Pre-Song Postcards

Pre-Song Postcards

Sebalter creates his flag in the 2014 Swiss postcard.

The pre-song postcards are a series of short clips that introduce each participating country and artist. First introduced at the Eurovision Song Contest 1970 in Amsterdam, they were initially served as a continuity during the contest due to the low number of entrants. In later years, their purpose expanded to allow sufficient time for backstage crew to prepare for the next performance, such as disassembling props from the last act, stage cleaning, and assembling of props for the following act.

The postcards showcased different aspects over the years: many featured scenes of local life or different points of interest around the host country, others featured the artists in various scenarios. Some even had a humorous tone at each country's expense as shown in the 1979 and 1984 postcards. The 1978 contest did not have the inter-song postcards (various shots of the artists backstage were used to introduce the performances), and in the 1980 contest, each country was introduced by a representative speaking in their native language.

Year	Format
1975	Each participant painted a self-portrait of themselves with their flag.
1987	The postcards featured short films depicting Belgian life and culture. At the end, each artist was superimposed into a comic panel drawn by a well-known Belgian cartoonist sending greetings back to their home country in their native language.
1991	The postcards featured each artist singing a portion of a well-known Italian song before their performance as landmarks and graphics that best fit each artist's personality are added behind.
2008	The postcards centered on ordinary individuals creating the flag of the participating countries, with some using paint as the base material. During the process, a short letter is scribbled on the foreground in the respective languages (with the exception of Serbia's, where it contained "Welcome to Belgrade" or "Welcome to Serbia" in several languages).
2009	Each postcard featured the appearance of Ksenia Sukhinova, a Russian model who was crowned Miss World 2008. It then transitioned to a display of landmarks of the participating country in the form of a pop-up book. Selected landmarks would finally be displayed on top of Sukhinova's head, who would appear with unique hairstyles and make-up, wearing a shirt bearing the colors of the national flag.
2011	The postcards displayed a notable location in Germany using tilt-shift photography. Each postcard showcased the life of ordinary citizens from the participating countries who are living in or visiting Germany (with the exception of Germany itself where it features the majority of the show's production crew). Each of these citizens would then announce the edition's slogan "Feel your heart beat" in their respective languages, or display it in written form.
2012	The postcards showcased various locations around Azerbaijan and its activities in which they are known for, complimented with traditional music. After the end of the postcard, the screen transitioned to a live view of the Baku Crystal Hall, displaying the national flag on its exterior.

Artist Focus

Since 2013 (2010 is also considered in this category), the postcards increased their focus on the artists and shifted away from life in the host country, with the intention of "connecting the host city with Europe, and the viewers with the artists between each song".

