The Free European Song Contest [#FreeESC] is an international song competition on German television with participants representing primarily European countries. As the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 could not take place due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe, German entertainer Stefan Raab decided to organise the #FreeESC as an alternative.

The contest is similar in format to the long-running “original” Song Contest: each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television, then casts votes for the other countries’ songs to determine the winner.

After the success of the first edition, German network ProSieben decided to plan the event also for 2021. This second show was broadcast live from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne on 15 May 2021 with its hosts Conchita Wurst and Steven Gätjen. During the show, Conchita also performed her song ‘Malebu’.

• #FreeESC: FREE EUROPEAN SONG CONTEST 2021
• #FreeESC: CONCHITA WURST – MALEBU

• #FreeESC: Trailer
• Press Conference, 12 May 2021
• Steven Gätjen: Greetings on Instagram
• Promiflash: Drei heiße Outfits – Welcher Conchita-Look war der schönste?
• VIP.de: Stefan Raabs „Free ESC 2021“
• Süddeutsche Zeitung: Fernseh-Trost vom deutschen Kontinent
• Pictures on Conchita’s Wurstgemeinde
• Free ESC on Facebook

cover picture: Conchita Wurst – Facebook