BBC unveils biggest song search ever for UK Eurovision 2016 entry
**Applications for the UK 2016 Eurovision Song Contest has now closed.**
If you have submitted a song, thank you very much. You will be notified no later than Friday 1st January if your your song has been shortlisted.
It's not even Christmas and we're already thinking about Eurovision... let's be honest, when are we not thinking about Eurovison!? This years' contest will be taking place in Stockholm on May 10th, 12th and 14th 2016 and is going to be bigger and better than ever. Why we hear you ask? Because you can apply to represent the UK. *squeal!* Aaaand the biggest Eurovision fan club in the world will be helping to shortlist the entries!
Graham Norton says, "Eurovision is one of the highlights of my year and I love the fact that the BBC is launching its biggest song search ever. I think it really shows that they take the competition seriously and the fact that the public will get the final say on who is sent to represent the UK in Stockholm next year is the icing on the cake!"
How will the Eurovision 2016 application process work?
- An open submission process will take place. The BBC is inviting anyone over the age of 18 to submit a video of their original song for consideration. The video does not have to be professionally shot and the audio production can be a demo – but it must be sung live by the artist who would be performing the song in Stockholm.
- The BBC recognises that the fan community is a very important element of the Eurovision Song Contest. As such, the BBC will be inviting the UK branch of the OGAE to assist in the shortlisting of these open entries. The OGAE is the largest independent Eurovision fan club in the world.
- In addition, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) is to revive its former partnership with the BBC and will run a song-writing competition amongst its members. BASCA exists to support and protect the professional interests of songwriters, lyricists and composers of all genres of music and to celebrate and encourage excellence in British music writing.
- The BBC will also be consulting with music industry experts including producers, artist managers and members of the BPI . The BPI is the representative body for UK record labels, and of BRIT Awards Ltd, which stages the annual BRIT Awards show.
- Songs from all routes of entry will be included in a final shortlist, which will be presented to a professional panel and the public, who will have the final say on which song is taken forward to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in 2016. More details regarding this will be announced in due course.
How do I apply?
- If you would like to submit an entry, it must adhere to the EBU 2016 competition rules
- The song must not exceed 3 minute duration.
- All vocals must be performed live.
- No more than 6 people can take part in the performance
- The song must not have been publicly released before 1st September; it should not have been performed in public or officially published on any media including but not limited to radio, TV and the Internet.
- The song cannot be a cover or sample another artist’s work.
- The song must be original with regards to song writing and musical instrumentation.
- The singer/s must be 18 years old on or before 1st January 2016.
- Composers and song writers may only submit one entry.
The closing date for entries is Friday 20th November.
To register your interest in representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, please email the title of your song, the name of your artist(s) and the name of your composer(s) to the following email address: BBCEurovisionSubmissions@bbc.co.uk
Please do not attach your video to the email.
Within 72 hours of sending the email you will receive instructions on how to upload your video to the BBC Eurovision portal