1. Talk about causing a riot.Image
Just after midnight on April 25, 1974, Portugal’s entry ‘And After the Goodbye’ was played on Portuguese radio to signal the beginning of a political coup. The coup succeeded in overthrowing the authoritarian regime, and bringing democracy to the nation. Holy shit!
2. Man and wolf, united at last. Image
Belarus’ 2016 entrant, IVAN, planned to perform nude with a pack of live wolves. (It’s like what you’d see if first-year conceptual art students had a budget). Organisers didn’t allow it but here’s some sneaky footage from his dress rehearsal.
3. The world’s watching, make it count.Image
Finland’s 2013 contestant, Krista Siegfrid, kissed one of her backup dancers to protest Finland’s ban on same-sex marriage.
4. Contestants aren’t always who they say they are.Image
They may look like your regular flag-waving Eurovision die-hards but Israel’s entrants to Eurovision 2000, Ping Pong, were a bunch of incognito journalists who entered the competition just for lols.
5. A stage that makes Rupaul's runway look tame.Image
2014’s winner, Conchita Wurst, has been massive for trans-awareness, but Dana International repped Israel way back in 1988 and despite outrage from the country's conservatives, she bloody won it, didn’t she!
6. You can sing in any language (even made-up ones).Image
Belgian contestants, Urban Trad, entered Eurovision with their song “Sanomi” - not in any one of Belgium’s three official languages (Dutch, French or German) but a completely made-up, imaginary tongue... just because.
7. Contestants are a bit shit at picking a winner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBAdOlQPbwg
Lithuanian band, LT United, entered Eurovision 2006 with their song, “We Are The Winners”. Despite their lyrics, “We are the winners of Eurovision. Vote for the winners!” repeated over and over again, they didn’t win. Same goes for Iceland’s Miss Silvia Night whose 2006 entry, ‘Congratulations’ told Eurovision that “The vote is in, I’ll fucking win.” She fucking did not win.
8. Those props tho.
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Is it a piano? Is it a hula-hoop? Who cares, it’s amazing.
9. It's where stars are (re)born.Image
Former Australian idol winner, Guy Sebastian, was robbed of the 2015 Eurovision title. We will not forget.
