Own Eurovision Song Contest 41

Own Eurovision Song Contest 41, often referred to as OESC #41, is the 41st edition of the Own Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Katowice, Poland, following the country's victory at the Own Eurovision Song Contest 40 edition with Sarsa performing "Naucz mnie". This will be the third time the county hosts the event, after holding the Own Eurovision Song Contest 13 and the Own Eurovision Song Contest 27 editions. The contest consisted of two semi-finals and a final. The first semifinal took place on October 31, 2015, while the second semifinal took place on November 8, 2015. The Grand Final took place on November 21, 2015.

Forty-six countries have announced their participation in the contest. Czech Republic, Egypt, Lithuania, Malta, Northern Ireland, Portugal and Slovenia will return in the competition. Unfortunately Albania, Bulgaria, Iceland, Ireland, Morocco, Romania and Slovakia decided to withdraw from the contest. The 41st edition saw the comeback of Malta, returning after a five edition break.

The 41st edition saw the return of the Marcel Bezençon Awards, which were first introduced in the edition held in Budapest, Hungary.

After an exciting voting, Scotland was declared the winner of the Own Eurovision Song Contest 41, this marking the first time the country has won the contest. "How Deep Is Your Love" by Calvin Harris and Disciples received a total amount of 180 points, winning by a margin of 13 points. With Scotland's win marks that all the countries, that have participated in the past as part of the United Kingdom, have won the competition, at least once. The runner-up was England, marking the fourth time the country has missed winning the contest. Third place was occupied by Switzerland, fourth place went to Kazakhstan, being there best place in the competition, fifth to Denmark and sixth to Kosovo.

The host country manage to end in the top 10, receiving a total amount of 115 points and ending on the 10th place. From the other countries that were directly qualified in the Grand Final only England, Switzerland and Poland managed to place in the top 10. The other countries from the Big 6 manage to place in the other half of the leaderboard, France placed 19th with 82 points, while Sweden and Hungary placed in the bottom two, with Sweden on the 25th place and Hungary last out of 26 countries that there were in the Grand Final.

Location
For more details on the host country, see Poland.

Venue
Spodek will be the venue of the Own Eurovision Song Contest 41. Spodek (meaning "saucer" in Polish) is a multipurpose arena complex in Katowice, Poland, opened in 1971 at ul. Korfantego 35 under the name Wojewódzka Hala Widowiskowo-Sportowa w Katowicach (Voivodeship Sport and Show Arena in Katowice), under which it is known in the Polish technical/architectural literature, and under which it formally functioned until 1997.

Aside from the main dome, the complex includes a gym, an ice rink, a hotel and three large car parks. It was the largest indoor venue of its kind in Poland until it was surpassed by Kraków Arena in 2014. It hosts many important cultural and business events. Music concerts are especially common non-sport events. Spodek can hold 11,500 people, although this number is in practice limited to 10,000 or even 8,000 due to stage set-ups obscuring the view. Its Polish name refers to a flying saucer (its shape resembles a UFO). Spodek is a major contribution to the cultural significance of Katowice in Poland, especially for the younger generations. It has also been used as an unofficial logo for the city on posters promoting redevelopment in Katowice. Spodek is home to HC GKS Katowice ice hockey club in the winter months.

It has played host to many up-and-coming bands, such as Chumbawamba in 1997, as well as dozens of world-famous bands. There are also held music festivals such as Rawa Blues Festival, Metalmania and Odjazdy.

Bidding Phase
TVP (Telewizja Polska) announced the conditions under which cities and venues had announced their interest in hosting the 41st contest:


 * The host city had to provide a certain number of hotels and hotel rooms to be found in the vicinity of the stadium.
 * The arena had to be able to offer lodges adjacent to the stadium.
 * A press centre had to be available at the stadium that will have a specific size.
 * TVP had to have access to the host venue at least 4–6 weeks before the broadcasts, in order to build the stage, rigging lights and all the technology.
 * The host city had to be close to a major airport.

The following cities are interested in hosting the 41st contest

Host city
On October 2 it was announced that Katowice will be the host of the Own Eurovision Song Contest 41. The host city is located in the southwestern Poland and the center of the Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 304,362 as of 2013.

