North Macedonia NORTH MACEDONIA 2021 - Vasil - Here I Stand

[escYOUnited]

There are times when I remember back
Wish to hug
The child about to crack
I’ll tell him: wait you won’t be long
Trust your heart and just stay strong

‘Cause baby they all tried to break us
Not knowing it’s what makes us
This is how we found our way
Now here I stand
There’s no pretend
My walls are down, my heart’s in your hand
Unchain my wings
And the oceans of tears will fade to black
With the song of my years ooooh-ooooh-ooooh

They all tried to break us (tried to break)
Not knowing it’s what makes us (they don’t know)
This is how we found our way (this is how we found our way)
(Here I stand)
My walls are down, my heart’s in your hand
(They all tried to break us
Not knowing it’s what makes us
This is how we found our way)

There are times when I remember back
And all I do is smile
All for you

(They all tried to break us
Not knowing it’s what makes us
And this is how we found our way)​

 

[joao]

Care to develop on that comparison?

Well basically in 2016 Romania selected the song and performer and at the last minute were disqualified because of the debt TVR had to the EBU. And in 2010, Ukraine selected internally the act and hold a NF to select the song. A couple of weeks later they were lke: “nah, let’s make a new one”and with different artists, and Alyosha ended up winning and going to eurovision.

what I meant with that comparison was that I’m feeling that Vasil might end up not going to eurovision due to a decision that is going to be made last minute and for something he doesn’t have any fault. It’s literally telling him he’s going to the ESC and last minute someone is going to tell him no. And to many people going to eurovision is a lifetime dream, I mean...

Especially after the cancellation of last year’s. It’s like “here’s your second chanceeeeee” and at the last minute someone just tells him “NO”. But I hope I’m wrong.

 

[ag89]

To me this sounds like a way to get a new song since reactions from this one haven't been super positive.

 

[crashworld]

This is strange. So does that mean one cannot wear red, green and white in North Macedonia just because it will resembles the Bulgaria flag and will piss some people off? I just can't. The world is getting really crazy these days with every issue being magnified for the craziest reasons.

I hope the North Macedonia's broadcaster stood by him even if his song is just bad.

 

[HayashiM]

To me this sounds like a way to get a new song since reactions from this one haven't been super positive.

But they can't change the song at this point anymore, can they?

I hope Vasil can go, if he doesn't, we have a new leader of the 'saddest fate of a 2020 non-returning act', taking over from Ben&Tan.

 

[BorisBubbles]

Toxic nationalism. Not that there's any nationalism around that isn't toxic, but you get what I mean.

Such BS. They had better not withdraw.

 

[SAYAY]

I dont really have North Macedonia among my favorites this year, but I hope they don't withdraw. Vasil deserves to sing and I hope the broadcaster will stand by him

 

[Schlagerman1]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I wonder if MRT really are taking this seriously, cause it sounds too good to be true. The only way I can see it is that they have noticed that the fans is not into the song at all, and maybe they are trying to sneak away from everything with telling a completly different reason for it. Or they are trying to make some kind of sob story, that Vasil is on the verge of getting kicked out, but in the last minute gets saved and he is going to ESC despite everything that has happened. If so, good luck MRT, cause that isn't going to help either, since 2021 seems to be a strong year as well.

A part of me almost wishes Belarus stays in ESC 21, just so that the real "drama" happens and this silly nothingness of one just fades into the background....

 

[rasmuslights]

I have a question if both Macedonia and Belarus withdraw.. will one country from the 2nd semi go to the first one?

 

[crashworld]

I have a question if both Macedonia and Belarus withdraw.. will one country from the 2nd semi go to the first one?

Will they do that? I don't think so coz it will be very unfair for the country to get shifted to semi 1.
If Belarus and North Macedonia withdraw, I presume it will remain the same.
Although I do wish they will re-do the drawing.

 

[Stiven]

Okay as one of the few Macedonian members of this forum I'll try the explain the situation for the members of this forum:
1. Okay so Eurovision is actually pretty hated in like really hated (if you go on social media the comments are almost always negative) so a lot off people are against participating in ESC in general.
2. A lot of people are angered by the fact that Vasil is representing us solely due to his party and nepotistic links and the fact that we got no voice on the mater (neither for the artist nor for the song).
3. Over the past few months the relations towards have been extremely bad (to put it mildly) for those who don't know denies that we exist saying that we are "brainwashed" Bulgarians who should just "accept our root"(which is complete nonsense) ,on numerous occasions high ranking have expressed openly irredentist claims towards us (Sorry I couldn't find an English version) and have tried to use their EU membership to whitewash their role in WW2. Now putting all this blame on Vasil is off course ridiculous but a lot of people don't feel comfortable having a person who openly flaunts his Bulgarian citizenship representing us (I am not one of them in cause you're wondering) and this is the main reason people are angry now and not in 2020 and 2017.
Now this is a very condensed version of all that is going on if I tried to explain everything in detail I would end up writing an entire essay. Sorry for bad English it's my third language and I have dyslexia.

