The Eurovision Song Contest, or “Festival de Eurovisión,” is a very popular song contest in Europe. Each year, countries of Europe — and others like Australia — present an original song to compete and win the coveted “El trofeo de Cristal,” the most precious trophy in the European music industry. Spain has been part of Eurovision for more than 60 years, and the event is very significant in the country.
Spain participated for the first time in 1961. The representative was Conchita Bautista with the song “Estando contigo” (“Being with you”). Even though she didn’t win, it marked the beginning of a long history for the country in the contest.
Estando contigo, contigo, contigo
De pronto me siento feliz
Y cuando te miro, te miro, te miro
Me olvido del mundo y de mí
Spain is one of the five countries that are part of the Big Five, along with France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These five countries contribute the most to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and for that reason, they automatically qualify for the Grand Final every year without competing in the semi-finals.
Spain has won the contest twice. The first time was in 1968 with “La, la, la” by Massiel. The second victory was in 1969, with Salomé and her song “Vivo cantando” (“I live singing”). That year, there was a tie between four countries: France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Desde que llegaste, ya no vivo llorando (Eh)
Vivo cantando (Eh)
Vivo soñando (Eh)
Solo quiero que me digas qué está pasando
Que estoy temblando de estar junto a ti
Since then, Spain hasn’t won again, but there have been some remarkable performances, like Julio Iglesias in 1970, Mocedades in 1973 with “Eres tú” (“It’s you”), and Sergio Dalma in 1991 with “Bailar pegados” (“Dancing together”). These songs became popular even outside the contest.
One particularly talked-about entry was “Baila el Chiki Chiki” by Rodolfo Chikilicuatre. Europe was surprised by this humorous character, and the audience was divided — some saw it as a funny proposal, while others felt it didn’t represent Spain well. Despite the controversy, Rodolfo finished in 21st place.
For many years, Spain received poor results in the contest. But in 2022, Chanel appeared with her song “SloMo” and earned third place. She was chosen through a new national selection show called Benidorm Fest. “SloMo” was a modern and polished performance, marking Spain‘s best result in the 21st century and best since 1995.
In 2025, Melody won the hearts of many Europeans with “Esa Diva” (“That Diva”), though she only received 37 points and placed 24th.
Una diva es valiente, poderosa
Su vida es un jardín lleno de espinas y rosas
Resurge bailando
Con más fuerza que un huracán
Even if Spain doesn’t win, Eurovision remains one of the most-watched non-sporting events in the country. It’s a social celebration, full of online commentary, parties with friends and family, and plenty of emotion. The contest allows Spain to showcase its music and talent to millions around the world.
Moreover, Eurovision helps students discover Spanish culture, music, language, and traditions. Our songs, artists, and the country’s journey through the contest reflect the musical and social evolution of Spain.
AUTHOR: Maria Pilar Casabán
PHOTO: Chat GPT
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