[ad_1]
Liverpool, England (AP) — Eurovision Song Contest final Bringing pop and patriotism to Liverpool on Saturday, the Swedish diva and party-loving Finnish rapper are among the favorites to win a fun-filled music competition that has been clouded for the second year in a row by the Ukrainian war. rice field.
Britain, which is hosting the event on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine, was unable to secure the right to host the contest because of the war, and air raid sirens sounded throughout Ukraine during the contest. Under the slogan ‘Music as one’, the grand final united the soul of the British port city that gave birth to the Beatles with the soul of war-torn Ukraine.
The sights and sounds of Ukraine flowed throughout the show, starting with the opening footage of the 2022 Eurovision winners, the Karush Orchestra. Singing and dancing in the Kiev subway, the song was picked up by British musicians, including the Duchess of Cambridge, who was also shown playing the piano.
The folk rap band themselves then took to the Liverpool Arena stage with open arms, accompanied by a throng of drummers.
The finalists from 26 countries entered the arena in an Olympic-style flag parade, with live performances by Ukrainian artists such as Go A and Jamala.Tina Karol and Verka Serduchka – all past Eurovision contestants.
Eurovision, now in its 67th year, bills itself as the world’s biggest music competition: the Olympics of party-friendly pop. In her three minutes each, the contestants blend catchy tunes with eye-popping spectacles. Deliver performances that can win the hearts of millions of viewers.
Favorites included Swedish singer Lorene – 2012 Eurovision winner, encouraged by bookmakers to take the title again with the power ballad “Tattoo” – and Kaaliya from Finland, a performer with Energizer Bunny energy and an enchanting green bolero top, From metal grunts to sugary crooners in party anthems, “Cha-Cha-Cha.”
Italy’s Marco Mengoni also gained a strong following with his enchanting ballad “Due Vite” (Two Lives) with enigmatic lyrics.
Austrian duo Teja & Salena made their first performance with “Who is Edgar?” It’s a witty, satirical ode to Edgar Allen Poe, and it also denounces the tiny copyright fees musicians get from streaming services.
Then the different flavors of the continent were showcased. Cabaret-style singing of Mimi Cat from Portugal. Britney-esque power pop from Poland’s Blanca. Echoes of Edith Piaf from La Zara in France. An entry from Cyprus, a smoldering ballad by Andrew Lambreau.
Rock was unusually popular in the contest, which tends to favor spirited pop this year. Australia’s Voyager evoked headbanging ’80s stadium rock with “Promise,” while Slovenia’s Joker Out and Germany’s Lord of the Lost were also guitar-splitting entries.
A quirky candidate was the anti-war rock opera “Mama Si!”. It’s by Croatia’s Let 3, and mocks a militarist dictator in a Monty Python-like image before taking off his pants on stage.
Reigning champions Ukraine were represented by electronica duo Tovorki, who paid tribute to the country’s resilience with “Heart of Steel.” May Muller from Great Britain earned an enviable final performance slot for the night with her hilarious farewell anthem, “I Wrote a Song.”
The winners were determined by Eurovision’s intricate jury and public voting system, hoping to avoid the humiliation of each act receiving a “null point”, or zero.
As the votes and tallies took place, last year’s British runner-up, Sam Ryder, performed his new single ‘Mountain’, accompanied by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. In the ‘Liverpool Songbook’ segment, past Eurovision stars performed John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)’, They performed Liverpool songs, including the unofficial city anthem, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. ”
Nearly 6,000 fans watched the show inside the arena, with tens of thousands more watching in Fanzones in Liverpool and at big screen events across the UK. Global TV viewership is estimated at his 160 million.
In the spring sunshine, thousands of fans gathered in the city’s wharf area (now a sprawling party zone) near the contest site prior to the contest. Many wore their favorite country’s flags and their favorite costumes.
“Just coming here and seeing people of different nationalities and different cultures is so much fun,” said Australian fan Martin Troedel, wearing a kangaroo on his hat. . I don’t know what will happen. ”
Liverpool has embraced Eurovision and Ukraine, with businesses across the city flying Ukrainian flags and programming cultural events to introduce locals to Eastern European art, music and food.
However, the organizers announced that they had rejected President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request. Create a video address. The European Broadcasting Union said it was against the “non-political nature of the event”.
Founded in 1956, Eurovision is Europe’s cultural institution that has produced breakout stars such as former winners ABBA and Celine Dion alongside performers whose careers have plummeted.
In recent years, it is becoming a platform that can launch stars again. 2021 winners Italian rock band Maneskin have played major US festivals and opened for the Rolling Stones’ tour. Sam Ryder released a No. 1 album and even performed at the Glastonbury Festival.
Steve Holden, host of the official Eurovision Song Contest podcast, said: “ABBA did it in the 1970s, then went on hiatus and wasn’t seen as the launchpad it is today. He said. “Now the music industry and the world know that if you play Eurovision, you can be great.”
___
Follow AP coverage of Eurovision at https://apnews.com/hub/eurovision-song-contest About the Ukraine War at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
[ad_2]
Source link
