One week to go until Junior Eurovision 2018

18 November 2018 at 07:46 CET

The 20 participants of the 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest

The 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place on Sunday 25 November in Minsk, so it's time to get you up to speed. Let's introduce you to this year's participants, stage and hosts.

Belarus is set to host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the second time. They last hosted in 2010 in the Minsk Arena (which holds up to 15,000 spectators), when Vladimir Arzumanyan won with the 8th edition with his song Mama.

The crew have been working hard in the Minsk Arena to get the stage ready for the 2018 edition. By now, the stage, lights and cameras have all been put in place. Minsk is ready for next week's rehearsals!

Some facts

A record number of countries - 20 - take part in the 16th edition of the contest;
Wales and Kazakhstan are both participating for the first time;
The stage will be made up of a huge centre LED screen that spans 7 by 20 metres, with two more on its left and right sides measuring 7 by 8 metres each. The stage floors are also equipped with LED screens;
The show will be filmed by 16 cameras, including 4 cranes, 2 Steadicams and 1 remote controlled dolly.

The participants

Albania: Efi Gjika - Barbie
Armenia: L.E.V.O.N - L.E.V.O.N
Australia: Jael - Champion
Azerbaijan: Fidan Huseynova - I Wanna Be Like You
Belarus: Daniel Yastremski - Time
F.Y.R. Macedonia: Marija Spasovska - Doma
France: Angélina - Jamais Sans Toi
Georgia: Tamar Edilashvili - Your Voice
Ireland: Taylor Hynes - IOU
Israel: Noam Dadon - Children Like These
Italy: Melissa & Marco - What Is Love
Kazakhstan: Daneliya Tuleshova - Өзіңе сен (Òzińe Sen)
Malta: Ela - Marchin’ On
Poland: Roksana Węgiel - Anyone I Want To Be
Portugal: Rita Laranjeira - Gosto de Tudo (Já Não Gosto de Nada)
Russia: Anna Filipchuk - Unbreakable
Serbia: Bojana Radovanović - Svet (World)
The Netherlands: Max & Anne - Together
Ukraine: Darina Krasnovetska - Say Love
Wales: Manw - Perta

The hosts

Eugene Perlin, Helena Meraai and Zena will host the 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Eugene is a BTRC TV host and Eurovision Song Contest commentator, Helena represented Belarus in the 2017 Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Tbilisi, Georgia and Zena is a singer and artist.