The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews - Episodes Tagged with “Albania”

Episode 287: Folklore & Rock & Roll

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

Moldova has returned to Eurovision after a one-year break and has selected 16 songs to compete for a trip to Vienna in May. Malta has also streamlined their process a bit and will select their entrant from among 18 hopefuls. We’ll take a look at the history of these two countries and preview the selections that will be taking place on Saturday, January 17.

Folklore & Rock & Roll Summary

End of 2025 News (1:19)
Moldova at Eurovision (4:46)
EuroWhat? AV Club (Patreon) (30:26)
Malta at Eurovision (32:23)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

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previews of upcoming episodes,
North America tour dates for Eurovision alumni
National Selection dates
Tidbits we can't get to on the main show

We also have the EuroWhat? AV Club Podcast, a monthly bonus episode for paid members exploring Eurovision-adjacent TV, movies, books, and more. And if there is a season 2 of the American Song Contest... well... :::monkey's paw intensifies:::

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Episode 99: Merry FiKmas

Episode 285: Kerflooey

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0600

With the passage of the EBU's new Eurovision rules, Israel will be in Vienna while the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Ireland, and Iceland have withdrawn from the Contest. We’ll be discussing the fallout from the decision and figuring out how we’ll be navigating 2026...

Kerflooey Summary

What happened at the EBU General Assembly Meeting (1:11)
What is happening after the Eurovision vote? (19:16)
What will be happening? (26:59)

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Episode 282: Momentum

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

It was a busy October in Eurovision Land: The EBU unscheduled an extraordinary member session, two countries announced their return to the Contest, and several national selections are getting their ducks in a row. We get caught up on the headlines as Eurovision 2026 starts to take shape.

Momentum Summary

EBU cancels "extraordinary session" (1:32)
Bulgaria and Romania return to Eurovision (3:21)
Gert Kark joins the Eurovision Reference Group (8:15)
Patreon: PanArctic Sing-Alongs (10:18)
National Final Roundup: Estonia, Spain, Albania, Montenegro, Luxembourg, Austria, San Marino (11:38)

Photo by Filip Mishevski on Unsplash

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Episode 277: Nice

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As we wrap up our 8th season and Eurovision's 69th (nice) edition, we take a rapid fire tour of the Contest up to this point while trying to find something nice or interesting to say about each year. Content warning: goofiness.

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Eurovision Podcast Podcrawl

What is the Eurovision Podcrawl? It's where the Eurovision podcast community picks a topic ("a year when a country first hosted Eurovision") and we all publish our episodes in our own styles. At the end of an episode, we'll point to the podcast with the next episode, and so on, through the summer! Here's the crawl:

ESC Insight: France 1959
Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990
Niall Points: Latvia 2003
12 Points from America: Belgium 1987
That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964
Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

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Episode 270: Bird Noises

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500

We have a winner! Eurovision Song Contest 2025 held its Grand Final in Basel, Switzerland and named a champion after tense rounds of juries and televoting. We discuss the show, the results, and what's in store for Eurovision 2026…

Bird Noises Summary

Austria wins the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest (1:18)
What did you think of the Grand Final? (5:23)
How were the Interval Acts? (12:20)
What does Eurovision (and the EBU) look like for 2026? (15:43)
Eurowhat Off-Season Mode (18:55)

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Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Basel 2025

Keep up with Eurovision selection season on our Basel 2025 page! We have a calendar with links to livestreams, details about entries as their selected, plus our Spotify playlists with every song we can find that is trying to get the Eurovision stage.

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Episode 269: Eurovision 2025 Grand Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:30:00 -0500

Twenty songs have emerged from the Eurovision 2025 Semifinals and will join six auto-qualifiers on Saturday. We recap the shows from Tuesday and Thursday and get ready for the Grand Final.

Eurovision 2025 Grand Final Preview Summary

Turquoise Carpet (0:48)
Semi-Final 1 Results (3:58)
Semi-Final 2 Results (10:33)
Grand Final Preview (19:14)

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Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Basel 2025

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Episode 268: Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Eurovision Week for 2025 is upon us as well as the 37 artists gathered in Basel. We get caught up on the news leading up to this week before discussing the rehearsals and our predictions for who will advance to Saturday's Grand Final.

Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final Preview Summary

Lumo stuns in Basel debut (0:48)
Eurovision Artist Support Measures (2:38)
Ongoing Issues: Flag Policy 2025 and Israel's Participation (6:01)
Semi-Final Format Changes (10:48)
Where to watch Eurovision 2025 (16:13)
Eurovision Semi-Final 1 Predictions (POTENTIAL SPOILERS) (18:27)
Eurovision Semi-Final 2 Predictions (POTENTIAL SPOILERS) (32:24)

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Basel 2025

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Episode 261: Evolution

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

We kick off our 2025 Eurovision Review Season with #EurovisionSky poster Ted Van Houten to discuss the entries from Albania, Slovenia, Belgium, Ukraine, and Poland.

