NoNonsense Song Contest 4

## Participation map

**NoNonsense Song Contest #4**, often referred to as NNSC #4, was the fourth edition of the NoNonsense Song Contest. The contest took place in Middelburg, Netherlands, following the country's victory in the fourth edition with the song "I'd Rather Burn" by Blackbriar. It was the first time Netherlands hosted the contest, and the contest was hosted at the Zeeuwse Concertzaal. The live shows were hosted by Dutch singers Edsilia Rombley and Duncan Laurence.

Forty-seven countries participated this edition. Canada, Lebanon, Liechtenstein and United States made their debut this edition. Bosnia & Herzegovina, Malta and Montenegro returned after previous absences, while Czech Republic, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan and Turkey withdrew for various reasons.

The winner was Germany with the song "Orome" performed by Oonagh. This was the country's first victory in the contest. The podium was completed by Switzerland and Sweden, both achieving their best results. Liechtenstein, Albania and Luxembourg rounded up the top 6, with Liechtenstein and Albania achieving their best result in the contest. The host nation Netherlands finished in twelfth place. This edition marked the first time Andorra, Canada, Greece, Lebanon and Ukraine failed to qualify for the final.

## Location

*Further information on the host country: Netherlands*

### Host City

**Middelburg** is a city and municipality in the south-western Netherlands serving as the capital of the province of Zeeland. Situated on the central peninsula of the Zeeland province, Midden-Zeeland (consisting of former islands Walcheren, Noord-Beveland and Zuid-Beveland), it has a population of about 48,000. The city lies as the crow flies about 75 km south west of Rotterdam, 60 km north west of Antwerp and 40 km north east of Bruges.

In terms of technology, Middelburg played a role in the Scientific Revolution at the early modern period. The town was historically a center of lens crafting in the Golden Age of Dutch science and technology. The invention of the microscope and telescope is often credited to Middelburg spectacle-makers (including Zacharias Janssen and Hans Lippershey) in the late 16th century and early 17th century.

### Venue

**Zeeuswe Concertzall** is a theatre and concert hall in the Dutch city of Middelburg, Zeeland. It hosts different events and concerts, mostly live music performances.

## Format

### Semi-final Allocation Draw

The draw to determine the allocation of the participating countries into their respective semi-finals took place on 19th February 2021.

The draw decided the exact running order determined by the producers of the show at a later date. Twenty-three 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-three countries participated in the first semi-final. Voting was open to all countries and followers of the contest.

### Semi-Final 2

Twenty-three 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

* Czech Republic: Czech Republic announced non-participation due to a lack of interested artists and weak results.
* Georgia: Georgia confirmed they would not participate in the fourth edition due to weak results.
* Iceland: Iceland confirmed non-participation due to a lack of funding for participation and wanting to focus on other projects.
* Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan announced non-participation, citing the disappointing fan response to the previous entry as one of the reasons.
* Turkey: Turkey temporarily withdrew from the contest due to weak results and low viewing rates, after finishing last place in the semi-final for two consecutive editions. A return in the fifth edition is unlikely, but not impossible.