Here in the Eurovision Fam we want to feature YOU! No, not all of you, but a few YOUs in the Eurovision Song Contest fandom. We’re reviving a well-loved past feature format, where we highlight and center the voices of individual fans who are not from Eurovision participating countries.
This is the fifth installment where our audience gets to know a little more of each member of the current Eurovision Fam team. Today, we’re featuring Elda, who is part of our editorial team!
Check out the latest Eurovision Family Member:
Elda Mengisto
Where are you from?
The Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, Washington
When and how did you discover the Eurovision Song Contest?
By accident, actually! I knew of t.A.T.u and Helena Paparizou competing in Eurovision, but I didn’t think much of it at the time (around 2010). In late 2016, I heard of Eurovision somewhere–maybe during a university class, and then I dived into the songs from that year’s contest. I noted how popular Occidentali’s Karma was, but also followed Requiem’s journey through the contest, as I particularly liked that song.
What is your all-time favorite Eurovision Song?
I love “Insieme: 1992”. While it’s not the most original song in the class of 1990, it still radiates with hope and optimism, and Toto sings this song sincerely. That optimism is more representative of “The End of History” ideal promoted back then, but I feel like the message is still quite pertinent today. Basically, it just sums up what Eurovision is all about.
Another one I consider an all-time favorite is “Bistra Voda” (Bosnia and Herzegovina 2009). I love the grandeur and the melancholy in it, along with the sense of nostalgia imbued throughout the track. It’s elegant and beautiful, all at once.*
*Oniro Mou (Greece 2018) would be here for sure if the staging wasn’t bad.
Who is your favorite Eurovision winner and why?
Other than Insieme, my other favorite winner is “Nocturne”, from back in 1995! Secret Garden manages to convey a beautiful world with only twenty-four words and a long violin solo. Those three minutes feel like stepping into a fantasy world and just discovering the little beauties in it. It hasn’t aged at all in the last thirty years, and can easily put you under a spell.
What is your favorite Eurovision Contest year and why?
While I don’t have a definitive favorite year ever, I’m leaning towards 1997. Almost wall-to-wall song quality, beautiful production, and just a taste of the future ahead. There were a lot of developments during that time, from the initial use of the televote to more developed stagings due to instruments being optional on stage. Eurovision needed a jolt in the arm during that time, and I think 1997 delivered in spades.
If you could change one thing about the Eurovision Song Contest what would it be and why?
I would allow live music on a case-by-case basis, for those who want to use it. Having a whole orchestra is not feasible, especially with staging being paramount, but a few bits of live music would be interesting to hear amongst the more instrument-heavy pieces. And if “Minn hinsti dans” and “Zitti e Buoni” could be improved with live orchestration, then the possibilities are endless.
What do you LOVE about being in the Eurovision fan community?
I love learning about different parts of Europe and delving into their music scenes. I’m familiar with this because I listen to Chinese music frequently, so it’s an expansion on that. I don’t think that I would be into Greek music if it weren’t for Oniro Mou and 1990s Greek entries, nor would I listen to Italian music and follow Sanremo otherwise. I also like knowing a bit about their histories, along with meeting people who share similar interests. It’s a really fun way to bond with people!
What is the hardest thing about being a fan NOT from a participating country?
I honestly feel a bit detached from the action, as the events are taking place across another ocean. While it’s strangely convenient for solo watching (e.g. finals starting at noon), it’s a bit harder to actually go to these events in person. Also, geoblocking in the United States is quite annoying.
