Recommendations of the Editorial team
The German preliminary decision for the Eurovision Song Contest, which was not yet called that, used to be called “Our Song for Stockholm,” for example. The international finals were often in Stockholm. Now the preliminary round is “the German final”, it will take place in Berlin because Barbara Schöneberger lives there, as she jokes. The mood cannon is particularly in a good mood alongside Hazel Brugger, who moderated the final in Basel last year.
Nine candidates, an international jury
So now our song for Vienna. A so-called international jury judges nine candidates who leave nothing to be desired in terms of diversity and deviance. In the role of commentators, the cabaret artist Carolin Kebekus, the mountain doctor Hans Sigl, the Swiss Paola and Michael Schulte, who took fourth place eight years ago, sit in a kind of dugout.
Paola took part in the ESC twice, in 1969 and 1980, and last year she made an honorary appearance in Basel. Hazel Brugger runs around between the audience and the artists, and Barbara Schöneberger, in her tenth year with the show, always finds new punch lines.
Wavvyboi, Molly Sue and Sarah Engels
The program then becomes very long because three candidates have been selected for the final of the German final and Michael Schulte has to sing “Satellite” again. Everyone remembers Abba, Nicole, Loreen and Johnny Logan.
The nominees are Wavvyboi, a platinum blonde angel in white with a decorative guitar, Molly Sue (real name?), a “Game Of Thrones” heroine, and Sarah Engels. Wavvyboi presents “Dark Glitter,” an over-the-top glam song. Molly performs “Optimist (Ha Ha Ha),” to which a ballerina spins. And Sarah Engels, who many people know from a distant “Germany is looking for the superstar”, performs gymnastics with four dancers to the brassy Latino junk “Fire”.
And it wins: Sarah Engels
You think: Two can win. Wavvyboi and Molly.
And it wins: Sarah Engels. Wavvyboi looks like he’s going to throw up.
But Vienna is always worth a trip.
