To think Eurovision is no longer about the talent

Rylan even exclaimed during one of the Semis, when they had a section showing acts that scored nil points, "Justice for Jemini!"

I don't know if he was being serious and/or just trying to be ultra patriotic, but as far as I was concerned, they very much did get proper fair justice on that night 21 years ago!

Yes, others will doubtless differ; but every time the presenters/commentators sadly sighed that "unfortunately, people in the UK can't vote for the UK entry", I was just left thinking that, even if I could, there's no way that I ever would.

I no longer live in the UK and usually give myself 3-5 votes and give one to the UK, but there was no way I was voting for that ridiculous act.

Yes, it's always foolish to assume that what you love is the same as what everybody else will love - in any sphere of life.

It's perfectly easy to declare people voting for a 'rubbish' (in your opinion) song/artist as 'clearly political', giving a sympathy vote or even being bots, when it may all along be as simple as that they genuinely believe the song and/or singer to be truly amazing.

Personally, I can't understand for the life of me why anybody is interested in watching people shouting at each other on Eastenders, or in watching cars zoom round and round a circuit all day (and I'm sure that lots of my favourite programmes would be considered utter garbage by many of the soap and F1 fans); but I am sufficiently able to realise that those who do choose to watch them are not just doing so to annoy me and gaslight me into thinking that they love them when they really hate them as much as I would!!

If I’ve learnt anything it’s that everyone has different musical tastes and it’s pointless declaring X Y Z was rubbish is pointless because it’s just an opinion.

However, in my humble opinion I did think the standard was better last year.

@Ella31 , I agree with you, and actually, Ireland was my favourite song of the night. I thought it was quite clever that the main part of the song was reminiscent of Marilyn Manson and The Prodigy, but then it was interspersed with a softer vocal section.

Sweedishkevinniboche

Fair or not, people always prefer a song more when they can understand the lyrics as well as the music - and far, far more people understand English than Serbian, Estonian or Icelandic.

*I guess so but i love hearing other languages. I pretty sure each country has its own extensive sound, it's great to hear it. Makes it far more interesting.

Also, maybe the way Eurovision changes and what is voted tells us something about the way European countries have changed and what is acceptable or not.
*

I'm Irish, so just said I'd throw my two cents in. Last couple of years our entries have been crap but I disagree with you about Bambi. We came sixth after years of not even making the final. Well over half of the countries gave us points - average being 7. I know she wasn't everyone's cup of tea but she's a talented performer. Very artistic and different from the usual high ballads you see.

I felt sorry for the UK entry as I actually thought the dancing aspect was very good. But some scenes were ott. But he definitely struggled on the high notes. Sam Ryder was incredible the year he came second.

Yes I agree.
It would have been better to show a montage of songs performed by ABBA.
I do think it shows how extremely talented all 4 members of the band were.
There was not one single act last night who came remotely close to what ABBA have achieved.
None of them can sing remotely as good as they can.

I think that, considering they couldn't actually tempt ABBA themselves to come along, the next best thing would have been to show a video of their original performance in 1974. The audience, and many of the viewers at home, could (and would) of course heartily join in as well.

It seemed a bit silly, as although Waterloo was the actual song that won 50 years ago, the far more overriding thing to celebrate is the stratospheric success that the group themselves have enjoyed in the 50 years since then.

If we were only celebrating one particular song, regardless of who sang it, because it won 50 years ago, why don't they do that every single year as a matter of course, making a show highlight of paying tribute to a load of long-forgotten songs by long-forgotten artists who quite possibly only ever had any success with that one song?

Can I also add the trio trying to sing the ABBA song were absolutely shocking.
Dreadful.
Total crap.
There will never be another ABBA moment.

I can't wait for the year when every single country sings 100% in English... except for the UK, which enters an extended (more inclusive!) version of this song but sung in Welsh

atotalshambles · Today 18:26

It's never been about the talent OP! i remember watching years ago with Terry Wogan and he would always know who would vote for who (Greece would give Cyprus 12 points and vice versa) but nothing to Turkey etc.. The politics were always there. I think the change is the vibe - the politics are overt now. I found yesterday to be uncomfortable but also quite interesting. It was interesting to see how Israel got 12 points from the UK audience. I think that politics is run by who makes the 'most noise' which I think the audience were voting against rather than the hideous Israeli government. Interesting times.

Completely true.

I've only just learned that the 'Big 5' guaranteed qualifying places only came into existence in 2000. That seems so recent to me!

However, I'm really surprised at the relatively small price that we pay for the privilege. Apparently, the total participation fee split between 37 countries is £5m, so even if nobody else paid a penny, that's only £1m each, but I'm guessing more in the region of half a million. Surely there are plenty of other countries who could easily afford that to buy their way through? For most of the larger and/or western ones, it would be a drop in the ocean.

I can see how some of them must feel extremely aggrieved at being told that the Big 5 get straight on through, because we can pay the price of doing so - but if they then ask to pay the same to buy the same privilege, they're told "Sorry, shop's closed now - for good".

BMW6

OP I've been watching Eurovision for over 60 years.

It's always been a bit political but has reached extremes now and is not a Song Contest but a Who Can Be Most Vulgar Festival of Fetish.

Was the uk not one of the most fetishy? I think the public voted against having it so vulgar by not voting for the most sexualised ones (the ones with backing dancers all over one girl/ or eg Spain with the two in basques/ the naked guy) and hopefully next year it’ll get back to singing or kooky!

Never been about the talent 🤣 and I've been watching since the 70s.

I don’t think it was political- I thought it was unusual and interesting!! And I actually enjoyed all the songs that did well, although I was gutted that Histonia didn’t do better. I’ll be really honest, I’m glad most of the heavily sexualIsed songs didn’t do well, that gave me hope for Eurovision!!!

I only watched about half of the show. I was gobsmacked at how every 'song' was absolutely dreadful, over choreographed and sounded almost exactly the same. I think I will return to ignoring in it future!

Agree, it's not fair that the UK and the others of the big 5 automatically qualify to the grandfinal due to their financial contributions. They should have to compete along with everyone else.

Absolutely this. No longer a family show at all.

Didn't they change the language rules because the 'own language' rules were heavily weighted in favour of the UK and Ireland?

Fair or not, people always prefer a song more when they can understand the lyrics as well as the music - and far, far more people understand English than Serbian, Estonian or Icelandic.

Italy is probably a noble exception, because it sounds so beautiful, even if you don't have a clue what they're singing about - plus a lot of folk are already used to opera.

'Rogue' languages?!?!?!

I think 'minority' or 'less widely-spoken' might be a slightly more diplomatic descriptor...

I was so disappointed at the clear political motive behind the jury and popularity votes this year.

You must've have only recently started watching the Eurovision contest because that's exactly what happens EVERY year. It's always political. Close neighbors all club together e.g Romania, will give Albania 100 points no matter what awfulness they sing, Germany, Poland, denmark will vote for each other, I'm sure no one voted for Israel? depending on what wars are currently going on and whose side each country is on will get a vote or not etc everyone seems to hate England no matter what they sing, we tend to expect something from Ireland. It's all part of the fun seeing how current politics will drive voting on singing day. The utter hilarity of it all is what makes it so fun.

I agree the U.K. version was just sleazy. I hated the dirty shower room aesthetic and what looked like olly giving one of the dancers his microphone / Willy.

i liked the idea of dancing upside down but clearly his vocals couldn’t cope with it!

less of the porno vibes and a bit more wholesome is my advice.

and yes what was Irelands entry?! A far cry from their glory days of river dance ( yes I know the half time entertainment) and Dana!