Ahead of Eurovision 2021, the European Broadcasting Union announced that pre-recorded backing vocals would be allowed to help create a more sustainable contest. The thinking, according to Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl, was that the move would help countries cope with new realities, such as the pandemic and tighter budgets. Delegations could pre-record their backing vocals, thereby leaving those singers at home. It would save them money and could reduce the size of the traveling delegation (if countries chose not to replace the backing singers with dancers, anyway).
It’s now been tested for 2 years and I think it’s time for @Eurovision to stop allowing vocals on the backing track again. It’s just not as interesting. I want to know that every vocal is live, but maybe that’s just me.
— Daði Freyr ? (@dadimakesmusic) May 18, 2022
As was the case for Eurovision 2021, the rules for Eurovision 2022 stated that the lead singer must perform live. But there was flexibility regarding the backing track. The rules stated:
“The accompanying Backing track may optionally contain Backing Vocals. However, the Backing track in question shall not contain (i) Lead Vocals, (ii) Lead Dubs and/or (iii) any other vocals that would have the effect of, or aim at, replacing or unduly assisting the Lead Vocal(s) during the live performance on stage.”
At Eurovision 2021, several countries made the most of pre-recorded backing vocals. Croatia’s Albina, for instance, used her own voice on her backing track, helping to create a truly intoxicating mix.
“The lessons learned from the spring of 2020 are that we need to plan for a global crisis, and we have tailored the rules of the Contest to that effect,” Martin said. “We must be able to be more flexible and to make changes even to the format itself and how we organize the event in these challenging times.”
The EBU elaborated on some of the advantages, saying it would allow songwriters and producers “to present their work as close as possible to their original composition” and to save delegations money by allowing them to bring fewer people.
As we saw with the glorious Chanel and Ronela, however, a lot of delegations instead choose to use the extra space to fill the stage with dancers.
What do you think? Should pre-recorded backing vocals be allowed? Do you think it would impact the quality of the show if they were banned? Let us know in the comments box below.
I agree with Daði Freyr. The sound of pre-recorded backing vocals makes the performance flat and less exciting. We’re not far away from a Eurovision that is completely playback.
Limitare recorder backing vocals yo special effect vocals, and choirs.
Does anyone actually care what Daði Freyr thinks? If pre-recorded backing vocals make a song sound better, so be it!
Totally agree with Dadi. I was just watching some performances from 2019, and you can really tell the difference. It’s more exciting to have all the vocals be live. And this year, when there was more than one singer on stage, I was always distracted wondering if they were lip-syncing.
Its much better now. Think about how Spain (one of the best Eurovision performances ever) would have gone with no back up vocals? or less dancers? The contest is better off
Maybe it’s schadenfreude and some Eurovision fans derive more fun and entertainment from seeing some acts struggle than thriving. There’s no other explanation.
You know how? Watch performances from Eleni Foureira (Cyprus), Helena Paparizou (Greece) and Ruslana (Ukraine). Those are the real best Eurovision performances ever!
I fully agree. The Nordic mafia (Ola-Sand, Österdahl, etc.) is turning Eurovision into a karaoke/lipsync contest.
Maybe the EBU should think about an executive supervisor outside Scandinavia.
Even though I like some of the elements, brought to the contest, especially Jon Ola Sand made ESC to a larger Melodifestivalen.
