He’s the North Macedonian star who is set to represent his country at Eurovision 2021. And now we finally have the chance to hear the song that Vasil will perform at the contest, with the official release of “Here I Stand”.

Vasil previously shared a teaser of the song at the start of the month, but now we get to hear the full three-minute entry.

Vasil – “Here I Stand” (Eurovision 2021 – North Macedonia)

The official video of “Here I Stand” starts with Vasil telling us about how his reaction to the cancellation of Eurovision 2020, at which he was originally supposed to compete, brought about the inspiration for his 2021 entry:

“When the contest was cancelled last year, I was devastated – dreams gone. I remember sitting in my bed with my clinker in front of me and I just started singing and playing, tears in my eyes. It went “there are times” and I knew that’s the one.”

The song that follows is an orchestral ballad that builds throughout its three minutes. Clips of a symphony orchestra recording their parts for the song are also featured in the video.

For the climax of “Here I Stand”, Vasil is joined by backing vocals that were recorded in  Chicago by former members of the acclaimed Chicago Children’s Choir. Vasil himself is an alum of the choir and has worked with them many times since.

Vasil worked on the arrangement and production of his Eurovision 2021 entry alongside fellow North Macedonian musicians Borche Kuzamovskia and Davor Jordanovski.

Vasil will perform “Here I Stand” in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2021 on Tuesday 18 May.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Vasil Garvanliev (@vasilg)

Vasil’s Eurovision journey

Vasil first graced the Eurovision stage in 2019 as a backing singer for Tamara Todevska, who went on to win the jury vote and finish seventh overall with the song “Proud”.

In 2020, Macedonian broadcaster MKRTV internally selected Vasil to represent the country as the main artist. His entry “You” was also internally selected. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, last year’s contest was cancelled and Vasil was unable to perform.

MKRTV has now selected him again for Eurovision 2021, where Vasil will finally get his chance to sing at the contest as the lead artist.

What do you think of “Here I Stand”? How do you think Vasil’s entry compares to those we’ve heard so far? Let us know in the comments below!

Read more North Macedonia Eurovision news here

122 Comments
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Nils
Nils
3 years ago

i couldn’t even tell if this is any good in its own right. to me all of these operatic ballads sound the same. not my cup of tea.

Trip
Trip
3 years ago

cringe

Magpie
Magpie
3 years ago

That was the best Broadway song of the competition.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Boring and forgettable… I prefer hear to ethnic sound from this country

CagardiB
CagardiB
3 years ago

To the people saying Disney may I ask you? Does it linger? Because Disney songs are generally memorable and this wasn’t. This is not bad but it’s far from being decent or listenable, pretentious almost…

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  CagardiB

Yep, I said Disney. And indeed, you have a good point.

Ffs
Ffs
3 years ago

This is horrid …

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
3 years ago

this song represents everything i don’t want to hear at esc but good for him that he’ll get to show off his vocals

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago

To quote the great Frasier Crane, “If less is more, think how much more would be”.
Words that Vasil can seemingly relate to.

Badwoolfgirl
Badwoolfgirl
3 years ago

This is another case of GVBS–Great Voice, Bad Song. When other countries have succeeded in stepping up their game, especially from those that would have failed to qualify last year, it’s disappointing that North Macedonia has squandered the opportunity to do better for Vasil. Oh well, 14 (13) countries have to fail to qualify in the end, it’s just unfortunate that North Macedonia could be one of them.

Danny McEvoy
Danny McEvoy
3 years ago

This song is downright weird!!

Danny

Polliu
Polliu
3 years ago

It reminds me of On My Way from Eurovision 2017…
Nope.

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  Polliu

Geeze, terrible memory that is.

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago

I am a big fan of stage musicals, but I would not go to see whatever show people think this might be from – I can’t see it winning any Tonys. Stephen Sondheim and Lin-Manuel Miranda needn’t worry. Sorry, Vasil. I do like you as a performer, if that’s any consolation.

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I imagine Vasil can see it winning Tonys.

