Tomorrow, Spain decides the song they will send to Eurovision this May! Benidorm Fest is Spain’s national song contest, held annually in the city of Benidorm.

This year there were 18 super strong entries, and (with one or two exceptions) we think that the best 8 made it to the final!

Fun fact: this is only the second annual Benidorm Fest. Until last year, Spain was known for pretty mediocre entries at best. Being one of the “Big Five” countries in Eurovision, Spain is always guaranteed a spot in the Eurovision Final. (The Big Five are the five countries that give the most money to the European Broadcasting Union: Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK.) Spain along with France, Germany, and the UK have all been somewhat lackluster in recent years. That is, until France won 2nd place in 2021, and the UK won 2nd place the following year. Last year’s Benidorm Fest champion was Chanel with her debut song SloMo, and she came in 3rd place at Eurovision 2022! Suffice it to say, Spain’s Eurovision renaissance is going really well so far.

Benidorm Fest Grand Final – 2023

Final Running Order	Total Points earned in the Semi Final*	C’s Ranking (1 being highest)	U’s Ranking (1 being highest)
Karmento – “Quiero y duelo”	112	7	4
Megara – “Arcadia”	111	5	5
Alice Wonder – “Yo quisiera”	119	3	6
Fusa Nocta – “Mi Familia”	118	8	2
Agoney – “Quiero arder”	161	1	1
Blanca Paloma – “Eaea”	167	2	3
José Otero – “Inviernos en Marte”	105	4	7
Vicco – “Nochentera”	135	6	8

To learn more about Benidorm, click here. And here is a direct link to watch the final on Feb 4 at 1pm PST (VPN may be required to watch).

U and C’s comments:

Blanca Paloma is an amazing performer and singer as well. (She also competed in Benidorm last year with “Secreto de Agua”.)

Alice Wonder’s “Yo Quisiera” really came to life in the live performance – a really powerful ballad, and that staging!

While it may be one of the least interesting performances to watch, this is one of the most enjoyable to listen to. This man’s voice is so SO good. Fingers crossed for a flawless final!

This was my favorite song out of all of them just by the studio recording. It’s a bop, and the title is a play on words: “Noche ochentera” and “Noche entera,” which mean “Eighties night” and “The whole night.”

My initial reaction to Megara’s heavy metal rock song “Arcadia” was lukewarm at best. However, in the first 10 seconds of their live performance, I was hooked and totally with them. Their lead singer is exceptional, and they all fully committed to the performance and the aesthetic. I’m so happy they are in the final!

Karmento’s “Quiero y duelo” has a solid production design and an even more solid vocal performance. Unlike all of the other acts, she dominates the stage without any need for background dancers or slick choreography. The result is raw and breathtaking. We also appreciate the musical diversity that this song brings to the final competition.

In spite of the opening few seconds (which include strange hair petting and a child’s voice?), Fusa Nocta’s “Mi Familia” has incredible stage presence and an energetic, infectious melody. The performance as a whole is also cohesive and effective – though we don’t know what is going on with that one backup dancer.

Bonus clip for making it to the end of this long blog post (start at 2:10):