Eurovision 2015: Russia

A million voices would be very loud...

It is really hard to sit down and type up a review of the Russian entry, since than any other country there is a political bent to the song that should be addressed.

For the third year in a row, the Russian broadcaster C1R has chosen their song internally.  Their choice, released on March 9th, is this song by Star Factory winner Polina Gagarina.

Polina Gagarina   "A Million Voices"

Gagarina has had chart success in the countries of the former Soviet Union and the song is a simple and insipid little song about peace.   Russia's entry is built to be as inoffensive as humanly possible.

The fact that "A Million Voices" is so sweet and inoffensive is where global politics comes into play.   Under the rule of Vladimir Putin, Russia has been acting more like it did during the Cold War--sending military troops into neighboring countries, limiting the rights of gays and lesbians, and pushing national sovereignty in air and sea encounters with other countries.

These choices have made Russia a pariah in much of Europe.   This distaste became very evident at last year's Eurovision, where the Tolmachevy Sisters were booed when they qualified for the final. 

Their song, "Shine", was another inoffensive song about unrequited love and the negative reaction from the audience in Copenhagen was politically beneficial to the Russian government.

"A Million Voices" is another song in that vein--instead of unrequited love the song like "Shine", "A Million Voices" is about unity and peace.   Here's the opening verse.

We are the worlds people/

Different yet we're the same/

We believe/

We believe in a dream

Praying for peace and healing/

I hope we can start again/

We believe/

We believe in a dream

So if you ever feel love is fading/

Together like the stars in the sky/

We can sing/

We can shine

This song is perfect because whatever the outcome, the current Russian government can use the results to help bolster their political power.   If it's well received, it will be spun as Europe supporting Russian ideals.  If it's booed or scores poorly, the "liberal Western Europe" can be blamed for not understanding Russian idealism.

It's quite brilliant in that regard.

As for my personal opinion, I'm rather disappointed.  I wish they would have given Ms. Gagarina something a bit more hard edged to sing.  She has a beautiful voice but the both the lyrics and arrangement let her down.   It leaves me longing for the days where Russia wasn't so worried about the optics of their song.

Serebro   "Song #1"   Russia   2007

I'd vote for "Song #1".  I wouldn't vote for "A Million Voices".  

Eurovision 2012 Entrants: San Marino

Do you wanna be more than just a friend?

Do you wanna play cybersex again?

If you wanna come to my house

Then click me with your mouse OK.  I realize I'm beating a dead horse with my review of the San Marinese entry, because pretty much everybody has had the same reaction the "The Social Network Song" and it's really the easiest song to criticize.  I mean, all you really need to do is read the lyrics at the beginning of the post to understand why.  I do not condone any song that uses the word "cybersex". And with an introduction like that, you're probably dying to hear the full song: Valentina Monetta  "The Social Network Song" Although the song's lyrics are really smutty, I have to say the music is catchy and that's because the music was written by Ralph Siegel, who is Germany's Mr. Eurovision,   Siegel is famous for composing nineteen songs that were performed at Eurovision, most famously this winner: Nicole  "Ein Bißchen Frieden"  Germany 1982 Yep, Nicole's song about peace is a long, long distance away from hooking up online. But vulgar lyrics aren't my big issue with the song, there have been some songs with vulgar lyrics before, and I can overlook it. Serebro  "Song #1"  Russia 2007 It's pretty awful, but I'm willing to forgive this.  And that's because the girls singing it are barely out of their teens.   It is sexist and ageist, but teenaged girls singing songs that are barely covered come ons are more acceptable than a more mature woman--especally a woman who has been tarted up to look like a teenager.  It's a shame really, because Monetta has a decent voice and is very attractive.  Had she been given a song that would fit with her image, she could have sold the song into the finals, but this song is definately not going there.