Europotato
Europotato
3 years ago

Vasils video last year was as convincing as Ricky Martin. Be true! Xx

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  Europotato

Lmao

Irishfan
Irishfan
3 years ago

The voices in this year’s contest are stunning. Switzerland, Slovenia and N. Macedonia. This mans voice is incredible! The song is a bit theatrical and one dimensional but the voice is superb!!

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  Irishfan

Ham, Portugal too. But this song is hard to get into.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

Well, that’s my Disney side completely. 🙂 I’m a bit biased here because I’m a fan of Vasil. I adore him, so I’m a bit distracted from the song. It breaks through to the end obviously, but I don’t remember much of the actual content beyond that. It will probably have “the marmite effect.”

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

The beard really suits him!

Last edited 3 years ago by Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

The marmite effect is when you either love it or hate it.

(Marmite is a vegan yeast spread with a very distinct taste that people often either love or hate)

Last edited 3 years ago by Jimmy Smit
Danny McEvoy
Danny McEvoy
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I’ve just listened to it loads of times..working out to play it, sing it….and it’s a shambles of a song…a complete mess…nothing to grab…listening to it is like trying to eat spaghetti fish with your fingers…sigh…I guess I’ll just have to listen to another 60 times!! LOL!!…I guess I’m on the don’t like marmite side…I didn’t like “Tilt” by Scott Walker either…and I never ever got the Cocteau Twins.

Danny

Rasmus
Rasmus
3 years ago

My top 5 right now.
1. Austria
2.Greece
3.Australia
4.Albania
5.Germany
Maybe a different one 😉

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Rasmus

You accidentally posted your bottom 5, Rasmus 😉

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmy Smit

😉

Carl Phillips
Carl Phillips
3 years ago

As cheesy and dramatic as this is, I actually really like it. It gave me chills and almost made me tear up toward the end. I like it that much it’s in my top ten. Well done Vasil!

Ria van de Velde
Ria van de Velde
3 years ago

Beautiful song !! I like it very much!! Good Luck in Rotterdam !!

Leendert Jan
Leendert Jan
3 years ago

Oww… this is a disappointment. I was not a huge fan of his song last year, but I thought it was promising and he has released much better songs. I was not expecting this rather dreary and drab ballad. His voice is amazing, this song has nothing for me to grab on to.

Guust
Guust
3 years ago

I really liked the song SudBina he released a month ago, so original and energetic. I’m afraid this one is not my taste.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago

I think he is going for that Tamara juri vote, but this is feeling more like Iceland 2018…super sweet guy with treacly inspirational ballad…at least he’s trying to do some vocal acrobatics so he might squeeze a few points out of that but not sure he can top Destiney or Ana from Slovenia from SF1

Btzbtz
Btzbtz
3 years ago

With love, he should have released this much earlier so we could have given him feedback to change the song. He’s talented and I like him, but I fear this will be embarrassing and damage his career :'(

Jo.
Jo.
3 years ago

jury bait to the max

Last edited 3 years ago by Jo.
CEs
CEs
3 years ago

First of all, you should all know that the decision Vasil to go to Eurovision is political. He is a very sweet and sincere person with an amazing voice, but that’s all. He is not even a star in our country. I know that the most of the people here do not want Vasil to represent our country, but at this point there is nothing to be done. I feel sorry for all the hate and bad comments that he will get here in Macedonia and from the esc fandom abroad as well. In my opinion this song is not… Read more »

CEs
CEs
3 years ago
Reply to  CEs

Karolina will probably never come back. She has a good career here and even changed her music style so she wouldn’t risk it like Tamara did. However we still have a lot of great artists. One of them is Antonia Gigovska, she was a back vocalist for Tamara and Eye Cue and she would go to Eurovision. Same goes with Aleksandra Janeva, she was a back vocalist for Tamara too. We also have Viktorija Loba. She even sent her song ‘Heroj’ to the national broadcaster in 2018, but was not chosen and participated in thr national selection in 2015. Bobi… Read more »

Someone11
Someone11
3 years ago
Reply to  CEs

*North Macedonia it is, please.

PlaviSafir
PlaviSafir
3 years ago
Reply to  CEs

Hi, I like Vasil too but I’m not sure what you mean when you say the decision to send him is political? Why is that?

Nicolas
Nicolas
3 years ago

I miss the days of FYROM now when they were sending songs with some ethnic vibes.

