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Room for Improv-ment: The Risks and Rewards of Riffing Written by on May 7, 2016 | 1 Comment

As Eurovision has distanced itself from live music, where can performers find opportunities to stretch their creative legs and experiment? Samantha Ross takes a moment to reflect on where artists can find little bastions of freedom in their otherwise-regimented three minutes on stage.

For all of the things that I love about Eurovision (the multiculturalism, the music, the technology, the fandom), there’s one thing that always breaks my heart just a little bit: the regimented nature of the performances.

I certainly understand the reasoning why; without detailed choreography, camera angles can’t be arranged properly. Without knowing what an artist is wearing, lighting can’t be optimized for a dress to “pop”. Without having a detailed list of the pyros to come, people could get seriously hurt. And (as much as it pains me to say) without having pre-recorded instruments, issues like suddenly-snapped guitar strings, frayed violin bows, and broken drumsticks are no longer problems.

Because of this, it’s so rare and refreshing to see an artist take the risk to break out of the routine of rehearsed performance. When every note is nailed down, artists gain a sense of security, but lose the potential for an organic connection with the song and audience.

The Sound Of Experimentation

The first time I personally saw an artist take some sort of licence with their song was in 2012, when Estonia’s Ott Lepland never sang the same version of ‘Kuula’ twice. His physical performance was very static, but that didn’t mean his song had to be. He not only improvised, but he took an unmistakable joy in doing so. Always grinning from ear to ear, he constantly experimented with how he approached his phrases, playing with the notes and treating his sheet music as simply a suggestion. By the time his performances counted, the song felt less clinical and more comfortably worn-in.

This year, we see Australia’s Dami Im take the plunge and let her vocals run free. After the second chorus, she diverges from the studio version and tests out new patterns. It will be interesting to see how wild or conservative she stays on the night of her jury final or televised shows, and if there’s any marked difference between the two.

Take A Moment of Silence…

There’s another notable bit of improvisation from a 2016 act, as well. Douwe Bob from the Netherlands is taking the bold step to provide a full ten seconds of silence near the end of his song. He said in a press conference that it was an artistic choice, and a way to honor the audience by letting them have a blank canvas to leave their mark upon. It’s a refreshing change from the down-to-the-second routines that leave us feeling secure, but coldly clinical.

Douwe Bob, giving the people what they want. (Credit: Anna Velikova, EBU)

Douwe Bob, giving the people what they want. (Credit: Anna Velikova, EBU)

There is an inherent risk when you leave things up to chance. Douwe Bob’s ten seconds of mystery could be filled with the audience singing along, cheering, mumbling awkwardly, throwing rotten tomatoes (if security allows them to be brought in), or any one of a million other outcomes…but he’s taking the chance to leave it up to the crowd at his feet. Furthermore, it will be up to the camera crew here at the Globen to think on its feet and record whatever that action is going to be, whether it’s good, bad, or ugly.

Risk is scary; stepping outside of the secure scaffolding of rehearsed routines can leave a performer vulnerable to slip-ups, but the rush of adrenaline, and the potential for an unexpected reward, can make the danger more than worth the trepidation.

(For a deeper look into authenticity and construction at Eurovision, check out Ellie Chalkey’s upcoming article, right here at ESC Insight.)

About The Author: Samantha Ross

Vaguely aware of the Contest since childhood, a fanatic since 2008, and an ESC blogger since 2009, Samantha Ross made her first sojourn to Eurovision in 2011, and was quickly welcomed into the fold at ESC Insight. Over the years, she's been interviewed by BBC World News, SVT, LBC Radio, and many others. She was a semi-regular contributor to Oystermouth Radio's weekly dedicated Eurovision program, "Wales 12 Points". Furthermore, Samantha contributed to BBC Radio 2's coverage of the Copenhagen contest, was a member of the official JuniorEurovision.tv web team in 2014, 2015, 2021 and 2022, and worked on the EBU's official communications team in 2022. She also worked as a member of the Bulgarian Delegation, serving as Assistant Head of Press in Kyiv and Lisbon, and She is also the creator of the podcast "12 Points from America", an irreverent look at Eurovision from a US point of view. When not at Eurovision, Samantha is a regular on the Twin Cities pub quiz circuit, and has volunteered as a moderator for the local high school quiz bowl for over ten years. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but is wistfully looking for opportunities to get geographically closer to the heart of the Eurovision action. You can follow Samantha on Twitter (@escinsider).

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One response to “Room for Improv-ment: The Risks and Rewards of Riffing”

  1. I’m praying for Douwe Bob’s sake that the crowd sing his song out loud or maybe cheer…

    I hope for his sake it’s not total silence or hecklers shouting “You’re supposed to be singing, mate”…

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