To think Eurovision is no longer about the talent

[misszebra]

Following from a discussion seen in lots of threads. I was so disappointed at the clear political motive behind the jury and popularity votes this year. Switzerland did fantastic, but IMO the image of Switzerland as the 'neutral' country might have been behind a lot of the jury votes at least, although I am glad he won over some others.
Germany were the best by miles I felt, Isaak has such fantastic raw talent and didn't need the circus around him to prove it.

Does anyone else think a lot of the votes were due to politics?

Its a shame to see clear talent pushed under the rug...

yes you're right, I couldnt think of a better word at the time

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

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!

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".

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 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

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 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?

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'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.

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.
*

@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.

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.

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!!

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, 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.

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!

Tbh the fact Sam doodah came second proves that wrong, also maneskin won. I really liked the Italian song, not so much ours. But happy we did well.

UK people seem to have a bizarre victim mentality about eurovision, OK maybe when it was just judges, but then again katrina and the waves proved that wrong.

I mean I could still sing both of the songs that did well for the UK. Could it be that they were good catchy songs, performed well?

I also think that, much as I really loved Terry Wogan and his witty remarks, he very probably held us back somewhat, when people knew that he was there making snide, superior, sometimes quite mean remarks about their acts - and didn't really engage a lot with the other countries on a genuine friendly basis.

I think the new generation of presenters who DO mingle and show genuine interest in and friendship with the other countries have gone a long way to repair this - as long as we have Sam Ryder or as strong an act in addition to that!

Yes, I was thinking that specifically about ABBA. 50 years ago - before I was even born - and I know the tune and lyrics inside out; whereas I've already forgotten how most of the songs that I heard in the Final two days ago went.

I think people forget that it is song contest and not about the performers i.e. Britain's Got Talent, that's why it's not just the audience that decide.

The performance absolutely elevates the song (i.e. Swiss) or destroys (i.e. UK)., but it is about the song in the end. Irelands entry was performance heavy, but I suspect if it was sung with an acoustic guitar, it was still good. I enjoyed Germanys performance and song, but it wasn't the best of either of the night.

The voting is political because you are more likely to have cross over nearer borders, but it was Switzerland's song that won. You could argue that maybe the EBU said but "a good song in" but it was still one of the best songs, and the best performance of the night.

Maybe TW commentating disillusioned the British public into trying, or that for English acts their focus is on the US or something, but we have all this talent and are getting smashed each time. I really wish we would take it more seriously, rather than it being a joke. France and Italy have been killing it in the past few years, even though they get through to the finals. It could be a project through charities or a record company or performing arts songwriting school.

I was disappointed they didn't have a big old sing-a-long like they did in the Liverpool final. I get the impression the song was put together at the last minute.

I understand the reasons, but I was sad that ABBA didn't come out even to just wave to the crowd and everyone sang with them.

France and Italy have been killing it in the past few years, even though they get through to the finals.

To be fair, under the current regime, they could have Gerard Depardieu or the ghost of Silvio Berlusconi dressed as Borat and reading out the phone directory and they would still get through to the final!