Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006

Eurovision Song Contest 2006
Participating broadcasterTélé Monte-Carlo (TMC)
Country Monaco
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 2 March 2006
Song: 14 March 2006
Selected artist(s)Séverine Ferrer
Selected song"La Coco-Dance"
Selected songwriter(s)
  • J. Woodfeel
  • Iren Bo
Finals performance
Semi-final resultFailed to qualify (21st)
Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2005 • 2006

Monaco was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song "La Coco-Dance", written by J. Woodfeel and Iren Bo, and performed by Séverine Ferrer. The Monégasque participating broadcaster, Télé Monte-Carlo (TMC), internally selected its entry for the contest. The song and the performer were announced on 2 March 2006, while the song was presented on 14 March 2006 during the SR Sverige radio programme Diggil-ej.

Monaco competed in the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 18 May 2006. Performing during the show in position 10, "La Coco-Dance" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Monaco placed twenty-first out of the 23 participating countries in the semi-final with 14 points. As of 2025, this was the last entry from Monaco in the contest, before TMC withdrew the following year. The absence has continued in every edition since.

Background

Main article: Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2006 contest, Télé Monte-Carlo (TMC) has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Monaco twenty-three times since its first entry in 1959. It has won the contest once (in 1971 with the song "Un banc, un arbre, une rue" performed by Séverine), making it the only entry from a microstate to have won the contest to date.[1] It has also placed last on two occasions: in 1959 and in 1965 which also received nul points.[2] Between 1980 and 2003, Monaco did not participate in the contest with TMC citing financial reasons and lack of interest, while it returned in 2004 with the song "Notre planète" performed by Maryon but failed to qualify to the final from the semi-final. In 2005, "Tout de moi" performed by Lise Darly, once again failed to qualify to the final.[3]

As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, TMC organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster had selected all its entries through an internal selection, a method that was continued for its 2006 participation.

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

TCM internally selected its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. On 2 March 2006, it announced that Séverine Ferrer would represent Monaco with the song "La Coco-Dance". Ferrer, who was previously one of the twelve performers shortlisted to represent Monaco in 2005, was selected following audition rounds held in Monaco and Paris in January 2006 where the French Eurovision Head of Delegation Bruno Berberes was also involved in.[4][5]

"La Coco-Dance" was written by Philippe Bosco and Irka Bochenko under the respective pseudonyms J. Woodfeel and Iren Bo, and was selected in early December 2005 from several proposals received by record companies.[6][7] Bosco had also previously written the Monégasque entries in 2004 and 2005.[8] "La Coco-Dance" features lyrics in French and Tahitian, marking the first song in the contest to feature lyrics in Tahitian.[4] The song was presented to the public on 14 March 2006 during the SR Sverige radio programme Diggil-ej, hosted by Kris Boswell.[9]

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country, the "Big Four" (France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and the ten highest placed finishers in the 2005 contest are required to qualify from the semi-final on 18 May 2006 in order to compete for the final on 20 May 2006; the top ten countries from the semi-final progress to the final.[10] On 21 March 2006, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order for the semi-final and Monaco was set to perform in position 10, following the entry from Cyprus and before the entry from Macedonia.[11] At the end of the show, Monaco was not announced among the top 10 entries in the semi-final and therefore failed to qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Monaco placed twenty-first in the semi-final, receiving a total of 14 points.[12]

Both the semi-final and the final were broadcast in Monaco on TMC with commentary by Bernard Montiel and Églantine Éméyé.[13][14][15] TCM also appointed Éméyé as its spokesperson to announced the results of the Monégasque jury during the final.

Voting

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Monaco and awarded by Monaco in the semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the semi-final and the final of the contest.

Points awarded to Monaco

Points awarded to Monaco (Semi-final)[16]
Score Country
12 points
10 points
8 points  France
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points  Andorra
2 points  Estonia
1 point  Poland

Points awarded by Monaco

References

  1. ^ "40 years ago today - Séverine brings Monaco their sole victory". eurovision.tv. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Monaco". eurovision.tv. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  3. ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (2016). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Three: The 1980s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 86–103. ISBN 978-1-84583-118-9.
  4. ^ a b West-Soley, Richard (2 March 2006). "Séverine Ferrer for Monaco". Esctoday. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Séverine Ferrer for Monaco". eurovision.tv. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. ^ Bakker, Sietse (11 December 2005). "Monaco picked its song for Athens". Esctoday. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  7. ^ "La Coco-dance (Monaco, 2006)". Six on Stage. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Philippe Bosco". Six on Stage. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  9. ^ West-Soley, Richard (14 March 2006). "Monaco entry broadcast today". Esctoday. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Athens 2006 – Eurovision Song Contest". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  11. ^ Bakker, Sietse (21 March 2006). "Running order decided!". ESCToday.
  12. ^ "Semi-Final of Athens 2006". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Jeudi 18 mai". TV8 (in French). Zofingen, Switzerland: Ringier. 11 May 2006. pp. 64–70. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via Scriptorium.
  14. ^ "Samedi 20 mai". TV8 (in French). Zofingen, Switzerland: Ringier. 18 May 2006. pp. 23–30. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023 – via Scriptorium.
  15. ^ Dias, Sébastien (22 May 2006). "L'Eurovision 2006 bat des records d'audience et d'horreur..." (in French). Toute La Télé. Archived from the original on 31 December 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Results of the Semi-Final of Athens 2006". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Results of the Grand Final of Athens 2006". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.