The celebration of the Benidorm Fest last week has left a trail of news that still continues to fall in dribs and drabs with each passing day. From the reactions to Nebulossa’s victory with Zorra, the complaints of hatred and harassment by Jorge González to Almácor’s resignation due to his technical failures, everyone has had something to say. However, what no one counted on was the arrival of a competitor.
The Spanish International Song Festival was announced with great fanfare this past Thursday, raising many suspicions with its similarity to the Benidorm Fest, both in graphic design and format. An initiative of the record company Magnitude Creativa Records, which had the institutional support of the Generalitat Valenciana, À Punt and the General Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE). Despite this, two of those three pillars have already fallen.
A few hours after the government chaired by Carlos Mazón disassociated itself from the event, Valencian public television has also done so. À Punt told VerTele that his decision is linked to that of the PP and Vox executive, as it depends directly on them. They have also confirmed that they received an official proposal from Magnitude Creativa to organize the festival, at that time with the approval of the Generalitat.
Even so, they indicate that their connection to the event simply remained in the proposal, and that they had not officially closed anything regarding their involvement. Those responsible for the public channel report that there were a series of preliminary conversations, which did not go any further and which are now completely discarded after his separation. Another setback for a proposal that aims to be held in the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia in June.
In its presentation statement, the self-proclaimed Canción Fest “aims to recall the old international Song festivals where musical composition prevailed, taking inspiration from the successful formula of the San Remo Festival and adapting it to celebrate Spanish music and its influence on the music scene.” At the moment, the project seems to be moving forward with the 17 artists already confirmed.
The variety of support is wide, from recognized artists such as Manu Tenorio, celebrities such as Elena Furiase and other striking figures, such as the mother of the controversial YouTuber Dalas Review, Sabrina Lemus. Also notable on the list are Juan Ramón Arnáiz, at the time leader of Guaraná and former president of the SGAE Foundation; along with Argentine actor and singer Nick Garnier, mainly known for his role in the Disney Channel series Violetta.
