The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Eurovision started to get structure this week thanks to the semi-final allocation draw, the first wave of ticket sales, and selections from Greece, Slovenia, Belgium, and Spain. Sweden kicked off Melfest, Lithuania got competitive, and Latvia picked finalists. This was the easy Super Saturday... Super Summary Eurovision Semi-Final Allocation and Ticket Sales (1:18) Artist Announcements: Austria's...

Luxembourg selected their Eurovision representative at the end of a surprisingly busy week. Moldova has withdrawn, several countries released potential songs, and Finland's UMK faces a significant shakeup. Vox Lux Summary 🫢 Shakeups: Moldova out; Finland's UMK DQ's One Morning Left (1:15) 🇱🇺 Luxembourg chooses Laura Thorn's "La Poupée Monte Le Son" (4:55) 🎧 Song Drops: Portugal, Ukraine, Ireland...

It's another hopping Eurovision 2025 setup week with another wave of potential songs, information about Basel, the ESC hosts, ticket sales, plus auditions and previews from Moldova and Belgium. Process Summary 📢 Announcements: Mascots, ArenaPlus, and the Eurovision Hosts (1:03) 🎟️ Next in Logistics: Semi-Final Allocation and Eurovision Tickets (3:44) 💿 National Final Songs and Artists: Poland, N...

We ease into the waters of the Eurovision TV season, thanks to the first heat of Lithuania's Eurovizija. LT. We also check in on the candidate song drops for the processes happening in Finland, Malta, Croatia, and Greece. Wading Summary Finland Announces 7 Acts for UMK (2:05) Malta, Croatia, and Greece Drop Their National Final Songs (6:46) Lithuania's Eurovizija. LT Begins (12:56) This week: Mold...

Before 2025 gets into full swing, we catch up on Eurovision news from the end of 2024. We have designs! We have fonts! We have an entry where we're not not saying Tirana 2026! Plus, we go deep on the results from the ESC 250 Countdown. Loaded with Energy Summary 💕Unity. Shapes. Love. Branding. (0:55) 🇦🇱 Albania selects "Zjerm" by Shkodra Elektronike (12:36) 🇳🇱 Netherlands selects Claude as their...

As we head into 2025, we jump back 25 years to watch the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest. How has the competition, fashion, and pop music changed in the last quarter-century(!)? Pew Pew Pew Summary 🗓️ In the Year 2000... (3:17) ⛳️ Part I: Israel, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Estonia, France, Romania (7:07) 🎤 Part II: Malta, Norway, Russia, Belgium, Cyprus, Iceland (17:30) 🪽 Part III: Spain, Denmar...

As we rush to get out of 2024 we're getting details from just about every country participating in Eurovision 2025. We recap last month's Montesong from Montenegro, learn a bit about Czechia's artist, and start adding all the dates to our calendar. Three-Card Montesong Summary 😾 Is anyone still mad at the EBU? (1:30) 🇲🇪 Montenegro returns with Montesong... and shenanigans (7:48) 🇨🇿 Czechia select...

In 2019 we examined the Big 5—Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom—and offered suggestions on how they might improve their standing at Eurovision. It's five years later: how are the Big 5 doing now? Rebuilt Summary 🇮🇹 Italy (3:46) 🇪🇸 Spain (9:19) 🤗 Eurowhat AV Club Patreon and the ESC250 (16:25) 🇩🇪 Germany (18:25) 🇫🇷 France (27:07) 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (33:10) Subscribe The EuroWhat...

David Junk, originally from Ohio, was the first CEO of Universal Music Russia. In his memoir Rocking the Kremlin' , he and co-author Fred Bronson (from Billboard Magazine ) share stories about the "Wild, Wild East", Eurovision, and the influence of western pop culture after the fall of the USSR. Rockin' the Kremlin Summary 📖 What is Rockin' the Kremlin about? (3:23) 🎶 Alsou, t. A.T.u., and Serge...

It's been a couple months since we last checked in on Eurovision news… hoo boy there's a lot to get caught up on. We have elections, new heads of delegations, and info about way too many national selections. Avalanche Summary 💊 Exotic Switzerland: Funding Referendum, Novartis Sponsorship (1:41) 🇳🇱 Is Everyone (Netherlands?) Still Mad at the EBU? (6:31) 🔴 Coming up on the podcast: Iceland Airwave...

We welcome back @dudepoints, who recently completed their Master's thesis which included discussion of the intersection of the Yugoslavian Art Practice and recent Eurovision entries from Serbia and Croatia. More simply: let's talk about performance art at Eurovision! Yugonostalgia Summary What is the Yugoslavian Art Practice? (2:39) How does Eurovision interact with the Yugoslavian Art Practice? (...

The Reference Group is one of the governing bodies for the Eurovision Song Contest. Who sits on this board and what experience do they bring to the table? We go through the dossiers in this episode. Verily Summary What are the Eurovision Heads of Delegation and Reference Group? (1:29) Who is currently in the Eurovision Reference Group? (8:05) Who isn't on the Eurovision Reference Group? (21:52) Su...

