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

Episode 300: Tu cara me suena

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Spain has been ride-or-die for Eurovision since debuting in 1961. In this episode, we’ll be taking a look at how Spain’s original approach to the Contest may have informed their decision to not attend the festivities in Vienna for the first time in 65 years.

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 296: All Kinds of Everything

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Boycotts, jury overhauls, technological shifts, major protests, religious and political violence, hot pants... Ireland had a lot to deal with when it hosted Eurovision for the first time in 1971.

All Kinds of Everything Summary

Ireland at Eurovision (0:39)
The State of Eurovison 1970-1971 (4:33)
RTE presenting Eurovision in Color (13:53)
Protests and Politics (22:29)
Wrapping Up (35:43)

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

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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)

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 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 275: Good to Go

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

Quite a bit has happened since we last checked in on Eurovision news. Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl will be stepping down, there's a new head of the Reference Group, and we know which cities have made bids to host next year's competition.

Good to Go Summary

Eurovision Host City: Innsbruck vs Vienna (1:00)
Martin Österdahl Steps Down (4:48)
Have you joined the Eurowhat AV Club? (10:43)
17 Participants so far for Eurovision 2026 (11:59)
Eurovision YouTube: Non, Stop Hits (and Geoblock?) (21:17)

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
Niall Points: Latvia 2003
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)

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Episode 274: Yugoslavia 1990

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

1990 was the European Year of Tourism. The map of Europe was also changing, as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the movement toward what would become the European Union started to redefine the concept of borders. We’ll be taking a look at how the 1990 Contest in Yugoslavia reflected this new era in Europe, as well as how the 2025 Contest mirrors those reflections 35 years later.

Yugoslavia 1990 Summary

#EurovisionAgain, again (1:55)
A Brief History of Mascots and Postcards (4:14)
The European Year of Tourism (10:20)
How Yugoslavia Handled Tourism (15:21)
Yugoslavia at Eurovision (18:53)
The Year between Lausanne and Zagreb (22:47)
The 1990 Eurovision Song Contest (28:12)
After the Year(s) of Tourism (43:43)

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

ESC Insight: France 1959
Wind Machine Podcast: Austria 1967
The EuroWhat? Podcast: Yugoslavia 1990 (hey, that's this one!)
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)

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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)

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 267: Seasoned

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Graphic designer and puzzler Justin Ladia returns to discuss the Eurovision 2025 auto-qualifiers: Spain, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and host country Switzerland.

Justin Ladia

Graphic designer, puzzle person, and kendo practitioner from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Seasoned Summary

Spain - Melody - "Esa Diva" (3:27)
Italy - Lucio Corsi - "Volevo Essere Un Duro" (12:55)
Germany - Abor & Tynna - "Baller" (20:14)
United Kingdom - Remember Monday - "What the Hell Just Happened?" (29:41)
France - Louane - "maman" (42:38)
Switzerland - Zoë Më - "Voyage" (50:57)

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Basel 2025

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Special Guest: Justin Ladia.

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Episode 254: Super

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

Eurovision started to get structure this week thanks to the semi-final allocation draw, the first wave of ticket sales, and selections from Greece, Slovenia, Belgium, and Spain. Sweden kicked off Melfest, Lithuania got competitive, and Latvia picked finalists. This was the easy Super Saturday...

Super Summary

Eurovision Semi-Final Allocation and Ticket Sales (1:18)
Artist Announcements: Austria's JJ and France's Louane (8:45)
Klavdia's "Asteromata" wins Greece's national final (11:16)
Slovenia: Klemen wins EMA with "How Much Time Do We Have Left?" (15:50)
Red Sebastian and "Strobe Lights" win Belgium's Eurosong (21:57)
"Esa Diva": Melody wins Spain's Benidorm Fest (25:04)
Sweden's Melfest 2025 Begins (30:04)
Latvia's Supernova Semi-Final (35:44)
Lithuania's Eurovizija.LT Heat 4 (40:45)
San Marino Names ALLLL the Semi-Finalists (43:57)
Coming up: Super Saturday 2 (46:03)

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Basel 2025

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Recreating ALL Eurovision Winners (2000-2025) | The Ultimate Eurovision Challenge by Klemen Slakonja - YouTube

Episode 253: Vox Lux

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Luxembourg selected their Eurovision representative at the end of a surprisingly busy week. Moldova has withdrawn, several countries released potential songs, and Finland's UMK faces a significant shakeup.

Vox Lux Summary

🫢 Shakeups: Moldova out; Finland's UMK DQ's One Morning Left (1:15)
🇱🇺 Luxembourg chooses Laura Thorn's "La Poupée Monte Le Son" (4:55)
🎧 Song Drops: Portugal, Ukraine, Ireland, Norway, Belgium (14:59)
🇱🇹 Lithuania's Eurovizija.LT Tiebreaker (20:00)
🤹 This Week: Semi-Final Allocation, Tickets, Super Saturday 1 of 3 (25:14)

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Basel 2025

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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)

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

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Episode 249: Pew Pew Pew

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

As we head into 2025, we jump back 25 years to watch the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest. How has the competition, fashion, and pop music changed in the last quarter-century(!)?

