#eurovision moscow

[pharahsgf]

regarding the genocide song contest:

various past eurovision contestants are campaigning for the removal of israel and some national finalists are now choosing to boycott. olly alexander, who will rep the uk, condemned the palestinian genocide and was subsequently attacked by israeli media (in a blatant rule violation the ebu did nothing about)

slovenian broadcaster rtvslo is purportedly trying to negotiate the removal of israel

1000 artists from host country sweden are preparing to send an open letter to the ebu to ban israel; the swedish left wing has also called for israel to be removed immediately

iceland is officially threatening to boycott eurovision pending the removal of israel

word on the street is that if iceland does compete, it will send palestinian artist bashar murad who is openly anti-israel and has collabed with previous icelandic reps hatari, aka the guys who did this back in 2019

iceland is now leading in the odds whereas israel has been steadily dropping, suggesting that the bookies are aware israel is becoming increasingly unpopular

lastly, in a move so ridiculous i'm beginning to suspect eurovision is a figment of our collective imagination, israel is seemingly gearing up to enter eden golan, a moscow-based russian singer. while russia is still banned for terrorism.

if you're european: please contact your participating broadcaster and demand for the removal of israel, or try to contact your nation's selected artist to put pressure on the broadcaster. if you're swedish, please try contacting svt or authorities with security concerns regarding the inclusion of israel. if israel does enter eden golan, complain about her selection and ties to russia. and absolutely DO NOT vote on, watch or promote this show if israel does end up competing.

[zvaigzdelasas]

[BBC is UK State Media]

More than 1,400 Finnish music industry professionals have signed a petition urging a ban on Israel from Eurovision over alleged "war crimes" in Gaza.

If Israel is not excluded from the competition, they want public broadcaster Yle to withdraw Finland's entry from the competition.[...]

Last month, Icelandic musicians made similar demands to broadcaster Rúv.[...]

They accuse Yle of double standards, saying the broadcaster was among the first to demand a ban on Russia from the 2022 contest, "and we expect the same active defending of values from Yle now as well".

A day after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Yle representative Ville Vilén said Moscow's attack was "contrary to all the values that Yle and other European broadcasters represent".

The EBU [European Broadcasting Union, the organiser of the contest] soon after banned Russia from participating.

Mr Vilén said the situation in Israel and Gaza was "not quite the same".

"As gruesome as it is, it is not a war of inter-state aggression like between Russia and Ukraine," he told Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat last month.[...]

In December the EBU released a statement saying that Eurovision was "for broadcasters - not for governments" and Israel had taken part for 50 years.

It said member organisations had agreed that Israel's public broadcaster Kan "complies with all competition rules" and insisted the contest was a "non-political event".

10 Jan 24

[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.

[clarabosswald]

speaking of ukraine being unable to host eurovision - shoutout to ukraine decimating russia's invasion army so hard that they've only had one ancient tank show up to the victory day parade in moscow earlier

[mariacallous]

Bulgaria’s parliament on Wednesday adopted a law which prohibits “propaganda” for “non-traditional sexual orientations” in schools, sparking outrage and calls for protests. 

The legislation was drafted by the pro-Russian Revival party, but on its first and second readings it also gained support also from pro-Western factions as well.

The amendment to the Law for Pre-School and School Education outlaws “propaganda, popularisation and encouragement, directly or indirectly, of ideas and views connected to nontraditional sexual orientation or to gender-identifying different from the biological”.

In total, 135 out of 240 MPs voted in favour. Support from the pro-Moscow Bulgarian Socialist Party was expected, but the bill passed largely because of the surprising backing of the pro-EU centre-right GERB party.

More than half of the MP’s from the reformist opposition duo We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria missed voting on the first reading for unclear reasons, but the alliance participated more fully on the second, voting against. Altogether, 57 MPs voted against and eight from GERB abstained.

The increased presence of topics related to sexual and gender identity in Bulgaria’s educational system is mentioned as a fact in the legislation’s wording, without offering specific examples. Some MPs cited the existence of brochures on sexual education for children and teenagers, or translated books that are in circulation, as problematic. 

The text does not mention sanctions and does not specify what “ideas and views” would be considered unlawful, leaving room for various interpretations. 

“The restriction on even talking about the topic in school limits chances to oppose the violence and harassment that LGBTI+ students experience,” the feminist organisation LevFem said after the passage of the amendment. 

LGBTQ+ organisation Deystvie drew direct comparisons between the draft amendment and the steady limitation of human rights and the rights of sexual minorities in Russia. “For the 30 years of democratic transition, Bulgaria’s political elite never understood that human rights are at the core of democracy,” Deystvie stated. 

“We need to be heard and understood, not rejected and attacked,” the human rights collective Feminist Mobilisations said before the vote. 

On Wednesday afternoon, a protest was announced in Sofia. 

Echoes of hate speech in debates

During the parliamentary debate, some politicians made statements bordering on hate speech. 

Socialist Party leader Kornelia Ninova said that Bulgarian families abroad had contacted her to alert about the dangers of “gender ideology” in the West and criticised those who are “one thing in the morning, a second in the afternoon, a third in the evening”.

Ninova defined “gender ideology” as something promoted “by very influential and rich people” and said it was “creeping into and taking over Bulgarian schools”.

