Switzerland has become the first country to pick a song for the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in May in the German city of Düsseldorf.
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Following a national television selection competition, voters chose In Love For A While performed by Anna Rossinelli.
Rossinelli, aged 23 and from Basel, beat competition from 11 other finalists on Saturday evening with a ballad with guitar accompaniment.
The singer, who jobs as a waitress and street musician and was trained at the Basel Jazz School, was appreciated for her strong voice. Her style – in terms of outfit and the way she moves – is reminiscent of this year’s Eurovision winter Lena, from Germany.
Initiated by the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of Europe’s most popular annual music events. Switzerland has won only twice, most recently in 1988 when it was represented by Canada’s Céline Dion.
For the past four years, Swiss acts have failed to make it past the first round.
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