Pew Pew Pew Summary

🗓️ In the Year 2000... (3:17)
⛳️ Part I: Israel, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Estonia, France, Romania (7:07)
🎤 Part II: Malta, Norway, Russia, Belgium, Cyprus, Iceland (17:30)
🪽 Part III: Spain, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, Sweden, FYR Macedonia (27:49)
🌟 Part IV: Finland, Latvia, Turkey, Ireland, Austria (41:34)
🔢 Part V: The Results (51:12)

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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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Episode 247: Rebuilt

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In 2019 we examined the Big 5—Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom—and offered suggestions on how they might improve their standing at Eurovision. It's five years later: how are the Big 5 doing now?

Rebuilt Summary

🇮🇹 Italy (3:46)
🇪🇸 Spain (9:19)
🤗 Eurowhat AV Club Patreon and the ESC250 (16:25)
🇩🇪 Germany (18:25)
🇫🇷 France (27:07)
🇬🇧 United Kingdom (33:10)

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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.

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Episode 243: Verily

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The Reference Group is one of the governing bodies for the Eurovision Song Contest. Who sits on this board and what experience do they bring to the table? We go through the dossiers in this episode.

Verily Summary

What are the Eurovision Heads of Delegation and Reference Group? (1:29)
Who is currently in the Eurovision Reference Group? (8:05)
Who isn't on the Eurovision Reference Group? (21:52)

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Episode 238: Vacay

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It's the Geneva Convention vs Basel Exposition for the chance to host Eurovision in 2025. Meanwhile, the production team has been announced and a new job for ESC Director is available if you wanna work with Martin. We go over July 2024 Eurovision headlines in this episode.

Vacay Summary

Geneva vs Basel (1:22)
Eurovision 2025 Staff Updates (6:22)
Patreon Summer of Celine Book Club (10:48)
22 Countries for Eurovision 2025 So Far (13:48)

Photo by Peter Conlan on Unsplash

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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 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)

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Malmö 2024

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Special Guest: Jess Carniel.

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Episode 231: Poop Chaos

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 10 May 2024 11:00:00 -0500

In our Eurovision 2024 Grand Final Preview, we discuss the results of the two semi-finals in Malmö, make some predictions on what may happen on Saturday, and scratch why Sweden's hosting has been itching us this week.

This episode was recorded at 7pm US Eastern Time on Thursday, May 9.

Poop Chaos Summary

Corrections: Robyn Edition (0:52)
Eurovision Semi-Final 1 in Review (2:32)
Eurovision Semi-Final 2 in Review (10:46)
Grand Final Preview (27:10)

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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 229: "Authenticity"

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Chris Molanphy from Slate's Hit Parade joins us to discuss the Big 5 and Sweden's entries for Eurovision 2024. How do the entries from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, and Sweden stack up to current US Billboard chart sensibilities? Are there any bangers in the mix?

About Chris Molanphy

Chris Molanphy is a chart analyst and pop critic who writes about the intersection of culture and commerce in popular music. For Slate, he created and hosts the Hit Parade podcast and writes their “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series. His most recent book is Old Town Road (DUP, 2023), about the Lil Nas X song of the same name and the chart history and race/genre intersections that led to its record-setting chart run. Chris’s work has also appeared in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Vulture, NPR Music’s The Record, The Village Voice, Billboard _and _CMJ. Chris has also been a frequent guest on National Public Radio (All Things Considered, On the Media, Planet Money, Soundcheck), on SiriusXM and on numerous podcasts including the Culture Gabfest and the New York Times Popcast.

"Authenticity" Summary

Welcome, Chris Molanphy! (0:46)
🇫🇷 France - Slimane - "Mon Amour" ❤️‍🔥 (8:22)
🇪🇸 Spain - Nebulossa - "ZORRA" 🦊 (16:46)
🇮🇹 Italy - Angelina Mango - "La Noia" 🥱 (26:51)
🇩🇪 Germany - ISAAK - "Always on the Run" 🏃 (33:34)
🇬🇧 United Kingdom - Olly Alexander - "Dizzy" 😵‍💫 (41:32)
🇸🇪 Sweden - Marcus & Martinus - "Unforgettable" 👯‍♂️ (49:43)
Final Thoughts (1:00:56)

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Malmö 2024

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Special Guest: Chris Molanphy.

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Episode 217: Technical Difficulties

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

It was a Saturday so Super it stretched into Sunday... not by choice, but Ukraine loves drama. Norway, Spain, and Malta also made their Eurovision picks, Latvia and Sweden kicked off their processes, and Lithuania is almost done with their heats. Oh, and The Draw added some structure to the 2024 Contest.

