Eurovision 2024

[RunningAndSinging]

Anyone interested in the build up this year? I have been more aware this year as the songs are announced. I like Croatia, Ireland and Finland. Dizzy is hopefully going to do well which makes it exciting - Olli Alexander should be good performing live and he is well known in Europe.

Just reading about the controversy with Israel’s entry and I see that Iceland might send a Palastinian singer.

Ukraine have been the favourites for a while but Croatia is just ahead of them now.

And some!

I can imagine the BBC folk throwing up their hands and saying "oh just do what you bloody well like".

As an aside, I wonder if Mae Muller's lacklustre staging was down to almost being an afterthought - "We've put on this astounding show but we have a song to present - shit!"

While I'm here, does anyone else hate it when you hear a song that would be perfect for Eurovision but obviously won't be in it. Anywhere by Rita Ora is a case in point.

It'll be fine, honestly.
You already have Spain singing "Vixen" about empowered women not taking slut-shaming anymore and Miss Bitch to you, gracias, complete with half corseted male dancers in black leather.
Then there's a woman wearing her bra and pants in a see-through bodysuit.
There's the obligatory couple of "She's almost wearing that dress" songstresses as per.
So a few gyrating men straddling each other isn't that eye-opening.
Could do without Olly's tongue though. Bad enough when Miley used to do it.

Ooh I like Rita. Yes, Anywhere sounds very Eurovision-y. Douze points for the observation.
I'd also would love to see Will Young to do it, but don't think he needs the stress. All the songs was sublime. Had he got backing dancers to do his Village People tropes in the video, he'd have been top ten.

I want Marina and her Diamonds to do Eurovision.

She won't.

Oddly I find Olly’s staging a bit dated. That might be the intention, mind.

Love her. She'd be awesome.

Undulating men in red boxers never ages
I'm joking. I agree.

So it's a 'tribute'?!

homage to G-A-Y with a Rocky Balboa bent. I still reckon top ten. I love camp though and don't borderline filth.
I love the big5 plus Poland, Netherlands and Azerbaijan.
Croatia and Finland will do well but don't deserve to win.
France and Italy have been consistent for the last few years.
Spanish song is a bop.
Europapa is infectious but that ending does come across as insincere. What was he meant to be doing that has never been done before? Anyone found out?
Wouldn't mind Ukraine winning again.

Not sure if everyone is aware but Joost lost both his parents in close succession at a very young age (about 11 or 12 I think) and was raised by his siblings after that. Hence the dedication to his parents at the end. One of the themes of the song is how you can travel all over but you can't outrun grief. So it doesn't feel insincere to me given the context.

Of course the average viewer won't know the context unless the commentators explain it.

No, I know the context. I put the translation upthread and the interviews.
I just think, and you might think me a cow for thinking so, that the staging of the ending is emotionally manipulative. It reminds me of X factor/ backstories/bring out your dead rellies for votes.
The subtitles were enough. The tribute/lachrymose rendition are too much. On the night, if emotional, with the audience there, I'd be swayed. In the rehearsals it came across as inauthentic.

I wasn't having a go @Dostadning - just mentioning the context as some may not be aware. I hadn't seen your post translating the lyrics, and not everyone joining the thread will have read back through it.

Europapa isn't my cup of tea at all, so I certainly don't have an issue with people critiquing it.

Seems like a shoot out between Croatia, Italy, Ukraine and maybe France for the win. Can't see Switzerland doing well enough with the public or Netherlands doing well enough with the juries. Should be an exciting one anyway.

No, I didn't think you were having a go sorry if it came over as defensive - some might think I was heartless/being mean and that would be understandable. I know from the All of us strangers thread that the trauma of losing your parents doesn't leave/get easier as an adult.
It's hard to gauge from a clip. It just felt a bit Cartman Tears So Sweet. I'm a cynical bitch is all. Plus, I also think there is a dual message to the song (at least in the video if not the lyrics) underneath the froth of the pop (that goes beyond outrunning his loneliness) but Joost will never address it as Eurovision isn't political.

Seems like a shoot out between Croatia, Italy, Ukraine and maybe France for the win
I agree.

I’m going for Croatia.

It would have been europapa if it had been falcoesque all the way through though.

I’ve only heard these two and Ollie.

