Eurovision Song Context
A show about the Eurovision Song Contest: identity (national and otherwise), taste, and culture. What makes an ESC act successful?
About the show
Every month a special guest tells us about themselves, and brings 2-3 old ESC acts that they either really love, or really don't. Are the entries so good they're good? Or so bad they're good? Or something else? ...Conversation ensues.
Episodes come out on the 12th of every month (the "douzeth").
First episodes available Mid October 2022.
We don't use ESC clips for copyright reasons, you'll have to find them on other platforms. This is a fan podcast and isn't sponsored by (or affiliated with) the EBU.
Eurovision Song Context on social media
Episodes
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Episode 22: (Part 2) Master-pieces
September 12th, 2023 | 58 mins 35 secs
esc, eurovision, georgia, go_a, jamala, ogae, poland, russia, solovey, stephane & 3g, ukraine, we don’t want to put in
This episode's guest is Elka Krajewska. She’s an artist, poet, and activist. I'll talk to her about her current life in Warsaw, and her previous live in New York-- where she notably ran the Salvage Art Institute. The Institute famously deals with what remains of fine art that has been seriously damaged, which in insurance circles is called salvage. We’ll talk about the Rodin and Calder sculptures semi-destroyed in the attacks on 9/11, and the fragments of a very famous balloon dog sculpture. Elka’s now working in Warsaw. We’ll talk about Eastern Europe, about where she is now. About the human experience, art, impermanence. We’ll then chat about some iconic submissions from 2020, 2016, and 2009, including Go-A, Jamala, and Stephane & 3G. I always encourage you to go to the showpage at eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm and watch the submissions before we talk about them.
One last note, this episode includes 3 swear words that I haven’t edited. Hide your children.
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Episode 21: (Part 1) Master-pieces
September 12th, 2023 | 50 mins 13 secs
esc, eurovision, georgia, go_a, jamala, ogae, poland, russia, solovey, stephane & 3g, ukraine, we don’t want to put in
This episode's guest is Elka Krajewska. She’s an artist, poet, and activist. I’ll talk to her about her current life in Warsaw, and her previous live in New York-- where she notably ran the Salvage Art Institute. The Institute famously deals with what remains of fine art that had been seriously damaged, which in insurance circles is called salvage. We’ll talk about the Rodin and Calder sculptures semi-destroyed in the attacks on 9/11, and the fragments of a very famous balloon dog sculpture. Elka’s now working in Warsaw. We’ll talk about Eastern Europe, about where she is now. About the human experience, art, impermanence. We’ll then chat about some iconic submissions from 2020, 2016, and 2009, including Go-A, Jamala, and Stephane & 3G. I always encourage you to go to the showpage at eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm and watch the submissions before we talk about them.
One last note, this episode includes 3 swear words that I haven’t edited. Hide your children.
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Episode 20: (Part 2) Iceland!
August 12th, 2023 | 46 mins 28 secs
dadi freyr, eurovision, fire saga, iceland, jamala, knit, knitting, lopapeysa, loreen, sheep, wool
I'm joined today by Ragga Eiríksdóttir. She’s an expert on and designer of an object that typifies Iceland the world over: the lopapeysa jumper. We’ll talk about Eurovision, knitting, sheep, meditative states, the Icelandic costumes in Fire Saga, whether the Busker should feel better in their sweaters, bangers, and Iceland in Eurovision. We’ll also chat about some iconic submissions from 2012, 2016, and 2020, including Loreen, Jamala and Dadi Freyr. I always encourage you to go to the showpage at eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm and watch the submissions and look at the jumpers before we talk about them.
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Episode 19: (Part 1) Iceland!
August 12th, 2023 | 47 mins 25 secs
dadi freyr, eurovision, fire saga, iceland, jamala, knit, knitting, lopapeysa, loreen, sheep, wool
I'm joined today by Ragga Eiríksdóttir. She’s an expert on and designer of an object that typifies Iceland the world over: the lopapeysa jumper. We’ll talk about Eurovision, knitting, sheep, meditative states, the Icelandic costumes in Fire Saga, whether the Busker should feel better in their sweaters, bangers, and Iceland in Eurovision. We’ll also chat about some iconic submissions from 2012, 2016, and 2020, including Loreen, Jamala and Dadi Freyr. I always encourage you to go to the showpage at eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm and watch the submissions and look at the jumpers before we talk about them.
