From inside the bubble this week here is the ESC Insight Newsletter, this week we are able to bring up some of our views on the rehearsals so far as well as round up what is happening around the city and keep all of our work over the last four days available in one easy-to-find place.
In today’s Robertson’s Reflection, we look at one of Ben Robertson’s Eurovision interview pet hates – asking people to sing a little piece of their song – and he wishes Eurovision journalists stopped this practice.
Also we need to respect the artists in question. I remember in Eurovision 2014 when I wrote my piece about Conchita’s impact in Eastern Europe. While I interviewed Conchita’s manager in the Press Centre he was managing the never-ending line of journalists wanting to speak to Conchita. So much is obvious and seems perfectly normal. What was a farce though was how the vast majority of these interviews ended in Conchita reprising the chorus of ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’, which is not an entry one can sing in second gear.
That day in the Press Centre was tiring for Conchita and tiring for many of the other acts. Eurovision is exhausting with all these performances and rehearsals the acts have to do. The day offs are rarely that with appearances at Eurovision Village, EuroClub, Euro Fan Cafe, TV pieces back home, extra rehearsals and engagements in local embassies all part of the norm. And yes when it comes to crunch time in week two, it’s the fan media who are first to jump in to criticise a croaky Jury Final performance, one that probably was caused by getting knackered and walking on stage not at 100%.
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