Introduction

• Participant(s): ZiBBZ
• Song: "Stones"
• Writer(s): Laurell Barker, Corinne Gfeller
• Composer(s): Laurell Barker, Corinne Gfeller, Stefan Gfeller
• Broadcaster: SRG RTS SSR 
• Social media:      
• Team review: 

In the Swiss national final “Die Entscheidungsshow” there were six finalists out of 670 submitted entries. The show took place in January already. Like every year the show has been hosted by Sven Epiney. Both the televoters and the international jury gave the highest votes (31%) to ZIBBZ with the song “Stones”.

The duo ZIBBZ are siblings and the name of the band is a modified version of siblings. The siblings Corinne (Coco) and Stefan (Stee) have decided to make music together and founded the band in 2008. This is probably also due to the fact that their parents are rock musicians. Corinne was born in 1985 and her brother Stefan in 1987. Both have studied music, while Corinne is specialized in singing, while Stefan plays drums and keyboard.

In their professional life they have also travelled between Switzerland and Los Angeles and had a weekly reality show about the road to success in the music industry in the Swiss TV channel Joiz. In their videos it’s possible to follow their way, playing guitar at the beach. Their music can be described as Indie Pop.

ZIBBZ always thought of going to Eurovision one day, but they had no perfect song yet. Now they have won the Swiss national final and have their chance in Lisbon. The song “Stones” is about cyber mobbing. In former times people have been tortured with stones, nowadays it has become easy for everybody to mob somebody via internet. So the message is “Not throwing stones” let the others like they are. This tough topic will be underlined by a groovy rhythm and a strong chorus. The aim of ZIBBZ is to reach the Grand Final in Lisbon.

History

• Debut: 1956
• Participations: 60
• Victories: 2
• Finals: 49 (4 since 2004)
• Top 10: 27
• Chances for Top 10: 45%
• Chances for Final: 27%

Switzerland is celebrating its 60th anniversary in the Eurovision Song Contest! Congratulation! Switzerland is not only one of the founding members of this event it has even won the first contest in history with “Refrain” by Lys Assia in the first year back in 1956, who died in March 2018. Switzerland has missed out two years 1999 and 2001 due to bad placing in previous years, when the rules were a little bit different and country had to pause for a year.

Since the Semi Finals have been introduced in 2004, Swiss entries were struggling with the qualification for the Grand Finals. Only four times Switzerland has passed the qualification round since 2004. Out of 59 participations, Switzerland could only be in the Grand Final for 49 times. And 27 times Switzerland reached the Top10, so there is a statistically chance of 45% reaching the Top10 and 27% to reach the Grand Final since 2004. The Swiss entries have mostly been sung in French and German language, very seldom in Italian or Romansch, but nowadays as well in English. In the last two years, Switzerland could not make it into the Grand Finals. It seems that the enthusiasm in Switzerland is not as high as in other countries and in the national finals there is not much to choose from.

Probably the most prominent name next to ABBA is Céline Dion, she has been representing Switzerland. The Franco-Canadian singer has won for Switzerland the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 with “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi” with only one point ahead to the UK. At that time Céline was an absolute newcomer and she started a world career one year after, when she opened the 1989 ESC in Lausanne with “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”. Nowadays she has her own show in Las Vegas, sells millions of albums and is one of the biggest stars in the world. She is often being taken as role model for young singers.

Biggest successes

2x 1st place

• Lys Assia | Refrain (1956)
• Céline Dion | Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi (1988)

4x 2nd place

• Lys Assia | Das Alte Karussell (1956)
• Lys Assia | Giorgio (1958)
• Esther Ofarim | T'en Va Pas (1963)
• Daniela Simons | Pas Pour Moi (1986)

3x 3rd place

• Franca di Rienzo | Nous Aurons Demain (1961)
• Arlette Zola | Amour On T'aime (1982)
• Annie Cotton | Moi, Tout Simplement (1993)

Video Nostalgia

• “Bonjour Bonjour” | Paola del Medico, Rank 5, Madrid 1969
• “Lass Ihn” | Gunvor, Rank 25, Birmingham 1998
• “In Love For A While” | Anna Rossinelli, Rank 25 (Final), Düsseldorf 2011