What can we expect and who will win tomorrow?

After a film with, again, beautiful images of the Netherlands, and yes, a role for Duncan Laurence, we go to the flag parade. DJ Pieter Gabriel accompanies the artists musically with his own adaptation of the worldwide hit “Venus” by Shocking Blue, also a hit from Dutch soil. Presenters Edsilia Rombley, Jan Smit and Chantal Janzen sing the song.

We open with Cyprus; often an uptempo pop song is chosen to open, this year too. Albania takes the cursed second place. However, Albania is not one of the potential winners anyway, so the second place remains where it is. Israel follows; she once bursted out in tears when the Eurovision song contest was canceled, but now Eden Alene is in the final, followed by Belgium. Hopefully Hooverphonic will remain in peoples memories in the beginning of the broadcast. The advantage is that the song may stand out even more after an uptempo song. However, Russia follows with a striking act and then Malta. What that does to Malta’s chances is a big question mark, but it is not favorable. Certainly not because Portugal will follow after Malta; they are the surprise of the contest. We wouldn’t even be surprised if Portugal ends up very high; The Black Mamba isn’t Salvador Sobral, but still. The end of the first block is formed by Serbia; The fact that the three ladies are through to the final was no surprise, but it will probably not be much more there. Or is Serbia lucky that all other countries of the former Yugoslavia are not there?

While advertisements are watched in some countries, the rest of Europe sees Nikkie Tutorials showcasing three winners of the #Eurovisionchallenge. Valentina, who won the junior Eurovision this year, will also say something. Emmelie De Forrest, Jamala and Duncan Laurence talk about their trophy. After that, Chantal Janzen and Jan Smit will make an appeal to share your photo of how you watch the Eurovision song contest.

The second block is opened by the United Kingdom. That is usually not something to be happy about. People are still refilling the glasses or sitting on the toilet. By the way, yesterday in the Dutch tv-show Op1 you could see how British journalists are already busy putting the blame for a low score apart from themselves, even before the contest is over. However, the UK entry is completely insignificant to Greece that performes next. Greenscreen is certainly not new, but it is smart to use it. In quality, however, the Greek entry is far surpassed by that of Switzerland. According to many, one of the strongest voices of the festival. Still, the song may soumd a little too much like “Arcade” to be a winner. Also a top song, possibly even a winner, is Iceland. Would it give Daði og Gagnamagnið sympathy votes that they are not allowed to be present live? The Icelandics are in any case followed by the not too strong entry from Spain, although, to be honest, it must be said that the singing of Blas Cantó improves with each rehearsal. Moldova will then take office. But it is still doubtful whether the name of Filipp Kirkorov (composer) will be good for a high score. Germany is a “love it or hate it” entry that can go in any direction. And after a song about a middle finger, the director has chosen to put the other middle finger song right after it. The song from Finland turned out to have a lot of fans yesterday. Whether it helps them on the scoreboard? We’ll know tomorrow night.

And then we see Edsilia Rombley at the top of the comment booths to chitchat with various commentators. Chantal Janzen and Jan Smit refer to the time when there was still a live orchestra. They promise an orchestra with a top DJ.

In the meantime, Bulgaria is ready with Victoria on her rock. Another strong entry. Then we see Lithuania again. At the bookies, the yellow-clad men have fallen somewhat; not because they are not good, perhaps because a large number of countries have an even stronger entry.

And then Chantal Janzen announces Duncan Laurence, who speaks to the viewer in a video. Why so soon? Well, it gives the crew time to prepare the scenery of Ukraine.

A trip, as Dutch commentator Sander Lantinga called the entry. of Ukraine We can imagine why. It would not surprise anyone if Ukraine ends up in the top of the rankings. Immediately after that, another top favorite follows: France. Take a good look, because this could well be the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. To be honest, the entry from Azerbaijan is fairly insignificant. Anyway, the King’s Commissioner in Friesland Arno Brok and Mayor of Leeuwarden Sybrand Buma give a voting advice: stim Azerbaijan (vote Azerbaijan, but in Frisian language). It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence, but after Azerbaijan, Norway will perform. All week, something seems to be going on between the Azerbaijani Efendi and the Norwegian TIX. It is very worthy to lsearch for #efentix.

