Cyprus was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 with the song "One Thing I Should Have Done", written by Mike Connaris and Giannis Karagiannis, and performed by Karagiannis himself. The Cypriot participating broadcaster, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC), returned to the contest after a one-year absence following its withdrawal in 2014 due to financial and budget restrictions, and organised the national final Eurovision Song Project in order to select its entry for the contest. The national final featured 54 entries competing in a nine-week-long process, resulting in the selection of Karagiannis with "One Thing I Should Have Done" at the final on 1 February 2015, where six entries remained.
Promotional activities for the entry prior to the contest included performances of the song in both Amsterdam and London. Cyprus was drawn to compete in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 21 May 2015. Performing during the show in position 15, "One Thing I Should Have Done" was announced among the top 10 entries of the second semi-final and therefore qualified to compete in the final on 23 May. It was later revealed that Cyprus placed sixth out of the 17 participating countries in the semi-final with 87 points. In the final, Cyprus performed in position 11 and placed twenty-second out of the 27 participating countries, scoring 11 points.
Background
Prior to the 2015 contest, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Cyprus thirty-one times since its first entry . Its best placing was fifth, which it achieved three times: in the 1982 competition with the song "Mono i agapi" performed by Anna Vissi, in the 1997 edition with "Mana mou" performed by Hara and Andreas Constantinou, and the 2004 contest with "Stronger Every Minute" performed by Lisa Andreas. Cyprus' least successful result was in the 1986 contest when it placed last with the song "Tora zo" by Elpida, receiving only four points in total. However, its worst finish in terms of points received was when it placed second to last in the 1999 contest with "Tha'nai erotas" by Marlain Angelidou, receiving only two points. The nation failed to qualify for the final in with "An me thimasai" performed by Despina Olympiou.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, CyBC organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. In October 2013, CyBC announced its withdrawal from the citing public opinion regarding the 2012–2013 Cypriot financial crisis and budget restrictions as factors that influenced this decision. Following rumors since late May 2014 that it would be returning to the contest, CyBC confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2015 contest on 14 July 2014. The broadcaster has used various methods to select its entry in the past, such as internal selections and televised national finals to choose the performer, song or both to compete at Eurovision. CyBC opted to organise a national final based on the Swedish Eurovision selection Melodifestivalen in order to select its 2015 entry with a trailer for the selection being first seen along with their participation confirmation. The national final was originally planned to be a collaboration with music channel MAD TV, however the collaboration was cancelled in October 2014 due to the low amount of submissions received.
Before Eurovision
Eurovision Song Project Eurovision Song Project was the national final format developed by CyBC in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. The competition involved a nine-week-long process that commenced on 7 December 2014 and concluded with the final on 1 February 2015. The shows took place at the CyBC studios in Nicosia, hosted by Antri Karantoni and were broadcast on RIK 1, RIK Sat as well as online via the broadcaster's website cybc.cy. The final was also streamed online at the official Eurovision Song Contest website eurovision.tv.
Format The Eurovision Song Project consisted of 54 entries competing over three phases: the auditions between 7 December 2014 and 11 January 2015, the Eurochallenges on 16 and 23 January 2015, and the final on 1 February 2015. The auditions and Eurochallenges were pre-recorded while the final was broadcast live. Each of the six audition shows included three parts: the Eurobox where each artist talked about their life and connection to the contest along with a short a cappella cover of a past Eurovision entry, the Viewing Room where relatives and friends of each artist watched their performance, and the Eurostudio where each artist performed their candidate Eurovision song in front of a judging panel. Only a one minute preview of the audition performances were shown. During the first Eurochallenge, the 20 artists that progressed from the auditions were required to make a stage performance of their songs in full without backing dancers and 10 entries were eliminated. Each of the remaining 10 artists performed two songs during the second Eurochallenge, one being a piano cover of a past Eurovision entry and one being their candidate Eurovision song. Four acts were eliminated, while the remaining six acts progressed to the final. In the final, the winner was selected from the remaining six entries.
