Episode 17 - Performance! Performance! Performance!

As this episode goes out Andy & Ryan are recovering from three frenetic weekends in Stockholm. After 2 Melfest specials, this is a return to our regular episode format with 7 songs in 7 different categories. First up is Portugal’s sublime Saudade Saudade (a sad state of intense longing for someone or something that is absent) which is essentially group therapy in song form, for which the lead singer, MARO, is in a purple judo outfit. Then we have the irrepressible Krista Siegfrids singing the joyful and queer Marry Me back in 2013 which was in many ways ahead of its time with its drag kings, lesbian kiss and intention to represent sexual equality. Our ‘over 15 years ago’ slot takes us back to 1998 and Netherlands legend Edsilia Rombley and her 4th place song Hemel & Aarde with its Mike and the Mechanics ‘bounce’. This episode’s UK entry is Still in Love with You. Not exactly a favourite of Eurovision fans, but we consider it to be fun and feelgood even if the performance was a little lacking on the night. This is followed by the uber-controversial Icelandic mega-star Silvia Night - with her hotline to God - who almost everyone misunderstood back in 2006, so much so that the crowd booed her during the semi-final. We discuss how Silvia was a character rather than a real person and how she perhaps suffered more for her art because of her gender rather than what she said and did. Our Deuce award category is filled by the gravity-defying and ever-youthful Stig Rasta whose infectious pop song Interstellar (co-written with Melfest’s Victor Crone) was a contender in the Estonian national final back in 2022. Finally, the Randomiser generously (?) gifts us the Swiss entry from 1980, Paola’s Cinema, at a time in Eurovision history when every other song title was a place or an art form e.g. Colorado, Theatre, Amsterdam. Elsewhere in the episode, we rip into Johnny Logan and Andy has his Eurovision expert card revoked when he completely forgets about the existence of Duncan Lawrence! So… congratulations, we have arrived. We’re Andy and Ryan and we’re shining so bright. Eurovision nations, your dreams coming true. You’ve been waiting forever for a pod to save you. Wham, bam, boom! Socials: Twitter: @EuroQueensPod Instagram: EurovisionQueens Email: EurovisionQueens@gmail.com Spotify playlist: shorturl.at/egvEP Season 1: Episode 17 Saudade saudade by MARO (Portugal 2022) Marry Me by Krista Siegfrids (Finland 2013) Hemel & Aarde by Edsilia Rombley (Netherlands 1998) Still In Love with You by Electro Velvet (UK 2015) Congratulations by Silvia Night (Iceland 2006) Interstellar by Stig Rasta (Estonia 2022) Cinéma by Paola (Switzerland 1980)