#Renārs Kaupers

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2003: Welcome to Riga!

Hello from Riga where they're not only celebrating autumnal colours but also the joys of stop-motion animation and the still frame. The venue is the Skonto Hall in Riga, capacity 6,500. Given everyone is seated, it's probably a little bit less than that - Riga, like Tallinn is staying on the smaller side of things.

Like last year, there were concerns about financing, but like last year, these proved to be unfounded. In fact, it looks like a lot of money has been spent - nearly all the elements look like some thought has been given as to how best to make the most of what money they had and interesting artistic and design choices have been made.

The whole stage feels bigger - the entire thing looks about three times larger than last year with a swathe of stage space to fill and a good view for the whole audience. There's a suspiciously soft blue curtained backdrop which I'm sure will come in to play later on.

The EBU have relegated Switzerland and Finland again - the yo-yo nations of Eurovision in this relegation era. Missing alongside them are Lithuania, Denmark and FYROM. There are slightly fewer relegatees this year because Eurovision has become in bigger in one important way. 2003 sees the competition increase in size to 26 entries for the first time, allowing more countries to take part, relegating fewer and finally achieving Eurovision's ideal size.

One other major new welcome is to Ukraine! It's their debut this year. How are they going to settle in to this new Eurovision setting? Maybe they will become another first time winner like Estonia and Latvia in the two proceeding years.

After last year dubious voting breakdown, the contest is back to the "100% televote" era. That means there are still three counties using juries, but there's no 50/50 jury/televote countries and 23 of the 26 are on pure televoting - the most there's ever been.

The introduction doesn't (initially) take us on a tour around Riga. Instead we dive straight in to this year's chief stylistic decision. Plasticine or modelling clay stop-motion animation with a large number of clay flowers blooming all over the place in lurid colour. Models move to meet, embrace and kiss spreading the message of the love.

After meeting the hosts, we discover the second major choice which is the montage/collage of still photographs used to take us on journeys. The two hosts take us on personal tours of their Riga and their childhoods. This is at once a good idea, showing us a personal love of a city that they can put on screen keeping the tourist boards happy as well demonstrating a deeper connection to the host country than we usually get. However those still image montages are going to get tiresome very quickly...

We also go on another tour of Europe (and space) with Elton John greeting us from Vienna, Lys Assia returns to Eurovision to say hello and a live link-up with the International Space Station says hello from orbit. This competition is really going places!

Our hosts are last year's winner Marie N, and Renārs Kaupers lead singer of Brainstorm, Latvia's 2000 entrants. He becomes the only person (I know of) to have both hosted Eurovision and performed at the Glastonbury Festival. They make the usual awkward hosting couple but also are possibly the best looking and best dressed hosts ever. That mustard suit - wow.

[lookninjas]

@into-the-weeds tagged me to list my current five favorite songs (all caveats included, basically the five that I think of off the top of my head and go Yes This). Also, everyone I've seen doing this has been adding their OTHER five favorite songs from the band that is helping them through their current travails, whatever those may be, so I'm also doing that.

So here we go, in no real order:

"Everytime We Touch," Electric Callboy

"Muoseņa," Tautumeitas feat. Renārs Kaupers

"We've Arrived," Our Weird Thirties feat. Dessa

"Mammoth," Interpol

"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie," Baccara

And now, five more Electric Callboy songs, because sometimes you need a very precise mix of dance music, heavy metal, silliness, optimism, musical talent, and FUCKING SCREAMING:

"Ratatata," Electric Callboy and Babymetal

"We Got the Moves," Electric Callboy

"Hypa Hypa," Electric Callboy

"Prism," Electric Callboy

"Hate/Love," Electric Callboy

And then I'm supposed to tag five people, so I am tagging @seldnei, @halberdierminister, @thatiswhy, @forlovefromfear, and @annabelle4. That said, usual meme rules apply here: If you want to consider yourself tagged on this, consider yourself tagged. If you don't want to consider yourself tagged, feel free to skip.

