Austria’s national broadcaster ORF has confirmed that they will use an internal selection process to find their entry to the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.
Internal castings already taking place at ORF
Following the country’s recent struggle to qualify for the final, ORF is hoping to find a winning combination to take to Liverpool for Eurovision 2023. Austria has failed to qualify for the final in the past three occasions from Paenda to Vincent Bueno to LUM!X and Pia Maria.
As a result, an internal selection method will once again be used to select the artist for Liverpool. According to Austrian online website Kleine Zeitung, ORF has already invited 15 artists to audition for the opportunity. These artists have been scouted by the likes of radio producer Eberhard Forcher and producer Lukas Hillebrand.
Each artist performed at a casting and a tape of each performance will be used to determine an act for the Contest. The tapes will be ranked by a jury made up of Eurovision fans from both Austria and across Europe. As well as this, Eurovision experts from across the continent are to be contacted. Fan clubs such as OGAE will also be approached to make an input.
No specific dates are set for Austria’s artist or song reveal for Eurovision 2023. Traditionally, ORF tends to release their entry to the Contest in March. For example, Vincent Bueno was announced in December 2019, with this song released in March 2020. Similarly, LUM!X and Pia Maria’s selection was made public in February 2022, one month ahead of the song release.
Austria’s Eurovision journey
In 1957, Austria made their debut into the Eurovision Song Contest. There, Bob Martin represented the landlocked nation with the song “Wohin, kleines Pony?”. At the close of voting, it manages to place 10th overall. Since their debut, Austria has participated 54 times (being in the final 47 times), and have won the competition on two occasions (1966 and 2014 respectively).
In 2021, Austria was represented by duo LUM!X and Pia Maria with the song “Halo”, where they managed to placed 15th in the semi-final; receiving 42 points from the professional juries and televoters.
What do you make of the news from ORF? Do you think their selection method will work for them in 2023? Who should represent Austria in Liverpool? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok as we prepare to cover Eurovision 2023!
News Source: KleineZeitung.at
Photo Credit: EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett
