Cyprus was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996 with the song "Mono gia mas" (Μόνο για μας), composed by Andreas Giorgallis, with lyrics by Rodoula Papalambrianou, and performed by Constantinos. The Cypriot participating broadcaster, the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC), selected its entry through a national final.
The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC) opened a submission period for Cypriot artists and composers to submit songs until 12 January 1996.[1] The deadline was later postponed to 21 January 1996.[2] By the end of the submission period, 43 entries had been submitted.[3] On 4 February 1996, in radio room one of the CyBC studios, an 8-member jury listened to the received submissions and chose eight songs to compete in the national final.[3][4]
The final was broadcast live at 21:10 EET on RIK 1 on 5 March 1996 in a show titled Epilogí Kypriakís Symmetochís Sti Giourovízion(Επιλογή Κυπριακής Συμμετοχής Στη Γιουροβίζιον).[5] The contest was held at the Monte Caputo Nightclub in Limassol, and was hosted by Marina Maleni.[4] The winner was decided by a 20-member jury who each gave out 10 points to their favourite song, 8 to their second favourite, and 6 through to 1 points for their third to eighth placing songs.[6]
In 1996, for the only time in Eurovision history, an audio-only pre-qualifying round of the 29 songs entered (excluding hosts Norway who were exempt) was held in March in order for the seven lowest-scoring songs to be eliminated before the final. Cyprus received 42 points, placing joint 15th and thus qualifying for the final in Oslo.[7]
On the night of the final, Constantinos Christoforou (performing mononymously as Constantinos) performed fifth in the running order, following Portugal and preceding Malta. At the closing of the voting, "Mono gia mas" had received 72 points, placing Cyprus 9th out of 23 competing countries. The Cypriot jury awarded its 12 points to Portugal.[8]
^Roxburgh, Gordon (2020). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Four: The 1990s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. pp. 255–261. ISBN978-1-84583-163-9.
^ abRoxburgh, Gordon (2020). Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. Volume Four: The 1990s. Prestatyn: Telos Publishing. p. 259. ISBN978-1-84583-163-9.