NoNonsense Song Contest 6

## Participation map

**NoNonsense Song Contest #6**, often referred to as NNSC #6, is the sixth edition of NoNonsense Song Contest. The contest took place in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, following the country's victory in the fifth edition with the song "Faded Love" by Leony. It was the first time Luxembourg hosted the contest, and the contest was hosted at the Gasperich Stadium, and the live shows were hosted by Luxembourgish singers Zaryah and Luka Kloser. For this edition, all participating countries were required to send an artist that had represented the country in the past five editions.

Forty-five countries participated this edition. Due to the edition's theme, no countries debuted this edition. Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Iceland, Latvia, Malta and Turkey returned after previous absences, while Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada, Cyprus, Hungary and San Marino withdrew for various reasons.

The winner was Greece with the song "Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land" performed by MARINA, following her participation in the second edition. This was the country's first victory in the contest. The podium was completed by Andorra, and Netherlands, with Andorra achieving their best result. France, Iceland and North Macedonia rounded up the top 6, with all three achieving their best result. The host nation Luxembourg finished in nineteenth place. The edition marked the first time that Belarus, Italy, Liechtenstein and Slovenia failed to qualify for the final.

## Location

*Further information on the host country: Luxembourg*

### Host City

**Luxembourg**, also known as **Luxembourg City**, is the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the country's most populous commune. Standing at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers in southern Luxembourg, the city lies at the heart of Western Europe, situated 213 km (132 mi) by road from Brussels, 372 km (231 mi) from Paris, and 209 km (130 mi) from Cologne. The city contains Luxembourg Castle, established by the Franks in the Early Middle Ages, around which a settlement developed.

As of 5 February 2021, Luxembourg City has a population of 125,000 inhabitants, which is more than three times the population of the country's second most populous commune (Esch-sur-Alzette). The city's population consists of 160 nationalities. Foreigners represent 70% of the city's population, whilst Luxembourgers represent 30% of the population; the number of foreign-born residents in the city rises steadily each year.

In 2011, Luxembourg was ranked as having the second-highest per capita GDP in the world at $80,119 (PPP), with the city having developed into a banking and administrative centre. In the 2011 Mercer worldwide survey of 221 cities, Luxembourg was placed first for personal safety, while it was ranked 19th for quality of living.

Luxembourg is one of the *de facto* capitals of the European Union (alongside Brussels, Frankfurt and Strasbourg), as it is the seat of several institutions, agencies and bodies, including the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Auditors, the Secretariat of the European Parliament, the European Public Prosecutor's Office, the European Investment Bank, the European Investment Fund, the European Stability Mechanism, as well as amongst other European Commission departments and services, Eurostat. The Council of the European Union meets in the city for three months annually.

### Venue

The **Stade de Luxembourg** is the national stadium of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, located in the Luxembourg City quarter of Gasperich. The stadium is host to Luxembourg's national football and rugby teams and is listed as a Category 4 stadium by UEFA allowing it to host international matches. Construction on the stadium occurred between September 2017 and July 2021, missing the original 2019 target date for completion. On 1 September 2021, the stadium marked its official opening by hosting its first international match between the Luxembourg and Azerbaijan men's football teams as part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The inauguration ceremony for the stadium took place on 25 September. The Stade de Luxembourg replaces the outdated Josy Barthel stadium, due for demolition.

## Format

### Semi-final Allocation Draw

The draw to determine the allocation of the participating countries into their respective semi-finals took place on 6 June 2021.

The draw decided the exact running order determined by the producers of the show at a later date. Twenty-two countries participated in every semi-final. From each semi-final, twelve countries joined the host country in the final, where a total of twenty-six countries participated.

The draw was done completely randomly in order to increase excitement throughout the show and share the different styles of music being showcased by each country.

## Participating Countries

### Semi-Final 1

Twenty-two countries participated in the first semi-final. Voting was open to all countries and followers of the contest.

### Semi-Final 2

Twenty-two countries participated in the second semi-final. Voting was open to all countries and followers of the contest.

### Final

Twenty-six countries participated in the final, with all participating countries and followers of the contest eligible to vote.

## Other countries

*Further information: List of Countries in the NoNonsense Song Contest*

Eligibility for potential participation in the contest requires a national broadcaster with active NNBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest. As in every edition, an invitation to all the members has been sent to confirm whether they will participate or not.

### Active Members

* Bosnia & Herzegovina: Bosnia & Herzegovina did not appear on the final list of participating countries.
* Canada: Canada confirmed their withdrawal for one edition due to both eligible artists not being willing to represent the country again. A return next edition was confirmed.
* Cyprus: Cyprus announced a withdrawal due to weak results.
* Hungary: Hungary announced a withdrawal from the contest due to weak results and a lack of interested artists. A return in the future has not been discussed.
* San Marino: San Marino announced they would withdraw for one edition due to the country's borrowing rules from the first two editions, meaning an artist that would now not be able to enter could be selected.