The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) held a national final to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1961.

The broadcaster received 157 submitted songs, nine of which were chosen by juries to participate in the selection.

[2] Five artists competed to represent Switzerland: Carla Boni, Franca di Rienzo, Jo Roland; who previously participated at multiple other Swiss national finals, Ines Taddio, and Anita Traversi; who previously represented Switzerland in 1960, and would repeat this in 1964.

[3][4] Swiss Italian broadcaster Televisione svizzera di lingua italiana (TSI) staged the national final on 6 February 1961 at 21:00 CET (19:00 UTC) in the Conza Pavillion in Lugano.

The winner was Franca di Rienzo, with the song "Nous aurons demain", written by Émile Gardaz and composed by Géo Voumard, the same duo who wrote the 1956 and 1957 Swiss entries, Eurovision winner "Refrain" and "L'enfant que j'étais" respectively, both performed by Lys Assia.