[Wishlist] The artists I wanted to see at Eurovision 2023 Albania – Elhaida Dani & Alban Ramosaj Armenia – Amalia Margaryan Australia – Casey Donovan Austria – Felicia Liu Azerbaijan – Samra Belgium – Laura Tesoro Bulgaria – Denitsa Karaslavova Croatia – Damir Kedzo Cyprus – Tania Breazou Czech Republic – Mikolas Josef Denmark – Conf3ssions Estonia – I Wear* Experiment Finland – Behm France – Marghe Davico Georgia – Nutsa Buzaladze Germany – Ben Dolic Greece – Good Job Nicky Hungary – Carson Coma Iceland – Fridrik Omar Ireland – Janet Grogan Israel – Inbal Bibi Italy – Casadilego… Read more »
Shorter wishlist for next year: The UK to continue putting in the effort that they have this year, tho Sam Ryder is not an easy act to follow at all Germany to shock everyone with a top 3 entry, out of the blue, like their Big 5 mates these last 2 years Spain to finally send something I really like so my comments don’t get disliked to oblivion by their overenthusiastic fans Italy to continue their amazing streak Norway to finally send something decent once again after this long run of novelty entries 2-3 really cute “indie” brunettes with good… Read more »
Almost on point with some of those points: The U.K. really has to think very hard before making a decision they might regret. Sam ought to be the songwriter for their next entry, lest they fall asleep in the effort and it collapses like France’s stack of dominoes… Harder still, the job for Germany to duplicate what they did when Michael Schulte finished 4th in 2018. Spain now has an idea of what to send that will score vbig points; but they can’t send another dance number like that right away. Cyprus tried in back-to-back years (2018-19) and it wasn’t… Read more »
I’d rather have Spain and Norway finish bottom 5 with entries I actually like, such as France and Iceland this year, than continue sending similar stuff just because it got them these really good but completely undeserved results. Also not worried about Italy at all either, SanRemo 2021 alone had about 4-5 songs that could have been my overall ESC favorite, they’re just on another level.
Yeah; Latvia needs Aminata to come back. She finished 6th in 2015; then wrote Justs’ song the following year and he finished 15th. They’re the only 2 to qualify for the final since jury voting returned in 2009.
i personally agree and disagree, I think pre-recorded backing vocals should be allowed but only at like a 15/30 seconds maximum allowed during the performance. this can allow artists to make amazing effects like Dadi’s choir and Destiny’s backing vocals in the final chorus but those can still be made with live vocals. if anything if should allow 9 people on stage at once or if they want the 6 people rule still they can possibly allow 3 vocalists that are just not on stage/seen.
Dude had a whole pre-recorded orchestra
Yeah, for a bridge, duh. The issue is that some countries RELY on pre-recorded vocals and use them throughout the song. It’s really misleading.
I’m kinda on the fence here. For one, he has a point and it would be nice to see some live vocals but on the other hand it does help minimize possible covid infection, dance or upbeat songs or song that uses artistic tools like vocaloid and distortion equal footing, and it does help dance songs (especially with heavy choreography) keep up with the six person rule quite nicely since not every dancer can sing.
I simply don’t get it, why people complain about something, that hasn’t changed at all and was just introduced last year due to a global pandemic. It worked until 2019 and it could work from 2023 on. Also I don’t understand why there is also a discussion about the 6 people rule. It worked from 1971 until today, you can still create a great atmosphere with the amount of people allowed. Some things had to be changed to help the contest (introduction of semfinal, re-introduction of juries / 50/50 split vote). I even like that they changed the presentation of… Read more »
Addition:
But you don’t have to change everything that worked for such a long time.
It’s time to up the 6 people rule to 8 or 9, and bring back live backing vocals. I’d also allow live instruments when there’s a solo instrumental break, if the performer wishes so (Slovenia 2014 comes to mind). Then I’d limit backing vocals to only certain parts where multiple voices need to echo, and never to completely cover the leading vocal.
Reddi from Denmark wanted to do their song completely live.
The sad truth is that – especially upbeat songs – they often just don’t sound as good with live vocals. Can you imagine, for example. San Marino 2021 with the backing dancers having to sing backing vocals whilst doing all that on stage. It would have sounded lame and breathy and killed the whole over package, and instead that iconic banger qualifying, it probably ould have gone to some underwhelming ballad that nobody cared about but sounded more polished. If people want to put on a show, then its simply too much to ask for with 6 people. And even… Read more »
Maybe that is why San Marino last year should not have qualified in the first place. (unlike this year). I for one prefer 1 truly memorable and authentic performance and 39 bad, than 40 so-called “amazing” performances that are fake. I might as well watch video clips on MTV.
On the other side, Mäneskin sounded way better, and more epic in San Remo rather than in Eurovision. Same thing with Brividi this year. I miss the orchestra and live instruments and vocals in Eurovision.
