More than 200 entries have been received by GPB for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.
In December last year, Georgian broadcaster GPB launched their search for their Eurovision 2019 song. The submission window closed today, with over 200 songs being submitted to the broadcaster. The rules were that the songs must not have been previously presented to the public, nor could they exceed 3 minutes in length.
Many of the submitted songs were created by foreign composers. It’s now up to a professional jury panel to evaluate the songs and make up a shortlist. From there, the finalists of Georgian Idol, Georgia’s selection show, will perform one song each in the final on March 2nd.
The winner of Georgian Idol will represent Georgia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel. Georgia’s Idol already has a connection with Eurovision. Season 4 winner Nodiko Tatishvili and season 5 runner-up Sopho Gelovani represented Georgia in 2013 with “Waterfall”. They finished 15th in the final with 50 points. Georgia is the fourth country that are selecting their Eurovision representative through a televised talent show, after Malta, Israel and Spain. Georgian Idol will be broadcast on GPB from January 1, 2019.
Georgia’s most recent attempt was in 2018 with “For You” by Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao. The song finished in last place in the second semi final in Lisbon.
Source: GPB
Georgia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, they were represented by Sopho Khalvashi and the song “Visionary Dream”. Sopho finished 12th in the final scoring 97 points, the song received 12 points from the televoters in Lithuania. Georgia has only ever missed one contest since their debut, this was in 2009 when Georgia had selected Stephane & 3G with “We Don’t Wanna Put In”. The EBU asked for Georgia to rewrite the lyrics of the song or change the song completely.
