I don't normally watch Bulgarian television that much, but this particular Saturday evening something caught my eye. It was the Bulgarian qualification for their Eurovision Song Contest representation. Last year was a great year as the Bulgarian chose a traditional based song and they ended up in fifth place in the finals, an unprecedented success. This year, after watching the winning song, I fear they won't do so well.
There were twelve finalist represented, all very different styles all hoping to be picked from a tele-voting system. The winner will be going to Russia later in the year for the finals in Moscow.
Now I quite like the Eurovision Song contest, not of the music but for the entertainment and the total ridicule of the event. Tonight was not exception. Of all the songs that were performed there was none song that I knew would come in last place. What happened? It actually won! I just could not believe it.
The song called 'Illusion' doesn't really have any identity, the singer Krassimir Avramov who comes from Sliven can't sing! In this live performance, his falsetto voice was so out of tune that it was a full semitone away from the intended note. Wearing a chain mail suit, couple of stilt dancers performing by his side and an impromptu opera 'moment' which represetned shreaking more than singing, the performance is bizarre to say the least. I can honestly say it wasa relief when the performance ended.
This is why I like watching Eurovision, it is surreal and rates alongside a sketch from Monty Python! Needless to say, it will do very well in the finals in Moscow!
I have pasted a video clip of the song here having seen this version it is ten times better than the live performance I witnessed and no dancers on stilts. Just image his voice out of tune and you'll get closer to the picture I saw.
Be warned there is some nudity comtained here - but in the famous words of Kenny Everitt - "All done in the best possible taste!"
There were twelve finalist represented, all very different styles all hoping to be picked from a tele-voting system. The winner will be going to Russia later in the year for the finals in Moscow.
Now I quite like the Eurovision Song contest, not of the music but for the entertainment and the total ridicule of the event. Tonight was not exception. Of all the songs that were performed there was none song that I knew would come in last place. What happened? It actually won! I just could not believe it.
The song called 'Illusion' doesn't really have any identity, the singer Krassimir Avramov who comes from Sliven can't sing! In this live performance, his falsetto voice was so out of tune that it was a full semitone away from the intended note. Wearing a chain mail suit, couple of stilt dancers performing by his side and an impromptu opera 'moment' which represetned shreaking more than singing, the performance is bizarre to say the least. I can honestly say it wasa relief when the performance ended.
This is why I like watching Eurovision, it is surreal and rates alongside a sketch from Monty Python! Needless to say, it will do very well in the finals in Moscow!
I have pasted a video clip of the song here having seen this version it is ten times better than the live performance I witnessed and no dancers on stilts. Just image his voice out of tune and you'll get closer to the picture I saw.
Be warned there is some nudity comtained here - but in the famous words of Kenny Everitt - "All done in the best possible taste!"
More news about this Bulgarian Eurovision entry as protests were made in Sofia by musicians who know what is and what isn't good music. Check out the story -> http://bulgarianscrapbook.blogspot.com/2009/02/protests-against-bulgaria-eurovision.html
The video was not bad, a raging battle, knights on horses, dwarfs and naked women. A definite Euro contender played on mute. The song itself, I've heard far worse and never personally sung better, but.....it ain't going to win, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteI have a theory on Krassimir Avramov's on the night feeble performance. Bulgaria and Russia, first word that comes into my mind....Mafia.
The Russian mafia wants a sexy female singer to be Bulgaria's entrant, the Bulgarian mafia says no problem we'll sort it.
On the morning of the final that you watched, Krassimir Avramov wakes up to find a white horses head next to him on the bed. Shaky voice, sings like a bummer but somehow wins.
Theory Two - Maybe I've drunk too much.
Great post.
HD: The live performance was a bad as yhou can imagine. May well be Mafia infuenced, most things are here.
ReplyDelete