She noted the recent Eurovision Song Contest, won by a non-binary contestant, and the aesthetics of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris as worrying examples. Olympic controversies have been fanned by local conservative politicians, as a recent BIRN analysis explained. 

Ninova’s statements are in line with pro-Kremlin leanings of the Socialist Party, which in 2023 tried to initiate a referendum against “gender ideology” and which since 2017 has vehemently opposed the women’s rights treaty, the so-called Istanbul Convention, interpreting it as promoting LGBTQ+ rights.

“I’ll repeat what I’ve been saying for seven years now: hands off Bulgarian children,” Ninova said on Wednesday.

Zvezdelina Karavelova of Revival said that “pederasty” should be challenged and she hoped that her one-year-old son would never bring home a husband.

Atanas Tchorbanov of the There’s Such a People party compared the outcry from human rights organisations to the orchestra that famously played on during the sinking of the Titanic. 

Daniel Mitov of GERB said the measure was an opportunity to fight “leftist ideologies”.

In contrast, Eleonora Belobradova of We Continue the Change criticised the amendment as regressive and claimed that some paragraphs had been copy-pasted from Wikipedia. 

The turn of events underscores the successful politics of Revival.  Between 2020 and 2022, support for the party increased after it adopted anti-vaxx positions during the COVID-19 pandemic and stayed close to the Kremlin playbook over Ukraine. 

In 2022, Revival unsuccessfully tried to bring in a Russian-style “foreign agents” law.

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #681:

Polina Gagarina, who represented Russia in 2015, has been sanctioned by the EU for performing at a concert in Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium that celebrated "the eighth anniversary of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and to support the war in Ukraine on March 18 2022."

[Sources]

Participants of Vienna 2015: Polina Gagarina, Eurovision.tv.

"Russian Eurovision star sanctioned by EU," msn.com.

[panimoonchild]

Music is not beyond politics

Eurovision 2024 is impressive: an Israeli singer performed in the occupied Crimea, a Dutchman releases a duet with a Russian woman during the full-scale, a German says Russia should be returned to the contest, a Cypriot tracks mixed in Moscow, a Czech woman was born in Russia. This is some "pesnya goda" [song of the year - russian competition] but not Eurovision.

- The "Israeli" is literally a Russian woman from Moscow who remembered her blood of God [roots] in 2022.

- The main thing is to say later how terrible it was for you to live there 😭😭😭

This German guy said that they have non-political music here and all that. So why wasn't last year's Eurovision in Ukraine? Well, missiles would have flown over his head, but what's the big deal? Would he have come to Ukraine and performed? ahhh, well, that's different, of course...

God dam... This year I know only a British singer and then I didn't check what was there and who was there, except him. It's disgusting... Apoliticality as such is selective. Especially when it comes to everything Russian.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2003 - Number 8 - t.A.T.u. - "Не верь, не бойся"

Boooo. Boooooo! Quite why t.A.T.u attracted such a hostile reception was, in this instance, very little to do with politics and more to do with the attitude of the band and the delegation to Eurovision. They claimed they would easily win. The referred to the Germany representative as a witch and said that she should be nursed rather than entering the contest. They insulted the venue and Latvia. They turned up late, missed rehearsals and generally adopted he most distinctly heelish behaviour that Eurovision had witnessed to date. Even the journalists at press conferences booed them

How much of this was kayfabe or stochastic, psychological warfare, is unknown. But given the political statements of band member Julia Volkova more recently, there's probably less fakery and more genuine arrogance and entitlement about what the delegation did. Just who the hell are they anyway?

Well they're the first, widely known product of Neposedy, a Moscow-based children's music group/stage school with a huge and ever changing roster. They will appear throughout the next ten to fifteen years with some regularity. t.A.T.u are their first spin off-pop sensation aimed at the Western pop market. Consisting of Julia Volkova and Lina Katina, the band already have Europe wise success with an act that plays on lesbian posturing and more disturbingly, a sexualised schoolgirl aesthetic that seems calculated to shock and sell records in equal measure. Their huge, debut single was All the Things She Said, which took all of the above and added rain with a video that got banned from several shows around the world. They are also, almost certainly, Russia's most internationally popular pop music act ever.

Given all this unpleasantness and the problematic nature of the band both before and after Eurovision 2003, why is this a number 8 in my list? Не верь, не бойся (Ne Ver', Ne Boisia/Don't Believe, Don't Fear) is a largely shouted proclamation to not let fear, intimidation and bullying hold you back. A welcome message, but given their behaviour leading up to the final, more than somewhat contradictory. The song itself is propulsive and punky in attitude. It has an urgency that almost every other song in Eurovision typically lacks. Several counties have toyed with sending something this raw and rough before but haven't really committed to it. The chaos would almost certainly have been there without the lack of rehearsal, this is just how the band is. Their previous Europe wide chart success attests to the fact that this sound was contemporary and popular in a way the EBU could only previously have dreamt of.

The band kept going until 2011 despite tensions between the leads. They went to Eurovision once more, playing as an interval act in the first semi-final in Moscow for the 2009 contest. They did eventually split with irreconcilable tensions between Julia and Lena. After that, they both had solo careers, but drifted ever further apart on political issues notably Julia eventually expressing homophobic opinions and Lena doing the opposite and playing the St. Petersburg Queerfest in 2012. Julia survived a serious thyroid cancer in that year which subsequently affected her vocal chords and voice.

