Although Thacks Awards is mostly about food, drink and travel, herewith a beginners guide to something different: Eurovision.
Panelist John had a look at all of the 2024 entry videos on YouTube and brings you this guide and intro… Just in case you need a random happy distraction from anything traumatic.
Sometimes you do need a happy or random distraction from every day life?
This is it:
The Eurovision Song Contest, mostly known simply as Eurovision, is a huge annual song competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union, featuring participants representing mostly European countries. It’s on a scale similar to The Super Bowl or rather The Grammy’s for Americans. This year the final takes place on 11 May in Sweden – exactly 50 years since ABBA won Eurovision with Waterloo.
History
ABBA is probably the biggest product of the competition after winning in 1974, but Celine Dion, Olivia Newton-John, Julio Iglesias (Enrique’s dad) and Katrina & The Waves all had a stint at the competition, with Celine winning in 1988, Olivia coming 4th in the year that ABBA won, Julio coming in 4th in 1970, and Katrina and The Waves winning in 1997 long after their 1985 hit ‘Walking on Sunshine’.
The first time I followed Eurovision was when I was on holiday in Spain in 2010 when Germany won the competition with a feel good song about love and revolving like a satellite.
2024’s Top 5 Prediction
The Big Five (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom – the five countries that contribute the most to the production budget) don’t have to compete in the semi-finals to qualify for the grand final but the finals kick off next week.
And surprisingly 3 of the Big Five countries have made my Top 5 Prediction in 2024!!
Switzerland’s entry could do better than I think and Sweden has also offered a catchy radio tune entry in 2024. But a definite wildcard mention this year goes to Croatia with their annoying but ‘possibly a crowd pleaser’ offering in which the official music video features a one-eyed cat.
With a name like Baby Lasagna, this might be the dark horse of 2024:
But then on to my ‘official’ prediction for the Top 5.
5. Czechia
The punk rock vocals on Aiko are catchy enough for this to be a radio tune and Czechia could place well depending on the live performance ability here.
4. France
A French song about love? The power vocals on this tune – and just read the subtitles to hear what he is singing – and you’ll probably fall in love with this one too.
3. Malta
Malta has never won Eurovision but they had a high placement a few years ago with vocal excellence by Destiny 2 years ago and this is probably their strongest entry ever. The live act could seal it even though they seemingly copied some brilliant choreography from Spain’s 3rd place entry a few years ago.
2. Spain
Although not the best vocals in the competition this year, Spain has done well at this contest with anything that the crowd can join in singing – and this entry has caused some controversy being about a slut, but phrased as ‘vixen’ in the English subtitles. It could indeed be a long overdue win for Spain since the 1960’s.
1. Italy
Although it might be too soon for another win since Italy won in 2021, this catchy song in which the live version featured an orchestra is the sound track to anyone’s memories of Italy – imagine eating a pizza or pasta to this tune and not being in heaven.
Eurovision 2024 Predictions… written by John T – one of the international Thacks Awards panelists, now living in Spain (not a reason for Spain’s high prediction spot!) . When not traveling and wine-tasting, John is an iGaming specialist reporting into director level in the sports betting industry with a degree in Information Technology.
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