Technical Difficulties Summary

The Draw handles the Semi-Final Allocation (0:27)
VidBir (eventually) selects alyona alyona & Jerry Heil & "Maria & Teresa" (4:08)
Gåte wins NRK MGP with "Ulveham" (11:05)
Nebulossa conquers Spain's Benidorm Fest with "Zorra" (14:23)
Malta has Sarah Bonnici on "Loop" (19:43)
Il Senso and Monika Marija advance in Lithuania (25:21)
Latvia's Supernova Semi-Final (28:29)
Sweden kicks off Melodifestivalen 2024 (33:01)
This week: Italy's Sanremo, Germany's Wildcard, Finland's UMK (38:59)

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 216: Squiggle Line Mouth Face

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Eurovision season clicks into second gear this week with Ireland and Luxembourg making selections, Norway setting its final field, Lithuania's holding its third heat, and Malta, Spain, and Ukraine getting ready to decide. How will The Draw shake up things in Malmö?

Squiggle Line Mouth Face Summary

Romania won't be part of The Draw (1:15)
Ireland chooses Bambie Thug's "Doomsday Blue" (3:17)
Tali will be Luxembourg's "Fighter" in Malmö (10:56)
Iceland announces its intentions (20:44)
Norway sets its final field for NRK MGP (24:47)
Lithuania's Third Heat for Eurovizija.LT (31:45)
This week: Malta, Spain's Benidorm Fest, Ukraine's VidBir (34:57)

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Malmö 2024

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The CA of SRTv did not approve the participation in Eurovision 2024 | TVR.RO

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 211: Allons-y!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0600

FRANCE has jumped the gun and released their song for Eurovision 2024. Greece has announced their artist, a handful of countries have named their contestants for their national finals, and tickets were already on sale... it's barely December? Join us as we peruse Eurovision Song Contest headlines.

Allons-y! Summary

🇫🇷 France surprise announces Slimane and "Mon Amour" (0:53)
🇬🇷 Greece will send Marina Satti to Malmo (6:15)
💚 United by Music Forever (8:45)
🎫 Tickets Wave 1 Happened (10:00)
🗳️ ESC Top 250 Voting Opens (13:33)
📲 Bluesky and Patreon (16:17)
🌍 Contestant Lists: Malta, Estonia, Spain, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Ukraine (18:10)
📝 Alumni Notes: Tumblr Trends (26:42

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Episode 203: Iconic

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We say farewell to our host nations by discussing one area where Ukraine and the United Kingdom overlap: iconic runner-up entries. But what does "iconic" mean for Eurovision entries?

Using data from the annual ESC Top 250 countdown, we construct a rubric to identify songs from across the decades that could be part of a Eurovision Hall of Fame. In this episode, we highlight the entries that finished in second place and have a perfect ESC Top 250 record.

Iconic Summary

Saying farewell to the United Kingdom and Ukraine (1:15)
What is an "iconic" Eurovision performance? (6:48)
8 Iconic Eurovision Entries (11:09)
Building a Eurovision Hall of Fame (30:23)

Image by Maike und Björn Bröskamp from Pixabay

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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!

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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

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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.

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Episode 193: Controlled Grandiosity

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Maura Johnston joins us as we wrestle with the Eurovision 2023 set of auto-qualifiers. Will Ukraine pull the double? Will the UK and Spain continue their glowups? Will we be going back to Italy? Will Germany get out of the basement? Is France gonna France?

Controlled Grandiosity Summary

France — La Zarra — "Évidemment" (2:16)
Germany — Lord of the Lost — "Blood and Glitter" (6:43)
Italy — Marco Mengoni — "Due Vite" (12:29)
Spain — Blanca Paloma — "EAEA" (17:08)
Ukraine — TVORCHI — "Heart of Steel" (22:44)
United Kingdom — Mae Muller — "I Wrote a Song" (28:08)
Final Thoughts (34:28)

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

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Special Guest: Maura Johnston.

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Episode 181: Peanut Butter Yelly Time

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0600

This weekend was a practice run for Eurovision Super Saturday as Ireland, Norway, and Spain made their selections and Slovenia shared their song. Sweden and Latvia also kicked off their processes as we get ready for a deluge of entries for Liverpool.

Peanut Butter Yelly Time Summary

Semi-Final Allocation (1:08)
Wild Youth wins Ireland's Eurosong with "We Are One" (4:44)
Slovenia's Joker Out debuts "Carpe Diem" (13:15)
Alessandra will represent Norway with "Queen of Kings" (15:23)
Blanca Paloma's "EAEA" wins Benidorm Fest (20:22)
Czech Republic held its first live TV final in 15 years (25:49)
Artist Selctions from Greece, Austria, Armenia, and Georgia (27:48)
Malta moves forward in MESC (33:42)
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo goes into Semi Finals (36:18)
Latvia's Supernova begins (39:47)
Sweden's Melfest 2023 Begins (43:29)
Super Saturday 2023: Italy, Estonia, Croatia, Denmark, Romania (47:47)

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

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Episode 180: Click... Click... Click...

