The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 has just ended and, in addition to congratulations to Nemo and Switzerland which will host the event in 2025, it's time to take stock. This year's edition was full of controversies and events: from the Israel affair to the disqualification of Jost Klein and his Europe after the complaint and an investigation by the Swedish police. The last act was expected to be lightning fast. But no, everything was quite calm and “according to plan”. You don't believe it and you missed the evening? No problem: this is how the Grand Final of the event went, starting with the royal greeting from Princess Victoria of Sweden, future Queen.
The parade
It starts with the parade of competing artists equipped with flags and, in the background, the great hits of Swedish singers: from I Love It of the pop icons a Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! of Abba passing through Beautiful Life of Ace of Base, The Look of the Roxettes, I Follow Rivers by Lykke Li e Sunshine by Axwell & Ingrosso. Nemo carries the LGBTQI+ flag dedicated to the non-binary community.
The wonder of being similar
In terms of sound and look there are two singers and pieces competing who seem like their country's version of Angelina Mango. Luxembourg's Tali with Fighter he also shares the author, namely Dardust (the only Italian present at the same time with two compositions in the competition). Zari by the Greek Marina Satti, however, it has a sound that is even vaguely reminiscent SloMo of the Iberian Chanel (who performed at ESC 2022).
Boo to Israel
The Israeli Eden Golan is booed both during the parade and during the performance, the audience is particularly noisy. Also booed spokesperson of Israel. The dissent in the arena was highlighted by the Italian host, Gabriele Corsi. At the time of voting we continue, but the televoting rewards Golan, who makes a huge leap forward and places himself in fifth position.
Zorrate
The Spanish Nebulossa (Iberian version of our Jalisse) bring Zorra, a hit with a super catchy chorus created specifically for rainbow discos: it gets sung, but arrives in fourth to last position. Mention also goes to the Finnish Windows95man, capable of setting the Malmö Arena alight with their butts in the wind with a game of peek-a-boo with a very funny sexual allusion at the end.
Good show (sometimes just that)
The Satan Bambie Thug from Ireland made a performance of Doomsday Blue very scenic, as if she were a witch grappling with a monster. The song, however, doesn't hit the mark. The performance of the English Olly Alexander was also not bad, a British star who deserved something.
Best quote ever
Gabriele Corsi asks Mara Maionchi «What is this singer like?». She replies «she IS Greek». The funniest point scored by Mara takes inspiration from Talcum powder by Carlo Verdone. If on the one hand there is a crackling Gabriele Corsi, on the other we find a tired and not at all brilliant Maionchi. She is probably tired from the thousand commitments in which she is the protagonist (the evening before she was on Rai 1 in the jury ofTalent Catcher).
Long live France!
The moral winner is the Frenchman Slimane with My love. The audience appreciates the artist's theatrical interpretation, complete with desperate and beautiful singing. She would have deserved the victory, if only for having brought something different and “outside” the Eurovision context.
I've heard this before!
Do we have any 90s? Yes, especially around Austria: We Will Rave by Kaleen is reminiscent, so to speak, of the famous Think About the Way by Ice MC. Alexia, rebel!
Abba? No, Alcazar
They start with A, they are music icons, they get together and at least three take the stage. Were you thinking of Abba? But no, they are the Alcazars, gathered together for Crying At The Discoteque. The band fails to finish the hit and is interrupted, complete with apologies and a gag with the hosts about the fact that they were expecting the quartet of Oh mama!.
Abba's missed opportunity
Abba's absence was felt strongly. In short, for the 50th anniversary of Waterloo the least would have been to see Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Björn in person on the ESC stage. They refused (in the past) several million euros for the reunion, but they could have made an exception to the rule in their Sweden. The tribute to the band with The Winner Takes It All took place with a connection from the Abba Arena in London, where the hologram-avatars of the group gave an ad hoc speech to remember the winning piece of ESC in 1974. In Malmö, in the meantime, they sang Waterloo: Charlotte Perrelli, winner for Sweden in 1999, did it; Carola, who brought the contest to Malmö in 1992; and Conchita Wurst, who won by l'Austria in 2014.
Memory of Mia Martini
After midnight, Gabriele Corsi remembered Mia Martini 29 years after her death. Mimì, in 1992, competed with the piece Rhapsody right in Malmö.
Angelina Mango: it doesn't happen, but… it doesn't happen
At a certain point we believed it a little, because the dynamics seemed the same as when Måneskin triumphed. And instead we have to settle for seventh place. Angelina Mango rocked, there was an ovation from the audience, but get back to work, there was no coup. Sin.
Ladies & gentlemen, Gabriele Corsi
Good, nice, ironic, competent, professional, prepared. What else does Gabriele Corsi have to prove? Nothing. And he must be valued. Because there are few conductors like this around, and he deserves definitive consecration. Five million viewers (36% share) for such a slow evening is not an everyday feat.