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EUROVISION 2018 - JESS MAUBOY :)
- Thread starter kxk
- Start date
kxk
SAPIOSEXUAL
2009 RUSSIA HOSTING.....swimming pools on the ceiling, cemented my LOVE for Eurotrash
CUTE DISCO NO LAST YEAR.......such a happy vibe, I love watching her dance moves
The politics......quite amazing, a song was even the signal for a revolution to BEGIN
CARNATION REVOLUTION
UKRAINE WINNER 2016 .........after Russia invaded, an F you from Ukraine, that is sensational, soulful and utterly gorgeous
Your political Eurovision cheatsheet
Everything a diplomat needs to know about Europe’s soft-power extravaganza.
By FRANCES ROBINSON
5/9/18, 4:02 AM CET
LONDON — We are living in the age of soft power. Planting a tree with a golden shovel, hosting a tournament where 22 men kick a ball around, wearing a feathered cape to a royal reception — these events are deconstructed, analyzed and imbued with significance.
This week, Europe celebrates the most glitter-encrusted of all the soft-power displays: the Eurovision Song Contest. The final is scheduled for May 12 in Lisbon, after two semifinals on May 8 and 10. After last year’s politically weighted performances in Ukraine, the focus is expected to be more on the music.
But there’s still plenty for the Brussels wags to discuss — from songs tackling big themes like the refugee crisis, #MeToo and terrorism to a controversy about an Estonian e-dress and the English language’s spectacular retreat.
Most years are less political than the 2017 edition, when Russia withdrew because their singer, Julia Samoylova, had previously visited occupied Crimea. She’ll compete this year instead. Ukraine were hosting after winning with “1944,” a song about Stalin’s enforced wartime deportation of Tatar people to barren Central Asia.
France’s song, “Mercy,” by Electro duet Madame Monsieur takes on the refugee crisis.
This time around, the contest has travelled to Lisbon thanks to Salvador Sobral’s “Amar Pelos Dois,” a melancholy jazz waltz about getting over heartbreak, which means the pendulum is swinging back toward a contest that is all about the music.
“The Portuguese entries have been the most political entries in the history of Eurovision, from some of the songs that were critical of the dictatorship in the ’60s and ’70s to the song that was the signal for the Carnation Revolution,” explained the University of Vienna’s Dean Vuletic, author of “Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest.” “But it’s always been about internal Portuguese political issues — I find it quite ironic that the Portuguese edition of Eurovision should be so nonpolitical.”
Still, it’s not as if the contest exists in a vacuum: plenty of songs take on political themes. Israel’s song, “Toy,” sung by Netta Barzilai, is currently one of the favorites to win. It includes lyrics like “Wonder Woman don’t you ever forget / You’re divine and he’s about to regret” and “I’m not your toy (Not your toy) / You stupid boy (Stupid boy),” vocal looping, and what sounds an awful lot like a chicken clucking.
“It’s a song that expresses female strength, and I’m super proud to sing it because I know how many women feel under pressure to be what society demands,” Barzilai told Tagesspiegel. According to Eurovision blog Wiwibloggs, the song’s (male) writer Doron Medalie said in a recent interview on Israeli radio that the song has a strong connection to the #MeToo movement. More concrete is the Portuguese broadcaster’s choice to have an all-female line-up of presenters this year.
France’s song, “Mercy,” by Electro duet Madame Monsieur, takes on the refugee crisis. It tells the story of Mercy, a baby born in March 2017 on board Aquarius, a humanitarian ship operated by NGO SOS Méditerranée. The video features people standing at European landmarks wearing life jackets and emergency foil blankets. Malta tackles similar territory, and plenty of other countries have messages to get across.
“The Italian one is about wars and terrorism, but you can also see these themes in the Danish entry, the Icelandic, the Swiss, which all take an anti-war stance,” said Vuletic. “The Danish song is also about resolving conflicts peacefully, it’s inspired by a Viking legend, the legend of chieftain Magnus Erlendsson.” You don’t get to learn about the 12th-century Earl of Orkney watching “X Factor.”
There’s a bit of controversy in Ireland, too. And it’s not — as it might have been 30 years ago — about the gay couple dancing through Temple Bar in the video. It’s about the use of a songwriting factory to create “Together,” sung by Ryan O’Shaughnessy over the course of two Eurovision songwriting camps. The Emerald Isle has a record number of Eurovision victories, but are languishing at about 200 to 1 in terms of chances of winning another one.
There are 43 nations competing, matching the record set in 2008 and 2011. Of these, 26 will be in the final: host Portugal, the “big five” nations who make the largest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and 20 qualifiers from the semifinal. Bookmakers have Israel, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic as the three most likely to win, though favorites rarely go the distance.