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0600

After recapping the last (not so) quiet weekend of Eurovision Selection Season, we set our sights on finals, semi-finals, and song reveals all over Europe next weekend. Strap in: It's February, y'all.

Click... Click... Click... Summary

Germany announces acts for Unser Lied für Liverpool (1:22)
Moldova holds auditions for Etapa Nationala (2:42)
Norway finalizes the MGP lineup (5:36)
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo wraps its quarter finals (11:34)
Song drops: Portugal and Iceland (14:53)
Tuesday: Semi-final Allocation and Spain's Benidorm Festival (17:22)
Thursday: Serbia Song Drop and the Voice of Georgia (20:20)
Friday: Malta's continued MESC-ness, Ireland Chooses its Eurosong (22:21)
Saturday: Slovenia reveals "Carpe Diem", Sweden's Melfest, Latvia's Supernova (26:30)
Cosa Sta Facendo Maneskin: Grammy Awards Edition (28:39)
We Didn't Forget About the Czech Republic (30:10)

Cover art image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay

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

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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.

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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

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Episode 164: Host Country Where?

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Now that the United Kingdom will officially host Eurovision 2023 on Ukraine's behalf, we take a look back at the other times substitutes needed to be called in to produce the Contest.

Host Country Where? Summary

United Kingdom will host Eurovision 2023 (1:22)
Israel selects Noa Kirel for Eurovision Wishlist (5:29)
Rosa Linn's "Snap" is Charting (7:13)
American Song Contest Emmy Nomination (9:04)
Eurovision Latin America Song Contest Announced (9:57)
Host Country Where? (11:37)

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Episode 158: Slava Ukraini

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 17 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra claimed the Eurovision 2022 trophy thanks to a record-breaking televote. Dave Steeves joins us to do a mini-dive into this year's Grand Final.

Slava Ukraini Summary

Numbers! (2:03)
Jury Doody (11:12)
Cosa Sta Facendo Måneskin: Wish.com Edition (16:33)
Welcome to the off-season! (21:34)

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: Dave Steeves.

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.

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Episode 155: Sommelier

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 03 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Glen Weldon from NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour joins us to discuss the songs that have automatically qualified for the Eurovision 2022 Grand Final.

Standing Summary

France - Alvan & Ahez - "Fulenn" (2:54)
Germany - Malik Harris - "Rockstars" (6:54)
Spain - Chanel - "SloMo" (11:49)
United Kingdom - Sam Ryder - "SPACE MAN" (15:07)
Italy - Mahmood e Blanco - "Brividi" (20:04)
Eurovision 2022 Sommelier (25:37)

Eurovision 2022 Review Series

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Special Guest: Glen Weldon.

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Episode 142: Convoluted

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 07:15:00 -0600

Moldova made a surprise internal selection and Spain made its Eurovision selection at last week's Benidorm Festival. We discuss these songs and look ahead to the first Super Saturday of 2022!

Convoluted Summary

Zdob si Zdub will represent Moldova again (1:15)
Spain choose Chanel's "SloMo" at Benidorm Fest (4:14)
Pabandom and MGP (8:48)
Cosa sta facendo Måneskin? Sanremo Edition (16:49)
Midweek Selections: Eesti Laul, North Macedonia, Ireland (17:48)
Super Saturday: Iceland, Melfest, Israel, EMA, Supernova (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.

Episode 141: Sound of Beauty

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0600

Ben returns with his thoughts about Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo, Norway's 2022 process, Maneskin's appearance on Saturday Night Live, and a look ahead to EMA and Benidorm.

[Episode Title] Summary

News: Sound of Beauty Logo and Slogan, American Song Contest Delayed (1:13)
Last Week in Eurovision: Norway's Melodi Grand Prix and Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo (5:06)
Eurovision in the Wild: Australian Open, Peacemaker, Maruv (10:52)
Cosa sta facendo Måneskin? Saturday Night Live Edition (12:26)
This Week in Eurovision: Slovenia's EMA Fras and Spain's Benidorm Fest (18:24)

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.

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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.

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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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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)

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Episode 132: Hot 100

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Maura Johnston guides us through how the Billboard Charts work and why Måneskin and Duncan Laurence cracked the American Top 40.

Hot 100 Summary

Host city when? Torino 2022! (0:45)
How do the Billboard charts currently work? (2:52)
How Duncan Laurence May Have Got on the Billboard Charts (7:40)
Why is "Beggin'" rocketing up the Hot 100? (12:35)
Other Eurovision Hot 100 Appearances (18:02)
Why a 25-year gap between chart appearances? (22:16)
Will Eurovision tracks be making more Hot 100 appearances? (32:00)

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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Special Guest: Maura Johnston.

