Bulgaria was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song "Let Me Cry", composed by Dani Milev, with lyrics by Elina Gavrilova, and performed by Mariana Popova. The Bulgarian participating broadcaster, Bulgarian National Television (BNT), organised the national final in order to select its entry for the contest. 24 entries were selected to participate in the national final which consisted of two shows: a semi-final and a final, held on 25 February 2006 and 11 March 2006, respectively. The top twelve songs of the semi-final as determined by a fifteen-member jury panel qualified to the final. In the final, public televoting exclusively selected "Let Me Cry" performed by Mariana Popova as the winning entry with 4,700 votes.
Bulgaria competed in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 18 May 2006. Performing during the show in position 2, "Let Me Cry" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Bulgaria placed seventeenth out of the 23 participating countries in the semi-final with 36 points.
Background
Prior to the 2006 contest, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Bulgaria only once: when "Lorraine" performed by Kaffe failed to qualify to the final.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, BNT organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster confirmed its participation in the 2006 contest on 20 December 2005. In 2005, BNT organised a national final in order to select its entry for the competition, a selection procedure that continued for its 2006 entry.
Before Eurovision
(The Bulgarian song in Eurovision 2006) was the national final format developed by BNT which determined the artist and song that would represent Bulgaria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. The competition consisted of a semi-final on 25 February 2006 and a final on 11 March 2006, held at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Both shows were hosted by Dragomir Simeonov and broadcast on Channel 1.
Competing entries On 20 December 2005, BNT opened a submission period for artists and songwriters to submit their entries until 23 January 2006. By the end of the deadline, the broadcaster received 126 entries. On 3 February 2006, the twenty-four artists and songs selected for the competition by a fifteen-member committee were announced. The committee consisted of Vili Kazasyan (conductor and composer), (composer), (composer), Yordanka Hristova (singer), (lyricist and screenwriter), (musician), Ana-Maria Tonkova (music journalist), (poet), (musician and composer), (musician and composer), Jivko Petrov (musician), Vasko Stefanov (director) and Petar Dundakov (composer).
On 6 February 2006, "Merak" performed by Vanya Kostova and Boyan Mihaylov was disqualified from the competition after the song had been performed in September 2005 and replaced with "Nevŭzmozhna tishina" performed by Mariana Pashalieva and Marin Yonchev. Pashalieva and Yonchev withdrew their song on 10 February 2006 by the decision of Yonchev's producer and replaced with "Lyubovta e otrova" performed by Slavi Trifonov and Sofi Marinova. On 13 February 2006, Trifonov and Marinova withdrew their song in protest of the selection of the committee and replaced with the song "V nyakoi drug zhivot" performed by Plamen Petrev and Angel. ArtistSongSongwriter(s)"Shte te zapalya" ()Rosen Cheshmedzhiev, Ani LozanovaBig Mama Scandal"All This Time"Ivaylo GochevD'a Voices"Celebrate Tonight"Ognyan IvanovDeyan Nedelchev"Na teb" ()Krasimir Gulmezov, Silvia MikhailovaGeppy"A Matter of Time"Gospodin Gospodinov-Geppy, Nikolay Vasilev"Every Dream at Night"Vladi Tozetta, Paula PavlovaMariana Popova"Let Me Cry"Dani Milev, Elina GavrilovaMartin Aleksandrov"Te vas"Martin Alexandrov, Svetla PantevaMastilo"Next to You"Desislav Simeonov, Viktoria TerziyskaMelody Тraffic"Love That You Can't See"Melody Traffic, Neli ShishkovaNeda Karova and Da"Wish"Philip Vella, Gerard James BorgNemo"Za mig" ()Alek KireevPlamen Petrev and Angel"V nyakoi drug zhivot" ()Petr Pesev, Plamen PenevRalitsa Grudeva"With You"Alex Nushev, Alexandr Kiprov"Land of Regret"Vladimir MikhailovSonya Todorova"Trust Yourself"Maxim Hristov, Sonya TodorovaStalker"Faces"Militsa Gladnishka, Kiril Dobrev"Karmic Love"Stoyan Zakhariev, Jessy StealSunnie"I Can't Stop"Stanislava Dimitrova-SunnieSunrise"Going to Sofia"Georgi Marholev and Instinkt"Da mozhesh da chakash" ()Kamen Drandiyski, Ivan Tenev"Let Me Live Again"Stamen Yanev, Desislava Sofranova and Plamen Pyatov"That's Me"Ivaylo TerzievVioleta Jeknich"Tants na noshtta" ()Goran Jeknich, Stanislava Dimitrova-Sunny
