Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Euro Trip podcast, Eurovision Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl has revealed the rule allowing pre-recorded vocals would not have been trialled this year had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview to be broadcast on a special episode of the podcast released on Friday, Mr Österdahl explains there have long been plans to introduce the change, but it is unlikely it would have been done as soon as 2021.

“At some point, but I don’t know…I think it is possible we would have suggested it and tried it without the pandemic, but we wouldn’t have tried it this year.”

In new health safety protocols released earlier this week it was announced delegations attending this year’s contest would be limited in number, with this rule change made to restrict the number of performers needed to attend the contest in Rotterdam.

Before taking on the role of Executive Supervisor, Martin Österdahl also produced Sweden’s Melodifestivalen, and explained this had been the inspiration behind the rule change.

“It’s something that we have tried and done in the Swedish national selection and it has worked out well there.”

“We have worked around with a number of different ways to get it right, we don’t like backing vocalists on stage who are miming. So we are blending backing vocals on backing tracks with real-time singing in case of harmonies.”

Image Credit: Eurovision.tv