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

Episode 301: BOOM Bangaranga

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Better late than never: let’s talk about Eurovision 2026. We’ll discuss what happened in Vienna, what this means for the Contest going forward, and share our post-confetti plans. Also: BULGARIA?!

📸 Sarah Louise Bennett | EBU

BOOM Bangaranga Summary

Were we engaged with the Contest this year? (0:56)
The Eurovision Brodacasts (6:16)
First Semi-Final (10:06)
Second Semi-Final (16:24)
The Grand Final (28:41)
Data Tidbits (46:19)
Looking Ahead to 2027 (50:21)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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If you want even more EuroWhat? in your life, join the EuroWhat? AV Club on Patreon! You can join for free to get virtual high fives and a monthly newsletter featuring:

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 283: Down Under

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Australia first competed at Eurovision when Austria hosted the 60th Edition of the Contest in 2015. As we approach the 70th Edition (also hosted by Austria), let’s explore Australia’s history with the ESC and do a pulse check on how the country is doing in the competition.

Down Under Summary

Australian Artists at Eurovision: The New Seekers, Olivia Newton-John, Gina G (2:47)
Why is Australia so into Eurovision? (19:14)
Australia at Eurovision (25:38)
...Oh, Canada? (39:57)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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Episode 273: Fan Media Roundtable

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Eurovision has a unique ecosystem where the EBU and various blogs, podcasts, video channel, and other fans have a work relationship in covering the Contest. But is that relationship working? We discuss the current state of fan media with dudepoints, Niall from niallpoints, and Derek from 12 Points (all with good points).

Fan Media Summary

How was your venue covering Eurovision 2025? (4:23)
What is the distinction between fan media and "real" media? (11:27)
The EBU / Fan Media Ecosystem (17:18)
How does fan media view fan media? (23:44)
What are you looking forward to in 2026? (46:54)
The Eurovision Pod Crawl and other plugs (52:45)

_Cover photo by Fernando Lavin on Unsplash
_

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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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 (week of July 14)
Niall Points: Latvia 2003 (week of July 28)
12 Points from America: Belgium 1987 (week of August 11)
That Eurovision Site: Denmark 1964 (week of August 25)
Douze Points: Azerbaijan 2012 (week of September 8)

Special Guests: 12 Points from America, Dude Points, and Niall Fulton.

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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)

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 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 266: Mélange

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Ned Raggett joins us to close out our coverage of the second semi-final for Eurovision 2025. This week, we approach the entries from Australia, Serbia, Denmark, Austria, Israel, and Georgia.

Ned Raggett

Ned Raggett writes a lot, is a denizen of social media, and more things besides. He has written for Pitchfork, the Guardian, The Quietus, Rolling Stone, The Wire, Shfl, Bandcamp Daily, Freaky Trigger, OC Weekly, Nashville Scene, Seattle Weekly, SF Weekly, SF Chronicle, KQED Arts, Vice, Careless Talk Costs Lives, Plan B, Loose Lips Sink Ships, FACT, Red Bull Music Academy, Fake Jazz and probably more than a few things that keep slipping his mind.

Mélange Summary

Australia - Go-Jo - "Milkshake Man" (1:34)
Serbia - Princ - "Mila" (11:01)
Denmark - Sissal - "Hallucination" (17:43)
Austria - JJ - "Wasted Love" (26:10)
Israel - Yuval Raphael - "New Day Will Rise" (39:44)
Georgia - Mariam Shengelia - "Freedom" (42:06)
Final Thoughts (50:24)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Basel 2025

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Special Guest: Ned Raggett.

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Episode 258: LUMO

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

We get a mix of Eurovision internal selections and national finals this week from Australia, Netherlands, Serbia, Germany, Denmark, and Croatia. We also meet a new mascot/nemesis.

LUMO Summary

Lumo is here (1:01)
Australia has ordered one "Milkshake Man" to Go-Jo (3:15)
Claude says "C'est La Vie" for the Netherlands (7:43)
Serbia crowns Princ and his song "Mila" (11:28)
Germany goes "Baller" with Abor & Tynna (17:24)
Denmark has a "Hallucination" with Sissal (25:03)
Croatia's Marko Bošnjak is bring a "Poison Cake" to Basel (29:06)
Also happening: Finalists in San Marino, Sweden, and Portugal (35:52)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Basel 2025

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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)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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Episode 233: Grievance Committee

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As the EBU works through a litany of complaints about Eurovision 2024, Dr Jess Carniel from the University of Southern Queensland joins us to discuss the issues facing the competition. Along with examining what should be a rebuilding year for the Contest, we chat about Australia's presence at the ESC and reconsider the balance of the jury and televote.

