#elitsa & stoyan

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2007 - Number 37 - Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov - "Вода"

2007 was the third year that Bulgaria had entered Eurovision. On the previous two attempts, they'd finished nineteenth and seventeenth in the semi-final with entries that aren't among those that even Eurovision fans can recall easily. They'd never qualified or come close to qualifying. This year, the semi-final was so big that only about one-third of the countries entering would go through. It was not the ideal year to send a couple of drummers to Eurovision as your entry. But that's what the people of Bulgaria did.

Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulolv are both percussionists and occasional singers. Elitsa's musical background is the Bulgarian folk traditions, while Stoyan has worked in jazz and big bands. They met in 2003 and immediately formed a musical partnership. This initially resulted in a group called Drumboy, and they played a fusion of jazz and folk to intrigued audiences.

Cut to 2007 and the Bulgarian national final Pesen Na Evrovizija 2007. Despite their previous Eurovision experiences, the musicians of Bulgaria were beginning to flock to the competition. This year, there were twenty-one entries including some big names from the worlds of Bulgarian music, entertainment and TV. Among them were Elitsa and Stoyan now using their own names having dropped the Drumboy.

Their song was immediately favoured by BNT. It was one of three songs chosen internally to progress straight into the final without having to qualify. When the Bulgarian public got to hear Вода (Voda/Water) for the first time they could understand why. Voda is a song unlike anything that had been sent by Bulgaria before. Or indeed any other country. A combination EDM and folk - that dizzying fusion that has become so desirable. It sounded more modern than (almost) everything else in either Pesen Na Evrovizija or Eurovision in 2007. At the same time it sounds genuinely authentically Bulgarian.

The underlying pulsing synth rhythm is augmented by both Elitsa and Stoyan drumming their hearts out on a variety of different drums from different cultures. Elitsa's singing soars clear over the top - a simple song about rivers and a boy and his pony. Stoyan joins in with some onomatopoeic beatboxing for a while. It's folk music. It's sweaty dance floor EDM. It's what every Eurofan wants. Distinctive and instantly popular.

Bulgaria agreed. The televoters of Pesen Na Evrovizija 2007 voted for it by the bucket-load. It won with six times the number of votes of the second place song. In Helsinki, they were the first song on stage in the semi-final. Not a great slot. They still finished sixth of all twenty-eight songs and qualified. It was the first time Bulgaria had made it through to the grand final. There they went one better. The irresistible drumming got Bulgaria to fifth place, easily their best finish to date and a song that is still ranked inside the top 200 of the best Eurovision songs ever by the annual songfestival.be top 250 (note this was written four days before the new 2024 top 250 list was released).

For Elitsa and Stoyan this meant instant huge fame back home as well as a place on the Eurovision circuit. An album was released as well as other songs. Magazines and newspapers carried interviews. Elitsa was voted woman of the year by Grazia magazine. Stoyan received a UN award for promoting Bulgarian culture around the world. They got invited back to represent Bulgaria at Eurovision again in 2013.

Both Elitsa and Stoyan went on to release music solo again, each heading back to what they knew best. Elitsa worked with Arabella von Karajan daughter of internationally renowned conductor Herbert von Karajan as well as inventing her own drum. Here she is singing Велико (Veliko/Great) with DJ 89 in 2022.

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #705:

Elitsa Todorova, who participated for Bulgaria in 2013 alongside Stoyan Yankulov, once worked for the State Dance and Music Ensemble in Varna. In the choirs she was a part of, she performed traditional Bulgarian folk songs and arrangements in Sanskrit and Yiddish.

[Source]

Participants of Malmö 2013: Elitsa Todorova, Stoyan Yankulov, Eurovision.tv.

[coloureverywonderoftheworld]

Ok, I listened for the first time to Zjerm and I enjoyed how experimental it feels. They kind of remind me of Elitsa and Stoyan from Bulgaria.

[gaymer-hag-stan]

Good evening Europe!

It's that magical time of the year again when we all come together to trash each others' musical tastes!

The point system has changed many times over the years, and as various countries have come and gone, it is hard to determine who did "the best" based on the points they got alone as, since the maximum available points doubled with the jury and televote scores no longer being combined, post 2016 entries would have an obvious advantage and, likewise, the contests with 40+ participants would also have more maximum available points to give so a country getting 200 points in 2004 is not the same as another getting 200 points in 2009 or 2016.

