Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021

Belarus is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Country Belarus
National selection
Selection processNationalny Otbor
Selected entrantTBA
Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2020 • 2021

Background
Main article: Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2021 Contest, Belarus had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixteen times since its first entry in 2004.[1] The nation's best placing in the contest was sixth, which it achieved in 2007 with the song "Work Your Magic" performed by Dmitry Koldun. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004, Belarus had managed to qualify to the final six times. In 2019, Belarus qualified to the final with the song "Like It" performed by ZENA, and eventually finished in 24th place with 31 points. In 2020, the duo VAL was set to represent Belarus with the song "Da vidna" before the contest's cancellation.

The Belarusian national broadcaster, National State Television and Radio Company of the Republic of Belarus (BTRC), broadcasts the event within Belarus and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. The broadcaster has used both internal selections and national finals to select the Belarusian entry for Eurovision in the past. From 2012 to 2020, BTRC has organised a national final in order to choose Belarus' entry.

Before Eurovision

Disqualification of VAL

The musical project VAL, which was to represent Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, was not internally selected for Eurovision 2021 by the broadcaster as a result of a string of events in the aftermath of the 2020-2021 Belarusian protests.

In the run-up towards and after the August 2020 Belarusian presidential elections, VAL showed support for opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and subsequently openly supported the Belarusian democracy movement.[2] After not having appeared in the media for five months, VAL gave an interview to an independent publication, stating that they had not been allowed to talk with the media according to their contract and that they felt neglected by the broadcaster.[3] Back in March 2020, during a broadcast of Makaionka, 9, then Belarusian Eurovision commentator Evgeny Perlin said that the Belarusian state broadcaster had not confirmed VAL yet, because "there [was] still time for that".[4]

On September 25, 2020, a day after the independent interview was published, the Belarusian broadcaster confirmed that they would not internally select VAL for Eurovision 2021, stating the duo had "no conscience".[5][6]

Nationalny Otbor

Artists and composers will be able to submit their applications and a live performance of their entries to the broadcaster between 1 January 2021 and 31 January 2021.[7]

One of the high profile candidates is the song "Give You Love" proposed as a duet by Belarusian singer Katya Ocean and the British Eurovision 2006 representative Daz Sampson who had sung his hip hop classic "Teenage Life". In 2019, Daz tried for the Nationalny Otbor alongside Nona, performing the eccentric dance track "Kinky Boots". However, the duo failed to progress through the audition stage.[8] The Belarusian selection is open to both Belarusian and non-Belarusian citizens.

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" (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 progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. For the 2021 contest, the semi-final allocation draw held for 2020 which was held on 28 January 2020, will be used for 2021 contest. Belarus was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 18 May 2021, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.[9]

References
  1. "Belarus Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  2. "VAL Instagram post 12 August 2020". Instagram.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  3. Shashuro, Anton (24 September 2020). "VAL". Interesnye Lyudi. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. "Александр Рыбак/Alexander Rybak phone chat, show "Makayonka"/Макаёнка on Belarus1, 18.4.2020, w/subs". YouTube.com. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  5. Vladyko, Aleksandr. "Группа VAL «потеряла совесть» и место на «Евровидении» от Беларуси". Onliner.by. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  6. Smith, David. "Belarus: BTRC confirms VAL will not go to Eurovision 2021…and says duo has "no conscience"". Wiwibloggs.
  7. Granger, Anthony (1 January 2021). "Belarus: Launches Submissions Process For Eurovision 2021". Eurovoix. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. Wiwibloggs: Eurovision 2021: "Teenage Life" rapper Daz Sampson bids to represent Belarus with "Give You Love"
  9. Groot, Evert (17 November 2020). "2020 Semi-Final line-up to stay for 2021". eurovision.tv. Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
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