Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest
Spain debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 and is a member of the 'Big 5'. Spain has won the Contest twice, in 1968 with Massiel's 'La La La', and again the following year with Salomé and 'Vivo Cantando' in the infamous four-way tie in 1969.
Spain has finished runner up four times, and finished third twice. Since the turn of the century, Spain has made the top 10 on seven occasions, with Chanel delivering Spain its best result in man years, finishing third with 'SloMo' and becoming an instant fan favourite.
2023 entry: Blanca Paloma - 'EAEA'
Spain automatically qualifies to the Grand Final as a member of the Big 5
My Eurovision Scoreboard ranking: 6th
Odds to win ranking: 4th
(Rankings as of 18 April 2023)
About the artist
Blanca Paloma Ramos Baeza is a 33 year old Spanish singer born in the city of Elche, on Spain's east coast. She attended Miguel Hernández University of Elche where she graduated with a degree in Fine Arts, and soon after in 2013 moved to Madrid to pursue a theatre career.
In addition to being a talented performer, Blanca is also a set and costume designer. Her music style is described as 'new Flamenco'; a mix of traditional Flamenco elements combined with electric beats. Fans of both Spanish entries and Eurovision may recognise Blanca for having competed in Benidorm Fest in 2022, placing 5th with 'Secreto de Agua'.
About the song
'EAEA' was written by Blanca herself along with Jose Pablo Polo and Alvaro Tato. The song is sung in the folk style of 'bulería', a sub-genre of Flamenco with electronic touches. The song title is a reference to 'Ea Ea' which is an onomatopoeia used by Spanish mothers to calm children while they are crying. The song tells the story of a mother who wants to be buried in the moon when she dies to see her child every night except one (new moon day). The lyrics contain references to the poems of Federico García Lorca, a well known Spanish poet.
The staging was designed by Blanca and tells the story of the song, a tribute to her grandmother. The red fringes recreate a Manila Shawl, a typical piece of clothing in the Spanish culture, simulating Blanca's grandmother hugging her. The circle represents the moon, a present motif in the song, and the movements of the dancers mimic giving birth.
How Blanca Paloma was selected for Eurovision
Blanca Paloma competed in and won Benidorm Fest in 2023 to claim her spot in Liverpool. After winning her semi-final, she qualified to the Grand Final where she placed 1st in the jury vote, 2nd in the demoscopic audience vote, and 1st again in the televote to finish with 169 points, a comfortable 24 points ahead of the second placed Agoney.
Spain will compete in the Eurovision Grand Final on May 13 (European time) in Liverpool.
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