[officerdougeiffel]

12,14,19,23 :)

12. song you like that gets radio play

TECHNICALLY i have heard cha cha cha playing on the radio twice. but ill go with american idiot by green day because i think that fits this category more

14. favourite love song

ok i cant not say 2000 light years away by green day because it is so so cute i get so soft and giddy whenever i think about it. you can really feel the love and yearning in the song especially in the earlier versions, the distance between him and his lover hurts like hell and it sucks so bad he wants to be with her always but you live so far away. and then you remember theyre happily married well over 30 years after the song about their first kiss was released. and idk im happy

19. song that reminds you of home

elpo by imants kalniņš and renārs kaupers. or like any songs by imants kalniņš. he is my moms favourite latvian musician and i love renāra kaupera voice. i get deeply nostalgic every time i hear the song. es šodien jūku prātā by imants kalniņš and renārs kaupers also fits this but in a more happy goofy way

23. favourite song from the 70s

AAHH i cant chose ill give a list

video killed the radio star by the buggles, starman by david bowie, (dont fear) the reaper by blue oyster cult, everything the clash has made, most of the things abba has made, heart of glass by blondie, rocket man by elton john, on the run by electric light orchestra, sunny by boney m

ok that covers my main bases

ask game

[jupiter-reimagined]

C - Caramelldansen (Caramella Girls)

H - HURT (1 800 PAIN)

E - Elysian Fields (The Mechanisms)

S - Space Is Dark (Bill Roper)

S - Sweden (C418)

H - House Of Wolves (My Chemical Romance)

E - Es Šodien Jūku Prātā (Imants Kalniņš & Renārs Kaupers)

R - Riddle Of The Sphinx (The Mechanisms)

E - Everybody Talks (Neon Trees)

ig anyone can join cuz i dont like tagging ppl (: surprisingly difficult tag game lol

Rules: pick a song for each letter of your URL and tag that many people.

Tagged by @sailforvalinor, and thank you this looks like fun!

Remember and Proclaim (Andrew Peterson)

All I Ask of You (Jackie Evancho)

Innocence (Nathan Wagner)

Níl Sé'n Lá (Celtic Woman)

I Still Need a Savior (Billy Sprague)

No Strings (Ed Sheeran)

Take Me Back Road (Tim & the Glory Boys)

How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin)

Everything Sad is Coming Untrue (Jason Grey)

El-Shaddai (Amy Grant)

Voice of Truth (Casting Crowns)

Endlessly (Amaranthe)

Not Alone (Red)

I'm an Open Road (Paul Brandt)

Never Leave Your Side (Sam Tinnesz)

Good to Be Alive (Skillet)

Hoo boy, can I think of sixteen people?

@griseldabanks @kraytwriter @kingofattolia @catkin-morgs @clawedandcute @nerdychristianfanboy @steampunk-archer @sergeanttomycaptain @smhalltheurlsaretaken @scribblermerlin @authortobenamedlater @stainedleather @mrtobenamedlater @mrgartist @get-loved-nerd @a-fount-of-blessings (Ignore if this is a repeat tag. Unless you want to do it again. Up to you. :)

[theeurovisionconfessions]

“ This outfit was peak 2000s and a bold choice altogether (Latvia 2003)”

[eurovisionsongaday]

And a big ol’ welcome to the show to Latvia!

[thenewbuzwuzz]

Rules: Tag three people you want to know better.

Thanks for inviting me to play, @roselightfairy! 💜

Three ships: Spuffy (my Buffyverse faves and the subject of my vidding WIP for Seasonal Spuffy), Shadowgast (my Critical Role faves -- there's so much going on in that pairing, let’s say... two queer nerds have a raging case of competence kink for their shadow selves (or perhaps that’s not the term, but there’s some intense narrative foil / mirror stuff going on at any rate), and also there's treachery and some manipulation, and, most importantly, redemption!), Spike/Anya (I'm writing a story for them! I'm turning a trope inside out and waxing sincere about what tumbles out of its insides!)

First ever ship: uhhh, maybe James/Lily from "Harry Potter"? I'd like to think I have discovered finer forms of foe yay since.

Last song: "Notiksies, kam jānotiek" by Marana feat. Renārs Kaupers, lyrics by Aivars Neibarts (We'll spend the night in a footprint of the darkness.... a red egg will sprout on the edge of the sky again)

Last movie: rewatched "Ginger Snaps". Horror movies are not exactly my thing, but I like the werewolf girls and the complicated platonic relationship, and the male-female friendship/alliance.

Currently reading: "We Too" (Essays on Sex Work and Survival) edited by Natalie West; and "Thing Explainer" by Randall Munroe. "We Too" is very enlightening and engaging (if often sad). "Thing Explainer" reduced me to giggles of absolute delight until the gimmick wore off a bit. It's an interesting intersection of science/technology nonfiction, humor, and almost poetry.

