THIS YEAR'S ENTRY

 SELECTION
Macedonian broadcaster MRT decided to expand its Eurovision selection for 2010. Two semi-finals, each with fourteen songs, were staged in the Universal Hall in Skopje on February 18th and 19th. Eight songs from each semi, chosen by a jury and televote, progressed to the final staged in the same venue on February 20th. All three shows were hosted by Aleksandra Jovanovska & Sanja Arsovska. The winner was again chosen by a televote and a jury. As happened in several countries, the votes of the televoters and the jury caused an overall tie. However unlike in other countries, it was the jury vote in Macedonia that took precedence and so Gjoko Taneski won the ticket to Oslo with his rock and rap song "Jas Ja Imam Silata " (I Have The Strength).

 BIOGRAPHY
One has released the most sold album in the history of the country, the other is one of their biggest young stars. That is what describes the Macedonian entry for this year's Europe's favourite TV-show.

The first time Gjoko Taneski appeared on the music scene was in 1996 at one of the biggest and most popular FYR Macedonian festivals, Makfest, when he performed the song "Go, Don’t Fool The Heart" (Odi Ne Go Mami Srceto) a song for which a new arrangement was recently made.

Immediately after his first public appearance at Makfest '96, many people recognised Taneski’s talent which resulted with several collaborations with composers and songwriters and his career began to take off. Soon he started receiving awards at many festivals and still does.

His musical career reached the peak in 2007 when his biggest hit was played on radio stations and television channels for months and Gjoko used this moment for promoting his first album "Zbogum Najmila" (Farewell Dearest).

Only two years after, Gjoko showed and proved that he does not know the meaning of a break in a musical career by promoting his second album named Nikogas Dosta (Never Enough). His passion is travelling, getting familiar with new traditions, cultures and customs.

The writer of the song, 43-year-old Kristijan Gabroski, is one of the most popular and most productive FYR Macedonian composers, he is also a lyricist, an arranger and a producer.

He was a leader of the cult rap-rock-folk group Risto Bombata i Kuceska Tenija. They released two albums and a double single. Their first album is the best-selling album in the history of the Macedonian pop and rock music.

 REACTION
From the moment it was chosen, the reaction to the Macedonian entry as been quite poor. A potential English version for Oslo did not emerge and the song is in the bottom three in most internet polls. Bookmakers make it the outsider t qualify from the first semi-final and you can get odds of 300/1 on a Macedonian win in Oslo.

BROADCASTER

RATINGS