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. As always, this is a site where we are highlighting and centering the voices of individuals who are not from Eurovision participating countries.
Check out the latest Eurovision Family Member:
Sandra
Where are you from?
Originally from Puerto Rico. Now living in Alabama, US.
When and how did you discover the Eurovision Song Contest?
In 2002, but I didn’t start following it religiously till 2013. My mother was a fan of Operacion Triunfo. We didn’t know a lot about the contest back in 2002, only that Rosa, David Bisbal, and the rest of the gang were representing Spain in some sort of competition. We really didn’t keep track of it. I just know that once in a while it would be in the Spanish news and then all of a sudden it was playing on a Saturday afternoon (Lordi sticks to mind). It wasn’t appointment tv for me. If we came across it, we would just watch it.
It wasn’t until 2013 that I watched my first Eurovision in full, and I haven’t looked back. By this time I’m in Alabama. I had recently lost my sister, and my mom’s Alzheimer’s was getting worse. I couldn’t talk to my mom like I used to, so I became nostalgic. I looked for things that reminded me of home, like watching TVE again. After a while I came across the Eurovision Grand Final. This time, instead of watching and do nothing else, I wanted to know more, so I went to You Tube. I heard all the songs. I even got to see the Semi Finals, which I never did before. I fell in love with the show and the artists. I downloaded the songs so that I could hear them on my way to work, on my dog walks, etc. I found myself wanting to listen to more than just the current songs. I wanted to watch old shows and old performances. I was hooked.
What is your all-time favorite Eurovision Song?
Who is your favorite Eurovision winner?
Jamala (2016). The beat was banging and her voice was great, but it was a little too serious. My favorites that year were LoveWave, Sound of Silence, and J’ai cherche. I thought 1944 was going to do well, but I didn’t think it was going to win. By the end of the Final, I was rooting for her. The staging, her dress, the tree, her vocals (specially that last note)…everything was there. I was moved by the story and her performance. Though, I have to also say that I wanted her to beat Sergey.
What is your favorite Eurovision Contest year?
2016 and 2018. Lots of good songs. 2018 Semi Final 1 had me screaming. One slot left and I still had 3 countries that could have filled that spot.
If you could change one thing about the Eurovision Song Contest what would it be and why?
Allow access to the SF and the Final through the YouTube channel.
What do you LOVE about being in the Eurovision fan community?
It’s a 365 day community, with year round content. Is also full of varied opinions and tastes. You get to meet and talk with people from all over the world. You learn about different countries and cultures. You are also exposed to artists that you probably would’ve never heard of if it wasn’t for the likes of Sanremo and some of the NF (Rijeka, Tears Run Dry, Musica leggerissima, and I Can’t Escape are my favs this year).
What is the hardest thing about being a fan NOT from a participating country?
GEOBLOCKING SHOWS!!!! Though now we have SVT and other countries allowing us to watch it. I think the Eurovision You Tube channel should go back with the live streaming like before.
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