Dr Jess Carniel

Jess is an Associate Professor in Humanities at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Her research focuses on the various dimensions of the Eurovision Song Contest, its fans, politics, and culture. She is the author of Understanding the Eurovision Song Contest in Multicultural Australia: We Got Love, and co-editor with Chris Hay of Eurovision and Australia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives from Down Under. She is a firm believer in bangers over ballads.

Grievance Committee Summary

Welcome, Dr. Jess Carniel! (0:44)
Grievance: Spain wants Freedom of the Press (6:18)
Grievance: The European Union Flag (13:19)
Grievance: Double Standards at Eurovision (18:20)
Grievance: Juries and Televoting (23:06)
2025: A Rebuilding Year? (32:49)
Studying Australia's Relationship with Eurovision (48:48)
Did any loose ends get tied up? (55:24)
Final Thoughts (1:00:54)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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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Special Guest: Jess Carniel.

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Episode 232: Broke

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 14 May 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Somehow we made it through the other side of the 2024 Eurovision Grand Final in one piece. Things that didn't: the Netherlands, Nemo's trophy, and possibly the EBU? We examine the immediate aftermath of Saturday's show from Malmö.

Broke Summary

Netherlands Disqualified from Eurovision (0:59)
The Actual Grand Final (6:53)
Eurovision Results Data Dive (10:07)
Looking Toward Eurovision 2025 (17:49)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Malmö 2024

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Episode 225: Optimistic

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

Meredith Clark from Light Treason News joins us to chat about our last set of songs for Eurovision Semi Final 1: Serbia, Iceland, Australia, Portugal, and Azerbaijan. Topics include: Memes popular in Bangladesh, Whose Line is It Anyway, didgeridoos, three-minute world building, and arms appreciation.

Optimistic Summary

Welcome back, Meredith Clark! (0:53)
🇷🇸 Serbia - Teya Dora - "Ramonda" 🥀 (4:35)
🇮🇸 Iceland - Hera Bjork - "Scared of Heights" 🎢 (10:31)
🇦🇺 Australia - Electric Fields - "One Milkali (One Blood)" ☕️ (17:11)
🇵🇹 Portugal - iolanda - "Grito" 😧 (23:43)
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan - Fahree feat. Ilkin Dovlatov - "Özünlə Apar" 🤝 (29:54)
Final Thoughts (36:51)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

Malmö 2024

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Special Guest: Meredith Clark.

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Episode 222: Scrunchy Face Sounds

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We're at the end of Eurovision Selection Season and get caught up with internal selections from Australia and Greece plus the conclusion of Sweden's Melodifestivalen and Portugal's Festival da Canção. ... what do you mean there are still some unknown tracks?!

Scrunchy Face Sounds Summary

Electric Fields to represent Australia with "One Milkali (One Blood)" (0:51)
Greece rolls the dice with Marina Satti's "Zari" (4:13)
Marcus and Martinus win Melodifestivalen with "Unforgettable" (7:58)
"Grito" by iolanda wins Festival da Canção (13:35)
Coming up: Israel, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Review Season (17:41)

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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

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 or reach out on Bluesky @eurowhat.bsky.social.

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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.

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 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!

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.

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 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.

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Episode 184: Did the Thing

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

Have we heard the winner of Eurovision 2023? Finland's selection made a strong case this weekend while Sweden's Loreen debuted her contender at Melfest. San Marino, Poland, and Australia also announced their picks as we get closer to the end of Selection Season.

Did the Thing Summary

Eurovision Hosts Announced (1:16)
Australia makes a "Promise" with Voyager (5:31)
Finland's UMK selects Käärijä's "Cha Cha Cha" (8:47)
Piqued Jacks' "Like an Animal" wins Una Voce per San Marino (12:46)
Poland's Blanka is going to "Solo" at Eurovision (18:30)
Remo Forrer will represent Switzerland (24:57)
Loreen did the thing at Melfest (25:43)
Iceland sets the final field for Songvakeppnin (31:47)
Portugal begins the Festival da Canção (34:13)
This week: Netherlands, Serbia, Cyprus, Germany, Moldova (35:45)

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!

