Georgia was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 with the song "Keep On Going", written by Roman Giorgadze and Diana Giorgadze, and performed by Oto Nemsadze. The Georgian participating broadcaster, Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), held the reality television show Georgian Idol in order to select its entry for the contest. The competition resulted in the selection of four finalists that performed potential Eurovision songs during the final on 3 March 2019. The results of a public vote exclusively resulted in the selection of "Sul tsin iare" performed by Oto Nemsadze as the Georgian entry, having received 44.13% of the votes. The song was later retitled for the Eurovision Song Contest and was titled "Keep On Going".
Georgia was drawn to compete in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 14 May 2019. Performing during the show in position 11, "Keep On Going" was not announced among the top 10 entries of the first semi-final and therefore did not qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Georgia placed fourteenth out of the 17 participating countries in the semi-final with 62 points.
Background
Prior to the 2019 contest, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest representing Georgia eleven times since their first entry in 2007. Its highest placing in the contest, to this point, has been ninth place, which was achieved on two occasions: in 2010 with the song "Shine" performed by Sofia Nizharadze and in 2011 with the song "One More Day" performed by Eldrine. GPB briefly withdrew from the contest in 2009 after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected its entry, "We Don't Wanna Put In", for perceived political references to Vladimir Putin who was the Russian Prime Minister at the time. The withdrawal and fallout was tied to tense relations between Georgia and then host country Russia, which stemmed from the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. Following the introduction of semi-finals, Georgia has, to this point, failed to qualify to the final on four occasions. In , "For You" performed by the Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao failed to qualify to the final.
As part of its duties as participating broadcaster, GPB organises the selection of its entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and broadcasts the event in the country. The broadcaster confirmed its intentions to participate at the 2019 contest on 17 September 2018. GPB has selected their entry for the contest both through national finals and internal selections in the past. In 2018, it opted to internally select the entry. For its 2019 participation, the entry was selected via the reality television show Georgian Idol.
Before Eurovision Georgian Idol The Georgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was selected through the eighth season of Georgian Idol, the Georgian version of the reality television singing competition format Idols created by Simon Fuller. The competition premiered on 5 January 2019 and concluded with a final on 3 March 2019. All shows in the competition were hosted by Vaniko Tarkhnishvili and Ruska Makashvili with the live shows taking place at the Tbilisi Concert Hall in Tbilisi, broadcast on the GPB First Channel as well as online at the broadcaster's website 1tv.ge.
Judges A four-member judging panel determined the contestants that would advance to the live shows and commented on the contestants' performances during the live shows. The judging panel consisted of:
Tinatin Berdzenishvili – Director of Media and Communications at GPB Stephane Mgebrishvili – Musician Natia Todua – Singer Zaza Shengelia – President of Bravo Records
Competing entries GPB opened two separate submissions: one for singers (from 27 October 2018 until 1 December 2018) and one for songs (from 21 December 2018 until 1 February 2019). Applicants attended preliminary auditions held in the following eleven cities across Georgia:
27 October 2018 – 1 December 2018: Tbilisi 30 October 2018: Telavi and Gurjaani 31 October 2018: Akhmeta and Lagodekhi 1 November 2018: Gori 2 November 2018: Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe 6 November 2018: Chiatura 13–14 November 2018: Batumi 15 November 2018: Kutaisi
38 contestants progressed to the audition shows in front of the judging panel, while over 200 songs were received by the song submission deadline. A seven-member expert commission selected the top three songs from the received submissions, which were announced on 26 February 2019. The expert commission consisted of Davit Evgenidze, Nodiko Tatishvili (who represented ), Zura Ramishvili, Giorgi Asanishvili, Manana Morchiladze, Lana Kutateladze and Khatuna Koberidze.