Year	Format
2010	A trail of light would fly over the auditorium and create the shape of each country, then footage of each artist waiting backstage to perform would be shown. Back in the auditorium, the flag would change into a screen where a group of people in a major city of that particular country would be shown celebrating in their own way. The light trail would then rearrange itself into the country's flag before vanishing.
2013	The postcards showcased the life of each artist in their own countries, as a butterfly adorning the colors of their national flag fly by.
2014	The postcards featured each performer in their home country using creative means to replicate their nation's flag. The ideas ranged from using ice (Finland), candy (Germany), clothes (Austria) and dominoes (Switzerland) to big ideas like creating the United Kingdom flag out of mail trucks, double-decker buses and actual people. The artist then takes a picture of their flag creation. Country Description Albania A tattoo of the double-headed eagle on the artist's back, taken under a red transparent film. Armenia A pin made of pomegranate arils, blue embroidery and orange stone (Aram physically wore this pin on his performance outfit during the live shows) Austria Red and white dresses hung at different heights. Azerbaijan Long-exposure of an LED light rod covered in blue, red and green transparent films, with the crescent and star drawn with a flashlight. Belarus Hockey pucks placed on an ice rink. Belgium A garment knitted on-site at a laundromat, then shrunk after a round of washing. Denmark Street art illusion of various furniture painted in red and white. Estonia Shipping containers stacked on top of one another. Finland Carved ice blocks France Plumes of blue, white and red smoke from cylinders attached to moving bicycles Georgia Multiple glasses of wine placed against white flooring. Germany Rock candy Greece Seashells placed on a blue mat. Hungary Stacks of completed Rubik's cubes. Iceland Screen projection against the Skógafoss waterfall. Ireland Inflated balloons Israel Blue bands of cloth and a Star of David wrapped around two poles set against the backdrop of the Dead Sea Italy Basil leaves, sliced mozzarella and tomatoes Latvia Sheet cake decorated with cranberries and a stripe of white fondant in the middle Lithuania Umbrellas North Macedonia Sound vibrations from Tijana's cello moving yellow beads on a red background Malta Red and white firecrackers set off against an iron frame Moldova Three clay pots each with the national flag colors. Montenegro Puzzle pieces of the flag are completed with the help of two children. The Netherlands Tulips Norway Tinted glassware Poland A visual of Cleo's recorded voice pattern on a monitor Portugal Red body paint with part of the coat of arms, positioned against the national flag. Romania A reflection of fireworks on a lake Russia Rows of white, blue and red LEDs found within a mirror maze. San Marino Painting of the flag in an aircraft hangar. Slovenia Multiple stacks of books with white, red or blue covers. Spain Yellow and red threads wrapped around pillars. Sweden Inflatable pool floats placed on a swimming pool. Switzerland Dominoes Ukraine Yellow sticky notes pasted on the edge of a train platform, taken with a blue train carriage. United Kingdom AEC Routemaster buses, Royal Mail vans over white paper, with several people wearing blue raincoats.
2015	The postcards consist of two parts: The first part consisting of each of the participants receiving a mystery package from Vienna in their own countries which contained a single object. The recipient then participated in an activity somewhere around Austria related to the object in the package. At the end, a still photo of the artist and the group they are with is superimposed onto billboards, bus shelters and posters around Vienna. Country Item Activity Location Albania Snowplow key Driving a snowplow Voralberg Armenia Tokens and cards Day out at Prater Vienna Australia Wooden charm Surfing in Salzburg City Salzburg Austria Sweatbands Wildsau Dirt Run Hellsklamm Azerbaijan Zippo lighter Fire performance Bregenz Belarus Makeup brush Filmed musical performance Vienna Belgium Cassette tape Street dancing Eisenstadt Cyprus Paddleboard fin Standup paddleboarding Rust Czechia Treasure chest key Tour of Ehrenberg Castle Reutte Denmark Tyrolean hat Toboggan racing Lesachtal Estonia Skateboarding gloves Skateboarding Mattsee Finland Peak cap Tour of Vienna's public transportation Vienna France Tea set Photoshooting of a tea party Bad Ischl Georgia Black lace Making a skirt Graz Germany Ski goggles Ski jumping simulation Vienna Greece Hammer Boat construction with schoolchildren Bregenz Hungary Firefighting part Firefighting training Tulln an der Donau Iceland Jar of glitter Theatrical performance Vienna Ireland Beekeeper's hat Making honey Jois Israel Eye mask Cable car spray painting Lech am Arlberg Italy Wristbands Wheelchair basketball Vienna Latvia Pink hoodie Making human sculptures with locals Salzburg Lithuania Safety harness Bungee jumping Jauntal North Macedonia Headband light Night cross-country skiing Kitzbühel Malta Skydiving goggles Skydiving Zell am See Montenegro Fishing hooks Fishing Salzkammergut The Netherlands Compass Hot air balloon ride Klagenfurt Poland Chef's toque Baking Vienna Portugal Snap hooks Hiking Dürnstein Romania Horse tag Harness racing Baden bei Wien Russia Crystal piece Tour of Swarovski Kristallwelten Wattens San Marino Flower crown Attending the Life Ball Vienna Serbia Block print Textile making Steinberg Slovenia Sugar cubes Tour of Piber Federal Stud Köflach Spain Black beanie Dog sledding Angerberg Sweden "Outer space" ticket Tour of Dachstein Ice Cave Dachstein Switzerland Hockey puck Playing ice hockey Weissensee United Kingdom Pair of light-up wands Playing with drones Linz