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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!

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Episode 157: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ — Eurovision 2022 Grand Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 13 May 2022 06:00:00 -0500

We started Eurovision Week with 35 semi-finalists. 20 have moved on to join the Big 5 in Saturday's Grand Final. We take stock of our predictions from last episode and make our picks for who will win Eurovision 2022.

¯_(ツ)/¯ Eurovision 2022 Grand Final Preview Summary

Eurovision Semi-Final 1 (2:27)
Eurovision Semi-Final 2 (12:34)
Eurovision Grand Final Preview (24:37)
Who will win Eurovision 2022? (31:42)

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.

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.

Episode 153: Americana?

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0500

The middle of the second semi-final for Eurovision 2022 is all over the map, but seems to have a lot of Americana vibes? Bre Booker returns to help us sort through the randomness.

Americana? Summary

San Marino - Achille Lauro - "Stripper" (1:46)
Australia - Sheldon Riley - "Not the Same" (8:24)
Cyprus - Andromache - "Ela" (14:28)
Ireland - Brooke Scullion - "That's Rich" (21:30)
North Macedonia - Andrea - "Circles" (28:56)
Estonia - STEFAN - "Hope" (34:27)

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.

Special Guest: Bre B..

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Links:

Episode 146: Україна

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0600

We stand with Ukraine.

Україна Summary

Eurovision Response to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (1:31)
Eurovision in the Wild: David Byrne Edition (7:02)
Australia Decides on Sheldon Riley's "Not the Same" (9:15)
The Rasmus wins Finland's UMK with "Jezebel" (15:49)
More Super Saturdays: Iceland, Sweden, France, Romania, and more (20:45)

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.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Links:

Episode 145: Quante voci? In questa economia?

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0600

In the biggest Saturday for Eurovision 2022 selection season, 6 songs were chosen for Turin. We travel to Norway, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, San Marino, and Malta and examine a variety of TV formats along the way.

Quante voci? In questa economia? Summary

News: Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg to Host American Song Contest; Ukraine Update (1:25)
Azerbaijan announces Nadir Rüstəmli (4:32)
Norway Gives That Subwoolfer a Ticket to Turin (6:19)
Slovenia hits the "Disko" with LPS (13:07)
Croatia Gives in to Mia Dimšić's "Guilty Pleasure" (15:35)
Poland crosses the "River" with Ochman (18:25)
Malta Thinks Emma Muscat is "Out of Sight" (21:48)
Achille Lauro's "Stripper" is Una Voce per San Marino (27:24)
Cosa Sta Facendo Maneskin: Vibe Rate Edition (32:53)
This week: Australia Decides, Finland's UMK, Iceland's Songvakeppnin, Melfest Heat 4 (34:08)

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.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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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.

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.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

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Episode 134: Belarus

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0600

Belarus won't be competing at Eurovision in the foreseeable future, so this seems like a good time to take an historical view of the country and its identity.

Belarus Summary

News: Australia, Germany, American Song Contest, ESC Top 250 (1:11)
A Brief History of Belarus (6:33)
Belarus at Eurovision (14:22)
Belarus Today (28:49)

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.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Links:

Episode 126: A Song Called Hate

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Film buff and Eurofan Evan Stewart joins us to discuss the Hatari documentary A Song Called Hate.

A Song Called Hate Summary

Eurovision Again: 1980 (0:57)
News Desk: Belarus, Italy, Måneskin
A Song Called Hate intro
Welcome, Evan Stewart!
Let's Talk About the Documentary
Who is the audience for A Song Called Hate?
Would you recommend this movie?

Links / Credits

Cover art: Andres Putting | Eurovision.tv
#62: Morocco 1980
A Song Called Hate Homepage
Episode Transcript

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. Special Guest: Evan Stewart.

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 113: Container Ship of Love

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500

A container ship of 40 39 songs heads to Rotterdam for Eurovision 2021! Chris King joins us to discuss entries from Australia, Ireland, Lithuania, North Macedonia, and Russia.

