Our Eurovision Song Contest 8

## Participation map

The **Our Eurovision Song Contest 8** was the eighth edition of the Our Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Hamburg, Germany and was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR). The contest was held at the Barclays Arena and, for the first time, consisted of a semi-final and a final. It was the second time that Germany had hosted the contest after the fourth season.

Thirty-two countries took part in the contest this season, beating the record of twenty-four in the previous edition. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine competing for the first time. Monaco, which took part for the last time in the second season, also returned to the competition. Israel and Slovenia, dissatisfied with the results of previous season, refused to participate.

The winner was Norway with the song "Hurts So Good", performed by Astrid S. This was Norway's first victory in the contest after the country made its debut in second season. Serbia, Ukraine, Germany and Russia rounded out the top five.

## Location

The contest took place in Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin, as well as the overall 7th largest city and largest non-capital city in the European Union. Germany was also the first member of the "Big Five" to host the contest since the implementation of the rule that permits the five largest contributors to the EBU – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom – to qualify automatically for the grand final alongside the previous season's winner.

The Barclays Arena, a multipurpose arena, hosted the contest. The arena is primarily used for pop/rock concerts and was the home of handball club HSV Hamburg and ice hockey team Hamburg Freezers until both teams folded in 2016. The Barclaycard Arena is among the most modern venues in Europe. Hamburg Messe was initially chosen as the venue, but later replaced by Barclays Arena.

## Format

### Introduction of the semi-final

This season's Our Eurovision Song Contest was the first to be a two-day event, with one qualifying round and the grand final. Under this new format, byes into the final were given to the Big 5; France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (as the largest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union) and the ten highest placed finishers in the previous season. The rest of the countries participated in the semi-final. The top ten countries of the semi-final advanced to the final and joined the other fifteen countries.

### Voting structure

Every country in the competition, including those who did not qualify for the final, were allowed to vote for other countries. After all performances were completed, each country opened their lines to vote for their favourite song. Voting for the country in which you are situated is not allowed, however. Each country awarded points based on the number of votes cast for each song: the song which received the most viewer votes was awarded 12 points, the second 10 points, the third 8 points and then 7, 6, 5, etc. down to 1.

In the event of a tie, the number of countries to vote for the tying songs would be counted, and the song having the most countries awarding points to it, would be the winner. In the event of a further tie, then the previously used method of counting back on the number of 12 points, 10 points etc., would be used to find an eventual winner.

## Participating countries

This season's Our Eurovision Song Contest was the first to be a two-day event, with one qualifying round and the grand final. Under this new format, byes into the final were given to the Big 5; France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (as the largest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union) and the ten highest placed finishers in the previous season.

Thirty-two countries took part in the contest this season, beating the record of twenty-four in the previous edition. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine competing for the first time. Monaco, which took part for the last time in the second season, also returned to the competition. Israel and Slovenia, dissatisfied with the results of previous season, refused to participate.