Tonight: The Georgian national final - don't miss it!

2009 marks the third time that the Georgian public broadcaster GPB participates in the Eurovision Song Contest. In order to select the Georgian representative, a national final will take place tonight, to be broadcast live from the GPB studios in the Georgian capital Tbilisi. The following ten acts will participate, in order of appearance:

• Bachi Kitiashvili & Bermukha - Khvalindeli Dghe
• November - Over
• Giorgi Maisuradze - Peace In The World
• Tika Phatsatsia - Miracle
• Tony O'Malley, Mari Pavliashvili, Marika Asatiani, Nana Chikava, Andro Melashvili, Guga Aphtsiauri - Hear My Plea
• Nodiko Tatishvili - No Sun When You Are Near
• Boris Bedia - Dagvipharavs Ghmerti
• Stephane & 3G - We Don't Wanna Put In
• Anri Jokhadze - I
• Keti Orjonikidze - Tomorrow

One of the participants already gained fame in the Eurovision Song Contest: Tika Phatsatsia was the spokesperson to announce the Georgian votes in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. Tonight, winner of the national selection will be chosen by a mix of SMS voting and an expert jury, with the jury having 70% influence on the outcome and the TV public 30%. Stephen Budd, a well-known British singer, songwriter and producer, will act as the chairman of the expert jury. The show will start at 22:00 local time (19:00 CET), and it will be broadcast via satellite on GPB/1 TV.

Georgia was represented in the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2007, when Sopho came 12th with her song My Story. Last year, Diana Gurtskaya improved that record by one place, reaching the 11th place with Peace Will Come. Recently, the Georgian representatives Bzikebi, translating as "Wasps", won the 2008 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with their song Bzzz. Georgia will take part in the First Semi-Final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held on May 12th in Moscow.