Container Ship of Love Summary

News (1:04)
- We have a Patreon now!
- Belarus out
- Rock the Roof
- Eurovision Spain Online PreParty April 24

Welcome back, Chris King! (6:26)
- @ckingsc on Twitter

Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final 1 Part 1
- Australia - Montaigne - "Technicolour" (7:27)
  - "metal peach embodies technicolour" (Twitter)
- Ireland - Lesley Roy - "Maps" (15:36)
  - PopDirt's Lesley Roy archive circa 2009 (PopDirt)
- Lithuania - The ROOP - "Discoteque" (21:10)
  - Yo Gabba Gabba dancing with Mya (YouTube)
- North Macedonia - Vasil - "Here I Stand" (27:36)
  - Honeyland trailer (YouTube)
- Russia - Manizha - "Russian Woman" (33:12)
  - Russia's Tajik-born Eurovision star on the abuse she's received (BBC)

Episode 110: Oops! All Songs!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0600

Oops! Everyone looked at the calendar and realized Eurovision entries are due next week! We give a first listen to 25% of the 2021 field.

Oops! All Songs! Summary

Songs Dropping All Over Thursday and Friday
- Belgium is "The Wrong Place" for Hooverphonic (1:57)
- Remember Romania's Roxen? She has "Amnesia" (5:13)
- The Netherlands gives "Birth of a New Age" from Jeangu Macrooy (8:02)
- Philipp Kirkorov, in association with Philipp Kirkorov and the Dream Team, presents Philipp Kirkorov's "Sugar" by Moldova's Natalia Gordienko (a Philipp Kirkorov production) (10:39)
- Australia's Montaigne sees in "Technicolour" (19:11)
- Serbia goes "Loco Loco" for Hurricane (22:04)

Super Saturday 2: The Revenge!
- Uku Suviste is "The Lucky One" to win Estonia Eesti Laul (25:48)
- Denmark goes retro with Fyr Og Flamme's "Øve Os På Hinanden" (29:32)
- The Black Mamba's "Love is on My Side" wins Portugal's Festival da Canção (33:57)
- Italy's Sanremo rocks out with Måneskin's "Zitti e Buoni" (36:39)

MOAR SONGS
- Flo Rida joins Senhit for San Marino's "Adrenalina" (42:32)
- Russia's surprise national final picks Manizha's "Russian Woman" (46:20)

Next week: Sweden's Melfest final and Oops! Even more songs! (51:33)

Episode 96: Take! It! Off!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 11:00:00 -0500

The Masked Singer has proven to be an international hit and a potential aftermarket for Eurovision alumni. Mike from Aussievision joins us to discuss the insanity.

Take! It! Off! Summary

News: 38 countries so far, Norway dates, Italy process (2:00)
Iceland Airwaves presents Live from Reykjavik (5:54)
Netflix offers Fire Saga For Your Consideration (8:07)
Main Topic: The Masked Singer as Eurovision Aftermarket (15:56)
Special Guest: Mike from Aussievision discusses the Australian version of the Masked Singer (26:51)

Episode 93: Rotterdam, Ahoy! Take 2

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Rotterdam gets to take a mulligan on 2020 as we look ahead to how preparations for the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest begin to take shape.

Rotterdam, Ahoy! Take 2 Episode Summary

Mailbag and Eurovision in the Wild (2:13)
- Eurovision at the DNC
- The Crossword: Friday, August 21 in the New Yorker
- Animal Crossing Fashion by Nitro Gnome
- "Zenit" by ONUKA in Just Dance 2021

Where are we with countries and artists for next year? (18:35)
- Senhit's Freaky Trip to Rotterdam: "Ding a Dong"
- Ben's NRKMGP Presentation

How is Rotterdam planning for Eurovision 2021? (27:43)
- With COVID, how is the 2021 edition of Eurovision Organized? (RTS)

Episode 87: AfriMusic, AI, and the Free European Song Contests

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 11:00:00 -0500

The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest did not happen. We discuss three Eurovision-adjacent song contests that did happen in the first half of 2020.

AfriMusic, AI, and the Free European Song Contests Summary

News: Andorra returns? Cyprus re-selects (2:09)
#EurovisionAgain: Riga 2003 and Italy 1991 (5:07)
What is the AfriMusic Song Contest? (17:13)
What is the AI Song Contest? (28:35)
What is the Free European Song Contest? (36:18)

Episode 85: Eurovision Again

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 05 May 2020 11:00:00 -0500

#EurovisionAgain impresario Rob Holley speaks with us about the Eurovision Twitter time machine extravaganza.

