The Eurovision Song Contest 2015 will be held in Vienna, but who will represent the host country in the contest?

The Austrian national broadcaster ORF is on the search for a new talent which will be given the chance to demonstrate singing and performing skills in four prime time shows. These shows will kick off in February on ORF1, and the Austrian public will be given the power to choose their representative via televoting.

First and foremost, the artists should have qualitative music capabilities. Their preferred music genre will “principally not be of any importance”, but they will have to work with internationally renowned songwriters and producers whose works they will present in the four national selection shows.

“As a small country, we have a worldwide reputation as a land of music, and good music is produced in many of our rehearsal rooms, on small stages and at home on laptops”, said the ORF TV director Kathrin Zechner, stating her firm belief on the existing potential Austria has to offer. She further said: “We want to find, get to know and purposefully coach these undiscovered treasures in close cooperation with the Austrian music scene, in order to have yet another very special song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015”.

The coaching of the artists will be led by two music professionals, Alex Deutsch and Anna F. In a press release, the musician and music manager Alex Deutsch emphasized the importance of sustainable support to the talents: “Usually, a professional environment and the possibility to present oneself to a broad audience in an authentic way is of vital importance of one’s success. Together with ORF, Anna and I have developed a format, which will offer this platform and support in a different way from classical casting shows”. For the Austrian singer and songwriter Anna F., it is also important “to offer the Austrian music scene the attention it deserves”.