Oh yes, absolutely. Brividi lost its magic on the Eurovision stage and the lack of orchestra might have been the decisive factor. Also, it might just be that the life instruments made up in Sanremo for their shaky vocals, let’s face it…
No. If you can’t sing your song properly and put on an OTT performance, then you go without the OTT performance.
Bring back live back vocals and extend to 9 people on stage, But people not involved in the singing should in any case not be more than 5. If delegations want to shorten costs and not bring back vocalists do like Albania Festivali i Kenges. Use local back vocalists assigned by the host TV broadcaster/producer.
Why not? Good idea. That was a common practice in the seventies and eighties.
The 6 people on stage thing was always bothering me. The stages are getting bigger and yet feel so empty because of that rule. Allow more dancers, allow choirs, gospels! That would take so many songs to the next level.
I would have agreed with you until I watched American Song Contest – they didn’t have a limit to the number of people on stage and for some songs (Like “Fire It Up”) they had like 25 people and it was really distracting and took away from the performances. I think there should be a limit, but it should be raised to 8. This allows for a couple more people to fill the stage or sing backing vocals, but doesn’t put less wealthy countries who can’t afford a large delegation at a disadvantage.
Serbia 2021 is the worst example of pre-recorded backing vocals – the girls even forgot to mime during some of the rehearsals. Check it out!
They had live backing vocalist – check wiwiblogs press conference 😉
Hear! Hear! Finally someone speaks up!
Completely agree. I feel like it ‘cheapens’ the contest because people can hide behind pre-recorded backing vocals, so it’s not as level of a playing field as it used to be. There is something special about live performances and live vocals.
Once Covid is behind us, what excuse will the EBU have to keep this rule in place? It makes performances as unauthentic as ever.
the excuse is…Sweden
It’s a song contest, not a singing contest. Yes, I want the lead vocal live and yes it impacts how I feel about the song but ultimately if pre-recorded backing vocals make for a better song, so be it.
If a song is bad, it ain’t the backing vocals that will save it.
“It’s a song contest, not a singing contest”
Lmao who sings them then
I actually usually prefer the live version of the songs than the studio version. They always sound better on the stage.
In my ideal world, instruments at Eurovision are also live.
I don’t think we will be seeing that any time soon. Stage preparations between songs are too short to connect and tune all the instruments.
Which Reddi wanted to do in the first semi.
This should be up to the artists imo
For example, if Reddi want to play live, let them
Totally agree with him! It is a song contest it should be live.
Why not allow 9 people on stage? 6 people or 9 people, where is the problem?
Maybe have a separate satellite stage for extra backing vocals that can have up to 3 that aren’t counted in the 6?
8 other dancers would be silly. Just look at the American song contest. Far too many dancers.
I don’t like prerecorded either especially like in the final chorus in many where they appear to sing over themselves.
Plus I suspect some this year of prerecording audience singing?
What I hate the most even before the pre-recorded thing is one singer on a so big stage, with hidden and now-pre recorded vocals it feels so weird, so empty, so Karaoke.
The worst was maybe last year with Slovenia and North Macedonia, again this year North Macedonia, Montenegro, Armenia.
It only works with intimists songs that have no backing vocals like France 2021, Portugal 2017, Switzerland 2022.
TOTALLY agree!
Last year only Hurricane (Serbia) had live backing vocals despite everything.
So, I vote YES!
Denmark too
I agree, it’s annoying to hear an obviously auto-tuned high note in between real vocals. But at the very least most poor vocal performances (Albania, Austria, Cyprus, Finland) got punished this year while the better vocalists got their props (from the juries at least).
Yes. Agree 100%. And while you are at it, bring back the possibility of using life instruments on stage.
I would love to see that as well; but as someone else here lamented, it would take longer than the usual minute and a half for the act to do a sound check and check for their instruments to be properly connected; that is, unless there is a longer break before they go on sage.
100% agree. The American Song Contest literally had leader singers not doing anything for huge portions of their songs, allowing the backing track to do everything for them. Eurovision this year had a couple of acts who got pretty close to this themselves.
