The year, 2023, begins in style in the town of Benidorm thanks to music. Since the popular Benidorm International Song Festival discovered some of the best Spanish singers of all time, such as Julio Iglesias and Raphael, there have been many artists who have chosen the stages of this great town to take the first steps in their musical careers. And so, it will happen again this year!
After last year's success, Radio Televisión Española (Spanish Radio and Television Corporation) has once again chosen Benidorm to host the now legendary Benidorm Fest with the aim of finding the singer (or singers) who will represent Spain at the next Eurovision Song Contest 2023 to be held on 13th May in Liverpool.
In Liverpool? Yes, the city of The Beatles will host the world's most important music contest after the British representative came second after the victory of war-torn Ukraine. It wasn't long before our beloved Chanel, winner of Benidorm Fest 2022, took home the trophy with a well-deserved third place.
The sports centre L’illa in Benidorm will once again be the venue chosen by the production team of the Spanish Eurovision delegation for this great musical event. The venue, inaugurated in 2005, has a capacity of up to 4,000 people and presents enormous versatility to achieve the most spectacular scenery offerings.
The party atmosphere is already beginning to be felt in every corner, but which song will be chosen? We will have to wait until the end of the month, specifically 31st January and 2nd February, when two semi-finals will be held, and the final gala on Saturday 4th February, which will be the moment to find out the most eagerly awaited decision. The galas will be hosted by singer Mónica Naranjo, presenter Rodrigo Vázquez and influencer Inés Hernand. It promises to be exciting!
After sorting through a total of 876 applications, the Spanish Radio Television casting team has selected a total of 18 artists who will compete to win the great privilege of representing Spain in Eurovision, the most important music event in the world, in addition to a great accolade for their artistic career.
The artists will display their talent in two semi-finals that will be judged 50/50 by a professional jury (60% national experts and 40% international) and by the public (50% telephone votes and 50% demographic opinions). The four artists who receive the most votes in each of the two days will qualify for the grand final. And only one will remain!
Sources from the organization assure that the list of artists that will compete for a position in the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest is highly varied and that it combines experience with youth and a multitude of different styles so that it is as representative as possible of the current musical scene in Spain. Let's get to know them!
Agoney will participate in Benidorm Fest with Quiero Arder, a demanding and explosive song with which the Canary Islander will be able to demonstrate all his vocal potential. He is followed by Blanca Paloma, who repeats for the second year in a row at the festival, with her song Aenea, an emotional love story that transcends the merely human.
Sandy, Melania, Bubu and Lottie are E'FEMME, a girlband that arrives to take Benidorm Fest 2023 by storm with Uff!, a song full of strength and female empowerment. And if we're talking about strength, it's impossible not to mention Fusa Nocta and their song Mi familia, one of those songs that mixes flamenco with electronic music to connect with the listener's most intimate side. Feelings on the surface.
Spain's most famous twins, Twin Melody, will make the leap from Tiktok to television and try to conquer Europe with Sayonara, which will get everyone dancing with its incomparable rhythm. Barcelona's Vicco will also take part in Benidorm Fest 2023 with Nochentera, a hymn to happiness and the desire to live.
his is not the first time that Famous has tried to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest and maybe this time he will succeed with his catchy song La Lola. Alfred García can boast of having already participated in Eurovision - he did it with Amaia and did not get a great position - but this year he is willing to try it alone and get the best result with his song Desde que tú estás. Alice Wonder will perform Yo quisiera, an alternative indie song with which she intends to touch our hearts by conveying the inner storm that breaks out in her every time she sings her song. The song Flamenco, sung by Aritz Aren, is one of the favourites to win the contest, but you never know, will we bring out our most folkloric side with this pop song?
José Otero will tell us about an impossible love with his ballad Inviernos en Marte (Winters on Mars) and we are sure that he will be the peace to warm up the Alicante winter even more. On the other hand, Karmento from La Mancha brings to Benidorm Fest the best of their land with Quiero y puedo, a song that is a heartfelt tribute to their roots full of strength, because strength is the common denominator that unites all the participants.
The band Megara will flood Benidorm with rock with their song Arcadia, a story of two girls who fall in love through a video game. And if it's all about bands, we can't miss Meler, who are taking part in Benidorm Fest with No nos moverán, a pop song that encourages you to dance and enjoy the good times, full of good vibes. German-born singer and songwriter Sofía Martín will be fighting to represent Spain at Eurovision with Tuki, a song with an electronic beat that combines Spanish pop with urban music.
Rakky Ripper's Tracción will be the hardcore highlight of Benidorm Fest 2023. A song about repressed feelings that will leave no one indifferent. The drag queen Sharonne will participate with the song Aire, a song about freedom that is a hymn to life. And the line-up closes with the band Siderland, who will bring the Catalan language to the festival with their song Que esclati tot - (Let it all explode!) a story of impossible love that tells how two people who love each other collapse when it comes to understanding each other. Who hasn't had that happen to them at some point?
The popular musical contest renamed this year as Benidorm Fest, was born in 1959 inspired by the San Remo Song Festival and with the purpose of promoting tourism in Benidorm and Spanish music throughout Europe.
Since then and until 2006, it has been held every summer, although it missed its appointment for several years for various reasons, and has been the catapult to stardom of artists of international stature such as Julio Iglesias, Raphael or Dyango. Will we be before the next Eurovision winner?
Are you going to miss it? If you do not want to settle for following this event on television, which will be one of the events of the year in terms of music, do not hesitate to travel to Benidorm and feel the warmth of the artists of the moment on your skin. We make it very easy for you! At Servigroup Hotels you can find the best accommodation in the town, a heated pool, delicious cuisine and much more. We are waiting for you Euro fans!
The endless white sandy beaches of the Costa de Azahar often overshadow the many other charms that this incredible area of the Mediterranean coast awaits travellers. This is the case of the Coves de Sant Josep, some very interesting underground caves that hide the longest underground navigable river in Europe and whose walls house cave paintings. Are you going to miss it?
