The Benidorm Fest is a Spanish national selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was first held in 2022, and it has quickly become one of the most popular music competitions in Spain.
The Benidorm Fest is known for its diverse range of genres, from pop and rock to dance and folk. However, two of the most popular songs from the first two editions of the competition were the winner songs:
SloMo by Chanel and EaEa by Blanca Paloma. SloMo is a Spanish-language dance track with a catchy melody and a powerful message of female empowerment. It won the Benidorm Fest in 2022 and went on to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest, where it finished third. The song was written by Leroy Sanchez, Keith Harris, Ibere Fortes, Maggie Szabo and Arjen “SWACQ” Thonen. It is a celebration of female beauty and strength, and it has been praised for its empowering message and catchy melody.
EaEa is a more intimate and personal ballad described as a song to “honour” the singer’s roots, as a “celebration of female ancestors’ power and strength” and as “representing a chant” to Paloma’s late grandmother Carmen. It was the winner in the Benidorm Fest in 2023, and it has been praised for its beautiful vocals and haunting melody. The song was written by Blanca Paloma, José Pablo Polo and Álvaro Tato.
Both SloMo and EaEa are examples of the kind of songs that I want to see more of at the Benidorm Fest. They are both well-crafted and performed, and they represent the diversity of Spanish music.
I want to see more songs that are ethnic and true to their roots. Spain is a country with a rich cultural heritage, and I want to see that reflected in the music that is represented at the Benidorm Fest.
For example, I would love to see more songs in regional languages like Catalan, Galician, and Basque. I would also love to see more songs that incorporate traditional Spanish instruments and music styles.
I believe that the Benidorm Fest has the potential to be one of the most exciting and diverse music competitions in the world. By showcasing a wide range of genres and styles, the Benidorm Fest can help to promote Spanish music and culture to a global audience.
How to do that? RTVE, listen: increase the number of songs in regional languages, give more weight to the public vote but the most important is to make the competition more accessible to independent artists.
The Benidorm Fest is open to both independent artists and signed artists. However, independent artists often have a harder time getting their songs heard. The Benidorm Fest could make it easier for independent artists to participate by reducing the entry fee or by providing more financial support.
So next time you’re watching the Benidorm Fest, be sure to listen out for the SloMos and EaEas, but also to all the songs that get selected every year to compete in the festival. Because each of these songs will make the competition truly special.
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