It’s the show that’s aiming to bring Europe together and honour the 41 Eurovision 2020 acts in these uncertain times. And now, one week after Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light was first announced, organisers have revealed that the show will close with a special performance of “Love Shine A Light” — Katrina & The Waves’ Eurovision 1997 winning song for the UK.
“Love Shine A Light” for Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light
The Eurovision team broke the news on Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday 7 April. The announcement led with the song’s iconic line — “Let our love shine a light in every corner of the world!”.
The 41 Eurovision 2020 acts will jointly perform the past Eurovision hit, each from their own location. “Love Shine A Light” was chosen for its unifying lyrics that are appropriate for the current situation across the continent.
Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light
When Eurovision 2020 was cancelled, many had begun to wonder what would fill the slot in TV schedule. Many national broadcasters have already been planning ideas of what to show in each of the time slots.
Last week, the EBU and Dutch broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS revealed Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light. They hope all countries originally set to compete at Eurovision 2020 will broadcast this alternative show in order to honour the 41 entries submitted for the contest.
This new programme is set to air in place of the Eurovision 2020 grand final on Saturday 16 May at 21:00 CEST. It will be hosted by Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley (Eurovision 1998 and 2007) and Jan Smit, who were originally set to be the hosts of Eurovision 2020.
The EBU intends for the two-hour long show to honour the 41 selected songs for Eurovision 2020 in a non-competitive format.
It won’t just be the 2020 acts that make an appearance. Former Eurovision stars from recent contests will also be invited to take part and perform iconic Eurovision songs.
Dutch make-up artist and YouTuber NikkieTutorials will also create online content leading up to this alternate programme. The online media mogul was originally appointed to do this in the run-up to Eurovision 2020.
More details about Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be revealed in due course.
Does anybody know if the version of Love Shine a Light performed on Saturday night is going to be released on sale to the public?
I can only find the original versions on Amazon.
So much negativity around here, due to the sad circumstances we all live in it’s the best they can offer and I’m glad they do! Let love shine a light on Europe ?. Don’t complain, but embrace creativity. It’s not that hard.
I appreciate the positive pep talk, but I just thought I would point out that this show was not “the best” that they could have done. The objections from the fans are legitimate: A competitive element for the 2020 songs is definitely called for, whether they are recorded, performed remotely or otherwise – it is the actual CONTEST that fans are asking for. That would be the best they could do. No question in my mind.
I think they are going to have the other songs as well but I think this is just going to be something to close the show and bring everyone together which is kind of nice. So stop moaning that this is bad because this is it there is a full 2 hour show.
yes, the other songs will have 20 seconds each. Give or take some few minutes. But that is it. EBU way of honouring 2020 is to let them sing presumable one sentence each of a 25 year old song. Marvellous..
i hope that Italy can sing Fiumi di parole and France Sentiments songes and Iceland Minn hinsti dans cause they all were robbed. Actually, “Eurovision: Minn hinsti dans” would be a pretty appropriate name for the show.
Just stop, it’s dead on arrival. Nobody asked for this. They really think we’re about to hold (virtual) hands and sing Kumbaya.
They could’ve also done nothing in these difficult times.
Be happy with what you get!
This could turn out beautiful.
Good luck, AVROTROS and ignore all dramaqueens here.
Funnily enough, doing nothing is what they should have done. Cancel the contest and nothing else. You either have a contest or nothing at all..
So they will honor this year entries by inviting artists to sing a song that won 23 years ago? Yeah, bye
This show would have been nice just as a way to show love in these difficult times but not as a replacement of Eurovision…
Also, can we expect Italy’s 1990 entry there as well? I believe it is unifying as well
They should allow televoting so that people can choose the winner (even if it’s based on official videos instead of live performances). The competitive element is a must imho.
Just replay the 1997 Contest
I can’t help but find this all a bit underwhelming. You can organise this mess of replacement that nobody really asked for but can’t allow the songs from this year to compete next year despite the requests of the artists? What’s the logic behind any of this?