But if we divide the points each entry got by the maximum available points for the respective year it competed, we get a percentage score that can easily be measured against entries from years with differing point systems.

So, for example, in 2009 42 countries participated. The maximum points each country can award is of course 12 and you can't vote for yourself. So 41 × 12 = 492. Let's then take Norway's total of 387 points and divide it by the 492 total of maximum available points. We get 78.6, meaning Norway and Alexander Rybak amassed 78.6% of the total points in 2009!

In the case of tie breaks the entry that placed higher in its respective year wins the tie break and if there's still a tie I used rules similar to the actual contest; the winner of a tie is the entry that received more points from televoting. If there are no split results available to the public, the entry that received points from more countries, then the country that received more 12 points, then 10 points all the way down to 1. If the tie cannot be broken in this way, the entry that performed earlier wins the tie break.

I've set 2004 as the "beginning of time", if you will, because that's when I started watching Eurovision and because there also had to be some sort of limit to how far back I would go with this 🤣

With that very long-winded explanation of my measuring tactics out of the way, shall we see our current Top 100 before new entries are added after the 2023 Grand Final is over?

100. Greece 🇬🇷 - 2010 - Giorgos Alkaios and Friends - Opa - 30.7%

99. Armenia 🇦🇲 - 2010 - Eva Rivas - Apricot Stone - 30.9%

98. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 - 2016 - Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime - 31.1%

97. Belgium 🇧🇪 - 2010 - Tom Dice - Me and My Guitar - 31.3%

96. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 - 2019 - Chingiz - Truth - 31.4%

95. North Macedonia 🇲🇰 - 2019 - Tamara Todevska - Proud - 31.7%

94. Serbia 🇷🇸 - 2008 - Jelena Tomasevic feat. Bora Duguc - Oro - 31.7%

93. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 - 2010 - Safura - Drip Drop - 31.7%

92. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 - 2007 - Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov - Water - 31.7%

91. Moldova 🇲🇩 - 2005 - Zdob si Zdub - Boonika bate toba - 32.4%

90. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2006 - Tina Karol - Show Me Your Love - 32.6%

89. Denmark 🇩🇰 - 2010 - Chanée and N'evergreen - In a Moment like This - 32.6%

88. Finland 🇫🇮 - 2021 - Blind Channel - Dark Side - 33%

87. Hungary 🇭🇺 - 2014 - András Kállay-Saunders - Running - 33.1%

86. Turkey 🇹🇷 - 2007 - Kenan Dogulu - Shake It Up Sekerim - 33.1%

85 Greece 🇬🇷 - 2013 - Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free - 33.3%

84. Serbia 🇷🇸 - 2022 - Konstrakta - In corpore sano - 33.3%

83. Latvia 🇱🇻 - 2005 - Walters and Khaza - The War Is Not Over - 33.5%

82. Israel 🇮🇱 - 2005 - Shiri Maimon - HaSheket SheNish'ar - 33.7%

81. Germany 🇩🇪 - 2008 - Michael Schulte - You Let Me Walk Alone - 33.7%

80. Italy 🇮🇹 - 2017 - Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma - 33.9%

79. Austria 🇦🇹 - 2018 - Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You - 33.9%

78. Norway 🇳🇴 - 2019 - Keiino - Spirit in the Sky - 34.4%

77. Romania 🇷🇴 - 2007 - Luminita Anghel and Sistem - Let Me Try - 34.6%

76. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2019 - John Lundvik - Too Late for Love - 34.7%

75. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2011 - Mika Newton - Angel - 34.8%

74. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2017 - Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On - 34.9%

73. United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - 2009 - Jade Ewen - It's My Time - 35.1%

72. Romania 🇷🇴 - 2010 - Paula Seling and Ovi - Playing with Fire - 35.5%

71. Turkey 🇹🇷 - 2009 - Hadise - Düm Tek Tek - 35.9%

70. Norway 🇳🇴 - 2008 - Maria - Hold On Be Strong - 36.1%

69. Lithuania 🇱🇹 - 2006 - LT United - We Are the Winners - 36.4%

68. Belgium 🇧🇪 - 2017 - Blanche - City Lights - 36.8%

67. Turkey 🇹🇷 - 2010 - Manga - We Could Be the Same - 37.2%

66. Switzerland 🇨🇭 - 2019 - Luca Hänni - She Got Me - 37.9%

65. Moldova 🇲🇩 - 2017 - SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma - 38%

64. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2013 - Dina Garipova - What If - 38.1%

63. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2006 - Carola - Invincible - 38.2%

62. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2019 - Sergey Lazarev - Scream - 38.5%

61. Romania 🇷🇴 - 2006 - Mihai Traistariu - Tornerò - 38.7%

60. Armenia 🇦🇲 - 2008 - Sirusho - Qélé, Qélé - 39.4%

59. Latvia 🇱🇻 - 2015 - Aminata - Love Injected - 39.7%

58. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2021 - Go_A - Shum - 39.9%

57. Armenia 🇦🇲 - 2014 - Aram Mp3 - Not Alone - 40.3%

56. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2004 - Lena Philipsson - It Hurts - 40.4%

55. Cyprus 🇨🇾 - 2004 - Lisa Andreas - Stronger Every Minute - 40.4%

54. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2011 - Eric Saade - Popular - 40.5%

53. Iceland 🇮🇸 - 2021 - Dathi og Gagnamagnith - 10 Years - 41.4%

52. Italy 🇮🇹 - 2011 - Raphael Gualazzi - Madness of Love - 41.4%

51. Australia 🇦🇺 - 2015 - Guy Sebastian - Tonight Again - 41.8%

50. Norway 🇳🇴 - 2013 - Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love - 41.8%

49. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 - 2009 - AySel and Arash - Always - 42%

48. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2007 - Serebro - Song #1 - 42%

47. Malta 🇲🇹 - 2005 - Chiara - Angel - 42.1%

46. Greece 🇬🇷 - 2008 - Kalomira - Secret Combination - 43.2%

45. Cyprus 🇨🇾 - 2018 - Eleni Foureira - Fuego - 43.2%

44. Serbia 🇷🇸 - 2012 - Zeljko Joksimovic - Nije ljubav stvar - 43.4%

43. Iceland 🇮🇸 - 2009 - Yohanna - Is It True? - 44.3%

42. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2008 - Ani Lorak - Shady Lady - 45.6%

41. Belgium 🇧🇪 - 2015 - Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside - 46.3%

40. Turkey 🇹🇷 - 2004 - Athena - For Real - 46.4%

39. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2022 - Cornelia Jakobs - Hold Me Closer - 46.7%

38. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2013 - Zlata Ognevich - Gravity - 46.9%

37. Switzerland 🇨🇭 - 2021 - Gjon's Tears - Tout l'univers - 47.3%

36. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2007 - Verka Serduchka - Dancing Lasha Tumbai - 47.7%

35. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 - 2011 - Ell and Nikki - Running Scared - 48.4%

34. Spain 🇪🇸 - 2022 - Chanel - SloMo - 49%

33. Italy 🇮🇹 - 2019 - Mahmood - Soldi - 49.1%

32. United Kingdom 🇬🇧 - 2022 - Sam Ryder - Space Man - 49.7%

31. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2016 Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One - 49.8%

30. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2014 - Sanna Nielsen - Undo 50.4%

29. Greece 🇬🇷 - 2005 - Helena Paparizou - My Number One - 50.4%

28. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 - 2013 - Farid Mammadov - Hold Me - 51.3%

27. Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 - 2006 - Hari Mata Hari - Lejla - 51.5%

26. Netherlands 🇳🇱 - 2019 - Duncan Lawrence - Arcade - 51.8%

25. Australia 🇦🇺 - 2016 - Dami Im - Sound of Silence - 51.9%

24. Israel 🇮🇱 - 2018 - Netta - Toy - 52.4%

23. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2012 - Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody - 52.6%

22. Germany 🇩🇪 - 2010 - Lena - Satellite - 53.9%

21. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2008 - Dima Bilan - Believe - 53.9%

20. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2016 - Jamala - 1944 - 54.2%

19. Serbia 🇷🇸 - 2007 - Marija Serifovic - Molitva - 54.4%

18. France 🇫🇷 - 2021 - Barbara Pravi - Voilà - 54.7%

17. Netherlands 🇳🇱 - 2014 - The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm - 55%

Honourable Mention. Turkey 🇹🇷 - 2003 - Sertab Erener - Everyway That I Can - 55.6%

16. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2006 - Dima Bilan - Never Let You Go - 55.8%

15. Italy 🇮🇹 - 2021 - Måneskin - Zitti e Buoni - 57.4%

14. Greece 🇬🇷 - 2004 - Sakis Rouvas - Shake It - 60%

13. Denmark 🇩🇰 - 2013 - Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops - 61.6%

12. Italy 🇮🇹 - 2015 - Il Volo - Grande amore - 62.3%

11. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 - 2017 - Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess - 62.5%

10. Serbia and Montenegro 🇷🇸 - 2004 - Zeljko Joksimovic and Ad-Hoc Orchestra - Lane Moje - 62.6%

9. Russia 🇷🇺 - 2015 - Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices - 64.7%

8. Finland 🇫🇮 - 2006 - Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah - 65.7%

7. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2004 - Ruslana - Wild Dances - 66.6%

6. Austria 🇦🇹 - 2014 - Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix - 67.1%

5. Ukraine 🇺🇦 - 2022 - Kalush Orchestra - Stefania - 67.4%

4. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2012 - Loreen - Euphoria - 75.6%

3. Portugal 🇵🇹 - 2017 - Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois - 77%

2. Sweden 🇸🇪 - 2015 - Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes - 77.9%

1. Norway 🇳🇴 - 2009 - Alexander Rybak - Fairytale - 78.6%

And there it is! The 100 most successful Eurovision entries from 2004 to 2022?

Did your all time fave make the cut?

[residentraccoon]

Also Bulgaria just announced their artist for esc 2022 and apparently Stoyan Yankulov is one of the artists?

[betweenthetimeandsound]

My ESC 250 (#190-181), featuring three of the most powerful vocalists in the Balkans, the Spanish Evita, and Bulgaria's only qualifier for almost a decade.

[arandomeurovisionblog]

BULGARIA

Bulgaria debuted at 2005 and has brought us some of the best songs of recent years. Indeed, they have qualified four times for the final, and in three of them they have placed between the top 5.

-Beautiful Mess, Kristian Kostov (2017)

The best Bulgarian entry. Kristian was wonderful at stage and everybody was very moved by this beautiful ballad. The production was also impeccable. Top 2. He deserved to win that year imo.

-Let me cry, Mariana Popova (2006)

Ok, a couple of things happened with this one. It’s a dramatic ballad with folk sounds that sounds very well imo. But 1) The official video is a mess and 2) the staging too. Having to deal with these big issues and paying attention to the song itself is difficult, so I can understand the no qualification after that disaster. But I actually enjoy the song, I think it deserved a better treatment.

-If love was a crime, Poli Genova (2016)

I think this was the moment when people started to think of Bulgaria as a serious candidate to victory. The song is modern, dance and catchy. I think the staging and production were too simple for this act, but in the end it worked and got top 4.

-Water, Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov (2007)

This song is alternative, folkloric, rhythmic and catchy. Elitza’s voice is amazing and I couldn’t get it off of my mind for months. The lyrics are in Bulgarian and everything is a strange mix that works amazingly. Top 5.

-Equinox, Bones (2018)

This is one of my favourite Eurovision songs in general, and objectively I think it is pretty good. Sadly, the live performance and the production were very complicated and over-elaborated, and for some reason they changed the way the five voices mixed during the song. The group already had sang in a couple of live concerts, proving they were able to replicate the official version and making it more amazing, but someone thought that it was a good idea to change all that for the Eurovision act. I’m never going to understand it :S

Other interesting entries: 2008 Dj, take me away by Deep Zone & Balthazar, 2011 Na inat by Poli Genova (Poli’s first attempt, better than If love was a crime for some people), 2020 Tears getting sober by Victoria.

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2010: 35 - 31

35. KEiiNO - “Spirit in the sky” Norway 2019

During the preshow I posited that "Spearwhil”  would be the Rasmussen but as it turned out-

I HEAR YOU CALLING ME AT NIGHT

No, Tom NOT NOW!!! I’m in the middle of my sentence. 🙄 Wait your turn Anyway, it turned out that ‘the Rasmussen’ really ought to be called ‘the KEiiNO’. Observe this Michal-esque rise up the scoreboard:

OutSzpak’ing Spzak. 😍 Let’s be honest though, it was-

I HEAR YOU CALLING ME AT NI-

- COMPLETELY DESERVED TOO.  Fred was especially great, who delivered EPIC yoik solo that I am sure won KEiiNO the televote on the spot. 😍

This particularly pleases me because I was worried Tom & Alexandra (who are both very good performers) would take the spotlight away from Fred, but no did the weakest link pre-show turned not only turn out to be the strongest one, but he was arguable the single strongest performer of finale night. SO PROUD OF THEM ANGELS. 😍 Let us all sing along

*cough* I said, “let us all sing along”

... 

