Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010

Michael von der Heide was internally selected to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010

SRG SSR idée suisse opened a submission period between 3 July 2009 and 22 October 2009 for interested artists and composers to submit their entries.[2][3] Eligible artists were those that have had television and stage experience (live performances), have made at least one video and have released at least one CD which placed among the top 50 in an official chart. In addition to the public submission, the broadcaster was also in contact with individual composers and lyricists as well as the music industry to be involved in the selection process.[4] On 18 December 2009, "Il pleut de l'or" performed by Michael von der Heide was announced as the Swiss entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. Michael von der Heide had previously attempted to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1999, placing fifth in the national final Countdown Grand Prix 1999 with the song "Bye Bye Bar".[5][6] Both the artist and song were selected from over 60 entry submissions by a jury panel consisting of representatives of the three broadcasters in Switzerland: the Swiss-German broadcaster Schweizer Fernsehen (SF), the Swiss-French broadcaster Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR) and the Swiss-Italian broadcaster Radiotelevisione svizzera (RSI).[7][8]

"Il pleut de l'or", which was written by Michael von der Heide together with Pele Loriano and Heike Kospach, was presented to the public on 9 January 2010 during the annual SwissAward show broadcast on SF1, TSR 2 and RSI La 2.[9][10] The official music video of the song was released on 14 March 2010.[11] English and German language versions of the song, respectively titled "It's Raining Gold" and "Es regnet Gold", were also released afterwards.[12][13][14]

Michael von der Heide made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "Il pleut de l'or" as the Swiss Eurovision entry. On 27 February, Von der Heide performed a new version of "Il pleut de l'or" during the Latvian Eurovision national final Eirodziesma 2010.[15] On 24 March, Von der Heide performed during the Eurovision in Concert event which was held at the Lexion venue in Zaanstad, Netherlands and hosted by Cornald Maas and Marga Bult.[16]

Michael von der Heide during a rehearsal before the second semi-final

Michael von der Heide took part in technical rehearsals on 18 and 21 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 26 and 27 May. This included the jury show on 26 May where the professional juries of each country watched and voted on the competing entries.

The Swiss performance featured Michael von der Heide performing on stage in a gold suit together with three female backing vocalists in pink, yellow and grey dresses and an additional male backing vocalist who also played the balalaika. Von der Heide and the female backing vocalists also wore long stripes of cloth attached to their hands. Silver balls and illuminated strips of light were used for parts of the stage and the performance featured several effects including pyrotechnics and flames.[24][25] The three female backing vocalists that joined Michael von der Heide were: Amanda Nikolić, Freda Goodlett and Sybille Fässler, while the male backing performer was the co-composer of "Il pleut de l'or" Pele Loriano.[26]

At the end of the show, Switzerland was not announced among the top 10 entries in the second semi-final and therefore failed to qualify to compete in the final. It was later revealed that Switzerland placed seventeenth (last) in the semi-final, receiving a total of 2 points.[27]

Voting during the three shows consisted of 50 percent public televoting and 50 percent from a jury deliberation. The jury consisted of five music industry professionals who were citizens of the country they represent. This jury was asked to judge each contestant based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury could be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.

Following the release of the full split voting by the EBU after the conclusion of the competition, it was revealed that Switzerland had placed seventeenth (last) with the public televote and sixteenth with the jury vote in the second semi-final. In the public vote, Switzerland scored 1 point, while with the jury vote, Switzerland scored 14 points.[28]

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Switzerland and awarded by Switzerland in the first semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Albania in the semi-final and to Albania in the final of the contest.