Eurovision Song Contest 2021
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 is set to be the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The contest is set to take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after the country won the. The Netherlands was due to host the, before it had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union and host broadcasters AVROTROS, Nederlandse Publieke Omroep and Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, the contest will be held at Rotterdam Ahoy and will consist of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and the final on 22 May 2021.
The EBU discussed carryovers between the 2020 and 2021 contests, and several participating countries allocated the same artists who were due to represent them in 2020.
Location
The 2021 contest will be held at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's victory at the 2019 edition with the song "Arcade", performed by Duncan Laurence. The announcement was made during the broadcast of , which aired on 16 May 2020.It will be the fifth time that the Netherlands has hosted the contest, the last time having been the 1980 contest. Rotterdam Ahoy had previously hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007.
Preparations
Prior to the announcement and following the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, the EBU began talks with the Dutch public broadcasters AVROTROS, NOS and NPO, as well as the city of Rotterdam, which were to organise the 2020 contest, on the possibility of staging the 2021 contest in the city. On 23 April 2020, the municipal council of Rotterdam approved an increased budget after Dutch media reported that the city would require an additional €6.7 million to host the contest. The decision was imminent as it was required that the EBU be informed by late April if Rotterdam was willing to host contest. AVROTROS, NOS and NPO had until mid-May 2020 to find an alternative if Rotterdam declined to host the event. In May 2020, the Dutch authorities decided to tighten up local laws for holding mass events until the vaccine for COVID-19 was found, making the event's staging uncertain, however, AVROTROS had continued talks with the Dutch government.Format
Dates
The 2021 contest is set to be held on 18, 20, and 22 May 2021.Stage design
During the announcement of the dates of the 2021 contest, Sietse Bakker, executive producer of the 2021 contest, stated that the planned 2020 stage design will also be used in the 2021 contest. The design is inspired by the slogan "Open Up" and the typical Dutch flat landscape. The Eurovision stage was designed by German stage designer Florian Wieder, who also designed the stages for the contests in 2011–12, 2015, and 2017–19. Unlike the 2019 contest, the green room was placed inside the main performance venue.Executive supervisor
In January 2020, the EBU announced that Martin Österdahl would become the executive supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest after the 2020 edition, succeeding Jon Ola Sand. Before his appointment, Österdahl had been an executive producer for the and editions, and had been a member of the Eurovision Song Contest reference group between 2012 and 2018.Entries
Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the EBU explored the option of allowing the songs selected for the 2020 contest to compete in the 2021 contest, which need to be discussed with the Eurovision Song Contest reference group and the national broadcasters. Victoria, the planned participant for Bulgaria in 2020, publicly expressed her support for such a move. However, on 20 March 2020, the reference group decided that, in accordance with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest, the 2020 songs would not be eligible to compete in the 2021 contest.Backing vocals
On 18 June 2020, the EBU announced that pre-recorded backing vocals will be allowed for one year. The use of recorded backing vocals will be entirely optional. Each delegation can choose to use backing singers, whether on or off stage. A combination of live and recorded backing vocals will be also allowed. All lead vocals performing the melody of the song, including an eventual use of a so-called lead dub, shall still be live on or off stage in the arena.Opening and interval acts
, one of the winners of the 1969 contest, and Alexander Rybak, winner of the 2009 contest, who were both due to perform at the cancelled 2020 contest, have expressed willingness to perform at the 2021 event.Production
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will be a co-production between three related Dutch television organisations — AVROTROS, Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, and Nederlandse Publieke Omroep — of which each assumed a different role. Sietse Bakker and Astrid Dutrénit will serve as executive producers, while Emilie Sickinghe and Jessica Stam will serve as deputy executive producersProvisional list of participating countries
Returning artists
After the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the following countries' participating broadcasters announced that, for the 2021 contest, they would internally select the same artists initially selected for 2020: Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.So far, the contest is set to feature two representatives who also previously performed as lead vocalists for the same country, and three artists who participated in other Eurovision events or as backing vocalists for the same of for another country. Natalia Gordienko represented at the final alongside Arsenium in. Senhit represented at the semi-final in. Destiny Chukunyere won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 for Malta and provided backing vocals for Michela Pace for Malta in. Stefania for Greece, represented the in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016 as part of the group Kisses. Vincent Bueno provided backing vocals for Nathan Trent for in.
Semi-finalists
The following countries have confirmed their intent to participate in the 2021 contest.| Country | Artist | Song | Language |
| Montaigne | |||
| Vincent Bueno | |||
| Efendi | |||
| Hooverphonic | |||
| Victoria | |||
| TBD February 2021 | TBD February 2021 | ||
| TBA November 2020 | |||
| Benny Cristo | |||
| TBD February 2021 | TBD February 2021 | ||
| Tornike Kipiani | |||
| Stefania | |||
| Eden Alene | TBD February 2021 | ||
| Samanta Tīna | |||
| Destiny | |||
| Natalia Gordienko | |||
| Roxen | |||
| Senhit | |||
| Ana Soklič | |||
| Gjon's Tears | |||
| Go_A |
Finalists
Other countries
Eligibility for potential participation in the Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active EBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest via the Eurovision network. The EBU issues invitations to all active members. Associate member does not need an invitation for the 2021 contest, as it had previously been granted permission to participate at least until 2023.Active EBU members
- – In November 2019, Democrats for Andorra, the ruling party of Andorra, stated that the country would eventually return to the contest, with a cost assessment as a prerequisite. Susanne Georgi, the Andorran representative, stated in May 2020 that she had secured the funding required for the country to return to the contest. Later that year, on 1 August 2020, Georgi explained on Eurovision fan website Wiwibloggs’ podcast that she had held a meeting with Prime Minister of Andorra Xavier Espot Zamora, in which they verbally agreed to make a return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022.
- - In July 2020, RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg confirmed that Luxembourg would not participate in the 2021 contest, stating that they have no "focus on entertainment and music shows" and that participating in the contest "would put the broadcaster under a financial strain".
- – In response to rumours that the EBU had been in discussions with Morocco regarding participation in the contest, Karim Sbai, the Director of Communications of Morocco's Société Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Télévision, stated in February 2020 that Morocco's possible return to the contest had not yet been discussed.
- – In July 2020, a spokesperson from Radio and Television of Slovakia stated that the broadcaster was unlikely to participate in the contest.
- – In May 2020, Faruk Kaymakcı, Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Director for EU Affairs, stated that he hoped to see his country at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Associate EBU members
- – In January 2020, the EBU said that it would evaluate the United States participating in the contest if the upcoming American Song Contest became a success. Several broadcasters in the United States are associate members of the EBU.
Non-EBU members
- – In July 2020, Liechtensteiner broadcaster 1 FL TV announced that they had ruled out debuting in the 2021 contest. The broadcaster had attempted to become an EBU member in the past but halted its plans when its director, Peter Kölbel, unexpectedly died. It would also need the backing of the Liechtenstein government to be able to carry the cost of becoming an EBU member and paying the participation fee for the contest.
Broadcasters and commentators