Eurovision arrives in May with new rules that are sure to provoke discussion.
With just weeks to go before the 68th edition of Eurovision, which will take place in Malmö, Sweden, from May 7 to 11, substantial changes to the rules have recently been announced. A widely observed change in a competition which mixes delegation voting, public voting and a good dose of chauvinism, favoritism and geopolitical arrangements. In addition to the ancestral rules (live performances, which must not exceed three minutes, without any playback, with a maximum of six artists on stage), fans and participants will have to get used to two new features.
The first concerns public votes. Traditionally, on the night of the Eurovision final, viewers can vote by phone or SMS only after all performances have been played. A process which forces fans to wait until very late to vote, after an endless parade of more or less attractive artists on stage, and which therefore sometimes gets the better of the less daring. Major change: this year, public voting will be open from the start of the show. This means that viewers will be able to vote for their favorite artists as soon as they appear on stage, without having to wait until the end.
Ebba Adielsson, executive producer of Eurovision, explained at the end of April: “We want to offer the possibility of involving viewers from the start: if you see something you like, you should be able to vote immediately”, she indicated. Previously, the last artists to appear on the Eurovision stage were favored, leaving the freshest memories in people’s minds. For the best or for the worst…
Just once, this rule change could be particularly beneficial for France. Slimane, who will perform “Mon amour”, one of the rare ballads of this edition, could more easily capture the hearts of the spectators. According to experts, songs focusing on immediate emotion are undoubtedly the most likely to benefit from this new rule, while those focusing on spectacle or “show” will stay in people’s minds longer.
Some will still criticize the risk for viewers of rushing, thereby altering the possibility of comparing and analyzing the performances with a minimum of reflection throughout the evening. Enough to significantly modify the dynamics of the final results.
Another change and another notable advantage for France, as well as for the other members of the “big five” (Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and the host country (Sweden): the possibility of now performing from the semi-finals -finals. Previously, only extracts from rehearsals from these countries were shown there. A choice that seemed logical given that the “big five” qualified directly for the final, as the first financial contributors to Eurovision.
This year, their performances will therefore have increased visibility. Enough to make the “real” semi-finalists or the upholders of the traditions that have governed the competition for a long time talk. Slimane will have the opportunity to present “Mon amour” in full during the second semi-final, on Thursday May 9. And this exposure, combined with the opening of early voting for the final, could well further strengthen its position in the competition.
