Never was geopolitics so much fun as this weekend and the Eurovision Song Contest. This weekend's music contest was a lesson in balkan state politics....
The event was commented on by Jean Paul Gaultier this side of the Channel and Sir Terry Wogan for the BBC. The talk was more teasing playfulness than critical analysis. It started well with the usual flurry of hackneyed expressions, dry ice, hair extensions, pyrotechnics, hip wiggling and lots of fringed curtains transformed into extremely short skirts. The music came secondary to creative visual arts. There was glitter, feathers and a Kustarica moment from Bosnia Herzogovina. We had a californian mermaid from Poland, Latvian pirates, gay nightclub attendants, teutonic girls band and techtonics from Iceland. Sweden fielded an ageing Donatella Versace whilst Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Eva Longoria showed that they have all got big followings in Eastern Europe. Croatia went for the babyboomer vote with a 75 year old rapper and Spain tried to repeat the commercial success of la macarena with a particulary bizarre song, el chiki chiki. Azerbaijan fielded a spectacular mixture of gothic meets Barbarella's angel and then we had the masterpiece; the viking revenge in the shape of Finland. Not since John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd donned shades and cool suits have we seen such a mission to revive a certain music genre. This was a masterclass in wearing leather and synchronised head banging all with beautifully straightened hair. Vikings in the past obviously raped and pillaged to the sounds of heavy metal. Britain fielded a would be Seal and France had Chabal. Ireland, with its puppet, Dustin the Turkey unfortunately lost out in the semi final.
The music has moved on from its humble origins of boom bang a bang (think FMCG tv ads) and soulful folkloric 'let me sing you a song about a goat, lost on the mountain or my heart is as broken as the mast on my beloved sailor's boat' to more ubiquitous songs of hope and faith in universal values and the future.
It used to be that the only 'politics' we saw was Greece who would give 12 points to Cyprus, no points to Turkey and vice versa for Cyprus. This year, however, the Russian singer Dima Bilan picked up the maximum 12 points from ex-Soviet states Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia. The BBC's mischievious comment concernant Ukraine'vote belying its own interest in keeping open its fuel route was an excellent reminder of the essence of geopolitics.
It's worth mentioning that unlike many of the other contestants, Dima is a professional singer, who's won MTV Best Artist award three years running. Contrast this with Spain whose contestant came through via an internet vote and the UK who won a tv reality show.
Journalists are now discussing what western europe needs to do if they want to have a serious chance of winning, but I feel this is missing the point. This is arguably a cultural NATO or UN, block votes but strategic alliances and summit discussions. Roll on Asiavision's contest, now that's really going to be interesting......
4 commentaires:
Actually, it is pretty obvious that the ESC (haha, Eurovision Song Contest) is now a 'political' contest, given that the countries often vote for their neighbours (well, in Eastern Europe, that is really the case, but in Western Europe... I thought Belgium would at least give 10 or maybe 12 points to France... I guess I was mistaken).
I heard somewhere that Italy has left the contest in 1997. I don't know why, but we can assume that the 'geopolitical' aspect may be part of the decision to do so.
That is why I think that the 1st place of France won in 1977 will be reminded as the last time the country won the song contest.
I think France should follow Italy, because it loses money (France is one of the biggest financial contributor) and it simply loses time (losing a contest and being in the very last ranks...)
But at the same time, I cannot stop wondering why France always chooses unknown artists whereas in the other countries, they choose people who have a certain 'background' (I mean 'success').
In my opinion, France should either play like the other countries (in the way to deal with the contest : to be old-fashionel, kitsch...) or leave the contest.
Hi Hocine
I think there are 3 ways to look at this;
1. I enter the contest with the intention of winning.... risky if I can't count on a few block votes as this is the reality of things today.
2. I enter for the fun, knowing that the viewing figures and thus media sales will more than cover the initial outlay. plus it gives me my warholesque 15 minutes of fame... not a bad choice given the amount of coverage this eurovision has had in the european press.
3. I choose not to go. right decision, wrong decision, depends on whether your judgement critieria is commercial or political. you'll note I've not said aesthetic as this is purely subjective and my tastes are not necessarily yours...
as for Belgium, well I think they have a few internal geopolitical issues to sort out before they start dishing our votes. as for France, someone close to me commented on the fact that chabal's music was so esoteric and similar to the group AIR etc, that this just might be France doing 'second dégré' and taking the mickey.....To my mind it was not a bad song, but so un-eurovision. I also think GB put in good boppy song, worthy of regular airtime this summer in the discos across the med. just goes to show, either my taste is bad or GB is more unpopular that I thought.
the other interesting issue is Russia fielded a real professional, GB didn't, Spain was an internet winner etc etc. Does this mean we take it less seriously than eastern europe?
regards
Katrina
Hi Hocine
I think there are 3 ways to look at this;
1. I enter the contest with the intention of winning.... risky if I can't count on a few block votes as this is the reality of things today.
2. I enter for the fun, knowing that the viewing figures and thus media sales will more than cover the initial outlay. plus it gives me my warholesque 15 minutes of fame... not a bad choice given the amount of coverage this eurovision has had in the european press.
3. I choose not to go. right decision, wrong decision, depends on whether your judgement critieria is commercial or political. you'll note I've not said aesthetic as this is purely subjective and my tastes are not necessarily yours...
as for Belgium, well I think they have a few internal geopolitical issues to sort out before they start dishing our votes. as for France, someone close to me commented on the fact that chabal's music was so esoteric and similar to the group AIR etc, that this just might be France doing 'second dégré' and taking the mickey.....To my mind it was not a bad song, but so un-eurovision. I also think GB put in good boppy song, worthy of regular airtime this summer in the discos across the med. just goes to show, either my taste is bad or GB is more unpopular that I thought.
the other interesting issue is Russia fielded a real professional, GB didn't, Spain was an internet winner etc etc. Does this mean we take it less seriously than eastern europe?
regards
Katrina
I confirm: Dima is a big star in Russia, very famous! Lots of floks are crazy about him! Unlike singers we usually send to Eurovision :-D
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