Eurovision is right around the corner. And in the build up to the song contest kicking off in Liverpool this May, the team here at wiwibloggs is bringing you all the latest news from the world of Eurovision 2023. We scroll through the depths of Twitter, Instagram and TikTok so y’all don’t have to.
In today’s daily digest, Eurovision queens Loreen and Alessandra cross paths on the Swede’s press tour of Norway, and Switzerland’s Remo Forrer debuts the live version of his song for Liverpool. But first…
Eurovision news: 30 March 2023
Albania’s Albina and Familja Kelmendi film their postcard
Next up to shoot their Eurovision 2023 postcard is Albina Kelmendi from Albania. Alongside her family, Albina picnicked on a river bank and shared a feast with her loved ones.
From the Grand Park in Tirana ?? to the arena in Liverpool! ??
— BBC Eurovision (@bbceurovision) March 30, 2023
Albina & Familja Kelmendi have been busy filming their #Eurovision2023 postcard, we can't wait to see it ? pic.twitter.com/TKr0E7AcJ3
Loreen does press in Norway and meets Alessandra Mele
Keen viewers of Loreen’s Instagram story will have noticed she was in Oslo on Wednesday. The “Tattoo” singer did a round of interviews for NRK P1, NRJ Norge, Radio Topp 40, NRK mP3 and more. In amongst the jam-packed schedule, she also had time to meet with Norway’s Alessandra Mele. Alessandra may be “Queen of Kings” but she also knows when she’s in the presence of another queen, greeting Loreen by kissing her on the hand. (Jonathan)
QUEENS JUST MET OMFG?????? pic.twitter.com/uKBc2IBwdu
— Florin ?????? (@runtothehillsz) March 29, 2023
Czechia’s Vesna tease acoustic version of “My Sister’s Crown”
Vesna will soon premier an acoustic version of the Eurovision 2023 song. The Czech six-piece has recruited additional vocalists to sing on the stripped-back version of “My Sister’s Crown”, recorded at Prague’s Gabriel Loci monastery. Surrounding a magnolia baby grand piano, Vesna sang their ode to slavic sisterhood in hauntingly perfect harmony.
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Remo Forrer gives debut live performance of “Watergun”
Remo Forrer appeared at a showcase run by Italian-language radio station RSI Rete Tre. Whilst he was there, the Swiss singer took the opportunity to perform his Eurovision 2023 entry “Watergun” live for the very first time. As if there was any doubt following his victory in The Voice of Switzerland, Remo proved that vocals won’t be an issue for his appearance in Liverpool this May. (Jonathan)
Voting opens to select Ukraine’s Eurovision jury
Democracy is alive and well in Ukraine. After being given the opportunity to choose the jury for Vidbir, the public now have the chance to select the five people who will sit on Ukraine’s jury for Eurovision 2023. Voting is being conducted through the government’s Diia app. There are ten candidates – the most well known to Eurovision fans is ROXOLANA, who competed at Vidbir 2022. (Jonathan)
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Piqued Jacks feature in Rolling Stone Italy
Rolling Stone, one of the biggest music publications in the world, shone a spotlight on San Marino’s Piqued Jacks in the Italian edition of their magazine. The rockers talked about their journey to Eurovision, and touched upon their interest in entering Italy’s Sanremo: “It’s never been a closed door, but we sing in English. And that got us where we are”.
@RollingStoneita crede in noi.
— Piqued Jacks (@PiquedJacks) March 30, 2023
Un po' di risposte a tante cose, leggetevi quest'intervista fatta tra gli scaffali di un duty free.
Grazie a Gaspare Baglio per le domande e la bella opportunità.
Ora andiamo a fare notizia. https://t.co/THNUpbnBBm#Eurovision2023 #piquedjacks
Additional reporting by Jonathan Vautrey.
I had been looking forward to the tourism ad for Cleethorpes
I could listen to Remo sing all day. Wishing him luck in Liverpool!!
Great voice, boring song, not authentic lyrics. Will not qualify.
Alessandra is the Queen of Kings. Loreen is the Queen of Queens and Kings (and everyone else) haha
Remo sounds so nice live. This would qualified so easily if juries were voting in the semis. I think EBU needs to rethink their approach to stop corruption in the jury voting. I’ve been advocating for demoscopic juries in ESC for a while now. I think it’s a reasonable way to balance out things.
And “My Sister’s Crown” is such a beautiful song. I hope they stage it nicely because this deserves to bring Czechia’s best ever result in ESC.
Why don’t broadcasters select their juries with something similar to Ukraine’s. I think it much better than having 70+ boomer judging.
Remo could stand out though from all the screaming divas, joke acts, and general madness. This is better than last year’s but sadly he won’t have juries to prop him up.
