Romania launches marathon national selection for 2018

The Romanian national selection for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, Selecția Națională, will begin with the first semi-final on Sunday 21st January with the final set to take place on Sunday 25th February. In total 60 songs have been shortlisted for the competition. The schedule and songs are as follows:

Semi-final one: Focşani - 21st January

• Lina - A Love Worth Falling For
• Johnny Bădulescu - Devoted
• Hellen - From Underneath
• Eduard Santha - Mesom Romales
• Echoes - Mirror 
• Alex Florea - Nobody Told Me It Would Hurt
• Waleska - Reborn
• Liviu Anghel - Rise Up
• CornEL - Take Me Away
• Tom Hartis - Teardrop Rain
• Elena Turcu - The Perfect Fall 
• Alexia & Matei - Walking On Water

Semi-final two: Timişoara - 28th January

• Jukebox feat Bella Santiago - Auzi Cum Bate
• Alessandro Dănescu - Breaking Up
• Meriem - End The Battle
• MIHAI - Heaven 
• Jessie Baneş - Lightning Strikes
• Romeo Zaharia - Maybe This Time
• Othello - Noi Suntem Pădure
• Miruna Diaconescu - Run For You
• Serena - Safari 
• Pragu’ de Sus - Te Voi Chema
• Endless feat Maria Grosu - Thinking About You
• RAFAEL & ANDY - We Are One

Semi-final three: Craiova - 4th February

• Erminio Sinni & Titziana Camelin - All The Love Away
• Zavera - Come Back To Me
• Mareş Pană - Daydreamer
• Aurel Dincă - Fire In The Sky
• Tavi Clonda - King
• VYROS - La La La
• Diana Brătan - Paint It Rainbow
• Carolina Gorun - Reach Out For The Stars
• Elena Hasna - Revival
• Eliza Chifu - So Good Without You
• Ayona - The Story Goes On
• XANDRA - Try

Semi-final four: Turda - 11th February 

• Feli - Bună De Iubit
• ZØLTAN - Dacă Dragostea E Oarbă
• TIRI - Deşert De Sentimente
• Paula Crişan - I Am Here
• Cristian Siminonescu - Nirvana
• Alice Jeckel - Out Of The Dark
• Dan Manciulea - Rază De Soare
• Lion’s Roar - Rekindle The Flame 
• Claudia Andas - The One
• Ioana Ciornea - Time After Time
• Bernice Chiţiul - Too Busy For My Heart
• Nicoleta Ţicală - Una Oportunidad

Semi-final five: Sighişoara - 18th February

• SAVE - All We Need
• Tomher Cohen - Baby You’re The Only One
• Sergiu Bolota - Every Little Thing
• Dora Gaitanovici - Fără Tine
• Teodora Dinu - Fly
• The HUMANS - Goodbye
• Iliana - I Won’t Lie
• Evermorph - Live Your Life
• Alexandru Ungureanu - Sail With Me
• Manuel Chivari - Somebody To Love
• Maria Suciu - Sweet Nothing
• Denisa Trofi - Tears

In each show the jury will selected three songs for the final. The jury members are: Marian Ionescu, Ilinca Băcilă (Romania's representative in 2017), Nicu Patoi, Liliana Ştefan and Viorel Gavrilă. In total 15 songs will be performed in the final and the winner will be decided solely by the public. 

Familar faces 

The Romanian national selection for Eurovision 2018 features some familiar faces. MIHAI (Mihai Trăistariu) has participated in the national final numerous times and will perform in the second semi-final. He represented Romania in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Tornero which finished fourth in Athens.

Alex Florea will participate in the first semi-final. He represented Romania in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest alongside Ilinca Băcilă with the song Yodel It!

To hear all the songs in the Romanian selection visit the official website of Eurovision Romania. You can keep track of all the national finals for Eurovision 2018 here.