Contestant progress in the live shows Colour key –Contestant was in the bottom two –Contestant was in the bottom three –Contestant received the fewest public votes and was eliminated –Contestant received the most public votes Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Oto Nemsadze 1st14.84% 1st21.90% 2nd22.57% 2nd23.09% 2nd27.23% 1st44.13% Liza Kalandadze 3rd12.97% 2nd19.42% 1st24.05% 1st33.03% 1st30.18% 2nd35.51% Giorgi Nakashidze 7th7.39% 6th9.25% 3rd11.98% 3rd12.59% 3rd14.51% 3rd11.06% Giorgi Pruidze 6th8.93% 4th9.87% 5th10.96% 4th10.44% 4th14.35% 4th9.30% Nini Tsnobiladze 8th7.14% 5th9.79% 6th9.93% 5th10.39% 5th13.73% Eliminated(Week 5) Tamar Lachkhepiani 2nd13.57% 3rd12.94% 4th11.59% 6th9.65% Eliminated(Week 4) Ikako Aleksidze 5th11.28% 7th8.73% 7th8.92% Eliminated(Week 3) Dima Kobeshavidze 4th12.15% 8th8.10% Eliminated(Week 2) Mariam Kakhelishvili 9th6.44% Eliminated(Week 1) Beso Nemsadze 10th5.29% Eliminated(Week 1)
Shows Audition shows The judging panel shortlisted 48 contestants following the audition shows aired between 5 January 2019 and 19 January 2019, and selected the top ten that would progress to the live shows from a further 22 shortlisted contestants. Among the contestants were 2010 Georgian Junior Eurovision entrant Mariam Kakhelishvili and member of 2011 Georgian Junior Eurovision winners Candy, Iru Khechanovi. + Auditions Show 15 January 2019 Artist Song Result 1 Tamar Lachkhepiani "Over the Rainbow" Advanced "" () 2 Mariam Dokvadze "A Natural Woman" Advanced "" () 3 Giorgi Chomakhidze "Tequila" 4 Santa impersonator "Let It Snow" 5 Davit Kalandadze "White Christmas" Advanced 6 Afik Navruzov — Advanced 7 Natia Nanobashvili "Clown" Advanced "" () 8 Giorgi Nakashidze "Radioactive" Advanced "" () 9 Ikako Aleksidze "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Advanced 10 Eto Tskipurishvili "Can't Help Falling in Love" 11 Avtandil Kukhianidze "Strangers in the Night" 12 Mariam Zhordania "Love on the Brain" Advanced "" () 13 Mariam Goguadze "Burnin' Up" Advanced + Auditions Show 212 January 2019 Artist Song Result 1 Liza Mebonia "Summertime" Advanced 2 Pini Kapanadze "Oh! Darling" Advanced 3 Giorgi Pruidze "Kiss from a Rose" Advanced "" () 4 Gedevan Kevlishvili "" () Advanced 5 Imeda Davitadze "" () 6 Beso Nemsadze "" () Advanced 7 Oto Nemsadze "Billie Jean" Advanced 8 Maria Tsimintia "I Wanna Be Loved by You" Advanced "Highway to Hell" 9 Anastasia Pirveli "I Wish You Love" Advanced 10 Iru Khechanovi "She Wolf (Falling to Pieces)" Advanced "" () 11 Dima Kobeshavidze "" () Advanced "Make It Rain" 12 Mariam Buadze "" () 13 Aleqsandre Chekunovi "Because I Got High" 14 Liza Kalandadze "" () Advanced "Nature Boy" + Auditions Show 319 January 2019 Artist Song Result 1 Bacho Chania "Numb" Advanced 2 Isev shen "" () Advanced 3 Dzmadnapitsebi Rustavelis 16-idan "Havana" Advanced 4 Levan Morbedadze "" () 5 Barbare Sukhitashvili "Fallin'" 6 Tamuna Liluashvili "Reflection" Advanced 7 Malibu Tughushi — Advanced 8 Willie Tyrone "Drown" Advanced 9 Nini Tsnobiladze "I'd Rather Go Blind" Advanced 10 Sali Mirianashvili "Do It Like a Dude" Advanced 11 Mariam Kakhelishvili "Golden Slumbers" Advanced + Second Qualification Round19 January 2019 Artist Song Result 1 Gedevan Kevlishvili "Born This Way" 2 Liza Mebonia "When We Were Young" 3 Willie Tyrone "Faith" 4 Oto Ghurtskaia "Wander This World" 5 Mariam Kakhelishvili "One Moment in Time" Advanced 6 Mariam Dokvadze "You Got to Love Me" 7 Ikako Aleksidze "Never Enough" Advanced 8 Sali Mirianashvili "Runnin' (Lose It All)" 9 Eto Tskipurishvili "I Will" 10 Dima Kobeshavidze "Let It Be" Advanced 