At Eurovision 2015, French songstress Lisa Angell delivered a breathtaking performance of “N’Oubliez pas”. Yet Europe — apparently unmoved — only awarded her four points, which left her in 25th position. French officials had harsh words about the result (so did Anggun), and that led Eurofans to worry that France would withdraw. France seemed to move from “N’Oubliez pas” to “Oubliez-moi” and we braced for the worst. Well it’s time to chillax. Today Charts in France reports that France 2 will return to Eurovision in 2016. That’s right: FRANCE WILL NOT WITHDRAW!

On Saturday evening, French fans had big hopes to place in the Top 15 for the first time since Amaury Vassili’s Sognu in 2011. Despite a flawless performance, Lisa Angell finished two spots from the bottom. “I’m not angry, just disapointed,” she said in an interview on Sunday. “We deserved more than 4 points”. She added that, in her opinion, France is an isolated country and her weak ranking is due to political reasons.

Nathalie AndrĂ©, head of the Entertainement Departement at France 2 and the woman in charge of picking this year’s entry, still can’t believe how this Angell fell from the heavens. “We came to reach the Top 15, and we ended in the Bottom 15. We are of course disappointed”. More surprising, she seemed to be wondering about the future of her country in Eurovision. “Do we need to take part again in the contest? I don’t have the power to decide but I just want to say ‘Let’s not do this anymore!'”

French commentators Stéphane Bern and Marianne James love Lisa Angell

The producer of the French chanteuse shared that sentiment. “I think we should withdraw from Eurovision,” declared Jean-Claude Camus said on Sunday. “We must stop for one year or two and take time in order to fix this”. He also complained about the fact that most countries prefer to sing in English rather than in their national language.

Luckily their comments were just a reaction to the unfortunat events on Saturday, and France will be back. But to get back in the game they’ll need to think about a new approach to the artist and song that will represent the country next year in Sweden. Who do you want to see fly the French flag in Sweden?

Follow all of our France Eurovision news here

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2015
2015
8 years ago

Indila would still be a great choice, but she declined. Anggun would be great too, but with a much better song! Zaz won’t go aswell. French artist are scared for Eurovision so will be hard… Mika wouldn’t go for sure. Its not the artist that is the problem, the songs aren’t the best.

BINBANGALEX@HOTMAIL.COM
8 years ago

Se MAGNIFIQUE Allez Ola Ole

Richard
8 years ago

Chrysovalantis (“In my opinion,we should consider Eurovision as a big party where every European-and perhaps,not only-country has a place,every country proudly presents the best song available…”) and ForFecksSake (“They sent the right singer, but the wrong song.”) have the right ideas, as far as this American is concerned. Given how the scoring works, I can’t see how anyone can read too much into the results. And most likely the only thing wrong with “N’Oubliez pas” was that it was a song asking us to remember war dead – a real downer at Europe’s biggest party.

iamawarrior
iamawarrior
8 years ago

YELLE!

Racal
Racal
8 years ago

Honestly, I think it’ll be better if they withdraw. Let’s be honest: they bring nothing to the contest, and that’s been going on for years. Let them out, let them find the will to participate and to win again, and I’m sure they will come back with better songs in a couple years.

Saying that Eurovision is not possible without France is just bullshit: other founding members a have withdrawn in the past, other “Big 5” countries have withdrawn in the past, … The contest is still there.

George
8 years ago

David Guetta. #notgonnahappen #hewonthisyearactuallywithloversonthesun

usernamedennis
usernamedennis
8 years ago

They should ask Mika, he’s already a judge on the French Voice anyway!

Eurofan
Eurofan
8 years ago

france wont but france should
all the big 5 should withdraw since its unfair to pay more money while other countries have more money to make copies…
yes. i am talking about sweden.
i am waiting for the claim of david getta or the owner of the videoclip which was the inspiration of sweden.
russia also copied. so italy is the fair winner of this edition.
i wont go to sweden next year to show my disconformity, and all the eurofans should do the same…of course non-swedish eurofans 🙂

reddawg
reddawg
8 years ago

it WOULD be huge if Kendji went for them– that’s a guaranteed top 10 if not higher.

But the real reasons are complicated– ALL of the “pre-qualifiers” are hurt DEEPLY by not being able to perform in the semi-finals. Everyone already has their favorites after the semis, no one wants to change their minds and their votes at the finals… its too late!

Maria
Maria
8 years ago

an impossible but incredible option would be Daft Punk and another Damien Saez (Incredible singer-songwriter and a poet). Maybe a possible and different option could be Tryo or Saz. Also France has an amazing hip-hop scene, one of the best and could exploit this side, Soprano, Tunisiano/Sniper, Orelsan…

Viennalain
Viennalain
8 years ago

Kumisolo or Yelle

JESCGermany15
JESCGermany15
8 years ago

I don’t have a problem if France would withdraw! I don’t really like any of their entries since I watch Eurovision in 2010! I think they will never change something! They could send an young artist with an modern uptempo song in English! But the channels in France just know: ‘Eurovision will ever stay in the 70s/80s/90s- it’s 2015! Nobody want something crazy or something old fashioned! The singer sing all amazing but the songs! Is it too hard for a channel to understand that? Maybe for France2, also ARD/NDR and also the BBC!

Holger
Holger
8 years ago

Mylène Farmer!

EF0912
EF0912
8 years ago

Kendji Girac for 2016. He’s like my favourite French artist right now. I mean I have no clue what he’s saying in his music but ‘Andalouse’ is amazing. France HAVE to convince him to do it. I know Indila would never do Eurovision but realistically, I think she’s the most suitable for the task with a song like ‘Derniere Danse’. I see good things coming for France – they’re clearly pissed off about recent results and I really hope they convince one of the two artists I’ve mentioned above.