(k Tom, now is ur cue)

I HEAR YOU CALLING ME AT NIIIIIGHT

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE DANCING

HÅ LA HEI LOI LÅ

A lot of the criticism from KEiiNO comes from your typical value-seekers who can only enjoy themselves in public if their shallow trash comes coated in a thick layer of novelty gimmicks and Deep Meaning, so they don’t have to admit to others and themselves than they tune in to have fun, like everyone else. There’s nothing wrong with novelty gimmicks & the like, but applying that standard to everything is taking it a tad too far. Sometimes, simplicity is key and that’s exactly what KEiiNO were: unpretentious, highly-addictive EDM adorned with epic yoiking. 😍 

_______________________________________________________________

34. Gianluca - “Tomorrow” Malta 2013

"Tomorrow” is, to use Gianluca’s own words, a curious delight: I always, always, always forget about it. Then I rewatch 2013 as I do at least once per year, and each time it’s like a Céline Dion song IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME and I’m in love again. 😍 “Tomorrow” is such a clever twist of the typical love song by telling the story from the THIRD PERSON PERSPECTIVE by an all-knowing narrator. It’s world’s merriest audiobook. 😍

Naturally, this works because Gianluca has TONS of charisma. He’s one of the most magnetic humans ever on a Eurovision Stage? 

It’s hard to believe that he ages like the rest of us, I’d assume he was birthed fully formed and clothed, at age thirteen, in whatever rests at the end of a Neverlandian rainbow. 

“Tomorrow” could’ve so easily been one of those “Annoyingly Positive songs”, but because he’s so relentlessly jolly, Gianluca injects “Tomorrow” with limitless happy energy, enough to melt the polar icecaps. I am happy that I don’t revisit Gianluca between watches, as I do with others, because each time I rediscover him it’s like finding a four-leaf-clover. 🍀

________________________________________________________________

33. Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - “Samo shampioni” Bulgaria 2013

IMA LI MLADI? IMA LI LYUDI? TSYALO SELO DOIDE PEITE NE SE BOITE

Let us continue with one of the most glorious trainwrecks EVER in Eurovision. 😍 Of course, this being the GOD-tier the severity of wreckage (aka the Sennek Factor) is even higher than normal. In the case of “Samo shampioni” the messiness began DURING THE PRESELECTIONS. 😍 Okay you may not remember or know this backstory, so allow me to enlighten you:

Okay, so *initially* BNT selected Elitsa & Stoyan and for some reason decided to hold an NF: They introduced: first a terrible rapbomination, second a boring ethnoballad (think Iriao + percussion) and then pulled out an experimental fusion of ethnic bagpipes, polyphonic singing and dubstep, which Elitsa openly pointed as her favourite. 😍 Obviously, the audience had to choose for the latter? NOPE The audience chose the iriao-esque ballad 😍 and in one of the most hilariously open displays of riggage, LESS THAN A DAY AFTER THE NF (and after Elitsa allegedly threw a huge backstage temper tantrum threatening to withdraw LMFAO), BNT produced a statement that was all like “well. we can’t send “Kismet”. 🤓 You see... it has come under our attention that... the songwriter from Argentina (lmao) can’t agree to the copyright terms we demanded of him 🤓but that’s fine because it means we can send “SAMO SHAMPIONI” instead 😊‘ <3333333333333333333333456789 who the fuck is Christer Björkman, fucking NOBODY that’s who. And of course, once “Samo Shampioni” finally got to Malmö it was an utter disaster. 😍 I say "disaster” in the best meaning of the word though. I LOVE when countries showcase their musical traditions, but Elitsa and Stoyan do it so aggressively, BLASTING the unassuming viewer with loud af bagpipe noises, following it up with a menuet of polyphony, a clarion of “AAAAAAAAAAAA-YUUUU” and a finale of dubstep and mayumaniacal percussion. “Samo Sampioni” was loud, abrasive, a clamour of ethnic noise but by the same token such a catchy, infectuous, delightful fucking BOP. No surprise it got jurypwned but it was well worth the effort. 😍

________________________________________________________________

32. Nadav Guedj - “Golden boy” Israel 2015

Welcome to the Dicedrome, ladies and gentlemen: Introducing the man who put Israel back on the map after four straight NQs. But Nadav is more than just a Hebrew Tom Dice. 