About Ted

Ted is a transportation planner in Washington, DC. As someone who loves European geopolitics, obscure pop music, and being a homosexual, Ted was destined to be a Eurovision fan as soon as he found out about it. Other than Eurovision, Ted enjoys trivia competitions (both online and at his local bar), tennis, reality television, and making puns on Bluesky that get less likes than he wishes they would.

Evolution Summary

🇦🇱 Albania - Shkodra Elektronike - "Zjerm" (5:00)
🇸🇮 Slovenia - Klemen - "How Much Time Do We Have Left?" (10:28)
🇧🇪 Belgium - Red Sebastian - "Strobe Lights" (17:08)
🇺🇦 Ukraine - Ziferblat - "Bird of Pray" (23:38)
🇵🇱 Poland - Justyna - "Gaja" (28:07)
Final Thoughts (36:49)

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Basel 2025

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Special Guest: Ted Van Houten.

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Episode 250: Loaded with Energy

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Before 2025 gets into full swing, we catch up on Eurovision news from the end of 2024. We have designs! We have fonts! We have an entry where we're not not saying Tirana 2026! Plus, we go deep on the results from the ESC 250 Countdown.

Loaded with Energy Summary

💕Unity. Shapes. Love. Branding. (0:55)
🇦🇱 Albania selects "Zjerm" by Shkodra Elektronike (12:36)
🇳🇱 Netherlands selects Claude as their act for Basel (21:41)
📰 Other Process Updates: Ukraine, San Marino, Ireland, Iceland, Moldova (23:23)
🥳 Results from the 2024 ESC 250 (29:11)
📺 This week: 🇪🇪 Eesti Laul Wildcard, 🇫🇮 UMK Artists and Songs, 🇭🇷 Dora Songs, 🇱🇹 Eurovizija.lt (41:43)

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Episode 248: Three-Card Montesong

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

As we rush to get out of 2024 we're getting details from just about every country participating in Eurovision 2025. We recap last month's Montesong from Montenegro, learn a bit about Czechia's artist, and start adding all the dates to our calendar.

Three-Card Montesong Summary

😾 Is anyone still mad at the EBU? (1:30)
🇲🇪 Montenegro returns with Montesong... and shenanigans (7:48)
🇨🇿 Czechia selects ANDONXS for Basxl (17:34)
🇪🇺 What's Happening in the EU (Eurowhat Universe) (20:00)
🌊 All the National Selections (22:34)
🎅🏼 Through the holidays: Albania's Festivali i Kenges and the ESC250 (44:25)

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Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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Episode 245: Avalanche

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0600

It's been a couple months since we last checked in on Eurovision news… hoo boy there's a lot to get caught up on. We have elections, new heads of delegations, and info about way too many national selections.

Avalanche Summary

💊 Exotic Switzerland: Funding Referendum, Novartis Sponsorship (1:41)
🇳🇱 Is Everyone (Netherlands?) Still Mad at the EBU? (6:31)
🔴 Coming up on the podcast: Iceland Airwaves and Rockin' the Kremlin (12:16)
🎓 New Heads of Delegations for 2025 (14:42)
📆 National Selection Updates (Vague) (21:50)
🏆 National Final Updates (Specific) (25:47)
⏳ Who are we waiting on? (34:36)

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Episode 236: "It's 5 to 11..."

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

On April 24, 1974, Portugal's Eurovision entry was used as a signal that would dismantle a dictatorship in Europe. In this episode, look back on the Carnation Revolution and Portugal's history both outside and inside the Eurovision Song Contest.

"It's 5 to 11..." Summary

Portugal at Eurovision (2:58)
A Brief History of Portugal's Politics (11:05)
April 24, 1974 (18:25)
April 26, 1974 (27:10)

Cover image by Tatjana from Pixabay

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Malmö 2024

Stay up to date on everything happening in the leadup to the Eurovision Song Contest on our page dedicated to Malmö 2024. You can keep tabs on the countries, artists, and songs, set your laundry folding schedule with our EuroWhat's On calendar, and futz with your Spotify algorithm with our Selection Season playlist!

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Episode 235: Calm

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We check in on Eurovision headlines from June 2024 including budget discussions, host city where/when, and which countries have already expressed interest in the 2025 Contest.

Calm Summary

Eurovision Ratings Omnibus 2024 (1:04)
Host City When? Host City Where? (3:26)
Is Everyone Still Mad at the EBU? (6:11)
Patreon: "I Am: Celine Dion" (8:47)
2025 Country Count: 13 (9:37)
National Selection Updates: Italy, Belgium, Albania (17:37)

Cover photo by Luis Cortés on Unsplash

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 230: Designated Perceived Nudity Corner

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It's Eurovision Week! After we get caught up on Contest news, we make our predictions on which acts will advance to Saturday's Grand Final. Will there be heartbreak in Malmö?

Designated Perceived Nudity Corner Summary

Eurovision News: Peacock, Producer's Choice, Flags (1:19)
Eurovision Semi-Final 1 Predictions (13:01)
Eurovision Semi-Final 2 Predictions (25:52)

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 226: Oops! All Revamps

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

First-time guest Katie Proctor joins us to kick off our coverage of Eurovision 2024 Semi Final 2! We explore the full range of revamps with this week's set, including lyrics tweaks, remastering, and translation. Were the changes made by Czechia, Albania, Norway, Malta, and Latvia successful?

