Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007

{{main|Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

Prior to the 2007 Contest, Belarusian Television and Radio Company (BTRC) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Belarus three times since its first entry in 2004.{{cite web|title=Belarus Country Profile|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-country/country?country=41|access-date=7 November 2014|publisher=EBU}} Following the introduction of semi-finals for the {{Escyr|2004|2004 contest}}, Belarus had yet to qualify to the final. Its best placing in the contest was thirteenth in the semi-final, which it achieved in {{esccnty|Belarus|y=2005|t=2005}} with the song "Love Me Tonight" performed by Angelica Agurbash. In {{esccnty|Belarus|y=2006|t=2006}}, it failed to qualify to the final with the song "Mum" performed by Polina Smolova.

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, BTRC organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. Since 2004, the broadcaster has organised a national final in order to choose Belarus' entry, a selection procedure that continued for their 2007 entry.{{cite web|last=Floras|first=Stella|date=2008-09-29|title=Belarus: Welcome to the Eurofest project!|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12334|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001103806/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12334|archive-date=1 October 2008|access-date=2008-09-29|publisher=ESCToday}}

Eurofest 2007 was the national final format developed by BTRC to select the Belarusian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. The competition consisted of a semi-final and final held on 15 December 2006 and 22 January 2007, respectively. Both shows were hosted by Denis Kurian and Olga Schlager and broadcast on the First Channel and Belarus TV as well as online via the broadcaster's official website tvr.by.{{Cite web |date=2007-02-23 |title=The order of performers of the semifinal is determined» |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223133957/http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp?pr=rel1 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=tvr.by}}

The competition consisted of three stages. In the first stage, artists and songwriters had the opportunity to apply for the competition by attending live auditions during designated dates. Fifteen entries were selected to participate in the second stage out of all the submitted applications. The second stage was the televised semi-final which took place on 15 December 2007. Three entries advanced to the final based on a public televote and the votes from an expert jury. The fifteen songs first faced a public televote where one entry qualified to the final. The jury then selected an additional two qualifiers from the remaining entries. The third stage was the final, which took place on 22 January 2007 where the votes from an expert jury determined the winner that would represent Belarus in Helsinki out of the three acts. The competition rules also allowed for the finalists to completely change their candidate songs.{{Cite web |date=2007-02-23 |title=Rules of the Belarusian National Selection for ESC 2007 (National Musical Project EuroFest) |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223134108/http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp?pr=poloj |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=tvr.by}}

The jury panel that participated in the semi-final and final consisted of:{{Cite web |last=сегодня |first=СБ-Беларусь |date=2007-01-24 |title=Понедельник — день финальный |url=https://www.sb.by/articles/ponedelnik-den-finalnyy-4.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.sb.by |language=ru-RU}}{{Cite web |date=2006-01-11 |title=На "Евровидение-2007" можно попасть только через "ЕвроФест" |url=https://ru.eurovision.in/news/na_quotevrovidenie_2007quot_mozhno_popast_tolko_cherez_quotevrofestquot/2006-11-01-15 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=@eurovis |language=ru}}

• Mihail Finberg (chairman of the jury) – director of the Belarusian State Academic Symphony Orchestra
• Vladimir Rylatko – first deputy of the Belarusian Ministry of Culture
• Vasily Rainchik – director of the Youth Variety Theater
• Alexander Tikhanovich – national final project manager
• Denis Shpitalnikov – director of the BTRC music and entertainment programmes directorate
• Anatoly Yarmolenko – director of the ensemble Syabry
• Yadviga Poplavskaya – singer and composer

Artists and composers were able to submit their applications and entries to the broadcaster between 25 October 2006 and 20 November 2006.{{Cite web|last=Holyer|first=Steve|date=25 October 2006|title=Belarus jury to decide for 2007|url=http://esctoday.com/6601/belarus_jury_to_decide_for_2007/|website=Esctoday}} At the closing of the deadline, 66 entries were received by the broadcaster.{{Cite web |title="Евровидение-2007": от Беларуси "монстров" не будет |url=https://gazetaby.com/post/evrovidenie-2007-ot-belarusi-monstrov-ne-budet/3838/ |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=gazetaby.com |language=ru}} 56 entries were selected for auditions that were held between 29 November and 1 December 2006 at the Youth Variety Theater in Minsk where a jury panel was tasked with selecting fifteen entries to proceed to the televised national final. The jury consisted of Mihail Finberg, Vladimir Rylatko, Vasily Rainchik, Alexander Tikhanovich, Denis Shpitalnikov, Anatoly Yarmolenko and Yadviga Poplavskaya.{{Cite web|title=Belarus 2007 - News archive|url=http://belarus.esckaz.com/index07.htm}} The selected semi-finalists were announced on 5 December 2006.{{Cite web|last=Klier|first=Marcus|date=5 December 2006|title=Belarus: songs announced|url=http://esctoday.com/6908/belarus_songs_announced/|website=Esctoday}}

The televised semi-final took place on 15 December 2006 at the Republic Palace in Minsk. Prior to the semi-final, a draw for the running order took place on 14 December 2006.{{Cite web|date=15 December 2006|title=The order of performers of the semifinal of the National TV music project "EuroFest" (qualifying stage for "Eurovision-2007" song contest) is determined|url=http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp?pr=rel1|url-status=live|access-date=5 July 2021|website=BTRC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223133957/http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp?pr=rel1|archive-date=23 February 2007}} Three songs qualified to the final. The fifteen competing entries first faced a public televote where one song advanced. An additional two qualifiers were selected from the remaining fourteen entries by the votes of jury members made up of music professionals.

In addition to the performances from the competitors, the show featured guest performances by 2003 Belarusian Junior Eurovision contestant Volha Satsiuk and 2006 Belarusian Eurovision contestant Polina Smolova.