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Episode 131: Viña del Mar

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We continue our series of music competitions with Eurovision connections by visiting Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival.

Viña del Mar Summary

Eurovision Again: 1968 (1:07)
Belgium Selects (3:29)
What is the Viña del Mar Festival? (6:41)
El Monstruo (16:16)
Xuxa vs El Monstruo (19:56)
Enrique Iglesias and Paolo Meneguzzi vs El Monstruo (31:20)

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Links:

Episode 128: Bordspel

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 23:00:00 -0500

Dave Steeves facilitates a play through of the Eurovision Song Contest Board Game. Mike en Ben verstaan de Nederlandse taal niet.

Bordspel Summary

Introduction to the Best/Worst Idea (1:30)
Eurovision Song Contest: The Board Game (4:08)
The Grand Final (28:19)
Review: did we like the Eurovision Board Game? (33:12)

Links / Credits

Cover art: Mike McComb
#31: Eurovision Gifts for 2018
Episode Transcript (Descript)

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: Dave Steeves.

Episode 127: New Wave

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 23:00:00 -0500

New Wave has been part of the music competition journey for many Eurovision contestants. We take a look at the contest's history.

New Wave Summary

News: Eurovision Again 2006 HD, Måneskin cracks the US Top 40, Spain visits Benidorm (0:50)
Birth of a New Wave (6:33)
How It Works (11:37)
SMASH!! and Other Alumni (14:49)
"Russian" New Wave (21:27)
2021 Info (25:55)

Episode 124: It was the Elves

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Author Seanan McGuire joins us to explain how the elves helped Eurovision Song Contest: the Story of Fire Saga earn a Hugo nomination.

It was the Elves Summary

#EurovisionAgain: 1969 (0:56)
Happy Birthday, Fire Saga! (5:17)
Welcome, Seanan McGuire! (11:14)
How does Fire Saga fit into the sci-fi/fantasy genre? (13:47)
What is the Hugo Awards nomination process? (16:18)
How can Eurofans help? (21:11)

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 119: Critical Condition

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

Mark Blankenship joins us to discuss the Eurovision auto-qualifiers. Are the Big 5 and the Netherlands in good shape or are they in critical condition?

Critical Condition Summary

News
- Great American Pop Culture Quiz Show
- Eurovision Village (Opens Saturday, May 15)
- Where Can I Watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the US?

Welcome, Mark Blankenship!
- Mark and Sarah Talk About Songs

The Big 5 and host country the Netherlands:
- France - Barbara Pravi - "Voila"
- Germany - Jendrik - "I Don't Feel Hate"
- Italy - Måneskin - "Zitti e Buoni"
- Spain - Blas Cantó - "Voy a Quedarme"
- United Kingdom - James Newman - "Embers"
- The Netherlands - Jeangu Macrooy - "Birth of a New Age"

Episode 108: Sábado Gigante

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0600

Sábado Gigante 2021 ha quedado atrás y estamos listos para discutir un puñado de nuevas canciones de Eurovisión. Eso es todo el español que conocemos.

Sábado Gigante Summary

Song Selection Updates
- Czech Republic releases Benny Cristo's "OMAGA" (1:34)
- James Newman will represent the United Kingdom again (4:09)
- Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Final: TIX wins with "Fallen Angel" (6:08)
- Finland's UMK chooses "Dark Side" by Blind Channel (16:02)
- Blas Cantò will sing "Voy a Quedarme" for Spain (21:59)

Other Super Saturday Happenings
- Estonia's Eesti Laul semi finals cut 24 acts to 12 (23:45)
- Sweden's Melodifestivalen Heat 3 (29:48)
- Portugal's Festival da Cançao Semi 1 (33:36)

Coming Up This Week (37:56)
- Bulgaria launches Victoria's a little dramatic feedback platform
- Serbia's Hurricane will sing "Loco Loco"
- Cyprus releases Elena Tsagkrinou's "El Diablo" Wednesday
- Germany's Jendrik presents his song Thursday
- Ireland's Lesley Roy debuts "MAPS" on Friday
- Slovenia's EMA reveals Ana Soklic's song Saturday

Episode 107: Poof, Pow, Surprise!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0600

Poof! Croatia has entered the Eurovision chat! Pow! Melfest names a woman! Surprise! Our first genuine "What?!" delivered on this show.