Currently watching: "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", the 1981 series. It's fine? I don't understand why I'm not more into it, tbh. It has all the good Hitchhiker's Guide jokes and stuff. Everyone except poor objectified Trillian looks great.

Currently consuming: ???? like art forms that aren't covered by the other questions? I did just read a neat poem, Kuala Lumpur Urban Legends by Jack Kin Lim.

Currently craving: breakfast and a nice bike ride, in that order, but I’ll have to do it the opposite order so I can start work at a halfway decent time

Tagging: @acaseofthewiggins, @feliciacraft, and @rahirah, but only if you guys feel like it! And anyone else who reads this and wants to do the thing, feel free to consider yourself tagged. :)

[jupiter-reimagined]

STARES AT THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND WEEPS. THEY BASTARDIZE DMY BOY. THEY KILLED HIM AND SPAT ON HIS GRAVE. THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME FUCKING LYRICS HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GO INSANE TO THIS???????????????

i. found fanmade translations. left one is og lyrics, middle is the fanmade one and the right is the official translation. GIRL

THIS IS HORRIBLE. I TRUSTED YOU. RENĀRS KAUPERS NEVER FUCKING FAILS TO DISAPPOINT W THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS. AHRHGFDHGGHDHFGHFHHGFD IM GOING TO MAUL SOMEONE

finally working on my oc playlists and. i keep forgetting that mārītes 17 and going batshit insane at every chance she can. anyways big fun from the heathers soundtrack would be her-coded if her dads werent such nuisances. well. or it would be her if she was still living in london/living w katie

[jasminelyoko57]

[ APH - ESC 2003 • I WANNA share the FUN!  ]

"This show is brought by a cute guy and a funny girl!" 

- Renārs Kaupers, ESC 2003

While watching ESC 2003, I imagined if the Latvias are the hosts. Raivis (Latvia) as Renārs Kaupers, and Karina (Nyo Latvia) as Marie N :) the fandom always drew them shy, so I tried to break the 4th wall //slapped// by making them a lil bit cheerful and witty :)

P.S: I gave up coloring the linings, help me--- ah yes, the title is a reference to Latvia's previous ESC winning song, "I Wanna" by Marie N

[beautiful-story]

Watch "Mārtiņš Zanders, Renārs Kaupers un kopkoris - Par mezgliem & Mana dziesma (2008)" on YouTube

Latvia 🇱🇻 sing🎶🎻

[tmblrvision]

Jury 40: Riga Calling

Let’s get on with it. My star, Renārs Kaupers, is waiting for us in Latvia to deliver the next set of votes. May we have the Latvian jury points, please?

(Japan should also be in green, oops.)

[eurovision-revisited]

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!

[he-la-e-loi-la]

Welcome all to Latvia’s national final for Tmblrvision 2018! We have internally selected our artist: Sudden Lights, who came second in this year’s Supernova. Fortunately, they’ll definitely come first in this year’s Tmblrnova, because they’re the only ones competing! It’s like Saara Aalto, only Latvian.

Our venue is a swamp. Because. Our host is Renārs Kaupers, because you know me and you know that even if I’m not sending Brainstorm that he’s going in here somewhere.

Tumblr does not want me to embed all the videos, so the links for our four competing songs are below:

#1: Šajā sētas pusē #2: Wanderer (Spotify only) #3: Laikmets #4: Negribu piezemēties (yes, literally released on the day of me posting this)

The voting form is here and you may vote only once! This NF will end in one week, that means that on Friday 27 July at 9pm EEST (Latvian time) the party is over. Except it’s not over because then we will have our Tmblrvision song!

@tmblrvision

[socionikaspieraksti]