EBU want to sell CDs, no one will buy the 2021 CD if most the songs they already got on the 2020 CD. It’s all down to money for EBU
Even though we live in the digital age, CDs still play an important role. There are many reports and articles about whereas CDs are revelant for artists. It turns out that depending on the genre, physically acquired CDs can make as high as 33% of total consumption (Rock) and/or as low as 7% of total consumption (Electronica/Dance music). Pop, in this case, has on average 15% via CDs while streaming goes for 55%. Still, Let’s say that a single song earn on average $1,000,000 in every possible form. It only makes sense to not waste those precious 15% or $150,000,… Read more »
This is epic, they choose a song where a non well english listener would hear her repeating “EVERY CORONAVIRUS” all along. Funny fact
Hatrið mun sigra
I like this idea. Could be a very emotional moment in the show.
I thought 1st of April was 6 days ago? This is so stupid and very insulting to the artists. Some of them are not even being invited to directly represent their country again, the EBU has left them hanging and is not giving them any chance of performing their song officially. I will definitely not be watching this show, I’m gonna tune in to the Swedish version and enjoy their show, simply because they at least have some decency to make a show about this year’s artists and represent them. And they always make a good show. Thank you Sweden,… Read more »
Hate to disappoint, but Sweden’s SVT is one of the broadcasters who will be screening EUROPE SHINE A LIGHT.
Yes, they will air it on Saturday, meanwhile their true Eurovision shows are on 9th and 14th of May. They don’t collide with EBU’s “show”
No matter how many times the EBU and pro-EBU sites will try to hype this as a “replacement” for Eurovision, it will NEVER be a replacement for Eurovision, because it doesn’t feature the competitive element. Also I am so disappointed with the Reference Group’s decision no matter how many times they elaborate on this, the decision just goes to show that their vision of Eurovision is very narrow and old-fashioned.
When I thought this joke couldn’t get any cheesier… (facepalm)
They should’ve done Dancing Lasha Tumbai..
This is dumb and ridiculous. Why do they have to perform “Love Shine A Light” and not their original songs ? I hope most of them will refuse. That show is stupid. The Swedish one is better, even if there will be no live performances.
Literally no local is going to sit through 41 Skype-quality performances of people doing their Eurovision song in their living room.
Me. I would be there to watch the Skype-performances of the 41 songs. Can’t you see how insulting it is to propose singing an old winning song to artists that won’t represent their countries at ESC — and that they probably don’t know ? Because I can see it. It is insulting and dumb.
We certainly wouldn’t before a month ago, Eastman. But in a month from now that would be very exciting. It’s the only way to get live entertainment in the lockdown age. I don’t think that the Eurovision Reference Group tried hard enough to save the contest.
41 songs with all interludes, that would last 2 hours (duration of one movie), fans would love to see their favorites doing performances from home, so I can tell you many would sit and watch that instead of this cringey outdated song. Funny how this decision is out of touch, like made by some bureaucrats who don’t know anything about music and contest itself, but I guess it’s all about money.
So EBU honour 2020 acts by making them sing a song from 1997? Wow, such an honour for their artistry!
It’s not like they have other songs to sing,,,
You’ve gotta have something better to do than complain about a show you’re not even going to watch
This show sounds largely awful.
Oh no not that song. I didn’t like it then and still can’t stand it. One of the most overrated winners ever and I’m British. Please less of past eurovisions and focus on this year’s songs and artists. There’s always a tribute to past songs on every eurovision contest so why more. It doesn’t make sense. 100% 2020 songs…. End of story.
How about we commemorate Covid-19 next year with “Don’t Play That Song Again.” 😛
(I.e. It could be worse.)
I assume that this will be shown on YouTube, but I just thought I would ask?
BBC might show something different, hence other UK viewing options might need consideration.
