NSC 235 IN XHUXHMAXHUXH – HOLDING SPACE FOR THE FINAL – DDL 23/12 13:00 CET

[Otto]

After two extraordinary semifinals, we have arrived at the culmination of this journey: a final where the very best stand ready to share their music with us one last time.

Throughout this edition, we’ve experienced an incredible spectrum of emotions. From roaring rock to intimate ballads, each entry has left its mark.
Together, we’ve held space for every voice, every story, and every melody, creating a shared experience that is uniquely ours.

And while tonight belongs to the finalists, we must also hold space for those whose songs are no longer part of this edition, and more importantly, those nations who are no longer with us in the contest as a whole. Their absence does not diminish their impact; they live on in the emotions they stirred and the connections they forged. It’s natural to feel a moment of wistfulness, but let’s not linger too long. Instead, let us turn our focus to the celebration before us - to the nations who now stand on this grand stage.

This is a night of triumph, where music will inspire, uplift, and remind us why this contest means so much to all of us.
So, let’s embrace the magic of this final together, as we witness the songs that will define the NSC 235.
Good luck to all our finalists. Let the music take us home.

1. Denmark of Spears: Rosé & Bruno Mars - APT - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekr2nIex040
2. United Kingdom of Destrion: Smash Into Pieces - Afterglow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF-PcpAjgZI
3. New Bander State: Irdorath - VAUKALAK (Werewolf) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG7WQkqhScw
4. Belvist: Karetus, Vitorino & iolanda - Laurinda - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1AoiMgALXU
5. Reym-l-Dneurb : Junko Ohashi - Samba Soleil - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdMTCf4zqr0
6. Cydoni-Gibberia: Vulfmon & Evangeline - Got To Be Mine - https://youtu.be/DEsKgbYs9Mc?si=BYFv9z0hKMlizXcH
7. Effiland: The Rider - Paris Paloma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsHDUIxNX3o
8. Aimulli : Kate & Anna McGarrigle - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d20PcCnYwuI
9. Rahasia-Diati: Nothing More ft. David Draiman - Angel Song - https://youtu.be/WLJ9b6HIMHw
10. Xhuxhmaxhuxh: LELEK - Tanani Nani - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4lMPIbH-Ss
11. Griffin Empire : Sofia Monroy - Amor Criminal - https://youtu.be/TdiEmoVQlI8
12. Szimbaya Kingdom : Jon Hendrik Fjällgren - When The Spirit Is Calling - https://youtu.be/yWsphNbeuu0
13. Calypso: Communicant - The Wheel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unx9ufWGC3Q
14. Serenes: Croquet Club - Fugue in Twilight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJgPAsDJzk
15. Svobodnia: Lida – Ne hodi na russkiy reyv - https://youtu.be/d7kodwbbOQU?si=ZrYGFTlEcVVrpjG6
16. Roseland: Lola Blanc - The Silence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-px_GTAZbE
17. Orangualia : DMA's - The End - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k03ubXWVn4
18. Södermalm: The Horrors - I See You - https://youtu.be/aPZJlif6HQg
19. Waiting Iist of Shelley & Nici: SAMRATTAMA & Steppe Sons - auru - https://youtu.be/ne_9FbaVqWA
20. Endórë: Sail North - Bones - https://youtu.be/9YR2CzCj0w4
21. Biflovatia: Ventolin - Když jedu z hub - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGiAXU-8Vn8
22. Perryfornia: Senhit - Dangerous - https://youtu.be/A-X1ckbu7ZQ?si=FmVxUVg38TN4UALe&t=44
23. Kordavian Islands: Peter Murphy & Boy George - Let The Flowers Grow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsZzvTF7llY
24. Öösingimäed: AL-90 & FMSAO - Vchera - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELLWHgtF86M
25. Illumia: Let's Eat Grandma - Levitation - https://youtu.be/BfEHNLkSHpE?si=4fNwLCi4av61-yMe
26. Bála Kunmenai: Ziggan - Gündüz Gece - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weIHIvSeju4
27. Insomnéa: MGMT - Little Dark Age - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtL5oMyBHPs
28. Fervorosia: Emma - Femme Fatale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJsXf2iwcp8&ab_channel=emmaVEVO

Voting is open until Monday 23 December at 13:00 CET.
All votes should be sent to me via PM, no late votes will be accepted.