 

[HayashiM]

Will they do that? I don't think so coz it will be very unfair for the country to get shifted to semi 1.
If Belarus and North Macedonia withdraw, I presume it will remain the same.
Although I do wish they will re-do the drawing.

I doubt they would consider to do a re-drawing, because there's plenty of other related decisions that must have already been made. However, shifting one single participant could be plausible. In the case where one semi has 15 and the other one 17 participants, it could actually also be somewhat attractive for the country that's being shifted, because they would've only 15 competitors instead of 16 after the shift... Perhaps someone could be willing to do that?

Anyway, this is pure theory, I doubt would really withdraw.

 

[crashworld]

I doubt they would consider to do a re-drawing, because there's plenty of other related decisions that must have already been made. However, shifting one single participant could be plausible. In the case where one semi has 15 and the other one 17 participants, it could actually also be somewhat attractive for the country that's being shifted, because they would've only 15 competitors instead of 16 after the shift... Perhaps someone could be willing to do that?

Anyway, this is pure theory, I doubt would really withdraw.

I don't know though, because Semi 1 has all the heavily-favourite countries and countries who historically do well.
I wonder which country in semi 2 will see this as an advantage as semi 2 seems to be more wide open in terms of qualification
chances.

But I agree that likely North Macedonia will not withdraw.

 

[soulm8]

...

 

[Lance Esgard]

I doubt they would consider to do a re-drawing, because there's plenty of other related decisions that must have already been made. However, shifting one single participant could be plausible. In the case where one semi has 15 and the other one 17 participants, it could actually also be somewhat attractive for the country that's being shifted, because they would've only 15 competitors instead of 16 after the shift... Perhaps someone could be willing to do that?

Anyway, this is pure theory, I doubt would really withdraw.

If both Belarus and North Macedonia were to withdraw, it is notable that both are allocated to perform in the first half of Semifinal 1.

In a hypothetical situation where both Belarus and North Macedonia withdrew, there would be 6 songs in the First Half and 9 in the Second Half of Semifinal 1. For TV production reasons alone that may not be acceptable to the host broadcaster and the EBU.

If the Dutch broadcaster and the EBU want a reasonably even running order, then the two forced changes from the two First Half of Semifinal 1 withdrawals in turn requires a third change as a song moves from the Second Half to the First Half of the First Semifinal (or a song moves from Semi Final 2 to Semifinal 1). Any such third change and the resulting disruption to the Allocation Draw Pots increases the chance of a reallocation draw being considered.

 

[Shadowfuxcs]

Okay as one of the few Macedonian members of this forum I'll try the explain the situation for the members of this forum:
1. Okay so Eurovision is actually pretty hated in like really hated (if you go on social media the comments are almost always negative) so a lot off people are against participating in ESC in general.
2. A lot of people are angered by the fact that Vasil is representing us solely due to his party and nepotistic links and the fact that we got no voice on the mater (neither for the artist nor for the song).
3. Over the past few months the relations towards have been extremely bad (to put it mildly) for those who don't know denies that we exist saying that we are "brainwashed" Bulgarians who should just "accept our root"(which is complete nonsense) ,on numerous occasions high ranking have expressed openly irredentist claims towards us (Sorry I couldn't find an English version) and have tried to use their EU membership to whitewash their role in WW2. Now putting all this blame on Vasil is off course ridiculous but a lot of people don't feel comfortable having a person who openly flaunts his Bulgarian citizenship representing us (I am not one of them in cause you're wondering) and this is the main reason people are angry now and not in 2020 and 2017.
Now this is a very condensed version of all that is going on if I tried to explain everything in detail I would end up writing an entire essay. Sorry for bad English it's my third language and I have dyslexia.

Thanks for the insight. To what extend is it actually common for N. Macedonian artists to have dual Bulgarian nationality? Has that been also the case for past representatives but there are reactions now because of the current situation and/or because of Vasil not being popular because of his connections and sexuality?

