Tuesday 14 May 2013, 17:56
When you think of the Eurovision Song Contest, you might not always think of ground breaking music, or performances that push the envelope style-wise. But amongst the ballads and Euro-floor fillers there have always been acts brave enough to do their own thing, to break from convention, the acts that have danced to a different beat. We asked BBC Three presenter and Scissor Sisters’ singer Ana Matronic to delve down into the archive and pick her top five Eurovision trail blazers.
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Do you agree with Ana’s choices? Which acts would you add to the list?
Saturday 11 May 2013, 22:12
No sooner had Team UK landed in Copenhagen for the short drive to host city Malmö, it seemed most of Europe's press had descended en masse with the news that Bonnie Tyler had finally arrived. Accomodating a Swedish crew on the Eurovision bus, we even made the evening news.
Clearly the biggest draw in town, Bonnie charmed a host of European TV crews today. Many of whom couldn't resist letting Bonnie know they were actually fans too...
Finland's presenter get's a little star-struck around Bonnie
Russian soundmen are made of sterner stuff
We spotted the Danish cameraman taking a surreptitious fan-pic of Bonnie!
Croatian act Klappa S Mora turned up to serenade Bonnie
Contest, what contest? Even the Croatian act are backing Bonnie
The Croatian crew sneaked in a couple of pictures for Bonnie to sign
The Montenegrin act give Bonnie the thumbs up... errrr or some kind of gang hand signal
Our own Scott Mills asks Bonnie how big her hair was in the 80s
Flying the flag. Bonnie meets the Spainsh crew
Bonnie and the German presenter bond over the same handbag
Friday 10 May 2013, 10:09
In my capacity as a Eurovision pundit over the years, if there’s one recurring theme that constantly crops up in interviews it’s politics.
“It’s all political though isn’t it?” “We never do well because of Iraq” “Those Eastern Europeans only vote for their neighbours”. Just some of the usual hackneyed phrases attributed to the UK’s involvement in the contest. Do these really hold true? Is it all really a big conspiracy and opportunity for Europe to take revenge against their enemies?
The accusation that the contest is ‘political’ is nothing new; for decades Greece and Cyprus have regularly exchanged the top vote whilst awarding few points, if any, to Turkey. Since the introduction of mass televoting in 1997/8 there have been claims that large numbers of expats are voting for their homeland entries. In the 2007 Semi-Final, where all ten qualifiers came from east of the Danube, some critics were up in arms claiming that the contest had been “hi-jacked by those pesky Eastern Europeans.”
The reaction to this apparent block voting has transformed into an overwhelming negative response in the press. “UK may quit Eurovision amid fears tactical voting is...
Read more about Eurovision: It’s all political though isn’t it?
Tuesday 30 April 2013, 17:11
The Eurovision juggernaut rolled into London recently as the Shadow Lounge in Soho hosted the UK’s preview party, and with the competition mere weeks away the anticipation was almost palpable. Eight of this year’s hopefuls made it over to Blighty, all keen to give a good account of themselves in front of the UK’s most ardent and passionate Eurovision fans and we were on hand to welcome them. Find out their hopes, fears and costume choices for Eurovision in this exclusive video.
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Hosted by Nicki French and the equally quick witted Paddy O'Connell, first of up was Austria’s entry Natália...
Friday 19 April 2013, 11:36
On Sunday 21st April 2013 a whole load of Eurovision acts from past and present will be gracing the Soho stage and we'll be right in the middle of the London Eurovision Party getting all the ESC gossip.
This year, guests include:
This is where you come in. Do you have a burning question for any of the acts? Want to know their shoe size or what they wear to bed? We will dare to go where others will not.
Leave you question below and we'll pick the best to put to the 2013 Eurovision Party acts.
Monday 15 April 2013, 20:16
Over the years there have been so many Eurovision entries have been somewhat overshadowed by the choice of outfit on the night. Compiling a short list of Eurovision fashion 'disasters' has not been an easy task for several reasons. Firstly, there are so many dodgy costumes! More importantly, styles change. It’s difficult enough to look back on old photographs of family gatherings, let alone international song contests! What might have been the height of fashion at one point might not necessarily be so at another time. It’s too easy to mock the 80s or any other decade. The outfits listed here...
Read more about Eurovision Fashion Disasters - The Douze of the Don’ts
Friday 12 April 2013, 17:15
With the weeks flying by and Eurovision 2013 just over a month away, we joined a Swedish film crew in South Wales to see the making of the UK’s Eurovision postcard.
Now, as most of you will know, the postcards play an integral part in the proceedings of Eurovision, the short VTs allowing the acts to get on and off the stage without the TV audience of 120 million seeing the logistic chaos happening on stage.
Despite the UK being in the grips of a second Ice Age with blizzards and Siberian winds wreaking havoc elsewhere, the Eurovision Gods were definitely on our side as Swansea Bay was bathed in...
Monday 25 March 2013, 20:59
Every year the eyes of Europe are fixed on the star performer(s) on the Eurovision stage whilst the backing singers are often left in the shadows. Backing singers are the hidden heroes of Eurovision, often saving the songs (and singers) from fall flat, quite literally! Some backing singers go on to actually sing in their own right in the contest itself, whereas others, who have previously been the star, return to the Eurovision stage, somewhat out of the spotlight. Then of course there are others who seem to be quite happy that way and take up their supportive roles in year, year out.
The role...
Thursday 21 March 2013, 13:51
Find out ten essential facts about our Eurovision star and rock/pop powerhouse Bonnnie Tyler...
- Born Gaynor Hopkins, Bonnie's distinctive dulcet tones are down to straining her voice after surgery on her vocal cords
- Bonnie was the first Welsh Singer to top the Billboard Chart in the US with 'Total Eclipse of The Heart' in 1983
- The same year, she achieved a Guinness World Record for her 'Faster Than the Speed of Light' album. The first time a UK female artist had achieved a number one album on release
- Fellow singing superstar, Cher asked Bonnie to lend her husky tones to backing...
Read more about Ten things you should know about Bonnie Tyler
Thursday 7 March 2013, 08:38
The United Kingdom has been holding out for a Eurovision hero who will represent us in Malmö and now the wait is over: We are pleased to announce that international musical legend Bonnie Tyler will be leading the charge for the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013!
With a career spanning four decades and a voice instantly identifiable the world over, singing powerhouse Bonnie is a global superstar. She will be flying the flag for the United Kingdom at the 58th Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, in front of an estimated global audience of over 120 million viewers.
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Bonnie says, “I am truly...