The results will take place immediately after from around 16:00 onwards.

Please also send your ranking predictions to @Luki by no later than 14:00 on Monday 23 December.​

 

[Destroyer]

As I am a new country participating in NSC, getting to my first ever final feels good!

What are qualification predictions that we are supposed to send?

 

[Otto]

As I am a new country participating in NSC, getting to my first ever final feels good!

What are qualification predictions that we are supposed to send?

Some NSCers like to make predictions of the final results, @Luki will add them up and make an average ranking from the prediction. You can see some of the previous predictions in this thread: https://www.escunited.com/forum/threads/nsc-predictions-thread.6374/page-93

Congratulations on making it to the final on your first try!

 

[Destroyer]

NSC 235 IN XHUXHMAXHUXH â HOLDING SPACE FOR THE FINAL

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

www.youtube.com

This is the playlist for the Grand Final.

Enjoy!

 

[Barish]

One of the most confident and runaway 12s of the recent editions for me, obsessed with my top3. Effiland voted!

 

[Sultana]

Bála Kunmenai voted!

 

[Otto]

There are just under 38 hours until the deadline and 39 nations are still yet to vote:

Aimūlli @Territrius
Belvist @Milos-BC
Biflovatia @nofuxCZ
Calypso @renzo
Cherniya @Yoni
Cydoni-Gibberia @Sean
Denmark of Spears @apasionata
Doire @doctormalisimo
Endórë @HayashiM
Federal Republic of Meridia @Gera11
Fervorosia @pyryniemi
Fierraria @Fierro
Illumia @Luki
Insomnéa @Mozz
MatiMati @Mattan
New Acadia @Canuck
New Bander State @ferret
Papendink @Paper7
Perryfornia @Splash
Rahasia-Diati @Veronika
Redwood Republic @Charly
Rehi Kaita @MiraShadowMan
Reym-L-Dneurb @anselm
Rumia @dogmeat
Serenes @Karhu
Södermalm @Ekholmia
Svobodnia @Rmetr0
Szimbaya Kingdom @marc
Tamausia & Deltannor @theCONWEL
Tcher-Racoi @TomCherson
Tír an Abhainn @My Star
Trollheimr @Stargazer
Ugaly @Fearnavigatr
United Kingdom of Destrion @Destroyer
Vylkuzeme @as78
Waiting Iist of Shelley & Nici @strajker
Xochimilia @Buranovskiy
Yaponesia @takeru
Zombira @SpZ

The following Waiting List nations are also still yet to vote:
Vermilion @marduk
Rombandrums @Alevender
Kimmystan @Kimrt
Carpentaria @Aditya
Afnia @soundofsilence
Dwyforland @Rxllinson
Emsfrynt @Ewigkeit
Principales di Pohovaradin @Poky
Inzinimirit @Nicholas123

Please pay attention to the deadline as it is not midnight.

 

[Otto]

There are now less than 24 hours until the deadline and 32 nations are still yet to vote. LATE VOTES ARE NOT ACCEPTED, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VOTE ON TIME!

Aimūlli @Territrius
Belvist @Milos-BC
Biflovatia @nofuxCZ
Calypso @renzo
Cherniya @Yoni
Cydoni-Gibberia @Sean
Doire @doctormalisimo
Endórë @HayashiM
Federal Republic of Meridia @Gera11
Fierraria @Fierro
Illumia @Luki
Insomnéa @Mozz
MatiMati @Mattan
New Bander State @ferret
Papendink @Paper7
Rahasia-Diati @Veronika
Rehi Kaita @MiraShadowMan
Rumia @dogmeat
Serenes @Karhu
Södermalm @Ekholmia
Svobodnia @Rmetr0
Tamausia & Deltannor @theCONWEL
Tcher-Racoi @TomCherson
Tír an Abhainn @My Star
Trollheimr @Stargazer
Ugaly @Fearnavigatr
United Kingdom of Destrion @Destroyer
Vylkuzeme @as78
Waiting Iist of Shelley & Nici @strajker
Xochimilia @Buranovskiy
Yaponesia @takeru
Zombira @SpZ

The following Waiting List nations are also still yet to vote:
Rombandrums @Alevender
Kimmystan @Kimrt
Carpentaria @Aditya
Afnia @soundofsilence
Emsfrynt @Ewigkeit
Principales di Pohovaradin @Poky
Inzinimirit @Nicholas123

 

[strajker]

WSN votes sent

 

[Otto]

The deadline has now passed.

