Today BTRC has open submissions for their 2017 Junior Eurovision national selection. The Belarusian broadcaster will be using once again an external selection method to select their entrant for Tbilisi. Belarus is one of the two countries that have participated ever since the beginning of the competition in 2003, along with The Netherlands.
To be admitted to this year’s auditions, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
- The contestant must be aged 9-14 as of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest day (26 November) and be a citizen of the Republic of Belarus or a foreign citizen/stateless person permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus for at least 2.5 years.
- The contestant must be the author of the song lyrics and/or music and/or arrangement and can be assisted by music professionals and other experts in creating the lyrics, music and arrangement.
- The song must have a duration between 2.45 to 3.00 minutes.
- The contest song lyrics must be written in the Belarusian or Russian languages with music which has not been previously commercially released and performed publicly until 1 May, 2016. However, it can include a 25% of foreign languages (Ex. English).
- The selection participant (or their legal representative in case the participant has not attained the age of 14 years) must be the sole copyright owner of the song or have the right of joint ownership of the song, if a group of performers participates in the selection.
- The participation form and full set of rules can be found here (In Russian).
The deadline for sending applications is on 30 June, 2017.
Following the National Selection results, which will be announced not later than 7 July 2017, a professional jury will select seven to ten contenders for the final show, which be held live no later than 16 September 2017. The winner to represent Belarus at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2017 will be selected by the votes of the jury and TV viewers.
Alexander Minyonok represented Belarus at Junior Eurovision 2016 with the song “Musyza Moih Pobed” (Music is my only way), he achieved a 7th place. The country have won the competition twice, in 2005 and 2007, and remains as one of the most successful countries in the history of the contest having also hosted the 2010 edition.