The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

By The EuroWhat? PodcastMusic Music Commentary Music History

The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews episodes

March 23, 2021Episode 112: A Whole Thing
All Eurovision 2021 songs are in! (Except Belarus... that's a whole thing...) We discuss the latest entries and think about promo season.
A Whole Thing Summary
Selection season is over! (1:48)
Azerbaijan salutes(?) "Mata Hari"
Georgia's Tornike sings to "You"
Is Malta #DestinedForGreatness with "Je Me Casse"?

Controversies (it's a whole thing...): North Macedonia, Russia, Belarus (11:40)

What does Eurovision promo season look like for 2021? (16:22)

Announcement: We've launched a Patreon! (22:59)

Links
Cover art: Carlton Agus | İctimai Television (İTV) | Giorgi Tsaava
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Portugal | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
#99: Merry FiKmas
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
25 min
March 16, 2021Episode 111: The Homestretch
We're in the homestretch of an unusual Eurovision Selection Season. Melfest is the main event, new songs, scandals... ok, maybe not so unusual...
The Homestretch Summary
"Husavik" Awards Watch: The Grammy Awards and the Oscars (1:12)
The Last Week of Eurovision 2021 Selection Season
Tuesday: Belarus potentially disqualified (5:43)
Wednesday song drops: (11:20)
Austria's Vincent Bueno "Amen"
Greece's Stefania "Last Dance"
Switzerland's Gjon's Tears "Tout L'Univers"
Bulgaria's VICTORIA's "Growing Up is Getting Old"

Thursday song drops: (23:54)
United Kingdom's James Newman "Embers"
North Macedonia's Vasil Garvanliev "Here I Stand"

Friday song drops: (32:25)
Poland's Rafal "The Ride"
Latvia's Samanta Tina "The Moon is Rising"

Saturday's Songs: (39:00)
Sweden's Melfest Final chooses Tusse's "Voices"
Iceland's Daði & Gagnamagnið "10 Years"

Coming Up: Heads of Delegations, Georgia, Malta, and Azerbaijan (50:52)

Links
Cover art Stina Stjernkvist / SVT
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Portugal | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
The Museum of Whales You Will Never See (Penguin/Random House)
The Warsaw Neon Museum (Atlas Obscura)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
53 min
March 09, 2021Episode 110: Oops! All Songs!
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)

Links
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Italy | Lithuania | Norway | Portugal | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Intro audio clip: @Xarlable (Twitter)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
55 min
March 02, 2021Episode 109: Eye of the Hurricane
It's the calm before a hurricane of Eurovision entries washes ashore for 2021. We give Cyprus, Germany, Ireland, and Slovenia a first listen.
Eye of the Hurricane Summary
Song Drops
Cyprus summons "El Diablo" (1:54)
Germany says "I Don't Feel Hate" (8:31)
Ireland opens up its "Maps" (14:49)
Slovenia: can I get an "Amen"? (17:53)

Weekend Recaps
Sweden's Melodifestivalen Heat 4 (21:00)
Portugal's Festival da Canção Semi-Final 2 (24:49)

Coming Up This Week (28:16)
Tuesday: Italy's 71st Sanremo Music Festival starts
Thursday: Moldova, Netherlands, and (maybe?) Belarus Drop Songs
Saturday: Estonia's Eesti Laul Final, Denmark's Melodi Grand Prix, Daði Freyr documentary on Iceland's RUV
Monday: Russia's surprise national final; Senhit's Freaky Trip to Rotterdam concludes with San Marino's song

Links
Cover photo RTVSLO
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Portugal | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Zara Larsson's "Love Me Land" (YouTube)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
39 min
February 23, 2021Episode 108: Sábado Gigante
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

Links
Cover photo Raul Tejedor / RTVE
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
41 min
February 16, 2021Episode 107: Poof, Pow, Surprise!
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)

Links
Cover photo Renato Branđolica / HRT
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
TuVeia's "Bli med meg på gar’n" performance (YouTube)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
42 min
February 09, 2021Episode 106: Determined Yet Realistic
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)

Links
Cover photo: E. Blaževič / LRT
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Croatia | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway | Sweden
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Ticket refund/resale info (Eurovision.tv)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
49 min
February 02, 2021Episode 105: AHHHHHHHH!
We try to keep calm as we discuss the live audience at France's Eurovision final, Sweden's Melfest "plan" and make our picks for Eesti Laul Semi 1.
AHHHHHHHH! Summary
France chooses Barbara Pravi's "Voila" (1:17)
Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Heat 3 Recap (8:44)
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo! Semi-Final Recap (12:41)
Could Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga get a Golden Globe nomination? (15:50)
What is Sweden's plan for this year's Melodifestivalen? (21:47)
Other news: Senhit's "Alcohol is Free"; Croatia tweaks Dora; Bulgaria's a little dramatic; Iceland's song date (26:33)
Our picks for Estonia's Eesti Laul Semi-Final 1 (31:37)
Links
Cover art: Screen from France 2/YouTube
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Pia Zadora's famously bought Golden Globe was not bought, Pia Zadora continues to insist (The Dissolve)
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
44 min
January 26, 2021Episode 104: Où est la Discoteque?
Norway opts for a preliminary "Hero", Lithuania takes us to the "Discoteque", and France gets ready for you to decide their Eurovision entry.
Où est la Discoteque? Summary
Israel selects "Set Me Free" for Eden Alene (1:27)
Other news: Vasil is back for North Macedonia, Portugal and Finland release songs, Cyprus drops in February (4:49)
Lithuania Pabandom is Naujo Week 2: The ROOP visits the "Discoteque" (7:04)
Norway Melodi Grand Prix: Raylee is a "Hero", Mike is a villain (11:46)
France C'est Vous Qui Décidez Preview (22:24)
Links
Cover art: NRK (screen)
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
32 min
January 19, 2021Episode 103: Pabandom is When?
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo and Norway's Melodi Grand Prix have begun and we are optimistic about Eurovision Selection Season 2021.
Pabandom is When Summary
Process updates: France has a date, Finland has a slate, Israel has to adjust, Italy's gonna Italy (1:36)
Lithuania's Pabandom is Naujo Heat 1 (9:47)
Norway's Melodi Grand Prix Heat 1 (17:07)
Links
Cover photo D. Umbraso / LRT
Spotify Playlists: Selection Season | Albania | Estonia | Finland | France | Lithuania | Norway
Eurovision 2021 Calendar
Support The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews
30 min

About The EuroWhat? Podcast: Eurovision News & Reviews

From the publisher's feed

The Eurowhat? Podcast launched in 2018 and features two Americans (Ben Smith and Mike McComb) attempting to make sense of the Eurovision Song Contest. The show tracks national selections and artist…