Wow Remo is better live than on studio version. Definitely in my top 5 this year
Remo’s live vocals are as outstanding as I hoped they’d be. Why is semi 1 so difficult? On one hand, it will be nail-biting watching the qualifier announcement sequence, but on the other, from a purely musical standpoint, it will be an excellent semi to watch. Switzerland can be proud of this young man’s vocal ability.
Am I right in thinking NL and PT are in your Top 10? Just a suggestion.
Wow!! Remo is excellent!! Well done switzerland!
Gorgeous voice timbre Remo Forrer has..
Remo sounds great.
I have a thing for Royal History and etiquette. Technically speaking, an Empress has a higher rank than a Queen. So, if Alessandra, a Queen, gave obeisance to Loreen, that makes Loreen, an Empress.
It’s funnier than you think it is, by the way.
Is Naruhito superior to Charles? Who decides these things?
In Europe at least, historically, Emperor usually did outrank the King. For example, an Emperor could have been in charge over multiple kingdoms, each ruled by a separate King. Only the vast countries like Holy Roman Empire, France, and The British Empire were deemed Empires, while Kingdoms could have been as small as Dalmatia or Naples. Japanese history is a bit different, and in the current context, Naruhito and Charles are on the same level of authority, each in their respecitve country.
Thank you. I have no idea about the reasoning behind these titles. British monarchs like Victoria and her descendants were emperors of India, but only India, not the rest of their “empire”… until Indian independence, when they went back to only being kings and queens. It must have been hard for them.
It will be interesting to see the seating arrangements at the coronation. That’s how we’ll really know who is the most important.
Loreen in the front row, of course.
Alessandra around the fifth or sixth row, maybe.
funny 🙂
“Only the vast countries like Holy Roman Empire, France, and The British Empire were deemed Empires”
This isn’t true. There have been plenty of small empires. Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Germany and Spain all had empires. Many still retain overseas territories acquired through colonialism.
Is Napoleon the only emperor mentioned in a Eurovision winner?
The fourth word in Massiel’s La, La, La was supposed to be the name of an emperor, but they cut it. Too many syllables.
Lambert, Holy Roman Emperor, 880 – 898 AD.
Sorry ABBA, but Massiel did it first.
Ha 🙂
Charles, as the head of state of 15 countries, is certainly more of an emperor than Naruhito, who is head of state of one.
Royal titles are of local significance and don’t really have international interplay. Japnese Emperors are emperors because the country was sub-divided into daimyos (fuedal fiefdoms). England has a very different history, and unfication under one kingdom was a formative political and social cornerstone of English identity and as resistance to those invading Saxons and pesky Danes.
I know you weren’t particularly looking for a serious answer, but I couldn’t resist 🙂
Is Charles allowed to vote for Australia in May? That doesn’t seem fair.
I’ll let him know it’d bother you.
That’s interesting, thank you. Hopefully that 15 will shrink down to 1 over his reign. Referenda are sure to come soon, no?
My first reply was obviously too political and is awaiting approval.
A cup of tea would be easier wouldn’t it.
It would. I remember how a papal funeral disturbed his majesty’s wedding in 2005. When I heard about Pope Francis was hospitalized today, I had an unpure thought and it might help to talk about it.
It’s a deep but I’m a good swimmer.
Pope Francis will be leaving hospital soon, all is well.
I can somehow see it anyway. Zero would be nice, yes. I’m not even thinking of the citizens, but poor little Prince George and those who come after him. Just “spare” them, please. Imagine if an heir is gay, the pressure and scrutiny he or she or they would feel. Is there a non-binary title for monarch? Rhetorical question.
I would like George to end up like the recently departed King Constantine. Once royalty, died an old man in peace unnoticed.
Let Hyacinth Bucket do it instead. She’d revel in it.
You don’t need to imagine a queer heir to understand the pressure. Charles couldn’t marry a woman he loved for many years because she was divorced. This is beyond backwards. There was a guy who relinquished the crown because he wanted to marry an American divorcee. If there used to be so much issues with marrying a divorced person, queerness is out of question.
I know Netherlands recently passed a law to allow marriage equality for heirs, so it’s possible there. It’s just bizarre to even be thinking about this. All so unnecessary. Maybe the UK will catch up, but it would be easier for everybody concerned just to obliterate the whole ridiculous organization completely.
Ideally, that 15 will shrink down to 0 over his reign. But pragmatically, there are worse systems out there than a ceremonial monarch as head of state. A referendum in the UK won’t happen in our lifetime, but at least Charles is honest about who he is and wears his humanity on his sleeve. He’s more progressive on many social and environmental issues than either of the UK’s two main pol*t*cal part*es. Jamaica, the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, will all probably follow Barbados’s example very soon. Australia could have a referendum if Anthony Albanese… Read more »