Poof, Pow, Surprise! Summary

News: "Husavik" Awards Watch and a Rotterdam Stage Update (1:23)
Weekend Recap
- Croatia's Dora selects Albina's "Tick-Tock" (4:54)
- Sweden's Melodifestivalen Heat 2 (12:25)
- Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Heat 5 (20:55)

Song Updates (26:25)
- Czech Republic's Benny Cristo drops "Omaga"
- Song titles from North Macedonia and Moldova
- Bulgaria's Victoria gets a little dramatic on YouTube

TV This Week
- Estonia's Eesti Laul Semi Finals Thursday and Saturday
- Finland's UMK Picks (29:15)
- Spain's Blas Cantò will sing "Memoria" or "Voy a Quedarme" (34:17)
- Portugal's Festival da Cançao begins (35:54)

Episode 106: Determined Yet Realistic

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

Lithuania and Ukraine have determined their entries and Eurovision gets realistic about its scenarios for Rotterdam.

Determined Yet Realistic Summary

News (1:04)
- Örs Siklósi of AWS (Hungary 2018)
- Eurovision Scenario A off the table
- "Husavik" Awards Watch
- Ukraine selects "Shum" for Go_A
- Germany selects Jendrik

Recaps
- Lithuania definitively chooses The ROOP's "Discoteque" (11:50)
- Sweden's Melfest Heat 1 (14:30)
- Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Heat 4 (20:48)

Coming Up (28:55)
- Denmark will release Melodi Grand Prix entries Wednesday
- Spain will release Blas Cantó's "Memoria" and "Voy a Quedarme" Wednesday
- Slovenia and Serbia change up their selection processes
- RuPaul's Drag Race UK will host the RuRuvision Song Contest
- Croatia's Dora takes place Saturday

Our picks for Estonia's Eesti Laul Semi-Final 2 (35:05)

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 89: 12 Points to Fire Saga?

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga arrived on Netflix last week and 12 Points from America joins us to discuss the music in Will Ferrell's new comedy.

12 Points to Fire Saga? Episode Summary

Welcome, 12 Points from America! Erik, Danny, Sam, and Derek! (2:20)
What were your overall impressions of the music in the movie? (7:23)
Will non-Eurovision fans "get" the Song Along? (20:30)
Was there anything missing from the Eurovision music experience? (39:33)
Outro: We discuss The Story of Fire Saga as a movie on 12 Points from America! (46:30)

Episode 84: What is Poptimism?

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

Music critic Ned Raggett joins us to discuss rockism, poptimism, and why Eurovision songs are worthy of critique.

What is Poptimism? Summary

Welcome, Ned! (1:00)
Newsdesk: Eurostream 2020, Eurovision in Concert, Europe Shine a Light, Blas Cantó duets with Kelly Clarkson (4:32)
What is "poptimism"? (12:36)
Poptimism vs. Rockism (23:56)
The Rise of Eurovision in the US (34:15)

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 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 74: Semi Final Allocation Czech In

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 17:00:00 -0600

Czech Republic came to play, y'all. We do a deep dive on this year's Eurovision selection entries and check in with news across Europe as we wait for the semi final draw.

Semi Final Allocation Czech In Summary

Semi Final Allocation (0:48)
Finland's UMK Entries' Slow Drip (6:11)
Czech Republic's Seven Songs for Eurovision (8:38)
Denmark and Belarus Narrow Down Their Fields (25:51)
Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Heat 3 Recap (28:09)
Lithuania's Pabandom iš Naujo Heat 3 Recap (34:59)
Coming up this week: Tickets, Spain's Song, Sweden's Melfest, Moldova's Auditions, Poland's Szansa na Sukces (38:54)

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 64: Win Win Win Win

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 18:00:00 -0500

We jump back 50 years to that time Eurovision had a four-way tie for first place... and no way to break it.

Win Win Win Win Summary

How many countries are in Europe? (1:44)
Are you the next Jon Ola Sand? (9:05)
Update: What WAS that Germany postcard? (12:17)
Eurovision 1969: The Big Tie (14:16)
Netherlands - Lenny Kuhr - "De Troubadour" (19:35)
Spain - Salomé - "Vivo Contando" (22:00)
United Kingdom - Lulu - "Boom Bang A Bang" (24:04)
France - Frida Boccara - "Un Jour, Un Enfant" (27:40)

Episode 63: Flags on the Play

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:00:00 -0500

Who knew that flags—symbols of national identity—could have political implications at the Eurovision Song Contest? Drink!

Flags on the Play Summary

News (1:48)
Flags at the Eurovision Song Contest (12:05)
Controversy 1: Israel 2000 (15:21)
Controversy 2: United Kingdom 2007 (23:49)
Controversy 3: Russia 2015 (33:17)
Controversy 4: Armenia 2016 (40:10)
Controversy 5: Iceland 2019 (43:49)

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.

Join the EuroWhat AV Club!

If you would like to help financially support the show, we are hosting the EuroWhat AV Club over on Patreon! We have a slew of bonus episodes with deep dives on Eurovision-adjacent topics.

Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

Links:

Episode 62: Morocco 1980

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 18:00:00 -0500

Remember that time Morocco competed at the Eurovision Song Contest? We don't since neither of us existed at the time. Let's learn about it together!