Oops! All Revamps Summary

Welcome, Katie Proctor! (0:42)
🇨🇿 Czechia - Aiko - "Pedestal" 🗽 (3:12)
🇦🇱 Albania - Besa - "TiTAN" 💪 (8:56)
🇳🇴 Norway - Gåte - "Ulveham" 🐺 (17:32)
🇲🇹 Malta - Sarah Bonnici - "Loop" 🔄 (24:32)
🇱🇻 Latvia - Dons - "Hollow" 🙏 (31:59)
Final Thoughts (40:51)

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Malmö 2024

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Special Guest: Katie Proctor.

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Eurovision 2024 Semi Final 1 Megamix | Patreon

Episode 213: Trickle

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Eurovision 2024 barely took a break for the holidays! We get caught up on Albania's Festivali i Këngës, the results of the ESC 250 Countdown, and look forward to Moldova, Norway, and Lithuania this coming weekend.

Trickle Summary

Albania chooses Besa and "Zemren n'dore" (0:46)
The Eurovision 2024 Stage Concept (5:31)
Eurovision announces The Draw and a new sponsor (7:04)
"Cha Cha Cha" wins the ESC250 Countdown (10:07)
National Selection updates: Ukraine, Serbia, Ireland, Croatia, Finland (19:01)
TV This Week: Norway's NRK MGP, Moldova's Auditions, Lithuania's Eurovizija.LT (23:21)

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 212: 37ish

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

We finally have a (tentative) roster for next year's Eurovision Song Contest! Czechia has selected their entry, artists have been announced for the Netherlands, Slovenia, and the UK, and national final season details are coming into focus. What a way to wrap 2023!

37ish Summary

37 countries confirmed for Malmö (so far) (1:03)
New color scheme! (6:38)
Czechia's ESCZ puts Aiko on a "Pedestal" (8:33)
Internal artist selections: Netherlands, Slovenia, United Kingdom (14:51)
Holidays sidebar: Sam Ryder, Secret Santas, 2023 Pop Culture (22:23)
National selection details: Italy, Albania, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Ukraine, Croatia (24:03)

Cover photo by Scott Evans on Unsplash

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Episode 208: Calendaring

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As we continue to wait for the full guest list for Eurovision 2024,: Cyprus announces their artist, a bunch of selection processes release start dates (FRIDAY?!), end dates, and a few name changes (EEK!), plus we start filling out this winter's TV calendar.

Calendaring Summary

Cyprus internally selects Silia Kapsis for Malmo (1:22)
35 Countries Confirmed So Far (3:24)
Malmo Budgets and Planning (5:16)
Eurowhat AV Club (6:50)
National Selections 2023: Malta, Estonia, Albania (7:30)
National Selections 2024: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Iceland, San Marino (10:51)
Changing Methods: Slovenia, Lithuania, Denmark (15:15)

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Episode 200: PopCon 2023

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0500

2020 was a dark time for live music. It also marked the first time in the Eurovision Song Contest’s 65-year history where the competition was canceled. Rather than letting the lights go down in Rotterdam, Eurovision’s fan community and the European Broadcasting Union found new ways to celebrate the contest’s artists with at-home concerts, fan-driven countdowns, AI analysis of song content, and internet watchalongs of remastered editions of previous contests.

When the contest returned in 2021, “Open Up”—the slogan carried over from the 2020 contest—took on new meaning. Participating nations took extra precautions to put on their selection processes safely while Eurovision made sure it could be “back for good.” Fans had more say in who would be representing their nation, the Rotterdam Ahoy crew tested the feasibility of large-scale music events, and improvements in streaming platforms over the last decade meant that even more eyes were on the contest.

What wide-ranging effects could this have as Eurovision breaks out of its European bubble and starts bleeding into other areas of pop culture, including the Billboard Hot 100 and the 2023 Grammy Awards?

PopCon 2023 Summary

What is Eurovision? (8:43)
A Big Tent (12:07)
An Interlude About Digital Streaming Technology (13:10)
It is a Normal Year at Eurovision and Everything is Fine and We're Definitely NOT About to be Rocked By a Global Pandemic That Will Shut Everything Down Nine Months from Now (16:44)
#EurovisionAgain (28:57)
Back for Good (35:02)
Eurovision Song Contest: The Legend of Fire Saga (40:28)
Televising Covid (42:08)
New Engagement Opportunities (50:41)
The Covid Bubble (53:30)
The Grand Final (1:02:46)
Eurovision Around the World (1:08:53)

Thank you again to everyone listening, guests who have appeared on the show, guests who don't yet know they're going to be on the show (get hype!), and the Eurovision community at-large. This podcast is a labor of love and we're super proud to have made it to 200!

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

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Episode 196: Stockholm Syndrome

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 16 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

While Ben recovers from Liverpool's Party of the Century, special guest Trip Payne stops by to chat about the 2023 Eurovision Grand Final and the battle between Sweden and Finland.