For starters, “Golden boy” is also the first time we were ever subjected to Doron Medalie (and also Imri Ziv but lol Imri), who is at his BEST here (apart from that moment when he brusquely shoved Cesár out of the way as if he were Krisse Salminen lmfao 😍): “Golden boy” has everything I could want in an uptempo party song: Drama, catchy rhythm, limitless fun, chanting, dancing and an absolutely ridiculous premise: sixteen year old boy gets wasted after fruitlessly flirting with all sorts of femfolk on his first night out. Yes, THIS

is sixteen years old. 😍 But what I mostly love about “Golden boy” is the humour. Intentional humour is really hard to get right and “Golden boy” NAILS it for me. From self-deprecating one-liners, to that choreography to b-roll material like the sound effect of beer being pourn as Nadav gets further into the song, to of course the epic finale of “THREE MINUTES! BYE :selfie”. 😍

A wild ride which, as serendipity demands, is topped off by Nadav kicking off a strong Israeli streak that indeed ENDS up with Israel winning the contest (with a worse Doron composition :-/) and him showing us around in Tel Aviv. Funny how life works sometimes, huh? 

OKAY GOTTA GO  THREE PARAGRAPHS BYEBYE

_______________________________________________________________

31. Jessy Matador - “Allez ola olé” France 2010

Did you know “Matador” is Eurospeak for “SLAYER”?  😉

Speaking of EPIC party songs, I was looking “Allez Ola Olé” up for my usual ranking purposes and this song.. is one of the most successful Eurovision songs EVER? I am not surprised, because “Allez olla olé” OWNS, but at the same time random 12th placers becoming massive off-season hits <3

(yes I am aware it’s because it was the French “Waka Waka” but that’s even more hilar, actually. What on earth is it doing in Eurovision <3)

Anyway, “Allez ola olé” definitely DESERVES all praise it can get. ETERNAL THORN IN THE SIDE OF THE EUROVISION ELITISTS <3 it is of course the anti-Proud, being all rhythm and no story, literally having no purpose other than making people dance (which I LOVE doing to “Allez Ola Olé”... within the confines of my bedroom, with the curtains closed because I have the dancing skills of drunk JarJar Binks) and honestly, what a spectacle. 😍

It features, in order of ascending awesomeness, male twerking (gender equality <3)

witty references to sex (which I don’t mind here because it’s clearly consentual, and therefore, healthy, ICKOLAS)

“Je sens le truc monter/..😏 ALLEEEEZ 😱”. 

DAM BA DAM BA DAM BA DAM DAM

A fucking HAKA????? (btw, the female backing doing a salute is also lowkey great <3)

Actually, TWO HAKA’S????

This song may not have relevant meaning but my weave flew all the way to French Polynesia. “Allez, ola, olé” is nothing less than fucking AWESOME. 

In this update, we pay our final respects to Norway, Malta and France: Read more about them below:

NORWAY

I don’t feel like this chart reflects my true feelings on Norway, because I like them a LOT more than what their average implies. They’re largely just dragged down by a few bad entries in the first half of the decade. Norway in the second half of this decade has shown a lot of promise and they are on my list of countries that I expect to win in the upcoming decade. 

MALTA

Malta are a very average Eurovision country imo. As you can see, they very often select songs that are not worth giving a fuck about, but conversely the few times that they do, they’re usually excellent happy-go-lucky gems. I could see them winning if they find that rare 1-in-50 entry (by one of their jesc winners preferably), but only if they keep internally selecting their entrant because lmao MES(s)C <3

FRANCE

This is a really good chart for France and roughly what I expected. Not my favourite country but solidly upper tier. France really have reinvented themselves post 2016 and are reaping the rewards with generally higher results. I hope it gets topped off with another win soon. They deserve it. 

