). "Moldova: Aliona Moon feat. Milla Withdraw From Etapa Națională 2024". Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- ^ Grace, Emily (10 January 2024). "Moldova: VOVI ROBIAN Withdraws From Etapa Națională 2024". Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Etapa audițiilor live Eurovision 2024: punctajul acumulat de către concurenți" [The Eurovision 2024 live audition stage: the scores obtained by the contestants] (in Romanian). TRM. 17 January 2024. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ Farren, Neil (13 January 2024). "Moldova: Etapa Națională 2024 Finalists Selected". Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ Ediție specială Eurovision 2024 [Eurovision 2024 special] (Television production) (in Romanian). TRM. 13 January 2024. Explanation given at 2:41–5:15.
- ^ "Finaliștii Selecției Naționale Eurovision 2024 au tras la sorți ordinea în care vor evolua în Finala Națională" [The finalists of the Eurovision 2024 National Selection have drawn the order in which they will perform at the National Final] (in Romanian). TRM. 17 January 2024. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ Conte, Davide (13 February 2024). "Moldova: Guest Act for Etapa Națională Revealed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ Stephenson, James (17 February 2024). "Moldova: Valeria Pasha Appeals Etapa Națională Results". Eurovoix. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Regulament: Cu privire la desfăşurarea selecției naționale şi desemnarea reprezentantului Republicii Moldova la concursul ințernational Eurovision Song Contest 2024" [Regulation: Regarding the conduct of the national selection and the appointment of the representative of the Republic of Moldova at the international contest Eurovision Song Contest 2024] (PDF). Eurovision.md (in Romanian). TRM. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ a b Granger, Anthony (20 February 2024). "Moldova: TRM Responds to Valeria Pasha's Appeal Against the Etapa Națională Results". Eurovoix. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Durán, Carlos (17 January 2024). "Moldavia escoge a Natalia Barbu con la canción 'In the middle' como abanderada para Eurovision 2024" [Moldova chooses Natalia Barbu with the song "In the middle" as its flag-bearer for Eurovision 2024]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Finala Națională Eurovision 2024. Natalia Barbu va reprezenta Republica Moldova pe scena de la Malmo" [Eurovision 2024 National Final. Natalia Barbu will represent the Republic of Moldova on the Malmo stage]. TRM. 17 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Grace, Emily (20 February 2024). "Spain: Several Artists Join The PrePartyES 2024 Line-Up". Eurovoix. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Grace, Emily (27 February 2024). "United Kingdom: Five More Artists Join The Line-Up for London Eurovision Party 2024". Eurovoix. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Grace, Emily (20 February 2024). "Eurovision In Concert: Seven Acts Confirmed So Far". Eurovoix. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ @malmohagen_eurovision_party (15 April 2024). "36 Acts and more Danish Red Balls will drop to reveal their names! 22 are Eurovision or National Final Stars and 14 more are Show Cast, Hosts, Drag-A-Vision Danish All Stars, EuroClub (and Rest Of World) DJs, Singers and ESC Fan Community. #UniteTheFandom #Malmöhagen #Eurovision #ESC2024 #Eurovision2024 #UnitedByMusic #Euroclub #Eurofan #Eurofans #Peace #Respect". Retrieved 15 April 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ Andersson, Rafaell (26 April 2024). "Eurovision 2024: Competing Acts to Perform at the Eurovision Village". Eurovoix. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (12 April 2024). "Moldova: 'In The Middle' Undergoes Revamp". Eurovoix. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Van Dijk, Sem Anne (13 December 2023). "Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Allocation Draw on January 30". Eurovoix. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Draw results". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Running Orders revealed!". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Eurovision 2024: Rehearsal Schedule". Eurovisionworld. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.