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The best of the rest at 'Benidorm Fest': Celebrating its semi-finalists

11 October 2024 at 17:15 CEST
Mantra participated at Benidorm Fest 2024
As broadcaster RTVE reveals a record number of song submissions for 'Benidorm Fest 2025', we shine a spotlight on some of the top-tier tunes that have made their mark on the competition despite not reaching the final.

On Friday 11 October Spanish broadcaster RTVE announced that it had received just shy of 1,000 song submissions for Benidorm Fest 2025.

The high figure represents a new record across the 4 editions of Spain's Eurovision pre-selection, and stands at almost 200 entries more than what was received for Benidorm Fest 2024

It's a trend that's well in line with the growing popularity of the Spanish national final, which, despite having had its first edition as recently as in 2022, has already emerged a coveted platform for artists to showcase their music to a large television audience in Spain and beyond. 

Another consequence of Spanish artists' enthusiasm to take part has been the strength of the lineup each year, and that's not just taking into account the finals. In the first three editions to have taken place so far, there have been two semi-finals, with 4 songs progressing from each for a 8-song final each year.

MARLENA participated at Benidorm Fest 2024

It speaks to the standard of songs submitted when the entries that have remained in the semi-finals can combine to make a banging playlist all on their own. And if you've yet to follow Benidorm Fest, or if you've only been tuning in to the Saturday night finals, then you've been missing out on some seriously shiny pop gems!

We've gathered together 10 of the best semi-finalists, to showcase what's come so far and to get us excited for the Spanish national final's return in early 2025.

Azúcar Moreno - Postureo

It was a welcome hit of nostalgia to see the Salazar sisters take part in Benidorm Fest at the pre-selection’s inaugural outing in 2022. Azúcar Moreno had previously represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990, giving their country a 5th-place finish with the song Bandido.

Mercifully, unlike their experience in Zagreb, the pair didn’t have to endure any false starts or sound problems, and the flamenco-inspired performance went by without a hitch.

Sofía Martín - Tuki

Benidorm Fest served us a Main Pop Girl moment in 2023, with a choreo-rich performance of Tuki by Sofía Martín. 

A bonus by-product of following Eurovision national finals across the continent is that you get introduced to new artists and their catalogue of tunes that follow. Sofía Martín has been quite the revelation in that sense, and has kept new listeners on board with a strong batch of bangers such as Que La Detengen, Rompe and Toxíca.

Sara Deop - Make You Say

Arguably *the* meme of Eurovision 2022 season. If the opening bars of Make You Say weren’t popping up on the timeline of your socials at least twice daily ahead of Turin, then you weren't following the right folk.

Deop’s deep impact definitely helped spread the positive word about Benidorm Fest during that all-important first year. 

Mantra - Me Vas A Ver

This trio of bright-eyed and boisterous youths caused quite the controversy at Benidorm Fest 2024, when their bouncy bop Me Vas A Ver won the public vote in its semi-final, but still failed to qualify for the Saturday night final.

But we're perhaps not best placed to dwell on discrepancies between public votes and jury votes... 

Sharonne - Aire

Coming to Benidorm Fest just a few months after winning the second season of Drag Race España, Sharonne alas had to settle for being a ‘ganadora’ on just one of the two iconic Spanish TV shows.

In true drag queen fashion, Sharonne treated viewers to not one, but two epic outfit reveals during her allotted three minutes on stage.

Javiera Mena - Culpa

Benidorm Fest’s very own Masked Singer brought industrial electro to the Costa Blanca, and left the wiring and cabling lying around on stage to prove it!

The LED wings that formed her backdrop at a crucial point of the song gave us strong Eurovision winner vibes - circa 2014, specifically, of course.

Aritz Arén - Flamenco

In 2022 Chanel demonstrated that what Europe responded well to was ‘baile español’. So it was inevitable that a male counterpart would quick-step forward one year later at Benidorm Fest 2023.

Aritz Arén made a valiant attempt in giving us SloMo's successor, while celebrating Spain’s very own Flamenco. And we even got a new dance break to bop along to.

MARLENA - Amor De Verano

Every Benidorm Fest has an entry that goes big on radio despite not winning. In 2022 it was Rigoberta Bandini’s Ay Mamá, in 2023 it was Vicco’s Nochentera, and in 2024 MARLENA’s Amor De Verano got bestowed a taste of that success, too.

The MARLENA girls have recently had their year of highs cemented via a nomination for Best Act at the Los 40 Awards.

Twin Melody - Sayonara

Twin sisters and social media influencers (twinfluencers?) brought their barrage of followers along to tune in to Benidorm Fest in 2023. 

And in true TikTok style, the girls even incorporated a potential new dance trend into their performance of Sayonara. That’s some serious brand synergy (twinergy?) right there. 

Marta Sango - Sigues En Mi Mente

A song that served us ABBA-esque melodies and production, and a performance that showcased ABBA-esque costumes, too.

Well, just like in 2024 we celebrated 50 years of Waterloo, in this house we’ll be marking 50 years of Sigues En Mi Mente in 2072. Of that we can be certain. 

Benidorm Fest 2025 will have its two semi-finals on Tuesday 28 January and Thursday 30 January, with its final happening on Saturday 1 February.

You'll be able to follow the Spanish national final, along with all of the other pre-selections going on around Europe, right here on Eurovision.tv. 

You can listen to all 37 songs of Eurovision 2024 via your favourite streaming service or watch the music videos on our YouTube channel.

Don't forget to download our app (for iOSAndroid), sign up to the official Eurovision Song Contest newsletter, and subscribe to the official podcast!