Eurovision 2012: Semifinal Voting Thoughts

So here's some initial thoughts on the semi-finals.  Obviously there will be more, as well as thoughts on the finals.  However, so far, we've had a few good performers, songs, or acts that for whatever reason don't succeed.  Some highlights (or lowlights):

Joan Franka - "You and Me" (Netherlands)

The song grew on me over the past few weeks.  It's kind of sweet, and girl with guitar can go over really well (see, eg, Soluna Samay).  But Eurovision is about 3 minute presentations and most people were probably scratching their head at the bad 1980's-Cher head dress and didn't vote for her.  It probably didn't help that the closest neighbors and traditional supporters were all in the other semifinal either.  And that's kind of a shame.

Max Jason Mai - "Don't Close Your Eyes" (Slovakia)

This was the only true rock song, and one of the better entries in my opinion.  So what happened?  Slovakia was in the semi-final with a lot of former Yugoslav and Soviet states.  Whether it was all bloc voting or just a few guitar solos too much for older voters, it just couldn't get the support it needed.  It might have fared a little better in the first semi-final, which featured more of its neighbors.

Nina Badric - "Nebo" (Croatia)

Croatia was exactly where it wanted to be:  A good song, great performer, and in a semifinal with 4 other former-Yugoslav states.  I figured three of them would get in, and I was right.  Unfortunately, when it came down to it, Croatia and Slovenia were on the outs with FYR Macedonia sneaking in.  Bloc voting giveth, and bloc voting taketh away.

Filipa Sousa - Vida Minha (Portugal)

This was the complete opposite boat than Croatia.  A nice song with great traditional overtones, in a semi-final of Eastern European countries.  Neighbor Spain voted in the other semi-final, which probably didn't help Portugal break up the eastern blocs.

Pernilla Karlsson - "När jag blundar" (Finland)

A rather pretty little song from Finland (we've come a long way from Lordi) that against just didn't get the support it needed.  While Greece and Iceland have given Finland a lot of points over the years, it probably didn't help that Sweden, Norway, and Estonia (other traditional supporters) were in the other semi-final.  Also am I the only one who thought the first semi-final was pretty stacked?

Valentina Monetta - "The Social Network Song" (San Marino)

Again, my bias is showing, but I loved this song.  It was fun, cheeky, upbeat, and satirical, and Monetta was great to watch in the lead up.  Obviously the voters just didn't get it.  Europe's loss.

I'm sure we can analyze the voting until the cows come home.  What are your thoughts?

The Politics of Eurovision: Ukraine and Racism in 2012

While I love Eurovision (and perhaps I would even consider myself a Eurovision geek), that's not the only thing I love.  I love good young adult fiction and dystopian stories.  Hence, my love for Suzanne Collins' amazing trilogy, The Hunger Games.

Recently, Jezebel.com ran several articles discussing race as it relates to The Hunger Games.  The most shocking, in my opinion, was an article about angry racist tweets.  Without spoiling the books, the tweets questioned why black actors were cast as certain characters (the characters are described by the author as being black) and one even said that she was no longer saddened by a character's death when she found out the character was actually black.

With this in the back of my head, I should not have been shocked by the racist comments directed against 2012 Ukrainian competitor Gaitana.

Gaitana, one of the pioneers of R&B music in Eastern Europe, is of Congolese and Ukrainian descent.  She was born in Kiev, but spent the next four years in the Republic of the Congo before returning to Ukraine with her mother.  She sings in three languages and knows two more, and writes and composes all of her own songs.  She plays the saxophone.  The Kyiv Post called her unpretentious and discussed how she likes to cook and wants to have children.

However, as as Armenia and Azerbaijan have already shown us, an international singing competition is the best place for complex demographic and political issues to be addressed.  As the Kyiv Post reported, Yuriy Syrotyuk, a senior member of the Svoboda party (an extremist right wing party that, among other things, seeks to include nationality on Ukrainian passports and ban adoption of Ukranian children by non-Ukrainians), criticized Gaitana's selection, stating “Gaitana is not an organic representative of the Ukrainian culture” and that, since Gaitaiana is biracial, Ukraine will be “associated with a different continent.”  He further stated, "As we want to be accepted to the European Union, it could be our opportunity to show the Europeans that we are also a European nation. We need to show our originality."

Let's take a look at that statement again.  Gaitana does not deserve to represent Ukraine because she's not white enough.  Despite being born in Kiev, having lived most of her life in Kiev, and being a pioneer of Ukrainian music, in the eyes of some, the simple fact that she is biracial somehow makes her not a true representative of Ukrainian culture (never mind that there a hell of a lot of originality in the song itself).

Does she need a birth certificate?  Would that make you happy?

