Radio International - The Ultimate Eurovision Experience (2023-02-15): Live Interview with Gustaph (Belgium 2023), Benidorm Fest 2023 - a look back, Eurovision National Final Season 2023, and more..

Radio International - The Ultimate Eurovision Experience is broadcast from Malta's Radio 105FM on Tuesday evenings from 2100 - 0059 hours CET. The show is also broadcast on SWITCH Radio Essex in the United Kingdom live on Wednesday evenings from 1900 - 2300 hours CET as well as on the Facebook Page of Eurovision Radio International with an interactive chatroom.

AT A GLANCE - ON THE SHOW THIS WEEK

• Live Interview with Gustaph (Belgium 2023)
• The Benidorm Fest 2023 Special with Salmam: 
• Eurovision Spotlight: Eurovision 2023 - The National Finals 2023 with Dermot Manning
• Eurovision News with Nick van Lith from www.escXtra.com
• Eurovision Birthday File with David Mann
• Eurovision Cover Spot with David Mann
• Eurovision Calendar with Javier Leal
• Your music requests
• New Music Releases by Eurovision Artists

Live Interview with Gustaph (Belgium 2023): The Kingdom of Belgium will be represented by Gustaph at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with the song "Because of you" and is currently placed in Semi Final 2 in the First Half. Belgium had five Song Club Shows out of which the Grand Final emerged and was held on 14 January 2023 with Gustaph being the winner. The song was written by Stef Caers (Gustaph) and Jaouad Alloul. The Interview Team of Radio International is delighted to welcome Gustaph to the show to get to know him and his music better.

Listeners are encouraged to actively take part during the show to submit their questions to the artist via our Facebook Chatroom during the live broadcast on Wednesday evening from 1900 - 2300 hours CET or via our website's email address - click here. 

Spain's National Final 2023 - The Benidorm Festival 2023 and Interviews with Agony, Aritz and Fusa Nocta: Since 2022 Spain selects their entry to the Eurovision Song contest via the two Semi Finals and a Grand Final in the Benidorm Fest. The first winner was in 2022 when Chanel won the Benidorm Fest 2022 with the song "SloMo" which turned out to be a great success at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin coming third in the Grand Final. Two Team Members of Radio International were invited by the municipality of Benidorm to report from the festival and conduct interviews with the participating artists. Salman and Rafia were on location to get to know the city of Benidorm as well as bringing the artists closer to the fans with the interviews that were done. On the show this week Radio International is devoting an hour to the Benidorm Festival 2023 when Salman joins JP to share the experience with the listeners but also we'll hear the interview with the winner Blanca Paloma who will be representing Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with the song "Eaea". Since Spain is part of the Big 5 they are directly qualified for the Grand Final of the contest.
Further there will be interviews with Agony, Aritz, Fusa Nocta, Megara and Vicco, among others. More interviews from the Benidorm Fest 2023 will be broadcast during the upcoming editions of Radio International.

EUROVISION 2023 - The National Final Season: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is in full swing - the selection process in various countries around Europe and Australia that are participating at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom on May 09, 11 and 13 for the Grand Final. In the run up to the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, Radio International - The Ultimate Eurovision Experience will be playing many of the songs that are offered to the public in the many participating countries out of which the best ones will be competing in Liverpool in May.

Also JP will be joined by David Mann for the Eurovision Birthday File and Eurovision Coverspot  as well as Dermot Manning presents in the Eurovision Spotlight: Eurovision 2023 - The National Finals taking a lot at the selections of the last seven days. Then there will be some of the great new releases of Eurovision artists are on the show as well as great Eurovision Classics. Javier will be updating us on the upcoming Eurovision events in his Eurovision Calendar and Nick van Lith has the latest update from the Eurovision News Room courtesy of escXtra.com.

The Radio International Interview Hall of Fame:

During the Interview Sessions Radio International takes photos and videos which you can find on the Radio International Interview Hall of Fame 2020 and 2021. To view the photos done during the interviews - click here - for the Radio International Hall of Fame Photo Album.

This is the Hall of Fame: Dana, Charlotte Perrelli, Linda Martin, Niamh Kavanagh, Katrina of Katrina and the Waves, Charlie McGettigan, Emmelie de Forest, Anabel Conde, Scott Fitzgerald, Eldar of Ell and Nikki, Sanna Nielsen, Hera Björk, Bojana Stamenov, Deen, Lina Hedlund and Andreas Lundstedt from Alcazar, Poli Genova, Ira Losco, Jan Johansen Nicki French, Debbie Scerri, Rasmussen, Senhit, Rainer from Wind, Jalisse, Maja Keuc (Amaya),Thomas Forstner, Lisa Andreas, Esther Hart, Vanilla Ninja, Maja Keuc (Amaya), Sibel Tüzün, Sidsel Ben Semmane, Monika Linkyte, Boggie, Emilija Kokic of Riva (Yugoslavia 1989), Intelligent Music Project (Bulgaria 2022), Mia Dimsic (Croatia 2022), Andrea (North Macedonia 2022), Brooke Scullion (Ireland 2022), Citi Zeni (Latvia 2022), Ochman (Poland 2022), Anna Bergendahl, The Roop, Tim Schou of A Friend in London, Bilal of NorthKid, Cyan Kicks, Justs, James Newman, Serhat, Vanessa Amarosi, Lesley Roy, Brooke, Franklin, Martina Majerle of Quartissimo, Miriam Christine, Claudia Faniello, Fabrizio Faniello, Chanel, Jordan Ravi, Viorela Moraru, Mia Negovetic, Parvani Violet Vasil, Janice Mangion, Mariette, KEiiNO, Anett Kublin (Anett and Fredi), Tess Merkel, Glen Vella, Anton Ewald, Katrina Dimanta formerly of Aarzemnieki, ManuElla, Tusse, Blind Channel, Danny Saucedo, Jendrik, Tornike Kipiani, GO_A, Kurt Calleja, Rafał Brzozowski, Barbara Pravi, Fyr og Flamme, almost all artists from the Eurovision 2021 and 2022 class.

Find out more details of how to tune in live - click here

For full details of this week's Show Content and Play List - click here