Junior Eurovision is gradually growing for each year. It is already rumored that Germany and the Baltic states will join the competition next year. But could Junior Eurovision get a semi-final system, if the numbers keeping increasing? In addition, how well can the kids handle the competition?
Executive Supervisor Vladislav Yakovlev is not a big fan of a semi-final in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. “Imagine if some children don’t qualify to the final and how they will handle it. It’s better to stick to one final, with hopefully a maximum number of 24,” Yakovlev stated in a interview with ESCDaily.
This year’s competing children themselves seems to handle the fact of losing in their personal life well. Shalisa from The Netherlands is playing tennis in her free-time, and have from that experience a knowledge of how it is to lose. “At first I get sad, and I keep saying to myself that I should’ve done better,” Shalisa explained.
To keep the children happy and in a none-competitive mood, the EBU is encouraging the kids to not think of the event as a contest. “It’s all in the details. That’s why we also added the second and third prize, which are awarded off-air,” Vladislav Yakovlev said on behalf of the EBU.