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The televised final took place on 22 January 2007 at the Sports Palace in Minsk. Prior to the final, Dmitry Koldun opted to change his candidate song.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2007-01-24 |title=Сотвори волшебство, Колдун! |url=https://www.sb.by/articles/sotvori-volshebstvo-koldun.html |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.sb.by |language=ru-RU}} The votes of jury members made up of music professionals selected the song "Work Your Magic" performed by Koldun as the winner.{{Cite web |title=Беларусь на «Евровидении» представит Дмитрий Колдун |url=https://ultra-music.com/news/747 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Ultra-Music |language=ru-RU}}

In addition to the performances from the competitors, the show featured guest performances by former Belarusian Eurovision contestants Aleksandra and Konstantin (2004), Angelica Agurbash (2005) and Polina Smolova (2006), former Belarusian Junior Eurovision contestants Ksenia Sitnik (2005) and Andrey Kunets (2006), former Eurovision Song Contest winners Carola (1991) and Marie N (2002), 2006 Latvian Eurovision contestants Cosmos and 2006 Russian Eurovision contestant Dima Bilan.{{Cite web|title=Eurofest final live on the First Channel|url=http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp|url-status=live|access-date=5 July 2021|website=BTRC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070122152906/http://www.tvr.by/eng/eurofest.asp|archive-date=22 January 2007}}

The official music video of the song, filmed in February 2007 and directed by Oleg Gusev, was presented to the public on 8 March 2007 on the First Channel. The concept of the video was based on the music video of the song "Jaded" by American band Aerosmith.{{Cite web|title=Dmitry Koldun – Belarus|url=https://mishaeurovision07.wordpress.com/2007/04/13/dmitry-koldun-belarus/|url-status=live|access-date=5 July 2021|website=Eurovision 2007 – 2008 – 2009 weblog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070528090444/http://mishaeurovision07.wordpress.com:80/2007/04/13/dmitry-koldun-belarus/ |archive-date=28 May 2007 }}

Dmitry Koldun made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "Work Your Magic" as the Belarusian Eurovision entry. Between 3 February and 5 March, Dmitry Koldun performed "Work Your Magic" during the {{esccnty|Greece|y=2007|t=Greek}}, {{esccnty|Ireland|y=2007|t=Irish}}, {{esccnty|Macedonia|y=2007|t=Macedonian}}, {{esccnty|Montenegro|y=2007|t=Montenegrin}}, and {{esccnty|Spain|y=2007|t=Spanish}} national finals for Eurovision, and the presentation shows of the {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=2007|t=Cypriot}} and {{esccnty|Bosnia and Herzegovina|y=2007|t=Bosnian}} entries. In February and April, Koldun participated in promotional activities in Russia where he performed the Russian version of "Work Your Magic", titled "Day mne silu", during the Channel One programmes Novye pesni o glavnom and Vysshaya liga, as well as during the NTV programme Glavniy Geroy.{{Cite web|title=Russia 2007|url=https://esckaz.com/2007/rus.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070419212815/http://esckaz.com:80/2007/rus.htm |archive-date=19 April 2007 }} Between 13 and 15 April, Koldun performed during events which were held in Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium, as well as appearing during the RTL 4 programme Life & Cooking in The Netherlands. In addition to his international appearances, Dmitry Koldun also participated in promotional activities in Belarus where he performed during the Za Nezavisimuyu Belarus event, which was at the Minsk Hero City Obelisk in Minsk on 25 March.

File:Kolduneurovision2007.jpg

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the 2006 contest are required to qualify from the semi-final in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. On 12 March 2007, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order for the semi-final on 10 May 2007. Belarus was drawn to perform in position 4, following the entry from {{esccnty|Cyprus|y=2007}} and before the entry from {{esccnty|Iceland|y=2007}}.

For the Eurovision Song Contest, Dmitry Koldun performed under the artistic name of Koldun, which is the Russian word for "magician". Accompanying Koldun on stage were two male dancers: Alexandr Bodyanski and Fredrik Olofsson, and two female dancers: Natalia and Ilona Donchenko, along with Mariam Merabova providing backing vocals.{{cite web|title=Work Your Magic|url=https://sixonstage.com/song/2007/belarus|publisher=Six On Stage}}

At the end of the semi-final, Belarus was announced as having finished in the top ten and subsequently qualifying for the grand final. This marked the first time that Belarus qualified to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest from a semi-final since the introduction of semi-finals in 2004. It was later revealed that the Belarus placed fourth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 176 points.

Shortly after the semi-final, a winners' press conference was held for the ten qualifying countries. As part of this press conference, the qualifying artists took part in a draw to determine the running order of the final. This draw was done in the order the countries appeared in the semi-final running order. Belarus was drawn to perform in position 3, following the entry from {{esccnty|Spain|y=2007}} and before the entry from {{esccnty|Ireland|y=2007}}.{{cite web|title=Semi-Final of Helsinki 2007|url=https://eurovision.tv/event/helsinki-2007/semi-final|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422064518/https://eurovision.tv/event/helsinki-2007/semi-final|archive-date=22 April 2021|access-date=22 April 2021|publisher=European Broadcasting Union}} Belarus placed sixth in the final, scoring 145 points, which is the best result for Belarus to date.{{cite web|title=Grand Final of Helsinki 2007|url=https://eurovision.tv/event/helsinki-2007/grand-final|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422064603/https://eurovision.tv/event/helsinki-2007/grand-final|archive-date=22 April 2021|access-date=22 April 2021|publisher=European Broadcasting Union}}

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Belarus and awarded by Belarus in the semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Moldova in the semi-final and to Russia in the final of the contest.

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{{Reflist}}

{{Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 2007}}

2007

Category:Countries in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007

Eurovision