#EurovisionAgain Summary

News Desk (1:58)
- Eurostream 2020 Voting | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
- Alternate Programming for Eurovision Week ESCXtra Guide
- Netflix Updates

#EurovisionAgain with Rob Holley (11:30)

Episode 83: Fanopticon

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Despite Eurovision's cancellation this year, the fandom is still fully engaged in the Contest. Eurovision Obsession's André Durham joins us to chat about how we're coping.

Fanopticon Summary

Special Guest: Welcome back, André Durham!
Eurovision News (1:48)
- 2021 Participation, Fast Passes, and Returning Artists
- Songwriters have opinions about the 2020 cancellation
- The Soul of Eurovision Saga
- France re-releases Tom Leeb's "Mon Alliée (The Best in Me)"

Voting! (12:43)

Concerts! (25:27)
- Eurovision Home Concerts (Episode 1)
- Surie Lockdown Eurovision Party
- Victoria at Home

Rewatch! (32:17)
- Eurovision 2019 is still on Netflix
- #EurovisionAgain Saturdays at 9pm CET / 3pm Eastern
- Broadcasters planning out special May programming

Who do you think would have won Eurovision this year?

Special Guest: André Durham.

Episode 76: Sanremo LXX (Long, Xtra Xtra)

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

Saturday proved to be a marathon as Australia, Latvia, and Italy chose their Eurovision entries and a whole bunch of other countries made progress.

Sanremo LXX (Long, Xtra Xtra) Summary

Eurovision in the Wild: Oscars 2020 Edition (1:43)
Israel selects Eden Alene (7:00)
Australia Decides on Montaigne (8:36)
Latvia chooses Samanta Tina (13:47)
Malta's X Factor belongs to Destiny (21:06)
Italy's Sanremo 70 ends with Diodato win (23:00)
Other checkins: Lithuania, Sweden, Iceland, Ukraine, Norway (30:46)

Episode 75: Austvia Superdecides

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0600

It's time to update your Eurovision Top 2 videos as Czech Republic makes their choice and Australia, Italy, and Latvia get ready to make theirs.

Austvia Superdecides Summary

Semi-Final Allocation for Realsies This Time (1:40)
Eurovision Ticket Sales (5:15)
Spain releases Blas Cantó's "Universo" (8:28)
Czech Republic chooses Benny Cristo's "Kemama" (10:12)
Greece selects Stefania (14:16)
Weekend Recaps: Lithuania, Norway, Sweden (15:58)
Italy's Sanremo Festival Begins (33:27)
Our picks: Australia Decides (35:35)
Our picks: Latvia's Supernova (44:49)
Coming up this weekend: Malta, Ukraine, Iceland, Poland,

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 69: Ben’s Grand Eurofying Theory

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 18:00:00 -0600

Ben flies solo this week after getting too caffeinated while prepping for the last Eurowhat of the year. He develops a theory about Eurovision in the last decade and makes an audio essay about it. It involves snacks.

Episode Summary

How to define a decade (1:48)
Pop, with a Folk flourish (4:15)
Power ballads! (6:10)
The Azerbaijan Pop machine (9:00)
Italy returns (11:18)
Fuego, Replay, and repetition (14:48)
Folk, with a Pop flourish (17:26)
Interesting choices, struggling titans (19:06)
Balance shifts again (22:18)

Episode 67: Hungary for Turkey

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 18:00:00 -0600

Hungary's reasons for withdrawing from Eurovision sound similar to Turkey's. What else do the two countries have in common?

Hungary for Turkey Summary

Eurovision 2020 Logo (1:32)
Cyprus announces Sandro Nicolas (4:03)
Bulgaria announces VICTORIA (7:07)
Sweden announces Melfest lineup (8:39)
Australia Decides: Mitch Tambo and iOTA (12:06)
Estonia presents its 24 songs (14:50)
Internal selections: Russia, France, Spain (16:49)
Main Topic: Hungary for Turkey (18:26)
Spotify Playlist

Episode 66: Iceland Airwaves

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 18:00:00 -0600

Our Senior Hatari Correspondent Ben traveled to Reykjavik to check in with the Iceland Airwaves festival and what's going on in the Icelandic music scene.