Socionikas tipi* - 4.kvadra

(Zemāk par 3., 2., 1.kvadru) * Socionikas tipu pārstāvji ir varbūtēji minējumi, reizēm dažādi socionikas speciālisti tipus personām piedēvē atšķirīgi     4.kvadra - vērtībās darījumu loģika, vērtējošā attiecību ētika, komforta sensorika, iespēju intuīcija Štirlics vai Holmss - ESTJ, Administrators, "Администратор", ЛСЭ  Reiņina pazīmes: ekstraverts, darba loģisks, komforta sensorisks, dinamisks, negatīvs, kvestims, taktiķis, emotīvists, racionāls, process, piekāpīgs, piesardzīgs, neizlēmīgs, objektīvs, aristokrāts Mazās grupas: holeriķis, gādīgais, lietišķais darījumu komunikācijas stils, statuss kā stimulu grupa Anna Lieckalniņa, Evija Skulte, Inese Vaidere, Jūlija Timošenko, Maija Rozīte Krištopāne, Marija Bērziņa, Šārona Stouna, Viola Lāzo, Liene Skulme, Zanda Zariņa Rešetina, Barbara Briļska (ir vesrija - Maksims), Laima Vaikule (?), Grēta Garbo, Marlēna Dītriha, Džiliana Andersone (?), Mila Janoviča, Helēna Hanta, Sofija Lorēna (?), “Mērija Popinsa”, Sjuzena Sarandona (?), Andžela Lanberija, Vjačeslavs Tihonovs, Ērihs Marija Remarks, Arnolds Švarcnegers, Ēriks Hānbergs (rakstnieks), Ivars Puga, Mareks Segliņš, Mārtiņš Šics, Rolands Tjarve, Voldemārs Šoriņš, Boriss Pasternaks, Rihards Zorge, Daniels Kreigs (?) Dostojevskis - INFJ, Attīstītājs, Humānists, ЭИИ Reiņina pazīmes: introverts, attiecību vērtējoši ētisks, iespēju intuitīvs, statisks, pozitīvs, deklamitīvs, stratēģis, konstruktīvists, racionāls, process, piekāpīgs, piesardzīgs, neizlēmīgs, objektīvs, aristokrāts Mazās grupas: flegmatiķis, infantils, dvēseliskais komunikācijas stils, pašnoteikšanās jeb pašpietiekamības stimulu grupa Akvelīna Līvmane, Arta Andersone, Esmeralda Ermale, Ieva Akuratere, Kristīne Želve, Sonora Vaice, Zane Peneze, Miša Bārtone, Kalistra Flokkārta (?) (seriāls “Alija Makbīla”), Alfreds Nobelis, Andrea Bočelli, Eštons Kačers, Armands Puče, Arno Jundze, Gustavs Terzens, Gints Grūbe, Intars Rešetins, Ingus Baušķenieks, Ivars ījabs, Jānis Dripe, Jānis Ikstens, Jānis Paukštello, Jānis Stībelis, Jānis Šipkevičš, Jānis vanags (mācītājs), Māris Zanders, Roberts Ķīlis, Uldis Marhilēvičš, Uldis Stabulnieks, Valters Frīdenbergs, Vestards Šimkus, Viesturs Kairišs, Džeremijs Aironss, Deivids Duhovnijs (seriāls “X Faili”), “Doktors Vatsons”, Aleksandrs Solženicins, Vinsents van Gogs, Stefans (serālā “Vampīra dienasgrāmatas”), viens no brāļiem seriālā “Supernatural” (Dīns - Štirlics), Pjērs Rišārs Hakslijs - ENFP, Izdibinātājs, Padomdevējs, Dons Žuans, ИЭЭ  Reiņina Pazīmes: ekstraverts, atiecību vērtējoši ētisks, iespēju intuitīvs, statisks, negatīvs, deklamitīvs, taktiķis, emocitīvists, iracionāls, rezultāts, ietiepīgs, bezrūpīgs, neizlēmīgs, objektīvs, aristokrāts Mazās grupas: sangviniķis, infantils, kaislīgais komunikācijas stils, unikalitātes stimulu grupa Alla Petropavlovska (žurnāliste), Anda Čakša, Aurēlija Lauciņa, Daina Jāņkalne, Ilze vazdika, Inga Alsiņa (aktrise), Maija Doveika, Regīna Devīte, Fanija Ardāna, Džūlija Lamberte, Vūpija Goldberga, Dainis Īvāns, Māris Olte, Ojārs Rubenis, Pauls Timrots, Renārs Kaupers, Viesturs Dūle, Marks Tvens un “Toms Sojers”, Mihails Bojarskis, Robins Viljamss, Henrihs Heine Gabēns - ISTP, Amatnieks, Meistars, СЛИ Reiņina pazīmes: introverts, darba loģisks, komforta sensorisks, dinamisks, pozitīvs, kvestims, stratēģis, konstruktīvists, iracionāls, rezultāts, ietiepīgs, bezrūpīgs, neizlēmīgs, objektīvs, aristokrāts Mazās grupas: melanholiķis, gādīgais, augstasinīgais komunikācijas stils, materiālā nodrošinājuma stimulu grupa Baiba Strautmane, Elīna Šimkus, Ieva Kerēvica, Jolanta (Gulbe) Paškeviča, Žanete Jaunzeme Grende, Andželina Džolī (?), Renē Zelvēgere, Merila Strīpa, Fransuāza Sagāna, Žorža Sanda, Ludmila Ulickaja, Tatjana Tolstaja, Agata Kristi, Egils Zariņš, Raimonds Pauls, Uldis Vazdiks, Žans Gabēns, Vladimirs Visockijs, Mels Gibsons, Adriano Čelentano, Somersets Moems, Žans Pols Sartrs, Žoržs Simenons un “Mēgrē”