Stockholm Syndrome Summary

Eurovision Listening Project (2:35)
How was the Grand Final as a show? (5:22)
Diving into the Grand Final results (7:06)
Semi-Finals Data Drop (19:20)
Looking ahead to 2024 (23:45)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Keep tabs on everything happening with Eurovision 2023 on our website at eurowhat.com/2023

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

Over on Patreon, we have a slew of bonus episodes featuring the Eurowhat AV Club and deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics. Thank you for your support!

Special Guest: Trip Payne.

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Episode 195: Eurovision 2023 Grand Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 12 May 2023 08:00:00 -0500

Will Finland "Cha Cha Cha" to victory? Will Sweden's Loreen get a "Tattoo" to celebrate a win? Could Ukraine's "Heart of Steel" beat the competition? We recap the Eurovision 2023 Semi-Finals and make our picks for what we think will happen at the Grand Final in Liverpool.

Eurovision 2023 Grand Final Preview Summary

Semi-Final 1 Recap (2:11)
Semi-Final 2 Recap (10:06)
Grand Final Preview (18:40)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Keep tabs on everything happening with Eurovision 2023 on our website at eurowhat.com/2023

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

Over on Patreon, we have a slew of bonus episodes featuring the Eurowhat AV Club and deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics. Thank you for your support!

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Episode 194: Internet People

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Ben and Mike met up in person to make their picks on what they think will qualify from the Eurovision 2023 semi-finals. Then we saw rehearsals. Experience both the before and after as we make our best guesses for Tuesday and Thursday.

Internet People Summary

Making predictions: pre-rehearsals (2:00)
Semi-Final 1 Predictions (4:57)
Semi-Final 2 Predictions (10:57)
SPOILER WARNING: Making Adjustments (20:34)
Semi-Final 1 Prediction Adjustments (20:49)
Semi-Final 2 Prediction Adjustments (28:14)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Keep tabs on everything happening with Eurovision 2023 on our website at eurowhat.com/2023

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

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Episode 192: ... Her?

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0500

When (inciting incident), (hero) struggles against (antagonistic force) in order to (goal) before (stakes are lost).

... Her? Summary

San Marino - Piqued Jacks - "Like an Animal" (4:32)
Austria - Teya and Salena - "Who the Hell is Edgar?" (12:06)
Albania - Albina & Familja Kelmendi - "Duje" (18:54)
Lithuania - Monika Linkyté - "Stay" (25:18)
Australia - Voyager - "Promise" (32:26)
Final Thoughts (40:30)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Keep tabs on everything happening with Eurovision 2023 on our website at eurowhat.com/2023

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

Over on Patreon, we have a slew of bonus episodes featuring the Eurowhat AV Club and deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics. Thank you for your support!

Special Guest: Navah Wolfe.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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Episode 176: Nunca Secondary

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

2023 actually started a couple weeks ago in Eurovisionland, with Ukraine and Albania making their selections for Liverpool. We also check in with the ESC Top 250 results, which had some major surprises this year.

Nunca Secondary Summary

🇺🇦 Ukraine's VidBir selects TVORCHI's "Heart of Steel" (1:58)
🇦🇱 Albina and Familja Kelmendi win Albania's Festivali i Këngës with "Duje" (7:32)
🇪🇸 Chanel's "SloMo" wins the ESC Top 250 (11:21)
🇳🇴 🇧🇪 🇬🇷 Coming up: NRK MGP and Belgium's Eurosong songs drop; Greece formed a committee (19:37)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Keep tabs on everything happening with selection season for Eurovision 2023 including a calendar and playlists on our website at eurowhat.com/2023

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

Over on Patreon, we have a slew of bonus episodes featuring the American Song Contest, the Eurovision AV Club, and deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics. Thank you for your support!

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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Episode 173: Stiff Upper Lip

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0600

The United Kingdom has had a very rough couple of decades at the Eurovision Song Contest. Now that they're back in the driver's seat, we try to figure out what went wrong.

Stiff Upper Lip Summary

Eurovision Voting Overhaul (0:55)
National Finals: Australia Decides, Malta ESC, Ukraine's VidBir, Estonia's Eesti Laul, Albania's FiK (6:51)
Cosa Sta Facendo Maneskin: Grammy Nominations Edition (8:59)
The United Kingom at Eurovision Part 2 (11:51)
Nul Points (18:21)
2010s Go Internal (35:07)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find your podcast app to subscribe here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email, reach out on Twitter @eurowhat, or give us a toot on Mastodon.

Over on Patreon, we have a slew of bonus episodes featuring the American Song Contest, the Eurovision AV Club, and deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics. Thank you for your support!

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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Episode 171: Legacy

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

After we check in with the budding infrastructure for Eurovision 2023, we take a look at some of the non-winning entries over the years that still have an impact.