Episode Summary

How Many Countries are in Europe? We have an answer! (1:21)
National Selection Hopscotch (2:44)
- Featuring Czech Republic, Estonia, Australia, and more!

ESC 250 Voting is open! (7:16)

Eurovision in Chicago: Onuka, Il Volo, Flying Steps (9:31)

Iceland Airwaves (15:53)

Episode 52: Eurovision 2019 Grand Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 17 May 2019 10:00:00 -0500

This is it. The Eurovision 2019 Semi-Finals are done and we know what 26 countries will compete in Saturday's Grand Final. We add our own wild speculation to the mix.

We break down the results from the semi-finals and how accurate our predictions were (Hint: hoo boy...) and what we think of Israel's presentation of the Contest so far. After checking in with the auto-qualifiers rehearsals, we make our picks for who will win the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Will Iceland's "Hatrid mun sigra" sigra? Could Australia's "Zero Gravity" rise to the top? Is Netherlands' "Arcade" playing a winning game? Or will France's "Roi" reign supreme?

Eurovision 2019 Grand Final Preview Summary

SPOILER WARNING: We know not everyone watches the semi-finals and some folks may still be avoiding any information about the auto-qualifiers’ rehearsals. If you want to remain unspoiled, you may want to save this episode until after Saturday’s Grand Final. Who knows, we could be hilariously wrong in everything, so you may have that to look forward to.

How was the first semi-final? (4:15)
How was the second semi-final? (18:08)
Eurovision Grand Final preview (36:26)
Our predictions (44:42)

Episode 45: Eurovision 2019 Semi-Final 1 Part 2: “Oof”

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 17:00:00 -0500

We finish the first half of the first Eurovision semi-final discussing Poland, Serbia, and Slovenia. Then Australia and Belgium kick off our second half coverage.

Eurovision 2019 Semi-Final 1 Part 2: “Oof” Summary

News Desk: Score presentation, "Douze Points", security, and photo apps (1:46)
Poland - Tulia - "Fire of Love (Pali się)" (10:01)
Serbia - Nevena Božović - "Kruna" (18:53)
Slovenia - Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl - "Sebi" (22:29)
Australia - Kate Miller-Heidke - "Zero Gravity" (26:17)
Belgium - Eliot - "Wake Up" (30:01)
Overview (34:24)

Episode 39: Eurovision is a Whole Mood

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0600

All the things happened this past weekend in Eurovision-land and the trend that's emerging: Eurovision is in a mood.

Eurovision is a Whole Mood Summary

Australia locked in until 2023! (1:39)
Israel chooses Kobi Marimi (2:36)
Poland announces Tulia (5:01)
Greece announces Katerine Duska (7:11)
Dora: Croatia chooses Roko Blazevic's "The Dream" (8:46)
Eesti Laul: Estonia chooses Victor Crone's "Storm" (11:27)
Supernova: Latvia chooses Carousel's "That Night" (14:39)
EMA: Slovenia chooses Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl's "Sebi" (18:24)
Selectia Nationala: ~~Wiwiblogs~~ Romania chooses Ester Peony's "On a Sunday" (21:21)
Semi-final checkins: Iceland, Sweden, Hungary (drama!), Lithuania, Ukraine, Portugal (30:47)

Episode 38: Euro Vortex

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0600

Eurovision 2019 Selection Season is in full swing! We dive into the Euro Vortex with the United Kingdom, Montenegro, Italy, and Hatari among many others.

First up, Ben and Mike recover from last week's polar vortex by checking in with some Eurovision in the Wild on US TV. Kseniya Simonova—the sand artist from Ukraine's 2011 entry "Angel"—blew away Terry Crews on America's Got Talent and might win the final? Meanwhile, CBS has enlisted some Eurovision help with The World's Best while the Tennis Channel is causing folks to ask "Is this a Eurovision?"

This past week has brought about a handful of selections. Russia reminds us that Sergey Lazarev will be their only one for 2019. The United Kingdom will try to make Michael Rice's "Bigger Than Us"... something. Australia finally decided. Montenegro introduces this year's first group. And Italy has opinions about "Soldi" by Mahmood. Like... A LOT of opinions.

