So there will be another national preliminary decision in spring 2023: As the broadcaster NDR responsible for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) announced on Wednesday, singers and bands can now apply with their songs via video.

"Pop or country, electro or R'n'B, Schlager or rock: there are no limits to the musical styles," says the NDR.

Anyone who wants to represent Germany in the final of the ESC in Liverpool on May 13 next year can apply via the official ARD website for the ESC, eurovision.de.

Applications via TikTok

Peter Philipp Schmitt

Editor in the department "Germany and the World".

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For the first time this year, the TikTok platform is also involved in the search for the German ESC act: According to NDR information, interested parties can apply there and face the TikTok community under the hashtag #UnserLiedFürLiverpool.

The most promising posts on the social platform that meet the ESC guidelines are then put to the vote again.

Whoever wins on TikTok is directly involved in the preliminary round.

The NDR also wants to approach artists itself.

The deadline for entries is at the end of this month, on November 28th.

A team of experts will select the artists who will compete against each other in the preliminary round “Our Song for Liverpool” at the beginning of March.

"This team includes experts from the music industry, the German ESC delegation, the international ESC world and ARD pop radio stations in an advisory capacity," NDR continues.

The pop waves support the ESC preliminary decision again.

Only after all the contributions have been viewed should it be determined how many acts will make it into the preliminary decision.

The listeners of ARD Popradios, among others, vote for the finalist in the United Kingdom – i.e. Antenne Brandenburg, BAYERN 3, Bremen Vier, hr3, MDR Jump, NDR 2, SR 1, SWR3 and WDR 2. The result is included in the overall rating a.

German successes are rare

A preliminary decision had already been made this year.

The winner was Malik Harris, who came last in the final in Turin with his song "Rockstars".

In the two previous years, the NDR had determined the German candidate internally.

Jendrik competed in Rotterdam in 2021 and was penultimate, Ben Dolic should also represent Germany in Rotterdam in 2020 with "Violent Thing".

However, the ESC had to be canceled due to Corona.

Germany has only made it into the top ten once in the past ten years: in 2018, Michael Schulte came in an excellent fourth place in Lisbon with his self-written song "You Let Me Walk Alone".

As the head of the ARD team for the ESC at NDR, Andreas Gerling, announced on Wednesday, the competition, Europe's largest music show, is very important to the broadcaster.

“And we compete to play at the front.

So anyone who has the confidence to bring Germany back to the top musically with high quality is very welcome.”

The ESC 2023 will take place in Liverpool, although the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won hands down in Turin with "Stefania" in May.

However, for security reasons, the European Broadcasting Union decided to award the competition to the second-placed country, the United Kingdom.

Artists from 37 countries compete in Liverpool.

In addition to Germany, France, Italy, Spain as well as defending champions Ukraine and host United Kingdom have also qualified directly for the final.