Katowice is a center of science, culture, industry, business, trade, and transportation in Upper Silesia and southern Poland, and the main city in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region. Katowice lies within an urban zone, with a population of 2,746,460 according to Eurostat, and also part of the wider Silesian metropolitan area, with a population of 5,294,000 according to the European Spatial Planning Observation Network. Today, Katowice is a rapidly growing city and emerging metropolis. It is the 16th most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union with an output amounting to $114.5 billion.

Semi-final Allocation Draw
The participating countries, excluding the automatic finalists (host Poland and the Big Five), will be split into six pots, based on voting patterns from the previous ten editions. The pots were calculated and are as follows:

From these pots, 20 countries each were allocated to compete in the first semifinal and 20 in the second semifinal. The host country, Poland will vote in the first semi-final. The countries from the big five will vote as follow: Hungary with Switzerland in the first semifinal, while England with France and Sweden in the second semifinal.

Semi-final 1
Twenty countries participated in the first semi-final. Hungary, Poland and Switzerland also voted in this semi-final..

Semi-final 2
Twenty countries participated in the second semi-final. England, France and Sweden also voted in this semi-final.

12 points
Below is a summary of the maximum 12 points each country awarded to another in the first semifinal.

12 points
Below is a summary of the maximum 12 points each country awarded to another in the second semifinal.

12 points
Below is a summary of the maximum 12 points each country awarded to another in the grand final.

Voting Ceremony

 * 1) Flag of Greece.svg.png Hatice Şendil
 * 2) Flag of Austria.svg.png Marla Blumenblatt
 * 3) Flag of Spain.svg.png María Benítez (Spanish representative at the 16th, 23rd and 32nd editions, Andorran representative at the 18th edition)
 * 4) Flag of Scotland.svg.png Philippe Etchebest
 * 5) Flag of Switzerland.svg.png Dominique Gisin
 * 6) Flag of France.svg.png Olivier Dion
 * 7) Flag of Moldova.svg.png Sasha Lopez (Moldovian representative at the 18th and 39th editions)
 * 8) Flag of Slovenia.svg.png Nina Đurđević
 * 9) Flag of Cyprus.svg.png Konstantinos Xristoforou
 * 10) Flag of Kosovo.svg.png Gëzim Gashi
 * 11) Flag of Turkey.svg.png Serenay Sarıkaya
 * 12) Flag of Wales.svg.png Marina Diamandis (Welsh representative at the 5th, 7th, 10th, 26th and 29th editions, Greek representative at the 18th and 36th editions)
 * 13) Flag of Germany.svg.png Elaiza Band
 * 14) Flag of Poland.svg.png Sarsa Markiewicz (Polish representative and winner of the 40th edition)
 * 15) Flag of Hungary.svg.png Adrienn Szőke (Hungarian representative at the 40th edition)
 * 16) Flag of Norway.svg.png Gabrielle Leithaug (Norwegian representative at the 12th edition)
 * 17) Flag of Macedonia.svg.png Rennata Kralevska (Macedonia representative at the 12th, 23rd and 35th editions)
 * 18) Flag of Russia.svg.png Irina Antonenko
 * 19) Flag of Algeria.svg.png Adila Sedraïa (Algerian representative at the 27th and 39th editions, Egyptian representative at the 29th edition, French representative at the 31st edition, winner of the 27th edition)
 * 20) Flag of Lithuania.svg.png Patricija Belousova
 * 21) Flag of Israel.svg.png Yityish Titi Aynaw
 * 22) Flag of Faroe Islands.svg.png Eivør Pálsdóttir (Danish representative at the 1st edition, Faroese representative at the 27th edition)
 * 23) Flag of Portugal.svg.png Olivia Ortiz
 * 24) Flag of Ukraine.svg.png Diana Miro (Ukrainian representative at the 40th edition)
 * 25) Flag of Egypt.svg.png Mohamed Monir
 * 26) Flag of Georgia.svg.png Katie Melua
 * 27) Flag of Estonia.svg.png Stig Rästa
 * 28) Flag of Uzbekistan.svg.png Rayhon Gʻaniyeva (Uzbek representative at the 26th, 29th, 35th and 39th editions)
 * 29) Flag of Croatia.svg.png Nina Kraljić
 * 30) Flag of Malta.svg.png Natalie Gauci
 * 31) Flag of Denmark.svg.png Stine Hjelm Jacobsen (Danish representative and winner of the 16th edition, part of the group Electric Lady Lab)
 * 32) Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg.png Dino Merlin (Bosnian representative at the 4th edition)
 * 33) Flag of Finland.svg.png Sara Chafak
 * 34) Flag of Belgium.svg.png Sandra Kim
 * 35) Flag of Italy.svg.png Virginio Simonelli
 * 36) Flag of England.svg.png Nick Grimshaw
 * 37) Flag of Armenia.svg.png Kim Kardashian
 * 38) Flag of Sweden.svg.png Dinah Nah (Swedish representative at the 40th edition)
 * 39) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg.png Nikol Čechová
 * 40) Flag of Northern Ireland.svg.png Keith Getty
 * 41) Flag of Latvia.svg.png Viktoria Modesta
 * 42) Flag of Serbia.svg.png Ana Ivanović
 * 43) Flag of the Netherlands.svg.png Roos-Anne Hans
 * 44) Flag of Kazakhstan.svg.png Makpal Isabekoba (Kazakh representative at the 30th edition)
 * 45) Flag of Lebanon.svg.png Maya Diab
 * 46) Flag of Belarus.svg.png Alyona Lanskaya (Belarusian representative at the 13th, 29th and 38th editions)
 * 47) Flag of Earth.svg.png Monika Lewczuk

