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After the Eurovision Fame: Vicky Leandros

Vicky Leandros participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2 times; in 1967 she represented Luxembourg with “L’amour est blue” and finished in fourth place. The song, however, became a worldwide hit, and was covered by many. In 1972 she was again asked to represent Luxembourg. She won the festival that year with “Après Toi” and gained worldwide fame. Early life and Career Vicky was born as Vasiliki Papathansasiou in Paleokastritsa (Corfu, Greece) on August 23. According to her own statement, she was born in 1952, but many biographies have mentioned birth year as 1949. In 1958, the Papathanasiou family moved to West Germany. After her parents’ divorce in 1961, her mother returned to Greece, and Vicky grew up with her father, who himself had a successful career as Leo Leandros. With his support, she built a career in Greece and Germany, initially under the name Vicky. Her first single was released in 1965: “Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht” and became an instant hit in Germany. Until 1967 she had already scored several hits in this country, as well as in Canada and Greece. After the Eurovision Fame After winning the Eurovision Song Contest, Vicky was very successful in many countries, such as France, Greece, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan and Canada. She scored many hits worldwide, in different languages. In 2000 she released her first album of her own compositions. 2005 was a jubilee year for Vicky; She was on stage for 30 years and celebrated this with a double CD with her greatest hits and some new tracks. Actually, it was her 40th anniversary as an artist, but she withdrew from publicity for about 10 years from 1982, in order to be able to pay more attention to her husband and 3 children. During that period, however, new albums were released. In 2006 Vicky participated in the preselections for Eurosong in Germany, with the song “Don’t Break My Heart”. In this way, she hoped to represent her country in Athens. However, she had to leave the victory to the Texas Lightning. Throughout her impressive career, she has sold over 55 million albums. Political career On 15 October 2006 Vicky Leandros was elected town counselor of the Greek harbour town of Piraeus on the Pasok list. Her task concerned the Cultural and International development of Piraeus. She was also Deputy Mayor of Piraeus. It was announced in June 2008 that Leandros decided to leave her position in Greek politics with immediate effect. She stated, that she had underestimated the work load and time needed to fulfill her political obligations. Also it became impossible to combine those duties with her singing career. In August 2022, a few days after her 70th (or 73rd) birthday, she announced her retirement with a farewell tour in Austria and Germany, which will take place until the end of 2024.

Investigation Joost Klein closed

Back on May 10th, the Dutch artist Joost Klein was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest. Following the disqualification, Joost was being investigated by Swedish authorities following the accusations of making serious threats towards a female employee, hitting her camera, and making an unsafe working environment. Today the investigation has been closed because of a lack of evidence. This was the official statement: At the time of disqualification, the Dutch broadcaster AvroTros also released a statement: AvroTros has made clear that they will soon have talks with the EBU following their disqualification, and the closing of the investigation. It is still unclear if the Netherlands will participate in Eurovision 2025.

Eurovision 2025 in Geneva or Basel

Swiss broadcaster SRG has announced the final two candidates to host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest: Basel and Geneva. SRG has narrowed down the initial bids to these two cities. One of them will host the contest in Switzerland in May 2025, with the final decision to be made in late August. Cities had until the end of June to submit their bids based on a detailed list of requirements. Important criteria included arena facilities, public transport, sustainability, hotel availability, security, waste management, investment, event experience, and city support. A Eurovision Song Contest working group reviewed the bids from Basel, Geneva, Zurich, and Berne/Biel. This review involved both quantitative and qualitative criteria, as well as the cities’ commitment and creative ideas. The goal is to make Eurovision 2025 an unforgettable event. The accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) supervised the assessment of the bids. Following the recommendations of the working group, the ESC 2025 Steering Committee, led by SRG Director General Gilles Marchand, chose Basel and Geneva as the final candidates. Geneva, Commons.wikimedia.org Basel, Commons.wikimedia.org Switzerland will host the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in 2025 because of Nemo’s win in Malmö with the song “The Code,” which scored 591 points in the Grand Final, marking Switzerland’s third Eurovision victory.