In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, t.A.T.u. reformed to play concerts in Russia and Belarus. They continue to support the Russian government's actions.

I initially wasn't going to include this song in my write-ups. However, there are going to be several more challenging and political songs coming up (not all of which involve Russia). As much as Eurovision strives for harmony, peace and a non-political standpoint, others will strive to use and subvert that idealism for for their own political ends. It's important to note this and look at what's going on underneath the music.

I think it's instructive to see what Russia was up to as far back as 2003. This was the same year that Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea F.C. and the main liberal opposition leader was assassinated in an election year. The use of international competitions and festivals like Eurovision (especially those hosted in countries Russia has a history with like Latvia) is going to be a plank in how Russia plays politics internationally. In Neposedy, there is a production line of appealing pop acts, song-writers, TV production designers who know what they're doing - and they're good at it. In 2003, Russia could play innocent and deny there was any bigger motive at work. Now the purpose is there for all to see.

Rather than flinch, I intend to look steadily

[bitter-sweet-coffee]

some random espave questions bcuz i love them:

go-to drink when they go out to eat? favourite place to go out to eat?

what movie does one of them like/love that the other can't stand, if any? (like, if wave liked smth like uhh idk the human centipede, but espio hates it with his entire chamussy)

biggest 'wtf is wrong with you' moment?

favourite drink:

oh boy! that depends on the venue, so i’ll list a couple. wave likes chai lattes, but she’ll also have a cappuccino if it’s morning brunch. they’ll split a wine at a restaurant (one that caters to both their dish palettes, red white or rosé are all possibilities as it depends on availability and parity) and wave’s favourite cocktail is a moscow mule! espio’s a gin and tonic guy, but he’ll get a london fog at brunch

favourite place to eat: once again it depends on the time of day, but there’s a french cafe they usually go to for brunch all the time at! they’re brunch havers!!!

movie intolerance: espio hates when wave puts on spirited away because she just relentlessly calls him haku and pokes/teases him for it. he probably also wouldn’t understand the beauty of the human centipede 🥺💔 wave hates when espio watches clara-era doctor who because she doesn’t like clara no i’m not projecting haha what

biggest wtf is wrong with you moment: CAN I SAY BIOHAZARD EUROVISION? IDK IF TUMBLR KNOWS WHAT THIS MEANS idk tldr wave nearly kills espio via mobian mono by getting fiona to give it to mighty who gives it to espio not realizing that the strain is often fatal for reptiles. anyways espio’s wtf moment would be when he started transforming into a fucked up hybrid super form, grew some weird horns, got a lot more humanoid, and routinely sparred mephiles who is back now and actively ripping apart the spaciotemporal fabric of reality!

… so yeah. my lore gets weird we’ll leave it there LMAK

[garudabluffs]

Eden Golan is presented before the dress rehearsal for the Eurovision final on Saturday

To spite the woke, I will unashamedly vote for Israel at Eurovision MAY 11,2024

"Golan’s security has been so perilous that Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, Israel’s security service, personally flew to Malmo to oversee her security, and all 20 of the Israeli delegation were instructed to stay in their hotel rooms under round-the-clock security."

“It’s incredible that in the middle of a war, Shin Bet’s head felt the need to go to Malmo because of the safety fears,” a source told The Telegraph. Indeed. 

Meanwhile, the absurdity of the claim that Golan, who grew up in Moscow (the family left in 2022), is somehow culpable for anything geopolitical is only highlighted by the fact that her mother is Ukrainian, once a reason for sympathy. Perhaps because she is Ukrainian-Jewish it doesn’t matter.

I for one always enjoy the Israeli act, and am impressed by the courage of Golan. I will be watching for her sake and it isn’t hard to guess where my vote will go."

READ MORE To spite the woke, I will unashamedly vote for Israel at Eurovision (msn.com)

[discworldwitches]

just found out that after the russian invasion of georgia, in 2009, the european broadcasting union (people who broadcast eurovision) disqualified georgia’s song “we don’t wanna put in” for being too political but allowed russia to sing “you’re not gonna get this” a military choir, a pink prop tank, and a fighter jet (?!?!). it was also the same year the contest was hosted in moscow

[head-post]

Orbán mocked by EU lawmakers after speech

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech to the European Parliament as part of Hungary’s rotating presidency, sparking anger among EU lawmakers.

The European Union needs to change, and I would like to convince you about that today.

He said an escalation of conflict in the Middle East would lead to a “migration crisis” that could result in the Schengen open borders system “falling apart.”

“Our union needs to change, and the presidency wants to be the catalyst for this change.”

Despite jeering from left-wing lawmakers before his speech, EU parliamentarians listened calmly. Only towards the end, when the anthem Bella Ciao sounded, they got animated. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola called the meeting to order.

This is not Eurovision.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who called on top EU officials to boycott meetings organised by the Hungarian presidency, also criticised Orbán after his remarks.

“This is not fighting illegal migration in Europe. This is just throwing problems over your neighbour’s fence.”

One of the leaders of the Green Bloc, Terry Reintke, reacted much more harshly.

You are not welcome here; this is the house of European democracy.

EU lawmakers also lambasted him for his trip to Moscow, saying it was not a peace mission, but propaganda.

