EuroVisionary.com - Everything you need to know about the Eurovision Song Contest - We welcome the 2009 Contest in Moscow

Spanish broadcaster TVE will continue relying on the Myspace.com method to pick the country's entry for Eurovision 2009. Next year's selection process will be called Eurovision 2009: The return and will be presented on Monday 24th. From that date, entries can already be submitted to the broadcaster. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12552)

The second quarter final of the Bulgarian selection was held tonight. Eight songs were presented and three qualified for the semi final. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12551)

Bulgaria decides which three songs will get a place in the semifinal. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12549)

This morning, STV, the Slovakian broadcaster, held a press conference where the details of the country's preselection for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest final were presented. The Slovakian final wil be held in Bratislava on 8 March and may be preceded by a number of semi finals. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12550)

Next week, French musical TV channel Télé Mélody will broacast the second quarter final of the 1970 French national selection. Last September, the same channel already aired the final round of the selection. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12543)

Following his participation in the successful Balkan Routes Volume 1, released in Greece back in May, Zeljko Joksimovic returns to the country with one more song. This time a composition of the popular Serbian musician is included in the forthcoming album of one of the most popular Greek singers, Eleftheria Arvanitaki. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12548)

Maria Haukaas Storeng, who represented Norway in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, will have her opening performance in the musical Grease tonight. The production is said to be the biggest and most exciting theatre production created for a Norwegian audience. She has previously appeared in stage musicals like Annie, The wizard of Oz, Fame and Hair. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12547)

As previously announced, Marie Myriam, France’s last Eurovision Song Contest winner to date, has just released a Christmas CD album, Tous les anges chantent (All angels are singing). Thirteen songs have been recorded in Hungary, with the Budapest symphonic orchestra. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12542)

Seven more acts taking part in the 2009 Melodifestivalen will be revealed at a press conference, held by SVT, on 25th November. They will be added to the nine names already announced, those of eight acts and one wildcard. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12546)

Norwegian broadcaster NRK has confirmed to esctoday.com that they will begin to reveal the artists participating in Melodi Grand Prix 2009 to win the ticket to represent Norway at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow in December. Each week, the list of participants for a semi final will be revealed. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12545)

Three Eurovision Song Contest 2008 top ten finalists, Sirusho, Jelena Tomasevic and Boaz Mauda,will be recording together next month a special song for peace. Sirusho will soon be flying to Sweden for a concert with Charlotte Perrelli and is currently working on her latest video in Greek. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12544)

Tonight at 19:50 CET, Bulgaria will continue its search for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Another three songs that will take part in the semifinal on January 24th are to be selected. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12538)

Three weeks ago, we asked you to take part in the nomination process for the 2008 esctoday.com awards. So far, more than 8,200 votes have been cast and there are only a few days left to vote: polls will close this Friday, 21st November. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12540)

As the deadline for national broadcasters to sign up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 draws ever closer, it seems that we could be in for yet another new record in the number of participating countries in Moscow, due to a return from Monaco. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12539)

More than 20 former Dutch representatives in the Eurovision Song Contest are going to take part in a special concert on 20th December. With a live orchestra, they will perform their entries in the competition once again. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12537)

Shiri Maimon, who represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, is going to take part in the Global One project. Global One is a worldwide project to record songs with succesful local artists in their native languages in over 20 countries panning five continents around the world. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12536)

Dino Merlin, who represented Bosnia & Herzegovina in the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest with Beatrice, will give a concert tonight in Skoje, F.Y.R. Macedonia. Furthermore, he will be in Vienna this Saturday, 22nd November. Another four concerts are scheduled to be held in Western Europe in December. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12535)

SVT announced this morning the first wildcard to participate in next year's Melodifestivalen. It is Markoolio, Finnish-Swedish multi platinum musician, songwriter and actor. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12534)

BHRT, broadcaster of Bosnia & Herzegovina, have started searching for their entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. Like every year since 2006, the song will be chosen internally and everyone is invited to submit songs until 20th December. The winning song will be presented during a special TV show on 1st March. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12533)

Maria Haukaas Storeng, who represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, will co-host the 2009 Norwegian selection. Along with Per Sundnes she will present the five live shows of Melodi Grand Prix 2009. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12532)