On November 25th, Minsk Arena will host the sixteenth Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It will be the second time that the event takes place in the venue in the capital city of Belarus. With Ukraine’s late inclusion into the line-up, a record-breaking 20 countries will participate.
Therefore, it is the perfect time to look back at the journeys of all of this year’s participating countries in the contest. Today, let’s continue our journey and travel to one of two debuting nations this year, Kazakhstan!
Quick facts
- Country: Kazakhstan
- Broadcaster: Khabar Agency
- Debut appearance: N/A (debut 2018)
- Number of appearances: N/A (debut 2018)
- Highest finish: N/A (debut 2018)
- Lowest finish: N/A (debut 2018)
Back to the very beginning…
We only have to go back a matter of months to see the beginning of Kazakhstan’s Junior Eurovision journey come to life. On July 25th, Kazakhstan and Wales were announced as two debuting nations amongst a 19-country participant list for the 2018 Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Ukraine later joined the party to make the numbers up to twenty.
Kazakhstan’s Khabar Agency had shown an interest in joining the Eurovision Family of Events for several years, but not being a full European Broadcasting Union member broadcaster resulted in a big barrier to participation. Either Kazakhstan would have to join the Council of Europe to pave way for a full EBU membership. Or, rely on the EBU offering them participation as an EBU associate member in the same way they have done for Australia.
Further reading: The barriers Kazakhstan faces to becoming a Eurovision participant
With joining the Council of Europe still likely to be a few years away at least, Khabar Agency is lucky that the second option came to fruition for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest this year. However, the EBU say that there are “no plans” for this invitation to extend to the adult contest for the
Kazakhstan’s Journey so far
Kazakhstan has made the absolute most of their opportunity to take part at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, hosting a national final to select their debut entry at the Almaty Arena, an arena of similar size to that of 2018 Junior Eurovision host venue Minsk Arena.
10 young performers took to the stage and it was The Voice Kids Ukraine winner Daneliya Tuleshova who took the victory after placing first in the national televote and second in the professional jury vote. Her song Ózíne sen (Seize the Time) underwent a revamp and received a video clip and is now considered one of the favourites to win in Minsk later this month.
My favourite Kazakh entry!
Well with only one to choose from, it, of course, has to be Seize the Time. Nevertheless, this track goes into this year’s contest as one of my three big favourites as things stand. So it’s not impossible to think that Daneliya’s entry could still be my favourite Kazakh entry even in a few years time… assuming they become a regular Junior Eurovision participant of course.
Every journey so far!
- F.Y.R. Macedonia
- Armenia
- The Netherlands
- Israel
- Ukraine
- Georgia
- Russia
- Malta
- Italy
- Azerbaijan
- Serbia
- Poland
- Australia
- Portugal
- Ireland
- Albania
- France
- Kazakhstan
Are you pleased to see Kazakhstan in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest? Let us know in the comment section below or on all social media platforms @ESCXTRA.
And.. don’t forget to come back next Tuesday for another country’s journey down memory lane. Just Belarus and Wales remain before the big day on November 25th!
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