“Love shine a light in every corner of the world”… except those countries where ESC is blocked on YouTube. 😀
Will it be geoblocked for americans and canadians like the live shows, or will they put it on netflix?
Probably, and… probably.
I just hope that they will sing their own songs. Whole songs, not just snippets.
I agree but already its been decided that it’s not the full 3 minutes…… Sorry.
Sad 🙁
Then is this show extremely stupid idea.
Wow! All 41 artists will join to sing Love Shine A Light, that will be….one line each? They will probably be thrilled and think this is a good replacement for singing their own songs at Eurovision…….! NOT!
I agree with you.
Has it been confirmed which broadcasters will be showing this?
Confirmed so far are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine. It also looks like San Marino (in spite of Romeo’s complaints) and Serbia will too.
Thanks. That’s decent, but hopefully a few more will get into the spirit too.
Any news on UK and BBC.
Wouldn’t it be ironic if this was the second time the EBU organized a big Eurovision event named after a British entry and the UK didn’t even show it (Congratulations was another. Named after a British entry, featured two British entries, and was co-hosted by Katrina, but the BBC wasn’t interested).
Looking foward to that collective singing!! Perfect choice, certainly one of the best esc winners ever and one of my personal favourites as well. They could also do a short medley with other well-known songs that have crossed borders in the history of esc such as ‘Volare’.
Oh, absolutely. “Volare” made a comeback with people singing on their balconies, as did “Fai rumore.” (And not an ESC song, but veteran Toto Cutugno’s “L’Italiano” has also become an anthem for these times).
Oh HELL yeah. One of the best Eurovision winners ever, and I can see so many of this years contestants performing it well. Just avoid Gal Gadot’s mistake and tell them what key to sing in!
People who will probably kill it for sure: Arilena, Montaigne, Damir, Tornike, Dadi, Lesley, Samanta, Destiny, Jeangu, Ulrikke, Alicija, Blas, the Mamas, and James Newman. But the really unique contestants will probably do cool things with it too (imagine what The Roop or Little Big will do!)
One of the worst ones if you ask me. Normally I don’t mind some ’90s cheese, but I find “Love Shine A Light” very safe, one-note and artificial. It almost seems like it was written with the sole purpose to win the contest, and I don’t think it would have worked in a non-Eurovision context. If it had won in, say, 1999, I wouldn’t mind. But it won in 1997, a great edition with songs like Turkey, Italy, Russia, Iceland, Denmark (my guilty pleasure), Poland (probably the best song we’ve ever sent), the list goes on, and that, for me,… Read more »
I disagree. The ironic thing is that it was written without Eurovision in mind. Someone just told the band that they should absolutely enter it in the British pre-selection, which it won by a landslide. I think it holds up, in spite of the cheesiness, and the orchestration is absolutely magnificent. But yeah, ‘97 is an amazing year. At least a handful of countries sent the songs I’d call their best ever (UK, Italy, Poland, Cyprus), and others sent songs that come close (Turkey, Estonia, France, Iceland, Greece, Slovenia)
Now that’s interesting, I didn’t know that! Well, that throws my theory out the window, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m not a big fan of the song, though I like quite a few of Katrina’s numbers.
P.S. I just read that it was intended as an anthem for Samaritans, which explains the religious mood of the song, which is not my taste.
I don’t much care for religious music either. Don’t know why it doesn’t bother me here. Different strokes for different folks.
Moreover, in one of the interviews Katrina described it as “too cheesy, too ABBA, too Eurovision”, so they were also aware of the song’s “Eurovisioness”. Love it or hate it, it’s a good choice for a programme that was literally named after the song, and I can’t wait to see the end product in May.
I don’t think I’d call it religious. The Samaritans are a suicide-prevention charity, without religious affiliation.
Yeah, was gonna say, I didn’t remember them being a religious group.
My bad, the name sounded Biblical, so I didn’t bother to check the details. Thanks for the correction.