Legacy Summary

Eurovision announces the 37 countries going to Liverpool (0:43)
Cyprus selects Andrew Lambrou (2:38)
National final details: Spain, Norway, San Marino, Finland, Albania, Ukraine (4:03)
Що робить Kalush Orchestra? (What is Kalush Orchestra doing?) (8:16)
"SNAP" Chat: James Corden Edition (9:53)
Eurovision Legacy Hits (11:53)
Nightcore: the Party Cinderellas are Here (24:00)

Cover art by ryo taka from Pixabay

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. You can find a service to subscribe to the show here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

Become a Patron! Patrons get access to our bonus podcast Just ASCing Questions.

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Episode 163: Iceberg

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0500

With around 250 entries on the Reddit post for the 2022 Eurovision Iceberg, we take a look at some of the stories we missed (or skipped) in this year's Contest.

Iceberg Summary

Layer 1: What is the Eurovision Iceberg? (1:02)
Layer 2: Electric Callboy, Sam Ryder Illuminati (3:41)
Layer 3: The Eurowhat's Level (9:51)
Level 4: Circus Mircus, S10 and Ronela, Carol McGee (10:52)
Level 5: Subwoolfer Threatens to Eat Host, Achille Lauro Roblox (16:57)
Level 6: "I'm Famous Singer in Estonia" (23:30)
Level 7: Ochman's Confederate Flag T-Shirt (25:53)
Level 8: Ronela Mistaken for ISIS Uprising (27:31)
What does the Eurovision Iceberg tell us? (29:47)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. You can find a service to subscribe to the show here.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

Become a Patron! Patrons get access to our bonus podcast Just ASCing Questions.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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Episode 156: Bubblicious - Eurovision 2022 Semi-Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Sun, 08 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We make our picks for who we think will advance from this week's Eurovision Semi-Finals. These predictions were made before rehearsals, but surely they're still accurate?

Bubblicious Summary

Eurovision Week 2022 (1:42)
Our Semi-Final 1 Picks (6:55)
Our Semi-Final 2 Picks (19:56)

Eurovision 2022 Review Series

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

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Episode 149: Fairgrounds

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Meredith Clark joins us to discuss Albania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Moldova as we kick off our coverage of the first semi-final for Eurovision 2022.

Fairgrounds Summary

Albania - Ronela Hijati - "Sekret" (5:32)
Bulgaria - Intelligent Music Project - "Intention" (10:42)
Latvia - Citi Zēni - "Eat Your Salad" (18:00)
Lithuania - Monika Liu - "Sentimentai" (25:04)
Moldova - Zdob și Zdub & Fratii Advahov - Trenulețul (29:57)

Spotify Playlists

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

Special Guest: Meredith Clark.

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Episode 138: Unprecedented

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0600

It's full steam ahead to Eurovision 2022, with Albania making its (correct?) choice, a wild ESC 250 countdown, and looking forward to selection season series starting Saturday.

Unprecedented Summary

Eurovision 2022 Selections: Festivali i Këngës 60 ()
Cosa sta facendo Måneskin? New Year's Rockin' Eve Edition ()
ESC 250 Results ()
Coming up this week: Montenegro and NRK MGP Artists, Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo ()

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

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Episode 137: Class of 2021

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0600

The Czech Republic has made their selection, a number of processes have released more details, and we check in with the Eurovision Class of 2021.

Class of 2021 Summary

Selections: We Are Domi, S10, Amanda Tenfjord (1:22)
Processes: Pabandom is Naujo, Australia Decides, Benidorm, Festivali i Këngës (8:15)
News: Eurovision 1964 Video Clip; Cosa sta facendo Måneskin? (12:40)
Checking in on the Class of Eurovision 2021 (16:31)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

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Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

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Episode 136: Eurovision 101

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0600

With a lot of new folks discovering Eurovision over the past year and selection season 2022 underway, we put together a tutorial to answer the question: How does Eurovision work?

Eurovision 101 Summary

Bulgaria's Intelligent Music Project debuts "Intention" (1:01)
What's Måneskin Up To? Grammys and the Voice (6:10)
Selection season news (8:35)
- Estonia's Eesti Laul
- Slovenia's EMA freš
- Czech Republic's online selection
- Sweden announces artists for Melfest 2022
- Una Voce per San Marino begins casting round
- Norway's Melodi Grand Prix details its format
- Albania's Festivali i Këngës releases its songs
Eurovision 101
- What is the Eurovision Song Contest? (16:54)
- What are the Eurovision rules? (19:33)
- What does a year in Eurovision look like? (23:09)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

Want to support the show? Join our Patreon! Listener support has helped with getting episode transcriptions and refreshing our website.

Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

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Episode 135: Nul Points

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0600

The dreaded Nul Points visited Rotterdam at Eurovision this year. We take a look at the sordid history of the dubious distinction.

Nul Points Summary

News: Georgia's Circus Mircus, American Song Contest Launch Date, Estonia's Eesti Laul, Albania's Festivali i Këngës, Czech Republic's Online Selection (2:23)
Eurovision Again: 2004 (11:01)
Nul Points: A Taxonomy (13:58)
A Pointless History of Eurovision (21:44)

The EuroWhat? Podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. When you subscribe, please rate and review us. We welcome your feedback and the ratings will help other Eurovision fans find us.