Last edited 3 years ago by Nicolas
Cameron
Cameron
3 years ago
Reply to  Nicolas

*North Macedonia

Nicolas
Nicolas
3 years ago
Reply to  Cameron

That’s what I’m saying , since they changed the name of their country they turned into boring snooze fest.

gilpgilpgilp
gilpgilpgilp
3 years ago

For everyone who believes this is cheesy and outdated, do you also believe Norway should qualify in SF1 above this? Just curious.

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  gilpgilpgilp

The big difference is that Norway is actually quite a sad song. So the outlandish presentation interestingly juxtaposes against the melancholic essence of the song. The extravagance is in effect TIX’ flaw which makes it interesting and sad and relatable. Vasil’s effort has a similar element of “show” but the song is straight up, it is the theatrical “this is me, who I am”. It doesn’t have the nuance that the Norway entry has and this makes it less interesting as a result. But Vasil knows what the song is and he sells it really well, and I actually quite… Read more »

gilpgilpgilp
gilpgilpgilp
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

@Kosey it’s pretty rich for you to criticize Vasil as cliche but then praise Norway’s angel/demon performance, which is the most cliche staging possible.

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  gilpgilpgilp

For sure, the Angel / demon thing has been done many times before, but I don’t think in this way (you can correct me if I’m wrong). I can’t remember an Angel with bling before and clearly a fallen Angel as in the Dogma film. Which for me makes it interesting. Whereas I could point to lots of performances and songs which are essentially the same as Vasil. But I still enjoy Vasil’s entry even if it is over-familiar.

Darren
Darren
3 years ago
Reply to  gilpgilpgilp

Nope.
In my opinion both Norway and North Macedonia deserve to stay in the semis this year.
I’ll be downvoted now, but so be it.
If TIX and those awful wings where representing another country, it would be classed as a joke

MTD
MTD
3 years ago
Reply to  Darren

Correct.

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  Darren

That’s true, the only thing that saves him is the melody, too darn catchy. But I wouldn’t vote for him in a million years.

jack
jack
3 years ago

It has similar vibes with Norway 2010, but that was at least going somewhere. This one is just a no. Sorry Vasil

Last edited 3 years ago by jack
Moonstar
Moonstar
3 years ago

Wonderful orchestration. Cheesy intro- Vasil speaking… (it feels inorganic). Good song. Good enough to go to the final?… maybe not, but you never know with Eurovision! Live performances can make or break.
This reminds me of Nuno Resende’s “Ce soir” (Belgium, Eurovision 2005).

Last edited 3 years ago by Moonstar
Zigl
Zigl
3 years ago

if North Macedonia has another entry on pending, i suggest they pull it out right away, cuz this ain’t gonna end well even if marsians direct your staging… and it won’t be the first time to do it.. the country has a tradition of embarrassing itself..so no one will be shocked.. we forgive you.. just do the swap and we’re good, as nothing happened..

Zigl
Zigl
3 years ago
Reply to  Zigl

i am not being rude, i actually try to help

Zigl
Zigl
3 years ago

toilet break song, this is the definition for it, this is it..

zelenovi
zelenovi
3 years ago

Where! Is! The Bartender!
I was really hoping they’d give him a guest appearance in this video…

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
3 years ago

Each one its opinion. I like this year because of the diversity.

Héctor
Héctor
3 years ago

I don’t know if we live in the same reality…

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
3 years ago

I feel bad for not liking it… he’s a good singer but that’s so outdated. I hoped that 2019 and Tamara was a great new start for North Macedonia but it seems it’s going to be complicated :'(

F@b
F@b
3 years ago

I’m sorry: I hate it…

Héctor
Héctor
3 years ago

Nothing for me here. Too classy and plain. There are vocals but almost anyone singing in Eurovision know how to sing. There’s nothing special about his voice or the melody. That doesn’t let me feel any emotion. And I just can’t connect with him.

I didn’t like his song last year either. I don’t even like him at all as an artist…

Even with some ballad sucker jury votes I don’t think North Macedonia will be able to avoid the last place.