Morocco 1980 Summary

RUV fined for Hatari's antics (1:36)
Country count (3:37)
UK and Spain go internal (4:37)
Morocco at the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest (8:53)

Episode 61: It’s Rotterdam! Ahoy!

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:00:00 -0500

Happy Eurovision New Year! We're talking about Eurovision 2020's host country the Netherlands and the host city of Rotterdam.

It’s Rotterdam! Ahoy! Summary

Happy Eurovision New Year! (1:23)
The Mailbag (4:58)
- Prioritization Grids: Random and Normal
- Fun with our Eurovision Lyrics Generator
- Eurovision in the Wild: From Russia with Love Edition
- Please Clap

The Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest (12:13)

Ahoy, Rotterdam! (22:00)

Episode 60: Hallelujah

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:00:00 -0500

With Tel Aviv about to pass the Eurovision hosting baton to Rotterdam or Maastricht, we watch the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest to see what has changed in the last 40 years.

Hallelujah Summary

Welcome back, Chris King! (1:28)
Netflix Eurovision casting news: Dan Stevens and Demi Lovato (3:04)
Host City Announcement Friday (5:43)
The 1979 Eurovision Song Contest (7:39)
- Postcards (11:40)
- Performances (19:33)
- Did the correct entry win? (39:04)
- The Aftermath (44:38)

Episode 57: The Big 5 Gut Rehab (Spain and Germany)

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 17:00:00 -0500

Our July renovations continue as we wander the Eurovision wilderness with Big 5 countries Spain and Germany.

The Big 5 Gut Rehab (Spain and Germany) Summary

How many cities in the Netherlands (0:47)
Podcast Awards: Please Clap (5:15)
Gut Rehab: Spain (6:45)
Gut Rehab: Germany (18:17)

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 50: The Mountaintop

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 07 May 2019 17:00:00 -0500

Dave Steeves joins us to discuss the Eurovision auto-qualifiers as we ask the eternal question "Could Spain, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the host country advance if they had to compete?"

The Mountaintop Summary

Language musing (1:56)
EBU Eurovision Podcast (4:08)
Hatari Merch (5:55)
Spain - Miki - "La Venda" (8:43)
France - Bilal Hassani - "Roi" (12:54)
United Kingdom - Michael Rice - "Bigger Than Us" (18:11)
Italy - Mahmood - "Soldi" (25:45)
Germany - S!sters - "Sister" (32:14)
Israel - Kobi Marimi - "Home" (39:07)

Episode 35: Molasses Flood

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 01:00:00 -0600

A flood of Eurovision updates this week, including Spain's selection and artists from Belgium, Netherlands, and San Marino.

After learning that there was such a thing as the Molasses Flood 100 years ago AND that it was not at all funny, we pick up right where we left off in last week's episode. Or, more like 15 minutes after we signed off because Belgium announced Eliot Vassamillet as their artist.

Fast forward to this past weekend, and we were ankle deep in selection news. Spain's Miki won the Operacion Triunfo Eurovision Gala with "La Venda" and will be bringing the party to Tel Aviv. San Marino revealed that Serhat will represent them for the second time while the Netherlands have selected Duncan Laurence as their act for Eurovision 2019.

Then we get knee deep in the oncoming flood of selection shows this coming weekend. We highlight the frontrunners in France's Destination Eurovision before taking a peek at this weekend's schedule of events. It's just going to get busier moving forward—I hope you're ready!

Belgium selects their artist (1:44)
Spain chooses Miki's "La Venda" (3:05)
Serhat for San Marino (7:19)
Duncan Laurence (aka Duncan de Moor) for Netherlands (10:22)
France's Destination Eurovision Final Preview (13:13)
Elsewhere this weekend (23:34)

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)

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 29: Start Voting Now

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 02:00:00 -0600

How does the voting process work at Eurovision? If you think it's confusing now, the history of voting at the Contest has many surprises.

With mid-term elections happening this week in the US, we wanted to talk about how voting works when the consequences aren't as... consequential. One can dream, right?

Speaking of, we discuss next year's slogan "Dare to Dream" as well as other preparations currently taking place in Tel Aviv. If you're planning on going to the Contest, you may need to pack some Dramamine if you haven't booked your hotel yet.

There is some good news: the stage will be designed by a firm very familiar with Eurovision and other high profile music events, including the X Factor. We check in with how Brendan Murray is doing on the UK edition. ... Um... Dare to Dream...

Finally, we dive into the history of all the different methods used to distribute points at the Eurovision Song Contest. Point pools, age-defined juries, and potential 14-way ties are just some of the quirks that used to be part of the competition. We also explore how ties factor into the festivities.

United States, start learning about Eurovision voting now!

