Benidorm Fest’s Independent Era: No Eurovision? No Problem, But Someone Check on Luna Ki!
Darlings, if you thought a little thing like Spain withdrawing from Eurovision would stop the party in Alicante, you clearly haven’t met the Spanish spirit. Last night, the fifth edition of Benidorm Fest kicked off, and while it’s shed its «national final» skin to become a standalone musical beast (thanks to the boycott over Israel’s participation), the drama was still very much 12 points. With the iconic Jesús Vázquez making his big debut on La1 alongside Javier Ambrossi and the sharp-tongued Inés Hernand, the energy was electric, though I must say, the stage looked like it could be seen from space. We had nine acts fighting for their lives, but the biggest shock of the night wasn’t a key change—it was poor Luna Ki, who had to leave the venue due to a sudden indisposition after her performance. Honestly, the poor girl has more bad luck with Benidorm than I have with Tinder dates, but we’re sending her all the «Love Bombs» in the world.
The Running Order: A Rollercoaster of Rhythms
The night flowed with the kind of chaotic brilliance only Spain can provide, and the Running Order gave us everything from indie-rock to urban beats that made me want to join a moped gang (don’t tell the Cypriot ministers). Here is how they hit the stage:
- KITAI – ‘El Amor Te Da Miedo’
- María León ft. Julia Medina – ‘Las Damas y el Vagabundo’
- Luna Ki – ‘Bomba de amor’
- Greg Taro – ‘Velita’
- Izan Llunas – ‘¿Qué vas a hacer?’
- Dora & Marlon Collins – ‘Rakata’
- Tony Grox & LUCYCALYS – ‘T AMARÉ’
- Mikel Herzog Jr. – ‘Mi Mitad’
- Kenneth – ‘Los Ojos No Mienten’
While we waited for the math to math, we were treated to the legendary Paloma San Basilio and Fangoria, who reminded us all that while singers come and go, a good wig is forever.
The Jury’s Verdict: A Masterclass in Taste?
The Professional Jury clearly had a «vibe» they were looking for, and it involved a lot of sophisticated production. They were absolutely gagged for Dora & Marlon Collins, putting them right at the top of the pile, while the rest of the ranking looked like this:
- Dora & Marlon Collins – ‘Rakata’
- Mikel Herzog Jr. – ‘Mi Mitad’
- KITAI – ‘El Amor Te Da Miedo’
- Tony Grox & LUCYCALYS – ‘T AMARÉ’
- Izan Llunas – ‘¿Qué vas a hacer?’
- Kenneth – ‘Los Ojos No Mienten’
Public Passion: The People Have Spoken
However, as we know, the Televote & Demoscopic Jury usually have very different ideas about what constitutes a banger. The public went absolutely wild for Izan Llunas, proving that the «Llunas» name still carries a lot of weight (and probably a lot of teenage phone credit). The people’s ranking was as follows:
- Izan Llunas – ‘¿Qué vas a hacer?’
- Kenneth – ‘Los Ojos No Mienten’
- María León ft. Julia Medina – ‘Las Damas y el Vagabundo’
- Mikel Herzog Jr. – ‘Mi Mitad’
- KITAI – ‘El Amor Te Da Miedo’
- Tony Grox & LUCYCALYS – ‘T AMARÉ’
The Chosen Six: Who’s Still in the Running?
After some frantic calculator work by the ORF—wait, I mean RTVE—we finally have our Finalists. These six lucky acts are now one step closer to that gorgeous Gold Mermaid trophy and a very lovely 150,000 euro cheque, which I’m sure would pay for quite a few therapy sessions after this week. The final six are:
- Tony Grox & LUCYCALYS – ‘T AMARÉ’
- Izan Llunas – ‘¿Qué vas a hacer?’
- KITAI – ‘El Amor Te Da Miedo’
- Mikel Herzog Jr. – ‘Mi Mitad’
- Kenneth – ‘Los Ojos No Mienten’
- María León ft. Julia Medina – ‘Las Damas y el Vagabundo’
It’s a fascinating mix, isn’t it? We’ve got the jury favourites, the public darlings, and a few surprises that have managed to sneak through the back door. Whether you’re here for the music or just the Inés Hernand sass, Benidorm is proving that life after Eurovision is actually quite fabulous.
