Austria is already on the look for their next Eurovision representative! Austrian broadcaster ORF will once again use an internal selection to determine the song and the act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool. The Kleine Zeitung has announced some more details about this year’s selection method for Austria.
Internal Selection Process
Last weekend, ORF invited around 15 acts for an internal live casting at the brodcaster. The acts were found by scouts such as radio producer Eberhard Forcher and producer Lukas Hillebrand. Recordings of the casting will now be shared with a profesiion jury of Austrian and international Eurovision experts (around 25 people). In addition, several Eurovision Fan Club in different countries will also help by selected the 2023 representative for Austria and also get a copy of the casting videos.
From the favorites selected by the professional jury & international fan clubs, ORF program director Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz and entertainment director Alexander Hofer will choose the song and act that will represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, UK.
Austria in Eurovision
Austria debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 with Bob Martin and his song Wohin, Kleines Pony finished in the last place scoring just 3 points. Luckily, Austria also won the contest twice: once in 1966 (Udo Jürgens) and 48 years later in 2014 (Conchita Wurst), holding the record for longest gap between two wins at the Eurovision Song Contest!
However, Austria hasn’t been lucky lately at the contest. After earning a bronze medal in Lisbon with Cesar Sampson and his song ‘Nobody But You,’ the country has failed to qualify for the Grand Final. Last year, the country were represented by LUM!X and Pia Maria. They brought the party to Turin with their Eurovision entry “Halo,” but finished in 15th place in the first semi-final with 42 points.
Is there an artist that #YOU hope Austria will send to Eurovision next year? Let us know on social media @ESCUnited, on our discord, or on our forum page!