 

[A-lister]

Well basically in 2016 Romania selected the song and performer and at the last minute were disqualified because of the debt TVR had to the EBU. And in 2010, Ukraine selected internally the act and hold a NF to select the song. A couple of weeks later they were lke: “nah, let’s make a new one”and with different artists, and Alyosha ended up winning and going to eurovision.

what I meant with that comparison was that I’m feeling that Vasil might end up not going to eurovision due to a decision that is going to be made last minute and for something he doesn’t have any fault. It’s literally telling him he’s going to the ESC and last minute someone is going to tell him no. And to many people going to eurovision is a lifetime dream, I mean...

Especially after the cancellation of last year’s. It’s like “here’s your second chanceeeeee” and at the last minute someone just tells him “NO”. But I hope I’m wrong.

I see, well I know those cases although the Romania one was about debt to the EBU, so I wouldn't really compare the two (although yeah, ultimately it could result in a withdrawal).

Ukraine 2010 reminds me a bit of a blend of this case and Russia this year, as in there were dissatisfaction with the original internal choice, and then a new NF was quickly arranged but the internal choice (unlike with LB) still took part in the new NF.

The last scenario seems a bit unlikely at this point, so I am not sure what they're going to do? I mean for their own sake and for Eurovision's sake they should change the cringy song, but I don't think they're allowed to do that past deadline, but changing the singer also seems unfair, at least based on such a stupid reason as this.

 

[A-lister]

I doubt they would consider to do a re-drawing, because there's plenty of other related decisions that must have already been made. However, shifting one single participant could be plausible. In the case where one semi has 15 and the other one 17 participants, it could actually also be somewhat attractive for the country that's being shifted, because they would've only 15 competitors instead of 16 after the shift... Perhaps someone could be willing to do that?

Anyway, this is pure theory, I doubt would really withdraw.

I mean I think they should move one out of pure fairness, because it'll get mathematically easier to qualify from semi 1 and less from semi 2 and I think the probability should be as even as possible.

 

[A-lister]

Okay as one of the few Macedonian members of this forum I'll try the explain the situation for the members of this forum:
1. Okay so Eurovision is actually pretty hated in like really hated (if you go on social media the comments are almost always negative) so a lot off people are against participating in ESC in general.
2. A lot of people are angered by the fact that Vasil is representing us solely due to his party and nepotistic links and the fact that we got no voice on the mater (neither for the artist nor for the song).
3. Over the past few months the relations towards have been extremely bad (to put it mildly) for those who don't know denies that we exist saying that we are "brainwashed" Bulgarians who should just "accept our root"(which is complete nonsense) ,on numerous occasions high ranking have expressed openly irredentist claims towards us (Sorry I couldn't find an English version) and have tried to use their EU membership to whitewash their role in WW2. Now putting all this blame on Vasil is off course ridiculous but a lot of people don't feel comfortable having a person who openly flaunts his Bulgarian citizenship representing us (I am not one of them in cause you're wondering) and this is the main reason people are angry now and not in 2020 and 2017.
Now this is a very condensed version of all that is going on if I tried to explain everything in detail I would end up writing an entire essay. Sorry for bad English it's my third language and I have dyslexia.

Interesting insight, I'm curious if the more aggressive tone from the Bulgarian side recently is due to them having an upcoming election?, usually when politicians are doing a bad job or want to hide other issues they go to desperate populist smoke screens to try to steer public attention elsewhere.

 

[Stiven]

Thanks for the insight. To what extend is it actually common for N. Macedonian artists to have dual Bulgarian nationality? Has that been also the case for past representatives but there are reactions now because of the current situation and/or because of Vasil not being popular because of his connections and sexuality?

For Macedonian artist its quite rare to have Bulgarian citizenship since our music industry is very connected to the ex-Yugoslav/Adria market so as a result they have no benefit from gaining it and as we seen from Vasil there are negative side effects.
As far as I know Vasil is our only representative to have one and the negative reaction is due to a mixture of both his unpopularity and the current situation.

Interesting insight, I'm curious if the more aggressive tone from the Bulgarian side recently is due to them having an upcoming election?, usually when politicians are doing a bad job or want to hide other issues they go to desperate populist smoke screens to try to steer public attention elsewhere.

This is what a lot of people from (including myself) also suspect.

 

[crashworld]

I mean I think they should move one out of pure fairness, because it'll get mathematically easier to qualify from semi 1 and less from semi 2 and I think the probability should be as even as possible.

But fairness to who? I think at this stage, a re-allocation of both semi will be more fair so there is no dispute on who is to move from semi 2 to semi 1. Unless one country from semi 2 voluntarily took up the offer.