The Eurovision Romania jury announced on Thursday, December 20, the 24 semifinalists of the national selection for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. The jury members had to choose the semifinalists from a total of 126 songs.

The list of artists whose songs were selected for the next stage of the national selection includes Mihai Traistariu, Dan Bittman, Nicola and Xonia. The full list is available here.

The semifinals will take place in Arad and Iasi while the final, which will reveal the name of the artist who will represent Romania at next year’s Eurovision, will be organized in Bucharest.

The 2019 Eurovision will be held in Tel Aviv, with the semifinals being scheduled for May 14 and 16, and the final for May 18. A total of 42 countries will participate in the contest.

The 2018 edition of the competition was won by Israel’s representative Netta, with the song Toy. Romania failed to qualify to the grand final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, a first in 14 years.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(photo: Facebook / Eurovision Song Contest)