# Andorra Debuts at Eurovision (May 2004)

URL: https://allhistories.com/andorra/timeline/2004-andorra-debuts-at-eurovision
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Themes: Key Events

Andorra's public broadcaster, Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra, joined the European Broadcasting Union in 2002, giving the principality the right to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. For a small Catalan-speaking country the contest was an opportunity to promote both Andorra and the Catalan language before a large European audience. The decision to sing in Catalan was deliberate, presenting Andorra as the only state in which Catalan is the sole official language. At the 2004 contest in Istanbul Andorra was represented by Marta Roure with 'Jugarem a estimar-nos', the first Eurovision song performed in Catalan. It competed in the semi-final on 12 May but did not reach the final. Andorra continued to enter each year until 2009, with artists such as Anonymous and Susanne Georgi, but never qualified for the final. The entries were selected by RTVA through national finals or internal choice, and several performers came from neighbouring Catalonia. Citing costs and poor results, RTVA withdrew after 2009 and has not returned. Although its participation was brief, Andorra's six entries remain notable as the only Eurovision appearances in which the Catalan language was used. The songs remain a point of reference for Catalan-language popular music.

## Why it matters
Andorra's Eurovision entries brought Catalan to the contest for the first time.

Ruler at the Time: [Joan Enric Vives i Sicília](https://allhistories.com/andorra/rulers/joan-enric-vives-i-sicilia)

President of the French Republic, Co-Prince of Andorra: Jacques Chirac
Syndic General of Andorra: Francesc Areny i Casal (Liberal Party of Andorra)
Head of Government of Andorra (Cap de Govern): Marc Forné Molné (Liberal Party of Andorra)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Andorra in the Eurovision Song Contest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andorra_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest)
- [RTVA — Andorra Difusió](https://www.andorradifusio.ad/)
- [Eurovision Song Contest](https://eurovision.tv/)
- [Wikipedia — The Constitutional Co-Principality (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Andorra)