Then NikkieTutorials and Edsilia Rombley take the floor and announce some entre-acts and… the entry of the Netherlands. Jeangu Macrooy is praised for his cast-iron voice. He seems to slightly do better among bookmakers. But after the Netherlands, another top favorite (there are quite a lot this year) follows: Italy. Would the glam rock-leaning group win the Eurovision song contest? We do not consider it impossible. Sweden is not one of this year’s top favorites. The entry is just not strong enough for a top score. Finally we see San Marino. And then the rule of applies: world stars do NOT win the Eurovision song contest. Whether it’s Cliff Richard, t.A.T.u., DJ Bobo or Bonnie Tyler, it doesn’t work. A high position is definitely not impossible, San Marino will break its own record for sure.

Then a spectacular entre act:follows: a classical orchestra of toung people and Afrojack accompany Wulf and Glennis Grace while they sing under the title “Music binds us”. We see images of people in Rotterdam, but the song and music come from the Erasmus Bridge.

NikkieTutorials comes again with a section of Eurovision Tutorials about the voting. Then she shows us images of how the festival in Ahoy is structured and how it works behind the scenes. Edsilia Rombley then meets several Eurovision winners, a film that was already shot before the Corona crisis. That is why Edsilia explicitly announces that she is hugging the former winners and not keeping a one and a half meter distance. Then we see a video in which Chantal Janzen explains how the audience has changed over the years.

And then we’re going to look at Teach In, Lenny Kuhr, Måns Zelmerlöw and Lordi. They sing from different rooftops in Rotterdam. Duncan Laurence then sings his hit “Arcade” and a new song. Not live, because he is at home with Corona, but a previously recorded rehearsal of his performance. And then…. The producers have even turned the countdown moment into something beautiful with dancers. The voting goes pretty smoothly. Of course something can go wrong, but there is no useless waiting. The scoreboard, with a lot of white, is easy to read. Edsilia and Nikkie are present in the greenroom while Jan and Chantal do the voting. Who is going to win remains uncertain for a long time, longer than ever. The bookmakers do not state a clear winner.

However, team Eurovision Universe has tried to predict the top 10. In a little more than 24 hours we know how right (or wrong) we are:

1.France
2.Italy
3.Malta
4.Switzerland
5.Ukraine
6.Bulgaria
7.Iceland
8.Portugal
9.Norway
10.Finland

photo credits: EBU

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Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 4