2016	The postcards told the stories of a day in the personal and professional lives of each artist in their own countries, as stylized names of their countries are displayed and dandelions in their national colors fly.
2017	The postcards start off with each artist doing the Mannequin Challenge in a tunnel followed by “flashbacks” of the singers being themselves and preparing for the contest in their host country, ending with the artists proceeding to walk on stage.
2018	The postcards featured the artist(s) going to various locales across Portugal and engaging in various local activities, ending with them posting a selfie with the edition's official hashtag "#allaboard" displayed onscreen, followed with a display of the name of the country, song and other data amidst a background of underwater plants displaying the colors of the competing nation. Country Activity Location Albania Gondola ride Aveiro Armenia Grândola Australia Lisbon Austria Cycling Monsanto Azerbaijan Hot air balloon ride Monsaraz Belarus Clock maintenance at Praça do Comércio Lisbon Belgium Sailing Lisbon Bulgaria Lisbon Croatia Talasnal Cyprus Food tour at Mercado da Ribeira Lisbon Czechia Careto festival Podence Denmark Tour of the Palace of Mafra Mafra Estonia Mountain climbing Sintra Finland Playing golf Albufeira France Viana do Castelo Georgia Lunar New Year Parade Lisbon Germany Sky gliding Calheta, Madeira Greece Making a porcelain bird sculpture Ílhavo Hungary Making chocolate Óbidos Iceland Puppet doll crafting Lisbon Ireland Scuba diving Porto Santo, Madeira Israel Lisbon Italy Porto Latvia Standup paddleboarding Benagil Lithuania Classical car riding Caramulo North Macedonia Tile painting Lisbon Malta Tour of Coudelaria De Alter Alter do Chão Moldova Tour of the Vidago Palace Hotel Vidago Montenegro Shopping at Feira da Ladra Lisbon The Netherlands Making Pastel de nata Lisbon Norway Spray painting Lisbon Poland Skateboarding, surfboard crafting Portugal Lisbon Romania Tour of Arouca Geopark Arouca Russia Tour of Lisbon Oceanarium Lisbon San Marino Toboggan ride Funchal, Madeira Serbia Wine cellar tour Porto Slovenia Faial, Azores Spain São Miguel, Azores Sweden Churning cheese Serra da Estrela Switzerland Helicopter tour Porto The Netherlands Making pastel de nata Lisbon Ukraine Horse ride Vila Nova de Milfontes United Kingdom Tea leaf picking São Miguel, Azores
2019	The postcards featured the artists walking around various locales in Israel, pressing an imaginary play button (a wireframe triangle made of light), leading them into a dance-off with local dancers, before casting another triangle onto the screen and into the arena, where it joins an array of triangles hovering over the stage forming the flag of the participating nation. Many acts posted from their postcard filming when recording.
2021	The postcards were filmed in the format of a "tiny house" located in various locations around the Netherlands. Each house contained items that personally connected to each of the artists. Owing to travel restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the artists appear in these tiny houses via chroma keying, filmed from their respective countries. A white light then hits the corner of the house, refracts and becomes the colors of each country's flag, which then travels to the venue and lights up around the stage prior to each performance.
2022	The postcards featured Leo the Drone flying in various locations around Italy. Similar to the 2021 postcards, artists are filmed from their respective countries, with their appearances projected onto natural or man-made structures.
2023	Inspired by the "United by Music" theme, the postcards started with a scene in a location in Ukraine, followed by a similar location in the United Kingdom. It would then move to a location in the artist's home country, participating in an activity of their choosing. Country Ukraine Location UK Location Home Country Location Albania Sofiyivka Park, Uman Sefton Park, Liverpool Grand Park of Tirana Armenia Lviv University Botanical Garden Eden Project, Cornwall Yerevan Botanical Garden Australia Glass Bridge, Kyiv Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol Matagarup Bridge, Perth Austria Lviv Town Hall Sheffield Town Hall Rathaus, Vienna Azerbaijan Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv Centenary Square, Birmingham Baku Boulevard Belgium Independence Monument, Kyiv Angel of the North, Gateshead Atomium, Brussels Croatia Kyiv River Port Whitby Harbour, North Yorkshire Port of Rijeka Cyprus Kyiv Sea beach Brighton Beach, East Sussex Akti Olympion Beach, Limassol Czechia Green Maze, Zhytomyr Peace Maze, Castlewellan Yew Maze, Loučeň Castle