Facing criticism from other EU members, Orbán has repeatedly pointed to the recent successes of national-oriented parties in France, the Netherlands and eastern Germany as evidence that his way of thinking is becoming more popular.

Read more HERE

[quaintmelissak]

Eurovision 2009: Opening titles from Peter Soloway on Vimeo.

Opening titles for FINAL of Eurovision 2009 Moscow CGI by n3 Production by REDSQUAREDESIGN

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.24 (after 1940)

1940 – Igor Sikorsky performs the first successful single-rotor helicopter flight. 1940 – Acting on the orders of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, NKVD agent Iosif Grigulevich orchestrates an unsuccessful assassination attempt on exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky in Coyoacán, Mexico. 1941 – World War II: In the Battle of the Atlantic, the German battleship Bismarck sinks the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, killing all but three crewmen. 1944 – Börse Berlin building burns down after being hit in an air raid during World War II. 1944 – Congress of Përment occurs which establishes a provisional government in Albania in areas under partisan control, the first independent Albanian government since 1939. In honor of this the national emblem of Albania inscribed this date from 1946 until 1992. 1948 – Arab–Israeli War: Egypt captures the Israeli kibbutz of Yad Mordechai, but the five-day effort gives Israeli forces time to prepare enough to stop the Egyptian advance a week later. 1956 – The first Eurovision Song Contest is held in Lugano, Switzerland. 1958 – United Press International is formed through a merger of the United Press and the International News Service. 1960 – Following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the largest ever recorded earthquake, Cordón Caulle begins to erupt. 1961 – American civil rights movement: Freedom Riders are arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for "disturbing the peace" after disembarking from their bus. 1962 – Project Mercury: American astronaut Scott Carpenter orbits the Earth three times in the Aurora 7 space capsule. 1967 – Egypt imposes a blockade and siege of the Red Sea coast of Israel. 1967 – Belle de Jour, directed by Luis Buñuel, is released. 1976 – The Judgment of Paris takes place in France, launching California as a worldwide force in the production of quality wine. 1981 – Ecuadorian president Jaime Roldós Aguilera, his wife, and his presidential committee die in an aircraft accident while travelling from Quito to Zapotillo minutes after the president gave a famous speech regarding the 24 de mayo anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha. 1982 – Liberation of Khorramshahr: Iranians recapture of the port city of Khorramshahr from the Iraqis during the Iran–Iraq War. 1988 – Section 28 of the United Kingdom's Local Government Act 1988, a controversial amendment stating that a local authority cannot intentionally promote homosexuality, is enacted. 1991 – Israel conducts Operation Solomon, evacuating Ethiopian Jews to Israel. 1992 – The last Thai dictator, General Suchinda Kraprayoon, resigns following pro-democracy protests. 1992 – The ethnic cleansing in Kozarac, Bosnia and Herzegovina begins when Serbian militia and police forces enter the town. 1993 – Eritrea gains its independence from Ethiopia. 1993 – Roman Catholic Cardinal Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo and five other people are assassinated in a shootout at Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport in Mexico. 1994 – Four men are convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York in 1993; each one is sentenced to 240 years in prison. 1995 – While attempting to return to Leeds Bradford Airport in the United Kingdom, Knight Air Flight 816 crashes in Dunkeswick, North Yorkshire, killing all 12 people on board. 1999 – The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands indicts Slobodan Milošević and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo. 2000 – Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation. 2002 – Russia and the United States sign the Moscow Treaty. 2014 – A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, injuring 324 people. 2014 – At least three people are killed in a shooting at Brussels' Jewish Museum of Belgium. 2022 – A mass shooting occurs at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, United States, resulting in the deaths of 21 people, including 19 children.

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Tel Aviv 2019 – Grand Final

Host: Israel Slogan: “Dare to Dream” Participants: 41 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host

Winner: Duncan Laurence - Arcade Country: Netherlands Points: 498 (51.9% of highest score possible) Language: English

General Overview:

I regret taking long breaks because now I have to review Tel Aviv 2019 during late 2023… but I'll just focus on the music and the show, same as when I dealt with Moscow and Baku.

Anyways, I'm nostalgic for 2019. It was the first year I felt like a real adult. It was those last moments before we entered into a parallel universe. And years ending in -9 just hit different. Pop music feels fresher; while in Eurovision context: 2009 reinstated the juries and expanded the stage, 1999 removed the orchestra and language rules, 1979 was the first contest held outside western Europe, and 1969 had 4 winners. As for 2019? It's the technology. It's a great year for staging.

It's also a very competitive top 10. Sure, “Arcade” is an obvious winner in hindsight, but Italy came close. I absolutely LOVE my top 10 as well. But the bottom half of my ranking… meh. 2019 is somehow a strong year and a weak year at the same time.

The Grand Final is EXTREMELY bloated. The opening sequence involves Netta piloting a plane that supposedly carries the 26 finalists, while Jon Ola Sand acts as the air traffic controller. Then, different groups of people set-up jeeps, vans, buoys, bicycles, drones, glow sticks, and paper lanterns to act as runway guiding lights. The plane appears to land in the arena, with a split-up LED illusion. Then Netta appears on stage with dancing flight attendants, as the “Toy” instrumental plays. This starts the Flag Parade, where one flight attendant twirls the flags, creating holograms of swirly sparks that shoot upwards; while Dana International, Ilanit, and Nadav Guedj perform. I mean, “Golden Boy” does mention Tel Aviv. This is another hype opener. There's also a montage of past hosts introducing the voting.

