Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019

Cyprus participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Replay" written by Alex Papaconstantinou, Teddy Sky, Viktor Svensson, Albin Nedler, and Kristoffer Fogelmark. The song was performed by Georgian-Greek singer Tamta.

Eurovision Song Contest 2019
Country Cyprus
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 21 December 2018
Song: 5 March 2019
Selected entrantTamta
Selected song"Replay"
Selected songwriter(s)
  • Alex Papaconstantinou
  • Geraldo Sandell
  • Viktor Svensson
  • Albin Nedler
  • Kristoffer Fogelmark
Finals performance
Semi-final resultQualified (9th, 149 points)
Final result13th, 109 points
Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2018 • 2019 • 2020►

Background
Main article: Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2019 contest, Cyprus had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest thirty-five times since the island country made its debut in the 1981 iteration.[1] Its best placing was second, in 2018 with the song "Fuego" performed by Eleni Foureira. Cyprus' least successful result was in the 1986 iteration when it placed last with the song "Tora Zo" by Elpida, receiving only four points in total. However, its worst finish in terms of points received was when it placed second to last in the 1999 contest with "Tha'nai Erotas" by Marlain Angelidou, receiving only two points.[2] After returning to the contest in 2015 following their one-year withdrawal from the 2014 edition due to the 2012–13 Cypriot financial crisis and the broadcaster's budget restrictions,[3] Cyprus has managed to qualify for the final in all of the contests it has participated in.[2]

The Cypriot national broadcaster, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC), broadcasts the event within Cyprus and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. CyBC confirmed their intentions to participate at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 on 22 August 2017.[4] Cyprus has used various methods to select the Cypriot entry in the past, such as internal selections and televised national finals to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. In 2015, the broadcaster organised the national final Eurovision Song Project, which featured 54 songs competing in a nine-week-long process resulting in the selection of the Cypriot entry through the combination of public televoting and the votes from an expert jury. However, since 2016, CyBC has opted to select the artist and song via an internal selection.[5]

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

On 21 December 2018, it was announced by CyBC that Greek-Georgian singer Tamta would represent the country with the song "Replay", which would be presented in February 2019. Tamta had attempted to enter Eurovision in 2007 with the song "With Love" but placed third in the Greek national final. She also approached Greek broadcaster ERT to represent Greece since 2010, but ERT declined the offer.[6] She was also rumored to be the Cypriot representative for 2018, but later declined because of prior commitments.

CyBC, in collaboration with label Minos-EMI/Universal, initially planned to host the show "Eurovision Cocktail Party" on 5 March for the presentation of the cypriot entry, where Tamta would perform her song "Replay". The Cocktail Party was held on 2 April 2019. The Cypriot entry was presented in the central newscast of RIK on 5 March.[7]

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 28 January 2019, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Cyprus was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2019, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.[8]

Once all the competing songs for the 2019 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the shows' producers rather than through another draw, so that similar songs were not placed next to each other. Cyprus was set to perform in position 1, preceding the entry from Montenegro.[9]

Semi-final
Tamta performing "Replay" in the semi-final on 14 May 2019.

Cyprus opened the first semi-final, preceding Montenegro. At the end of the show, they were announced as one of the ten countries who qualified for the final. It was later revealed that Cyprus placed ninth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 149 points: 54 points from the televoting and 95 points from the juries.

Voting

Voting during the three shows involved each country awarding two sets of points from 1-8, 10 and 12: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting. Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent, with their names published before the contest to ensure transparency. This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently. The individual rankings of each jury member as well as the nation's televoting results will be released shortly after the grand final.[10]

The audience audibly booed Cyprus awarding Greece the maximum twelve points.[11]

Points awarded to Cyprus
Points awarded to Cyprus (Semi-final 1)
Televote
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Jury
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded to Cyprus (final)
Televote
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Jury
12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points
5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Points awarded by Cyprus

Split voting results

The following five members composed the Cypriot jury:[10]

  • Despo Karpi – Chairperson – senior officeer CyBC
  • Christos Panayioti Pieri (Dj Chris P) – radio producer, DJ
  • Lisa Tsangaridou – battel teacher, choreographer
  • Stefanos Andreas Arestis – musician
  • Andrie Michael Daniel – journalist, editor in chief
Split voting results from Cyprus (Semi-final 1)
Draw Country Jury Televote
DJ Chris P D. Karpi L. Tsangaridou S. A. Arestis A. M. Daniel Average Rank Points Rank Points
01 Cyprus
02 Montenegro46111257416
03 Finland613148141315
04 Poland5141615131512
05 Slovenia311310126513
06 Czech Republic1131071010192
07 Hungary151271691414
08 Belarus1316155161656
09 Serbia1275645665
10 Belgium28134321083
11 Georgia14493747210
12 Australia921211151174
13 Iceland161562238101
14 Estonia81049111247
15 Portugal10921388311
16 Greece11111112112
17 San Marino7581469238
Split voting results from Cyprus (final)
Draw Country Jury Televote
DJ Chris P D. Karpi L. Tsangaridou S. A. Arestis A. M. Daniel Average Rank Points Rank Points
01 Malta84810158314
02 Albania141461639223
03 Czech Republic16192519162116
04 Germany21241524222525
05 Russia12412210210
06 Denmark22231420212220
07 San Marino751025141222
08 North Macedonia961115131321
09 Sweden31031194711
10 Slovenia24212017172319
11 Cyprus
12 Netherlands101112456556
13 Greece21221112112
14 Israel2582322251965
15 Norway18172162417101
16 United Kingdom20251318232024
17 Iceland132018371112
18 Estonia17182423192413
19 Belarus1922228201815
20 Azerbaijan675965617
21 France23395187483
22 Italy49114123838
23 Serbia1215191281618
24  Switzerland1116713410147
25 Australia1513167101592
26 Spain5121721111474

References
  1. Gallagher, Robyn (3 August 2017). "Cyprus: Broadcaster reportedly will internally select songwriter for 2018". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  2. "Cyprus Country Profile: Eurovision Song Contest". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. Psyllides, George (3 October 2013). "CyBC pulls out of 2014 Eurovision song contest". Cyprus Mail. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  4. Jiandani, Sanjay (22 August 2017). "Cyprus: CyBC confirms participation in Eurovision 2018". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  5. Egan, John (3 May 2018). "More Than Qualify: Cyprus Aims Higher". ESC Insight. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  6. Farren, Neil (21 December 2018). "Cyprus: Tamta to Eurovision 2019". eurovoix.com. Eurovoix. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  7. Χαραλαμπόπουλος, Σωτήρης (1 March 2019). "Tamta: Ακύρωσε την εμφάνισή της στο Eurovision Party στην Κύπρο". znews.gr (in Greek).
  8. Jordan, Paul (28 January 2019). "Eurovision 2019: Which country takes part in which Semi-Final?". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  9. "Exclusive: This is the Eurovision 2019 Semi-Final running order!". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  10. Groot, Evert (30 April 2019). "EExclusive: They are the judges who will vote in Eurovision 2019!". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  11. Belam, Martin Madonna was excruciating: what we learned from Eurovision 2019 The Guardian, 19 May 2019
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