Spain: Meet the 18 acts competing in Benidorm Fest 2023

Spanish broadcaster RTVE decided not to take it SloMo at all! As a surprise to many Eurovision fans, the broadcaster revealed tonight in a late broadcast the 18 acts participating in the Spanish national selection Benidorm Fest 2023. The winner will represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Due the succes of the competition last year, the number of participants increased this edition from 14 to 18 acts. These 18 have been whittled down from 876 hopefuls who submitted their song for the contest. Here is the full line-up of Benidorm Fest 2023:

Agoney (Participant in Operación Triunfo 2017)
E’Femme
Fusa Nocta
Blanca Paloma (Participant in Benidorm Fest 2022)
Aritz Aren
Rakky Ripper
Alfred García (Represented Spain in Eurovision 2018 with Amaia)
Sofia Martin
Alice Wonder
Famous (Participant in Operación Triunfo 2018)
Megara
Vicco
Twin Melody
Jose Otero
Karmento
Sharonne
Meler
Siderland

Benidorm Fest 2023 will take place from January 29 until February 4 and will be presented by Monica Naranjó in the Palau Municipal d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm. See below for the schedule of this week:

January 29, 2023: Opening Ceremony
January 31, 2023: First Semi-final
February 2, 2023: Second Semi-final
February 4, 2023: Grand Final

8 acts will compete in the Grand Final on Saturday 4 February. The final result will be determined by the combination of a 50/50 televoting and public vote. The jury vote will include national and international professionals. On the other hand, the public vote is split into two groups: 25% demoscopic and 25% televote similar to last year’s edition.

Spain in Eurovision

Spain first appeared in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 in Cannes and came back to every Contest since, with being the first country to win the Eurovision Song Contest twice in succession in both 1968 (Massiel) and 1969 (Salomé). They hosted the contest in 1969 in their capital city Madrid.

Last year, Spain gave rebirth to Benidorm Fest to find their representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. After a tensefull voting segment, it was decided that Chanel would fly the Spanish flag in Turin with her song “SloMo.” In the Grand Final, she finished in 3rd place with a grand total of 459 points. The best place Spain has earned since 1995 in the contest.