Eurovision!!!!

So, who's looking forward to Eurovision tomorrow?

I AM :)

For those who are unfamiliar with this annual tradition when Europe goes completely mental - this is a music competition when Europe sends "their best talents" to compete and win the honour of hosting the contest the next year.

This year the contest had been running for 60 years!

Okay, so sometimes the performers in the past haven't been the greatest, but they always mean well.

Over the last few years I think the standard has been incredibly high. There were only three songs I simply could not listen to this year :).

Once upon a time there was just the one contest, now there are so many countries entered they have to have semi-finals, so I've already watched those this week. Rob is very sad because his favourite did not make it to the finals - he was rather hypnotised by the young lady in the skimpy cop's outfit dancing for Moldova.

I'm a little disappointed though, there don't seem to be any completely out there acts this year :(. No opera vampire dubstep like 2013 - I love his voice:

Some other highlights over the years: Dita Von Teese on stage for Germany in 2009; Ukraine's Verka Serduchka, drag queen in silver 2007; Lordi winning for Finland in 2006 with Hard Rock Hallelujah and there are so many more ;).

We do have Conchita in the green room though - she's doing all the interviews :). Conchita won last year for Austria singing Rise Like A Pheonix and she is awesome - yes, she does have a beard and an amazing voice:

If you would like to know more about Conchita and why she was created, visit her website and her new album is available from Amazon and iTunes.

Conchita stands for respect for all and diversity and inclusion and dignity and so does Eurovision (well, okay, occasionally not dignity ;)) - Pride is alive and well at Eurovision.

All the acts have videos of their songs up at the Eurovision Youtube channel (linked on the Eurovision site), as well as their performances so far. Looking at the videos my fav was the following one, Unbroken by Maria Olafs from Iceland, but she was a little too nervous at her semi and didn't make the final:

My fav from the semi's is this one from Sweden, Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw, which I found unimpressive recorded, but live he's amazing - I think he's one of the favourites which probably means he'll get nowhere, but he was very impressive:

I even like out song this year :) - that makes a nice change. It's called Still In Love With You by Electro Velvet and it's very bouncy. We haven't got a hope since we're going 5th in the running order and half of Europe hate us, but it's a superb song and I will not have anything said against it.

The Eurovision Youtube Channel has just about everything - so check it out :) I must remember to order my copy of the DVD.

Do you watch Eurovision? Do you even know what I'm talking about? Do you fancy watching Eurovision now I've rambled about it?

There is nothing wrong with a man in a dress! Conchita is Awesome.

For those who have been under a rock, or not in Europe, this year's Eurovision Song Contest was won by Austria and their entrant, Conchita Wurst, a singer whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, who created the persona of Conchita in a bid for tolerance.

"This is about an important message, it's call for tolerance for everything that seems different." - Conchita Wurst

She was utterly spectacular on the night and boy does she have a fantastic voice. Play the vid, the song is brilliant - it's the official vid from Eurovision TV.

I think her win is incredibly important because it really is a complete up yours to all the prejudice.

There is a backlash in Russia apparently with celebrities shaving off their beards - which is clearly a political move. However, according to Popbitch on twitter, Rise Like a Phoenix is currently No1 on Russian charts, so ordinary people are not of the same opinion. See this article for info on both:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/russians-are-shaving-their-beards-in-reaction-to-conchita-wu

Russia tried to have Conchita banned before the competition : http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/russia-slams-eurovision-winner-conchita-3525396

Sorry Putin - you can't stage a debate with only one side of the argument and expect people to take it seriously. I feel sorry for your entry this year because they're only 17 and they were booed and that is your fault for invading Ukraine. You're a homophobic arsehole with megalomania and Europe just stuck its fingers up at you.

However, it's not just Russia sadly. I've already heard someone say it was disgusting and that they had to try and explain it to their 4 year old. Um, so what? Just tell them she's a man who likes to wear dresses and be a lady when she's singing. What's hard about that? You don't have to explain all the political and social implications to a 4 year old.

Personally I thought explaining Poland's entry to a 4 year old might be harder, given that there were two lasses on the stage who were only there for their big boobs and the butter churning was fooling no one!

For heaven's sake, we're in the 21st century, if a man wants to wear a dress he should be able to. Judge people on who they are and how they treat others, not what they look like or who they do or don't love.

If you would like to read more about Conchita here is her official page and her wiki page.

All I can say is, well done Europe. We voted for a fantastic singer, a fantastic song and tolerance.

Oh and for the record, for once my fav songs came top:

1. Rise Like a Phoenix - Austria - Conchita Wurst
2. Calm After the Storm - Netherlands - the Common Linnets (I am sure the Winter Soldier was signing for them :))
3. Undo - Sweden - Sanna Nielson

I also loved Iceland, Norway, Spain and Slovenia's entries. You can see them all on Youtube under the Eurovision's Official Channel.