Other countries


Eligibility for potential participation in the Own Eurovision Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active OEBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest. As in every edition, an invitation to all the members have been sent in order to confirm whether they will participate or not. The following list of countries declined stating their reasons as shown below.


 * Flag of Albania.svg.png Albania — On September 28, 2015 it was announced that Albania's participation in the 41st contest is uncertain. A decision from Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) will be revealed soon. On October 5, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.
 * Flag of Andorra.svg.png Andorra — On October 3, 2015 RTVA (Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra) announced that the country is not planning to return to the contest anytime soon.
 * Flag of Azerbaijan.svg.png Azerbaijan — On October 3, 2015 İctimai Televiziya (İTV) announced that the country is still having financial difficulties making the country to rule out of the 41st contest.
 * Flag of Bulgaria.svg.png Bulgaria — On September 28, 2015 it was announced that Bulgaria's participation in the 41st contest is uncertain. The Bulgarian National Television (BNT) will reveal their plans soon. On October 4, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.
 * Flag of Iceland.svg.png Iceland — On September 28, 2015 it was announced that Iceland's participation in the 41st contest is uncertain. RÚV, the national television, will make its decision on their participation soon. On October 4, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.
 * Flag of Ireland.svg.png Ireland — On October 3, 2015 it was announced that Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE) have yet to rule out participation in the 41st edition. It was confirmed on October 10, 2015 that Ireland will not be in edition 41.
 * Flag of Liechtenstein.svg.png Liechtenstein — On October 3, 2015 1FLTV (1 Fürstentum Liechtenstein Television) announced that they are not planning to return to the contest due to lack of money and interest.
 * Flag of Luxembourg.svg.png Luxembourg — On October 2, 2015 RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg announced that they don't want to return to the contest.
 * Flag of Monaco.svg.png Monaco — On October 1, 2015 the HoD announced that the country would not be participating in the contest because of financial reasons.
 * Flag of Montenegro.svg.png Montenegro — On October 2, 2015 RTCG, the national television of Montenegro, announced that the country will not be in the 41st edition, due to lack of interest.
 * Flag of Morocco.svg.png Morocco — On September 28, 2015 it was announced that Morocco's participation in the 41st contest is uncertain. On October 4, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.
 * Flag of Romania.svg.png Romania — On September 28, 2015 it was announced that Romania's participation in the 41st contest is uncertain. A formal decision, from TVR, on whether they will compete in 41 or if they will withdraw has not been announced yet. On October 6, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.
 * Flag of San Marino.svg.png San Marino — On September 30, 2015 Radiotelevisione della Repubblica di San Marino (SMTV) have stated that a decision of returning in the contest was not taken yet. It was confirmed on October 10, 2015 that San Marino will not be in edition 41.
 * Flag of Slovakia.svg.png Slovakia — On October 3, 2015 it was announced that Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) have yet to rule out participation in the 41st edition. On October 4, 2015 it was revealed that the country will not return in the competition.

Other Awards
Marcel Bezençon Awards were given for the first time in the Own Eurovision Song Contest 19. The participants had to vote in several categories for the favorites. Some of the categories were: best non qualifier, best female singer, best male singer and best video clip.
 * Marcel Bezençon Awards


 * Web Award Winner


 * Best Non-Finalist