Belgium is also riding high with the bookies: In true Belgian style, the country alternates between the French and Flemish language broadcasters sending an entry each year. This year, VRT, the Flemish national public broadcaster, is sending Sennek, with “A Matter of Time.” She has worked on projects including the 50th anniversary celebrations of the James Bond franchise, “007 In Concert,” and it shows in the song’s big, sexy chord sequences.
Other political points you might want to make at a viewing party full of diplomats: Just as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán repeatedly raises hackles in Brussels with his policies, Hungary is going against the grain by sending in this year’s only metal entry. AWS, who describe themselves as “a modern metal band with attitude,” will perform “Viszlát nyár,” inspired by the death of the singer’s father with lyrics that depict — in Hungarian — the struggle and thoughts of a dying man.
Meanwhile, Estonia got embroiled in a row about a dress. No, not sexy milkmaids a la Poland 2014 — this is e-Estonia, land of the blockchain land registry and virtual e-residency. Elina Nayacheva’s performance involves an on-brand, tech-enabled dress covered in projections, lighting displays and lasers.
However, getting it to Lisbon and running the electronics will cost a cool €65,000. The Eurovision team appealed to the government for funding, but were rebuffed: in the end a consortium of private companies came up with the cash. Not that it’s to everyone’s taste: “Big dress, looks like she’s vomiting over it,” concluded Andrew Latto, a British civil servant who also creates an impressively in-depth Eurovision guide for his colleagues, and other enthusiasts, every year.
A final point of interest in the Brussels beltway. As the debate continues about the role of English as a language in the post-Brexit EU institutions, this year has a bumper crop of songs in languages other than the global lingua franca. Last year’s winner was sung in Portuguese, showing it can be done. This year, there are 13 songs not in English, compared to just four last year, according to Vuletic. Could it be a sign of the French language-dominated Continent some would like to see?
CUTE DISCO NO LAST YEAR.......such a happy vibe, I love watching her dance moves
The politics......quite amazing, a song was even the signal for a revolution to BEGIN
CARNATION REVOLUTION
UKRAINE WINNER 2016 .........after Russia invaded, an F you from Ukraine, that is sensational, soulful and utterly gorgeous
Your political Eurovision cheatsheet
Everything a diplomat needs to know about Europe’s soft-power extravaganza.
By FRANCES ROBINSON
5/9/18, 4:02 AM CET
LONDON — We are living in the age of soft power. Planting a tree with a golden shovel, hosting a tournament where 22 men kick a ball around, wearing a feathered cape to a royal reception — these events are deconstructed, analyzed and imbued with significance.
This week, Europe celebrates the most glitter-encrusted of all the soft-power displays: the Eurovision Song Contest. The final is scheduled for May 12 in Lisbon, after two semifinals on May 8 and 10. After last year’s politically weighted performances in Ukraine, the focus is expected to be more on the music.
But there’s still plenty for the Brussels wags to discuss — from songs tackling big themes like the refugee crisis, #MeToo and terrorism to a controversy about an Estonian e-dress and the English language’s spectacular retreat.
Most years are less political than the 2017 edition, when Russia withdrew because their singer, Julia Samoylova, had previously visited occupied Crimea. She’ll compete this year instead. Ukraine were hosting after winning with “1944,” a song about Stalin’s enforced wartime deportation of Tatar people to barren Central Asia.
France’s song, “Mercy,” by Electro duet Madame Monsieur takes on the refugee crisis.
This time around, the contest has travelled to Lisbon thanks to Salvador Sobral’s “Amar Pelos Dois,” a melancholy jazz waltz about getting over heartbreak, which means the pendulum is swinging back toward a contest that is all about the music.
“The Portuguese entries have been the most political entries in the history of Eurovision, from some of the songs that were critical of the dictatorship in the ’60s and ’70s to the song that was the signal for the Carnation Revolution,” explained the University of Vienna’s Dean Vuletic, author of “Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest.” “But it’s always been about internal Portuguese political issues — I find it quite ironic that the Portuguese edition of Eurovision should be so nonpolitical.”
Still, it’s not as if the contest exists in a vacuum: plenty of songs take on political themes. Israel’s song, “Toy,” sung by Netta Barzilai, is currently one of the favorites to win. It includes lyrics like “Wonder Woman don’t you ever forget / You’re divine and he’s about to regret” and “I’m not your toy (Not your toy) / You stupid boy (Stupid boy),” vocal looping, and what sounds an awful lot like a chicken clucking.