Independent review of ESC: the results are in

Eurovision 2024 The 2024 Contest reached over 160 million people in 37 public service media markets. This was, however, a contest that will be reminded for other things. Several countries have added complaints about safety behind the scenes. Also, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was disqualified; a novum in the Eurovision Song Contest. Reason for the EBU to announce an independent review of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 in Malmö. Review and conclusion An industry expert led this review. They gathered feedback from various ESC stakeholders, including Heads of Delegation, ESC Reference Group members, and the EBU/ESC core team. Today, the EBU shares the conclusions of this review. Based on the findings, the EBU identified three key areas to focus on in the coming months. These areas aim to strengthen and protect next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and future events. The areas are: EBU Governance and Participation, Safety and Risk Management, and Audience Engagement, Fans, and Media. Actions already taken To keep up the momentum, the EBU appointed a task force of senior leaders. This team will oversee decision-making and changes in these areas. “The review also highlighted the need for a stronger leadership team to manage such a large event. We created a new role, ESC Director, reporting to the EBU Deputy Director General and Media Director. This role supports the Executive Supervisor, focusing on ESC production, delegations, member relationships, and daily production issues. The ESC Director will also oversee a new role called Head of ESC Brand and Commercial.” Decisions “Just six weeks after the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, we made these decisions quickly to ensure the event’s future success. We are dedicated to ensuring that the Eurovision Song Contest continues to thrive. We aim to reassure participating broadcasters and millions of fans that we are committed to maintaining the success of this joyful event.” Development areas EBU Governance and Participation: Clarify decision-making roles within the EBU. Ensure diverse member opinions are heard. Define the responsibilities of the ESC Core Team. Outline the roles of Heads of Delegations and Participating Artists. Safety and Risk Management: Simplify and improve understanding of ESC rules. Strengthen crisis management protocols. Enhance security and cybersecurity measures. Ensuring a General-Audience Show and Broad Engagement: Increase collaboration with fan groups, influencers, and media. Build broader engagement and ensure the ESC remains a prime-time show for all ages.

Françoise Hardy passed away

This night, the sad news came to us that French singer Françoise Hardy passed away. Hardy represented Monaco in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va”. Hardy, who was born on January 11 1944, signed her first contract with the record label Disques Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, she released her first album called “Oh oh Chéri.” The title song was written by Johnny Hallyday’s songwriting team. The song “Tous les garçons et les filles” became very popular and sold 2 million copies. She had long hair, usually wore jeans with a leather jacket, and played the guitar. Because of the success of “Tous les garçons et les filles” and her style, people in the mid-1960s called her ‘France’s answer to The Beatles.’ Hardy sometimes sang in English, Italian, Spanish, and German. In 1963, she represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va” and finished in fifth place. She received the Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros award in 1968. In May 2000, she made a comeback with the album “Clair Obscur.” Her son played guitar, and her husband sang a duet with her called “Puisque vous partez en voyage.” Iggy Pop and Étienne Daho also took part in the album. Françoise Hardy was already ill for a long time. She was 80 years old.

Independent investigation into EBU and Eurovision 2024

An independent investigation will be started into the EBU. Insiders told Dutch TV-show RTL Boulevard about this earlier today, and the EBU has confirmed it. The investigation is being requested by the EBU itself after several complaints about an unsafe working environment at the last Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. The investigation will include interviewing the song contest delegations, anonymously if they prefer. Several countries like Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal reported an unsafe working environment behind the scenes. There were more than 13 complaints from different delegations after the song contest. The EBU has also confirmed the news. “The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) strives to continuously improve its services and events. To further strengthen the Eurovision Song Contest, we have asked an independent expert to review ESC 2024 in Malmö to share insights and lessons with the EBU’s governing bodies to support the ongoing improvement of this global event,” they stated.

Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumors.

Last week was the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. It looks like this 68th edition will go down as one of the most controversial to date.What has happened, and what is still happening? Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumours: Participation Israel Fact Friction already starts to arise in February 2024.Israel’s submitted song, “October Rain,” is not approved. At first they refused to change the song, until the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, interfered; the song is adapted, and the title is changed (to “Hurricane”).Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, despite protests from many participating countries. Rumor There has been speculation until the first semi-final that Israel will withdraw at the last minute, which, as we all know, did not happen. Disqualification The Netherlands Fact On Friday morning, May 10, it becomes clear that Joost Klein, representing the Netherlands, is not allowed to rehearse at the very last minute. The EBU then announced that an incident had occurred with an employee of a camera crew. Then it remains quiet for almost 24 hours. Joost is not allowed to participate in the jury final on Friday evening, the recording from the 2nd semi-final will be used. Just before the family show starts, on Saturday afternoon, it is announced that the Netherlands will be disqualified. The matter is transferred from the police to the prosecution. The case is expected to be heard in June. After a long silence, Joost announced this week that “he is very sad”, and agrees that he would have pushed the camera, but denies that he touched or threatened the person in question. Rumor Immediately after the incident, pushing the camera/phone away, Joost Klein apologized. From that moment on, the camerawoman in question refused any form of conversation, although she was asked to do so. European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Facts During and after the Festival, the EBU received a lot of criticism, and several complaints were filed: As mentioned earlier: the participation of Israel. Refusing to display flags in the hall, other than those of the participating countries. For example, the European Union and non-binary flags were banned. The booing in the hall was filtered out, and an audio tape of cheering could be heard on TV. The Spanish, Dutch, Irish and Greek delegations have filed official complaints about the behavior of the Israeli delegation ánd the Israelian press. Nothing has been done with these complaints. Joost Klein (The Netherlands) was disqualified, without it being clear what exactly happened. After the festival, several artists opened up about the intimidating and hostile atmosphere behind the scenes. Various broadcasters from participating countries have requested clarification through a so-called “open letter” to the EBU. Rumors Since there was an incident involving a camerawoman, you would think that there should be camera footage. These could be deliberately withheld. Money talks; Since Moroccon Oil, the main sponsor is from Israel, the EBU does not dare to take action against the misconduct of the Israeli delegation and press. The Dutch artist Joost Klein was sacrificed to turn the attention away from the Israeli delegation. It is sad that the victory of Switzerland’s Nemo has been overshadowed by all the commotion. The calls for the resignation of the incumbent board of the EBU in general, and of its chairman Martin Österdahl, are becoming louder and louder.Will the EBU take a good look in the mirror and take its responsibility? To be continued…..

