Wiwibloggs: The Eurovision Podcast

Our reaction to Slimane's live performance of "Mon Amour" — France's song for Eurovision 2024. Slimane is one of France's biggest pop stars, so expectations are high. Can he win? We watch and react.

Featuring:

William - http://instagram.com/williamleeadams

Deban - http://instagram.com/deban_deban

 

We chat with Eurovision 2024 France star Slimane just moments after the announcement that he'll sing "Mon Amour" in Malmö. He reveals that his song is a "love letter to Europe" and explains how love is the driving force behind his music.

Featuring: William - http://instagram.com/williamleeadams

Who is Marina Satti? Well, Greece's Eurovision 2024 is a huge star on the alternative scene and she blends traditional Greek, Balkan, and Anatolian sounds with modern production. Our William reacts to Greek broadcaster ERT's choice. Her record label Minos EMI is staging an open call for songs.

Read more on our web site: https://wiwibloggs.com/2023/10/24/greece-chooses-marina-satti-for-eurovision-2024/278106/

Israel’s Noa Kirel won the Rest of World vote in the Eurovision 2023 final, followed by Finland’s Käärija and Armenia's Brunette. We also react to the RoW semi-final results, which you can see below. Israel won semi-final 1, while Albania's Albina and Familja Kelmendi won semi-final 2.

Grand final vote – Rest of World

12 Israel

10 Finland

8 Armenia

7 Sweden

6 Albania

5 Ukraine

4 Norway

3 Croatia

2 Spain

1 France

Semi-Final 1 vote — Rest of World

12 Israel

10 Finland

8 Latvia

7 Sweden

6 Portugal

5 Czechia

4 Moldova

3 Croatia

2 Serbia

1 Malta

Semi-Final 2 vote — Rest of World

12 Albania

10 Armenia

8 Austria

7 Australia

6 Slovenia

5 Belgium

4 Lithuania

3 Iceland

2 Estonia

1 Georgia

Mae Muller — the UK’s Eurovision 2023 singer — told us about her debut album Sorry I’m Late during an Instagram live on September 26. She teased some of the music and lyrics and discussed the writing process ahead of its release on September 29.

Is North Macedonia returning to Eurovision in 2024? Well in its newly published budget for 2024, state broadcaster MRT indicates it plans to return to Eurovision in Malmö. We discuss the news — and review some of our favourite acts from the country's past.

Is Romania withdrawing from Eurovision in 2024? The deadline for countries to confirm their intent to participate at Eurovision 2024 was September 15. But if reporting from Romanian newspaper Libertatea has it right, Romania’s state broadcaster may not participate due to financial problems. We discuss the news and review our favourite acts from Romania.

Read more: https://wiwibloggs.com/2023/09/09/romania-eurovision-2024-participation-isnt-guaranteed-because-of-financial-trouble/277919/

You can check out William's audiobook here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Dances-Curious-Journey-Eurovision/dp/1662601573

 

Is Eurovision too long and should it be shorter? We react to the news that Sweden's Christer Björkman will try to cut the length of the Eurovision 2024 television broadcast from Malmö.

You can buy William's memoir "Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision" on Amazon ( US link / UK link ). The audiobook will be out on September 26.

Visit our web site and YouTube channel for more Eurovision news and reactions.

MUSTII — Belgium's Eurovision 2024 singer — will release his ESC song in February. The Drag Race Belgique judge already has two albums under his belt and hits like Blind, 21st Century Boy, Shame and Alien. We react to his selection and review his chances of success.

Read more: https://wiwibloggs.com/2023/08/30/belgium-chooses-mustii-drag-race-belgique-judge-for-eurovision-2024/277831/

Bigger juries, no pre-recorded vocals, a country winning for the first time — these are some of our readers' wishes for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö. We discuss the changes and dreams we want to see become real.

01:03 More bobs

02:56 Rest of the World vote breakdown

04:44 Sara Jo or Jelena Karleusa to sing for Serbia

07:20 Let the juries save a semi-final wildcard

09:04 Get rid of pre-recorded vocals

11:34 Bring back the RANDOM order draw

14:17 A spectacular return from Luxembourg

14:52 Another awesome result for Finland

17:19 A first-time winner

20:00 Albania winning

21:30 EBU to end TikTok corporate partnership

22:03 Expand six-person rule to eight-person rule

23:23 Sweden sending a song in Swedish

24:45 Return of Erika Vikman Dotter and Elvana Gjata

25:50 Semi-Finals on Monday and Wednesday

26:37 Non-winning countries stepping up their games

29:17 A less rigged contest with more transparency and fairness

30:30 An expanded jury

31:35 Make the Eurovision grand final bigger...and shorter intervals

 

You can buy William's memoir "Wild Dances" below:

 

UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Dances-Curious-Journey-Eurovision/dp/1662601573

USA: https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Dances-Curious-Journey-Eurovision/dp/1662601573