[eurovisionopinions]

[mildmagician]

Bulgaria 🇧🇬

Fantastiiiic! A lot of fire with the Intelligent Music Project and their song ‘Intention’!🔥🔊

This Progressive Rock song is a fresh choice coming from the BNT, as Bulgaria tended to send more commercial songs in the past years. Though it is interesting to know, that one of the Intelligent Music Project’s band members might be familiar to some, as Stoyan Yankoulov had participated in the contest before in a duet with Elitsa Todorova performing their Eurodance Pop songs with elements of Folk back in the 2007 and 2013.

As mentioned by the band’s frontman Ronnie Romero – there will be a lot of fire! And by that we mean – A LOT! The band’s smart way of using the spherical style of the stage background to stand out from other contestants was a great decision as the semi-circular construction made from speakers looks very dramatic and attracts a lot of attention.

Късмет!🍀

[everyeurovisionsong]

Bulgaria 2013

'Samo Shampioni' (Only Champions), performed by Elitsa & Stoyan. Composition: Elitsa Todorova, Kristian Talev. Lyrics: Elitsa Todorova, Kristian Talev.

As Malmö 2013 dawned, Bulgaria had made only one appearance on Saturday night since debuting at Eurovision in 2005. So the smart thing to do was to call back the singers of 'Water' in the form of Elitsa and Stoyan.

Unfortunately Elitsa and Stoyan decide to carry the 'same again please' attitude. They managed to navigate 'Samo Shampioni' through the 3-song national selection... complete with all its echoes of 'Water'. Mixing in a ridiculous number of drums, and the occasional skril of bagpipes, it feels more like a greatest hits medley from the duo rather than a new track.

'Samo Shampioni' lacks the coherence that 'Water' had. The various elements work against each other and it's a curious feeling to describe.. .the song doesn't feel comfortable to me, and I suspect that the jurors and televoters agreed.

Following the non-qualification, Bulgaria would withdraw from Eurovision until it decided to call up another former champion.

Semi Final - Points: 45. Placing: 12th. Grand Final - Did not qualify.

[kyniathewhovian]

ban Elitsa Todorova from Eurovision

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #523:

Bulgaria has historically not done well at the Eurovision Song Contest, only making it to the Grand Final five times in their 15-participation career.

However, when they make it to the Grand Final, they usually do fairly well:

The first time Bulgaria made it to the Grand Final in 2007, they placed 5th thanks to Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov's "Water."

Next, in 2016, Poli Genova's "If Love Was A Crime" placed 4th. The following year, Bulgaria got it's best result from "Beautiful Mess" by Kristian Kostov, which placed second.

Unfortunately, in the final two times Bulgaria made it to the final, they did not do as well, placing sub-tenth:

In 2018, EQUINOX's "Bones" placed 14th, and in 2021 VICTORIA's "Growing Up Is Getting Old" placed a respectable 11th.

[Sources]

Bulgaria, Eurovision.tv.

[beagledeers]

Basically i’m making a eurovision au where everyone has powers,,,,and the contest is basically a turnament and the winner of every year’s contest wins a place in the “peace council” or something like that.

But something oqqured in 2013 and since then the competition has completely changed

Now the winner gets imprisoned and has their powers stollen because apparently they are “too powerful”

Kristian is the main character, a boy who came second and once he stsrted to learn the truth from elitsa and stoyan, former bulgarian representatives, he decides to reqruite a team so that they can make the contest to what it used to be

The au is still WIP and more drawings are coming soon

It’ll be in short comics or maybe longer ones if i have time

Here’s a drawing of kris

If you have suggestions for the name of this au please tell me

[imperiumtenebrarum]

My Eurovision Top 30 - No. 20

Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Water - Bulgaria - 2007 - 5th place

Lo, lo, she sings Lo, Mitra sings by the river...

This is a bit of a “marmite song”... what some consider a unique blend of Slavic folk and modern electronica, sounds like a goat being tortured to others. I’m a big fan of “Water”, and not just because it’s one of the most unique and daring entries of the modern era, but also because – in contrast to many other ESC songs – it really comes alive on stage. Elitsa and Stoyan (who’ve been making music as a duo since 2003) are charismatic and engaging performers, and it’s obvious that they’re truly enjoying themselves. I love the mysterious vibe of the first few seconds, and the sheer energy of their drum performance! Elitsa and Stoyan eventually returned to Eurovision in 2013, but sadly failed to qualify for the final with their song “Samo Championi”.

