How did Spain fare in the Eurovision Junior?

SEVILLA-BORN Soleá, at nine-and-a-half, was the youngest participant at this year's Eurovision Junior Song Contest and the first of Spain's entries to perform at home rather than live at the venue – and as she is the latest generation of a highly-acclaimed and famous flamenco clan, she was expected to do well.

Her catchy number, Palante, a blend of urban pop and the music that has been in her family for generations was aired on TV last night (Sunday) from Warsaw, Poland, the home nation of last year's winner, Viki Gabor. 

Soleá Fernández Moreno, whose first live performance was when she was three and who has been on and off the stage ever since – including making her début television appearance on regional channel Canal Sur when she was five, and sharing show-space with top artists such as Pitingo, Tomatito and her heroine, Rosario Flores – said before the event that even if Spain did not win, she already felt she had 'won for her country'.

The lively, extravert youngster, who featured on Lya Manuela's latest album at the beginning of this year, matched 2019's entry for Spain, Melani García from L'Eliana, Valencia province – now aged 13 – and came third overall.

Out of 12 participating countries, this was very creditable indeed, and so far, Spain has never failed to be placed in the first four.

Unlike in the mainstream Eurovision Song Contest, where Spain's results are invariably – and often, unjustifiably – poor, it has come second twice, third twice and fourth once in the Junior, and won in 2004 with nine-year-old María Isabel's flamenco-pop number Antes Muerta Que Sencilla.

Spain competed every year from 2003 to 2006 inclusive, then after a 13-year hiatus, Melani García was the artist behind its comeback, and Soleá is now the second entry in the country's 'new era' in the competition.

This year's winner is 11-year-old Valentina, from France, with J'Imagine, and who burst into tears when she heard.

It means the 2021 version will be held in Paris, although it is not yet known whether this will involve the usual live performances or whether the pandemic-era format of creating a video at home and sending it to the show organisers on line will continue.

Soleá earned 133 points, through online votes – which make up 50% of the final score – and from the judges' evaluation.

At the Eurovision Junior, countries are allowed to vote for their own entries, but must also make a second and third choice for their vote to be valid – unlike in the main Eurovision Song Contest where nobody can vote for their own country.

Citizens of a country living abroad and who have an IP address or mobile phone from their new country can, of course, vote for their native nation, since the process is very simple and nobody's nationality is checked.

The above photograph, by Spain's national television and radio broadcasting company TVE, shows winner Valentina (left) and Soleá (right).