Since winning A Dal one month ago, Freddie has been keeping a relatively low profile. But he recently played a gig at an unusual venue – a swimming pool full of seniors, who he entertained with his Eurovision song “Pioneer”.
The gig took place at Hungary’s Igal Spa, a popular destination for those seeking relief from their ailments, as well as people just wanting to take a swim. And with Freddie’s performance, visitors had yet another reason to take to the waters.
Even though Freddie was performing in a small tent to a crowd who were submerged up to their chests in water, he still gave a professional performance, delivering as much energy as he’d brought to the A Dal stage weeks earlier. While the soaking seniors might not have had the space to dance, they still clapped along and rewarded Freddie with hearty applause.
The only question remains: will Freddie bring the senior swimmers on stage in Stockholm?
@John Doe No I am not Robyn, I enjoy her posts but have never met her or communicated with her outside of WiWiBloggs. The fact you automatically assume I am the same person because I agree with her shows how bizarrely paranoid you are. She is more than capable of defending herself, I was more concerned with why you care so much about this video being posted and your strange suggestions that it is wrong and that Robyn has some strange hidden agenda to destroy a particular artist. It is not an amazing performance but to suggest it is terrible… Read more »
James alias Robyn or her fellow blogger?? You desperately try to distort what I have said and do your best to discredit me just as you did with Freddie and Leopold. The fact is, my first comment was exaggerated and sarcastic!!!!! You obviously have not got the message. Although, I do not like the song I was shocked how my fellow students reacted to this video. They used words such as pathetic, miserable and awkward, while they were laughing at Freddie loud. They immediately stated that they are not going to vote for Hungary. They said they are not going… Read more »
@John Doe You can’t argue anymore because you unravelled your argument about whether or not this performance should have happened , by saying you didn’t like the song anyway. It seems more likely that you are trying to sabotage him given you don’t like him or the song. Actually the person you mention (Roy D Hacksaw) has had Eurovision accreditation many times and his site is quite well known. So if that is the source, it is not like Robyn spent hours scouring the web to dig up random dirt on Freddie. Roy might have called the performance awkward and… Read more »
I would rather blame Freddie’s management than wiwibloggs for this video.
Although it’s a nice thing that he doesn’t mind entertaining older people, he has to do some more “serious” (?) promotion if he wants to do well at the contest. I mean, videos where he’s performing in full force, and makes the audience go crazy, etc. Situation like this doesn’t really allow him to show any charisma, and how good he is.
JAMES, although, it is a waste of time to argue, but I must say Robyn is not innocent. She used the video and the article posted by Roy D. Hacksaw. The article’s tone is negative and cynical/sarcastic. ‘Surprisingly’ Roy calls Freddie’s video an “awkward three minutes”. Robyn must have been aware that the same video can have the same effect on her readers too.
@John Doe You’ve just tripped up your own argument by confirming you never liked either the song or the performer anyway. Originally you claimed this video was the basis for him not having your vote (” This video had a negative effect on me, so I am not going to vote for Hungary”). Now you have changed your line to “This video did not help to change my mind about him and the song,” That’s completely different. If you did not like the song because it was dated and doesn’t have an explosive chorus, how would a studio performance help… Read more »
Skandar, I don’t think Freddie is a good singer (not yet). He has a treasure in his throat, but he still does not know how to use it. He needs a new vocal coach and more singing lessons, more and more….. This performance is an evidence for that (at least to me). I don’t like the song either. The music sounds dated, it is enervate, there isn’t a peak when the song ‘explodes’ (the chorus is weak). It reminds me to the Hungarian entry in 2012. Obviously, Freddie needs more time to become a professional performer. This video did not… Read more »
@John Doe. Robyn and other WiWiBloggs editors have covered numerous artists WHEREVER they perform, there have been stranger ones than this for sure!!. As I said before, Freddie must have known he had a chance of being filmed, even if not on a professional camera, and he clearly couldn’t care about that. Who cares if the people are semi-nude, it is not like it is done in any kind of sexual or potentially offensive way. It’s a swimming pool, normally people are semi-nude in a pool. Maybe he did it for a charitable event or a good cause? Who cares… Read more »
John, you looks a smart guy. Why on the earth will you not vote for Hungary because of a silly wiwi post? Check on the net for other Freddie’s live performances, watch rehearsals and the Eurovision semi live show then decide. I think this is an awkward situation when you decide not voting for an entry because of a negative articles. If you told me you hated the song or Freddie’s voice it would make sense for me but now it sounds just a ridicolous explanation/excuse. By the way, go Freddie! Hungary deserves a top 10 result again! I hope… Read more »
If someone has any doubt about Robin Gallagher’s ‘good’ intention, read this article, please. This must be the source of her blog (not a Hungarian official site):
eurovisionapocalypse.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/hungary-2016-freddie-pioneer.html
Title: Hungary 2016 – Freddie-Pioneer (Live at the Igal Spa).
