The third edition of Benidorm Fest will soon be underway, and Eurovision fans are eager to discover Spain’s next representative for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö. RTVE has officially presented the third edition of Benidorm Fest last 26th of July, live from Benidorm, taking the opportunity to confirm the dates for the festival that will choose Spain’s Eurovision hopeful. Who will be Blanca Paloma’s successor in Malmö?
A Press Conference Unveils Benidorm Fest Dates
As in the past two editions, the journey started with a press conference at noon, where RTVE and representatives from the Generalitat Valenciana revealed some exciting general updates and preparations for the competition to the accredited media. The event, which is already becoming a tradition to kick off the musical competition, was attended by former Spanish representatives of Eurovision and Junior Eurovision, as well as executives from the three entities involved in its organization. In addition to Maria Eizaguirre, director of communication of the entity, the event was attended by Elena Sánchez, interim president of RTVE, the mayor of Benidorm, ß president of the Generalitat Valenciana, and Ana Maria Bordas, head of the Spanish delegation.
Mark your calendars for a thrilling musical extravaganza! The Benidorm Fest will take place during the last week of January and the first week of February. The event comprises three live galas on Tuesday, January 30 (first semifinal), Thursday, February 1 (second semifinal), and Saturday, February 3, when the grand final will be celebrated.
The announcement event has featured several videos by Benidorm Fest artists such as Vicco (Benidorm Fest 2023) and Eurovision representatives such as Loreen (Sweden 2012 and 2023), Eleni Foureira (Cyprus 2018) or La Zarra (France 2023) wishing good wishes for this new edition of the festival you want, the one you want.
After that, Blanca Paloma took the stage to reveal that she is in a “creative” moment and sang ‘Ea Ea’ again, the song that she defended in Liverpool last May. Just like Chanel in 2022, Blanca Paloma has also received a plate with her name, ensuring her permanent presence at the Mirador de la Música alongside the Benidorm Fest microphone. “Ea Ea” and the Valencian artist are now part of the competition’s list of winners, alongside Chanel and her song “SloMo.” An emotional Blanca kissed both names, saying, “For the two of them.” Additionally, Massiel, the first winner for Spain at ESC 1968, also attended the meeting, and celebrated her 55th anniversary of her triumph in London.
Countdown to the Announcement: Participants List and basis of the BF2024
Save the date: On November 11th, the full list of participants for Benidorm Fest 2024 will be revealed, coinciding with the “Latin Grammy 2023”. The participants of Benidorm Fest will be announced on November 11th, one month later than in 2023, as RTVE seeks maximum exposure for the selected talented artists, coinciding with the celebration of the Latin Grammy Awards at the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones in Seville. 16 artists will be selected for this upcoming edition of Benidorm Fest, unlike the previous years, which were 18.
Although the announcement is timed for increased media attention, it should be noted that the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony will be broadcast on November 16th and will be produced by Televisa Univision in collaboration with RTVE. The city of Seville will host various events between November 12-16th, following the announcement of the Benidorm Fest artists.
All aspiring musicians who meet the requirements set by the organizers have the chance to send in their songs before October 10 at 23:59. Submissions can be made through the provided online form and professional jury committee will then evaluate all received entries to determine the lucky participants. Beyond the web submissions, RTVE will also reach out internally to invite established artists, adding prestige to the event with both renowned and up-and-coming performers taking part in the contest. Authors must include a suggested associated performer, but RTVE reserves the right to make the final decision on the interpreter.
The stage is set for a diverse range of talents to shine as Benidorm Fest 2024 welcomes authors, singers, and musical groups to compete for the acclaimed Eurovision ticket.
RTVE will organize a songwriting camp leading up to Benidorm Fest 2024.
The new advisers of the Benidorm Fest were also present in this part of the event. Pablo Cebrián has pointed out that “artists have a lot of expectation with this festival, I can feel it as I talk to them”, he highlighted. Rayden, artist and songwriter that took part at the first edition of Benidorm Fest back in 2022, mentioned that the entries already received he had the opportunity to listen sound very good and promising.
One of the major innovations in the development of the upcoming edition is the inclusion of a songwriting camp scheduled for next September. The initiative aims to bring together a select group of international composers to work on potential songs for the festival. The goal is to enrich and diversify the musical selection process, exploring a broader range of proposals and new sounds. However, it should be noted that the songs produced in this camp will not receive priority in the festival’s lineup. The ultimate aim is to create an event that shines through its musical diversity, appeals to a wide intergenerational audience, and reflects Spanish society.
César Vallejo, co-director of the upcoming Benidorm Fest, emphasized the experimental nature of the project and expressed openness to adapting its conditions based on this year’s results. He also specified that collaborations with record labels and music publishers will be sought to select the composers. The profile of producers and musicians participating in the initiative will not be strictly limited to those with Eurovision experience. The camp will include prestigious music professionals who have a comprehensive understanding of the European music scene and, in some way, are familiar with Eurovision world. Further details about the individuals involved in the camp and its mechanics will be announced soon.
Sandra Valero and Carlos Higes dazzle at the Benidorm Fest Chill Out
After tasting some delicious Alicante tapas in the midday cocktail, accredited press met again at the Mirador de la Música in Benidorm to enjoy two young artists, Carlos Higes, representative of Spain in Junior Eurovision 2022 and Sandra Valero, representative for Nice 2023 .
The little Valencian performed the song with which she auditioned to participate in the children’s edition of the music festival this year, ‘Part of your world’, a song from the original soundtrack of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’. Valero demonstrated great solvency and vocal dominance and proved that she is ready to shine in Nice next 26th of November and take the JESC 2023 prize back to Spain after 19 years of Maria Isabel win in Norway back in 2004.
For his part, Carlos Higes presented his new song, ‘Mi mundo’ making clear his career has just started after his debut as a singer last December in Yerevan, Armenia at JESC.
With all these events, Benidorm is officially ready to kicks off a new edition of the festical, and the entire team that has always worked for and dedicated themselves to the event will continue to strive for its growth and international professionalization. The competition is still open for entries, and aspiring participants can submit their songs until October 10th.
With the stage set and the dates confirmed, Benidorm Fest 2024 promises to be an extraordinary showcase of Spanish musical talent, leading up to the thrilling Eurovision 2024 competition in Malmö. Aspiring musicians, start your engines and let the melodies begin!