This year as usual (sometimes) coming from the country of previous year's winner, Switzerland - an entry which, if anyone remembers the song at all, congrats to them!
It'll be hosted in Basel, a city I visited (along with Zurich) out of curiosity in the 1980s - a time when I was affluent enough to visit virtually anywhere I wanted on a whim, sometimes just for a w/e.
I've listened to all the songs twice, some three times - and for me there's only the one stand-out winner. Unfortunately on the latest betting odds that entry (identified at end of this post) has a less than 1% chance of winning, even lower than the U.K. which has a precisely 1% (as deserved) chance with their totally uninspiring entry:-
Above, U.K.'s 'Maybe Monday' (that's the name of the group!) a performing trio with their song 'What the hell just happened?', a song I just do not 'get', along with a title to match! Anyway they are currently 18th out of a current 37 in the betting. After the two semi-finals, viewers' votes will have whittled Saturday's finalists down to 25. (The U.K. along with France, Germany, Spain and Italy, being the biggest financial contributors to the annual event, are already placed in the final, with also the previous year's winner).
There's not such a visible, though beneath-the-surface, 'gay element' to this year's do, which is a pity even if the audience at least is bound to be livened up with prominently visible Pride flags as well the predictable national ones. (I always find it especially hard whenever the camera plays on or picks out particular male audience members, to decide whether such individuals are not gay! - a minority I'm sure).
One act I must single out is that of Poland (with an indifferent song, alas) - a female singer with a backing leather-clad dance quartet including two men. All four of them wear near-identical dress of mini-skirt consisting of leathery 'straps' hanging down, and stiletto heels! The gay allusion is clear. But whether they will get through to the final, I would doubt it. Currently they are 21st in the betting odds to win:-
Above, Poland's performer(s) - I can't find a pic to show all four dancers in full-length mode.
It's quite a surprise to find that country having permitted such an act to represent the nation when for a number of years until quite recently Poland was deemed the most homophobic (in terms of laws and government) in the entire European Union - that dubious 'honour' now bestowed on Hungary and its Prime Minister (and 47's dear friend) Viktor Orban. (Hiss hiss, boo!)
Russia has been booted out of the competition since President Putrid's invasion of Ukraine, the latter country being currently 14th in the odds, though their song is another barely inspiring one, even though it'll be bound to get a significant sympathy vote.
Every year now the most controversial inclusion is always Israel - demonstrations, bomb threats, death threats - all pretty much business as usual. I wonder why, with Russia being excluded and Israel allowed, should they not permit a Palestinian entry (or Gaza?) if only to balance it? Just asking the question.
Oh, and like they always now are, Australia is again taking part. Last year they didn't even make it to the final.
Present betting favourite to win - Sweden (yes, yet again!), which I'd rate as about the 6th or 7th best, so not too bad - followed by Austria, France and Israel.
And my own favourites? First, Luxembourg - in currently bookies' 24th placing to win - with an attractive, tuneful non-serious ditty which appealed to me on my first hearing, and with a generous nod (if anyone other than me recalls it) to the U.K.'s first ever win back in 1967. Our last outright triumph was in 1997 but since 2000 we've done spectacularly badly, creeping into last place no less than five times! True that in 2022 we came second with Sam Ryder singing the forgettable 'Space Man' though that placing turned out to be an exceptional freak.
Then my second favourite I would place the San Marino entry (bookies' 24th).
Very doubtful if my two choices, especially the first, even make it into Sat's biggie, but that's been the pattern for many years now. Maybe I've gotten just too old to fully appreciate today's prevailing tastes. However, we can but hope!
I feel like I'm also too old to understand the kids these days and their music!!! 😁😁😁
ReplyDeleteGenerally on 'pop' music, increasingly since way back around the mid-90s I've felt myself ever more estranged from then current tastes. I finally started to give up as Adele began coming on the scene, then in about 2010 I finally threw in the towel and accepted that life is just too short to bother with trying to keep up. No regrets since.
DeleteI wish I could watch this. I checked, though, and I think the only streaming service that carries it here is Peacock, which I do not have. I'd love to watch it; some of my other bloggers talk about it as well.
ReplyDeleteYour not being able to watch it live is indeed sad, Elle. It seems to me that most of the world is able to see it, though whether that's via 'official and free' TV channels or through streamlining where one must pay I don't know.
DeleteNothing too controversial happened last night with no great surprises on who didn't make it to the final. I think I was most satisfied that Iceland, unexpectedly, got through. And then there was was the apparent stage invader (a female 'fan') to Estonia's rather good and original act, looking genuine at first, but then danced briefly with the singer in synchronised(!) moves, rather giving the game away. But that was okay with me.
So, quite looking forward to tomorrow's 2nd Semi, but already feeling quite exhausted.
As Elle mentioned, we must pay dearly for the streaming service to get some of your excellent British shows. But I loved reading your description of this years EuroVision and just popped in to say hello.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have your visit here, Camille. It's good that the contest now, with all its faults, absurdities, OTT hoop-la and over-loooooong build up and (eventually) final staging is taken a bit more seriously now, even if as an extravagant piece of F-U-N. Through, I think, the 80s and 90s, it was generally considered so 'naff' to be taken seriously that few would watch it, and some invited countries even refused to participate. But now it's got to another level. Still crazy as ever, but now with a welcome 'must-see' overlay. Long may it remain so.
DeleteBest wishes to you.
I don't watch the lead up to it but watch the whole thing on the night meaning that most of the songs I am hearing just once. I actually like our girls and think it's a good song for Eurovision. It's catchy, lots of key changes and harmonies. I don't think that that matters though as we will always be placed very low as there is so much more going on than the quality of the song with exception as you say of Sam Ryder. I look forward to your review after the event.
ReplyDeleteAs on 'oldie', Carol, I can only put down my indifference to the U.K. entry as my having outlived current tastes. It may do well - in fact on some level I hope it does - but as to remembering it afterwards I'm not bothered. (Actually, though I've now heard it three times I can't recall the slightest thing about it, other than it being so-so at best!)
DeleteIncidentally when the Irish entry, 'Leika Party' comes on I'm going to switch channels. Although the song's lyrics acknowledges the 1957 'event' (which I still remember) I don't care to be reminded of that poor terrified dog being burned up in the atmosphere in that space capsule in which the Russians had launched her into orbit - then afterwards staging a different dog being safely landed showing the world that Leika had survived. It was just a few days months ago that they admitted what we'd already guessed all those decades since. Although it's a 'happy' song, the suggestion that the unfortunate creature is still up there 'playing among the stars' is, with my love of animals, something I can't stomach.