Pinoy to represent Austria at Eurovision Song Contest

A Filipino-Austrian has been selected to represent Austria at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands in May.

Vincent Bueno, a 34-year-old son of an Ilocano couple, will be singing Austria's entry, "Alive," and will go up against fellow international artists representing 40 other countries.

The uptempo song, released on March 5, Thursday, was written by Bueno himself, with an assist from fellow composers David Yang, Felix van Göns, and Artur Aigner.

The competition is divided into three parts: the first Semi-Final to be held on May 12 where half of the entries will perform; the second Semi-Final on May 14 where the remaining half will compete; and the Grand Finals on May 16 where the winners from the first and second Semi-Finals will battle it out for the grand prize.

Bueno will be the first performer in the Semi-Final 2 on May 14 (early morning on May 15 in the Philippines).

A graduate of music and performing arts at the Vienna Conservatory of Music, Bueno won an Austrian television musical contest in January 2008 and served as a support act for Filipino singer Sarah Geronimo's concert in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Vincent Bueno has released his Eurovision entry "Alive" ????

Here is a message for you! ????????

???? Watch the music video here: https://t.co/EQDMzBIyYr#Eurovision #ESC2020 #OpenUp pic.twitter.com/ukHgUQbFEv

— Austria in Eurovision (@austrovision_at) March 5, 2020

Rotterdam is hosting this year's song contest after its entry last year, "Arcade" by Dutch singer Duncan Laurence, won the competition in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Now on its 65th edition, the Eurovision is considered to have launched the international careers of the likes of French-Canadian superstar Celine Dion, who was then 20 years old when she won the grand prize representing Switzerland in 1988; and Swedish pop group Abba, who also won the contest in 1974 with the song "Waterloo."

Other famous singers who have participated at the Eurovision are Olivia Newton-John (1974), Cliff Richard (1968), t.A.T.u. (2003), Blue (2011) Engelbert Humperdinck (2012), Bonnie Tyler (2012), Nicky Byrne from Westlife (2016), and Michael Ball (1992). — MDM, GMA News