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the fourth episode, we will look back at the early eighties. Austria returned to having a national final. Marty Brem and Gary Lux both took part twice. Austria 1980 – Blue Danube – “Du bist Musik” By 1980 Austria was back with “Du bist Musik”, performed by the group Blue Danube. Composer-lyricist Klaus-Peter Sattler wrote this German-language entry. The song is a love ballad comparing a beloved to music, name-dropping famous composers and dances. Blue Danube was a five-member ensemble formed just for Eurovision. Notably the group included singer Marty Brem. He would represent Austria again the following year. Conducted by Richard Österreicher, “Du bist Musik” opened the night’s show and scored 64 points for 8th place out of 19. Austria 1981 – Marty Brem – “Wenn du da bist” Marty Brem was part of Blue Danube in 1980. The singer returned solo for Austria in 1981. “Wenn du da bist” (“When You’re Here”) was composed and written by Werner Böhmler, and again Richard Österreicher conducted the orchestra. For the first time since 1963, the song was chosen through a national final. Brem was the only contestant. He sang three songs. “Wenn du da bist” is a romantic ballad with a slightly jazzy, complex composition. Unfortunately, it finished in 17th place (20 points) at the contest. Marty Brem’s performance featured an energetic stage show with flamboyant costumed dancers. The Austrian singer was frontman of a band called “Marty and the Bomfriz” at the time. After Eurovision, Brem pivoted to working in music journalism and the record industry. 1982 – Mess “Sonntag” Twelve songs competed in Austria’s 1982 national final. The duo Mess won with “Sonntag” (“Sunday”), an upbeat pop track full of early-’80s Europop charm. Both members, Michael Scheickl (also known as “Fritz”) and Elisabeth “Lizzi” Engstler, had also entered the competition as solo artists. Michael Scheickl (credited as “Michael Mell”) composed the song, while Rudolf Leve wrote the lyrics. Mess brought joyful energy to the stage with their lively, danceable performance. “Sonntag” celebrated the carefree feeling of a Sunday, wrapped in a catchy, cheerful style. The song earned 57 points and placed 9th out of 18 countries. Formed specifically for Eurovision, Mess disbanded soon after. Engstler, just 21 at the time, later built a successful career as a television presenter for Austria’s ORF network. 1983 – Westend “Hurricane” In 1983, Austria chose the pop group Westend to perform “Hurricane”, selecting them from 12 finalists that included Waterloo (ESC 1976). Band member Peter Vieweger composed the song, while Heli Deinboek and Heinz Nessizius wrote the lyrics. Sung in German, “Hurricane” delivers an upbeat synth-pop sound with Schlager influences, using a whirlwind metaphor to capture the chaos of lost love. The entry scored 53 points and finished in a tie for 9th place. Westend featured five members, including Gary Lux—whose role stood out. Lux went on to represent Austria at Eurovision six times during the 1980s, both as a solo performer and backing vocalist. “Hurricane” earned Austria a solid mid-table result and later became a beloved ’80s Eurovision memory. 1984 – Anita “Einfach weg” Twelve songs battled for the ticket to Luxembourg, with Gary Lux finishing as runner-up. Austria chose Anita Spanner, known simply as Anita, for the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest with “Einfach weg” (“Simply Gone”). Brigitte Seuberth composed the track, and Walter Müller wrote the lyrics. This energetic pop song featured a catchy melody and a synth-driven arrangement typical of the mid-80s. Despite strong expectations, Austria landed in 19th (last) place with just 5 points. Ironically, the song found huge success at home. It climbed to #1 on the Austrian singles chart and stayed in the Top 20 for ten weeks. Anita, a newcomer and surprise national final winner, took the stage in Luxembourg backed by vocalists including Gary Lux. Although “Einfach weg” didn’t resonate internationally, its popularity in Austria turned it into an iconic Austropop hit of the decade. 1985 – Gary Lux “Kinder dieser Welt” By 1985, Gary Lux had become a familiar face for Austria at Eurovision. Having been in Westend (1983) and a backing singer in 1984, Lux took center stage with “Kinder dieser Welt” (“Children of this World”) in Gothenburg. He was internally selected for the contest. His uplifting song was a pop anthem calling for hope and joy for children around the globe. It was written by prominent lyricist Michael Kunze and composed by the British duo Mick Jackson and Geoff Bastow. “Kinder dieser Welt” earned 60 points and secured 8th place for Austria out of 19 entries. The entry affirmed Gary Lux’s status as one of Austria’s most frequent Eurovision participants.