[residentraccoon]

Updated list of my ESC winners

1956: Franca Raimondi - Aprite le finestre (Italy)

1957: Margot Hielscher - Telefon, Telefon (Germany)

1958: Domenico Modugno - Nel blu dipinto di blu (Italy)

1959: Teddy Scholten - Een beetje (Netherlands)

1960: Nora Brockstedt - Voi voi (Norway)

1961: Jean Claude Pascal - Nous les amoureux (Luxembourg)

1962: Marion Rung - Tipi Tii (Finland)

1963: Grethe & Jorgen Ingmann - Dansevise (Denmark)

1964: Gigliola Cinquetti - Non ho l'eta (Italy)

1965: France Gall - Poupee de cire, poupee de son (Luxembourg)

1966: Udo Jurgens - Merci, cherie (Austria)

1967: Sandie Shaw - Puppet on a string (United Kingdom)

1968: Cliff Richard - Congratulations (United Kingdom)

1969: Salome - Vivo cantando (Spain)

1970: Mary Hopkin - Knock knock who's there (United Kingdom)

1971: Severine - Un banc, un arbre, une rue (Monaco)

1972: Vicky Leandros - Apres Toi (Luxembourg)

1973: Anne Marie David - Tu te reconnaitras (Luxembourg)

1974: ABBA - Waterloo (Sweden)

1975: Teach-in - Ding a dong (Netherlands)

1976: Brotherhood of man - Save your kisses for me (United Kingdom)

1977: Monica Aspelund - Lapponia (Finland)

1978: Izhar Cohen - A-Ba-Ni-Bi (Israel)

1979: Milk & Honey - Hallelujah (Israel)

1980: Katja Ebstein - Theater (Germany)

1981: Lena Valaitis - Johnny Blue (Germany)

1982: Anna Vissi - Mono i agapi (Cyprus)

1983: Danijel - Dzuli (Yugoslavia)

1984: Alice & Battiato - I treni di tozeur (Italy)

1985: Bobbysocks - La det swinge (Norway)

1986: Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie (Belgium)

1987: Lilliane Saint Pierre - Soldiers of love (Belgium)

1988: Celine Dion - Ne partez pas sans moi (Switzerland)

1989: Birthe Kjaer - Vi maler byen rod (Denmark)

1990: Toto Cutugno - Insieme 1992 (Italy)

1991: Carola - Fangad av en stormvind (Sweden)

1992: Evridiki - Teriazoume (Cyprus)

1993: Ruth Jacott - Vrede (Netherlands)

1994: CatCat - Bye bye baby (Finland)

1995: Secret Garden - Nocturne (Norway)

1996: Eimear Quinn - The voice (Ireland)

1997: Jalisse - Fiumi di Parole (Italy)

1998: Edsilia Rombley - Hemel en aarde (Netherlands)

1999: Selma - All out of luck (Iceland)

2000: Brainstorm - My star (Latvia)

2001: Nusa Derenda - Energy (Slovenia)

2002: Malene - Tell me who you are (Denmark)

2003: Urban Trad - Sanomi (Belgium)

2004: Ruslana - Wild dances (Ukraine)

2005: Zdob si Zdub - Bunica bate doba (Moldova)

2006: Hari Mata Hari - Lejla (Bosnia & Herzegovina)

2007: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov - Water (Bulgaria)

2008: Mor ve otesi - Deli (Turkey)

2009: Alexander Rybak - Fairytale (Norway)

2010: Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing with fire (Romania)

2011: Eldrine - One more day (Georgia)

2012: Kaliopi - Crno i belo (North Macedonia)

2013: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity (Ukraine)

2014: Sebalter - Hunter of stars (Switzerland)

2015: Mans Zelmerlow - Heroes (Sweden)

2016: Iveta Mukuchyan - Lovewave (Armenia)

2017: Joci Papai - Origo (Hungary)

2018: Yianna Terzi - Oniro Mou (Greece)

2019: Keiino - Spirit in the sky (Norway)

2020: The Roop - On fire (Lithuania)

2021: Maneskin - Zitti e buoni (Italy)

2022: Zdob si Zdub & Fratii Advahov - Trenuletul (Moldova)