Eurovision Song Contest: “This Locke!” – Stefan Raabs ESC Auslese accepts contours

Is there a new Lena? Stefan Raab spent two dozen applicants in the German preliminary decision on the Eurovision Song Contest and made his first decisions. 14 candidates came a round in two live shows by the “Chief Matters ESC 2025” (RTL, ARD) format and thus into the semi-finals. Anyone who should take on the task of repaying Germany’s Pechvogel image in the competition is still quite unclear – sometimes completely contrary styles are represented.

On Saturday evening, Raab and his jury, for example, gave several musicians a semi -final ticket who have direct connections to the UK – although the British have not necessarily been considered a permanent winner at ESC in recent years. Raab was extremely impressed by singer-songwriter Moss Kena. Also because of its look.

“The blue eyes, then this Locke!” Raab enthused, after the British musician who lived in Berlin had sung the with a smile “by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. “The face is awesome,” said Raab, hardly being stopped. At times it was unclear whether Moss Kena, who was largely presented in English, was able to follow the words of the German “Raabinator”.

“Sounds totally to England”

Another semi-final ticket got the British-German indie rock band The Great Leslie. A musician in the band (Malte) is German. “Somehow great composition. Sounds totally to England,” said Raab.

Likewise, the Saarland rock band from Fall to Spring (self -explanation: “We love the Saarland, but we want to get out”), singer Cloudy June from Berlin, the Cologne singer Jaln and the Berlin singer and songwriter Lyza, who has not yet appeared before had had such a big stage. “In a karaoke bar, otherwise not,” she reported. However, she has 1.5 million followers on Tikok.

A convincing presentation also achieved musician Leonora from Wuppertal, whose funky song “Good Day” made the audience rock and a little to a typical Raab song à la “Wadde Hadde Dudde there?” reminded. Juror Yvonne Catterfeld leaned out of the window: “If you went to the ESC, we would definitely not embarrass ourselves.”

Raab wants to win the thing

What sounds deeply stacked is the minimal goal of this year’s preliminary decision process: Please no new embarrassment. In recent years, competition for Germany has mostly been disastrous. Since 2015 it has been hailing in large density or penultimate places.

Under the impression of the mew balance, Raab was integrated into the selection process because it is considered an ESC specialist. The ARD cooperates with RTL, the new home broadcaster of the moderator, which was during a longer screen break from 2015 to September 2024. Three shows run at RTL, the final on March 1st in the ARD. In the preliminary rounds, the jury alone decides, in the final the audience.

Raab’s approach is much more offensive than that of Catterfeld: “The goal can only be the first place, otherwise we do not need to participate,” he announced at the start of the rescue mission. For him, it is also about his own ESC legend, which is largely based on Lena Meyer-Landrut 2010, which is achieved under his aegis.

Half preliminary decision, half legend homage

The preliminary decision is tailored to Raab and sets him a monument. At the beginning, television viewers saw scenes from the glamorous ESC history of “King Lustig”-from his composition “Guildo loved you” for Guildo Horn (1998) about his own ESC participation with “Wadde Hadde Dudde there?” (2000) up to Lena. The coarse grain of the TV recordings made it clear at the same time: that was all a while ago.

Raab is very serious about the matter. On the jury chair, he took a seat and tie – an optical sign that it is about the Champions League. Moderator Barbara Schöneberger called him “the master” and “Mr. Chef”. He was often asked first about the appearances. Once he apparently ignored that Schöneberger had not taken him, but guest juror Johannes Oerding – and just continued to speak undisturbed. “You are the boss, you can do everything,” said Schöneberger.

With medieval rock to Basel?

Among the selected for the semi-finals (February 22nd), the medieval rockers from the band fire tail, which had the most exotic appearance of the preliminary round and a martial cover version of the actually peaceful summer hit “Dragostea Din Tei” (Raab attested to them Courage to “take such a kack song”). The pianist Jonathan Henrich also came on. According to Eurovision.de, he is the son of comedy star Olli Dittrich, who competed for Germany with the band Texas Lightning in 2006 (14th place).

Also in the semi-finals, the Düsseldorf singer Julika (sang in a large ESC tradition Barfuss), the Cologne musician Cage, the Munich band Cosby, the sibling duo Abor & Tyna from Vienna and the singer Benjamin Braatz from Hagen.

In the semifinals, potential songs for the ESC are to be sung for the first time. So far, the artists had presented themselves with their own older songs or cover songs.

The ESC final will take place in Basel this year on May 17th.