BENIDORM (EFE). With the difficult mission of equaling or surpassing Chanel’s third place in Eurovision 2022, Benidorm Fest returns to demonstrate that its success in choosing a representative for the European festival It was not by chance through a second edition that will celebrate its grand finale in a week.
Eighteen will be the participants, five more than in the previous one, a selection marked by the diversity of styles and -after the lesson learned that the scenario can change everything- with even more open forecasts. These are the keys that will mark his landing in the national preselection:
1. Agoney, “I want to burn”: One of the most popular names of this edition for his time at “OT 2017” (that of Aitana and Amaia) and for participating in “Incredible Duos” with Ana Belén. With one of the most impeccable live shows, she presents a song that starts with bass, evolves to impossible treble and is the third most listened to on Spotify.
2. Alfred García, “Since you are”: Another former participant of “OT 2017” who has managed to survive the sieve of time and the only one of all the applicants who already knows what Eurovision is. In fact, he repeats with the author of the song with which he participated with Amaia in 2018.
3. Alice Wonder, “I would like”: The “indie” that managed to move Queen Letizia in a public event with her performance and one of the favorites at Benidorm Fest 2023 thanks to a modern and sober song but with high emotional intensity with his voice cracked.
4. Aritz Aren, “Flamenco”: A debutant in the world of songs, the dancer until now obtained the highest score from the committee that selected the 18 songs for the contest with this sensual song signed by Carlos Marco (Auryn) and that, as he pointed out to EFE, recreates “what outside of Spain they think we are.”
5. Blanca Paloma, “Eaea”: Fifth finalist at Benidorm Fest 2022, where she demonstrated a very solvent live performance with her dreamlike voice. She presents a more dynamic song in tempo and register changes, a lullaby between flamenco, electronics and Sephardic singing that makes it one of the least assimilable on a first listen.
6. E’Femme, “Uff!”: The only “girl band” in the edition has been gaining integers among national and foreign listeners as the weeks progressed, especially for the rap part. The ghost to chase away is the performance with which (with another song) they appeared on RTVE as candidates.
7. Famous, “La Lola”: The winner of “OT 2018” postulates with Caribbean and African influences in one of the tracks from this Benidorm Fest that seem made to be sung at a World Cup.
8. Fusa Nocta, “Mi familia”: “Voguing” and allusions to the documentary “Paris is Burning” will come together in a “powerful show” that combines flamenco (tangos, specifically) and “trap”. The “Rosalía de Benidorm Fest” will vindicate the family, the one you have and the one you choose, among an enormous expectation (second track with the most listeners on Spotify) to see if it nails the recording in such a busy live show.
9. José Otero, “Inviernos en Marte”: Is the canary the cover of this edition? That is the question that more and more Eurofans are asking themselves before this ex-finalist of “La Voz México” endowed with an imposing voice and a very distinctive “soul” type timbre, with a cathartic ballad dedicated to his deceased father and a great instrumental background.
10. Karmento, “Quiero y duelo”: The other official “indie” artist in this selection bets on her roots in a warm song, one of the most organic and that, in its folk essence, can appeal just as much to a man from La Mancha as to “a the inhabitants of a village in Poland”.
11. Megara, “Arcadia”: Proud representatives of rock at Benidorm Fest, “fuchsia rock” specifically that combines sharp guitars with the melodic voice of its singer, in the style of Evanescence or The Pretty Reckless. They appeal to the success of Maneskin or Lordi in Eurovision, where Spain has never presented rock.
12. Meler, “No nos movirán”: Another “stadium track” built on the cathartic principles of Swedish DJ Avicii, but with the harmonies and collective spirit of Colombians Morat. They promise a Coldplay or Imagine Dragons number, with a percussive final stretch.
13. Rakky Ripper, “Traction”: It is one of the great doubts due to his live performance, since he will not be able to make use of the vocal modulation that this “hyperpop” uses in the recording, which, as its name indicates, is overwhelming in its tempo and “hardcore” and “techno” spells.
14. Sharonne, “Aire”: The winner of the second “Drag Race Spain” is more than hard at work in various stages and artistic facets and, although her song is not one of the best positioned in the bets, she promises a “show” with magic from the team of “The hotel of the queens” and the designer It Spain (Lady Gaga).
15. Siderland, “Que Esclati Tot”: His would be the first song in Catalan to represent Spain in Eurovision. It would be thanks to a very choreable theme that drinks from European EDM.
16. Sofía Martín, “Tuki”: She also drinks from EDM this optimistic track with an invented name that also includes Latin rhythms as an inheritance from her Spanish-German blood.
17. Twin Melody, “Sayonara”: The Basque twin media present a very summery pop cut with verses in several languages and a lot of choreography.
18. Vicco, “Nochentera”: Probably the most immediate and contagious (it is the cut with the most views on Spotify, more than 1 million), it drinks from Aitana’s contemporary pop, puns and firecracker arrangements that invite the party (” Get on, Mari, get on!”). What not everyone knows is that, like Victoria Riba and at only 19 years old, her author opened for Alejandro Sanz in several concerts.