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Riga 2003

Host: Latvia Slogan: “Magical Rendez-vous” Participants: 26 Voting method: 12-point system (23 televotes / 3 juries) Format: Relegation – the top 15 of 2002 + the Big 4 + the 6 relegated in '02 + Ukraine Winner: Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can Country: Turkey Language: English Points: 167 (55.7% of highest score possible) General Overview: 2003 is when the Eurovision Song Contest begins to expand again. The stage design undergoes a significant transformation to resemble the modern ones. Mainly, the floor is replaced with a giant glass LED screen. Stockholm utilized similar screens in 2000 with the pillars, but I believe every contest from 2003 onward employs LED boards in some fashion. It's the main design aspect I associate with modern Eurovision (ie. being bombarded with a dizzying array of visuals). The audience layout also looks less like an auditorium this year. And another extravagant gimmick happens before the vote reveal – the back of the stage wall is lifted to surprise reveal the green room behind it. Between this contest and the next, the ESC franchise will undergo two more significant expansions. Firstly is the number of participants. Ukraine debuts this year, pushing the number of entries to 26, the largest so far. Consequently, with more countries wishing to debut in the near future, 2004 will be the first one with a semi-final. Therefore, 2003 is the last one to employ the relegation system. Which was never an ideal solution imo. The other major expansion is the launch of Junior Eurovision later on in 2003. I can safely say that I have never watched it. This year's presenters are Renārs Kaupers (lead singer of Brainstorm) and Marie N, in other words Latvia's representatives of 2000 & 2002, respectively. Their style is forced with scripted jokes, which has become the standard for Eurovision hosts by this point. In the intro, they call up Lys Assia, the International Space Station, and Elton John. The graphic design theme involves cute claymation. The postcards employ a jittery stop-motion technique. And the interval is a music video featuring songs by Iļģi, Brainstorm, Marie N and Raimonds Pauls. 2003 also witnesses one of the closest finishes in the contest's history. Only 3 points separated the top three (Turkey / Belgium / Russia) at the end. The final country to be called (Slovenia) changed the outcome, as Belgium were leading at that point. Meanwhile, the audience was notably rooting against Russia. Two notable mistakes happened during the scoring: the Bosnian correspondent skipped a country and had to start over, while the Spanish correspondent gave 9 points instead of 10. Also, the scoreboard switches to high-low instead of the running order, which was the norm for the previous 45+ contests. The reverse recap is utilized for the second year in a row. And the tie-breaker rule is changed from the most 12's to the most countries. This year also showcases more elaborate staging and plenty of female attitude!

