How a Spanish coastal town revived a song contest to reshape its musical identity
In short: Benidorm Fest began as a Eurovision selection vehicle, but it has evolved into a permanent fixture of the Spanish music industry. By blending professional juries with demoscopic panels, the festival creates a unique stage for both established stars and emerging talent, independent of its original international ambitions.
The origins of Benidorm Fest trace back to the legacy of the Benidorm Song Festival, an international competition established in 1958 and modeled after Italy's Sanremo Music Festival. After a fifteen-year hiatus following the original festival's final edition, the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, in partnership with the Generalitat Valenciana, announced the revival of the event in July 2021. The inaugural 2022 edition was designed to serve as a pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, a role it maintained through 2025. The Generalitat Valenciana provided an initial investment of approximately €968,000 to secure the event's launch.
The competition's format is defined by a rigorous selection process and a complex voting structure. Performers must be at least 16 years old and either Spanish nationals or permanent residents. Songs are required to be original, between 2.5 and 3 minutes long, and composed of at least 60% Spanish or co-official languages. The winner is determined by a split vote: 50% from an expert jury of musicians and industry professionals, 25% from a demoscopic panel representing the Spanish population, and 25% from public televoting. This structure aims to balance technical expertise with popular appeal, though RTVE has moved to modernize the public vote by transitioning to a free mobile app to address past criticisms regarding high SMS and telephone costs.
By 2026, the festival underwent significant shifts. Following RTVE's decision to withdraw from Eurovision that year, Benidorm Fest transitioned into an independent platform for promoting the Spanish music industry. The event introduced new incentives, including cash prizes for winners and partnerships with Spotify and TelevisaUnivision to provide international exposure. The festival also returned to its historical roots by adopting the 'Golden Mermaid' trophy, replacing the 'Bronze Microphone' used during its Eurovision-linked years. Today, the event stands as a sophisticated cultural engine, utilizing a symphonic theme titled 'Vita est' to underscore its mission of uniting audiences through music.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Benidorm Fest
- Also: Wikidata — Benidorm Fest · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Benidorm Fest 2023 · CC0
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