Earlier this month we watched Zoë triumph in the Austrian national final with her entry “Loin d’ici”. The results didn’t come as a shock since she was the clear fan favorite and our overall winner ahead of the final to sing at Eurovision 2016. 

Zoë sings “Loin d’ici” entirely in French, a fact that has not gone unnoticed in France. Indeed, the news that Austria will be represented by a song in French was reported by many of the country’s leading media outlets and has generated enthusiasm within the French public, which normally doesn’t care about the contest until France crashes in the final…

When asked by French website 20 Minutes as to why she’s singing in French, Zoë replied: “I always said, when I was asked to participate in the Austrian pre-selection for Eurovision, that I will not change a thing about the style I prefer. And it’s French that I love.” 

By choosing to sing in the language of Molière, Zoë may have assured herself some points from the French jury and public, who must feel flattered to see their mother tongue represented by another country. This is especially true since their own act will possibly and probably not be sung entirely in French. Interestingly, France will vote in the first semi-final where Austria will compete. Does this mean Zoë will get at least one set of douze points? Only time will tell.

Do you think Zoë made the right choice by singing in French? Do you think she will receive extra points from the French public? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Chupacabra
Chupacabra
8 years ago

She really does well, singing in French. Last year, she changed- I suppose influenced by so called advisors- her Quel Filou in English… She wasn t herself when staging, thus it wasn t that catchy so that the Makemakes made it. I like her Loin d´ici, as it permits a kind of short escapism.

MF
MF
8 years ago

That’s a song I like!

Peter
Peter
8 years ago

I think France will give this points but definitely not a 12. I think this because France didn’t even give Conchita a 12 so I highly doubt this will win the French vote. With Armenia in SF1, they seem like the most likely contender to win France’s 12

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

C’est l’une des meilleures chansons dans le concours…

Iberian
Iberian
8 years ago

Well yes, Racal, you are slagging her off because of that: “French is my mothertongue. Which means the emptiness of these lyrics is even more obvious for us. I couldn’t care less about her singing in my language.” But it’s okay, if you feel like that. I don’t.

Racal
Racal
8 years ago

@Iberian: Nobody’s “slagging her off” because she sings in French. It’s indeed cool to have a non-English song, and she seems to speak French perfectly without any accent (I don’t think it’s even an effort for her). I’m slagging her off because her song is bad, and that would be true in any language.

PP
PP
8 years ago

Her song sound like Luxembourg entry from 1984 and weak vocals of singers sound simillar.
For me Zoe, sound like mix of Vanessa Paradis when she sang Taxi, and 100 % Amour of luxembourg singer Sophie Carle from Eurovison 1984.

Iberian
Iberian
8 years ago

Mon Dieu! How arrogant can people be? So there is an Austrian girl singing in French… and what happens now is that French speakers (and non French speakers) slag her off? I speak French fluently, I like Zoë’s song and I appreciate the lyrics and her effort. She’s kinda paying tribute to a language she loves, dunno how that can annoy anyone (and less a French speaker). We’ve got more than enough songs in English (with very weak lyrics) anyway.

Dan Marino
Dan Marino
8 years ago

I would much rather prefer different languages than hearing English all the time like in 2015! Quite happy there are a few songs without English already!

Aari
Aari
8 years ago

I think this is a great song, my number 1 atm in fact 🙂 I am not (yet) fluent in French but i can understand most of the lyrics, they might not be the best but I guess they kinda work

dutchie
dutchie
8 years ago

Of course it’s smart to pander to the French, certainly since they’re voting in her semi, but as some have observed these lyrics are very cheesy and childlike… I could have written them with just my highschool French. So it could go either way: as a Frenchman you could feel either flattered or insulted by these lyrics.

Autriche
Autriche
8 years ago

@Racal, I have read similar comments like these before in the french Eurovision forum

Hopp
Hopp
8 years ago

I loved the song at first.

Right now, I’m already losing feeling with it.

By may, I’ll probably be diagnosed with diabetes because of this song.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
8 years ago

It is a terrible song.
France routinely sends terrible songs so it figures that they would be excited about it.

Tommy
Tommy
8 years ago

I understand the hype in France… it must be really exciting to finally have more than one song in their language – us Brits are spoiled every year!

Susi
Susi
8 years ago

Semi 1 will be tough with many always qualifiers.
However there is something magical about l’oin d’ici, so I am sure many people will appreciate it.

Racal
Racal
8 years ago

@Autriche: There’s only one guy linking the song to the Paris attacks in the comment section of the Figaro article, I wouldn’t call that “many fans”. I just read a few a these comments, most of them are actually highlighting how bad this song is (one guy said he almost smashed his keyboard after half the song).

Racal
Racal
8 years ago

I’m from Switzerland, French is my mothertongue. Which means the emptiness of these lyrics is even more obvious for us (and that’s on top of a very cheesy and soulless electronic music). I couldn’t care less about her singing in my language, to me this is the worst song revealed so far.

Autriche
Autriche
8 years ago

Many fans seem to connect her song to the Paris attacks, which is something that has never crossed my mind. But especially French fans seem to take comfort in the country far away, where people dance and sing…..

Zoe’s magical song of escapism could hit all the right emotional buttons of our dark times. Much better than Greta Salome’s gloomy and creepy performance with sinister shadows, I guess…

” figarocompte
Pour moi, c’est un soutien après les attentats.
Dans un pays loin d’ici, on chante, on danse, on rit…
Le 15/02/2016 à 01:47″

Autriche
Autriche
8 years ago

Zoe me rends tellement fier 🙂

The album version of her song is more than 4 minutes long but even more mesmerizing. The last 2 minutes are so magical. No dancebeat, only guitar and strings….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRv5_sQFUAU

beccaboo1212
8 years ago

Song: 12/12
Live Vocals: 12/12
Performance: 12/12
Overall: 12/12

This is one of my favorites, so of course France should give her a set of douse points!!! (PS – I’m not much of a French speaker, unlike Zoë)