Eurovision Song Contest. Those three words have garnered so much undeserved scorn. And all because a bunch of singers representing countries come together on a big stage somewhere in Europe to sing some songs with poppy, up-beat melodies and sugary lyrics. What could be more fun? Hello. I'm Adrian, and I'm Londonist's shiny new Eurovision correspondent. I'm in love with Eurovision for its cheesy music, its wonderful sparkly spectacle, its joyous nationhood and its glorious predictability.
I'll be popping up over the next few months in the lead up to the final in Helsinki in May. That's Helsinki in Finland, as last year Finnish metallers Lordi won the contest and brought it to Finland for the first time in 41 years. Not only did they make the whole Finnish nation very happy, but Lordi also won with a metal song. A metal song about The Arockalypse. Not a shiny, clappy pop song. After last year's contest (in which the UK finished 5th from last), Morrissey chimed in to wonder why the BBC hadn't asked him. So now they have. And, boy, has it been getting coverage. The BBC have been reporting all day that they are in talks with Morrissey, as have many other news agencies. And radio stations in Finland, and in Belgium, and in Sweden, and, er, Canada. This is big news in Eurovision world!
Morrissey might be an unusual choice for the UK, given his whingey, moany and generally sullen image. Number 1 on his list of attractions, however, is his fanbase. He was voted the #2 British living icon by BBC viewers recently, and is well known and loved across the continent, particularly in Spain. His white, middle-class angsty attitude is perfect for the "nobody loves us" sentiments that Terry Wogan and the BBC whimper at Eurovision.
Looking a little further at the reports, it's not clear whether Morrissey would actually perform himself, or write a song for someone else to perform, or even do anything at all. He is "in talks" with the BBC and "nothing is confirmed at the moment". The BBC have clearly capitalised on his potential involvement as a story to build some pre-publicity for their song selection, much in the same way they did a few years ago with Jordan. Whatever the outcome, it should make for an interesting selection and hopefully get us all watching Eurovision.
