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Post examples of talent prevailing in Eurovision

lavieenrose

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RainyWoods

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It depends on what exact definition of talent we're using, and what counts as success, but for me there's been one entry that with what it brought to, along with what it achieved at the contest against all odds that stunned me, and that's Georgia 2016.

I love rock and lean very much towards alternative and independent rock. Eurovision is just about the worst place in the world to come for that kind of rock. Poser pop rock is pretty much all the contest attracts for various reasons. Young Georgian Lolitaz were the opposite of what's deemed acceptable for a contest like this and they were trashed by ESC fans from the get go. Meanwhile a select few of us were getting really excited for this rather rad internal selection. An actual alt-rock band were going to Eurovision with a cool track that wasn't made to please or meet standards of what people think an ESC song should be. They were however pleasing a side of my taste that doesn't compute with our beloved contest. Eurovision has always been my sugar fix and I don't hide it. I never thought i'd hear music this "good" at the contest that wasn't a chamber pop ballad or something along that line (cause boy, Eurovision does on occasion satisfy that side of what I love at least). "Midnight Gold" was dirty, fuzzy psych-rock and it made no apologies for it.

Not only all this but they somehow came with what I thought was the best performance of 2016. For any band that takes themselves half seriously, faking your instruments is a big problem but they handled it in such a zany way. I don't know if i'll ever see something as cool at the contest again, that just worked as well as it did. They came 20th, which is not high, right? Correct but I consider it a humongous achievement considering what they were bringing and the crowd they were bringing it to. As an added bonus they beat that pop rock band by a place. Young Georgian Lolitaz prevailed because they weren't supposed to make the final, at least according to a large chunk of fans. For me it's my favourite moment of "talent prevailing", and it gave me a huge pleasure moment that year.





Two other examples (prevailing in the highest sense of the word):

:ua: 2016 Jamala - 1944
:pt: 2017 Salvador Sobral - Amar Pelos Dois


You can have technically the most impressive vocals ever, but talent for me is worth nothing if there isn't something behind the voice and I don't feel it truly. Those two winning entries above were exceedingly rare moments when the most deep and impassioned performances actually somehow won. I can't also reply in this topic without mentioning "Suus" and Valentina's legendary "Maybe" qualification. All the songs I mentioned here I believe had the full package: charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. I'm just devastated Sofi Marinova was a flop cause queen needs to be added to this list of people.
 

tuorem

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I think [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] said everything I had on my mind: indeed it depends on what one perceives as talent and success in the contest.

For me too, it also takes more than hitting the notes right, setting fire to the stage or having a well-written song to sing to be considered "talented". The deepest emotions I experienced came from artists who - through their live performances - unconsciously succeeded in transcending every single type of codified language (music, words, singing, visuals) to reach the unfeignable core of what art helped them to express within themselves. At that very moment, they crossed the threshold of an undescribable yet oddly palpable dimension that arrested people's attention and touched their hearts. By the way, special moments like these are fascinating to me because I suppose they originate from a mixture of masterful artistic interpretation skills and mere heartfelt ways of opening up as a human being.

I won't add any new names to the ones you guys have already mentioned because the two acts that - in my opinion - will remain in a league of their own while making an impression as far as results are concerned are Jamala's "1944" (whose victory still leaves me speechless) and Rona Nishliu's "Suus" (aka my favourite Eurovision song ever, that probably no one will ever be able to surpass in my book).
 

randajad

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I’ll add Rändajad, of course, since It was the entry that combined everything in the right amount: it used classical elements with modern pop sound, and although she was singing in a language that is unintelligible to the most of Europe, her stage presence and charisma showed that if you are talented, it does not matter where you come from, and if your country had 5 victories in a row or missed the final 5 years in a row.
 

KonstOik

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1. Pastora Soler 2012: Although i don't understand the lyrics, this is my favorite live performance ever in Eurovision.

2. Marija Serifovic 2007: Over 10 years have passed, i cannot stop listening to it. Meaning, melody, staging & vocals=PERFECTION!

3. Polina Gagarina 2015: I love her as an artist, she is a great vocalist and made a very emotional performance xheart
 
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