#Eurovision 2000

[vintageurovision]

The Moon, Taxi | Romania, Eurovision Song Contest 2000

[weaversweek]

"My star" and "IDGAF"

Another part of the #FearOfMu21c project, crowdsourcing the greatest singles of the 21st century. Here’s an index post.

My star - Brainstorm

The first of five songs from the Eurovison Song Contests; something like sixty songs come out every year, enough to fill three CDs, I make no apology for including five of the 650 songs from Eurovision - it could have been so many more.

"My star" is the oldest song in my 50, older than a few of the performers on the list. It was first presented at the end of February 2000 in LTV's selection show Eirodziemsa. It's a post-grunge song, offers cautious optimism for the future while being honest that life can be a bit shit.

Renars Kaupers, the singer and songwriter, is an affable and geeky chap. Made a connection through the screen, enough to have the song rise to an unexpected third place, and got a small release over here a month or so later.

Like the best songs, it has made itself at home in my brain, the gentle lifts, the possibilities never get tempered by too much optimism, so I associate it as a song of the realistic. Brainstorm continue to record - Prata Vetra in their home language.

IDGAF - Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa gave me difficulty. Which is the best track to summarise her career? Dua has cornered the market in disco pop, with any number of songs to soundtrack the last few years.

In the event, "Idgaf" continues to be the strongest point in Dua's catalogue. It's a song about your own personal contradictions and battles, and how they can leave you stronger.

It's a breakup song, it's an empowerment anthem. You speak, I don't have to listen. It's a song about how you're never alone with friends: Dua stands with a phalanx standing in fierce solidarity.

The song was originally written by MNEK, re-written by Dua Lipa, with input from Larzz Principato,Skyler Stonestreet, and Whiskey Water. Lots of songwriters is a hallmark of modern pop; when the result's as sharp and incisive as this, I don't give a fig.

[aijamisespava]

Back To Where It All Started For One Country

The year 2000 marked a LOT of stuff. Aside from starting the new millenium and the start of the 21st century that we live in today, it also became a time stamp in Eurovision History. That being Latvia's debut in Eurovision, and the subject of today's blog.

Latvia has had a...I'll be brutally honest here...less than stellar history at Eurovision. With NQ streaks from 2009-2014 (broken in 2015 by Aminata) and 2017-2023 (broken by Dons) and finishing dead last in 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, and 2021, their average finish isn't super great. However, these negative stats shouldn't erase the fact that Latvia has one victory in 2002, 2 top 5 finishes, with one more finish in the top-10. It is also important to note that before 2009, they had qualified 5 out of the 6 grand finals in the semi-final format.

So, what about that first entry? That was "My Star" by Brainstorm. Selected in a National Final named Eirodziesma (this was before they decided to be super cool and named their NF Supernova), Brainstorm went on to be Latvia's debut entry in the contest. And with no semi-final, they entered the Grand Final performing 21st in the running order. And they would finish 3rd with 136 points (with 4 famous douze points).

Brainstorm also has a legacy that I touched upon in one of my first Eurovision Thoughts when the season was just beginning. That being their Tin Drum tour (promoting their album "About The Boy Who Plays The Tin Drum") a future Latvian representative would accompany them on their Latvian dates. That future representative would be 2023's Sudden Lights, which if you spent even a second on my page (my username), you'd know the connection is iconic to me (along with another legacy, which can be discussed in a future deep dive).

[dita-vt]

Dita Von Teese performs on stage at the Eurovision 2009 Song Contest with German entry Oscar Loya Moscow, Russia on May 16, 2009.

[betweenthetimeandsound]

I love the whimsy and charm My Star brings. It reminds me of riding a bicycle on a warm, summer's day.

2000 Stockholm - Number 17 - BrainStorm - "My Star"

Back to Latvia and for a performance that is one of the most popular of Eurovision 2000 among Eurofans. It's one of the best-performing debut songs for a country ever and is from a band that is possibly Latvia's biggest. Latvia may have been the last of the Baltic countries to enter Eurovision, but here they are showing Estonia and Lithuania how its done.

Brainstorm (aka Prāta Vētra) are a band of school friends who by 2000 had been big in the Latvian music business for at least seven years. Later in 2000 they released their first best-of album. My Star is (unusually for 2000) a straightforward love song. The genre is alt-pop/folk and stands out a mile from absolutely everything else in Eurovision that year. It's a gentle, almost whimsical song lead by jangly guitars and the unmistakable voice and dancing style of singer Renārs Kaupers, more of whom later.

At Eurodziesma 2000, the first Latvian national final, this won by a large margin although the scoring was heavily weighted in favour of juries over the televote. Perhaps not surprising for one of the biggest bands in Latvia. At Eurovision, it had a good draw and went on in what was the far stronger second half. Even if it had gone on in the first half, it would have done well, purely because of how much it stood out.