I've heard them all now but only like eight/nine at a push.
The rest are a dirge.
Am nonetheless looking forward to it.
Just got to decide on the snacks.
Hope all of you who are there have a blast Xx

This from Sky today. It mentions Olly being in tears earlier in the week. I didn't know that. (It also alludes to earlier interviews with the Times and the BBC where he expresses feeling upset.) He's in a really difficult position.

https://news.sky.com/story/olly-alexander-addresses-extreme-remarks-from-fans-on-israels-eurovision-inclusion-13129671

Re Joost: What was he meant to be doing that has never been done before? Anyone found out?

No.

Theres speculation but at this point I think its more hopeful wishing by Joost fans rather than necessarily anything of substance. Joost fans are convinced he's hiding something despite the rehearsal clips and tbh its bordering on the obsessive so I'm highly skeptical at this point.

There's talk that since Abba have given permission to Eurovision over the Abbatars, that this will happen at some point over the week.

This has lead onto the concept that Joost will do some sort of augmented reality for the TV viewers. Fans have pointed out that in the video there's this videogame section so theres talk that Joost will be in this videogame world for some of the performance before being pulled back into reality. The concept being that he's almost dreaming before coming back to the hardness of his parents no longer being around.

Its been pointed out that during his performance Joost stays in exactly the same spot - which is what you would need to do if you were going to superimpose imagery over the top for the TV audience.

We DO know that he is going to make use of the tv audience by using subtitles for the Big Reveal ending. (which was used last year by Serbia I believe).

Joost is an artist with a certain amount of existing following in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. When he did one Pukkelpop (I think its Pukkelpop) a few years back he certainly talked about his mother and his father.
https://twitter.com/joker_lps_out/status/1786709893023494527

So his issues about his parents are well known about by his fanbase at least.

With regards to Malmo's organisation, the Turquoise Carpet opening is going down like a lead balloon with fans on twitter. This is a fair reflection of the majority of comments I've seen.

Mika AT mika_ljm
This turquoise carpet being the worst one we've had in YEARS... This just looks beyond awful. SVT I'm sorry, 0 points.

12 Points AT 12Points1
"Vous verrez, les Suédois sont les meilleurs pour organiser l'Eurovision" Nous devant le turquoise Carpet :
Translated from French by
“You will see, the Swedes are the best at organizing Eurovision” We in front of the turquoise Carpet: :|

Edw. AT claudidelrey
This must be the worst turquoise carpet ever… #Eurovision2024

wer AT goldopamin
turquoise carpet in sweden is giving
[pics of the Willy Wonka Experience]

Sharkastesc AT sharkastesc
2023 eurofan: "Gonna vote for Sweden over Finland because at the end of the day, Swedes gonna rock the hosting" 2024 eurovision: Clown Face

Also some less nice comments about how including Israel has resulted in the entire budget being blown on security and thats why the Eurovillage and the Turquoise Carpet are a disaster.

Guess we'll see how the rest of the week pans out! But fans definitely not happy bunnies at this point.

There's talk that since Abba have given permission to Eurovision over the Abbatars, that this will happen at some point over the week.

Very interesting. I hadn't heard this but last night while I was trying to get to sleep and pondering whether to pack my sparkly shoes, I suddenly thought "ooh! Abbatars?". I think they're very churlish not to turn up in person. Sulk.

I started watching the Turquoise Carpet but gave up very quickly. I love Tia Kofi but she's not a presenter.

Theres been a certain amount of comment about the shape of the stage and how very few artists look to be using much of it during rehearsals.

It makes more sense in the context of there being four corners of the stage and four members of Abba. I really don't know if they will do this, but it would make sense.

I stress that twitter is slightly bonkers today. The Turquoise carpet isn't helping matters because fans are getting increasingly desparate about wanting something 'amazing'.

because fans are getting increasingly desparate about wanting something 'amazing'.

Yes, I was all for hanging up my kinky Eurovision boots last year but then I thought, hang on, Eurovision in Sweden? Can't miss that.

Liverpool set the bar so so high, Malmo don't seem to have realised there is a bar. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and put it down to "security issues" 🤨

Yikes. The Turquoise Carpet is like when the Oscars last year went for a Champagne Carpet which ended up looking like beige.

We haven’t noticed anything beyond the usual going on, no protestors or anything outside the venue today.

don't mind borderline filth

<goes off to find some>

Glad you are safe Simon. Who do you think will take the this year?
Bookies still saying Croatia.