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.
Check out the latest Eurovision Family Member:
Kyle Woods
Where are you from?
Atlanta, GA, USA
When and how did you discover the Eurovision Song Contest?
I was living in Croatia in 2002 and went to a karaoke event with some friends. They performed “Tell Me!” (August & Telma – Iceland 2000), and I was intrigued! I asked what that was, and they told me about Eurovision and we listened to the songs from 2000. I was also a big Vesna Pisarovic fan, and when she won Dora that year, I knew I needed to see what this Eurovision thing was all about! I’ve been on board ever since.
What is your all-time favorite Eurovision Song?
Danijela – “Neka Mi Ne Svane” – Croatia 1998
Who is your favorite Eurovision winner?
Ruslana (“Wild Dances” – Ukraine 2004). It was just such a strong performance and sounds different from lots of the other more traditional songs.
What is your favorite Eurovision Contest year?
2012. That year had everything! Not only did it have a strong winner (“Euphoria” – Loreen – Sweden), there was a strong stable of songs generally. Everything was represented in some form or fashion. I regularly use this as my “intro” year when telling newcomers about the show. I find it really embodies what Eurovision is trying to be, so it is a great intro to the show.
If you could change one thing about the Eurovision Song Contest what would it be and why?
Remove the juries. I don’t understand the point of letting self-proclaimed experts decide the show. No one really understands them, there is very little visibility into them, they are the source of some scandal every year. That whole system feels very outdated.
What do you LOVE about being in the Eurovision fan community?
I have my Eurovision friends whom I see every year (and only at Eurovision). I also really enjoy how ultimately non-competitive it is – while folks have strong feelings of course, it really is all in fun.
As a fan from the Rest of the World, I can pick my real favorite song and not feel like I need to make an excuse for not liking the song my country sent. I feel like a real free agent. Also, as an American at Eurovision (and one who is not what you would call “inconspicuous”), I am still enough of a novelty to get some attention, and I find I am often pulled into interviews for local networks which is always fun.
What is the hardest thing about being a fan NOT from a participating country?
Sometimes it feels like fans from participating countries get more love and support. For example, in many years, the host broadcaster gives out “accredited” fan passes. These are nearly impossible for fans of non-participating countries to receive. Also, as a fan from a nonparticipating country, we miss out on some of the activities during the year, such as national selections, fan events, etc. We still can participate virtually, but it’s sad that the live and in person fun isn’t really very practical during the year.
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