JAMES, SKANDER, you do not get it. There isn’t any problem with the elderly audience. The problem is that this is an amateur video (not official) and a ‘simple’ performance in front of semi-nude people in a pool (not a Eurovision standard). Leonard was right, you can’t find a similar video on this page about the other entries. ‘Wiwibloggs’ everywhere posts official videos or where these people perform in a studio. For example, you can see their latest post about Lazarev (again). He is on the beach in a trunk (?????) but there aren’t semi-nude elderly people around him to… Read more »
Given that Freddie, may need 3 backing singers & a drum guy, that would only leave room for one senior in a tank. It could work.
(Thanks for another great article, Robyn. Your blogs are my favourite.)
I love his voice, and there’s simply no small crowd, sincerely I think the people that are saying bad things to both the singer and the elderly just makes me feel sick, I hope they have a happy golden age when they grow old because yes, YOU will get old too, assholes
@John Doe : The amount of people who watch this video and decide to not vote for Hungary even if they like the song, but purely because they have a problem with him performing to seniors, is going to be so low (i.e zero) it will have no impact whatsoever on the final result. No one is going to watch him, enjoy the performance but then say “wait I’m not voting for him…he performed to old people in a swimming pool a month ago!!!!”. That’s definitely one of the most absurd things I have ever read on WiWiBloggs, and that’s… Read more »
Skandar, I agree that we should not be judging someone for performing for seniors, it’s completely ridiculous. Why can’t they enjoy a performance too, actually many singers during Eurovision week have visited retirement homes and schools for kids to show how they care and can appeal to all ages. It is a little quirky for anyone of any age to be watching a music performance while you are actually in a swimming pool, but there’s nothing wrong with being quirky and doing something a little different. However, there is nothing wrong with publishing this article, so I don’t agree with… Read more »
Shame on us, european people and all around in western culture while we are very PC supporting LGBT rights, saying against racism, we do not honor our parents, grandparents. Like John Doe or Lianne said „awkward” or „bizarre” to sing for old people. In my opinion if somebody is old it does not mean he or she is retarted and can not appreciate good songs. Lots of seniors love Eurovision. Freddie did good job, I am proud of him. Robyn, I do not doubt in your intentions, but seeing these comments, I have to agree with Leonard this article should… Read more »
Ha,ha,ha…thanks for this video. You made my day! Freddie is so pathetic and the whole situation is awkward. After watching this video no one will vote for Hungary. Great job Wiwibloggs, well done!!!!!!!
@Lanti
Well I guess we are in the calm before the storm. No more national finals, all entries selected and discussed and no big promo tours yet in progress, just the odd performance here and there.
So yeh, it is kind of a quiet period, the next big thing will be the running order release, and then the parties will begin in April and it will be non-stop until May.
Just wondering, slow news day since there aren’t any national finals to cover?
Oh, come on Freddie, you don’t need this!
Common, William and Robyn, you do not owe anybody an explanation, you are independent media and cover anything of your liking. BBC, mentioned in your commentary, would owe me an explanation because they diligently harass me into paying an annual TV licence and, effectively, exist on public funds. You, to my best knowledge, has not withdrawn a single penny from me or any other commentators and owe us nothing de-facto and de-juro
@Robyn, I totally agree, the fact Leonard is seeing this as negative suggests he has a problem with Freddie performing to older seniors. I also think it is endearing and clearly Freddie and his team knew this would be covered and don’t have an issue with it.
Entertainment is for everyone, why can’t older seniors enjoy a live performance as well? It was even written that this performance was professional so to suggest writing about this was done to sabotage or discredit him is just bizarre to be honest.
Quite bizarre.