Brainstorm subsequently have had a stellar career. They've released more than 15 albums in Latvia, more than 10 in English and at least 5 in Russian. They seem to be constant writing and recording new songs and touring, sometime simultaneously. They're huge across the Russian speaking world which has lead to some controversial concerts in Russia, especially after the invasion of Crimea in 2014. More recently however, they cancelled all planned tours and concerts in Russia and have made clear their support for Ukraine.

In the Eurovision world, they're the band that launched Latvia on the Eurovision scene and Renārs would go on to co-host Eurovision 2003 after Latvia's win in 2002. The band have also played Glastonbury (second on the John Peel stage on the Saturday in 2013!) making Renārs the only Eurovision host to have gone on to play Glasto. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

[lupizora]

Well, considering I've been not-so-subtly losing it over the Kpop Demon Hunters movie, it'll come as no surprise that I considered what a DetCo AU I could make out of it.

There was only one thought plaguing me.

In the case of the Gosho Boys detective trio (Shinichi, Heiji, and Saguru) taking the role of HUNTR/X, there is the following issue. Shinichi can't sing to save his life in canon, except for having perfect pitch (if the M12: Full Score of Fear movie is to be believed).

So you know what would be interesting?

If he used his violin instead, totally shred on stage with it like Alexander Rybak did in Fairytale. And if that ends up catching a certain guilt-ridden demon's attention *coughs*Kaito's*coughs* even better 🤭

Video below for reference (in case you haven't heard of it):

[yujkuro]

Joost Klein Blinkies

[spacespheal]

Assortment of Ruggie doodles

[vintageurovision]

Don't Play That Song Again , Nicki French | United Kingdom, Eurovision Song Contest 2000

16th place with 28 points

[jackdrawss]

Watching Eurovision this evening and the UK's entry reminds me of girly 2000s cartoons like Totally Spies and Winx Club

It's probably the outfits

[aijamisespava]

The New Millenium!

The year 2000 was a wild year to some, marking the end of the 20th century, but also going into a new millenium. But after the Y2K panic settled down and we saw the world not end, the Eurovision Song Contest continued on with the next edition.

The contest had 24 songs fight it out, with the Olsen Brothers winning for Denmark with "Fly On The Wings Of Love," which after a contest held in Sweden, kept the contest in the Nordic area for another year.

Latvia also debuted in 2000 with Brainstorm and "My Star." That song would top my ranking. Sweden took my 2nd close by with "When Spirits Are Calling My Name" by Roger Pontare. Both songs took my breath away for different reasons and should be mentioned and honored.

[wardrobeoftime]

Eurovision Song Contest + Costumes

Beatriçe Gjergji of Shkodra Elektronike's red dress when performing Zjem for Albania in the 2025 contest.

[cressentstars]

someone clearly watched gladiator 2

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Truly an epic song! I like how Roger incorporated his background more here than in 1994, which makes it shine.

2000 Stockholm - Number 6 - Roger Pontare - "When Spirits Are Calling My Name"

A Swedish icon performing in Sweden. He's already been to Eurovision once in a duet, and now he's on his own in front of 13,000 fans representing Sami people. Even if he's singing in English for the final and not in Swedish as he did when utterly dominating Melodifestivalen.

This is the third time that Roger entered Melfest, and winning it twice out of three attempts ain't bad. When Spirits are Calling My Name (or När vindarna viskar mitt namn in Swedish) is a full strength blast of bombast. It could be the theme tune to an immensely successful 1980s, US, 60-minute TV drama series about a man alone against the world, forging his own path and determined to do right by his people. Which is what the song is actually about.

In fact the US connection isn't too remote either. Roger's staging incorporates elements of Native American imagery alongside that of Sami culture. It's one of the songs that is on the path to realising that incorporating traditional cultural sounds and images alongside a more modern musical sensibility, is immensely popular with Eurofans and Eurovision voters alike. It makes connections among a wide swathe of the audience across the continent. For instance the bastion of traditional Eurovision performance, Türkiye, gave this the full douze.

Ultimately, Roger finished a respectable 7th and this is one of those songs that live long in the fans memories. He, of course, went on to have a long musical career in Sweden with two more Melfest entries. He also uses his position to promote causes associated with vulnerable peoples and environmental issues.

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #1014:

To close out the first Semi-Final of the 2025 contest, Jørgen Olsen of the Olsen Brothers (Denmark 2000) sang a special rendition of his winning Eurovision song "Fly on the Wings of Love." The lyrics were changed to reflect the Eurovision slogan "United by Music."

Additionally, the performance marked the 25th anniversary of his Eurovision win to the exact day.

[Sources]

Eurovision Song Contest 2025 - First Semi-Final - Livestream | #Eurovision2025, YouTube.com.

Participants of Stockholm 2000: Olsen Brothers, Eurovision.tv.