Chile in the OTI Festival 1981

Chile in the
OTI Festival 1981
OTI Festival 1981
Participating broadcasters
Country Chile
Selection processNational final
Selection date31 October 1981
Competing entry
Song"Si hoy tenemos que cantar a tanta gente, pensémoslo"
ArtistFlorcita Motuda
SongwriterRaúl Florcita Alarcón Rojas
Placement
Final result5th, 18 points
Participation chronology
◄1980 1981 1982►

Chile was represented at the OTI Festival 1981 with the song "Si hoy tenemos que cantar a tanta gente, pensémoslo", written and performed by Florcita Motuda. The Chilean participating broadcasters, Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN), Corporación de Televisión de la Universidad Católica de Chile (UCTV), and Corporación de Televisión de la Universidad de Chile (UTV), jointly selected their entry through a televised national final. The song, that was performed in position 21, placed fifth out of 21 competing entries, tied with the entry from Colombia with 18 points. Florcita Motuda had already represented Chile in 1978.

National stage

Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN), Corporación de Televisión de la Universidad Católica de Chile (UCTV), and Corporación de Televisión de la Universidad de Chile (UTV), held a national final jointly to select their entry for the 10th edition of the OTI Festival. Twelve songs were shortlisted for the televised final.[1]

National final

The broadcasters held the national final on Saturday 31 October 1981, beginning at 21:30 CLST (00:30+1 UTC), at the Holiday Inn Cordillera Hotel in Santiago. It was staged by UTV, presented by Juan Guillermo Vivado, and broadcast on TVN's Canal 7, UCTV's Canal 13, and UTV's Canal 11.[2] Coco Legrand made a guest performance.[1]

The members of the jury were: Luis Benko, Héctor de Aguirre, Raquel Argandoña, María Olga Delpiano, Reinaldo Tomás Martínez, and Miguel Zabaleta.[3]

The winner was "Si hoy tenemos que cantar a tanta gente, pensémoslo", written and performed by Florcita Motuda; with "Canción para gente común", written and performed by Óscar Andrade, placing second; and "Cada día que pasa", written by Buddy Richard and performed by Gloria Simonetti, placing third. The first prize was endowed with a monetary amount of US$5,000, the second prize of US$3,000, and the third prize of US$2,000.[4]

  Winner

At the OTI Festival

On 5 December 1981, the OTI Festival was held at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico, hosted by Televisa, and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Florcita Motuda performed "Si hoy tenemos que cantar a tanta gente, pensémoslo" in last position of the 21 competing entries. At the end of the voting, the song placed 5th, with 18 points tying with the song form Colombia.[6]

The festival was broadcast on TVN's Canal 7, UTV's Canal 11, and UCTV's Canal 13 on delay at 21:30 CLST (00:30+1 UTC) with commentary by Juan Guillermo Vivado.[7]

Voting

Each participating broadcaster, or group of broadcasters that jointly participated representing a country, assembled a jury who awarded 5–1 points to their five favourite songs in order of preference. Due a communication failure with the Chilean broadcasters, their stand-in delegate present at the festival venue was instead used to vote for Chile.

References

  1. ^ a b "Hoy conoceremos la canción chilena al Festival OTI'81". Eventos Especiales La Nación (in Spanish). 31 October 1981. p. 12 – via Digital National Library of Chile.
  2. ^ "Teleprogramas". La Nación (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile. 31 October 1981. pp. 2B, 5B. Retrieved 30 November 2025 – via Archivo de la Palabra Impresa by Diego Portales University.
  3. ^ "Designado jurado para la OTI '81". La Nación (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile. 31 October 1981. p. 6A. Retrieved 5 December 2025 – via Archivo de la Palabra Impresa by Diego Portales University.
  4. ^ "Canción de 'Florcita Motuda' al Festival de la OTI 1981". La Nación (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile. 1 November 1981. p. 8A. Retrieved 5 December 2025 – via Archivo de la Palabra Impresa by Diego Portales University.
  5. ^ Final nacional para el Festival OTI – Chile 1981 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile: TVN, UCTV, and UTV. 31 October 1981.
  6. ^ X Festival de la canción OTI 1981 (Television programme) (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico: Televisa. 5 December 1981.
  7. ^ "Teleprogramas". La Nación (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile. 5 December 1981. pp. 2B, 1B. Retrieved 30 November 2025 – via Archivo de la Palabra Impresa by Diego Portales University.