Luxembourg Song Contest
The second year after a return to Eurovision, Luxembourg has opted to, once again, hold a song contest to choose its entry to Eurovision. Although Luxembourg is small, it's a relatively wealthy nation with a national broadcaster that has benefitted from a wide multinational footprint with which to counter program French, German and Belgium national radio.
Luxembourg Song Contest
Hosts: Raoul Roos and Loïc Juchem
(AND A SECRET SURPRISE HOST - See Below)
Recording of broadcast with English commentary.
Voting
50% international jury
50% public voting (international on esc.vote)
Luxembourg is an interesting country in terms of ESC participation. RTL Lëtzebuerg is the public broadcaster of the country and although the language is Luxembourgish, only 670 thousand people actually live in Luxembourg, only 300,000 to 500,000 people spread across Luxembourg and Germany actually speak the language. French is the language of the national legislature and legal system, and RTL actually runs primarily two French language stations, one targeting Belgium and one targeting France. Thus, RTL was, up until the 1980s, the only public broadcaster running multiple stations, and unique for developing an audience primarily by providing counter programming for neighboring countries. It has, as a result of this, since the 1960s, been the broadcaster most focused on commercial popularity.
The country has typically had success producing Francophone songs in ESC. In fact, it shared the record for most contest wins for over ten years from 1983 to 1994. But in the 90s Luxembourg also became the first country to ‘rage-quit’ the Eurovision Song Contest after being relegated the same year that Ireland took sole ownership of the most-wins record.
Luxembourg returned to ESC last year with the inaugural Luxembourg Song Contest. Currently performers are required to be Luxembourg citizens, long-term residents, or those with a proven connection to the Luxembourgish music scene and strong involvement with Luxembourgish culture. This is a big change from the first four decades of the country's participation when most artists were French with no connection to Luxembourg. That being said, last year’s Luxembourg representative was Tali, a Peruvian/Isreali who’s family settled in Luxembourg when she was an older child.
I tried live-skeeting the contest on BlueSky, which made for a fun different experience but I’m not sure I’ll be doing the same for the other national finals. Truly it’s a big investment in time for an event that’s taking place in another continent. To wrap up this blog post, I will be adapting some of my BlueSky posts.
Holy shit this is three hours and there’s only 7 songs? I guess I’ll be doing some chores during this broadcast. Watching #LSC immediately after #FiKmas is a great reminder that Luxembourg has money. The stage is a copy of last year’s Eurovision mainstage but on a slightly smaller scale, and they announce a surprise third host and it’s ~shocker~ Conchita Wurst. This is not much of an actual surprise because the pre-show talked a lot about how she was making an appearance. But I guess we did know she was going to be providing commentary.
Language funny business; Conchita is fluent in German and English but not French. The hosts seem comfortable in German, Luxembourgish and French but not English. 'my French is not in existence' report Conchita during an interview with a former Eurovision winner from France who represented Luxembourg.
Rafa Ela – "No Thank You"
Actually one a repeat performer, she was in a duo last year. I really enjoyed the Rafa Ela as first entry but don't think this performance is going to change anyone's mind. Good vocals, good energy, but doesn't stand out. She’s in a pleather corset and dancing up a storm but is much less mobile than the back up dancers. I hope she comes back again.
Rhythmic Soulwave – "Stronger"
The intro-video for #LSC second entry, rhythmic soul wave, really did make want to root for them. Who knew Luxembourg had a soul music scene? The members of the band, like the host, all seem more comfortable in different languages, and the wind up speaking alot of English to eachother. I find cosmopolitan groups like this so charming. A question inspired by this permanence, Okay, so the instruments were live in FiK, but these instruments seem very much not-live in #LSC, right? Like violin and drummer seem very much not to be playing? CGI BUTTERFLIES!!! WOOOO!!!!
Luzac – "Je danse"
Luzac's voice does not start out as strong live as he does in the studio track, which means Laura Thorn's margin is getting larger. This is a really fun chorus but I still love the break where Luzac repeats "Regarde-moi danser / Je donne ma langue au chat". Not sure if that’s a reference to ‘cat got your tongue?’ or an allusion to oral sex. Either way, Alors je dаnѕe FORT!
One Last Time – "Gambler's Song"
Another repeat performer. I feel like the main thing I'm taking away from One Last Time's entire postcard/performance is this: I Want to Know More About Fausti. I do not think panning over the statuesque audience is doing this band any favors. Sure, scream "c'mon!" at the audience a few more times, that will change up the vibes. Conchita is a champ at congratulating a performer after a dud of a song. They're right, that was a great rock vocal, it's just the song really really was not ever going to do well. THough I missed it, I guess the singer’s voice cracked right before the last high note rock-n-roll yell. Don’t worry, the producers of LSC will highlight it in the voting recap about two dozen times.
Mäna – "Human Eyes"
Switched up my computer's speakers... but MÄNA sounds REALLY good to start off. LSC ... wait I'm not sure we have the breath control for this chorus live. I need a vocal coach to tell me if MANA is good or not, I literally cannot tell… I do want to see this performer again.
Laura Thorn – "La poupée monte le son"
LSC made no fewer than three France Gall references around Laura Thorne’s song. really connecting the poupee dots for us. OK that big note did not start off perfect, that microphone ended up very far from her face, but she hit it well enough to win with a landslide. Really all Laura Thorne had to do to win was not fall on her face. Wait, Laura Thorn is a primary school music teacher? Luxembourg is going to make us fall in love with her. And according to the pre-song post card Laura Thorn is about 15 meters tall.
In between the performances, Conchita does some crowd work in English for an local audience that seems tentative in English. Oh wait. Oh damn. There’s a public proposal. I think the general rule is: don't do a public proposal, EVER, on live TV. The specific rule: if Conchita Wurst is clapping for you during a ESC NF, then yes, publicly propose to your horrified partner. The next band will be following the ultimate France Gall fan service, the best performance of the night by the betting favorite, and a public proposal. So... fuck them... I guess?
Zero Point Five – "Ride"
Worry we're in danger of Monsters and Men joining up with Mumford and Sons to rush the LSC stage to just beat the ever-loving shit out Zero Point Five. This is terrible and I hate it and HOLY GOD IT SOMEHOW WON THE POPULAR TELEVOTE? Has Luxembourg never heard of Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros?
Okay I’m not going to spend too much time writing about the back half of this contest. I will say the English commentary supposedly seemed very drunk but I didn’t watch that feed as I was trying to stay close to live. There was a little bit of manufactured drama that Conchita leaned into. It was fine. I do think Laura Thorn's voice was a lot more shaky live and I worry a little bit about a NQ for Luxembourg depending on how well she hits the performance at ESC Semi-Finals. This was already fairly polished so I don’t know how much of a glow up we will see. BUT a lot can happen.