Iceland: Birgitta - Open Your Heart The Icelandic entry is a genuine, warm, heartfelt promise of support. Birgitta reassures her lover that it's okay to open up to her. The lyrics are sweet, and she appears compassionate on stage. Musically, “Open Your Heart” is a fairly standard mid-00's pop/rock song, but the empathetic tone makes it special. Austria: Alf Poier - Weil der Mensch zählt HAHAHAHA, what the actual F. So the song bounces along as a light children's nursery rhyme, but then it abruptly switches to death metal after each chorus. The lyrics are just as bizarre; linking animal behaviour to a cynical view on humanity. Alf also sings in an unusual accent (the Styrian dialect), while dancing silly. And there's cardboard cutouts on stage. It's successful shock humour. The flashing lights during the death metal parts are a nice detail. Musically, though, the song is awful, and Alf's vocals are tone deaf. In 6th place, it is Austria's best result in 14 years.  Ireland: Mickey Harte - We've Got the World This is so derivative of “Fly on the Wings of Love”. Indeed, the melody and instrumentation are quite similar. Still, “We've Got the World” is convincingly romantic and charming - Mickey's beaming smile enhances that. The Irish entry channels the radiant nature of the Olsen Brothers song well. The chorus leaps out effectively too. Also notable, Mickey utilizes an Irish green guitar. Turkey: Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can (winner review below) Malta: Lynn Chircop - To Dream Again “To Dream Again” is a super bland entry. Lynn basks in sweet, sunshiny love. The song is pleasantly inoffensive on the ears, and the backing singers are the best aspect, but there's nothing interesting about it and the melody is forgettable.  Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mija Martina - Ne brini So much attitude! The Bosnian entry asserts a firm, foreboding stance. It's accomplished through Mija's stage presence, and the funky “bow-wow” beat - both are relentless and hostile. The guitar interlude and the spiteful lyrics complete that vibe. The bitter tone is justified because her ex is distorting reality. The common complaints are that this entry is monotonous and aggressive, but I still dig it. Portugal: Rita Guerra - Deixa-me sonhar Portugal's ballad is bittersweet, classy and beautifully sung, but it's let down by the tediously sluggish chorus. Still, Rita's vocals are lovely, the backing singers add character to the texture, and the instrumentation is rich. The pre-chorus melody is a highlight too. In the song, Rita declares that her ex can take everything but the fantasy that they're still together. It's a relatable and tragic sentiment. Croatia: Claudia Beni - Više nisam tvoja This is essentially a cleaner version of the Bosnian entry. The aggressive, strutting guitar rhythm and the harsh vocal tone convey so much attitude and fortitude. They complement Claudia's assertive stance, where she scathingly rejects her toxic lover. It's such a powerful “F you” song. The staging breathes confidence as well. And the pause before the chorus is a nice touch. Cyprus: Stelios Constantas - Feeling Alive Well, the 1999 Latin-pop groove is passable, thanks to the Spanish guitar and the pounding dance beat. But Stelios's vocals are rough and he lacks charisma. He just looks uninterested and stiff throughout the performance. And the chorus melody flatlines because of it. Ironic for a song titled “Feeling Alive”. Germany: Lou - Let's Get Happy Germany's attempt to cheer people up is too corny and kitsch for me, and the dance beat is annoyingly overbearing. Also the backing singers are so chipper it seems fake. Still, “Let's Get Happy” does spew positive energy, the bellowing chorus sticks, and the colourful outfits are radiant.  Russia: t.A.T.u. - Ne ver', ne boysia These off-key vocals are disastrous. Yikes. So, Russia drafted t.A.T.u. for Eurovision in the immediate wake of “All The Things She Said” smashing across Europe. Which could be seen as a deliberate ploy to secure a victory. Indeed, the audience were audibly rooting against Russia during the vote reveal. All of their 10's and 12's came from Eastern countries. Still, “Ne ver', ne boysia” is an ominous, brooding song with an unconventional melody and enigmatic lyrics. It's a rush of anxiety. The main line “don't believe, don't fear, don't ask” is chilling. Meanwhile, the staging involves clever lighting tricks, showcasing a darker visual than the other 2003 entries. The poor vocals are too distracting, however. It definitely sounds better in studio form. Spain: Beth - Dime This bop deserved better than 8th place. “Dime” contains an early 2000's dance club beat, complemented by an unmistakable Spanish flair. Beth meanwhile exudes natural, sexy confidence on stage. The hip shakes are fire. The room-shaking “dun dun dun” beat is infectious and energetic. And the melody floats along nicely. In the song, Beth warmly invites her lover to come back after a rough fight. She embraces a positive attitude over the situation.  