Malmö Messages: Nemo: we need to talk to eachother

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The Code After clinching victory at the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with ‘The Code,’ Nemo joined the press conference to discuss their triumph. Nemo seemingly unraveled the mystery to winning Eurovision, securing Switzerland’s third win in the contest with their track ‘The Code,’ amassing a total of 591 points. We need to talk with each other Nemo, the contest’s first nonbinary victor, expressed their pride, highlighting the significance of the moment for both themselves and the broader nonbinary and gender fluid communities. They are optimistic about fostering greater empathy and understanding among people. They stated: “We need to talk with each other and I hope tonight can be a way of remembering that.” Grateful Fresh from their performance, Nemo shared their feelings of intense joy and gratitude. They remarked: “I’m mostly just really grateful for this experience and all the friends I’ve made along the way. This was one of the most queer representations we’ve seen at Eurovision which was amazing, I want to shout out all the other queer artists this year.” Nemo also mentioned the difficulty of finding spaces where they can fully express themselve. They advised other artists to focus on what truly matters to them and to create art that is meaningful. To consider Eurovision Nemo talked about ‘The Code’ as a distinctive and impactful song, enhanced by its presentation, extending thanks to their crew. The song emerged from a songwriting workshop where Nemo initially intended to write for others, until they were asked, “Would you consider going to Eurovision yourself?” Nemo added: “[Performing] a song where I speak about my story, having touched so many people and maybe inspired people to stay true to themselves, is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me.” Biel Nemo holds immense pride for their native city of Biel, expressing hope for hosting the contest there, despite its smaller size. They described Biel as a hub of creativity where uniqueness is celebrated and valued positively. They shared: “I’m sending so much love to everyone tonight and I’ll be back soon.”

Malmö Messages: Switzerland wins Eurovision 2024!

For the third time in history, Switzerland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo took the prize after an exciting voting. They were the clear winner of the jury vote. Other countries did better at the televote, but the number of points Nemo received were enough for a victory! As said, Switzerland won 3 times. The very first contest in 1956 was won by Lys Assia, in 1988 Celine Dion took the trophy home. These are the full results: Switzerland, 591 pts Croatia, 547 pts Ukraine, 453 pts France, 445 pts Israel, 475 pts Ireland, 278 pts Italy, 268 pts Israel, 375 pts Italy, 278 pts Portugal, 152 pts Greece, 126 pts Germany, 117 pts Luxembourg, 103 pts Lithuania, 90 pts Cyprus, 78 pts Latvia, 64 pts Serbia, 54 pts United Kingdom, 46 pts Finland, 38 pts Estonia, 37 pts Georgia, 34 pts Spain, 30 pts Slovenia, 27 pts Austria, 24 pts Norway, 16 pts

Malmö Messages: The Netherlands disqualified

photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming The Netherlands are disqualified and will not perform at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the EBU just said in this statement: The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest. We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest. In light of this, Joost Klein’s behaviour towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules. The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 participating songs. AVROTROS, the Dutch broadcaster, is not amused and also made a statement: We have taken note of the disqualification by the EBU. AVROTROS finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision. We deeply regret this and will come to this later. We of Eurovision Universe agree on the statement of AVROTROS, as a person is not guilty until he is proven guilty. That did not happen yet. However, EBU have decided different.