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Comments, questions, and episode topic suggestions are always welcome. You can shoot us an email or find us on Twitter @eurowhat.

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Episode 121: Eurovision 2021 Grand Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 21 May 2021 09:00:00 -0500

33 songs competed on the Eurovision stage Tuesday and Thursday but only 20 advanced to the 2021 Grand Final. Who will win the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam?

Eurovision 2021 Grand Final Preview Summary

Discovering Peacock will be carrying Eurovision
Where Can I Watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the US?
First Semi-Final (3:22)
Second Semi-Final (7:23)
Grand Final Thoughts (13:38)

Episode 120: Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Sun, 16 May 2021 23:00:00 -0500

The Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final Spectacular is here! We make our picks for the 20 songs we think will qualify for the Grand Final in Rotterdam.

Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final Preview Summary

News
- The American Song Contest
- Where Can I Watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the US?
- Rehearsals: Covid Incidents (No Spoilers)
Semi-Final 1 Predictions (6:36)
Semi-Final 2 Predictions (15:25)

Episode 117: Cake or Death

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Taber Bain helps us navigate cake body horror, Jenna Maroney energy, and existential despair in the Eurovision experience.

Cake or Death Summary

Welcome, Taber Bain!
- @cakesandcourage

Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final 2 Part 2:
- Moldova - Natalia Gordienko - "Sugar" (3:53)
  - Chișinău Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts
- Iceland - Daði & Gagnamagnið - "10 Years" (10:01)
  - Think About Aliens (iOS | Android)
- Serbia - Hurricane - "Loco Loco" (15:41)
  - Comrade Detective (Amazon Prime)
- Georgia - Tornike Kipiani - "You" (23:25)
  - "Can't Get You Out of My Head" <<< BEN CLICK THIS
- Albania - Anxhela Peristeri - "Karma" (27:38)
  - "E cmendur" (Kenga Magjike 2017)

Episode 101: Disco Toilet

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:00:00 -0600

From Albania's FiK selection to Senhit's latest disco cover to the results of ESC 250, we discuss a lot of Eurovision news from over the holidays.

Disco Toilet Summary

Anxhela Peristeri wins Albania's Festivali i Këngës with "Karma" (1:41)
Selection season updates (10:10)
- Lithuania, Croatia, and Italy announce contestants
- Belarus is open for submissions
- Serbia's Hurricane and Ireland's Lesley Roy are coming back
- Spain will use a national final for Blas Cantó's song
- Israel announces three songs for Eden Alene
- Slovenia will use EMA to select Ana Soklic's song
- San Marino's Senhit covers Abba's "Waterloo"
- Iceland's Daði needs a choir (Google Drive)

ESC 250 Results and Analysis (25:07)

Episode 100: Spotify Warped

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0600

We're celebrating 100 episodes and the end of 2020! After checking the news, we look at our Spotify Wrapped, ESC250 ballots, and our origin stories.

100: Spotify Warped Summary

Eurovision at the Grammys (1:41)
New Eurovision Logo for 2021 (5:05)
Selection updates: Israel, Estonia, France, Sweden, Portugal, Croatia, Italy (6:31)
Festivali i Këngës Picks (11:49)
Spotify Wrapped or Warped? (22:04)
Our ESC250 Ballots (30:30)
How did we get radicalized into Eurovision? (35:50)

Episode 99: Merry FiKmas

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:00:00 -0600

Eurovision season usually begins in December with Albania's Festivali i Këngës, sometimes known as FiKmas. We dig into FiK's history.

Merry FiKmas Summary

Eurovision 2021 Updates: Semi-Final Allocations and Plan C Videos (2:49)
Artist Updates (7:52)
- Cyprus will send Elena Tsagkrinou with "El Diablo"
- Bulgaria's VICTORIA floats "Ugly Cry" for consideration
- Senhit covers "Amar Pelos Dois"
- Damir won't represent Croatia; Aksel won't represent Finland
- The ROOP will compete in Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo

National Selection Updates (16:53)
- France's National Final coming in January
- Norway expands Melodi Grand Prix 2021
- Upcoming drops: Sweden's Melodifestivalen Acts, Estonia's Eesti Laul songs

Main Topic: Albania's Festivali i Këngës and How to Open Up (25:36)

Episode 98: Let’s Talk Turkey

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0600

Turkey was last at Eurovision in 2012. We wanted to take this opportunity to comb through its history at the Contest and gobble up any information we could find.

Let's Talk Turkey Summary

Corrections: Stupid Sexy Flanders Edition
News (3:15)
- Belgium's Hooverphonic changes its lineup
- Ben Dolic won't return to represent Germany
- Albania's Festivali i Këngës releases 26 songs and its (tentative) schedule
- Israel hops online to choose Eden Alene's song
- Estonia announces the 24 entries for next year's Eesti Laul
Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest
- Debut (13:17)
- 1980s (22:41)
- 1990s (28:39)
- Every Way That I Can and beyond (34:07)

Episode 97: Eurovision AV Club

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:00:00 -0600

We could all use a distraction during *gestures at universe*. Here are some picks for Eurovision-adjacent media from our AV club.