“It’s a song that expresses female strength, and I’m super proud to sing it because I know how many women feel under pressure to be what society demands,” Barzilai told Tagesspiegel. According to Eurovision blog Wiwibloggs, the song’s (male) writer Doron Medalie said in a recent interview on Israeli radio that the song has a strong connection to the #MeToo movement. More concrete is the Portuguese broadcaster’s choice to have an all-female line-up of presenters this year.
France’s song, “Mercy,” by Electro duet Madame Monsieur, takes on the refugee crisis. It tells the story of Mercy, a baby born in March 2017 on board Aquarius, a humanitarian ship operated by NGO SOS Méditerranée. The video features people standing at European landmarks wearing life jackets and emergency foil blankets. Malta tackles similar territory, and plenty of other countries have messages to get across.
“The Italian one is about wars and terrorism, but you can also see these themes in the Danish entry, the Icelandic, the Swiss, which all take an anti-war stance,” said Vuletic. “The Danish song is also about resolving conflicts peacefully, it’s inspired by a Viking legend, the legend of chieftain Magnus Erlendsson.” You don’t get to learn about the 12th-century Earl of Orkney watching “X Factor.”
There’s a bit of controversy in Ireland, too. And it’s not — as it might have been 30 years ago — about the gay couple dancing through Temple Bar in the video. It’s about the use of a songwriting factory to create “Together,” sung by Ryan O’Shaughnessy over the course of two Eurovision songwriting camps. The Emerald Isle has a record number of Eurovision victories, but are languishing at about 200 to 1 in terms of chances of winning another one.
There are 43 nations competing, matching the record set in 2008 and 2011. Of these, 26 will be in the final: host Portugal, the “big five” nations who make the largest financial contributions to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and 20 qualifiers from the semifinal. Bookmakers have Israel, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic as the three most likely to win, though favorites rarely go the distance.
Belgium is also riding high with the bookies: In true Belgian style, the country alternates between the French and Flemish language broadcasters sending an entry each year. This year, VRT, the Flemish national public broadcaster, is sending Sennek, with “A Matter of Time.” She has worked on projects including the 50th anniversary celebrations of the James Bond franchise, “007 In Concert,” and it shows in the song’s big, sexy chord sequences.
Other political points you might want to make at a viewing party full of diplomats: Just as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán repeatedly raises hackles in Brussels with his policies, Hungary is going against the grain by sending in this year’s only metal entry. AWS, who describe themselves as “a modern metal band with attitude,” will perform “Viszlát nyár,” inspired by the death of the singer’s father with lyrics that depict — in Hungarian — the struggle and thoughts of a dying man.
Meanwhile, Estonia got embroiled in a row about a dress. No, not sexy milkmaids a la Poland 2014 — this is e-Estonia, land of the blockchain land registry and virtual e-residency. Elina Nayacheva’s performance involves an on-brand, tech-enabled dress covered in projections, lighting displays and lasers.
However, getting it to Lisbon and running the electronics will cost a cool €65,000. The Eurovision team appealed to the government for funding, but were rebuffed: in the end a consortium of private companies came up with the cash. Not that it’s to everyone’s taste: “Big dress, looks like she’s vomiting over it,” concluded Andrew Latto, a British civil servant who also creates an impressively in-depth Eurovision guide for his colleagues, and other enthusiasts, every year.
A final point of interest in the Brussels beltway. As the debate continues about the role of English as a language in the post-Brexit EU institutions, this year has a bumper crop of songs in languages other than the global lingua franca. Last year’s winner was sung in Portuguese, showing it can be done. This year, there are 13 songs not in English, compared to just four last year, according to Vuletic. Could it be a sign of the French language-dominated Continent some would like to see?
kxk
SAPIOSEXUAL
CARNATION REVOLUTION......this is so amazing, the Portugal revolution began with the signal - when the Eurovision song was sung
There were two secret signals in the military coup: first the airing (at 10:55 pm) by 'Emissores Associados de Lisboa' of the song "E Depois do Adeus" by Paulo de Carvalho, Portugal's entry in 6 April 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, which alerted the rebel captains and soldiers to begin the coup. Next, on 25 April 1974 at 12:20 am, Rádio Renascença broadcast "Grândola, Vila Morena", a song by Zeca Afonso, an influential folk and political musician-singer banned from Portuguese radio at the time. This was the signal that the MFA gave to take over strategic points of power in the country and "announced" that the revolution had started and nothing would stop it except "the possibility of a regime's repression".