The following rostered nations have failed to vote: Fierraria, Insomnéa, Serenes, Svobodnia and Tír an Abhainn.

The result show will begin around 15 - 16:00.

 

[Rmetr0]

Shoot. It became impossible to combine NSC with irl stuff. I guess, that's a sign to finally say goodbye. I've been considering that several times, thought I can keep taking part despite all that. But I guess, I can't anymore.

% my fault, all the deadlines were announced, I just wasn't attentive enough to look at the exact time of the DDL...

 

[My Star]

Thought deadline was midnight - that’s on me! Apologies!

 

[SpZ]

Tbh I think it is a little unfair to punish people not voting on time when the deadline was shorter than the minimum deadline allowed by the NSC rules.

 

[Otto]

Tbh I think it is a little unfair to punish people not voting on time when the deadline was shorter than the minimum deadline allowed by the NSC rules.

The slightly shorter voting deadline was approved by the NSC moderators.

 

[SpZ]

The slightly shorter voting deadline was approved by the NSC moderators.

And I think that it was a mistake by them.

 

[Ewigkeit]

Since I regularly participate in the WLSC, I’m not obliged to vote in the NSC finals.

 

[Rmetr0]

Shoot. It became impossible to combine NSC with irl stuff. I guess, that's a sign to finally say goodbye. I've been considering that several times, thought I can keep taking part despite all that. But I guess, I can't anymore.

% my fault, all the deadlines were announced, I just wasn't attentive enough to look at the exact time of the DDL...

I apologize for saying that. I feel like a bad person for making such statements when something goes not the way I want and feeling like it's the right decision to do for a while, but then feelings change... But yeah, it was based on facts that I'm not managing some irl stuff as well, that's why it felt like the right thing to do...

I'll try to accept the fact of my entry's DSQ (the stress due to missing DDLs was one of the reasons why I thought of leaving as well). And I'll see if this keeps happening further or not and then will make a decision.

Sorry @Otto and I wish you a successful results show! I know how much energy and time hostings may take and I can understand unusual deadlines and inability to accept any votes after it.

 

[Rmetr0]

And I just wanted to add that I really like the format of this contest, especially because each entry consists of not only audio, but music video as well (not all, but that's okay too) and also because of different nations, each with own history of participation, lore and other cool unique features

And I'm really thankful to everyone for great music, videos and for being a great community during all these 6+ years I've been taking part

I was going to say things above in a more detailed farewell message, but guess what... When else will there be a such a great opportunity to say this?

 

[Karhu]

Unfortunately I'm in the same boat as @Rmetr0. This is far from the way I would have liked to go out, but NSC's short deadlines have been an obstacle to my participation for a while now and this, finally, feels like the right time to give up the ghost. Quite frankly I'm not sure how I haven't already accumulated enough evil dots recently to get myself removed (maybe I did and no one noticed? are evil dots still a thing? I think it's clear I haven't been fully present here for some time)

Of course, it's not NSC's fault, but my own for not being able to better manage my time, because I could have, if I really tried, found a period of 3 hours or so in the last few days to listen to the songs and prepare my votes -- same for the other times I failed to vote or send a song in time. The problem is that, for a number of reasons, NSC has been unfortunately low on my list of priorities, and that, more than anything, makes me convinced that this is the right time to relinquish my roster spot and allow someone else to take part who can dedicate the time and care this contest requires and deserves.

I still love the concept of NSC, so I hope this will only be a temporary farewell and my hope is that I can rejoin the WL as soon as I feel like I can fully dedicate myself to the contest again -- I just don't know when that will be.

In any case, it was a pleasure to share music with you all this time. will miss you and I hope we touched your lives in some way at some point in our nearly 8 (!) years of participation. Thank you for the memories and the music and long live NSC

 

[berlyda]

I can confirm that the earlier deadline was cleared with the NSC mod team. Given the time of year, it was not possible for Luke to do the midnight deadline due to other commitments.

We explored the possibility of postponing the deadline until after the Christmas period as an alternate solution, but that wouldn't work either. So we approved the earlier deadline given the special circumstances, since it's less than half a day short of 7 days.