100% live vocals on the night. Want dancers on stage? Then, you don’t get the backing vocals. Simples.
While we at it, can we have all the contestants play their music live too?
If ESC is willing to put in extra budget for a live band, sure, why not..
But since that’s not gonna happen a clean instrumental is the best solution
Three of last year’s winners did nothing but play pretend. It is demeaning for people with talent, and sad.
Bad take. You sound like one of those people who get your views about Eurovision from British newspapers.
On one hand maybe they should return that rule and maybe let 7/8 people instead of 6 to be on the stage.
On the other hand, dadi used a complete choir and prerecorded vocals as well lol. So it’s a bit odd from him to say that.
Remove pre-recorded vocals now and what’s next? No more backup dancers? No more props on stage? No more fancy costumes? The whole show relegated to radio with no visuals to distract viewers’ attention from the actual song?
It’s a slippery slope and every Eurovision fan needs to stay united to fight against this evil movement that is determined to drag us all to the Dark Ages.
Exactly the opposite. Every Eurovision fan should unite against pre-recorded vocals. The next step is full play back with no live vocals at all. Then I prefer to see Ru Paul’s shows. Much more interesting.
it’s almost as if you’ve never watched pre-2021 eurovisions when vocals were 100% live… do you spot any differences between performances then and now ? if anything, most performances this year were even lazier than usual while using prerec.
Calm down. He only talked about the pre recorded backing vocals and I think he’s right. Before 2021 there was no pre recorded vocals and there was no problem.
User name checks out
Agreed. Auto tune, backing vocals. I heard one in American version of the contest was not singing live whatsoever, what a waste. I really hope we can just stay pure live with no silly effects just pure talent.
In the words of Terry Wogan : It’s becoming a karaoke competition
Non live backing vocals just enhances this.
Yes and no.
Live vocals are indeed more interesting and make the performance feel great -sonically speaking. However (and I’m glad they used Chanel’s example), pre-recorded vocals allow performers to have more dancers on stage which makes the number look fuller and even more appealing.
Now, dancers with mics on (like those who accompanied Eleni) can dance and sing at the same time, but they do not sound that great for obvious reasons.
Yes! It’s kinda elitist if I’m being honest. Not all singers are great vocalists and that’s okay. Having pre-recorded vocals will help to level up the playing field.
Saying vocals should be live is elitist? Jesus
No, that is absolutely not ok.
“not all singers are great vocalists and that’s okay” it’s like saying “not all doctors are good at doing their job and it’s okay”
Depends on the doctor. Are they an ophthalmologist? Physician? Physicist? A Philosopher? Or one who’s good at getting things “doctored” by them?
Oh c’mon, Malta was literally lip-syncing throughout almost her whole song last year. And it cost her MANY points
What is this? Let’s-Trash-Eurovision Week?
Everyone seems to be coming out of the woodwork to nitpick everything about the show now, smh.
People like Sobral keep getting proven right, time and time again, fandom keeps crying because truth hurts, time and time again…
I honeslty don’t see how he’s being proven right… certainly not by this. This elitist argument is tiresome anyway.
Also, it’s a song-writing competition, not a singing competition. And do you want to test the performers more or do you want a better show? It’s tricky.
I’d like to add that despite having pre-recorded backing vocals, some artists STILL mangage to sound bad. For that reason I’m actually leaning towards keeping them.
Well said!!! Absolutely!
Dadi himself used it for choir, what a hypocrite
For 15 seconds maximum, without hiding his main vocals under it, on a performance where the backing vocals were singing live all the time…
I completely agree with Dadi on this one. And I would add that all the backing vocals need to be visible on the stage. The only exception I would make it would be for creative reasons, like what he did during “10 Years” (the choir) or the vocal sound effects in JOWST’s song a few years ago, as long this is regulated and limited to small portions of the track. Since usually there are 2 or 3 backing vocals, I wouldn’t mind if the limit of performers on stage get enlarged. But we know EBU and delegations won’t like the… Read more »
Aria has now disappeared.
Goodbye Aria, visit us again.
Thank all gods and pan-European pagan deities, hallelujah!
Went too far? I haven’t been much around.
