Polish broadcaster, TVP1 have announced they are accepting submissions for their 2016 Eurovision bid. Submissions should be given to TVP1 by February 8. Certain chosen submissions will be announced to the public on the 16 of February, which will then be up for discussion and voting in a national final of sorts, something Poland has not done recently.
TVP1 channel director Jan Pawlicki, who was installed as a result of the new Polish media law, made the announcement recently, following some uncertainty that Poland would even be allowed to compete under the new law which makes the broadcaster more closely aligned with the state. Despite clearing that issue up a little bit, some corners of Eurovision fans weren’t sure what this would mean for the nation that has only returned for two years after an absence. But, Pawlicki seemed to be setting a clear record for people on social media, saying “Let the viewers decide who will represent Poland in Eurovision!”
Their last few entrants for Eurovision have come via internal selection. The national final concert will be broadcast on March 6 so the Polish people will now have a say in who will go on to perform in Semi Final 2 on the 12 of May in the hopes of ascending to the Grand Final on Saturday the 14.
This should also put to rest any rumors that Cleo of Donatan & Cleo being chosen by the country internally to follow-up on being the Polish representative in Copenhagen, 2014. Last year, the first wheelchair-bound entrant ever for Eurovision, Monika Kuszyńska, brought the country to the final with her song, ‘In The Name of Love’, eventually placing 23rd.
Assuredly, there are a number of interested persons in Poland, with the nation returning to the contest. Michał Szpak is one such artist who has been vocal about wanting to represent his country in the contest. He is joined by Stashka, a popular winner of the 2014 Baltic Song Contest, who said she was sending a song to the broadcaster to see if they would be interested in if for Eurovision. With multiple names interested, one may wonder if that is what encouraged TVP1 to consider a national final format instead of internal selection this year.
As is standard for most national final rules, the songs must be a certain length of time (give or take 3 minutes), must be original in their entirety, and not (widely) performed. Poland has thus far no restrictions on language. To find the exact rules and application, head over to www.eurowizja.tvp.pl.