Griffiniskaja Laul

Griffiniskaja Laul (English: 'Griffin Song'), is a semi-regular music competition and Griffin national music festival organised by Griffin public broadcaster Griffiniskaja Televisioon (GTV). It determined the country's representative for the Waiting List Song Contest and was held 11 times during Griffin Empire's period on Waiting List. The contest was introduced for the 196 edition of the Waiting List Song Contest. Since its introduction, the competition had been one of the most popular television programmes in Griffin Empire. Following country's debut at the main Nation Song Contest, it was decided by the national broadcaster that the festival would become Griffin official national final for the said contest. The first edition of Griffiniskaja Laul with this new role was held for Nation Song Contest 207.

Origins
Following a successful return to the Waiting List Song Contest, the Griffin public broadcaster decided to introduce a competition modelled on the Waiting List Song Contest and Nation Song Contest that would be the Griffin national music festival in which the historical regions of the empire would compete for the title of best song. Griffiniskaja Laul was conceived from the beginning as a festival that would not be held every edition of the Waiting List Song Contest, but every few editions with its winner representing the Griffin Empire in the current Waiting List Song Contest. This rule was deviated from only once – the second edition was held an edition after the first one. During the country's run at the Nation Song Contest, the semi-regular nature of the festival stayed, with a tendency to make it biannual competition. The festival is very successful in terms of music charts, viewership and media coverage. The contestants are usually well-known Griffin music stars, and the songs are signed by some of the best songwriters and composers

Participation
During the Griffin Waiting List Song Contest run, total of 77 songs have entered the festival since its debut over 11 editions. Although songwriters living outside Griffin Empire were at first not allowed to enter, fifth contest marked the first time foreign songwriters could submit entries, provided that they collaborated with a Griffin songwriter. To be eligible, songwriters and performers had to be at least sixteen years of age on the day of the Waiting List Song Contest or Nation Song Contest application deadline.

The festival is limited to a single night hosted in a large music or sport venue in a bigger city in a hosting principality. The number of contestants is always seven – one for each principality that is competing. The contest is a music event of popular local acts, but the competition has played host to performers from outside the country as well. Its participants have also represented and unsuccessfully tried to represent, other countries at Waiting List Song Contest and Nation Song Contest. The impact that the competition makes on the Griffin charts means an artist does not need to win the competition to earn significant domestic record sales. The songs from the first edition of the festival made up the entire top seven on the domestic singles chart following the show.

Selection of contestants
Since the sixth edition, each regional branch of GTV is in complete charge of selecting the representatives and songs for their principalities. Internal selection is the most common method, but some mini-festivals and regional finals are not foreign phenomena. Usually about 3000 songs are entered in the first phase of the competition, usually the most in Foreõsvdetrre and the least in Färzas - Lætingmaa.

The deadline for submissions differs from edition to edition, but it is usually in September of a year the contest is taking place. The language of the song nor its length is not limited to a specific language or time stamp.

Hosting
Preparations for the next contest typically begin following the conclusion of the previous contest, at the winner's press conference. A host city is chosen by both the main and local broadcasters, which should meet certain criteria set out in the contest's rules. The host venue must be able to accommodate at least 10,000 spectators, space for a press centre for 1,500 journalists, and location must also have hotel accommodation available for at least 2,000 delegates, journalists and spectators. For these reasons, the contest is typically, but not always, held in a major city. In recent editions, bid processes have become a common occurrence, with a number of cities in the host principality applying to host the contest.

The contest has been hosted in a variety of different venues, from medium music arenas to large stadiums. The largest venue to host the contest is MareStadiumi in Mare Incatato, which hosted the ninth contest and was attended by around 35,000 spectators (capacity of 67,394	seats was halved for the contest). The smallest venue to host the contest was Arkea-arrenaa in Pyetsit, Westersund (then Eestimadnait) with a full capacity of 11,300 seats. The hotel and press facilities in the vicinity of the venue, and in particular the accommodation costs for the visiting delegations, journalists and fans, are typically an important consideration when choosing a host city. The contest organizers and city officials have in the past had to negotiate rates with hotel owners ahead of the contest. The contest is considered to be a huge honour and a unique opportunity for promoting the host principality and the country as a whole as a tourist destination both nationally and internationally.

Presenters
The contest is invariably compered by one or rarely two presenters, who welcome viewers to the show and guide the voting process, as well to introduce the public with the performers through few interviews from "green room". The host is usually well-known actor or singer, and occasionally they have competed at the contest themselves. It is common for the main host to be from the host principality, but it is not a rule. Notable examples are musicians Jüri Pootsmann and Alfie Templeman that hosted the contests in both Sletterimaa and Eestimadnait (today Westersund) respectively.

During the Griffiniskaja Laul year, it is common for Griffin broadcaster to reveal the hosts on social media as well throughout the major cities' billboards in the country as part of the contest promotion. Other performances are usually featured alongside the competing songs, with one or more interval acts typically performing following the last competing song and before the presentation of the votes. It is expected from a presenter to take part in at least one performance in the evening, usually in some kind of medley.

It is rare for previous winners to host the show and it has happened only on three occasions up to date. Jüri Pootsmann and Alfie Templeman are the only hosts that hosted more than one edition of the competition.

Voting
Each principality has to give 1,5,8 10 and 12 points to their favourite songs via televoting. It is forbidden to vote for ones own principality. A number of Natian countries are invited to join the show as international juries. These nations gave points in the same way as Griffin televoting. International juries' votes determine Griffin representative at the Nation Song Contest (and previously did so for Waiting List Song Contest). Both juries and televoting combined determine the overall winner of the festival. It is common to hear different dialects of the Griffin language as well as its older versions during the presentation of the votes.

International broadcast
The festival itself is very well covered by foreign media, especially media related to Waiting List Song Contest and Nation Song Contest. Up to 11th edition, it was a custom for GTV to invite a number of nations to be part of the international jury. Some nations had declined that offer in the past and opted just to broadcast the event instead. Since 12th edition, international broadcasters apply to take part in the event.

Some of the most common nations in the international jury include Effiland, Svobodnia, Solentoya and Moisantia, as well as neighbouring countries of Ugaly, Pyreica and Tybalteva. Nations in the table are showed in the order they voted at the show. Italics indicate that was the debut edition for the nation in question.

Winners
There has been 11 winners up to now overall with the most successful one being Latingish singer Zoi who collected 196 points and went on to win the Waiting List Song Contest itself. The first winner came from Sletterimaa, and collected 100 points. Õklingsmaa is the only principality that didn't win a single edition of Griffiniskaja Laul ever.