There was also a vortex of semi-finals throughout the weekend, with Iceland, Lithuania, Sweden, and Romania getting closer to making their final choices. Could we be on the cusp of a Hatari / Laura Bretan collaboration in 2020? We'll need to get through the chaos of next weekend's dozen or so selections and broadcasts.

Euro Vortex Summary

Eurovision in the Wild (1:49)
Russia selects Sergey Lazarev (7:21)
United Kingdom chooses "It's Bigger Than Us" (8:43)
Australia Decides (12:34)
Montenegro: "Heaven" sent (18:08)
Italy has opinions about Sanremo (21:22)
Checking in with the Semi-Finals (27:42)

Episode 37: Australia Decides Gets AUSome

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 16:00:00 -0600

We discuss Australia Decides with Mike and Dale from the Aussievision Podcast! Which entries are we most excited about in this year's field?

Eurovision selection season is starting to get into full swing. We have artist announcements from three countries kicking off this episode, with Austria's choice reminding us of Netta. Speaking of last year's winner, we take a listen to her follow-up single "Bassa Sababa"—does it capture our imagination the way "Toy" did last year?

Coming up this week will be Australia's first-ever national selection Australia Decides. We could have done our own deep dive into the ten songs competing for the ticket to Tel Aviv, but why not bring in some actual Australians to help us out? Mike and Dale from the Aussievision Podcast conquered all the timezones to discuss the Australian music scene, which reality shows actually work as launch pads, and reminisce on the awesomeness of the looks from RuPaul's Drag Race season 6. Oh, and we chat about the 10 songs that will be competing this Saturday.

We close the show talking about the three other selection finals happening this week. A handful of semi-finals are happening as well. Will any of them bring about the downfall of capitalism? Yes, that question is on-topic.

Australia Decides Gets AUSome Summary

Artist Selections: North Macedonia, Finland, Austria (1:52)
Netta's "Bassa Sababa" (7:02)
Australia Decides with Aussievision (9:30)
Upcoming Selections: Italy, United Kingdom, Montenegro (48:59)
How Many People are in Lithuania? (52:13)
Preliminary Rounds: Iceland, Ukraine, Sweden, Romania (53:50)

Episode 28: The Aftermarket

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 06:00:00 -0500

Eurovision provides an aftermarket for winners of singing competitions. Why don't we have that in America? Andy Dehnart from Reality Blurred joins us to discuss.

First up, we check in with the soon-to-be-final tally of countries participating in Eurovision 2019. We were at 40 once Armenia confirmed, but Bulgaria announced their withdrawal due to budget concerns. Speaking of budget concerns: Ukraine is still in the mix and will have a national final in February. Also having a national final: Australia! Fingers crossed for Aboriginal trip hop making its debut in Tel Aviv?

For our main topic, we discuss the tangled relationship between European singing competitions and Eurovision. The Voice and the X Factor have been viable feeder systems the last few years, with the United Kingdom's version of the latter becoming an end goal for some Eurovision alumni.((Brendan Murray is currently on the X Factor UK live shows.)) You could say that Eurovision works as a tournament of champions or an All-Stars edition of all the singing shows. But... why doesn't that exist in the US?

We lean on Andy Denhart's reality show expertise to help us answer some of these questions, as well as expose some of the more bizarre factoids we've all squirreled away. Sinbad on Star Search? Battle of the Reality Network Stars? Murder and sex scandals destroying franchises? This episode has it all!

The Aftermarket Summary

Andy Dehnart / @realityblurred (1:00)
Country count (3:21)
The European Singing Competition Industrial Complex Aftermarket (6:48)

Episode 18: Indistinct Pterodactyl Squawking

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 23 May 2018 05:00:00 -0500

The gang is back together to discuss the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. Our special guest Dave Steeves shares his experience as an audience member in Lisbon and we all weigh in on the dubious honor of the Barbara Dex award.

This week we finally check in on the Grand Final results, including Austria's surprise jury win and the awkwardness of Israel's overall win. We look at the semi-final results and which countries just missed qualifying and which countries barely made it to Saturday's show. There were some surprise entries up for consideration for the Barbara Dex fashion faux pas award, but the right country... won? Mike and our guest Dave Steeves also share stories of what it was like in the arena during the semi-finals and the jury final before sharing summer plans for the podcast.