11 Mariam Goguadze "We Found Love" 12 Liza Kalandadze "You Only Live Twice" Advanced 13 Nini Tsnobiladze "Golden" Advanced 14 Giorgi Pruidze "A Song for You" Advanced 15 Natia Nanobashvili "What a Girl Wants" 16 Giorgi Nakashidze "Enter Sandman" Advanced 17 Malibu Tugushi "Hello" 18 Beso Nemsadze "Ya ne sdamsya bez boyu" () Advanced 19 Tamuna Liluashvili "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" 20 Oto Nemsadze "Heaven on Their Minds" Advanced 21 Tamar Lachkhepiani "That's Life" Advanced 22 Mariam Zhordania "Rolling on the River"
Live shows Two of the ten contestants were eliminated in the first live show on 26 January 2019, while one was eliminated during each of the second to fifth live shows between 2 February 2019 and 23 February 2019. The results of the live shows were determined exclusively by a public vote through televoting and voting via Facebook messenger. + Show 126 January 2019 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Giorgi Pruidze "Somebody to Love" 8.93% 6 2 Nini Tsnobiladze "These Are the Days of Our Lives" 7.14% 8 3 Oto Nemsadze "We Will Rock You" 14.84% 1 "We Are the Champions" 4 Ikako Aleksidze "Under Pressure" 11.28% 5 5 Beso Nemsadze "Fat Bottomed Girls" 5.29% 10 6 Tamar Lachkhepiani "Radio Ga Ga" 13.57% 2 7 Giorgi Nakashidze "The Show Must Go On" 7.39% 7 8 Liza Kalandadze "Who Wants to Live Forever" 12.97% 3 9 Dima Kobeshavidze "Love of My Life" 12.15% 4 10 Mariam Kakhelishvili "I Want to Break Free" 6.44% 9
+ Show 22 February 2019 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Giorgi Pruidze "" () 9.87% 4 2 Ikako Aleksidze "Silent Swim" 8.73% 7 "" () 3 Tamar Lachkhepiani "" () 12.94% 3 "" () 4 Dima Kobeshavidze "Mango" 8.10% 8 5 Nini Tsnobiladze "" () 9.79% 5 6 Giorgi Nakashidze "" () 9.25% 6 7 Liza Kalandadze "" () 19.42% 2 8 Oto Nemsadze "" () 21.90% 1
+ Show 39 February 2019 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Tamar Lachkhepiani "" () 11.59% 4 2 Nini Tsnobiladze "" () 9.93% 6 3 Giorgi Nakashidze "" () 11.98% 3 4 Giorgi Pruidze "" () 10.96% 5 5 Ikako Aleksidze "" () 8.92% 7 6 Oto Nemsadze "" () 22.57% 2 7 Liza Kalandadze "Artificial Love" 24.05% 1
+ Show 416 February 2019 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Tamar Lachkhepiani "" () 9.65% 6 2 Giorgi Pruidze "" () 10.44% 4 3 Liza Kalandadze "" () 33.03% 1 4 Giorgi Nakashidze "" () 12.59% 3 5 Nini Tsnobiladze "" () 10.39% 5 6 Oto Nemsadze "" () 23.09% 2
+ Show 523 February 2019 Artist Song Televote Place 1 Oto Nemsadze "Come Together" 27.23% 2 "" () 2 Giorgi Pruidze "Feeling Good" 14.35% 4 "Emotions" 3 Nini Tsnobiladze "Am I The One" 13.73% 5 "" () 4 Liza Kalandadze "I Put a Spell on You" 30.18% 1 "" () 5 Giorgi Nakashidze "Sweet Dreams" 14.51% 3 "" ()
Final Each of the four remaining contestants presented one of the three candidate Eurovision songs during the final live show on 3 March 2019. The winner, "Sul tsin iare" performed by Oto Nemsadze, was determined exclusively by a public vote through televoting and voting via Facebook messenger. + Final3 March 2019 Artist Song Songwriter(s) Televote Place 1 Giorgi Nakashidze "" () Roman Giorgadze, Diana Giorgadze 13,483 3 2 Liza Kalandadze "" () Levan Basharuli 43,289 2 3 Oto Nemsadze "" () Roman Giorgadze, Diana Giorgadze 53,798 1 4 Giorgi Pruidze "" () Tamar Babilua 11,337 4
Promotion Prior to the contest, Oto Nemsadze specifically promoted "Keep On Going" as the Georgian Eurovision entry on 6 April 2019 by performing during the Eurovision in Concert event which was held at the AFAS Live venue in Amsterdam, Netherlands and hosted by Cornald Maas and Marlayne.