Editorial: Why Adele Should Sing for the UK at Eurovision

Ukraine has already chosen its Eurovision 2014 contestant. So has Albania. But on the other side of Europe there is a country that has remained tight-lipped about its selection process – the United Kingdom. After the disastrous results in recent years it is clear that if the British want to return to Eurovision glory they need to change their approach.

In the past two years the British have sent two well-known acts to the Eurovision stage – Engelbert Humperdinck and Bonnie Tyler. Age worked against them. Back in their prime Engelbert and Bonnie were some of the most famous musicians on the planet. Sending them to the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest would have been fine. Instead they were thrown into the 2012 and 2013 contests, respectively, and squared off against acts that were more modern, mobile and mesmerising. Both of them failed miserably: Engelbert placed 25th with only 12 points, Bonnie fared little better with 23 points in 19th place. The juries loathed the ageing Brits even more: they could not sing a single note in tune! As Team Wiwi asked in Malmö: “Did Bonnie Tyler smoke a box of cigars before her first rehearsal?”

Calling Adele

The United Kingdom needs an artist who is popular now. And who is the most famous British artist at the moment? Adele.

Adele has blitzed the music industry. Her musical talent has seen her two albums 19 and 21 top charts around the globe. She has picked up 9 Grammy Awards and 4 BRIT Awards, and set musical records mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. Her music is so popular that earlier this month Amazon declared 21 its bestselling music album of all time with an incredible 28 million copies sold. Most recently her contribution to her country has seen her win the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Award. The United Kingdom needs a hero (no, not Bomnie) to lift it from the Eurovision doldrums. Surely Adele can lend one track from her upcoming third album to perform at Eurovision 2014.

Why she could succeed

There are three reasons why Adele would be a success with both the European tele-voters and jurors. These are the same reasons why she is so popular in the first place. They are: her voice, her ability to convey emotions and her humility.

Adele’s deep, alto voice has a memorable timbre. It offers something different that would stand out among 26 finalists. I doubt that any other European could rival her vocal prowess. If uniqueness worked for Lena from Germany, whose hilarious accent won over both the tele-voters and the jurors in 2010, it will be even better for Adele.

Singers often struggle to master emotions. How many times in Eurovision have we seen acts going OVER the top with it? Adele’s songs are mostly about heartache. However it is not the sadness that makes her music popular, but how she emotes. You feel that she is actually despairing over her own failed love. (Maybe she is). That’s why her fans weep along at concerts. Eurovision fans will surely come under her spell, too. The jurors will award Adele points for her sincerity. If they can give top marks to Emmelie de Forest for smiling throughout her tragic song “Only Teardrops”, I cannot imagine the success Adele will have with them.

Adele’s humility will score points too. Have you ever seen an arrogant act go on to win Eurovision? 2006 was a notorious year with the Lithuanian, Icelandic and British entrants all boasting “We are the winners of Eurovision!” It is fine saying it after you have won the contest, but in the actual song? It is little wonder these entrants were booed off stage. Adele is different. She presents herself as the normal girl from Britain – simple clothes, simple hair, simple make up. No gimmicks – just normal Adele. Tele-voters can relate to her, because most of them are normal people themselves. In Adele they see their own misfortune. The jurors will appreciate that Adele is not thinking about herself–the glitz, the glam, the potential victory–but instead the actual music.

These three weapons in Adele’s armour make her the perfect warrior to send into Eurovision battle.

Adele’s commercial success has implications for the EBU too. In Australia the only European artist we know of is … Adele. More people would watch Eurovision because of her, drastically increasing audience viewing and the number of Eurovision albums sold. So at the end of the night it might not just be the UK, but also the EBU, rubbing their hands with glee.

But what is in it for Adele herself? There are actually many reasons why Eurovision is a good idea for her. Adele has a phobia of flying, which is why she hardly ever tours, much to the disappointment of her fans…especially those of us in Australia. Eurovision is a good way to reach out to all these followers, as it is broadcast to millions of people around the world. All Adele has to do is stand on the stage in Copenhagen for three minutes, and her fans will feel like they are at an intimate concert, watching her perform live. It will save her all the time, money and fear of touring around the world.

Although Adele has won countless Grammy and British Music Awards, there is one thing missing from her bag of loot. ABBA has it, and so do Celine Dion, Ruslana and Loreen. That is a Eurovision title. It transcends sales and shows how much an entire continent appreciates an artist’s music. It should be something Adele should strive to achieve within her lustrous career: bring home the Eurovision title, win the hearts of the British, and become their greatest singer of all time.

So what do you think? Is Adele a good candidate to represent the United Kingdom in Eurovision 2014? This videos above show what she is like in concert, and boy, can she work up the crowd! Interestingly these performances were at the Royal Albert Hall, the host venue of the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest. Coincidence or what?

Samo Lee contributed this report from Australia. Follow the team from WiwiBloggs.com on Twitter @wiwibloggs. And while you’re at it, like our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with the latest Eurovision news and gossip.