The results of the auditions and Eurochallenges were determined by the judging panel, while the results of the final was determined by the 50/50 combination of votes from the judging panel and televoting. The panel consisted of four permanent members that were joined by varying guest international judges during the Eurochallenges and the final. The permanent judges were:
Despina Olympiou – Cypriot Eurovision representative in 2013 Alex Panayi – Cypriot Eurovision representative in 1995 and 2000 Elena Patroklou – Cypriot Eurovision representative in 1991 Tasos Tryfonos – Actor and media personality
Competing entries Artists and composers were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster between 14 July 2014 and 5 September 2014 through an online submission form. All artists were required to have Cypriot nationality or origin and were able to submit a maximum of two entries, while foreign songwriters were allowed to submit songs as long as they collaborated with at least one songwriter of Cypriot nationality or origin. At the conclusion of the deadline, over 100 entries were received by CyBC and included entries from singer Valanto Trifonos, 1993 and 2002 Cypriot Eurovision entrant Dimos Beke, and 2002 Cypriot Eurovision entrant Philipos Konstantinos. The 60 selected entries were announced on 20 October 2014, and among the competing artists was 2008 Cypriot Junior Eurovision entrant Charis Savva. Mike Connaris composed the Cypriot Eurovision entry in 2004, Nasos Lambrianides co-composed the Cypriot Eurovision entry in , and Zenon Zindilis co-composed the Cypriot Eurovision entry in 2013. Six of the entries were later withdrawn from the competition as their artists did not attend the auditions. +Competing entries Artist Song Songwriter(s) Adrenaline by Kristis Koupatos "Live Your Myth" Mark Angelo, Kristis Koupatos Anastasia Liberos "Unicorn" Georgios Kalpakidis, Linda Persson, Ylva Persson, Michalis Antoniou Apollonia "Don't Give Up on Me (Just Yet)" Apollonia Lysandrou Charalambos "Luna" Iosif "Call for Me" Charalambos "Luna" Iosif "I Wanna Dance (I Say Tempo)" Charalambos "Luna" Iosif Christina Matsa "I Didn't Know" Jean Saliba, Nasser El Assaad, Christian Matsa Christina Papaioannou "You Can't Stop Love" Marios Anastasiou, Luke Girvan, Stepohen Ruden Christina Stylianou "Lonely Nights" Lefki Stylianou Christina Tselepou "In These Arms" Andreas Georgallis, Peter Svensson, Erik Anjou Christodoula Tsaggara "Kori tis Mesogeiou" Dimitris Tsaggaras Christos Rialas "Meine" Nikolas Mavresis, Salina Dimitris Iakovou "When I Look at You" Michalis Nikolaou, Dimitris Iakovou DJ Perform feat. Stalo Patsia "My Aura Is Bright" Marios Christoforou, Stefanos Charalampos Doody "Magic" Constantinos Christoforou, Zenon Zindilis Elena Kousi "Just Another Girl" Marios Liasidis Eleni Irakleous "Dawn" Eleni Irakleous Eleonora "Heaven on Earth" Michalis Rousos, John Vickers Emily Charalambous "Right In" Andreas Anastasiou, Jonas Gladnikoff, Sara Ljunggren, Zinon Zindilis Eva Diva "Come and Fight for Freedom" Henrik Bie, Magnus Josefsson, Eva Kyriakou, Mattias Olsson Evagoras Evagorou "Chorevo mambo" Panagiotis Damachis, Thessalia Tapakoudi Flirt "Let Your Mind Free" Andreas Le Pourek Georgiou Konstantina "When We Used to Be" Valeria Partsali Giannis Karagiannis "One Thing I Should Have Done" Mike Connaris, Giannis Karagiannis Gore Melian "Your Love" Samuel Bugia Garrido, Athanasios Nakos, Gore Melian Groove Therapy "#IsThisRealLife" Groove Therapy Helena "No Money No Honey" Efrem Macheras, Jani Hölli, Micaella Efrem Hovig "Stone in a River" Argyro Christodoulidou Ifigenia Loukaidou and Lyrical Eye "Remember My Love" Stalo Georgiou, Vasilis Panagi Ioanna Protopapa "Beat of My Heart" John Themis, Ioanna Protopapa, Katerina Themistokleous Konstantinos Michailoudi "Stand Up" Akis Melis, Viky Efstathiou Kostas Archondous "Steko akoma" Kostas Archondous Kostas Karaiskos "Rainbow" Kostas Karaiskos Kyriakos Georgiou "Shake Dat" Mathias Kallenberger, Andreas Berlin, Andreas Anastasiou Lady Ava "The Key Is Love" Lady Ava "Until the End of Time" Martech, Lady Ava Lucy Sofroniou "Lonely" Christian Löwenborg Wahlström, Lucy Sofroniou, Niklas Sawström Maria Evangelou "Play Me Like a Pop Song" Maria Louiza Evangelou, Sara Gunnarsson, Viktor Brunö, Calle Kindbom "Still" Layla Kay Lif, Maria Louiza Evangelou Maria Pavlou "Tha sou tragoudiso" Evdokia Chatzicharou, Eleni Artemiou Gavriilidou Mariana Moskofian and Christiana Hadjiordanous "Sailing Ships, Pirates and Dragons" Giorgos Moysi Minus One "Shine" Giorgos Solonos, Amarina Solonos, Francois Micheletto Miria Pampori "Find Me" Minas Pamporis Myrto Makri "Alone in Love" Lefki Stylianou Nearchos Evangelou and Charis Savva "Deila den agapo" Nearchos Evangelou Nelena Paparisva "Run Run Run" Laurence Hobbs, Alexander Ridge, Stephanie Maarschalk, Nelli Eleni Paparisva Neofitos Stratis "Rebound" Neofitos Stratis Nikolas Levendis "Chlomi selini" Nikolas Levendis Nikolas Mavromichalis "Ena kafe mazi" Petri Kaivanto, Nikolas Mavromichalis Nikos Trikkis "Eimai edo" Giorgos Synnos Olivia Sofokli "Miracle" Steven Hosszu, Olivia Sofokli Panagiotis Koufogiannis "Without Your Love" Nasos Lambrianides, Nikoletta Filippou, Mariefi Orfanidou Pieros Kezou "Said It All Before" Pieros Kezou, Staffan Stavert Stefanos Tsiitsios "Call on Love" Stefanos Tsiitsios "March to Doubt" Stefanos Tsiitsios Stella Esmeralda Konstantinou "World One" Stella Esmeralda Konstantinou Stella Stylianou "Thelo na chatho" Christos Giotis, Lazaros Gketsios, Stella Stylianou "Thelo na gino ouranos" Stella Stylianou, Andreas Georgallis, Kostas Triggis The Knockouts "Real You" Theodoros Kyriakou, Eleni Savva Valence "Scared" Chrysovalantis Nicolaou Yuri Melikov "Victorious" Clyde Ward, Yuri Melikov
Auditions The six audition shows were aired between 7 December 2014 and 11 January 2015 and featured all 54 entries. Twenty entries received at least three "yes" votes from the four permanent judges and progressed to the Eurochallenge.