Yeah, the competition definitely feels even harder to feel positive about when there’s more non-qualifiers. We’re probably going from a 76% chance of qualification to a 66% chance, eeeeep.

Under 60 is still low compared to a few years back.

Imagine trying to get out of the semi in BJSC 100 where we had 87 entries!

24 minutes ago, RobBot said:

We’re probably going from a 76% chance of qualification to a 66% chance, eeeeep.

Oh god shhhh 🤣 Reality hurts.

I think I used to care a lot less but I definitely want to get a consecutive third qualifier in this edition for the first time. Definitely hope enough people enjoy this song. I guess if 'Parallelograms' could do it, this can too haha 💪

i think Summericia x Sovarasma was still the biggest contest i participated in, where i finished 36/36 in the semi with an Indonesian slow indie entry x

1 hour ago, gooddelta said:

Under 60 is still low compared to a few years back.

Imagine trying to get out of the semi in BJSC 100 where we had 87 entries!

I've become very comforted by the 26/27-strong semi finals, they feel more secure 😂

10+ songs DNQing per semi was the norm for quite some time! (And tsss Rob acting as if he doesn't have like a 98% chance of qualifying no matter how many entries there are xx). I've not minded having some smaller semis recently but it's good to at least occasionally have more of a test to the long Q streaks. x Don't think we'll quite be reaching 10 DNQs per semi this month though, we'd need to have a couple more last minute returning nations as well as getting all of the remaining countries who entered last month (minus Hushky).

I've been hiding for a couple of days so a belated welcome back to Dalisska *.* + Aesthetica and Utopia albeit from much shorter absences.

That Madison Beer song is a banger (I remember strongly disliking her previous BJSC entries but she's made some great songs more recently) but yes, nice try! You weren't the only person to try and send a song that's in the current Multichart top 40 tbf, but the other one got reconfirmed before it was formally vetoed.

I've confirmed now - was procrastinating all week on looking for a new song but then Reddit delivered on quickly giving me an artist with eye catching genre tags. Rounding out the year with a post-punk adjacent entry with African influences, reminds me a bit of Ibibio Sound Machine but with a punkier edge. Obsessed already x (and as with so many artists, they can previously be found appearing in an uhsting chart but no other mentions on the site).

BTW yes if songs were sent to song contests elsewhere on the site it will be picked up in research but it's not an auto-veto (that's only for songs that were previously in BJSC or BJSC spinoffs), just something that'll be considered.

We are still on 56 as of now, which would be 27 songs per semi and two AQs, but we are still missing a few countries who have routinely been known to confirm late, although this is very late now so not sure if they're just not entering.

75 minutes to go if you want to be in!

I’m just glad that the vetos are coming in at a reasonable timeframe bc having to reconfirm very last minute is stressful (especially when you’re in a time zone that is much later 😵‍💫)

7 hours ago, RobBot said:

Yeah, the competition definitely feels even harder to feel positive about when there’s more non-qualifiers. We’re probably going from a 76% chance of qualification to a 66% chance, eeeeep.

The ones in my semi will have a 70% chance probably, if not higher. Cause they way these votes seem to dodge my entries, girl

I had absolutely no idea what to send this month so in the absence of anything else I'm trying something that has a special meaning for me from the 90s, it feels better than sending something that I only quite like from 2025.

Sending my most experimental entry for quite some time and surrendering any contention of top 10 EOY place I think. But very passionate so worth it x

Let's give a huge welcome back to our 8th returning nation, the freshly renamed Lentyll - great to have you with us again @AllStarBySmashMouth 🥳

16 minutes ago, Harve said:

Sending my most experimental entry for quite some time and surrendering any contention of top 10 EOY place I think. But very passionate so worth it x

@Harve Sounds intriguing although nothing has come through on the confirmations sheet for you so far.

1 hour ago, Cody Piastri said:

I’m just glad that the vetos are coming in at a reasonable timeframe bc having to reconfirm very last minute is stressful (especially when you’re in a time zone that is much later 😵‍💫)

Eep! We have been very much trying to work at this of late, as much for the hosts as anything as it can push things back for days but sometimes it is the case of people confirming very cheap songs very late in the day which… is not our fault xx

57 minutes ago, *Tim said:

The ones in my semi will have a 70% chance probably, if not higher. Cause they way these votes seem to dodge my entries, girl

I’ve got faith in you this time, diva ❤️

11 minutes ago, gooddelta said:

@Harve Sounds intriguing although nothing has come through on the confirmations sheet for you so far.

It's in xx

Fashionably early!

Thanks everyone, this is closed now. 59 entries then which means two semis of 29 songs and only an AQ for me.

It's great to have so many returning nations and a new country along for this contest as it's the first I've hosted in a long time.

I will hand over to the mods for their final veto checks as we have had a few countries changing entries in the last few hours, and if I get the go ahead before tomorrow evening I'll try and get semis up in the evening, but if not it will be Monday as I'm not around on Sunday. Stay tuned, it's a strong lineup.

Keep a look out for Aelandor popping up unexpectedly with the 60th entry perhaps, together with customary Apple Music playlists for people to use.