Another mystery…
What happened to Aria?
just like air, it was blown away
I hope he will come back 2024!!!
(2023 I won’t watch because it was a political voting this year).
I’ve seen him in Berlin in a caraoke bar where he was just like any other guest but totally rocked the stage.
He appeares to be someone who is keeping his feet on the ground, he is totally natural. His creativity and the originality of the sound of his music is definatly what europe should get more of.
We all know you’re gonna watch next year anyway lmfao
At first, I wondered why you got so many downvotes since you only wrote positive things about Daði, and then I looked again at your second sentence. Lmao….
I agree with this!
Also the conversation of giving delegations the option of live music should be discussed.
Sanremo proves it still works!
I believe sanremo allows autotune though
Literally, there were songs with only one vocalist on stage in which you heard two voices all the time singing the whole song. I’m representing my country next year singing along whith Adele’s backing vocals. Maybe I’ll choose to sing a little lower than her.
I’m a bit conflicted with this. On one hand I agree, that vocalists need to be recognizably ‘live’ and real. Having to fake-perform musical instruments is already my biggest complaint about Eurovision in general, and going too far on other aspects of performing live will alienate it even further. But… at the same time, using pre-recorded backing vocalists means having to worry less about backing vocalists potentially bringing down a good song. We’ve seen it with Barei, Anja Nissen… even Rayden during Benidorm Fest earlier this year. In my opinion it’s a decent addition to the contest but it needs… Read more »
absolutely agree!!
If you don’t want to be brought down by your backing vocalists, hire competent backing vocalists.
He’s absolutely right.
Never should have been allowed in the first place.
The only reason why i did not for Italy is because they were off key on Saturday. And it was such a pity, since the song is so emotional and for the first time we had homosexual love represented on stage.
The way recorded vocals have provided an advantage to some artists in the past two years is just unfair.
*did not vote
Love is love.
Love is love. But for once i did not mind watching two man singing to each other about love, instead of the usual man and woman.
I, of course, agree.
They were singing with each other, as they sing about the relationship they had/have with their respective other.
They weren’t singing about each other, but they were singing to each other about their feelings, as this is a duet and they need to interact on stage. In reality, of course they have they own partners: in the music video, Mahmood is portrayed with another man, while Blanco is alone.
You guys are so nonsensically obsessed with RePrEsEnTaTiOn that you even see it when it’s not there. “Brividi” is a love song. Blanco is straight, Mahmood has so far avoided to share his sexual preferences (something I personally appreciate). Two men singing a love song doesn’t make it about homosexual romance. Like, seriously, it’s like saying the Norwegian song was a campaign to aid underfed wolves. Unfortunately Blanco and Mahmood played with this a lot. The fans saw a good chemistry between them and they exploited this to their advantage to win Sanremo. It helps that Blanco is an impulsive… Read more »
Let me get this straight: neither Blanco nor Mahmood have explicitly talked about their sexuality; it is just easy to assume their sexual orientation since Blanco has been spotted with women, while Mahmood has been spotted with men (and in many of his songs he addresses to his parters as “him/he”; and in music videos he flirts with men). Why then do you label Blanco as straight, while Mahmood is “unspecified” to you. You know humans are not all straight until you prove otherwise, right? Heteronormativity at its finest. That being sad, Mahmood has written this song for a man… Read more »
If you understood the lyrics, you would understand this is not gay representation. The fact 90% of the people don’t understand the lyrics doesn’t justify them for fantasising a relationship between two colleagues. Blanco has said he is straight. I didn’t say Mahmood is queer. I don’t know and I don’t care. He has been seen around men, but I respect his choice of not being labelled, so why don’t you? Why don’t you respect it? Lgbt-ism at its finest. You always try to categorise people resulting in ghetto-ing yourselves. I, as a non-straight man, really hate this counter-productive behaviour.… Read more »
I have not accused you of heteronormativity, I have accused your statement “Blanco is straight, Mahmood is question mark” of being heteronormative. Again, Blanco has never said he is straight. If you know otherwise, please provide a source here with his statement. It is heteronormative to assume a person is straight because you have clear hints, but then you don’t do the same when you have the exact same hints for Mahmood. What exactly would be a more fair representation than a queer man, who as i said wrote a song for a man, singing with another man? I am… Read more »
That wasn’t homosexual love. That was queerbaiting. They sang at each other but about their own (absent) partners. That’s the thing that annoyed me since the beginning, especially when people started making me feel paranoid for interpreting it as a love song…
I can see why it might seem that way, but I really don’t think that was the intention.