Start Voting Now Summary

Dare to Dream and other preparations (1:22)
The Ex-Eurovision Contestant Factor (8:23)
This week in boycotts (13:10)
Voting at the Eurovision Song Contest (1956-1974) (14:39)
The Usual Way (1975-2015) (20:05)
The Current Method (2016-Present) (25:30)
Tie-Breakers (30:30)

Episode 27: Orchestras, Synthesizers, and Lulu

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 06:00:00 -0500

Orchestras used to be a requirement at the Eurovision Song Contest. In this episode, we take a look at the evolution of live (and "live") music at the competition.

We're getting close to having a final-ish guest list for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest with 40* countries confirming their interest.((Armenia confirmed after we recorded.)) Yes, it's still a Facebook Maybe at this point and there are still three countries who have been invited but haven't responded. RETURN OUR CALLS, MOLDOVA.

After we check in with the Irish boycott situation and Cher's foray into Abba's catalog, we dive into the history of the music of the Eurovision Song Contest. Orchestras used to be a thing for the first 20 years of the competition. Once backing tracks were introduced in the mid-1970s (Hi again, Abba!), it was only a matter of time before Eurovision would catch up with a more modern pop sound. ... I mean, 25 years? We're now 20 years beyond that revolution and we're still encountering new sounds that run afoul of Eurovision's definition of a song. It's beyond fascinating.

Get ready for a teach-in and grab the moment to listen to this episode!

Orchestras, Synthesizers, and Lulu Summary

Eurovision guest list (1:19)
MyHeritage sponsorship (4:31)
Eurovision in Asia not a thing (7:07)
The next stage (9:10)
Gimme gimme gimme Cher's new album (13:19)
This week in boycotts (14:29)
Live music at Eurovision (15:35)

Episode 25: Planning Your Eurovision Vacation

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 12 Sep 2018 06:00:00 -0500

We know the Eurovision Song Contest will be in Israel((Maybe Tel Aviv, maybe Jerusalem)) in May, so now is the perfect time to start planning your vacation!

First, Mike and Ben go over some of the news items from the last couple weeks. Will there be boycotts of the 2019 Contest? Denmark doesn't think so, while Estonia and Spain are full speed ahead on their Eurovision plans. America's Got Sweden's rig from this year's Melfest while Madame Monsieur met their song's namesake. Also: ninjas. VIP ninjas.

After playing catchup, we offer our advice on how to make your way across the pond to attend next year's Eurovision. Do you have your passport yet? How can you get to Europe/Israel and back on the cheap? Where should I stay? HOW DO I PAY FOR THIS?!

Don't panic. Place your carryon in the overhead bin and listen to this week's episode of the EuroWhat to get a head start on your European vacation.

Planning Your Eurovision Vacation Summary

Eurovision in the Wild (0:00)
Getting Your Passport (12:01)
Getting to Europe and Beyond (14:54)
Options on Where to Stay (23:49)
How to Save Up for a European Vacation (29:16)
A few more things to consider (34:47)

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 15: Eurovision 2018 Auto Qualifiers

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Wed, 02 May 2018 05:00:00 -0500

As the Eurovision semi-finalist rehearsals are underway in Lisbon, the EuroWhat chats about the six auto qualifiers for this year's Grand Final. Will Portugal be a repeat winner? Will a Big Five country take the crown? Why so serious, Europe?

After a brief check-in with the first semi-final rehearsals—get well soon, Mikolas Josef!—we take a look at the jury who will provide half the Eurovision points. Could a hologram performance of "Waterloo" be in the near future? Also, before we talk about the Big Five, we speculate on whether France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom are at a disadvantage as auto qualifiers. Along with host country Portugal, we dive into the last six entries of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in preparation for the big events next week. GET EXCITED!

Summary

Rehearsals underway (2:00)
Judging the Juries (7:31)
ABBA reuniting! (10:10)
Is the Big Five at a competitive disadvantage as auto qualifiers? (12:07)
The last six Eurovision 2018 entries (21:06)
Programming notes (55:40)

Eurovision 2018 Auto Qualifiers

Portugal - Cláudia Pascoal - "O Jardim" (21:06)
Spain - Alfred and Amaia - "Tu Canción" (26:59)
United Kingdom - SuRie - "Storm" (33:20)
France - Madame Monsieur - "Mercy" (39:18)
Germany - Michael Schulte - "You Let Me Walk Alone" (45:06)
Italy - Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro - "Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente" (50:02)

Episode 3: Messy, Messy

The EuroWhat? Podcast — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 08:00:00 -0600

We have songs to talk about! France, Czechia, and Spain have selected and boy do we have opinions. Russia and Ukraine continue their Eurovision dramarama. Oh, and the semi-finals have been allocated.

Messy, Messy Summary

Semi-Final Allocation
France selects "Mercy" by Madame Monsieur
Czechia selects "Lie to Me" by Mikolas Josef
Spain selects "Tu canción" by Alfred & Amaia
Russia confirms Yuilia Samoylova
North Macedonia is looking for songs
Upcoming selection processes

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

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