charlesf
Active member
It's official and no joke. Lena wants to compete again next year! She obviously very much enjoyed the experience. Both she and her mentor Stefan Raab stated that they do not believe in "quitting while on the top". She's still hungry.
This gives rise to several questions:
1) IS IT FAIR?
I've seen the odd forumite objecting to Lena once again competing on the grounds that it'd not be fair. I personally find this objection quite absurd. She'll have to compete for Europe's votes much as everyone else. Sure, given her stardom and her winner entry she'll get far more exposure and I dare say also open the evening with her winning song. But hey, at sports tournaments the better teams and players also get seeded...
2) WHAT ABOUT OTHER GERMAN TALENT?
Well, sure, it'd mean no other German performer gets a go in 2011 (unless Lena joins forces with other lead performers on the stage). But on the other hand, Lena's a tough act to follow. Moreover, Lena's at this point still very much "new German talent" herself! There will be plenty of other years for new talent to compete.
3) WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL SELECTION SHOW "UNSER STAR FÜR ..."?
In 2011 it'll be bound to be different in that it'd be probably called "Unser Song für Berlin" or such. Still gives viewers plenty of choice. Why change a winning team?
In any case, the ARD/NDR and PROSIEBEN are more than happy to go down that route, as they've said at their press conference this afternoon.
4) IS IT GOOD FOR LENA'S CAREER?
Impossible to say at this juncture. Clearly Lena's not interested in "playing it safe" and is hungry for continuing her ESC adventure. Seems she's now been converted herself to being an ESC fan!
5) CAN LENA WIN AGAIN?
If her song and performance are equally as popular across Europe in 2011 as this year, I dare say she'll win again. If not, well, then she won't win. I don't see juries and normal voters uncharitably refusing to vote for last year's champion on the grounds of Lena and Germany already having had their turn. If they love it, they'll vote for it.
One thing is for sure, Germans will proubly support her. She's after all arguably the most popular person in the country for many years (I'd argue in my lifetime). Not only do people love her as a person, but her music suits the taste of a musically reasonably sophisticated public that bemoaned many past German entries (though not all) being trashy or schlager-esque.
As the New York Times wrote, Lena dragged the ESC into the 21st century and reconnected the event with the record-buying public. A real revolution. And why shouldn't the pioneering revolutionary continue her adventure?
I'm most curious in what direction she'll go in 2011. It's going to be most intriguing to track her "path to Berlin" (yes, I'm very confident it'll be Berlin!). Lets see how this Sommermärchen ("summer fairytale") shall continue, I say.
So, what do you think?
This gives rise to several questions:
1) IS IT FAIR?
I've seen the odd forumite objecting to Lena once again competing on the grounds that it'd not be fair. I personally find this objection quite absurd. She'll have to compete for Europe's votes much as everyone else. Sure, given her stardom and her winner entry she'll get far more exposure and I dare say also open the evening with her winning song. But hey, at sports tournaments the better teams and players also get seeded...
2) WHAT ABOUT OTHER GERMAN TALENT?
Well, sure, it'd mean no other German performer gets a go in 2011 (unless Lena joins forces with other lead performers on the stage). But on the other hand, Lena's a tough act to follow. Moreover, Lena's at this point still very much "new German talent" herself! There will be plenty of other years for new talent to compete.
3) WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL SELECTION SHOW "UNSER STAR FÜR ..."?
In 2011 it'll be bound to be different in that it'd be probably called "Unser Song für Berlin" or such. Still gives viewers plenty of choice. Why change a winning team?
In any case, the ARD/NDR and PROSIEBEN are more than happy to go down that route, as they've said at their press conference this afternoon.
4) IS IT GOOD FOR LENA'S CAREER?
Impossible to say at this juncture. Clearly Lena's not interested in "playing it safe" and is hungry for continuing her ESC adventure. Seems she's now been converted herself to being an ESC fan!
5) CAN LENA WIN AGAIN?
If her song and performance are equally as popular across Europe in 2011 as this year, I dare say she'll win again. If not, well, then she won't win. I don't see juries and normal voters uncharitably refusing to vote for last year's champion on the grounds of Lena and Germany already having had their turn. If they love it, they'll vote for it.
One thing is for sure, Germans will proubly support her. She's after all arguably the most popular person in the country for many years (I'd argue in my lifetime). Not only do people love her as a person, but her music suits the taste of a musically reasonably sophisticated public that bemoaned many past German entries (though not all) being trashy or schlager-esque.
As the New York Times wrote, Lena dragged the ESC into the 21st century and reconnected the event with the record-buying public. A real revolution. And why shouldn't the pioneering revolutionary continue her adventure?
I'm most curious in what direction she'll go in 2011. It's going to be most intriguing to track her "path to Berlin" (yes, I'm very confident it'll be Berlin!). Lets see how this Sommermärchen ("summer fairytale") shall continue, I say.
So, what do you think?
