Andrius: A lesson in Eurovision progression

Many people assume that Eurovision artists just turn up on the Friday do a few spot checks and go home on the Saturday having won or lost. Nothing could be further from the truth especially if you’re a country wanting to prove yourself.

First, there’s a semi-final to get through. For that there’ll need to be camera angles worked out with the participating broadcaster, choreography honed and lighting sorted. That’s without the performance checks themselves – any country really serious about winning will have people checking the tapes after and seeing if there’s anything they can do to perfect the performance.

Second, if you get through, you have to do the whole thing again including full rehearsals with all the other participants in front of a paying audience before the big night. Again, you can tweak the performance.

Before all that though there are tell-tale signs of `hunger` that the knowing watch. One of those signs is if an act actually takes on board criticism and advice from professionals or fans themselves.

Which makes it all the more astonishing that this took place A great indie-rock song and yes they were singing in English although you’d be hard-pressed to know it. Of course there were fans imploring them to either do it in their native tongue or change their diction. Alas, they decided against it and thus lost their chance to get into the final. When you have three minutes to make an impact you have to communicate DIRECTLY. Whatever you think of the song that obviously didn’t happen and they lost their place in the final by 7 points – 10 songs went through Sinplus came 11th.

Which is why I have higher hopes for the plucky Andrius Pojavis from Lithuania to get into the final.

This is his first video – i’m one of the least fashion-concious people there are and even I can tell that looking like an extra from an Abraham Lincoln film with corresponding over-acting would take away from the performance. That was a couple of months ago.

Then there’s this – at least he’s ditched the top hat for a more clean-cut look – but you must have noticed something? Yes, the eyebrows have been a source of amusement for weeks.

Finally we have this – although I think the next step would be to put more of Andrius into the performance he’s changed the image and performance to suit the song. In short, he’s putting the song first. Keep on working at it Andrius and you’ll be invited to the big night.