Eurovision AV Club Summary

News: 41 Countries to Participate at Eurovision 2021, Daði & Gagnamagnið for Iceland, Senhit covers "Rise Like a Phoenix" (2:38)
Selection Season process details: Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo, Finland's UMK, Croatia's Dora, Denmark's Melodi Grand Prix (7:56)
ESC 250 voting opens November 9 (13:19)
Eurovision Book Club! (16:11)
- Three Minutes of Eternity (Amazon)
- Being Conchita: We Are Unstoppable (Amazon)
Eurovision Movie Club! (29:16)
- Monsterman (Amazon Prime)
- Souvenir (Trailer)
- Cupcakes (Trailer)

Episode 90: Wine Aunt Energy

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 11:00:00 -0500

We open up our mailbag and a chilled bottle of pinot grigio as we get caught up on Eurovision news from the last month.

Wine Aunt Energy Episode Summary

Mailbag (1:27):
- How to pronounce "Niamh"
- Bucks Fizz boiled sweets
- The worst Halloween candy
- Bruno Toniolli

No, really, are "Husavik" and "Jaja Ding Dong" eligible for Oscars? (6:30)

#EurovisionAgain (13:10)
- Copenhagen 2014
- Jerusalem 1999

Eurovision Back for Good (20:43)

Returning artist updates (24:09)
- Moldova
- Greece
- Israel
- Slovenia
- San Marino

Artists not returning (41:58)
- Croatia
- France
- Italy
- Albania
- Germany

Episode 82: The (Other) Ones That Got Away 2020 Edition

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 11:00:00 -0500

We look back at the songs that missed out on being in the weird limbo space created after the cancellation of the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest.

The (Other) Ones That Got Away 2020 Edition Summary

News: the transition from Eurovision 2020 to Eurovision 2021 (2:13)
The Ones That Got Away: Albania, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Ukraine (11:24)
What does Lithuania do with the Roop and Pabandom is Naujo? (27:06)

Episode 71: Sticks Nix FiK Picks

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 17:00:00 -0600

We're barely a week into 2020 and we already have Eurovision drama up to our ears (HI ALBANIA!). We get caught up on the news from over the holidays in this episode.

Sticks Nix FiK Picks Summary

Albania's Fesitvali i Këngës chooses Arilena Ara's "Shaj" (1:51)
Georgia Idol chooses Tornike Kiniapi (13:34)
Australia Decides fills its roster (16:39)
Selection process news: Italy, Netherlands, North Macedonia (23:07)
ESC 250 Results (25:42)
Coming up this week: Ukraine artists, Norway's Melodi Grand Prix, Lithuania's Marathon (30:34)

Episode 70: The Ones That Got Away 2010s Edition

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0600

408 songs competed on the Eurovision stage this decade. 148 did not qualify for the Grand Final. From those, we picked 20 that still hold up.

Episode Summary

2019 picks (4:03)
2018 picks (7:39)
2017 picks (11:40)
2016 picks (16:40)
2015 picks (22:07)
2014 picks (28:03)
2013 picks (33:48)
2012 picks (41:56)
2011 picks (46:05)
2010 picks (49:23)

Episode 68: Eurovisie Songfestivus

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 18:00:00 -0600

Tickets! Hosts! More selections! Eurovision 2020 is in full swing, but we look back at 2019 pop culture and make a 2020 wish list in this episode.

Episode Summary

Eurovision tickets on sale... for 20 minutes (1:32)
Eurovision Hosts: Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley, Jan Smit (6:26)
Austria selects Vincent Bueno (9:38)
Albania's Festivali i Këngës takes place this week (12:18)
Czech Republic invents some genres (14:55)
Festivus Grievances and Holiday Wishes (17:43)
What did your Spotify Wrapped look like? (29:50)
What other podcasts caught your ear this year? (36:52)
The Most Important Piece of Pop Culture of 2019 (42:12)

Podcasts We Recommend

Episode 49: Eurovision 2019 Semi-Final 2 Part 3: Johnny Bravo

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 18:00:00 -0500

We finish our coverage of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals talking about Russia, Albania, Norway, Netherlands, North Macedonia, and Azerbaijan.

Eurovision 2019 Semi-Final 2 Part 3: Johnny Bravo Summary

Russia - Sergey Lazarev - SCREAM (2:10)
Albania - Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju Tokës (8:31)
Norway - KEiiNO - Spirit in the Sky (13:01)
Netherlands - Duncan Laurence - Arcade (18:17)
North Macedonia - Tamara Todevska - Proud (24:01)
Azerbaijan - Chingiz - Truth (28:22)
Final Thoughts (36:00)

Episode 33: Welcome to 2019

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 01:00:00 -0600

Happy new year! Now that we can begin 2019 in earnest, we have our first Eurovision entry up for discussion.

This week's episode starts with some Eurovision in the Wild. Ben rocked a Swedish pop music quiz while Mike spotted Englebert Humperdinck (ESC 2012) on the way to Detroit. We also discuss the ESC 250 countdown and some of the surprises in this year's edition.