If we don’t count staging, visual effects, costume, and the usual ESC voting patterns, this is probably amongst the best 3 songs of this year’s contest. Let’s see if Freddie can make it. A lot will depend on the things I mentioned, and the live performance of the night.
@Leonard “Only 43 songs?”” So you want them to cover all 43 artists everytime they do any kind of performance. If that’s the case , create your own website and do that, and see how difficult it really is before you complain. I don’t believe there is a single site that gives exact equal coverage to all 43 acts. At the end of the day, WiWibloggs can write and cover whatever and whoever they like. They are obviously going to cover the places they visit more and the artists they personally interview more than the others and as William said… Read more »
I love Freddie. I love even more this video I found of Amir singing “J’ai Cherché” live and acoustic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uz0iDlEMXM
He is amazing!
Wiwibloggs, BBC bla bla bla???…your argument is very poor. BBC is not impartial, either…and so on. In addition, you have got only 43 participants (songs!) to cover more or less equally, and not the whole world’s political, economic…and other problems. You are quite hypocritical and manipulative. Do not worry, I am not going to waste my time reading these blogs anymore.
yeah! let’s sing at the pool for old people, and become a pioneer!
My top 3:
1. Hungary
2. Spain
3. Italy
Hungary has an amazing song <33
I love the way he sings for the elder ones and publishes it. It s a good sign specially in Hungary, where the very old citizens don t get respected anymore due to fascistoid politics and brainwashing. U made my day Freddie. Though, I still don t like the hook of his song.
@leonard
Geez, i don’t know maybe because we’ve already seen the live performance at a dal? -_-
This just looks so strange….
@leonard
Take a chill pill
If you can do better make a own eurovision site/blog.
No William, you are not convincing. You must be well aware that you have the power the influence your readers…and you use this power. Every image, every article and every video can generate more votes for those who get more attention from you. In other words, those nine-eleven countries that I have mentioned below have less publicity, they have less chance to generate votes. This is an international contest and this is a sensitive issue, that you cannot ignore. No one wants to feel discriminated against. You should pay attention to every country more or less equally if you do… Read more »
Leonard, they are not biased. Apart from that, I loved Hungarian entry and now I love it more knowing that the singer goes to perform for elderly people 😀 Cool down, they report the news they get.
I don’t find it embarrassing at all. He’s been kind to all his audiences and the real performer should be prepared for any audience. Those seniors deserve to see such a nice song, stay positive
Wiwibloggs’ purpose was to discredit this guy, obviously. They ignored him until now and they came up with a video like this??? Why did not they publish the official or the live performance video as they usually do in other entries’ case?
Well that’s akward..
Seriously though, save him from SF1. He is one of my favorites to qualify to the grand finals.
Is this already the cruise ship award from Wiwibloggs? 😀
Maybe anyone can now book him for their pool party needs.
I feel slightly embarrassed for him i think? Like he’s about to perform in front of 200 million + people….why did his management feel the need to do a gig at a senior retreat LMAO
It reminds me of the DMGP/Anja’s situation where Emmelie performed her song to 2000 people over 11 performances, and how the real question became why did she only get 2000 people to come to 11 performances? lol
Jr esc nl, “He that seeks, finds.” It is not my job to find interesting things about every entry. If you find this ‘job’ difficult do not do it or do it in a balanced way. Make an effort and find something ‘worthy’ about these people too. Do you think they are less interesting then the others? I did not find your ‘worthy’ entries particularly interesting either, e.g. Malta – 22 (images+videos+articles).
From here to the Cruise Ship singer VMA prize!
@leonard
Also is there ANY news worth an artical of the countries you just mentioned? Tell me everything 😉
@leonard
Omg f*** of. Why in the world would wiwibloggs post a totally random performance of pioneer -_- that’s not newsworthy. This is special and unique and not biased.
I’ve just made a statistics. During the last two weeks Wiwibloggs ignored the following entries (no image, no video, no article – I did not count ‘poll’ images): Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Switzerland, Moldova, Germany, Georgia and Hungary. Cyprus only twice, Greece three times…. while Malta twenty-two times, Sweden sixteen, Bulgaria seventeen, Croatia and Spain thirteen or Russia eleven times…..
Shame on you for publishing a video like this about the Hungarian entry! I am sure you could have found a better a better performance of him if you wanted to. You are very biased!!!!
Too late to become a pioneer…