Luxembourg, Luxembourg (Top40 Charts) On Wednesday 22 November, the first round of three auditions began for next year's Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden - Luxembourg's first entry in 30 years!
The live auditions kicked off this week in front of an international jury made up of Eurovision stalwarts, most of whom had never visited the Grand Duchy before. The focus is now on finding the right candidate to represent Luxembourg in their first ESC entry since 1993.
For a small country, Luxembourg has an impressive track record at Eurovision, racking up no fewer than five wins - only Ireland (7 wins) and Sweden (6 wins) have surpassed this record. Earlier this year, the news that the Grand Duchy would be making a return to the contest inspired joy throughout the nation. ESC producer and jury member Tali Eshkoli described the enthusiasm as "enormous, while fellow panellist Christer Björkmann agreed that Luxembourg has had a long wait to rejoin the contest. The jury now has a "great responsibility and a great challenge" to find the right candidate and get the best performance out of every act taking to the stage during the audition process.
Candidates have just ten minutes on stage to convince the jury that they are the right act to represent Luxembourg. Several artists struggled with nerves, to the point that they had to restart auditions a few times. Daria, a 27-year-old actress, said she found the experience intense, in spite of her theatre training and experience on stage.
Barkissa, 22, felt more settled during her audition, appearing on stage several times before delivering a successful third performance.
Mirko, 45, had only one appearance with "his shadow" - his twin brother, to whom he dedicated his song and was introduced on stage as part of his act. A huge fan of the ESC, Mirko said it was an honour to participate, particularly after Luxembourg's long absence from the contest.
Contestant Isaac Roosevelt delivered a more confident performance full of charisma. An old hat in the music industry, Roosevelt is well-known to many, thanks to his band "Funky P", and his previous appearances on the German version of reality talent show "
The Voice". These experiences on the wider stage, and before well-known juries, certainly helped with his audition process.
The auditions continue until early December, when the shortlist for the live television show will be announced. The next stage will take place on 27 January and will allow the public to vote for their favourite acts.
