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Eurovision Song Contest Rotterdam 2021
As the long awaited Eurovision 2021 draws closer, we can’t help but notice that the three favorites according to the current odds are all fully or partially French language songs, something that has not happened in the song contest in quite some time. In this article I will review these three entries from France, Switzerland, and Malta, but first, some background on the Eurovision song contest. Eurovision was started in 1956 as a way to ease tensions between countries after World War II, but has since turned into an event with more viewers than the Super Bowl, in which only one country may be crowned the winner. The winning country then hosts the contest the following year. Below are reviews of three possible winners of this year's contest.
France- Voila by Barbara Pravi
Currently in third place in the odds is France, a nation that has won the Eurovision 5 times, but not since 1977. In 2021 the French representative is Barbara Pravi, a 27 year old singer-songwriter prodigy with Serbian roots. She won the right to Eurovision by winning C’est Vous Qui Decidez 2021, beating out eleven other entries and winning both the jury vote and the televote. Her victory was no surprise, as not only the song Voila, but the performance as well, feels incredibly authentic and heartfelt, and Barbara is dripping with charisma. With this song France makes a return back to traditional chanson balladry, and the entry feels as if it’s uniquely French. In the song Barbara invites listeners to judge her and ridicule her, singing “Talk about me, To your loves, to your friends. Tell them about this girl with black eyes and her crazy dream.” It all feels so vulnerable, and I would hardly be surprised if Barbara does end up taking home the trophy in May.
Switzerland- Tout L’univers by Gjon’s Tears
Currently in second place in the odds is Switzerland, with the song Tout L’univers by Albanian singer songwriter Gjon Muharremaj, whose stage name is Gjon’s Tears. Gjon was chosen as the Swiss representative in 2020 with the song Repondez Moi, but when the 2020 contest was cancelled, he was luckily invited back for 2021. Tout L’univers is entirely in French, the first Swiss entry in French in quite some time. The song is a haunting ballad that sings of unconditional love, but it is a much more modern composition than Voila. The song is very well produced with an immaculate build and traditional pop structure, and it’s further elevated by Gjon’s unique and breathtaking falsetto. If this entry were to win, it’d be the first time Switzerland has won since 1988, when the legendary Celine Dion sang Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.
Malta- Je Me Casse by Destiny Chukunyere
Finally, in first place in the odds and the bookies current favorite to win Eurovision 2021 is Malta, with the song Je Me Casse performed by Destiny Chukunyere. Destiny is a Maltese national hero, and she rose to fame when she won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2015. If she were to win Eurovision, she’d be the first person to ever win both Eurovision and Junior Eurovision, and it would be Malta’s first ever Eurovision win. Je Me Casse itself is a funky, danceable, and empowering banger that draws inspiration from the 1920s by utilizing modern electro-swing. “Je Me Casse” is a French idiom that means to make a quick and sassy exit, and she uses it in this song to show that she doesn’t need a man. The whole song is a declaration of women’s independence, and from the saxophone filled chorus to the “ladies, if you feel like flaunting tonight, it’s alright” in the bridge, it all feels like one big celebration. It’s no wonder the bookies think this might be a potential winner, and we very much look forward to the live performance.
If you want to check the songs out yourselves you can listen on the Eurovision 2021 official Spotify playlist, or on the Eurovision official YouTube channel!