As the rehearsal timetable switches over from open rehearsal time to working on the actual televised product, Samantha Ross takes time out from watching the stage to meeting the artists.
Eurovision Insight Podcast: Daily News From Tel Aviv, Saturday 11th May
As the Eurovision world prepares for the Orange Carpet ceremony, Samantha Ross catches up with the singers and song-writers to talk about the Song Contest.
Featuring Kate Miller-Heidke, Victor Crone & Stig Rasta, Katerine Duska, and Serhat.
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, and was a member of the official JuniorEurovision.tv web team in 2014 and 2015. She also worked as a member of the Bulgarian Delegation, serving as Assistant Head of Press in Kyiv and Lisbon. 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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