Last edited 3 years ago by Héctor
Ivan
Ivan
3 years ago

No one told here on the blog. Sanja Ili? from Balkanika (represented Serbia in 2018) died from COVID-19.

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Ivan

That’s very sad to hear. We’ve lost quite a few Eurovision stars the past 12 months, I wonder if there may be a short tribute to them in May.

Here’s to Serbia 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkOFnIjGrkw

Last edited 3 years ago by Jimmy Smit
Joe
Joe
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmy Smit

2018’s getting hammered, man. Everyone who competed then: eat your vitamins!

Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago

Vasil is so lovely and seems so passionate about what he’s doing, that it got to the point I felt bad for not liking it. It’s too “old times” for me, but I know some people here appreciate musical theather and maybe this will be embraced by them. I feel they tried a FreddieMercury-ish thing in the ending and I would like to see more of that. And I agree with Tibor that in such an orchestral entry, somehow the whole thing still feels too empty.

Jimmy Smit
3 years ago

Vasil seems very sweet and sincere, but the video seems rather pompous and affectedly grand. Staring into the camera so many times while singing the big notes is awkwardly intense. The intro is schmaltzy at best, and self-important at worst. I hope the trend of including self-referential introductions to Eurovision music videos ends here.

Last edited 3 years ago by Jimmy Smit
Darren
Darren
3 years ago

Ah no, I like Vasil but I’m not feeling ths.
He’s a charismatic performer and individual though and that might stand in his favor.
I mean nobody expected North Macedonia to win the jury vote in 2019, so anything could happen.

But for me, I’m sorry North Macedonia and I’m sorry Vasil, but this isn’t qualifying for me.

Rasmus
Rasmus
3 years ago

Final ? I have to say sadly NO. Its not strong enough in my opinion.

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

It’s so cheesy and proud of it! Proud old-fashioned Broadway number. I normally would say it will end up last but he sells it so well I think there is a small chance of success!

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

My goodness this is unashamedly cheesy, the cheese is pouring out of it as if it were a dairy. But this is an endearing cheese. A heartfelt cheese. A cheese that brings you along with it. Vasil is clearly putting his all into this and that is so pleasing to see. He feels it. He lives it. I think I might develop a soft spot for it.

John
John
3 years ago

You may not like this kind of music, but if you think this is a bad song you really don’t get good music.

Zigl
Zigl
3 years ago
Reply to  John

votes ain’t gonna pour in, and he gonna end up last.. so, let’s be realistic.. he can sing, and does he deserves to be last..? i suggest they give him another song.. and burn this one

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  Zigl

Amen. Sad, but true.

Sjodni
Sjodni
3 years ago

This is all over the place, and it is very Broadway-esque, and while I wouldn’t normally listen to this on my playlist, seeing this live will be magical, and even watching the video, you can sense the way that this is and will be elevated by his own presence and performance. Especially considering that last year felt very produced and overhyped, this was far more authentic and just so much more honest and emotional. And that last note, he’s gonna shock the world in Rotterdam. He may not do so well in the final, but I sure hope he qualifies.

Stephanie
Stephanie
3 years ago

I have some musical vibes, not my kind of music but it’s actually not that bad. I’ve heard already worse!

NickC
NickC
3 years ago

I am one of the few who loved “You”, and I really loved it. My guess is that the producers will give the dreaded number 2 spot in the running order to this one.

raspadinha
raspadinha
3 years ago
Reply to  NickC

It doesn’t really matter, I think.

Davo
Davo
3 years ago

I love this! It’s joyously old-fashioned- like a big showstopper in a stage musical. The orchestration is excellent and Vasil’s vocal performance is truly magnificent. I don’t know if everyone will appreciate the quality of this entry but it’s definitely in my top 10!

Henry
Henry
3 years ago

Disney kitsch.. Awful!

Mircs
Mircs
3 years ago

Oh no, this feels all over the place. Even with a great voice and big orchestra it just sounds empty and didn’t reach a higher level. I can’t see this making it to the final, sadly. He seems like a nice guy and giving us two different genres, try to show us what he’s capable of. I’m respecting him for that. But this song doesn’t do it for me, it’s just trying too hard but not reaching the goal.

Last edited 3 years ago by Mircs