Denmark Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Copenhagen Opera House Estonia Vinnytsia water tower Blackpool Tower, Lancashire TV Tower, Tallinn Finland Podil ferris wheel, Kyiv Wheel of Liverpool SkyWheel, Helsinki France Potocki Palace, Lviv Hopetoun House, West Lothian Château de Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne Georgia Old Town, Lviv Port Sunlight, Merseyside Old Town, Tblisi Germany Rusanivka, Kyiv Bridgewater Canal, Greater Manchester Keerwiederfleet Canal, Hamburg Greece Tarakaniv Fort, Rivne Oblast region Dunluce Castle, County Antrim Temple of Poseidon, Sounion Iceland Maniava waterfall, Gorgany Pistyll Rhaeadr, Powys Kvernufoss, Skógar region Ireland Mountain road in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast region Military Road, Isle of Wight Sally Gap, County Wicklow Israel Urytski rocks in the Skole Beskids mountain range Stonehenge, Wiltshire Masada, Judaean Desert Italy Kyiv Velodrome Pump Track Wales, Rhayader Circus Maximus, Rome Latvia Ecospace pods, Kyiv Sea Beach huts at Boscombe beach, Bournemouth Melnsils, Talsi Municipality Lithuania Khotyn Fortress, Chernivtsi Oblast Eilean Donan, Scottish Highlands Trakai Island Castle Malta Lviv autobus London red double-decker bus Vintage bus in Mellieħa Moldova Skole Beskids Forest, Lviv Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire Orhei National Park, Trebujeni The Netherlands Comfort Town, Kyiv Portmeirion, Gwynedd Zaandam, North Holland Norway Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine Liverpool Central Library Oslo Public Library Poland Chernivtsi University Trinity College, Cambridge Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw Portugal St Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire Church of Santa Engrácia, Lisbon Romania Taras Shevchenko statue, Lviv The Beatles Statue, Liverpool A Carriage with Clowns sculpture, Bucharest San Marino Kamianets-Podilskyi Castle, Khmelnytskyi Oblast Herstmonceux Castle, East Sussex Guaita, Monte Titano Serbia Park3020, Lviv region Tate Liverpool Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade Slovenia Tetris Hall rooftop, Kyiv Goodness Gracious Roof Bar, Liverpool Radio Slovenija rooftop, Ljubljana Spain Amphitheater, Uzhhorod Minack Theatre, Cornwall Roman Theatre, Sagunto Sweden Anti-Circe Island, Uman St Catherine's Island, Tenby Enholmen, Gotland Switzerland Lake Buchak, Cherkasy Oblast Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands Lake Zurich Ukraine Street murals in Kyiv Street murals in Belfast Art-Zavod Platforma, Kyiv United Kingdom Dnieper, Kyiv River Mersey, Liverpool River Thames, London
2024	The postcards begin with a map projection of Europe, where a ray of light travels from Malmö to the respective countries. Two past entries are shown from the country in order of the year they competed. Next, the postcard transitions to the country where each participant introduce themselves through a "selfie mode", complimented with a video montage of the participant carrying out various activities, along with shots of daily life in the country. Finally, the participant strike poses at the end of the postcard, with their names displayed on the foreground. Country First song Second song Albania Carry Me in Your Dreams (2009) Suus (2012) Armenia Jan Jan (2009) Snap (2022) Australia Tonight Again (2015) Zero Gravity (2019) Austria Rise Like a Phoenix (2014) Nobody But You (2018) Azerbaijan Always (2009) Running Scared (2011) Belgium J'aime La Vie (1986) Rhythm Inside (2015) Croatia Marija Magdalena (1999) Mama ŠČ! (2023) Cyprus Mana mou (1997) La La Love (2012) Czechia Lie to Me (2018) Lights Off (2022) Denmark Ka' du se hva' jeg sa'? (1988) Fly on the Wings of Love (2000) Estonia Everybody (2001) Rändajad (2009) Finland Bye Bye Baby (1994) Cha Cha Cha (2023) France L'oiseau et l'enfant (1977) Voilà (2021) Georgia Visionary Dream (2007) Warrior (2015) Germany Wir geben 'ne Party (1994) Satellite (2010) Greece Krasi, thalassa kai t'agori mou (1974) My Number One (2005) Iceland Gleðibankinn (1986) 10 Years (2021) Ireland Hold Me Now (1987) Lipstick (2011) Israel Kan (1991) Diva (1998) Italy Gente di Mare (1987) Zitti e buoni (2021) Latvia I Wanna (2002) Love Injected (2015) Lithuania Love Is Blind (2012) Discoteque (2021) Luxembourg Poupée de cire, poupée de son (1965) Croire (1988) Malta The One That I Love (1998) Je Me Casse (2021) Moldova Boonika Bate Doba (2005) Run Away (2010) The Netherlands Hemel en Aarde (1998) Arcade (2019) Norway Romeo (1986) Fairytale (2009) Poland To nie ja (1994) My Słowianie (2014) Portugal Bem bom (1982) Amar pelos dois (2017) San Marino Maybe (Forse) (2014) Say Na Na Na (2019) Serbia Molitva (2007) In Corpore Sano (2022) Slovenia Energy (2001) Sebi (2019) Spain La, la, la (1968) SloMo (2022) Sweden Främling (1983) Tattoo (2023) Switzerland Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi (1988) Tout l'univers (2021) Ukraine Wild Dances (2004) Shum (2021) United Kingdom Puppet on a String (1967) Space Man (2022)

Postcard Examples

Postcard of Switzerland - Eurovision 2021

2021 - Switzerland

All 15 Postcards from the First Semi-Final - Eurovision 2024 - -UnitedByMusic 🇸🇪

2024 - Semifinal 1

All 16 Postcards from the Second Semi-Final - Eurovision 2024 - -UnitedByMusic 🇸🇪

2024 - Semifinal 2