Shows Semi-final The semi-final took place on 25 February 2006. Twelve entries qualified to the final based on the votes of a jury panel. The fifteen-person jury consisted of Vili Kazasyan, Nayden Andreev, Toncho Rusev, Yordanka Hristova, Zhivko Kolev, Veselin Todorov, Anna-Maria Tonkova, Alexander Petrov, Slavcho Nikolov, Momchil Kolev, Zhivko Petrov, Vasko Stefanov and Petar Dundakov. In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers were No Name (who represented ), Fabrizio Faniello (who represented ), and Christine Guldbrandsen (who represented ). + Semi-final – 25 February 2006 Artist Song Result 1 Safo "Land of Regret" 2 Sunnie "I Can't Stop" 3 Sonya Todorova "Trust Yourself" Qualified 4 Ivaylo Kolev "Every Dream at Night" Qualified 5 Vasil Petrov and Instinkt "Da mozhesh da chakash" 6 Big Mama Scandal "All This Time" Qualified 7 Deyan Nedelchev "Na teb" 8 Ralitsa Grudeva "With You" 9 Plamen Petrev and Angel "V nyakoi drug zhivot" 10 Neda Karova and Da "Wish" Qualified 11 Nemo "Za mig" 12 Stalker "Faces" 13 Violeta Jeknich "Tants na noshtta" 14 Stoyan Zakhariev "Karmic Love" Qualified 15 Mastilo "Next to You" Qualified 16 Vesela Boneva and Plamen Pyatov "That's Me" Qualified 17 D'a Voices "Celebrate Tonight" 18 Geppy "A Matter of Time" Qualified 19 Sunrise "Going to Sofia" 20 Melody Тraffic "Love That You Can't See" Qualified 21 Mariana Popova "Let Me Cry" Qualified 22 Ani Lozanova "Shte te zapalya" Qualified 23 Vesela Boneva "Let Me Live Again" Qualified 24 Martin Aleksandrov "Te vas"
Final The final took place on 11 March 2006. The twelve semi-final qualifiers competed and "Let Me Cry" performed by Mariana Popova was selected as the winner exclusively by public televoting. In addition to the performances of the competing entries, guest performers were Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov. + Final – 11 March 2006 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Stoyan Zakhariev "Karmic Love" 658 9 2 Vesela Boneva "Let Me Live Again" 1,437 5 3 Mariana Popova "Let Me Cry" 4,700 1 4 Neda Karova and Da "Wish" 717 8 5 Sonya Todorova "Trust Yourself" 173 11 6 Ani Lozanova "Shte te zapalya" 253 10 7 Ivailo Kolev "Every Dream at Night" 3,993 3 8 Mastilo "Next to You" 4,000 2 9 Vesela Boneva and Plamen Pyatov "That's Me" 991 6 10 Melody Тraffic "Love That You Can't See" 1,681 4 11 Geppy "A Matter of Time" 773 7 12 Big Mama Scandal "All This Time" 167 12
Controversy Following the Bulgarian national final, a letter signed by nine of the finalists demanded a revote due to their lines being blocked during the voting window. They also accused BNT for fixing the voting in favour of Mariana Popova. The broadcaster later denied such claims and stated that the ranking remained the same even after the late votes were processed.
At Eurovision 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 are required to qualify from the semi-final on 18 May 2006 in order to compete for the final on 20 May 2006; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final. On 21 March 2006, a special allocation draw was held which determined the running order for the semi-final and Bulgaria was set to perform in position 2, following the entry from and before the entry from . At the end of the semi-final, Bulgaria was not announced among the top 10 entries and therefore failed to qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Bulgaria placed seventeenth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 36 points.
The semi-final and the final were broadcast in Bulgaria on Channel 1 with commentary by Elena Rosberg and Georgi Kushvaliev. BNT appointed Dragomir Simeonov as its spokesperson to announce the Bulgarian votes during the final.
Voting Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Bulgaria and awarded by Bulgaria in the semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to in the semi-final and to in the final of the contest.
Points awarded to Bulgaria + Points awarded to Bulgaria (Semi-final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Points awarded by Bulgaria
+ Points awarded by Bulgaria (Semi-final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
+ Points awarded by Bulgaria (Final) Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
References