The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015 was the thirteenth annual Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and took place, for the first time, in Bulgaria on 21 November 2015 and was held at the Arena Armeec in Sofia. Poli Genova, former representative of Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 and the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, hosted the show.
A total of seventeen countries participated, with Australia and Ireland making their debuts. Albania and F.Y.R. Macedonia returned after being absent since the 2012 and 2013 Contest, respectively. Croatia and Cyprus withdrew after returning in the 2014 edition, while Sweden withdrew for the first time since the 2014 edition
The winner of the contest was Destiny Chukunyere, who represented Malta with the song "Not My Soul". This was the country's second victory in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, having won two years previously. This contest marked the second time a country won twice in a three-year period (following Belarus winning twice in a period of three years between 2005 and 2007). The country's 185-point victory also achieved the highest amount of points received by any entry in the history of the Contest, beating Spain's record of 171 points set during the 2014 edition
Location[]
Bidding phase[]
Following Italy's win at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014, the European Broadcasting Union had given the Italian broadcaster RAI the first refusal to host the 2015 contest. However, on 15 January 2015, RAI declined the right to host the contest. The Executive Supervisor for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Vladislav Yakovlev, praised the Italian broadcaster RAI for their time looking into the possibilities of hosting, even though they made their debut appearance in 2014, and further explained how the EBU were in a lucky position to have received bids from two countries.
The EBU announced later that day that they had received bids from two countries to host the contest; those countries being Bulgaria and Malta, who finished in second and fourth places respectively in 2014. Bulgarian broadcaster BNT confirmed on 15 January they had submitted a bid to host the 2015 contest. The national broadcaster for Malta, Public Broadcasting Services (PBS), stated prior to the 2014 contest that they would host.
Format[]
Graphic design[]
On 22 May 2015, a press conference devoted to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held in Vienna during the organisation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. At the press conference, the slogan for the 2015 Junior contest was revealed to be #Discover. The slogan was selected to signify how the Junior Eurovision Song Contest endeavours to find new melodies, explore new people and create links between individuals.
On 23 June 2015, the EBU in conjunction with the host broadcaster BNT, presented the official logo for the 2015 edition, during the Steering Group meeting held in Sofia. Viara Ankova, the Director General of the host broadcaster explained that the logo's concept was inspired behind the idea of a seeded head of a dandelion being blown, "something that everyone has done as a child".
The logo shows how Bulgaria’s young people are the seeds of the future; venturing out from the safety of tradition to explore and discover a new future for themselves and for us all.
- Viara Ankova, General Director of BNT
The postcards used to introduce each competing nation during the show were built around the concept of selfies. The postcards featured the competing artists sending their selfie to a group of three teenagers in Bulgaria, which would then inspire their adventures. Different sights and cities were showcased with the teenagers documenting their journey through their own selfies and sending them to the competing artist.
Participating countries[]
On 7 October 2015, it was confirmed that seventeen countries would take part in the contest. Australiaand Ireland made their debut, Albania returned after a two-year absence and Macedonia returned after a one-year absence. Croatia and Cyprus withdrew after returning in the 2014 edition, while Sweden withdrew for the first time since 2008. It was the first time since 2007, that 17 countries would take part.
Results[]
Draw | Country | Performer(s) | Song | Language | Translation | Position | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Serbia | Lena Stamenković | "Lenina pesma" | Serbian | 7 | 79 | |
02 | Georgia | The Virus | "Gabede" | Georgian | 10 | 51 | |
03 | Slovenia | Lina Kuduzović | "Prva ljubezen" | Slovene, English | 3 | 112 | |
04 | Italy | Chiara & Martina | "Viva" | Italian | 16 | 34 | |
05 | The Netherlands | Shalisa | "Million Lights" | Dutch, English | - | 15 | 35 |
06 | Australia | Bella Paige | "My Girls" | English | - | 8 | 64 |
07 | Ireland | Aimee Banks | "Réalta na mara" | Irish | Star of the sea | 12 | 36 |
08 | Russia | Mikhail Smirnov | "Mechta (Dream)" | Russian, English | 6 | 80 | |
09 | North Macedonia | Ivana Petkovska & Magdalena Aleksovska | "Pletenka – Braid of Love" | Nacedonian | 17 | 26 | |
10 | Belarus | Ruslan Aslanov | "Volshebstvo (Magic)" | Russian, English | 4 | 105 | |
11 | Armenia | Mika | "Love" | Armenian, English | - | 2 | 176 |
12 | Ukraine | Anna Trincher | "Pochny z sebe - Start with Yourself" | Ukrainian, English | 11 | 38 | |
13 | Bulgaria | Gabriela Yordanova & Ivan Stoyanov | "Colour of Hope" | Bulgarian | - | 9 | 62 |
14 | San Marino | Kamilla Ismailova | "Mirror" | Italian, English | - | 14 | 36 |
15 | Malta | Destiny Chukunyere | "Not My Soul" | English | - | 1 | 185 |
16 | Albania | Mishela Rapo | "Dambaje" | Albanian, English, Imaginary | 5 | 93 | |
17 | Montenegro | Jana Mirković | "Oluja" | Montenegrin | 13 | 36 |