Gabriela Gunčíková will represent Czech Republic at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest with the song I Stand. The song is composed by Christian Schneider and Sara Biglert.
The song is a power ballad and you can see the official video below.
Source: www.eurovision.tv
The points table will close on 31 October 2015.
There is one more chance for points but this is exclusively just for people who became members for 2016. We know some of you joined late and did not have all the chances for points like the older members (especially good luck messages). So here is your last chance – the closing date is 21 October 2015.
It is a much more difficult task but there are a lot of points at stake – two members can get 100 points each which will almost guarentee those two for ticket packages.
The two winners will be judges by a panel of three people
Andy Mikheev – Kazakhstan
Cole van Dais – South Africa
Gerry Avelino – United States
These three people are not taking tickets themselves so they will judge each entry purely on merit. They won’t even know who is who, as I will get the entries and give it to them just as entry from A or B or C, no names.
So unlike normal tasks, this task will requite a little more thought to make sure you stand a chance to be one of the two winners.
One of the most important aspects of EUROVISION is which countries will take part and fans are always sad when some countries decide not to take part. Recently we heard NO’s from Croatia, Bosnia and Portugal. But we also know Turkey, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Andorra and Monaco will not participate.
The task is, you have to pick one of these NON participating countries and write a letter to their HEAD OF TV ENTERTAINMENT and give reasons why you as a fan want this country to reconsider and take part.
I myself have done this several times and in the case of two, I have had some success in that these countries did take part and one even wrote to me saying my mail got them thinking. The first example is CZECH REPUBLIC 2015. I wrote a long letter to them once we knew Eurovision 2015 would be in Vienna. My reasons for them to take part is that in 1968 their most famous singer KAREL GOTT took part for Austria in Eurovision with a song composed by Udo Jurgens, the only previous Austrian winner and it would be wonderful to have them make a return in Vienna. Even in Vienna Marta and Vaclav spoke to me as they knew of the South African who is a huge Karel Gott fan. In my mail to Czech republic I attached also sales figures of Karel Gott covers in South Africa (12 of his songs have been covered in Afrikaans with sales to around 3 million). Of course they did write to me to say other factors played a role as well, but it was great that I reminded them about this special connection between Austria and the Czech republic.
The second example was AUSTRIA 2011 – and here I focused mainly on the fact that Eurovision 2011 was in DUSSELDORF in Germany and it would look awful if a fellow German speaking country is absent.
I know this is not going to be easy but a lot of points are at stake and so think carefully which country you will pick and what reasons you will use to get them to return.
I would like to send the best mails to these countries – maybe a last passionate plea would get maybe one to return. We have nothing to loose.
Answers to info@esccovers.com
LITHUANIA
In the last few years, they have become one of the worst countries to deal with. This year was no different and in fact I did not lay eyes on any P R people from Lithuania. It was especially difficult for me since their song is my top favourite for 2015. Bea records said she got some CD singles, so hopefully I can order one from there.
0 out of 10
IRELAND
Like Lithuania, it seems they simple have no promo material in the last years. Nobody seems to have even set eyes on anything, so probably there will be nothing, not even a postcard with the singer’s face on. Pity the song composed by the Swedish team did not win in the Irish selection because then we would have had something.
0 out of 10
SAN MARINO
With Ralph Siegel’s company behind the entry, like the previous 3 years with Valentina, it is the easiest entry for 2015 to get. This is how P R should be done and such a pity it seldom reflects in success, as often the journalists do not report on this kind of thing.
10 out of 10
MONTENEGRO
The P R of this country has really become good in the last years and they have one of the best heads of delegation. Both 2014 and 2015 their P R was of the best. There was also a full CD of Knez for those collectors who prefer full CD’s to singles.
10 out of 10
MALTA
Malta is another country who always rate high and Daniel, the head of press makes sure to interact with the various website reporters.
10 out of 10
NORWAY
It is quite difficult for me to really rate the Norwegian P R team because of my close relationship with Morten, president of OGAE Norway, I never have a problem with their promo material, but this year, having written to all 40 heads of press over the handing of the gift bags to the artists, Norway was first to respond.
10 out of 10
PORTUGAL
In the middle 2000’s one of the most difficult delegations to deal with but that have really improved and now are among the best.
9.5 out of 10
CZECH REPUBLIC
Having been absent from the contest for some years, I perceived this as one of the most difficult to get the promo CD, but surprisingly, it as fairly easy.
9 out of 10
David Robichaud from Canada has prepared the Good Luck Message for the Czech Republic.
Today is the official launch of the big project OGAE Rest of the world has undertaken to celebrate 60 years of Eurovision. A 3 CD set will be made and will be available in Vienna during the Eurovision period. Celebrating 60 years, so the 3 CD set will contain 60 COVERS of EUROVISION songs by artists from South Africa. Each CD will contain 20 songs. Only 60 copies will be printed and handed out in VIENNA during promotions and competitions.
Deciding on which 60 songs took a lot of effort since there were over 400 to consider and only 60 could be chosen.
