Just in case you were wondering, after watching the performances, if the continent’s borders were falling, the outrageous partisan national vote usually confirms that the spirit of intercontinental cohesion is a reflection. Greece and Cyprus give each other a dozen points, the Scandinavian countries vote for each other and poor old Eurosceptic Britain has spent most of the last decade in the last three places. The 2015 contest had “anti-book technology” and so the public could not hear protests against the invasion of Crimea This year, however, things may be different. Eurovision contestants have fought in the past – bloody border disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been raging for years, with Russia attacking Georgia in 2008 and invading the Crimea in 2014 – this time against Russia. in Ukraine is decisive. After initially saying that Russia could compete, as the competition was apolitical, the organizers reversed their decision and banned the country. “If they were allowed to enter Eurovision this year, it would symbolize support for Russia’s actions,” said Oleh Psiuk, frontman of this year’s Ukrainian folk-style hip-hop band, the Kalush Orchestra. “But now, I have a sense of justice.” For Psiuk and the rest of his six-member crew, this year ‘s song contest represents a unique opportunity. In the midst of an unprecedented threat to European security, he also sees an unprecedented desire to unite the continent. “I really think unity is important right now,” he explains via Zoom from the hotel room where he stays during a promotional tour of Israel before the competition. “Our song has united so many Ukrainians and I hope it will unite Europeans – and maybe the whole world.” In February, Psiuk came second in the selection process for his country at Eurovision with Stefania, a musical tribute to his mother. Then, in a surprise, after the withdrawal of the first act due to an alleged visit to the Russian-occupied region of Crimea, he discovered that he was going to represent Ukraine in this year’s competition, which takes place in Turin, Italy. At this point, Russia invaded his nation, his song was adopted by his countrymen as a tribute to their homeland, and now about 150,000 TikTok clips are heard, from #Standwithukraine global protest videos to rocket-propelled grenade launchers from buildings. Crowds of supporters around the act led the Ukrainian government to grant them special permission to travel to Italy, despite initial fears that they would have to show up via video link from a safe haven as a result of laws barring young men from leaving. from Chora. Kalush is now the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s competition – with the majority of the continent seeming to use its vote to make a statement about Russia’s aggression. Georgia’s entry in 2009, We Don’t Wanna Put In, was banned due to less than a minute excavation by the Russian dictator “It gives me a good feeling – it’s nice to know,” says Psiuk – not that he believes the Russian invasion is entirely responsible for the popularity of his entry. “Even before the war, our song was in the top five according to the books. “It simply came to our notice then. This is an unprecedented area for a competition that has in the past had an extremely awkward relationship with trans-European politics. For years, the organizers of Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), have argued that this is an inherently anti-political spectacle – and have repeatedly intervened to quell expressions that challenge such a claim. One of TikTok’s posts using Stefania, the band’s entry into Eurovision. Photo: TikTok With its aftermath, it is noteworthy that these were often songs of protest against Russian hostility to their neighbors. The EBU banned entry into Georgia in 2009, We Don’t Wanna Put In for less than imperceptible inquiry into the then Russian Prime Minister, after the Russo-Georgian war. It had “anti-book technology” installed to prevent the global public from hearing the crowd protesting against Russia’s entry into 2015 after the invasion of Crimea. And while, in 2016, it allowed Ukraine to participate in a controversial song that won a contest over the deportation of the Crimean Tatar population from Russia in World War II, broadcasters rushed to condemn Ukraine as host next year. when the country stopped the Russian The contestant Yulia Samoilova did not travel to the final in 2017 due to allegations that she had entered “illegally” in the Crimea. Something that the BBC correspondent in Moscow said was probably a deliberate Russian provocation, or “exactly what Moscow wanted when it chose Samoilova, knowing that it had traveled to the Crimea”. It also puts the Kalush Orchestra in a difficult position when it comes to expressing their feelings about their country’s plight. Precisely to travel to Eurovision this year, Psiuk had to move away from the 35-member voluntary organization he founded to provide access to safe accommodation, transportation and medicines for refugees. The Kalush Orchestra had to find a replacement for a member of the band fighting in the Kiev defense forces. But the band is driven by feelings that they had “an important mission” to raise awareness of their country – a feeling that Psiuk has turned into something that sounds incredibly like an acceptance speech that shakes the continent after Eurovision. “I have a message I would like to send,” Psiuk said. “There are people who can see this conflict as a kind of war movie – something that is far away and something that can not happen to them. But it has already happened to us. “We did not believe it in advance, but it has actually happened,” he urges passionately. “We want to avoid any kind of politicization”… the band plays in a Eurovision concert. Photo: ANP / Alamy “When you wake up every morning to the sound of explosions, when you wake up without being sure if your girlfriend or family is alive, that’s scary – really scary. I would therefore like to urge everyone to support Ukraine, to take the time to think about what they can do to help Ukraine in this situation. “If everyone in the world does what they can, then we can end this war much earlier – and prevent it from happening again in another country.” Nevertheless, even if Ukraine won, Psiuk is not sure that the rules on overt political statements would ever allow him to really say those words. “We want to avoid any kind of politicization and that is why we would discuss it with the group first before doing anything,” he explains. Another big question is how the distribution of votes can be this year. On a continent flooded with a new spirit of cooperation, could we see a reversal of the established shower point distribution system? Could there be an end to the electoral bloc of Scandi, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union? Obviously yes, given the prospects in the UK. We look ready to finish in the top 10 for the first time in 13 years – since we were the nation in last place the last two. Sam Ryder, the star of this year ‘s TikTok contestant, is currently the fourth favorite to win. the 11th of his sluggish pop stomper -Finishing position in 2011 with: “Often it has nothing to do really with the song, but with who your neighbors are.” Coming to Benefit… UK Participant Sam Ryder. Photo: Edward Cooke / BBC / Parlophone Music There is of course a limit. It may be a little while waiting for Turkey and Greece to end the cultural war they have been waging for the ownership of Cyprus through the Eurovision electoral council for four decades. And since in 2009 the police of Azerbaijan gathered citizens who had voted for Armenia, it seems unlikely that the citizens of any country will vote only with their musical taste. But, for Psiuk, there is a sense that this competition may represent an opportunity once given to a generation to rethink small and medium-sized European rivalries and for the continent to unite through song like never before. “For Ukraine, this is the most important year for Eurovision. And I would really like it to apply to the whole world, he says, as he prepares to end the Zoom call. “That’s why we bring to the world a message that I would bring with one word: love.” It’s a great reminder of the importance of competition, but it’s not surprising. After all, in the midst of a war-torn country, the feeling of being backed by their neighbors may be the most important thing they could possibly dream of. Well, almost. “We would most like to have the victory in the main front line. “But at the moment, any victory is important and significant.” Fortunately, Eurovision voters can do at least one of these things this year. The final of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place on May 14.
