Benidorm Fest 2024

Benidorm Fest 2024
Dates
Semi-final 1	30 January 2024
Semi-final 2	1 February 2024
Final	3 February 2024
Host
Venue	Palau Municipal d'Esports l'Illa de Benidorm (Benidorm, Valencian Community, Spain)
Presenter(s)	Ruth Lorenzo Marc Calderó Ana Prada
Artistic director	Ana María Bordas César Vallejo
Executive supervisor	María Eizaguirre
Host broadcaster	RTVE La 1 RNE
Website	www.rtve.es/television/eurovision/benidorm-fest/
Participants
Number of entries	16
Number of finalists	8
Vote
Voting system	Professional jury (50%), demoscopic jury (25%) and televote (25%)
Winning song	"Zorra" by Nebulossa
2023 ← Benidorm Fest → 2025

Benidorm Fest 2024 was the third edition of the annual Benidorm Fest, a television song contest held in Benidorm, organised and broadcast by Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE). The show was held between 30 January and 3 February 2024, and was hosted by Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Calderó, and Ana Prada. The winner, Nebulossa with "Zorra", represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

The 2024 edition was introduced on 26 July 2023 in the presence of Massiel, the first Spanish representative to win the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968.^[1] Further details were announced at a press conference held at the Torrespaña in Madrid on 9 January 2024.^[2] An opening gala was held at Benidorm Palace on 28 January 2024, which included performances by Benidorm Fest 2023 winner Blanca Paloma and the Spanish representative at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Sandra Valero.^[3]

The competition consisted of two semi-finals on 30 January and 1 February 2024, and one final on 3 February 2024.^[1] In total, 16 candidate songs competed divided between the two semifinals, that is, eight participated in each one. In each semifinal, the four songs with the most votes among a professional jury (50%), a demoscopic panel (25%) and the televote (25%), qualified to the final. During the final, the eight qualified songs were performed again and the winner was determined following the same voting system as in the semi-finals.^[4]

In addition to the televised shows, three Euroclub concerts took place in Benidorm on 30 January, 2 February and 3 February as part of the festival week, featuring performances by previous Benidorm Fest contestants, international artists as well as acts who applied to compete in 2024 but were not selected.^[3][5]

At the January 2024 press conference, Ruth Lorenzo and Marc Calderó were announced as the main hosts of the competition, alongside Ana Prada as the host of the green room.^[6][7] In addition, each show was preceded by an introductory segment, titled Benidorm Calling and hosted by Inés Hernand and Jordi Cruz, and followed by a commentary show, titled La noche del Benidorm and hosted by Hernand and Aitor Albizua.^[8][9]

The jury consisted of four Spanish members and four international members. The Spanish members are singers Carlos Baute, Ángela Carrasco, Guille Milkyway [es] and chair Beatriz Luengo; the international members were Lee Smithurst (head of the British delegation to the contest and show producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023), David Tserunyan (head of the Armenian delegation to the contest), Marta Piekarska (head of the Polish delegation to the contest) and Nicoline Refsing (artistic director of the Eurovision Song Contest 2014). Piekarska was selected as a replacement for Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen (head of the Dutch delegation to the contest and head of contest for the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 to 2023), who was ultimately unable to attend the festival.^[7][10][11]

Beret with Mr. Rain and Vicco with Abraham Mateo performed during the first semi-final.^[12] Íñigo Quintero and Sergio Dalma performed during the second semi-final.^[13] Ruth Lorenzo, Camela and Abraham Mateo performed in the final.^[14][15]

RTVE published the rules and regulations for Benidorm Fest 2024 on 11 May 2023, opening a submission window lasting from 16 May until 10 October 2023. In addition to the open submission, RTVE reserved the right to invite renowned singers and authors from the current music scene.^[4] For the 2024 edition, the broadcaster also organised a songwriting camp in September 2023, open to both local and international composers.^[1] Upon closing the submission period, RTVE announced that 825 entries had been received by the online form, 23 of which having been composed at the songwriting camp.^[16]

The participants, selected by a team including musical advisors Rayden, Pablo Cebrián [es] and Tony Sánchez-Ohlsson, were introduced on 11 November 2023 at the Alameda Theatre in Seville by RTVE's head of communications María Eizaguirre [es] (in the role of executive supervisor of the festival), in the context of the 2023 Latin Grammy Awards.^[1][17] The presentation event included performances by some of the participants of the two previous editions, namely 2023 winner Blanca Paloma (accompanied by guitarist José Pablo Polo) with her new single "¡Ay amor!", Agoney, Alfred García, Alice Wonder [es], Gonzalo Hermida [it], Karmento, Megara, Sharonne, Tanxugueiras, Varry Brava [es] and Vicco.^[18][19]

While the presentation date for the selected entries was set for 14 December 2023, all song titles were inadvertently released a week earlier and multiple songs were leaked, which prompted RTVE to consider legal action.^{[18][20][21][22][23]} Regardless, the presentation event took place as scheduled at the RTVE Prado del Rey studios in Madrid, with Eizaguirre and festival directors Ana María Bordas [es] and César Vallejo.^[24][25]

On 23 February 2024, the results of the selection procedure were published, as well as the names of the six artists and songs chosen as reserves.^[26][27]

The first semi-final took place on 30 January 2024. Eight artists competed and four qualified for the final.

The second semi-final took place on 1 February 2024. Eight artists competed and four qualified for the final.

The final took place on 3 February 2024.

• Official Benidorm Fest website