This ain’t your grandparents’ Eurovision, 1970-something, when ABBA won and entered world fame, the biggest resulting act so to do in history. That was a far simpler world, in so many ways.
This was the rehearsal for Junior Eurovision, hosted by Georgia, as last year’s winner and, by the way, record-breaking four-time champion, on December 12. The youth version of the adult singing competition is only 23 years old, but it’s become a marvel of an intersection of voice, choreography, lighting, projection, live and recorded TV, audience, and more. My wife and I had hoped to get tickets for the actual final, in Tbilisi, but those were unavailable online for hours on selling day and then suddenly were all gone. For standing room at the rehearsal the day before, however, at 15 lari a pop, we were in luck.
Not so with my GEORGIA TODAY press accreditation, for which I applied in advance by email to Channel 1 TV station as instructed, and have been ignored for three days at time of writing.
But the rehearsal spectacle, at least, we saw, and were dazzled by. I took numerous videos and stills on my cell phone, like everyone else. Big camera not allowed.
18 countries participated this year, quite a few of them small (Malta, North Macedonia, Albania, Cyprus), and quite a few large or mid-size ones missing (Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavia, most of Eastern Europe). Nice to see Ukraine in there. All of them spectacular in talent. I thought the Netherlands, France, Albania and Georgia were especially good, but it’s a tough call; tomorrow night (as I write this), the jury and public voting will decide it.
Going back each day to the Press Accreditation Center has given no results. A number I was given to call regarding this, of the person in charge, cuts me off after a handful of rings. They did tell me, though, that there is some kind of prohibition on the general media getting accreditation for the event, with the Center being primarily to help foreign media, e.g. from the participating countries. And also that weeks in advance was the time to do this, not mere days. Oh well, that part does seem to be my fault.
The past Georgia winners made appearances and sang, going back to the early 2000s (Bzikiebi’s young trio now adults!), as a further stimulus to this year’s much younger singers. It’s obvious that not only a good voice, but stage presence, ability to dance to choreography and a good amount of self-confidence are all part of the talent package. Amazing to see in such tender years.
(Later) As for the final and its winners: My wife and I both picked France, and she won, with Ukraine second and Georgia 3rd. The was from both the world vote and 18 participating jury vote accumulations. Lots of great talent on display, though. Every participant can go home proud. And so can the host Georgia, which pulled the whole thing off without a hitch. We, and the audience, were dazzled.
Blog by Tony Hanmer
Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with over 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
