The Grand Dame of Eurovision, Lys Assia, turns 90

Lys Assia turns 90 today.

Geneva, Switzerland - The first ever winner of Europe's Favourite TV Show and valued ambassador for the competition, Lys Assia, today is celebrating her 90th birthday.

In 1956 Lys Assia won the first ever edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on home turf in Lugano, Switerland with the song Refrain, and now she still remains an invaluable ambassador for the competition, travelling to it every year to show support for the artists and her adoring fans. Today, this Grand Dame of Europe's Favourite TV Show turned 90 years old.

Lys at the Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano in 1956.
Born as Rosa Mina Schärer in Rupperswil, Aargau, Switzerland on the 3rd of March 1924, Lys always wanted to be an entertainer. Initially starting out as a dancer she soon realised that singing was her forté after people told her how beautiful her voice was.
After winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, Lys went on to participate for Switzerland twice more: in 1957 and 1958 respectively. All in all she had four entries in the contest, as in 1956 each country entered two songs.
Lys went on to sell millions of records all over the world and has had the honour of perfoming for such dignitaries as Queen Elizabeth II, the Egyptian King Faruk and Eva Peron. Her career has also spanned a number of different disciplines extending beyond just music but also into television.
See the interview we recorded with Lys in Düsseldorf in 2011:

Today, Lys remains an invaluable ambassador for the competition, still travelling to the host city every year to lend her support to all those taking part. Recently, she has also tried her luck again at taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest by sending songs to the Swiss National Selection, Die grosse Entscheidungs Show in 2012 and 2013 with the songs C'était ma vie and All In Your Head respectively.
All of us at the Eurovision Song Contest would like to wish Lys Assia many happy returns, on this her 90th birthday, and to thank her for all her love and support over the years. Happy Birthday, Lys!

Do you have a birthday message for Lys?

It's Sebalter for Switzerland!

Sebalter.

Kreuzlingen, Switzerland - In tonight's Swiss national final Die Grosse Entscheidungsshow, broadcast live from the Bodensee Arena in Kreuzlingen, six acts were fighting for the ticket to Copenhagen. In the end Sebalter won the race, and will represent the Central European country in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with Hunter Of Stars.

In an exciting show, Sebalter has been chosen to represent Switzerland. You can listen to his song on the SRF website. A 50/50 mix of televoting and the verdict of an expert jury decided the final outcome.
Sebalter hails from Italian-speaking Ticino, and throughout the 22 years of his career, his violin has always been with him. He got the inspiration for his Eurovision entry Hunter of Stars during a several months long journey through the USA. His plan is to reach for the stars not only in his song, but also on stage in Copenhagen.

Check out the Swiss finalists!

Check out the Full gallery

This was the full line-up of tonight's show:

1. Christian Tschanz - Au paradis (4th place)
2. 3 For All - Together Forever (3rd place)
3. Nino Colonna - La luce del cuore (5th place)
4. Yasmina Hunzinger - I Still Believe (2nd place)
5. Natacha & Stéphanie - Une terre sans vous (6th place)
6. Sebalter - Hunter of Stars (1st place)

Each act performed two songs: First their potential Eurovision entry, and then the cover version of a popular hit. You can learn more about the six candidates in six special video features produced by SRF (in German language).
Internationally familiar faces were also present during the show, most notably Emmelie de Forest, who performed her winning Eurovision entry Only Teardrops.
The national final was hosted by Sven Epiney, who is also the Swiss commentator in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Previously, each public broadcaster in Switzerland had held their own regional preselection, out of which a total of 18 candidates were selected to perform in a live "expert check". During that step, the initial list of participants was narrowed down to tonight's six acts.

What do you think about the Swiss winner?

Watch tonight: The Swiss final!

The Swiss final will take place tonight.

Kreuzlingen, Switzerland - Tonight, at 20:10 CET, the Swiss national final will be broadcast live from the Bodensee Arena in Kreuzlingen. You can watch the show live here on Eurovision.tv, and be among the first to get to know the Swiss Eurovision entry!

After a lengthy selection process, involving regional selection rounds, an online platform, and a live casting, we are about to reach the final point - Die Grosse Entscheidungsshow, to be broadcast tonight from the town of Kreuzlingen. The following six acts will compete in the show, which starts at 20:10 CET:

1. Christian Tschanz - Au paradis
2. 3 For All - Together Forever
3. Nino Colonna - La luce del cuore
4. Yasmina Hunzinger - I Still Believe
5. Natacha & Stéphanie - Une terre sans vous
6. Sebalter - Hunter of Stars

During the show, the winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, Emmelie de Forest, will perform, too. You can learn more about the six candidates in six special video features produced by SRF (in German language).
The national final will again be hosted by Sven Epiney, who is also the Swiss commentator in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Each act will not only present their potential Eurovision entry but also a cover version of a popular hit, so that the viewers can better judge their vocal abilities. In the end, a 50/50 combination of televoting and an expert jury will pick the Swiss representative in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest.

Check out the Swiss finalists!

Check out the Full gallery

Previously, each regional broadcaster had conducted their own preselection, out of which a total of 18 candidates were selected to perform in a live "expert check". During that step, the initial list of participants was narrowed down to those six acts who we will get to see tonight.
Be sure not to miss the chance to follow the Swiss national final live tonight from 20:10 CET, in our webcast right here on Eurovision.tv!

 

Who would you like to represent Switzerland?