Benidorm Fest 2025 is set to be the fourth edition of the annual Benidorm Fest, a television song contest held in Benidorm, organised and broadcast by Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE). The show will be held between 28 January and 1 February 2025.[1] The winning act will represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[2]
| Benidorm Fest 2025 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dates | |
| Semi-final 1 | 28 January 2025 |
| Semi-final 2 | 30 January 2025 |
| Final | 1 February 2025 |
| Host | |
| Venue | Palau Municipal d'Esports l'Illa de Benidorm (Benidorm, Valencian Community, Spain) |
| Artistic director |
|
| Executive supervisor | María Eizaguirre |
| Host broadcaster | |
| Website | www |
| Participants | |
| Number of entries | 16 |
| Number of finalists | 8 |
| Vote | |
| Voting system | Professional jury (50%), demoscopic jury (25%) and televote (25%) |
Format
editThe competition will consist of two semi-finals and a final. In total, 16 candidate songs will compete divided between the two semifinals, that is, eight will participate in each one. In each semifinal, the four songs with the most votes among a professional jury (50%), a demoscopic panel (25%) and the televote (25%), will qualify to the final. During the final, the eight qualified songs will be performed again and the winner will determined following the same voting system as in the semi-finals.[2] In response to criticism for the low televoting figures in 2024, attributed to the relatively high costs of telephone calls and SMS messages, RTVE managers stated the goal to make the public voting free by means of a mobile app from 2025;[3] this was confirmed upon the opening of the submission window on 20 May 2024.[2]
Following the 2024 edition of the competition, representatives of Benidorm's municipal council (including mayor Toni Pérez), the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Generalitat Valenciana, and RTVE travelled to the 74th Sanremo Music Festival, currently serving as the Italian national selection for Eurovision; municipal councillor Jesús Carrobles revealed that the aim was to start a collaboration between the two events.[4][5] An agreement for a collaboration with the Chilean Viña del Mar International Song Festival was also signed.[6]
Competing entries
editRTVE published the rules and regulations for Benidorm Fest 2025 on 20 May 2024, opening a submission window lasting until 10 October 2024. In order for an entry to qualify to compete, performers and at least one songwriter must be Spanish citizens over the age of 16 (at least 50% of Spanish citizens in the case of groups), and songs must contain at least 60% of the lyrics in one of the official languages of Spain.[2] On 11 October 2024, RTVE revealed that nearly 1000 entries had been received, about 200 more than the previous edition.[1]
The 16 participants, selected by a professional panel made up of musical advisors Beatriz Luengo, Rayden, Pablo Cebrián and Tony Sánchez-Ohlsson, were originally set to be introduced on 7 November 2024 at the Prado del Rey studios in Madrid;[6][7] however, on 4 November RTVE revealed that the announcement was being postponed.[8][9] The artists and songs were announced on 12 November 2024.[10] An additional 6 reserves have been selected, and will be revealed at a later date.[6]
| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Carla Frigo | "Bésame" |
|
| Celine Van Heel | "La casa" |
|
| Chica Sobresalto | "Mala feminista" | Maialen Gurbindo López |
| Daniela Blasco | "Uh nana" |
|
| David Afonso | "Amor barato" |
|
| DeTeresa | "La pena" |
|
| Henry Semler | "No lo ves" |
|
| J Kbello | "VIP" |
|
| K!ngdom | "Me gustas tú" |
|
| Kuve | "Loca por ti" |
|
| Lachispa | "Hartita de llorar" |
|
| Lucas Bun | "Te escribo en el cielo" |
|
| Mawot | "Raggio di sole" | Roberto Comins Cubertorer |
| Mel Ömana | "I'm a Queen" |
|
| Melody | "Esa diva" | Alberto Fuentes Lorite |
| Sonia & Selena | "Reinas" |
|
References
edit- ^ a b "The best of the rest at 'Benidorm Fest': Celebrating its semi-finalists". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 11 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Farren, Neil (20 May 2024). "Spain: Benidorm Fest 2025 Submission Window Opens". Eurovoix. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ Mancheño, José Miguel (18 February 2024). "¿Voto gratuito en el Benidorm Fest 2025? Así votan los espectadores en otros países de Europa" [Free vote in Benidorm Fest 2025? Here is how viewers vote in other European countries]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ Mancheño, José Miguel (10 January 2024). "El Benidorm Fest busca iniciar una colaboración con el Festival de Sanremo" [Benidorm Fest is trying to start a collaboration with the Sanremo Festival]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Solano, Cristhian (8 February 2024). "La Generalitat Valenciana viaja a Sanremo en busca de colaboración con el Benidorm Fest" [The Generalitat Valenciana travels to Sanremo booking for a collaboration with Benidorm Fest]. ESCplus España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Cafarelli, Donato (9 July 2024). "Benidorm Fest 2025: annunciate date e novità della quarta edizione" [Benidorm Fest 2025: dates and novelties of the fourth edition announced]. Eurofestival News (in Italian). Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ García Hernández, José (31 October 2024). "Los 16 artistas del Benidorm Fest 2025 se conocerán el 7 de noviembre" [The Benidorm Fest 2025 artists will be made known on 7 November]. Eurovision-Spain (in European Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ Kelesidou, Olga (4 November 2024). "Spain: Benidorm Fest 2025 participants will not be announced on November 7". eurovisionfun.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "Spain: Benidorm Fest 2025". eurovisionworld.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Benidorm Fest 2025: Estos son los 16 concursantes" (in European Spanish). RTVE. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Arranca el Benidorm Fest 2025: RTVE presenta a los 16 artistas que formarán parte de la cuarta edición del festival" (in European Spanish). RTVE. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.