Country Cyprus Selected entrant Hovig Selected songwriter(s) Thomas G:Son | Selection process Internal Selection Selected song "Gravity" | |
Selection date(s) Artist: 21 October 2016
Song: 1 March 2017 | ||
Cyprus will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 scheduled to take place in Kiev, Ukraine, in May 2017. The Cypriot broadcaster Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) will be responsible for selecting their entry for the contest, and announced on 19 October 2016 that they would be making their selection internally on 21 October 2016. CyBC selected songwriter Thomas G:Son to compose the entry and the singer Hovig to sing the song. Just like the previous two Cypriot entrants, the singer competed in the Eurovision Project (Cypriot 2015 Selection).
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Background
Prior to the 2017 contest, Cyprus had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest thirty-three times since their debut in 1981. The nation's highest placing in the contest was fifth, which they achieved three times: in 1982 with the song "Mono I Agapi" performed by Anna Vissi, in 1997 with "Mana Mou" performed by Hara and Andreas Constantinou, and 2004 with "Stronger Every Minute" performed by Lisa Andreas. Following the introduction of semi-finals for the 2004 contest, Cyprus had featured in six finals. Cyprus' least successful result in the final has been last place, which they achieved in 1986 with the song "Tora Zo" performed by Elpida. The country managed to qualify in 2016 represented by the band Minus One with their song Alter Ego and ended 21st.
Before Eurovision
The Cypriot broadcaster CyBC confirmed on 8 August 2016 their intention to participate in the 2017 edition. It was later announced that, like the year before, an internal selection would be used. On 21 October 2016 it was announced that Hovig would be the Cypriot entrant with a song written by Thomas G:Son while Haris Savva will be in charge of the staging.