Dr. Zoë Jay returns to discuss Eurovisionaries, an academic research project investigating the ways Eurovision fans think about and practice forms of cultural diplomacy. Eurovisionaries Summary What was the inspiration for the Eurovisionaries project? (3:16) How to define "political" (5:56) Eurovision's shift from "political" (2023) to "Political" (2024) (10:41) Initial findings from speaking with...

Our 8th season begins with news about Eurovision 2025 host city Basel, our first artist announcement, and a look at the history of Switzerland at the Contest. Exotic Switzerland Summary Basel, Switzerland will host Eurovision 2025 (0:54) Theo Evan will represent Cyprus in Basel (4:05) Is everyone/the Netherlands still mad at the EBU? (7:53) Montenegro will return to Eurovision (10:08) Italy and Sw...

We say farewell to Eurovision 2024 host nation Sweden by examining the facts and figures of its long-running song selection method: Melodifestivalen. We also make our picks of who we would like to see make an appearance in Melfest 2025. How to Win Melfest Summary Who has written the most songs for Melfest? (2:38) Do non-English songs do well at Melfest? (6:02) Should Melfest's Andra Chansen be giv...

Elisabeth Vincentelli examined the 1992 greatest hits collection ABBA Gold for the music criticism book series 33 1/3 . We discuss the book, our respective relationships with ABBA, and marvel at the band's influence on pop music 50 years after their Eurovision win. ABBA Gold Summary What is your relationship with ABBA? (2:53) ABBA Gold (1992) (7:30) 33 1/3: ABBA Gold by Elisabeth Vincentelli (10:0...

It's the Geneva Convention vs Basel Exposition for the chance to host Eurovision in 2025. Meanwhile, the production team has been announced and a new job for ESC Director is available if you wanna work with Martin. We go over July 2024 Eurovision headlines in this episode. Vacay Summary Geneva vs Basel (1:22) Eurovision 2025 Staff Updates (6:22) Patreon Summer of Celine Book Club (10:48) 22 Countr...

Oh, Denmark. What are we going to do with you? Ellie Chalkley joins us to assess what's rotten in the state of DMGP and what changes could be made to get the Nordic nation back into the Eurovision Grand Final. Ellie Lifelong lover of flags, spreadsheets and the outer reaches of the pop universe. Designer of the infamous Every Eurovision Result Ever tea towel. Missing the 'Mark Summary Welcome, Ell...

On April 24, 1974, Portugal's Eurovision entry was used as a signal that would dismantle a dictatorship in Europe. In this episode, look back on the Carnation Revolution and Portugal's history both outside and inside the Eurovision Song Contest. "It's 5 to 11..." Summary Portugal at Eurovision (2:58) A Brief History of Portugal's Politics (11:05) April 24, 1974 (18:25) April 26, 1974 (27:10) Cover...

We check in on Eurovision headlines from June 2024 including budget discussions, host city where/when, and which countries have already expressed interest in the 2025 Contest. Calm Summary Eurovision Ratings Omnibus 2024 (1:04) Host City When? Host City Where? (3:26) Is Everyone Still Mad at the EBU? (6:11) Patreon: "I Am: Celine Dion" (8:47) 2025 Country Count: 13 (9:37) National Selection Update...

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan from the celebrity fashion blog Go Fug Yourself join us to discuss fashion, stagewear, and all the lewks from Eurovision 2024. What designs worked, which were less successful, and will 2025 be an all-denim affair? A Lotta Look Summary Welcome, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan! (1:16) The Turquoise Carpet (6:38) Favorite Looks from Eurovision 2024 (9:39) Less Succes...

As the EBU works through a litany of complaints about Eurovision 2024, Dr Jess Carniel from the University of Southern Queensland joins us to discuss the issues facing the competition. Along with examining what should be a rebuilding year for the Contest, we chat about Australia's presence at the ESC and reconsider the balance of the jury and televote. Dr Jess Carniel Jess is an Associate Professo...

Somehow we made it through the other side of the 2024 Eurovision Grand Final in one piece. Things that didn't: the Netherlands, Nemo's trophy, and possibly the EBU? We examine the immediate aftermath of Saturday's show from Malmö. Broke Summary Netherlands Disqualified from Eurovision (0:59) The Actual Grand Final (6:53) Eurovision Results Data Dive (10:07) Looking Toward Eurovision 2025 (17:49) S...

In our Eurovision 2024 Grand Final Preview, we discuss the results of the two semi-finals in Malmö, make some predictions on what may happen on Saturday, and scratch why Sweden's hosting has been itching us this week. This episode was recorded at 7pm US Eastern Time on Thursday, May 9. Poop Chaos Summary Corrections: Robyn Edition (0:52) Eurovision Semi-Final 1 in Review (2:32) Eurovision Semi-Fin...

It's Eurovision Week! After we get caught up on Contest news, we make our predictions on which acts will advance to Saturday's Grand Final. Will there be heartbreak in Malmö? Designated Perceived Nudity Corner Summary Eurovision News: Peacock, Producer's Choice, Flags (1:19) Eurovision Semi-Final 1 Predictions (13:01) Eurovision Semi-Final 2 Predictions (25:52) Subscribe The EuroWhat? Podcast &nbs...