After the success and the impact of the Benidorm Fest in 2022, the 25th of October were announced the participants in the second edition, that took place during the last days in January and the first days in February, 2023.
The 29th of October, in a special TV show with performances of all contendants, we could know more about the eighteen candidatures (four more than in the first edition) that took part in the two semifinals (the 31th of January and the 2nd of February). Only four in each semifinal qualified for the Grand Final (the 4th of February).
As an early present for Christmas, the 18th of December, all the songs were released. The selection process had began on the 1st of September and was closed on the 10th of October.
In total Spanish broadcaster received 876 proposals of all kind of music. That circumstance was reflected when the final list was published. Eventually, Benidorm was crowded by fans in a week full of events since the 29th of January but, as at the ESC, the real party began on Tuesday with the first semifinal:
Song 1– Sharonne “Aire” (link 1)
It’s a dance song that tries to send a message to open up, take a breath and push forward. The drag queen's musical proposal has epic overtones and, in the performance, we could enjoy with the typical drag’s costume changes. Iván Torrent, Alejandro Barroso and Cristóbal Garrido (Sharonne) are the authors of the song.
Song 2 – Aritz Arén “Flamenco” (link 2)
Aritz offered a international pop theme with arrangements and influences of Spanish sounds. He started his career as a dancer (he was a contestant in a talent show for dancers a few years ago) and began his performance alone at the stage but ended it with and acrotango full of sensuality with a female dancer. The theme is composed by Carlos Marco, Frida Amundsen, Kaci Brown, Sam Gray and Tonino Speciale.
Song 3 – Sofía Martín “Tuki” (link 3)
The Spanish-German singer and songwriter Sofía Martín performed a song with an electronic rhythm that gathers sounds and vibrations of contemporary Spanish pop and urban music. She tried to stand over the others with a well produced staging, a pyramid structure staircase and a sensual coreography with young dancers. Freddy Rochow, Claudio Maselli and Sofía Martín are the authors of the song "Tuki"
Song 4 - Agoney “Quiero Arder” (link 4)
Agoney decided to take part in the Benidorm Fest with a risky and explosive song that displays all his vocal waste. This electropop is built on a set of violins that merge into a base of multi-sensory electronics. Agoney heated the venue with five dancers and, according to the title of the theme, at the end of his burning performance, smoke and fire appeared on stage.
Song 5 - Megara “Arcadia” (link 5)
Rock sounded loud in Benidorm. In words of the group, the song is 'a fucksia rock', with which they wanted to win the right to represent Spain in Liverpool. It takes us into a virtual story in which two flesh and blood girls would unleash their love through a video game. Megara interpreted the proposal in a futuristic atmosphere full of videogames reminiscences. Sara Jiménez Moral, Roberto La Lueta Ruíz and Israel Dante Ramos are the composers of "Arcadia"
Song 6 – Alice Wonder “Yo quisiera” (link 6)
Alice Wonder bet for an indie, alternative and dance pop song and intended to touch our hearts. In the artist's words, the theme is the inner storm that happens inside someone who gives up trying to understand the world, simply lives in it. The performance began in a very intimist way and evolved to message full of strength. Alice Wonder herself is the composer of the proposal.
Song 7 - Meler “No nos moverán” (link 7)
Meler took the party and good vibes to the stage with their pop song that encourages dancing, jumping and enjoying good times. We felt that it was time to take a risk and we have dared to try a more electronic production’, they said. The theme is composed by Jonathan Geraint Burt, Francisco Javier Pagalday González, Natalia Neva Martín, Oliver García Cerón and José Héctor Portilla Rodríguez.
Song 8 – Fusa Nocta “Mi familia” (link 8)
Fusa Nocta offered a very personal performance with "My family". The theme, in words of the singer, has various musical genres to reflect the many facets of the family, from the most beautiful to the darkest one. Fusa Nocta's mixes trap, flamenco, electronic sounds and rap. She was accompanied by five male dancers in a very sensual dance break. The song is signed by Ignacio Moreno González, Carlos Padilla Linares and Miriam Nares Signes, Fusa Nocta herself.
Song 9 – Twin Melody “Sayonara” (link 9)
The most famous twins in Tiktok tried to conquer first Spain and later Europe with "Sayonara". Twin Melody bet for a song of empowerment and self-love, to leave behind and say goodbye to the things that do not fill or represent us and the people who hurt us. The influencers mixed languages such as French, English with Spanish and Basque. The song is composed by Jonathan (de Meler), Natalia Neva and Twin Melody themselves.
About the voting, 50% of the result in the show came from the jury, while the other 50% from the audience. The jury is divided into Spanish and International, while 50% of the audience is divided into Televoting and a Demoscopic jury.
The results were:
JURY
Agoney – 86 points
Alice Wonder – 79 points
Fusa Nocta – 65 points
Megara – 51 points
Artiz Aren – 50 points
Sharonne – 45 points
Meler – 29 puntos
Twin Melody – 29 puntos
Sofía Martín – 22 points
DEMOSCOPIC JURY
Meler – 40 points
Agoney – 35 points
Megara – 30 points
Twin Melody – 28 points
Fusa Nocta -25 points
Aritz Arén -22 points
Sharonne – 20 puntos
Alice Wonder – 15 puntos
Sofía Martín – 13 points
TELEVOTE
Agoney – 40 points
Aritz Arén -35 points
Megara – 30 points
Fusa Nocta – 28 points
Alice Wonder – 25 points
Sharonne – 22 points
Twin Melody – 20 points
Meler – 15 points
Sofía Martín – 13 points
OVERALL
Agoney – 161 points
Alice Wonder – 119 points
Fusa Nocta – 118 points
Megara – 111 points
Aritz Arén – 107 points
Sharonne -87 points
Meler– 84 points
Twin Melody– 77 points
Sofía Martín– 48 points
As a result, the four artists that qualified to the Final were:
Agoney with “Quiero Arder”
Alice Wonder with “Yo quisiera”
Fusa Nocta wiht “Mi familia”
Megara with “Arcadia”