I found the hosts funny this year. In the final, there's Erez and Bar bantering about junk food and Madonna, Assi's romantic dinner joke, Netta flirting with Bar, “Lucy used all 20 of my votes”, and Bar surprising Erez at the voting table.

The interval is LONG. First, Conchita, Måns, Eleni, and Verka play song switcharoo. Eleni's version of “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” is a moment, but Måns made “Fuego” boring somehow. At the end, they all join Gali Atari in singing “Hallelujah”. Also lol at Assi startling Verka. Then Assi awkwardly interviews Madonna, but her telling the artists they're all winners was nice. Next, Idan Raichel Project performs “Boee”. I liked this one – it's a smooth atmosphere of cultural elements that turns into great energy. Erez interviews Quavo next. Then it's the mentalist again (UGH!) This time, he gets 3 random finalists to pick a year/song/artist. They just happen to choose 1974/“Waterloo”/ABBA. After that, Netta performs “Nana Banana”, where she's dressed in banana yellow. She sits at the head of the table, then walks across it, showing she's the star. Meanwhile, there's dancers in formal attire, who later reveal more yellow outfits. This song is pretty annoying too (“OWW!”).

FINALLY, we get to the infamous Madonna performance. The intro is cool, with the cloaked chanting monks and church bells, but Madonna's vocals are iffy during “Like a Prayer” (trap remix) and I've never seen someone take so long to walk down a staircase. Then the dancers are in gas masks during the spoken word “Dark Ballet”. Then it's the excessively auto-tuned “Future” featuring Quavo. Madonna and Quavo's dancing is cringe-y here. We aren't done though! There's still a video of Gal Gadot showcasing Tel Aviv. I swear, Israel flaunted every celebrity possible. Jean Paul Gaultier made an appearance too.

The postcards begin with a graphic of the flags in rotating triangles. Then the artists explore Israel, as the same piano notes play every time. After a moment, they press a triangle play button hologram that says “PLAY”, and they dance with a group of people, with a different instrumental for every country. At the end, they throw a triangle forward. And the arena's ceiling structure shows the flag colours in triangular lights, with a piano sequence + “WAH” sound.

Did I mention the 2019 design involves triangles??? The logo itself is a star made of 3 triangles. And the stage is a triangular platform pointing forwards, with a triangular archway overhead, and a V-shaped audience ramp. That archway disappears for many of the performances though, which is a wise decision. Tel Aviv also steals the bridges from Lisbon. And the LED screen returns, which can split into vertical turning sections.

The jury voting was very close. Italy and Russia lead early on, but eventually North Macedonia wouldn't budge from #1, until Sweden overtook on the very last country. 2nd place kept flipping too. And the Netherlands was close to winning the jury. However, it was revealed post-contest that Belarus's top 10 jury points were actually their bottom 10. Meaning North Macedonia should've won the jury. What a random jury winner. Otherwise, the map uses glitter-light country shapes. Izhar Cohen was the Israeli spokesperson, meaning all 4 Israeli winners appeared tonight. And the EBU switched to revealing the televote points in jury vote order. Oh, and Hatari upset the audience with Palestinian flags.

Malta: Michela - Chameleon

Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës Of course Albania is second in the running order. I also just realized this song gives me “1944” vibes.

Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend

Germany: S!sters - Sister “I'm sorry, 0 points”. I guess 2018 was an anomaly, as Germany returns to the bottom 2. “Sister” is just a bland entry. It wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, but the composition is as inoffensive as possible and refuses to be distinct. The song starts with a music box, followed by piano dings. Then the drums march until the music box returns to pause the build-up, with cymbal shimmer transitions; then foot-taps and strikes ensue. Verse 2 adds foot-taps and light guitar after a second. Then the song peaks with heavier drums and that “SISTER... OOH WAH OOH” bit... which is a very flat climax. The bridge resumes the music box again. The drums are boring, the melody is basic, and the music box is whatever. The lyrics promote non-familial sisterhood. Indeed, S!sters aren't even real sisters. The duo urges women to support each other instead of trying to knock the competition down. The narrator sighs “I'm tired” of it. She tried to inhibit her sister but couldn't. She wouldn't share her success, saw her as an enemy, and feared her power. But she empowers her sister in the chorus, and apologizes in verse 2. The staging is basic as well. It starts dark, with the pair on opposite sides of the ramp, as they change leads. And the LED shows their sad faces singing (*eye roll*) They then meet in the middle, and yell “SISTER” at each other while amateurishly bouncing. There's also an unearned fire rain finale and they excitedly embrace at the end. Their vocal sounds emotional, but in a saccharine way.

Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream The bad running order slot didn't hurt this.

Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever

San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na I can't hate on people having the time of their lives.

North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud

Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love John's charisma (and the Mamas) really elevate this.

Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi

Cyprus: Tamta - Replay

Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade (winner review below)

Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love

Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home This just screams “we don't want to host again”. It's a dated song with a formal performance, and Kobi's voice is excruciating (“I AM SOMEOoOoOoONE”). I just want him to STOP. He gargles the word “bruise” too. The orchestral string intro is from the 1950s. Then a gentle piano follows, as he sounds choked up. A small, anxious running beat appears next, with a bit of guitar and snowy echoes. Then the first chorus rests after a cymbal shimmer. Meanwhile, there's 3-way split-screens of Kobi and jagged screens showing the music video. The backing choir comes out during verse 2 and they stand close to him. It's an intense visual. The instrumental stays gently anxious until the bridge, where the strings grow and the melody shifts, as Kobi walks across the bridge. The slow drums enter at the climax, with fire rain and him walking across the ramp. Plus a rising bit and a pause. The song ends gently again, and with another big gargling vocal. Kobi is an over-singing, over-emoting showman. The lyrics are about personal growth. Kobi is focused on the current moment for the rest of his life. He runs “barefoot to the mountain tops” and hugs cold water (ie. facing extreme and uncomfortable challenges). And now that he found his identity, he's coming home. He used to listen to others and waited for time to pass. It was a long, suffering journey and he's done with letting that hurt affect him. It's a nice message, but the song is too theatrical and formal to make me feel anything.

Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky

United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us A bland and forgettable entry puts the UK in last place. John Lundvik clearly kept the better song for himself. “Bigger than Us” wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, like Germany. It's more stimulating than “Sister” at least, and it has an innocent, uplifting vibe. But it's still formulaic and predictable. The song starts with a warm, hopeful piano, as the audio skips on “me and you”. The kicks and snaps come next. Then the song suddenly slam-stops, and the “anthemic” chorus brings the percussion and distorted “oh oh oh” responses. The backing lifts the last “it's bigger!” The second chorus extends into a back-and-forth “bigger (bigger)” with the backing. The bridge quiets to a pretty piano, leading to a drum breakdown, where the choir comes on stage giving “hah-oh”s. The last chorus is elevated by strings and stage sparks. And they stand around a fiery circle. The stage starts grayscale, as Michael walks forward with smoke behind him. Then the LED lights up with outer space imagery. He also shows his vocals on “ONLY HOPE”, “WE SEEEE YEAH”, and “UUUUS”. The lyrics lack depth though. The word “bigger” is said 47 times. Michael wants the subject to hear him. He says that love is attainable between them. He offers his hand and promises he won't give up. While the chorus proclaims that their love is bigger than everything. It's a bit trite. His performance is fine, the backing choir improves things, and the chorus shift kinda works. But yeah, this is bland.

Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra

Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm Uhh was that a camera fuck up?

Belarus: Zena - Like It Zena cannot sing. The chorus is kinda annoying too.

Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth The verses are better than the chorus.

France: Bilal Hassani - Roi I view France's 2017/18/19 entries as a trilogy. Madame Monsieur even helped write this one. “Requiem” and “Mercy” told unique stories, but “Roi”'s message of self-love has 0 subtly. Especially the staging. It starts with a flashlight on Bilal's face, with colourful tears and words. Then, teen ballerina Lizzy Howell walks out, twirls, and shakily pushes wrists with Bilal. Then he comforts deaf dancer Lin Ching-lan. Meanwhile, the LED shows quotes, news headlines and videos of the dancers; as well as an empty throne room. Bilal also kneels during the bridge. While at the end, they all stand together making hand-crowns, as the LED shows a child video of Bilal + “We are all Kings/Queens”. The lyrics alternate English and French frequently. Bilal asserts “I will always be [me]”. She decides her own path. He lives life despite judgement. It bothers people and they tell her how to be, but she defies it; retorting “you cannot change me boo”. The term “king” is used to empower. Verse 2 questions why they hurt for nothing. We choose many things, but not who we are, it's no one's business. Bilal projects self-love, security and confidence. And the “I'M NOT RICH...” and “know-oh-oh-oh” hooks are fine, but the chorus suffers from the plain modern drum beat. The verses follow an active piano, with fist-pounding ticks partway. The post-chorus adds some strings and fluttery metal bits. Verse 2 has some drumstick echos midway. And the bridge reduces to low vibrations.

* Bilal uses both he/him and she/her pronouns, so I alternated

Italy: Mahmood - Soldi This is so addictive. The “come va, come va, come va” and “Soldi, Soldi” repetitions are catchy AF. The handclaps get the audience involved. It sounds fresh and modern. And it changes gears so cleverly. There's an Arabic guitar that keeps reappearing, mixed with assertive foot stomps. The verses follow “dun... dun-dun” piano notes, with more stomps. There's a pause on “AH UH”. The pre-chorus piano races with smooth strings, and the vocal jumps out midway with taps. Then the sludgy bass drops with double handclaps. And the Arabic guitar cuts this off effectively. The bridge has a more cluttered sound, ending in more strings. Mahmood crams a lot of words into this, but it doesn't harm the melody. The lyrics tell a personal story with a justifiably bitter tone. It's about his deceitful father, who walked out on his family, and only cares about money. Mahmood reassures his mom he's on his way home to see him. She thought it was love. The father is breaking Ramadan and smoking a hookah, and there's a Jackie Chan reference. Upon seeing him, Mahmood sings quickly since his mind is racing. He doesn't trust him. He doesn't care to explain. He decries “you only cared about the money, as if I have any”. The father won't say the right words. Mahmood rejects his offer. And the bridge inserts an Arabic phrase that his dad used to say. The staging involves Mahmood and the dancers leaning backwards during the chorus, as the LED shows a clapping silhouette. It also shows flaming banknotes, a sad boy, translated lyrics, and his face breaking. Plus beggars' hands on the floor. The dancers have some interesting choreo as well. But yeah, I just love how the different parts work together here.

Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna This is pretty epic by the end of it. It's grown on me! I love the part when the strings stop.

Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me

Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity

Spain: Miki - La venda This is an insanely energetic, joyous, and fun song. It sounds like a World Cup theme. It does burn out after repeated listens (I need to catch my breath!), and it is repetitive, but those “LA VENDA YA CAYÓOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” shouts are really catchy. The celebratory trumpet intro stands out too. And there's many quick “woo” pauses for breathers. Most of the song has fast, summery guitar and drums. The verses add backing “ohhhhh” to it, while the chorus adds horns and “HEY”s. The bridge retreats into rapid claps and Spanish guitar, then escalates with drum slams and horns, leading to a hollow drum breakdown. And it repeats “Lo que ere” 12 times. The song energizes the arena, but the choreo is kinda messy. They jump and raise their arms to hype up the crowd. And they run to the bridge and ramp at the end. The stage includes a 3x2 structure of 6 rooms with hand-drawn decor, and a frozen person in each. Miki turns around and visits them. The LED shows bold colours, including paint splatters and fingerprints. There's also a moving, lit-up, mummy thing. They brace against gravity during the camera tilts. Miki holds a camera at one point. The lyrics are trying too hard to be deep though. It's about removing the “blindfold” to live happy and free. Every verse line starts with “Te”. Miki remarks “They buy you because you're for sale”. You have excess to sell. You're lost because there's a way to be. He says there's other options – love and choose yourself. You're enough without forcing it.

The Winner:

The Netherlands achieves their 5th victory, and their first in 44 years. Austria still holds the record at 48 years between 1966 & 2014. However, Spain or France could break that in the near future. The Netherlands were one of my favourite countries during the '70s, '80s, and '90s, but they dropped off in the new millennium. They didn't even qualify for 8 years in a row. But then “Birds” changed everything; and “Calm After the Storm” did even better. Since then, the Netherlands winning again felt inevitable. Duncan's win is the culmination of their revival. Switching to internal selections has worked out pretty well.

“Arcade” is probably the least controversial winner of 2014-2023. There's nothing divisive about it. Although, at the time, I wasn't feeling the studio version. I was sick of hearing songs with big loud percussion. I didn't want a OneRepublic clone winning Eurovision. But after seeing Duncan's sensitive performance, I changed my mind. I can FEEL the emotion in this song clearly. Those “AHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHH”s and “ALL I KNOW”s wouldn't leave my brain either. It's catchy! There's a very noticeable verse/chorus contrast too. The song opens with a piano sequence and vocal howls, creating a cold night forest atmosphere. Then the introverted verse expresses Duncan's sadness and vulnerability, with the soft melancholic piano and lower vocal. The howls return with boops and Duncan's voice rises. Then the guitar and snaps get the pre-chorus moving. While the heavy drums slam down in the chorus, with some clicks. The second verse adds low drum booms and skips the pre-chorus. The later choruses are doubled. The bridge is a delicate moment. There's a dense drum breakdown. The last chorus adds moody strings. And the song ends where it started.

The chorus is like pounding your fists against the wall in agony because you can't take it anymore. It represents Duncan's frustration. His broken heart has unfixed cracks. He lost some pieces while returning home. He's afraid of himself. His mind feels different. He begs to be carried home. While the chorus surmises that loving this person is a losing game. The relationship was destined to fail, and he knew it (“I saw the end before it begun”), but he carried on. He was addicted. The “How many pennies in the slot?” line questions how invested his ex was, since they gave up easily. The “Small-town boy in a big arcade” line implies Duncan was out of his depth. But then he calls it quits in the bridge (“Get me off this rollercoaster”). It was a turbulent relationship. The lyrics contain several game metaphors: “lost a couple of pieces”, “pennies in the slot”, “Game Over”; but not in a corny way.

The staging keeps it simple, but still visually satisfying. Emotional ballads don't need anything extra. Duncan spends the entire performance playing a piano that's positioned sideways, while the dark blue lighting establishes the mood. It begins pitch black until the first line. Then the camera slowly zooms in as he looks down at the piano. He only really looks up during the close-ups. A blue spotlight shines on him next. Then a moon orb descends in front of him and he stares at it during the bridge. Then he throws his arms behind him as a blinding white light beams in the background. The stage has a nighttime aesthetic. It fits the song perfectly and I wouldn't change anything about it.

This became a viral TikTok hit, and the first Eurovision song to chart in America since Gina G. It's currently the most streamed Eurovision song ever on Spotify at over 1 billion plays.

Verdict: “A” Tier.