Queebaiting? Of course they aren’t singing to each other, like any other (straight) duet singers. Mahmood is queer, and for once I see a queer person singing about his feelings facing a person that matches his sexual orientation, and not a woman as default. I have visuals of a homosexual representation on stage. What are two men (one of which homosexual) supposed to do when singing a love song, never look at you so you bill the risk of it being perceived as mutual love? This is not some t.a.t.u. style set-up to fake a non existing gay relationship between… Read more »
*never look at each other
Lgbt when no representation:
heteronormativity, invisibility 🙁
Lgbt when representation:
Queerbaiting 🙁
One of many reasons I distance myself from my own community.
Queerbating: putting little indication of a queer sexual orientations just to attract audience, while not actually representing it a meaning way.
***Mahmood, a queer person who dedicated the song to a man and sings about love with another man***
People: OMG queerbating this is so fake!
The only reason why i did not for Italy is because they were off key on Saturday. And it was such a pity, since the song is so emotional and for the first time we had homosexual love represented on stage.
The way recorded vocals have provided an advantage to some artists in the past two years is just unfair.
They should allow more people on stage, so Chanel could have had backing vocalists while still keeping her dancers.
One of her female dancers was doing live backing vocals (the one with the darker hair had a mic) during the performance. When both girls were off camera, one of them is doing the backing vocals.
Maybe The Vienna Boys Choir might have helped Halo into the final
Cyprus 2018 managed both so I’m not sure why Spain couldn’t as well.
Tbh I would rather have a maximum of 8 on stage and remove the pre recorded backing. It’s just not good enough !
Yawn. Ukraine’s televote was more about sentiment than politics, but it was a great performance anyway. And what exactly was political about Måneskin, Duncan, Netta, Salvador?
No it is not just him, the next step is indeed full lip sync.
Prerecorded vocals means it’s more a contest for music producers and theatrics on stage. That may work for Melodifestivalen but please leave ESC with some integrity, otherwise it’s one step away from just submitting a music video to compete.
i remember when at melfest this year theoz stopped singing his song’s chorus to clap his hands and the pre-rec base went on and it sounded exactly like when he was singing. at melfest you barely hear the singers’ live vocals, all for the sake of having a perfect show production. it’s sad !
This is probably like swearing in church….but I disagree with Dadi: this is a song contest, not a singing contest. Focus should be on the song itself rather than the singing. Therefore I think pre-recorded backingvocals gives the audience a better chance to judge the song. But the main vocals should of course be live to get an autentic performance.
Yet you can’t declare a song any good if it’s impossible to sing. Just take a look at Austria this year.
If you think that why not have everything prerecorded so? Per your argument that would give the audience an even better chance to judge the song. How much more focus do you honestly think was on the song in the performance of SloMo because they used a backing track? Countries just swapped live singers for dancers. There were no savings made as per their Covid excuse. In my opinion it takes it more away from the song and music and makes it more about being a spectacle. Some people love that I know, genuine music lovers however simply won’t.
Considering the criteria the juries are meant to use for voting (“each jury member will focus on the vocal capacity of the artist, the performance on stage, the composition and originality of the song, and the overall impression by the act”), it’s not just a song contest. It’s a how well can you make your song come across contest, which is why live vocals and staging also matter.
You should not focus on the singing?!?! Then why not just submit music videos. I guess that’s what OGAE does—just takes the song at face value without actually seeing them being performed. Which is why often a slick music video makes a song amazing compared to a song on a little stage on a late night chat show.
I am partially positive about using vocals, as it allows us to experience performances like Slomo. However, it needs to be way more regulated than it is now. The three rules alone give too much room for an eccessive usage