Eurovision 2021

[Jules]

I think the last time we discussed Eurovision here was back in 2008.

And I know because I remember talking about Bosnia & Herzegovina's entry - Pokušaj, with our own Mooky!

It probably would have been a better idea to initiate this thread three weeks ago, and not on the eve of the grand final.

I got serious gay vibes from Lithuania's song this year. Not sure if the vibes are justified or if my gaydar is broken. (Not that it ever really worked. )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rsUJWSwb0c

[blackcauldron85]

I don't know too much about Eurovision, but I know that it exists. I know that the Russian singer Alsou was on it in 2000 and that's about the only thing I know about it! That song that you posted, Jules, was very entertaining and catchy!!!! And yellow's my favorite color, so I liked their clothes!

[Jules]

I don't know too much about Eurovision, but I know that it exists. I know that the Russian singer Alsou was on it in 2000 and that's about the only thing I know about it! That song that you posted, Jules, was very entertaining and catchy!!!! And yellow's my favorite color, so I liked their clothes!

I think it was mostly a European thing in the past, but I think Americans are actually following it now!

The EBU is going to create an American version starting in 2022 called the American Song Contest. As I understand it, the format will essentially be the same as Eurovision with the main difference being that instead different European (and some non-European) countries competing, you'd have the states of the USA.

It'll be fun!

[Farerb]

I used to really love the Eurovision a long time ago when each country performed their own style and brought their own culture. Nowadays it seems that everyone performs a generic pop song, which to me sort makes the whole thing kind of pointless. I hope we don't win, which seems more likely now than ever...

[blackcauldron85]

Is it like American/Pop/Insert-Your-Country Idol where viewers call in (or go online I guess) to vote? How long is each competition? (A month, one TV season?)

[Jules]

I used to really love the Eurovision a long time ago when each country performed their own style and brought their own culture. Nowadays it seems that everyone performs a generic pop song, which to me sort makes the whole thing kind of pointless. I hope we don't win, which seems more likely now than ever...

I feel exactly the same way. This seems to have really become a thing these last 6 or 7 years, and musically-speaking Eurovision has become a total bore. It doesn't help that those "generic pop songs" are often not even good generic pop songs, but almost always absolutely mediocre generic pop songs that sound like they were written by a computer algorithm.

I think this development is a direct consequence of the criticism previously levelled at Eurovision that the music is out-of-sync with commercial pop music. Well, I guess it's in sync now, but the contest is far less interesting. Also, it doesn't help that many countries, including mine, now outsource their songs. There isn't even an opportunity for local composers and lyricists to submit their music for consideration. And since many songs participating in Eurovision are actually written by the same people, they sound the same! Also this approach completely obliterates any sense of national pride in one's song. When there's nothing Maltese or Israeli or Swedish or Greek in your song - not the composer, nor the lyricist or even the dancers and choreographer - you cannot truly feel represented. If you're lucky, perhaps the singer may actually match your nationality. It's ridiculous.

Eurovision has become a self-parody.

I am trying to enjoy it this year, but to do so I have to retrain my brain to reason that the enjoyment must be derived from the spectacle and potential cheesiness, and not the quality of the music. That ship has sailed, and it's a shame.

For the record, I am aware that many people, including Eurovision fans, think of the contest as the epitome of bad taste and never expect good music from it.

However, I do not agree with this outlook. I see no reason why Eurovision cannot be a serious music contest, i.e. a celebration of good music. By good music I don't mean music that is good by Eurovision standards, I mean good music, period! Music that will stand the test of time and that will not be harmed in the least by wearing the Eurovision tag, because in such a case the tag means nothing. Good music is good music, regardless where it comes from or debuts.

After all, while Eurovision is traditionally associated with camp performances and more than a little silliness, I feel that 20, 30, 40+ years ago that certainly wasn't the intention. Serious musicians and serious singers took part in Eurovision! And they took part with the intention of winning with good music, not with artistically-bankrupt tracks.

On a positive note, I am glad that some countries still appear to make a concerted effort to send quality music to the contest, irrelevant if many think the contest is kitsch. Among those I have to count Italy and France. I am certain that Italians are aware that the contest is hardly prestigious, yet the each year they send the winning song of the San Remo Music Festival, which is pretty prestigious! I think that is the right attitude. If the other countries insist on sending trash music, let them - but the Italians are not about to present something mediocre in their name.

To be fair, my country takes Eurovision very seriously too, but as I wrote earlier, our entries are now outsourced and the music sounds just like that of any other country.

But hey, there's a good chance we might actually win for the very first time tonight, 50 years after our first participation in 1971 ... so what do I know?

EDIT: Well, that was a very negative-sounding post! Unfortunately, that is how I really feel, but when I made this thread I was trying to channel some positivity into myself re the contest. It's all your fault, farerb!

[Farerb]

Is it like American/Pop/Insert-Your-Country Idol where viewers call in (or go online I guess) to vote? How long is each competition? (A month, one TV season?)

There used to be one event, but now there are two semi finals and a final. They all happen this week. First semi final was in Tuesday, second one was in Thursday and today is the final. There are five countries that are always in the final: Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Spain + the hosting county who won the previous year. The 20 countries who win in the semi finals go on to participate in the final.
The audience chooses the winner, but you're not allowed to vote for your own country.

Jules, tbh I'm not that negative about it, I'm just very indifferent to this whole thing. I actually think our singer and our song are actually good, better than the singer and song who won three years ago.

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks for explaining it!!

[blackcauldron85]

So, in one of my email newsletters, there's an article on Eurovision. ABBA came from Eurovision!?!?!? My mind is BLOWN- I had no idea. I literally know nothing about Eurovision.