Syrotyuk later tried to backtrack, claiming he was merely criticizing the Ukrainian selection process, and did not make any comment about Gaitana's race or skin color.  Really?  REALLY?!  The concern that was Gaitana, a biracial woman, would make people associate Ukraine with Africa.  If that's not a comment about skin color, I don't know what is.  And, to be sure, I'm certain that the true representatives of Ukrainian culture are white performers such as Verka Serduchka and Svetlana Loboda who sing in English.  Ukraine:  Come for the glitter, stay for the drag queens.

Now I wish I could write this whole thing off as someone who really truly misspoke (at best) or a racist with a microphone (at worst).  After all, in 2012, a biracial singer couldn't really cause that much of a stir outside of Tea Party-esque circles.  Boy, was I wrong.  These are all comments copied directly from the official "Be My Guest" youtube video:

I didn't write this to imply that Ukrainians are any more racist than anyone else, or than race relations are more problematic in Ukraine than here in the United States or elsewhere in world.  Rather, it's to show that no matter how far we think we've come, there's still a long way to go.  What shocks me isn't that there are people who have these thoughts, and we can't police thoughts.  But rather, what shocks me is how blunt they are in saying it.

Claiming Gaitana is somehow unfit to represent Ukraine because of her race says the wrong thing not just about Ukraine, but about humanity.  Whether you love or hate the song, she has worked hard to be able to get up onto that stage, and the color of her skin should have no bearing on whether or not she's "Ukrainian enough" (whatever that means).

Maybe in the end, we should just take what Gaitana herself says to heart.  It's not about politics or demographics or xenophobia.  It's simply life.   “Of course I am Ukrainian! I live here, I work here, I sing here, I fall in love here.”

Eurovision 2012 Preview: Pot 3

Well, cats and kittens, it's time to dive into Pot 3, which features (mostly) former Soviet republics.

Belarus

First Appearance:  2004

Highest Place:  6th (2007)

Litesound - "We Are The Heroes"

Upbeat and fun, although it's probably a bit too close to Creed, Daughtry, and other Top-40 rock bands (Although they most certainly are better than Nickleback).  The lead singer may be able to score a few votes just for looks, but current odds place them in the middle of the pack.  Of course, no Eurovision contest is without scandal.  Litesound originally placed 2nd in the Belarusian selection show, but after an investigation revealed the winner and her producers had rigged the voting, the winner was disqualified and Litesound won a trip to Baku (to hear disqualified song, "All My Life" by Alyona Lanskaya, click here)

Georgia
First Appearance:  2007
Best Place:  9th (2010, 2011)

Arni Jokhadze - "I'm a Joker"

So my reaction to watching this for the first time went something along the lines of "What the...oooookay...hmmmm...get it!"  The entire production seems to be one big fever dream of craziness, but there's something about it that keeps it just barely on this side of sane.  It probably won't do well, but hey, if you got it, flaunt it.  And for a bit of trivia, Jokhadze is the first male singer from Georgia to compete in Eurovision.

Israel
First Appearance:  1973
Highest Place:  1st (1978, 1979, 1998)

Ibazo - "Time"

o.O  Well it's different.  And somehow, completely catchy and bouncy, so it's either going to score well or crash and burn.  Although, to be honest, I like the music video more than I like the song, so here's hoping they keep the air guitar mimes and headbanging clowns.  And the trapeze artists!  For a translation of the lyrics, click here.

Moldova
First Appearance:  2005
Highest Place:  6th (2005)

Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar

Oh my god, it's Edward Norton on the Eurovision stage!  No sorry, our mistake.  But anyway, another catchy, if quirky song, from Pot 3.  And who doesn't love a jazz/swing/big band feel (see Roger Cicero in 2007 or Alex Swing, Oscar Sings! in 2009 for others)?  And although the song is sung completely in English, the title refers to a type of traditional Romani musicians.

Russia

First Appearance:  1994
Highest Place:  1st (2008)

 Buranovskiye Babushki - "Party for Everybody"

How can you not root for the 6 babushkas from the village of Buranovo, especially the smallest grandmother in the world?  Based on the betting odds, their currently slated to place 2nd.  With an average age of 71, the babushkas defeated former winner Dima Bilan and former t.A.T.u. member Yulia Volkova in the Russian selection to travel to Baku (t.A.T.u, famous for their song "All The Things She Said" competed for Russia in 2003, placing third).  The group has said if they win, they will use the prize money to build a church in their village.  For a translation of the lyrics, click here.

Ukraine
First Appearance:  2003
Highest Place:  1st (2004)

Gaitana - "Be My Guest"

Another high energy act from Ukraine, and another one that should do extremely well.  Gaitana, who wrote and composed this song as well, is one of the pioneers of R&B in Ukraine and definitely deserves a high score with this performance.  Unfortunately, her selection to represent Ukraine in Baku was marred with controversial claims that the bi-racial Gaitana was not a suitable choice to represent the predominately white Ukraine (a full post about that will be going up soon).

So this was definitely our most eclectic group to date.  Push comes to shove, I'm going with Ukraine here, but I would love to see Russia pull it out!

What is your favorite act from Pot 3?