The event

The sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest was held in the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Centre in Lemesos on the 22nd of November 2008 with 15 participants. Hosting the show Alex Michael and Sophia Paraskeva. For the first time in Junior a jury in each country also had a 50% say in the outcome.

The theme of the show was Fun In The Sun! In the summer of 2007, it was announced that Cyprus would host the contest. While the rest of Europe is facing cold temperatures and typical winter weather, Cyprus is still a sunny place in late November.

15 countries were represented at the contest. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan was supposed to debut at the contest, but had to withdraw as they could not find a suitable act to represent their country.

The participants

Romania opened the show with Mădălina & Andrada and their song to Salvaţi Planeta (Save The Planet). Armenia came back with Monika Manucharova and the power ballad Im Ergi Hnchyune (Melody Of My Song). Belarus had high hopes again with a trio of girls Dasha, Alina & Karina and their Sertse Belarusi (Heart Of Blearus). Russia sent Mihail Puntov all dressed in white like a Spit Angel (Sleeping Angel).

Greece took part in 2008 for the last time so far in Junior with Niki Yiannouchu's Kapoia Nychta (Some Night). Georgia followed with the amazing bees of Bzikebi and their Bzz... Belgium had a singer called Oliver who started sitting by the piano to sing Shut Up. Bulgaria and the colourful Krestiana Kresteva and friends sang for One Dream (Edna Mechta).

2008 Junior Eurovision Song Contest

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Serbia's Maja Mazić sang Uvek Kad U Nebo Pogledam (Whenever I Look At The Sky) before Daniel Testa from Malta offered us the Junior Swing. The Netherlands had a jazzie number in the voices of Marissa and her backing singers with 1 Dag (1 Day) then came Ukraine's Victoria Petryk and the Matrosy disguised like Sailors and a great performance that took them to the second place.

From Lithuania Eglė Jurgaitytė managed to convey the message of her song Laiminga Diena (Happy Day) so well that ended third in the ranking. F.Y.R. Macedonia sent Australian singer Bobi Andonov and the urban pop song Prati Mi SMS (Send Me An SMS) and then came the home entry Cyprus with the girl duo Elena Mannouri & Charis Savva ending the party with Gioupi Gia! (Whoopee Yia!).

The winner

The Interval Act consisted of the Eurovision Song Contest winner 2008, Dima Bilan from Russia and local Eurovision stars Evridiki with Dimitris Korgialas. The mixed voting showed the preference for the bees from Georgia and Bzikebi became the winners with the original Bzz... sang in the "bees language".