We also have some updates on how preparations for Tel Aviv 2019 are moving along. Florian Wieder's stage concept has been announced and the outdoor cats among us may be interested in some new accommodations that will be available for this year's Contest. We also confirm that Mike and Ben are not outdoor cats.

The main event is Albania's selection for Eurovision 2019. Although the selection process could have used some tightening up from a production standpoint (sorry, @ESCAlbania), we're optimistic about "Ktheju tokës" by Jonida Maliqi.

We're also optimistic about Cyprus, Spain, and San Marino's selections—unless the Human Ken Doll comes out to play. Selection season is upon us, and we are ready for the shows this weekend!

Eurovision in the Wild (1:17)
ESC250 (6:12)
Tel Aviv 2019 Updates (8:44)
Albania chooses "Ktheju tokës" by Jonida Maliqi (11:57)
Cyprus Update (21:19)
San Marino Trolls the Internet (23:46)
Spain Chooses 10 Finalists (27:46) Editor's note: Spain's final will be January 20
This weekend's calendar (29:08)

Links

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Episode 32: Spotify Wrapping Up 2018

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 02:00:00 -0600

As we wrap up 2018, we get ready for Albania's Eurovision selection process, check in with Spain, and see how Spotify puts us on blast.

First up, the 57th edition of Festivali i Këngës will begin Thursday with three days of competition to determine the first Eurovision entry for 2019! Will the new format of the competition lead to better results for the country in next year's Contest?

Meanwhile, Spain's selection process will reveal the 17 songs up for consideration in their selection process. It's a little convoluted, but perhaps this method will allow the country to move up the scoreboard in Tel Aviv?

Now that you can find the Eurowhat on Spotify, we take a look at our own usage to talk about what music we've been listening to in 2018. Yes—we do listen to non-Eurovision music... at least Ben does.

Have a happy holiday, a fantastic new year, and we'll see you in January!

Spotify Wrapping Up 2018 Summary

Albania's Festivali i Këngës (1:30)
Spain's Operacion Triunfo Selection (4:58)
Spot us on Spotify (7:07)
Wrapping Up 2018 (8:50)

Episode 11: First!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 05:00:00 -0500

This week we begin our analysis of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in earnest. First up: the first half of the first semi-final! Which entries are locks for advancing to the Grand Final? Who might get help from the running order? Why is Staples playing Eurovision songs from 2016?

First! Summary

Eurovision Viewing Parties (3:50)
Why is Staples playing "Sunlight"? (5:20)
Analyzing the semi-final (9:36)

First Semi-Final Running Order

Azerbaijan - Aisel - X My Heart (9:36)
Iceland - Ari Olafsson - Our Choice (14:48)
Albania - Eugent Bushpepa - Mall (19:52)
Belgium - SENNEK - A Matter of Time (27:16)
Czech Republic - Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me (31:27)
Lithuania - Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old (37:44)
Israel - Netta - Toy (43:29)
Belarus - Alekseev - Forever (47:44)
Estonia - Elina Netšajeva - La Forza (52:22)
Bulgaria - Equinox - Bones (58:09)

Episode 1: Welcome to 2018

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 08:00:00 -0600

We're podcasting, y'all! Welcome to the EuroWhat?

In our opening episode of The EuroWhat? podcast, our Eurovision News and Entertainment Research Division Specialists introduce themselves to our listening audience before sharing their first impressions of Albania's entry.

Then the crew hopscotches around Europe (and Australia) to chat about the seven artists already announced from internal selections. Who do we like? Who are we concerned about? Will there be jazz?

Intro 0:00
Who are you? What are you doing here? 3:02
Albania First Impressions 11:02
Internally Selected Artists 23:02
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Finland
- Georgia
- Netherlands

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The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews - Episodes Tagged with “Albania”

Episode 287: Folklore & Rock & Roll

Folklore & Rock & Roll Summary

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Episode 285: Kerflooey

Kerflooey Summary

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Episode 282: Momentum

Momentum Summary

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Episode 277: Nice

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Eurovision Podcast Podcrawl

Episode 270: Bird Noises

Bird Noises Summary

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Basel 2025

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Episode 269: Eurovision 2025 Grand Final Preview

Eurovision 2025 Grand Final Preview Summary

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Basel 2025

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Episode 268: Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final Preview

Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final Preview Summary

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Basel 2025

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Episode 261: Evolution

About Ted

Evolution Summary

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Basel 2025

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Episode 250: Loaded with Energy

Loaded with Energy Summary

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Episode 248: Three-Card Montesong

Three-Card Montesong Summary

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Episode 245: Avalanche

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Episode 236: "It's 5 to 11..."

"It's 5 to 11..." Summary

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 235: Calm

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 230: Designated Perceived Nudity Corner

Designated Perceived Nudity Corner Summary

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Episode 226: Oops! All Revamps

Oops! All Revamps Summary

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Episode 213: Trickle

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Episode 212: 37ish

37ish Summary

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Episode 208: Calendaring