Six hours later, the Caetano regime relented
More about the politics, some more subtle.....
https://www.politico.eu/article/13-times-eurovision-song-contest-got-political/
There were two secret signals in the military coup: first the airing (at 10:55 pm) by 'Emissores Associados de Lisboa' of the song "E Depois do Adeus" by Paulo de Carvalho, Portugal's entry in 6 April 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, which alerted the rebel captains and soldiers to begin the coup. Next, on 25 April 1974 at 12:20 am, Rádio Renascença broadcast "Grândola, Vila Morena", a song by Zeca Afonso, an influential folk and political musician-singer banned from Portuguese radio at the time. This was the signal that the MFA gave to take over strategic points of power in the country and "announced" that the revolution had started and nothing would stop it except "the possibility of a regime's repression".
Six hours later, the Caetano regime relented
More about the politics, some more subtle.....
https://www.politico.eu/article/13-times-eurovision-song-contest-got-political/
kxk
SAPIOSEXUAL
HISTORY OF EUROVISION
Tonight
Destination Flavour Eurovision
SBS, 7:30pm, Thu, 10 May 2018, 65 minutes
If you can't be at the Eurovision Song Contest in person, Adam Liaw will show you the best of Europe without using his passport - it's all here in Australia. Our anointed Eurovision Foodie will show how the people of the European diasporas celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia - the music, the festivities, the favourite performers, and of course the food and drink. Destination Flavour Eurovision is the ultimate how-to guide for hosting your own Eurovision party.
Adam Liaw
Tonight
Destination Flavour Eurovision
SBS, 7:30pm, Thu, 10 May 2018, 65 minutes
If you can't be at the Eurovision Song Contest in person, Adam Liaw will show you the best of Europe without using his passport - it's all here in Australia. Our anointed Eurovision Foodie will show how the people of the European diasporas celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia - the music, the festivities, the favourite performers, and of course the food and drink. Destination Flavour Eurovision is the ultimate how-to guide for hosting your own Eurovision party.
Adam Liaw
...hey kxk... I've just finished watching last nights Eurovision Song Contest and have to say that I'm quite surprised by some of the quality of the songs from different nations... and even more amazing is the fact that some of them from some countries that sing in English as their second language sing the songs better than people on shows like The Voice here in Australia!... their English pronunciation is remarkable to say the least... I really enjoyed the show much to my surprise... at the 6 minute mark did you notice this woman's message flashing T-Shirt?...I love it!... I want one!... lol!...
...some of the songs were quite boring like the one that had the guy holding the Rose and singing a song as if he's Mack singing a love song to Sophie in The Bachelorette... 
...
...my favourite song was the operatic song by Elina Yechayeva from Estonia by a mile... she was absolutely fabulous for me... what a great voice... I really like some Operatic songs when they are sung perfectly like she did... and what a brilliant dress eh?...
...I thought that her performance and visual presentation was the best of the whole night...
... as I said... some Operatic types of songs blow my mind away... and... this clip below has to be my most favourite clip of the all... it's 'Aria' by Yanni Live at the Acropolis... these two women singing are absolutely superb in my opinion... I must have watched this clip at least 50 times... I play it on a loop when I'm doing Photoshop's and other artwork at times... it drives my sweet darling wife crazy at times lol!...
...but getting back to the show... I hope that Elina wins this... and thanks for urging me to watch this kxk... your good judgement shines through yet again for suggesting this show to me... for that I thank you... cheers.
...some of the songs were quite boring like the one that had the guy holding the Rose and singing a song as if he's Mack singing a love song to Sophie in The Bachelorette... ... ...my favourite song was the operatic song by Elina Yechayeva from Estonia by a mile... she was absolutely fabulous for me... what a great voice... I really like some Operatic songs when they are sung perfectly like she did... and what a brilliant dress eh?...
...I thought that her performance and visual presentation was the best of the whole night...... as I said... some Operatic types of songs blow my mind away... and... this clip below has to be my most favourite clip of the all... it's 'Aria' by Yanni Live at the Acropolis... these two women singing are absolutely superb in my opinion... I must have watched this clip at least 50 times... I play it on a loop when I'm doing Photoshop's and other artwork at times... it drives my sweet darling wife crazy at times lol!...
...but getting back to the show... I hope that Elina wins this... and thanks for urging me to watch this kxk... your good judgement shines through yet again for suggesting this show to me... for that I thank you... cheers.
starry
Well-Known Member
My favourites in the first semi, no particular order
Lithuania (soul mannerisms in the vocal but good song)
Macedonia DNQ (heavy criticism from people on the staging/performance, but different to all the others mixing styles, strong)
Cyprus (easy to like dance number)
Finland (some passion there, a bit more to the chorus than some others)
Belarus (vocal brought it alive more than I expected)
Azerbaijan (not a bad pop effort, but like some other songs the volume seemed low on the broadcast so that hurt it I think)
3 qualified, 50% success rate is about as good as I get in semis.
