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They won.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/european-broadcasting-union-russia-ukraine-turin-maneskin-b2023447.html
PS: I wrote this without knowing Dragonpol's contribution at the time I started, so this may be a bit redundant.
I was of course being facetious in my post above, perhaps more than the subject deserves. The Ukrainian people have my sympathy, love and support though there's little I can do for them at a personal level except to pray. I'm glad that the UK and its allies are providing much needed support via weaponry and resources and the economic sanctions against Russia. I'm pleased to see that their brave Ukrainian armed forces and civilians are defending themselves valiantly against this unprovoked invasion by Russia and such wicked aggression isn't going unchecked. I fully expected the Ukrainians to fight for their country and not just down arms the minute the Russians invaded.
On the wider point of extending the sanctions against Putin's Russia to the worlds of sport, culture and entertainment although I was being facetious above it does all have an important effect on the aggressor and further confirms his pariah status. The "soft power" exerted by being a part of sports and cultural events is not to be underestimated at a popular level among the Russian population. We already know that the vast majority of the Russian people do not support this war. In Russia, there are daily protests at considerable risk to life and limb to tell the world that this invasion and war is not being done in their name. It could be said that the exclusion of Russia from sports and cultural events may not have as immediate an effect as economic sanctions but they do further aggravate the Russian population and continue to alienate them from the rogue Putin regime that brought all of this censure on the head of Russia. It all adds to the domestic pressure to withdraw his armed forces from Ukraine. It also affects the prestige and influence Putin has built up for himself in the sports and cultural arena as the International Judo Federation's announcement of the suspension of Putin’s status as Honorary President and Ambassador of the International Judo Federation also shows.
Not the first time a Breton song has been selected. Remember this one ?
Now, will it win ? That's the question. But I'm willing to bet it will have a good life in nightclubs.
I applaud countries that select a song in their own language, or, as in this case, one of their regional languages.
There used to be a time when you could turn on the radio and hear four or five different languages in the span of two hours, but like in so many aspects of modern ‘cultural’ life everything has become monolingual.
I wouldn’t claim that this contest is anything more than it is, but at the very least it offers some linguistic variety. Not as much as I would like, but still…
and also Iceland
https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-canada-2023
It helps that the song is an absolute banger:
But yeah, the odds makers have them easily winning. Looking forward to ESC 2023 in Kyiv!
And they say that political voting isn't a thing...
Yes, for once it will be an example of positive political voting at least to show solidarity with Ukraine. Eurovision should really be about the talent of the singers and the quality of the songs and nothing else extraneous to that. However, as you say, political voting has always been a problem for the contest, despite reforms.
Looking to what we get Thuesday and how Greece performance be, i think Cypres should have performed on Thuesday and Greece on Thursday. With Thursday vote i disagree with 2-3 of songs, i choose for Cypres insteed of the country who almoost did nothing with guitar (Azerbajan ?).
The last country that permormed last on Thursday was very good too, mabey also option to be the winner
And then Ukraine won. ;-)
Yes, I did suspect so from everything I'd heard running up to the contest. I actually did break my cardinal rule and watched the end of the Eurovision Song Contest. I couldn't believe how well the UK did with its entry and it actually got most points in the country by country jury vote. Of course it ultimately lost out on the popular vote to Ukraine but coming in second is very respectable for a country that often comes last with nil points! :)
That's because the UK is a member of the European Broadcasting Union, and has been since forever. So, it's entitled to be a part of the contest, just as other members of the EBU, such as Morocco and Israel, for example. In fact, the UK has been a part of the contest way before it joined the Common Market. As for Australia, however, I would agree with you, Olivia Newton John notwithstanding. (yes, she took part in the contest for the UK in the 70s).
Well, at the very least, we may be coming closer to a united Europe than ever before, so far in this century, symbolized by Ukraine's victory last night. If nothing else, that was worth the acid trip that is Eurosong, I guess. 😉 Still, most of this "music" is horrendously bad IMO, and the shows even worse. I'm not even that persnickety about my taste in music; I just find Eurosong an exercise in mediocrity and daftness. There's nothing there for me. I am glad my wife loves this so much; it gives her something to look forward to every year. I'm happy for her, while I am in a state of utter grumpiness, plotting out my world domination plans.
I like this contest because I love all the European countries come together and have a song represent them, I love how eclectic it gets, with soft easy-listening songs like the one from Portugal at one point, and ethnic tribal electro like France’s song a few moments later.
It’s also nice to see more and more countries singing in their native language again, something that I can appreciate as a language-nerd. I’d also argue music (or film, or any form of cultural expression) doesn’t have to be groundbreaking to be enjoyed (or to be considered well-done).
I am one the people that watches this contest every year, enjoying it as an over-the-top celebration of Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity.
As for Ukraine’s victory, it was to be expected, but their song was pretty good anyway.
Was Serbia the handwashing one? Hilarious!
As a kid we watched the Eurovision every year, and the best part was the voting! Its nothing to do with music now, and its become a mind bending visual extravaganza!
Still, I did fancy Spain this year ( not entirely to do with the song..ahem!!)
I quite liked Spain too, I loved their rhythm, their energy and their, ahem, performance ;)
Serbia were indeed the ones with the hand-washing, I read somewhere it’s a critique on the country ‘s healthcare system. Check out the subtitles of the lyrics.
Great stuff, imo :)
Top 6 (From 17) from that Thuesday:
1. Ukraine (Final: 1/25)
2. The Netherlands (Final: 11/25)
3. Greece (Final: 8/25)
4. Portugal (Final: 9/25)
5. Armenia (Final: 20/25)
6. Norway (Final: 10/25)
Top 6 (From 18) Thursday:
1. Sweden (Final: 4/25)
2. Australia (Final: 15/25)
3. Serbia (Final: 5/25)
4. Czech (Final: 22/25)
5. Estonia (Final: 13/25)
6. Poland (Final: 12/25)
It turn out that Azerbeidzjan song was last favorite from public with zero points and only end final because Jury give song 96 points.
Top 6 from 20 selected songs:
1. Sweden
2. Ukraine
3. Australia
4. Serbia
5. Czech
6. The Netherlands
In the final overall Switzerland was last favorite from the public (and second last favorite by the Jury who give Germany zero points.) by Jury with zero points followd by Australia (2 points), Azerbeidzjan (3 points), Belgium/Czech (5 points) and then followed by Germany with 6 points who was overall biggest loser of the show. It turn out that 4 from 5 points that Belgium get from the public are given by Dutch public.