A big “hug”, the decor of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 should remind the viewer, the BBC reported at the unveiling. The stage, as it were, embraces the Liverpool Arena, this year’s home of the Eurovision Song Contest. And that while the British singer Sam Ryder did not come in first, but in second place in 2022 with his Elton John-esque pop song ‘Spaceman’.
True to tradition, the country that won last year’s festival, Ukraine, would now be hosting the festival. But the wish that President Zelensky expressed on Instagram shortly after the victory to receive all participating countries in a “free, peaceful and restored” Mariupol by 2023 turned out to be in vain: the war in his country continues to rage. Because Great Britain came second, the European Radio Union decided to hold the event in the United Kingdom, Liverpool. According to the BBC, the big hug is partly intended to welcome Ukraine “with open arms”.
The other countries are also warmly welcomed, says Head of Contest Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen. With the Eurovision team, he works with the 37 participating countries to realize “all their ambitions and dreams” on stage. As long as those ambitions and dreams “fall within the limits of what is possible and allowed”, because he is the competition leader for the third year. Actually three and a half, he adds, because he was also Head of Contest when the 2020 edition was canceled due to corona.
Special edition
The 2021 festival went ahead, but was marked by the pandemic; the 2022 edition due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And the festival of 2023? This is another special edition, says Van de Nieuwenhuijzen, referring to the unconventional way in which the current host country has been chosen. In 67 years of Eurovision, it has only happened a handful of times that the winning country did not organize the next festival. The last time was in 1980, when the party took place in The Hague because Israel won the main prize in both 1978 and 1979 and found playing host country twice in a row just too much.
The fact that Ukraine was now forced to hand over its guest role does not mean that the country is completely outside the organization. “The viewers will definitely notice in every show – so the two semi-finals and the final – that this is a collaboration between the BBC and the Ukrainian broadcaster,” says Van de Nieuwenhuijzen. This is also visible behind the scenes.
For example, the decor partly consists of LED panels, on which graphics appear, which are largely made by a Ukrainian company. And some of the guest appearances will be provided by Ukrainian artists, including of course the Crown Princes of 2022: the four-piece Kalush Orchestra will perform a special version of their winning song ‘Stefania’.
Also read the interview with Eurovision winners Kalush Orchestra: “This is a victory song, not a war song”
Powerful statements
They will be joined on stage during the final by a host of young Ukrainians, creative director Dan Shipton recently told Britain’s Eurovision podcast The Eurotrip. “That youth element is very important when you think about the future of Ukraine.”
Strong statements have also crept into the festival that say they want to keep politics out. Where in 2009 Georgia’s entry was still refused because the song ‘We Don’t Wanna Put In’ would be an insult to Putin, this year a song text seems to have happily passed through the censor that is at least as clearly her tongue sticking out at the Russian president: the Croatian ‘Mama ŠC!’. “That little psychopath”, band Let 3 sings in the chorus: “Evil little psychopath, alligator psychopath” – possibly referring to the comparison that the British ex-premier drew in 2022 between Putin and a crocodile.
Also prominent in both the text and the clip is a tractor (Putin received one as a gift from Belarusian leader Lukashenko for his 70th birthday). “Mommy, I’m going to war,” the extravagant lead singer finally shouts as he – decked out with a large mustache reminiscent of Stalin, a kind of military cap that seems to have been fished out of a dress-up box and a pair of red patent boots – on a rocket the clouds fly.
Thorough investigation
Van de Nieuwenhuijzen: “In conversation with the Croatian delegation, it soon became clear that it is a satirical group that has existed for a long time. The head of the delegation described it as a kind of Monty Python – which was very clever, of course, because I am now working in Monty Python country. And the text has already been approved by the European Radio Union, which always carries out very thorough research.”
As far as the performance is concerned – Let 3 is in the first semi-final on Tuesday – there has been consultation with the band about how the act falls within the Eurovision standards, according to Van de Nieuwenhuijzen. In footage from the rehearsals, much of the extravaganza seems to have survived.
When it comes to extravanganza, Van de Nieuwenhuijzen sees a trend that is not unrelated to developments within Europe. “The exuberance is the greatest this time. Because these are quite dark times, there is a need to celebrate, to forget the worries, to escape the gray reality for a while.”