Here's the article with lots of videos of performances/music videos/rehearsals:
https://themuse.jezebel.com/eurovision- ... 1846942852

I know you guys mentioned the "generic pop" songs, but Israel's song is FIRE. Really good pop song. And, it's in English, which I appreciate...don't hate me.

Going to YouTube for more performances because I'm kind of hooked now:

Croatia is a BOP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKdxjoNluzY

Um, Germany, I don't get it. I guess it's not a legit performance? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLLXILcYITM

Netherlands, great job! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By5gTrK2ZvM

Um, just browsing Eurovision's YouTube channel, there are lots of interviews and some music videos and acoustic performances and rehearsals. I do not get it. I'll go back and watch the :43-:55-second rehearsal clips to get a taste of the songs...

This is great, Romania! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3J7eACrChg

This is REALLY good, Italy! I don't speak the language, but it's good! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Imsr0UldAY

SING IT, MALTA, SING IT! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7Ixy-ZTSY Dude, she is GREAT!

This is really nice, Greece! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YjrkTHOmnI

This is very up my alley- so good, Norway!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOHvWB5OU-Q

Pretty good, UK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuDxLg2HhiY

Very pretty, Spain!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKXWbl1lNSQ (and Spain en ingles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll-sHG5C3zk) LOVE THIS.

Very catchy, Serbia!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFd2oLqqJ1U

Listening to Spain en ingles, the recap of all 39 songs was recommended, so that's probably the easiest way to go through them all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6FU4wPI-ng

Australia! Generic pop music is my thing. I didn't love the acoustic clip I saw earlier, but this version sounds good.
Austria- sounds good.
Azerbaijan- catchy! Only has one word in it but it's catchy.
Ooh, very good, Belgium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bulgaria- not bad! Not quite my kind of music but I liked the end of that clip.
Croatia- yes, very catchy generic pop!
Cyprus- more very catchy generic pop!
Czech Republic- catchy, prety good!
Denmark- catchy and fun!
Estonia- it's good!!
Finland- YES!!!!!!!! That's awesome.
France- It's different. Not bad. Got worse at the end.
Germany- Okay, I like this more than the acoustic one I posted...it's fun!
Greece- very catchy generic pop music!!
Iceland- not bad!
Ireland- I like this a lot.
Israel- Like I said above, I really like this! Generic pop but so good.
Italy- YES! Awesome.
Latvia- I like the repersentation, don't like the song as much.
LITHUANIA!!! Yellow and fun and catchy!
MALTA!!! She's great!!! Very catchy!!
Moldova- I don't love her voice or the song, but it's not horrible and I like the colors...
North Macedonia- very adult contemporary...a little boring, but not bad...
Norway- Pretty good!
Poland- YES, I like this so much. Give me all the boy bands. (Or is it just one guy?)
Portugal- I don't love it but I don't hate it.
Romania- This is really good.
Russia- I don't love it, but based on that article I posted, I'm worried for her...?
San Marino- pretty catchy, and I love the colors!
Serbia- YES! Really good.
Slovenia- SING IT GIRL! Oh, I like her.
Spain- Yes, I really like him too.
Sweden- Pretty good! Not my favorite, but not bad!
Switzerland- It's okay.
The Netherlands- Also pretty good, not my favorite, but not bad!
Ukraine- I'm confused. I don't hate it but I don't like it as much. I like the music (guitar, recorder) more than the singer/vocals...
UK- This is pretty good!

[Jules]

You've been bitten by the Eurovision bug Amy! There's no going back, lol!

I apologise if I sounded overly negative farerb. It's ironic because I meant this to be a positive thread! I guess I just had to get that out of my system. It's out now!

Anyway, the grand final was over 15 minutes ago. I quite enjoyed it! Honestly, I think I had a better time than any of the last three Eurovisions.

I personally would have liked France to win. What an absolutely lovely composition and performance. I was also very impressed by Portugal, Belgium and Iceland.

I must say I am disappointed in my country's final score. We were pretty much locked in 3rd place for the entire jury vote, but were undone by the televote. It doesn't make sense to me, but my country has been performing very poorly in the televote for at least 7 years. The reason cannot be our size, because similarly-sized countries like Iceland clearly don't have this problem. For long I have wondered whether it's political, owing to my country's internationally tarnished image. My brother pointed out that Israel probably suffered a similar fate.

Honestly, I don't think we will ever win Eurovision. We are the current record holders for the longest participating country that has never won. It's been 50 years!

[blackcauldron85]

I had to Google who won this year (ITALY!!!! Yes!! I liked them!) The girl from Malta this year was AWESOME, Jules! At least Malta has that record... But I do hope you guys get to win someday. There must be other countries who never win, too, right?

[Jules]

But I do hope you guys get to win someday. There must be other countries who never win, too, right?

Yes, there are other countries that never won, but they made their debuts way after we did. Interestingly, I believe we also hold the interesting distinction of being the most successful Eurovision country to never actually win the contest, lol. We placed 3rd in 1992 and 1998, and 2nd in 2002 and 2005. Moreover, in the 1990s, we consistently made the Top 10 almost every year.

I believe 1998 was the real nail biter. It is said that we almost won, but the Macedonian vote did us in and we fell to 3rd place. I think Israel won that year, with Dana International. I am sad I never watched that one. It's weird because I remember watching the entirety of the 1997 contest! Perhaps we weren't home at the time? I forget ...

Thank you for the nice wishes! I also hope we win some day, but I really don't think it's going to happen. If we didn't win this year, with a song that was actually making waves, I don't think we will ever win. The best time for Malta to win the contest would have been in the 90s or early 2000s. It is now a very tall order indeed.

[Farerb]

Is anyone going to watch the Eurovision this week?