http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z369/RC741/Eurovision%20Logos/Flag%20Logos/Germany_zpsa86d208f.png
Germany
Jamie-Lee - Ghost

For the last couple of years, the German national selection process has included a concert for non-established artists that took place in February. The winner of which joined the established acts in the arena national final in early March. Elaiza and Ann Sophie both ended up in the national final via this concert, with some people believing the support they gained from the concert gave them an advantage against the other national finalists - although of course Ann Sophie wouldn't have won if it wasn't for Andreas' withdrawal following his victory.

 

With that said, it has been confirmed that this concert stage of the selection process has been scrapped for 2016, potentially due to the poor results for Elaiza and Ann Sophie - and possibly due to pressure from established acts who have lost out due to these wildcard winners? There are still rumours of there being an internal selection, with Helene Fischer's name still frequently mentioned.

 

Germany’s last place at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has led to immediate thinking on how to improve the country’s result in 2016. “Our goal for Stockholm is to move to the left side of the scoreboard, and then all the way up!”, says Carola Conze, the new German Head of Delegation.

 

During the summer, rumours spread widely about a big national selection having six heats, three semifinals and a final.

 

However, the only confirmed detail about the German national selection for Eurovision 2016 is that the Clubkonzert round, where a new artist had the option to get a ticket to the national final via web submission and a live show, will be cancelled. Both Elaiza and Ann Sophie, the German representatives in 2014 and 2015, got their place in the German finals by qualifying from this round.

 

“Thomas Schreiber (ARD’s Head of Entertainment) and I had many discussions and we prepare different options. The exact format of the national selection will be known soon”, adds Carola.

 

ESC Today

 

Germany have been incredibly consistent this decade with Lena (in both years), Roman, Cascada and Ann Sophie featuring right at the top end of my rankings. Elaiza were decent too!

Well it's clearly a route that's not working for them at Eurovision, so I totally agree to abandon it. I also think they should re-work their national final too. Either just have them compete with 1 entry or allow them to perform both, they way they do it currently is rather ridiculous.

Oh yes, this 2 songs per artist thing is horribly complicated and there's no need for it.

Rumour has it that the internal selection of Xavier Naidoo will be announced in a reliable German newspaper tomorrow. He has 5 #1 albums in Germany, the most recent one being in 2013 and has also at times been a member of the band Söhne Mannheims who are also very successful.

 

ESC Forum are complaining that he has some "questionable views" although I'm not quite sure what they are yet, but aside from them he seems like a very high profile choice!

The article is now out in full and it states that (according to a translation on ESC Forum):

 

- The national final for Xavier's song will take place on February 18th.

- Several composers have been invited to submit songs.

- The 6 songs to go forward into the national final will be determined by a jury including Xavier himself.

- Broadcaster NDR will ask movie and art academies to produce ideas for stage shows to accompany the songs.

 

While the choice of artist is already being heavily criticised by some Eurovision fans due to his various controversial views, I think NDR have got quite a good plan in place here and it is great that they are thinking about how a song would look on stage in Stockholm so early on. And it seems like the popularity of this guy in Germany is that of an Olly Murs or equivalent here, albeit in a different genre and a much longer timespan - BBC take note!

 

Let's wait and see if it's true, but it seems like quite an elaborate thing for a newspaper to make up that is reportedly one of the more reputable newspapers in Germany.

It's confirmed on the Eurovision website.

He does seem to be quite a big star in Germany.

 

Although R&B and soul isn't really a genre that's done the business at the contest yet.

Xavier! :o brilliant choice - he's one my favourite German artists! 'Dieser Weg' :wub:

Also, random fact that is doing the rounds, when Xavier was a coach on The Voice Germany, one of his contestants was Iveta Mukuchyan who's representing Armenia in Stockholm.

DELETE GERMANY

German national broadcaster NDR has withdrawn Xavier Naidoo as their candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. After much critical speculation over the broadcaster’s choice, NDR announced this morning that they will be looking elsewhere and will announce in due course when they have decided on a new path to Stockholm 2016. NDR’s Head of Entertainment Thomas Schreiber praised Xavier as an “outstanding” singer and refuted accusations that he has been a homophobe and a racist.

 

Schreiber however acknowledged NDR had not anticipated the strong reaction from fans and will be returning to the drawing board for Stockholm 2016.

 

Fans will likely be hoping for a more democratic alternative, after Ann Sophie was selected last year in a shock national final which saw actual winner Andreas Kummert decline the ticket to Vienna.

 

!!

 

Good decision though I feel. Regardless of his supposed views, I couldn't see a song of his breaking the top 10 at Eurovision.

 

 

Helene Fischer if they're going internal, plz and thnks

Helene Fischer would be amazing :wub:

Former Espen flop contestant. I approve. ^_^

Xavier is pretty crap, meh at him even without the views. Imagine Helene tho *.*

I wonder what they'll do now they've withdrawn him, as any very established act will know they are a second choice and might not be as keen to go now. They could end up with a national final again now, unless they do get another very established act on board.

 

*.* Two Eurovision winners duetting? Rich can hope (although it seems Helene for Germany 2016 is out of the window this time round)! :kink:

 

Honestly Lena could've been a worldwide star, she just has *it* - glad Wild & Free has given her career a massive boost in Germany again though, not that she needed a massive boost as Traffic Lights and Crystal Sky both had very solid performances. For me, Lena is the biggest star in terms of music careers to come out of Eurovision this decade at least. Of course Loreen has had the biggest hit, but she just hasn't sustained a long-term career at least for now - I know it's a bit too early to say that but she really hasn't capitalised on her win whereas Lena is 4 albums into hers and still scoring top 3 albums and top 10 hits in Germany, with minor success in Austria and Switzerland too of course. Can't really compare Mans as he has obviously had a long career prior to Eurovision - the rest of the winners this decade were all basically starting out.

 

But yay go Lena and Helene! :cheer:

Unser Song für Stockholm will be taking place on February 25th with 10 finalists - which hopefully confirms the abandonment of that horrifying 2 song system!

Hopefully the final choice won't end up with the "Nah I don't want to go" fiasco we had last year. Only for the "winner" to come home with a grand total of nothing.