Other ones mentioned here, the Estonian one gave a good performance but not that melodic for me. A good performance from the Swiss one too, but the chorus didn't take off I felt, it obviously wanted to be anthemic. The Austrian one definitely had a catchy chorus but I wanted a bit more oomph there, I don't think I could listen to it lots. The Irish guy had a simpering falsetto.
Lithuania (soul mannerisms in the vocal but good song)
Macedonia DNQ (heavy criticism from people on the staging/performance, but different to all the others mixing styles, strong)
Cyprus (easy to like dance number)
Finland (some passion there, a bit more to the chorus than some others)
Belarus (vocal brought it alive more than I expected)
Azerbaijan (not a bad pop effort, but like some other songs the volume seemed low on the broadcast so that hurt it I think)
3 qualified, 50% success rate is about as good as I get in semis.
Other ones mentioned here, the Estonian one gave a good performance but not that melodic for me. A good performance from the Swiss one too, but the chorus didn't take off I felt, it obviously wanted to be anthemic. The Austrian one definitely had a catchy chorus but I wanted a bit more oomph there, I don't think I could listen to it lots. The Irish guy had a simpering falsetto.
...being that Masterchef isn't on tomorrow night and that Eurovision is on ... I might come into here and post 'Live' as it's happening if anyone else is interested... see you there?... cheers.
...hi Starry... I totally agree with you about that Irish guy... I didn't like him at all... how he progressed further I will never know... cheers.
...speaking of Irish singers... did any of you see Father Ray Kelly singing the other night on 'Britain's Got Talent'?... he sang REMs 'Everybody Hurts' and it nearly made me tear up from his heartfelt rendition of the song... he put all of his heart and soul into it... here it is below... now THAT's how to sing a song... watch it and it will blow your mind I'm sure... cheers.
starry
Well-Known Member
My theory is that a part of the audience thought he looked cute and that was enough for them to vote for him
kxk
SAPIOSEXUAL
Watching this, Adam's Eurovision show.and it is really good......fascinating in fact, taking notes as he has amazing secret sources for all these cuisines...many in Melbourne......wow, now I know where I can see Swedes and their lolly shop in a church.
Absolutely I will be here for tonight semi 2.
Go JESS
Yes, @Mr Stickyfingers Estonia is good value, however no way will she win, for that has all been done before, and better
2017 Sublime ....Aminata, Latvia, adore this vocal
And vampire dude
Cezar, 2013
There are more of those projector frocks.....can't find at moment
So glad you gave it a go Sticky.......I absolutely ADORE EUROVISION, isn't it fantastic, every year I take a break from the news, and focus entirely on this amazing circus of cultures......I just love having the experience of a taste of so many different worlds...
You learn sooooooooooooo much, such as did you know Sweden produces more pop music worldwide, in every sense, than any other nation.......they write and produce everyone else as well
Sadly you never got to experience the wonderful wit of Wogan......partly why Aussies adore Eurovision, he did the commentary for decades and was hilarious, cult following he had. Now BBC has Graham Norton, would like to hear him.
They only introduced Aussie hosts/commentary a few years back....was Julia Zemiro & Sam Pang
I watched the results of semi 2 this am, around 6am
Absolutely I will be here for tonight semi 2.
Go JESS
Yes, @Mr Stickyfingers Estonia is good value, however no way will she win, for that has all been done before, and better
2017 Sublime ....Aminata, Latvia, adore this vocal
And vampire dude
Cezar, 2013
There are more of those projector frocks.....can't find at moment
So glad you gave it a go Sticky.......I absolutely ADORE EUROVISION, isn't it fantastic, every year I take a break from the news, and focus entirely on this amazing circus of cultures......I just love having the experience of a taste of so many different worlds...
You learn sooooooooooooo much, such as did you know Sweden produces more pop music worldwide, in every sense, than any other nation.......they write and produce everyone else as well
Sadly you never got to experience the wonderful wit of Wogan......partly why Aussies adore Eurovision, he did the commentary for decades and was hilarious, cult following he had. Now BBC has Graham Norton, would like to hear him.
They only introduced Aussie hosts/commentary a few years back....was Julia Zemiro & Sam Pang
I watched the results of semi 2 this am, around 6am
Jess is in the finale, they go apeshit over her
...evenin' all... woohoo!... we have some others in here... this should be fun...the only drawbackin watching this Live is that I can't fast forward through all of Joel Creasey's twaddle... cheers.
kxk
SAPIOSEXUAL