Israel: Lior Narkis - Words for Love Eugh, this song annoys the s*** out of me. And, while the staging is creative, it makes me roll my eyes. Simply put: Israel's 2003 entry does too much. Lior is overconfident in being a smarmy charmer. The lyrics are conceited. The jaunty melody is beyond annoying. And then there's the outfits! The song states “I Love You” in multiple languages, so the 5 backing singers execute a costume change to reveal those multilingual phrases on their tops. And they do it a second time to spell “L O V E U”. But it's so campy. Netherlands: Esther Hart - One More Night “One More Night” is such an uplifting and heartwarming track. The lyrics and the melody aren't that special, but the tone is so carefree, and the energy on stage is radiant. The air guitar moment in particular is cute. Other highlights include the elevation in the final chorus and the backing vocalists. United Kingdom: Jemini - Cry Baby The UK receives “nul points”! This was, by far, their worst Eurovision result at the time. And they never recovered afterwards, aside from a couple of exceptions. “Cry Baby” is iconic for all the wrong reasons. It is definitely a terrible entry. For example, there's the tacked-on Spanish guitars, the cheap-sounding production, the horrific vocals, and the unnatural-sounding “cry cry baby” hook. Everything is so mechanically forced. Also, that “cry cry baby” hook and the stage presence are too silly for the song's message (of two lovers stringing each other along). Meanwhile Chris Cromby dances like a maniac as if it'll salvage this mess. But I can't rank this entry last due to its iconic status. Ukraine: Olexandr - Hasta la Vista What a bewildering and disappointing debut. You'd never guess that Ukraine would become a powerhouse in the contest after this. “Hasta la Vista” starts as an old-fashioned ballad, but quickly changes genres and becomes something insipid and messy. It's a lame kiss-off song. The chorus is annoying. And Olexandr's operatic vocals are mismatched with the style and pacing. The staging is interesting though, with the spinning body contortionist and the spaceship image. But each aspect of this entry doesn't connect to one another.  Greece: Mando - Never Let You Go Mando provides a captivating vocal and her bodice is a bold choice. It's an impassioned performance, and the instrumentation is nice, but the melody is lacking. It doesn't seem memorable enough to me. The song is kinda bland. The lyrics are a bit clingy too.   Norway: Jostein Hasselgård - I'm Not Afraid to Move On Norway submits a touching and compelling piano ballad. Yes, it's a little dull, but the song channels a cinematic sound too. The simplistic arrangement allows “I'm Not Afraid” to feel personal and raw as Jostein convincingly conveys heart in his performance. The set-up succeeds in holding the audience's focus. And he's super charming in the way he looks into the camera. Moreover the lyrics are reassuring and defiant.  France: Louisa Baïleche - Monts et merveilles Starting in 2003, France will not place any higher than 15th for 6 years. Doesn't help that this is another Celine Dion-esque ballad; vocally anyway. “Monts et merveilles” is a break-up song that starts off subdued and dull, but becomes graceful and comforting by the end. It's a beautiful song, but it takes a while to get going. I like the heartwarming tone in the chorus, though. The hand drum part is unexpected. And the lyrics are well-written, introspective and reflective.  Poland: Ich Troje - Keine Grenzen – Żadnych granic SO DRAMATIC. The Polish group performs an epic power ballad that calls for peace. They express unity amongst their geographic neighbours by incorporating the three respective languages – Polish, German and Russian. The song describes how viewing the Earth from outer space can change one's perspective of the world. The chorus is anthemic in an otherworldly way. But Michał Wiśniewski's throaty, gravelly vocals are just not my thing. And the song moves too slowly. This became Poland's first top 10 since their debut entry earned second place in '94. Latvia: F.L.Y. - Hello from Mars The Latvian entry screams “we don't want to host again”. Indeed, it received 5 whole points... all from fellow Baltic nation Estonia. The lyrics are intentional nonsense disguised as an inspirational message. The trio injects some energy into their performance to nearly make it work, though. And “Hello from Mars” has a more sensible arrangement than “Cry Baby”. But the whole concept is cringe-worthy, juvenile, amateur and dumb.  Belgium: Urban Trad - Sanomi Speaking of lyrical content being irrelevant. Belgium nearly wins the contest with an imaginary language. Such a bold move. That said, it sounds like a real language and it's aurally pleasant. “Sanomi” is a tranquil New Age folk song. The melody and instrumentation are smooth, the vocals are angelic, and the “Léala, léala” part is catchy. It paints the image of laying peacefully in the grassy fields. The claw hands are notable too. Estonia: Ruffus - Eighties Coming Back These lyrics are confusing. Why does the subject dread the “80's coming back”? And how and why is that decade coming back? Furthermore, the song is nostalgic for the 80's but there's no synthesizers. And the band are also dressed like they're at a job interview. I don't get what this song is going for. The lead singer makes it sound meaningful though. He's quite emotive on stage. The piano riff is nice too, and there's a calming indie rock vibe, even if it is coffeehouse / elevator music. The instrumental focuses on creating a vibe.  