Episode Summary

Grand Final wrapup (2:24)
Rating the rankings (21:17)
The semi-final bubbles (26:17)
Barbara Dex award (32:33)
What were the stage setups like? (38:58)
How do the results work during the jury final? (43:35)
What did you think of the hostesses? (46:39)
Programming notes (47:27)

Episode 16: Semi-Final Preview

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 07 May 2018 05:00:00 -0500

It's showtime! 37 countries will be competing in the Eurovision semi-final rounds Tuesday and Thursday. We share our thoughts on the rehearsals as well as suggestions for how to make your Eurovision party on Saturday a fun experience for everyone.

Our preview begins with an explanation of how Eurovision's complicated points system works. If you are hosting a Eurovision party this year, we offer recommendations on food, party games, and viewing options in case Logo's coverage isn't your thing. Then the crew talks about the semi-final rehearsals, including which acts are most improved, which have fizzled, and which we're most excited to see. It's Eurovision Week!

Semi-Final Preview Summary

How does Eurovision scoring work in the semi-final and Grand Final? (3:07)
Tips for Hosting a Eurovision party (18:43)
How to Watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the US (25:26)
Talking about the semi-final rehearsals (30:26)
Which countries are the most improved? (32:25)
Which countries have fizzled? (41:40)
Which entries are we most interested to see? (54:45)

Episode 13: Eurovision 2018 Australia and Others

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 05:00:00 -0500

The first half of the second Eurovision semi-final is extra bubbly this year. Er... that should be bubble-y because there are few sure bets, even among perfect streak holders. We break down the field in this week's episode.

Eurovision 2018 Australia and Others Summary

Eurovision Album Drop (2:58)
Eurovision in Concert (9:18)
Second Semi-Final First Half (11:50)

Eurovision Second Semi-Final Running Order

Norway - Alexander Rybak - "That's How You Write a Song" (11:50)
Romania - The Humans - "Goodbye" (19:47)
Serbia - Sanja Ilic and Balkanika - "Nova Deca" (25:35)
San Marino - Jessica featuring Jenifer Brening - "Who We Are" (30:47)
Denmark - Rasmussen - "Higher Ground" (38:46)
Russia - Yuliya Samoylova - "I Won't Break" (43:26)
Moldova - DoReDos - "My Lucky Day" (49:54)
Netherlands - Waylon - "Outlaw in 'Em" (54:29)
Australia - Jessica Mauboy - "We Got Love" (59:38)

Episode 8: Melfest Fest

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 05:00:00 -0500

Eurovision's 2018 selection season is approaching the end, which means one thing: Sweden's Melfest! Well, two things: lots of internal selections coming through the pipeline. No matter how you count it, we're in the homestretch!

Melfest Fest Summary

Eurovision hodgepodge
Azerbaijan - Aisel - "X MyHeart" (5:44)
Portugal - Cláudia Pascoal - "O Jardim" (10:42)
Belgium - SENNEK - "A Matter of Time" (14:06)
Croatia - Franka - "Crazy" (19:30)
Australia - Jessica Mauboy - "#WeGotLove" (24:21)
Austria - Cesár Sampson - "Nobody But You" (29:25)
Ireland - Ryan O'Shaughnessy - "Together" (34:07)
Norway - Alexander Rybak - "That's How You Write a Song" (39:29)
Sweden - Benjamin Ingrosso - "Dance You Off" (49:46)

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

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

Episode 301: BOOM Bangaranga

BOOM Bangaranga Summary

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Episode 283: Down Under

Down Under Summary

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Episode 273: Fan Media Roundtable

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Eurovision Podcast Podcrawl

Episode 268: Eurovision 2025 Semi-Final Preview

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Basel 2025

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Episode 266: Mélange

Ned Raggett

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Basel 2025

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Episode 258: LUMO

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Basel 2025

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Episode 245: Avalanche

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Episode 233: Grievance Committee

Dr Jess Carniel

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 232: Broke

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 230: Designated Perceived Nudity Corner

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 225: Optimistic

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 222: Scrunchy Face Sounds

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Malmö 2024

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Episode 212: 37ish

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Episode 200: PopCon 2023

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Episode 196: Stockholm Syndrome

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Episode 195: Eurovision 2023 Grand Final Preview

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Episode 194: Internet People

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Episode 192: ... Her?

... Her? Summary

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Episode 184: Did the Thing