Fatima502
Fatima502
8 years ago

Had Black M entered ‘Sur Ma Route’ in 2014 that may well have won instead of Conchita. But what if France enter a slow song again in 2016 and their singer draws first half ? The producers have to give them a better slot than poor Lisa.

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

France is seriously doing worse than the UK and that says a lot.

Kendji Girac can save the French pride.

Nick
Nick
8 years ago

Here is am interesting thought- the best French results in the last 30 years came with Joelle Ursull (1990, who is of African descent), Amina (1991, who is of Arab descent), Patrick Fiori (1993, who is of Armenian descent), Natasha St.Pier (2001, originally Canadian). Maybe the solution to French misery is the culturally and ethnically diverse music scene. When you also look to recent international hits out of France, you see Indila, who is ethnically (and musically) very diverse/eclectic. And while other countries send their biggest stars (Il Volo, Mans and Guy Sebastian, Edurne, Stig Rasta…etc) how can the UK,… Read more »

Vasilis
Vasilis
8 years ago

I think that Kendji Girac should represent France.

lol
lol
8 years ago

haha… 6 points combined in 2 years. that’s even worse than czech republic

Mar
Mar
8 years ago

France just can’t win apparently. They send fun songs, they send chansons, they send opera, they send crazy stuff, they send rock-pop, they even send songs half in english! And yet they loose spectacularly every year. What else can they try?

cheesecake
cheesecake
8 years ago

I would’ve understood, bottom 10 for 4 or 5 consecutive years is hard. Glad they stay though.

Deniz@TurkNL
Deniz@TurkNL
8 years ago

I want a cool powerhouse popsong partly in French and partly in English for them.
A kind of Melfest thing would be cool too.

Huh
Huh
8 years ago

Unfortunately, Lisa Angell have to fall in line along with Twin Twin, Amandine and Anggun because of their placing and impact to the Eurovision audience. They are yet to determine who to choose as their next entrant that must have that Eurovision-friendly personality (and apporachable by the press) and a song that is well different from the likes of their previous entrants. Something that is truly a “song of the year” where people can relate to and be obsessed with it. Not some one-time kind of song that would last for months for listeners and sound like an alien and… Read more »

xaris
xaris
8 years ago

if france leaves eurovision, then bye bye eurovision. idiots, understand that france is a founder member of eurovision and ebu . FRANCE IS EUROVISION

Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

Well, France should send “Mars Red Sky” and have them deliver a 3-minute riff-blast without any intelligible lyrics, of which there is a 27-minute version available online.

Douze fucking points!

Nebi
Nebi
8 years ago

In 2013 Bonnie Tyler had it right. She said before the contest that if she did scored poorly it would be a reflection of the contest and not of her. Well, she actually performed poorly so maybe this wasn’t the best example. But in any event this happens every year, there will be awesome songs in the 20’s and much less deserving songs in the teens. Hang in there France, you’re still the highlight of the playlist.

drag
drag
8 years ago

France adesso e’ sempre piu’ un paese del Magreb, ha gli anni contati, prima o poi vedrete che non potra’ piu’ trasmettere l’esc perchĂ© e’ troppo gay friendly

Cor Morand
Cor Morand
8 years ago

French are stuck in the 70’s or worse. I have lived in this country for ten years and they don’t seem to want to see it. Their food, their tradition, their view on life… they are stuck… really stuck. need a kick up the A***

Brixtonian
Brixtonian
8 years ago

There’s a special place in hell reserved for Piaf and her impersonators. The soon France realises that and stops sending these pompous dirges the sooner they’ll break the top 15.

Mario My Vision of Gay Love
Mario My Vision of Gay Love
8 years ago

Bottom 15…Well honey you finished bottom 3 actually…And the last country that scored any points above the two zeros of Germany & Austria..

Yeah it is wise 4 France to stay in our Vision & not pull out at least 4 a single one year..
France will be missed with a possible withdrawal..

Just remain to our Vision & keep fighting like a fighter…
France Your GreAtY time to shine WILL come…
38 years wihout a victory are too long time…
The french can win the Vision in the following years if they find the right song 4 this purpose..

Chrysovalantis
Chrysovalantis
8 years ago

I don’t have an answer.I love French culture,including music.I believe that the ranking system in Eurovision Song Contest has its weak characteristics since whether you end up 11th in one’s country’s results or last you get zero points.And there are many places between 11th and last,aren’t they?In my opinion,we should consider Eurovision as a big party where every European-and perhaps,not only-country has a place,every country proudly presents the best song available but a negative result is always to be expected.And of course that doesn’t mean the song or the performance are bad.It’s the way the rules of the show function.Well… Read more »

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

I love most of the recent French entries so hopefully they deliver again and hopefully the results will come.

loreenlover
loreenlover
8 years ago

I hope spain really decides withdraw this contest, the baddest un the world, many month working for a 21 position. I hope principally all the big 5 countries withdraw the contest

Ivan
Ivan
8 years ago

I think France should look for a perfect balance between Twin Twin (song I really liked) and Lisa Angell. 🙂

MTD
MTD
8 years ago

Oh, France. Maybe you should employ some younger staff in order to get things moving? Just perhaps…

Anyhow, I hope that France will enter some decent entry in the competition, a song which itself can provide massive storm without the need of PR or marketing. One can hope.

Fire
Fire
8 years ago

So much salt, maybe consider swapping out the delegation.

Michael
Michael
8 years ago

Who will miss them?Their entries are so boring!So long France!!!!

ForFecksSake
ForFecksSake
8 years ago

They sent the right singer, but the wrong song. It’s a slow burner which is fine, but not for Eurovision. I saw her sing “Ne Partez Moi Sans Moi” in Eurovision Village and she nailed it dare I say it, better than Celine.
#Lisa2016