Meet the Czech Republic's Eurovision 2021 act, Benny Cristo who will sing Omaga?
Everything you need to know about Czech Republic's social media star.
After being selected for the 2020 Song Contest, Beny Cristo has had to wait far longer than anyone expected to take to the stage in Eurovision 2021 following the cancellation last year.
But now is his time to shine and he will be hoping that he can outdo the nations previous best result which was in 2018 with Mikolas Josef's Lie To Me, but can they top it in 2020?
Here's everything you need to know about Cristo and the song, with an amazing music video, that he will be performing.
Who is representing the Czech Republic at Eurovision 2021?
Age: 33
Instagram: @bennycristo
Benny Cristo may not be an international star just yet, but he's got quite a fanbase in the Czech Republic, as shown by his Instagram following of 794,000 people.
He rose to fame on the 2009 series of SuperStar, the Czech and Slovak version of Pop Idol, where he got to the final.
Since then, he has released three albums that have spawned several top 40 hits in the Czech Republic, including 2019's Aleiaio which reached number three.
Cristo is also skilled at jiu-jitsu and has won medals in international tournaments - so be kind to him Graham Norton!
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What is the Czech Republic's Eurovision 2021 song called?
The Czech Republic's entry this year is called Omaga and it is a song that you will want to check out the music video for as it features numerous pop culture references including The Simpsons, Grease, The Shining and Pulp Fiction.
But the prize is not given to who has the best music video and he will have to give a performance to remember on the night. The song and video are below for you to check out now.
Where did the Czech Republic come in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest?
The Czech Republic had a bumpy time in Eurovision when they first joined the competition in 2007.
Lack of success and low interest from the Czech public led to their departure from the contest for several years from 2010 until 2014.
They finally made it to the grand final in 2016, but placed a disappointing 25th out of 26 acts.
Fortunately, they have fared better recently, placing sixth in 2018 with Mikolas Josef's Lie To Me and 11th last year with another upbeat hit, Friend of a Friend by Lake Malawi.
Cristo's Kemama has a different style to the Czech Republic's previous two offerings, but will it be enough to crack the top ten again - or even win?
When is Eurovision 2021?
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final will take place on Saturday 22nd May 2021 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
BBC One will be broadcasting live coverage of the event, while Graham Norton commentates.
Ken Bruce will be providing commentary on BBC Radio 2.
The semi-finals will be held on Tuesday 18th and Thursday 20th May, and will be broadcast on BBC Four.
Why was Eurovision 2020 cancelled?
Thanks, COVID! The global pandemic brought the world to a halt in 2020 and Eurovision was not able to get out of its way meaning that the whole competition was pulled - it was a dark year for European music fans everywhere.
Instead, the Shine a Light and Eurovision Come Together aired on Saturday 16th May at 6.25pm with classic Eurovision acts performing and while that was nice to see, we are pleased that we are getting the main contest back for 2021.
You can buy the DVD and watch Eurovision 2018 here and Eurovision 2019 here if you want a trip down recent memory lane!
The Eurovision Song contest 2021 will air on the BBC this May. Check out the full list of Eurovision winners here. If you're looking for something to watch tonight, check out our TV Guide.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