Romania: Nicola - Don't Break My Heart Romania copies “Freestyler” by the Bomfunk MC's. But that's okay because the scratchy beat is so euphoric. Nicola's whiny voice is an acquired taste, but it adds a unique character. The zaniness on stage is brilliant though - the DJ, the oversized records in Romanian flag colours, the dance moves, the costume changes. It's such a “left field” entry... but in a good way! Although the song is arguably monotonous.  Sweden: Fame - Give Me Your Love Sweden votes for another ABBA-esque / Schlager-pop song to represent them. “Give Me Your Love” is essentially an improved version of their 2001 entry. The melody is more dynamic this time. Namely the “try to believe..” and the “I'm waiting tonight..” leap-outs. The stutter in the final chorus is a nice touch too. The overall arrangement chugs along nicely. And the duet convincingly portrays the rush of bliss of pursuing a new relationship. Yeah, Sweden's endless ABBA soundalikes in the 2000's become predictable and tedious at times, but “Give Me Your Love” is way too catchy to resist.  Slovenia: Karmen - Nanana Another Eurovision ends on a sour note. “Nanana” is such basic “bargain basement” bubblegum pop. Even if it is bubbly with a retro flair, the Slovenian girl group appears amateur. The Winner: Turkey achieves a surprise victory in a close race (they weren't high in the betting odds beforehand). This is the country's first win, and their 25th participation in the contest. A feat that seemed unimaginable before 1997, as Turkey's previous best placing was 9th in 1986. This momentum will lead to more strong placings before they withdraw permanently starting in 2013. So “Everyway That I Can” ushers in the “Eastern beat” that dominates Eurovision in the mid-2000's. The 2004 and 2005 winners follow the same path. It's honestly the best thing to happen to the contest during this decade. It's such a breath of fresh air. The thunderous instrumental on “Everway” just energizes the crowd so well. The sound fills the arena. And that moment when the percussion beat hits in the intro is electrifying. The instrumentation is a merger of exotic traditional elements and modern pop aspirations. Meanwhile, the strings, which are reminiscent of Holly Valance's “Kiss Kiss”, elevate the exoticism and the catchiness. The staging portrays a slick visual as well, encompassing the crawls, the belly dancing, and the giant ribbon thing attached to Sertab's dress. Sertab, meanwhile, emits a fierce attitude. Part of it is how her vocal delivery cuts against the melody in the verses. The rapping middle 8 as well. Or when she shoves off the backing dancers. All those lines jumping out results in a hook-filled song. Thematically, “Everyway” is alluring but also distraught (“ILL CRY, ILL DIE”), where Sertab is relentless in her pursuit. Verdict: “S” Tier. Although, Turkey’s 1997 entry is still slightly better. My Ranking: 01. Turkey: Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can 02. Spain: Beth - Dime 03. Romania: Nicola - Don't Break My Heart 04. Croatia: Claudia Beni - Više nisam tvoja 05. Belgium: Urban Trad - Sanomi 06. Iceland: Birgitta - Open Your Heart 07. Netherlands: Esther Hart - One More Night 08. Sweden: Fame - Give Me Your Love 09. France: Louisa Baïleche - Monts et merveilles 10. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Mija Martina - Ne brini 11. Norway: Jostein Hasselgård - I'm Not Afraid to Move On 12. Ireland: Mickey Harte - We've Got the World 13. Portugal: Rita Guerra - Deixa-me sonhar 14. Estonia: Ruffus - Eighties Coming Back 15. Russia: t.A.T.u. - Ne ver', ne boysia 16. Austria: Alf Poier - Weil der Mensch zählt 17. Greece: Mando - Never Let You Go 18. Poland: Ich Troje - Keine Grenzen – Żadnych granic 19. Slovenia: Karmen - Nanana 20. Germany: Lou - Let's Get Happy 21. United Kingdom: Jemini - Cry Baby 22. Malta: Lynn Chircop - To Dream Again 23. Cyprus: Stelios Constantas - Feeling Alive 24. Ukraine: Olexandr - Hasta la Vista 25. Latvia: F.L.Y. - Hello from Mars 26. Israel: Lior Narkis - Words for Love

[swencor]

2003’te Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması’nı kazanan ülke hangisidir?

2003’te Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması’nı kazanan ülke hangisidir?

2003’te Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması’nı kazanan ülke hangisidir?

TÜRKİYE

2003 Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması, 24 Mayıs 2003’te Letonya’nın başkenti Riga’da, Skonto Hall’de gerçekleştirilen 48. Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması’dır. Yarışmanın sunuculuğunu, geçmiş yılın galibi Marie N ile birlikte Renārs Kaupers üstlenmiştir.

Tarih: 24 Mayıs 2003

Konum: Riga, Letonya

Kazanan şarkı: Türkiye;…