ESCZ 2023 is Czechia's first live national final after a 15-year long break. Unlike many other selections, the winner was not decided on the night, but will be announced a week later.
This year, the Czech representative will be chosen only by the public with emphasis on the international audiences, whose votes determine 70% of the results. The other 30% will be decided by the Czech voters. Fans from all over Europe can vote for their favorites via the Eurovision App, up until Monday, February 6.
ESCZ 2023 participants
Czech Republic’s National Broadcaster Česká Televize chose for its selection a stylistically diverse set of songs from both more experienced, as well as emerging artists.
The artists and their entries in the running order are:
1. Maella – Flood
Maella is a Prague born and London based singer, whose songs appeared on BBC Introducing. Eurovision fans might also recognize her from Lake Malawi’s Friend of a Friend, as she was a voice behind the line “I’m only a friend”.
She describes her sound as dark alt-pop as well as a middle ground between banging pop and alternative indie tunes, but this time, she tried something new. Her song Flood is full of emotions, as it focuses on dark times in a relationship and confronts them with longing for change and hope.
2. Pam Rabbit – Ghosting
Pam Rabbit, an Armenian singer based in Czechia, is an already familiar face to Eurovision fans, who followed the Czech selection in 2019 and 2020. She also provided backing vocals in Eurovision 2018 for Mikolas Josef’s Lie To Me.
Pam writes songs to release her inner thoughts and to connect with people, who have a similar view on life. This time she came back with a very modern and a little spooky bop – Ghosting. Third time’s a charm?
3. Markéta Irglová – Happy
Markéta Irglová is a singer and actress, mostly known for her Academy Award winning song Falling Slowly created with Glen Hansard for the soundtrack of the movie Once, in which they both starred.
ESCZ 2023 isn’t her first Eurovision effort, as she previously took part in Icelandic Söngvakeppnin 2022, but did not reach the final. In her ESCZ entry Happy, she mixes her distinctive, acoustic sound with a dynamic melody and lovely lyrics.
4. Vesna – My Sister’s Crown
Vesna is an all-female Slavic band with members from the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Russia. Their style is influenced both by modern pop as well as the elements of local folklore.
Their song My Sister’s Crown is an anthem for sisterhood, solidarity and unity sang in English, Czech, Ukrainian and Bulgarian. Its unique sound clearly makes it stand out from the crowd.
5. RODAN – Introvert Party Club
RODAN is an emerging singer, who at the turn of 2020 and 2021, attracted attention of local radio stations with his debut single Gone. He didn’t stop since then and in 2022 released his first album Glasses off.
Now, it’s time for RODAN to reach international audiences with his upbeat, but also very personal song Introvert Party Club. Quirky, relatable lyrics, warm melody and RODAN’s unique voice are what makes it a radio-friendly earworm.
The ESCZ National Final was hosted by Adam Mišík, a well-known actor and singer from Prague. The online voting via the Eurovision App started after all the performances. It will end on Monday, February 6. The final results will be announced the next day on February 7. The winner will represent the Czech Republic in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool.
What do you think about the songs in ESCZ 2023? Who is your favorite? Do you think Czech Republic has a chance to win Eurovision 2023? Let us know in the comments below!
