With special thanks to FSC moderator aardvark for contributions to this article.
Forum Song Contest 143 – January 2021
The 143rd edition of the Forum Song Contest took place during January, and was hosted in Göreme, in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, following the Turkish victory in the previous contest. This exciting edition had 36 participating countries from Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
As the results were revealed, Spain managed to build a massive lead, and emerged as the winner of this edition with 150 points. The winning entry was “Amanecer” performed by Saurom. Canada obtained a distant second place with 99 points with their entry “In Your Eyes (Doja Cat Remix)” by The Weeknd ft. Doja Cat, and the Netherlands completed the podium in third place with 90 points being awarded to their entry “Feel Something” by Armin van Buuren and Eurovision winner Duncan Laurence.
This is already the 9th victory for Spain in the Forum Song Contest, making Spain the country with the fourth most victories; only the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Norway have managed more wins. The most recent previous Spanish victory was only 9 months ago, in FSC #134, which took place in April 2020.
Saurom (previously known as Saurom Lamderth) is a folk-rock/metal band formed in 1996 in the city of San Fernando, near Cádiz in Spain. They often use lyrics referring to old poems, legends and stories, or fantasy literature or even religious texts. Important cultural and social issues are often highlighted in their songs through the use of metaphors. Their music is often characterised by Celtic or other traditional elements, and traditional instruments like bagpipes, flutes and choirs often appear. The band has released a steady stream of albums over more than two decades, and have built a solid fanbase across Europe and also in countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
“Amanecer” was released on 2 May 2020 as the first single from their upcoming 10th studio album, Música. The full album was eventually released on 4 December 2020. The single signals a return to more powerful rock, with guitars taking prominence, and clean and powerful vocals. However, Celtic elements remain in their DNA and come forward strongly in this well-produced offering. Combine all of this with a highly singable chorus, and you are presented with a track that leaves an immediate and lasting impression from the very first listen. The message of the lyrics alludes to the necessity of conserving earth’s precious resources.
Full results of FSC 142
- 🇪🇸 Spain – 150
- 🇨🇦 Canada – 99
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands – 90
- 🇸🇪 Sweden – 87
- 🇷🇴 Romania – 85
- 🇳🇴 Norway – 85
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland – 85
- 🇪🇪 Estonia – 83
- 🇩🇰 Denmark – 76
- 🇵🇱 Poland – 76
- 🇩🇪 Germany – 75
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia – 74
- 🇿🇦 South Africa – 67
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – 66
- 🇮🇱 Israel – 62
- 🇲🇽 Mexico – 59
- 🇭🇺 Hungary – 58
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom – 56
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine – 54
- 🇲🇦 Morocco – 51
- 🇦🇹 Austria – 50
- 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina – 48
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus – 46
- 🇭🇷 Croatia – 42
- 🇺🇸 United States – 38
- 🇹🇷 Turkey – 36
- 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan – 35
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic – 35
- 🇵🇹 Portugal – 35
- 🇮🇹 Italy – 26
- 🇷🇸 Serbia – 25
- 🇧🇷 Brazil – 23
- 🇷🇺 Russia – 22
- 🇱🇹 Lithuania – 15
- 🇮🇩 Indonesia – 14
What is the Forum Song Contest?
Like a mini Eurovision held on our forum, the Forum Song Contest (FSC) sees participants from around the world come together to share the latest and greatest music from their country. Participants may join the jury for their country and collaborate with others from their nation to select a song for the contest. With a rich history spanning back to 2009, the contest is one of the four major contests on our forum alongside the long-running Nation Song Contest (NSC) featuring fictional nations, the region-focused WorldVision (WV) and the Asian music-themed contest Orient Matsuri (OM).
The United Kingdom is currently the most successful country in the contest in terms of victories, with 15 wins including the very first win back in March 2009. Netherlands have the second most wins on 12, with Norway a 10-time champion of the contest. Spain move up to nine wins with this victory, ahead of Germany and the United States on 8 wins. Norway is currently the most successful country in the contest when it comes to top 10 results (FSC League Table) with United Kingdom second and Netherlands third.
How can I join?
First, #YOU must be a registered member of our forum (don’t worry, it’s free and #YOU can join the discussion right away!). Then, consult the rules of the contest HERE before submitting your request to join a jury in the sign up thread HERE.
What do #YOU think of the FSC winner for December 2020? Share your thoughts with us on our forum HERE, in the comments below or on social media!
