The Rototom Sunsplash festival, which will set up in Spain at the end of August, runs the European Reggae Contest every year.
The principle is simple: 12 national selections (Italy, Spain, Hungary, Portugal, Germany, France, Czech Republic and Slovakia, England and Ireland, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland, the Scandinavian countries, rest of Europe) are marked by a jury appointed in each country, as well as by the public. The winner of each selection gets to compete on the festival stage, where the European winner will be chosen.
Voting for the first phase closed on 29 May. Out of 70 French entrants, it is Abdou Day who will finally represent France in Benicassim on 25 August for the semi-final and perhaps on the 26th for the final, which will be contested by the last three acts standing.
Let's wish him good luck, as the winner takes home a European promotional tour as well as the chance to remix one of their tracks with one of the following producers: Mad Professor (Ariwa), Neil Perch (Universal Egg), Paolo Baldini (Alambic Conspiracy) or Curtis Lynch Junior (Necessary Mayhem).
Switzerland's Junior Tshaka won the 2009 edition.
All the participants, winners and details of the 2010 contest.