Read More »
November 13, 2025 No Comments
History
Martijn

Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 4

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the fourth episode, we will look back at the early eighties. Austria returned to having a national final. Marty Brem and Gary Lux both took part twice. Austria 1980 – Blue Danube – “Du bist Musik” By 1980 Austria was back with “Du bist Musik”, performed by the group Blue Danube. Composer-lyricist Klaus-Peter Sattler wrote this German-language entry. The song is a love ballad comparing a beloved to music, name-dropping famous composers and dances. Blue Danube was a five-member ensemble formed just for Eurovision. Notably the group included singer Marty Brem. He would represent Austria again the following year. Conducted by Richard Österreicher, “Du bist Musik” opened the night’s show and scored 64 points for 8th place out of 19. Austria 1981 – Marty Brem – “Wenn du da bist” Marty Brem was part of Blue Danube in 1980. The singer returned solo for Austria in 1981. “Wenn du da bist” (“When You’re Here”) was composed and written by Werner Böhmler, and again Richard Österreicher conducted the orchestra. For the first time since 1963, the song was chosen through a national final. Brem was the only contestant. He sang three songs. “Wenn du da bist” is a romantic ballad with a slightly jazzy, complex composition. Unfortunately, it finished in 17th place (20 points) at the contest. Marty Brem’s performance featured an energetic stage show with flamboyant costumed dancers. The Austrian singer was frontman of a band called “Marty and the Bomfriz” at the time. After Eurovision, Brem pivoted to working in music journalism and the record industry. 1982 – Mess “Sonntag” Twelve songs competed in Austria’s 1982 national final. The duo Mess won with “Sonntag” (“Sunday”), an upbeat pop track full of early-’80s Europop charm. Both members, Michael Scheickl (also known as “Fritz”) and Elisabeth “Lizzi” Engstler, had also entered the competition as solo artists. Michael Scheickl (credited as “Michael Mell”) composed the song, while Rudolf Leve wrote the lyrics. Mess brought joyful energy to the stage with their lively, danceable performance. “Sonntag” celebrated the carefree feeling of a Sunday, wrapped in a catchy, cheerful style. The song earned 57 points and placed 9th out of 18 countries. Formed specifically for Eurovision, Mess disbanded soon after. Engstler, just 21 at the time, later built a successful career as a television presenter for Austria’s ORF network. 1983 – Westend “Hurricane” In 1983, Austria chose the pop group Westend to perform “Hurricane”, selecting them from 12 finalists that included Waterloo (ESC 1976). Band member Peter Vieweger composed the song, while Heli Deinboek and Heinz Nessizius wrote the lyrics. Sung in German, “Hurricane” delivers an upbeat synth-pop sound with Schlager influences, using a whirlwind metaphor to capture the chaos of lost love. The entry scored 53 points and finished in a tie for 9th place. Westend featured five members, including Gary Lux—whose role stood out. Lux went on to represent Austria at Eurovision six times during the 1980s, both as a solo performer and backing vocalist. “Hurricane” earned Austria a solid mid-table result and later became a beloved ’80s Eurovision memory. 1984 – Anita “Einfach weg” Twelve songs battled for the ticket to Luxembourg, with Gary Lux finishing as runner-up. Austria chose Anita Spanner, known simply as Anita, for the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest with “Einfach weg” (“Simply Gone”). Brigitte Seuberth composed the track, and Walter Müller wrote the lyrics. This energetic pop song featured a catchy melody and a synth-driven arrangement typical of the mid-80s. Despite strong expectations, Austria landed in 19th (last) place with just 5 points. Ironically, the song found huge success at home. It climbed to #1 on the Austrian singles chart and stayed in the Top 20 for ten weeks. Anita, a newcomer and surprise national final winner, took the stage in Luxembourg backed by vocalists including Gary Lux. Although “Einfach weg” didn’t resonate internationally, its popularity in Austria turned it into an iconic Austropop hit of the decade. 1985 – Gary Lux “Kinder dieser Welt” By 1985, Gary Lux had become a familiar face for Austria at Eurovision. Having been in Westend (1983) and a backing singer in 1984, Lux took center stage with “Kinder dieser Welt” (“Children of this World”) in Gothenburg. He was internally selected for the contest. His uplifting song was a pop anthem calling for hope and joy for children around the globe. It was written by prominent lyricist Michael Kunze and composed by the British duo Mick Jackson and Geoff Bastow. “Kinder dieser Welt” earned 60 points and secured 8th place for Austria out of 19 entries. The entry affirmed Gary Lux’s status as one of Austria’s most frequent Eurovision participants.

Read More »
November 13, 2025 No Comments
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