My Ranking:

Grand Final: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love

11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 13. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 14. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 15. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 16. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 17. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 18. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 19. Belarus: Zena - Like It 20. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 21. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 22. Germany: S!sters - Sister 23. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 24. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 25. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 26. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home

Full Ranking: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love 11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Romania: Ester Peony - On a Sunday 13. Belgium: Eliot - Wake Up 14. Armenia: Srbuk - Walking Out 15. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 16. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 17. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 18. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Az én apám 19. Lithuania: Jurij Veklenko - Run with the Lions 20. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 21. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 22. Moldova: Anna Odobescu - Stay 23. Portugal: Conan Osíris - Telemóveis 24. Austria: Pænda - Limits 25. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 26. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 27. Belarus: Zena - Like It 28. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 29. Latvia: Carousel - That Night 30. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 31. Poland: Tulia - Fire of Love (Pali się) 32. Finland: Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman - Look Away 33. Ireland: Sarah McTernan - 22 34. Georgia: Oto Nemsadze - Keep On Going 35. Germany: S!sters - Sister 36. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 37. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 38. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 39. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home 40. Croatia: Roko - The Dream 41. Montenegro: D mol - Heaven

[mariacallous]

VSquare SPICY SCOOPS  

There is always a lot of information that we hear and find interesting and newsworthy but don’t publish as part of our investigative reporting — and share instead in this newsletter.  

EUROPEAN BROADCASTERS UNION STAYS SILENT ON FICO’S CRACKDOWN ON PUBLIC MEDIA

As Robert Fico’s government intensifies its control over Slovak public media, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – also known as the organizer of the Eurovision song contest, an event embracing European values and equality – appears complacent. A year ago in Brussels, during an on background meeting, I challenged EBU representatives on their failure to act as two of its members – Hungarian and Polish public media – transformed into state-controlled propaganda machines, even allowing a Hungarian representative to assume an EBU committee leadership role. All this while Hungary quit Eurovision as the song contest was reportedly “too gay” for them. These days, despite the Fico government’s recent crackdown on Slovak public media, and widespread resignations of staff in protest, EBU remains silent, effectively legitimizing these anti-democratic actions. No suspension, no expulsion, no criticism.  My recent detailed inquiries to the EBU regarding Fico’s planned political control over Slovak public media (renamed from RTVS to STVR) and Hungary’s similar challenges were met with silence again (no reply), mirroring the EBU’s stance last year. At that time, however, EBU representatives somewhat acknowledged to me that my concerns are valid but showed no willingness to act, reinforcing the disconnect between EBU’s European values and the actions of some of its members. By turning a blind eye, EBU continues to empower governments that seek to suppress independent and real journalism, undermining its public service mission. In contrast, the Czech public radio and broadcaster (Český rozhlas/ČRo) has indefinitely suspended cooperation with the Slovak public media this summer.  

NO WIDE-SPREAD BOYCOTT OF EUROPEAN LEADERS’ BUDAPEST SUMMITS

As the European Political Community summit and the informal EU summit in Budapest (November 7-8) approach, European governments had to finalize their attendance plans. When Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán surprised allies this summer with his so-called peace mission—unannounced visits to Moscow, Beijing, and Mar-a-Lago, positioning himself as the self-styled EU leader—it seemed many EU governments would boycott Hungary's presidency events, sending lower-level officials or skipping them entirely. However, as I reported months ago, the only gathering of true significance to Orbán is the two-day, high-level summit in November. According to multiple foreign government officials and diplomats I’ve spoken with, as of now, only the Baltic states and some Nordic countries may boycott the Budapest events—though even Sweden’s prime minister is expected to attend (it seems Orbán’s delay of Sweden’s NATO membership has been forgiven).  Officials I spoke with gave several reasons for deciding to attend. First, smaller countries are more likely to boycott if larger ones do—but that’s not happening, as even Poland seems to be attending. Second, agenda topics like Ukraine, EU accession for the Western Balkans, and Georgia outweigh concerns about the host. Finally, this will be European leaders’ first in person chance to discuss the U.S. presidential election results—and how best to prepare for a Trump or Harris presidency. The Hungarian EU presidency initially set this Monday as the deadline for EU countries to register their delegations, and there was some hesitation among certain member states over Orbán’s trip to Georgia following its contested election results. However, while a few countries may still pull out at the last minute, the vast majority currently plan to attend.  

POLISH EU PRESIDENCY PLANS TO UNDO SOME OF THE DAMAGE DONE BY HUNGARY

Viktor Orbán essentially hijacked the Hungarian EU presidency to promote his own pro-Russian and pro-Chinese agenda. His recent trip to Tbilisi to legitimize the pro-Kremlin Georgian regime is just the latest example. However, a sharp shift is expected when Poland takes over from January 1, 2025. VSquare’s editor-in-chief Anna Gielewska tells me that, according to her Polish government sources, the aim is to do the exact opposite: push through new sanctions against Russia; support Ukraine; and make combating disinformation one of the Polish presidency’s priorities. And while Hungary tried to use its half a year in a way that mostly aligns with the Kremlin’s interests, one of Poland’s other priorities is to give heavy support to Moldova’s EU accession so that the country could be accepted fast – before Russian hybrid operations in the country make it impossible. For example, at the beginning of next year, a special group is expected to be formed to help Moldova, likely with former Minister for European Affairs Ewa Ośniecka-Tamecka as one of its key members. The idea is to offer Moldova practical tips and support in negotiations, along with hands-on help to meet the goals expected by the EU. The so-called ‘Natolin Group’—based at the College of Europe in Warsaw’s Natolin campus—brings together individuals who negotiated Poland’s accession back in 2004 and would be the best match,” a source close to Polish diplomacy explained.