What is your first Eurovision memory you can remember?

[ayzelto]

For some of us (old people like me, who have already reached their 30's), the first Eurovision memories are from a loooong time ago, for others, they are probably very recent.
Can you remember the first image/memory that got stuck in your head and you still remember?

I remember when I was 10 and my mum told me Spain had only got one point coming from Croatia (bless you). I also remember that horrible dress Lidia was wearing. Therefore, I would say this is my first memory. I can´t remember much about 2000, but I remember watching the whole contest in 2001.

Share your opinions guys!

 

[VirginiaVision]

Since I'm American, it wasn't until I was 15 that I even heard of the contest. It was 2014, and I was watching a YouTube news show (Philip DeFranco, if anyone's wondering). One of the stories he briefly covered was Conchita Wurst's Eurovision victory. He showed a couple clips from the moment Austria's victory was announced and I thought "damn, that's awesome that Europe voted for a bearded drag queen. Good for her!". I think a fair amount of American fans were introduced to the contest by Conchita.

BUT, that's not when I started watching. I didn't watch the contest until the same show covered the 2016 contest. It mentioned Ukraine's win and Australia's second placing, and I recognized Dami Im from watching her season of X Factor Aus. So as odd as it may seem, Australia is essentially the reason I started watching the Eurovision!

 

[mauve]

My first memory lies even a little more back - year 1998. I heard Guildo Horn - Guildo hat euch lieb , Germany's entry of that year. Guildo made me laugh so much, his performance was great and you just wanted to sing along. He's singing also About "Nussecken und Himbeereis" (nut corners.and rasperry ice). In that year people were selling many nut corners in their shops. And I was eating them.
So 1997 was my first memory, but it took me some more years to become a ESC-Fan, started actually in Lena's victory year.

 

[Ana Raquel]

hamster wheel

 

[ayzelto]

hahahahahaha no one will ever forget about that

 

[Stiven]

Eurovision related memory:

I didn't watch the NF that year but the song was a huge hit here so they played the music video on TV fairly regularly.
Actual Eurovision memory:

Unfortunately I only remember this performance from the entire year (the other ones except the winner I only found through youtube) and I remember liking it a lot I was 6 years old don't judge me.

 

[PinchyCrabstina]

I was six when I was introduced to Eurovision in 2004. I just happened to come across it on tv having no idea what it was. My most vivid memories from that time was Russia's colourfuly painted dancers and those twirling Turkish dancers when Sertab performed. I had watched the first JESC competition the year before and the different languages, flags and music I'd never heard before really intrigued me then so I was hooked by the concept of Eurovision right from the start.

 

[Iker]

hamster wheel

How many times has this prop been in use by the way? At the ESC only.

 

[anto475]

I remember watching the results of the 1998 contest when my aunt was in hospital and trying to sing along to the German entry in 1999 (I thought they were saying "salem, salem", singing about Sabrina the Teenage Witch's cat).

I only really got into the contest in 2003 when I recorded the contest on VHS and subjected every house guest we had for the following year to watch the contest with me. Looking back I'm amazed people actually wanted to hang out with me at the time

 

[Volkisistan]

My father introduced me to Eurovision in 1987 by playing the songs of the German NF to me and my siblings. He made me (7 at the time, my brother (12) and my sister (5) vote, and I was deeply in love with our winner: Maxi & Chris Garden - Frieden für die Teddybären (Peace for teddy bears). I was so happy that they got to represent us the year after!
I think being young really excuses liking songs by Siegel/Meinunger...

And my first real, international Eurovision memory is the hair of Nathalie Paque in 1989, which was the first time I was allowed to watch the show.

 

[BorisBubbles]

Hearing on the television that Israel were sending a transwoman to Eurovision and misunderstanding why a bloke would want to snap his willy off

I was eight.

 

[midnightsun]

I started watching Eurovision in 1986, my mum introduced me to this (thanks mum :-*) but I was 7 years at the time and at the same time my mum would not allow me to stay up long enough to watch the results. (Boy, I was mad!)

The next day she came and told me that little 16year old girl had won who turned out to be 13 actually and she made me believe it was a huuuge scandal! I think she went a little too much drama queen back then but that‘s my first memory! :-)

 

[Citelis]

It was 2002 when i first ever watched Eurovision and actually my mother was introduced me to this! However the first strong memories come from 2003 when Turkey won. I remember how exciting the whole voting thing was and how good Turkey's entry was. I was 9 years old in 2003.

 

[FilipFromSweden]

Lordi

 

[Vittra]

I have vague memories of watching Jan Johansen perform "Se på mig" in 1995 and Jill Johnson perform "Kärleken är" in 1998. But I'm not sure if I remember them from Melodifestivalen or ESC.

I know for sure that I watched Sweden win ESC in 1999. I remember my parents had fallen asleep on the couch and I was a little upset that they missed it. I was 9 in 1999.

 

[RainyWoods]

Hearing on the television that Israel were sending a transwoman to Eurovision and underunderstanding why a bloke would want to snap his willy off

I was eight.

That's weirdly my first Eurovision memory too, and I would have been the same age. I don't think I was quite... er thinking the exact same things though, but I was probably a bit confused. I remember it was a big thing here, with lots of news stories.

Another vivid early memory I have is of Nicki French winning our selection for the UK a couple of years later. That was probably the first Eurovision entry I considered myself a fan of as it was in my head for weeks after the selection. It would have been a good early sign of my homosexuality had I not already been a massive Steps fan at that point.

edit: Oh I'm forgetting Precious actually the year before. I was into them too.

 

[Franzilein]

Probably the ESC 2005... watched it at my grandmother's home, because she coincidentally had birthday on the same day as the final, so the show was running in the background. I remember that my mother predicted Greece winning the minute she heard it, because it was melodic and rhythmic, something which the other songs were lacking (according to her ). Also Gracia's Schreckschrauben vocals.

 

[Mrm]

It is 2004 when RTS (or how it was called back then) decided to debut...
Nth special...
I remember also before that my parents were telling few words on Yugoslavia participating earlier..the last Yugoslavian entry was in 1992 when I was 3..
And now I can remember that in 2000 they showed on our tv station (not so sure which one) XXL from Macedonia performing "Sto posto te ljubam"...
At this point I'm not sure if I knew it was for this festival..yeah, I'm really not sure..

 

[Eulaliya]

My first encounter with ESC was through Buranovskiye Babushki circulating through the world of memes as I was still a newbie when it comes to internet, and Eythor Ingi the following year. And I started to gradually follow ESC in 2015 (I remember rooting for Polina Gagarina), the rest is history...

 

[BorisBubbles]

That's weirdly my first Eurovision memory too, and I would have been the same age. I don't think I was quite... er thinking the exact same things though, but I was probably a bit confused. I remember it was a big thing here, with lots of news stories.
edit: Oh I'm forgetting Precious actually the year before. I was into them too.

I was defo confused as well (dunno why I Realest'ed the word 'misunderstanding' into 'underunderstanding' lolwhoops), but I got over my intial transphobia eventually. Luff her now, even if I like several entries better.

Another really vivid memory was watching the video clip of 'Take Me To Your Heaven' and stanning Charlotte because of how glam and blonde she looked lmao.

2000 and 2004 also hold great nostalgic value for me. 2000 because it was the first contest i watched in full (and because it has my all time favourite entry) and 2004 because it was the first finale I taped and rewound compulsively (this was before youtube existed lol). 14 Year old me LOOOOVED miming to Wild Dances and Off Again, On Again.