Russia’s Junior Eurovision 2020 national selection was held this evening, and in something of a surprise, Sofia Feskova prevailed over her ten competitors and will represent Russia at Junior Eurovision 2020, hosted by Polish broadcaster TVP on November 29, 2020.
In what was Feskova’s second attempt to qualify from Russia’s national selection, Feskova won the combined jury and televote with “My New Day. (“Мой новый день”) Her entry was written by Russian songwriter Anna Petryasheva.
While many Junior Eurovision fans were surprised – while the online polls were open from September 16, 2020 to September 24, 2020, Rutger Garecht led the vote – it appears the judges ultimately preferred Feskova’s sweet ballad “My New Day” to the slick bombast of Garecht’s “The Road is my Destiny” (“Дорога – моя судьба)”. We shall know more of the judges’ thinking after the national selection is shown tomorrow night on Russian TV.
The judges panel was made up of Karousel TV’s head Tatyana Tsyvareva, Russia’s Eurovision 2004 participant Yulia Savicheva, Russia’s Eurovision 2011 representative Alexei Vorobyov, T.a.T.U. member and Eurovision 2003 representative Lena Katina, Russia’s Junior Eurovision 2017 winner Polina Bogusevich, Russia’s Junior Eurovision 2015 representative Mikhail Smirnov and Karousel TV presenter Alla Krutaya.
Many have already expressed surprise online at the choice, but though Feskova is only 11 years old, she has been on Russian television entering contests for at least four years. As with many of her competitors, Feskova has featured on The Voice Kids Russia and several other children’s contests.
Feskova has also performed in scores of musicals, starred in Russian television commercials, and is also a child model.
Of her victory, Feskova told TASS, “Of course, I will prepare very hard for the final. Before the competition, I trained with a vocal teacher twice a week. Now, I think there will be a lot more classes. But I am ready for this.”
Russia have twice won Junior Eurovision (2006 with the Tomalchevy Twins and 2017 with Polina Bogusevich), though 2019’s entry “A Time for Us,” performed by Tatyana Mezhentseva and Denberel Oorzhak, came in 13th and is to date Russia’s worst performance at the contest.
What do #YOU think of Feskova’s victory? Do #YOU think she will do well for Russia, or do #YOU think they should have sent one of her rivals instead? Share your thoughts below, in our forum, or in the comments below.
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