I have tried to take into account several factors
– countries of the original song (trying to give each country at least one song) but it was not always possible as some like Czech republic has no cover done and others, notable Sweden and Iceland could almost fill 33% of such a project.
– SA artists – trying to use as big a variety as possible, making sure no-one is there twice as solo artist. Some do appear twice but then in duet with someone else.
– New and old songs, classics and hidden gems
– Big hits at EUROVISION but also big hits in South Africa (this does not always correlate)
After selecting the 60 songs, I also consulted with about 10 people who each could add one song and now the final 60 is there.
In the next 6 weeks, I will introduce these 60 songs ONE by ONE in the order they will appear on the compilation set.
Once all 60 songs have been unveiled, I will do a post as to how people can get a copy – keeping in mind there are just 60 copies. Because it is a promotion, the CD’s are not for sale.
I hope by the time we do the cover around beginning APRIL, we will have a logo for the club which will be on the compilation.
The original idea was to hand the first set to UDO JURGENS in VIENNA, but unfortunately that is no longer possible since his death in December.
A report from LUIS MALDONADO from Argentina who will be joining the OGAE Rest of the world reporting team in Vienna 2015
We can all be sure of one thing by now, next May the ESC community will be focusing on the outcome of the most unprecedented plot twist the EBU has made in recent years, Australia’s participation as a one-off entry under the same rules and rights as a Big 5 regular contestant. But, while we lay our eyes in the much talked about Aussie debut, we might be ignoring other significant accomplishments taking part in Vienna this year, like the celebrated return of Czech Republic, after participating for only three consecutive years, and then declining to take part since Oslo 2010.
Long time has passed since Kabát, the trash metal band from Teplice, stepped on the Finnish stage in 2007 carrying the Czech flag (at least symbolically, since the hair was the only waving flag), with Malá Dáma, a heavy rock song that despite winning their national selection and raising a lot of expectations for being the first song to ever represent the landlocked country, failed to catch the European audience. The fact that it was a very powerful year with strong entries, and perhaps due to lack of foreign publicity and interest, ended up granting the Czechs only one point from Armenia and a semifinal elimination.
After that, the Ceska Televize (CT) tried again with Eurosong ‘08, the national selection event where the audience probably realized a change or a completely different path was needed to try to seduce more public, and that’s how Tereza Kerndlová, a 22 years old singer from Brno, ended up winning the big golden ticket to Belgrade. “Have some Fun” was the title of the catchy tune presented, and despite an excess of silver glitter, and a level of corniness a bit unnecessary for the kind of entry, Tereza’s 2008 entry ended up getting 8 point more than 2007, making it, as of 2014, the most successful entry in the history of Czech Republic, but not successful enough to flight her to that year’s Final Show.
For 2009, things got a little more serious for fans in the country, since rumors stating CT was planning on withdrawing due to poor ratings and results started making the rounds, but by the end of the previous year, the country was already planning on an internal selection to provide Europe with their next Final Show entry. Gypsy.Cz, a romani hip hop group was Czech Republic’s big leap of faith, and with their eccentric music, colorful outfits, and lack of reason in a live entry that could only be described as “all over the place”, ended up receiving the country’s dreaded Null Points in the first semifinal. After that result, it was only to be expected for a subsequent withdrawal.
But, time has passed, things have changed, and Eurovision keeps reinventing itself, and so plans to do the Czech Republic, by returning for 2015 with the dynamic rock duo formed by Marta Jandová (a successful singer in the European metal scene) and the well-known singer and actor Václav Noid Bárta, with a song in English which title is determined to reflect Czech common feel while in Vienna, “Hope never Dies”. Our hopes, in the other hand, go for a well-thought stage show, and, apart from a powerful music and meaningful lyrics that bring out the best of both singers, a creative staging using streams of light and a wall-divider breaking between the two comes to mind, in the style of Demi Lovato and Olly Murs’ videoclip for Up, as a simple yet effective way of mixing the couple and concept together, giving interaction and beauty, without losing the rock core of the artists.
If Czech Republic finally receive a fast-pass to the Grand Final, should do so because of the chemistry and interaction between the artists, leaving out the kitsch staging in favor of well-tailored outfits, on point camera movements, and outstand with a well thought background and lighting that reflect the elegance and class of a glorious comeback.
Time to prove you deserve that spot, Czech Republic, and make Europe feel you never should have left. See you in Vienna!
Czech Republic have decided internally to select Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta to represent them in Vienna at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Together they will perform the song Hope Never Dies. The song was composed by Václav himself.
Marta Jandová was born in Prague in 1974. She was part of the band Die Happy in Germany, where she lived for 16 years in mostly Hamburg and Berlin. Since then she has performed as a solo artist and with other bands and also she was a member of the jury on the Czech/Slovak Superstar talent show in 2009.
Václav Noid Bárta was born in 1980. He was part of a rock band called Dolores Clan and has appeared on the stage in popular musicals. He is also a talented singer and songwriter.
Source: www.eurovision.tv; wikipedia