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Episode 18: (Part 2) Discotequing At Home: Eurovision & The Pandemic
July 12th, 2023 | 42 mins 53 secs
croatia, dubrovački trubaduri, hatari, konstrakta, käärijä, loreen, san marino, serbia, valentina monetta
Mike and Ben from The EuroWhat podcast talk about their adventures at PopCon 2023! They've just given a presentation called "Let’s Discoteque Right At My Home Eurovision, the Pandemic, and Learning to “Open Up” Again". We also talk Finland/Sweden, what attracts fans to ESC, and the perils of Cliff Richard.
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Episode 17: (Part 1) Discotequing At Home: Eurovision & The Pandemic
July 12th, 2023 | 48 mins 21 secs
croatia, dubrovački trubaduri, hatari, konstrakta, käärijä, loreen, san marino, serbia, valentina monetta
Mike and Ben from The EuroWhat podcast talk about their adventures at PopCon 2023! They've just given a presentation called "Let’s Discoteque Right At My Home Eurovision, the Pandemic, and Learning to “Open Up” Again". We also talk Finland/Sweden, what attracts fans to ESC, and the perils of Cliff Richard.
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Episode 16: Angelina Ballerina
June 12th, 2023 | 42 mins 1 sec
eurovision 2023, eurovision semifinal 1, kaarija, kalush, let 3, liverpool, loreen, teya and salena, tvorchi, ukraine, verka
Remember the girl in the sunflower jacket who opened Eurovision 2023? Her name is Angelina, and her intro in the first three minutes of Eurovision Semifinal 1 with a little boy named Josh probably had you in tears. In this episode I talk to her about opening ESC, representing Ukraine, Verka, and how glorious Sam Ryder's hair is.
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Episode 15: (Part 2) German Extravaganza! Drag! Grand Final 2023!
May 3rd, 2023 | 43 mins 47 secs
ann sophie, drag, eurovision, eurovision 2023, gerome rodriguez, giuldo horn, greta salome and jonsi, ivy quainoo, katie ebstein, lena, max mutzke, pernilla, ralph siegel, robyn foster, sertab erener, stefan raab
This episode is an extravaganza of all things German, and the Eurovision 2023 Grand Final!
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Episode 14: (Part 1) German Extravaganza! Drag! Grand Final 2023!
May 3rd, 2023 | 44 mins 20 secs
ann sophie, drag, eurovision, eurovision 2023, gerome rodriguez, giuldo horn, greta salome and jonsi, ivy quainoo, katie ebstein, lena, max mutzke, pernilla, ralph siegel, robyn foster, sertab erener, stefan raab
This episode is an extravaganza of all things German, and the Eurovision 2023 Grand Final!
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Episode 13: Ice Dance, Riverdance, & Cha Cha Cha
April 12th, 2023 | 47 mins 40 secs
blanca paloma, britney, cha cha cha, eurovision, eurovision 2023, ice dance, käärijä, luke black, michael flatley, mimicat, riverdance
An interview with ice dancers and Olympic hopefuls Eva Pate and Logan Bye. They’ve recently done a routine based on Riverdance. We’ll talk about what ice dance and Eurovision have in common, creating characters, costumes, Johnny Weir!... and then chat about some iconic submissions from THIS year, including Käärijä, Luke Black, Blanca Paloma and MimiCat . Go to the showpage at eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm to see Logan and Eva’s Riverdance routine, their Hunger Games Routine, AND their Britney Spears Justin Timberlake routines-- or just look the podcast description.
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Episode 12: Athens to Amsterdam to Liverpool 2023!
March 12th, 2023 | 1 hr 2 mins
alika, cha cha cha, eurovision, eurovision 2023, let 3, liverpool, loreen, mama sc, marco mengoni, queen of kings
Eurovision superfans Mees, Anthony and I discuss The Netherlands and Greece in ESC historically, PLUS LIVERPOOL 2023! The ticketing! The plans! Their 6 favorite entries so far!
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Episode 11: (Part 2) Exploring Your Musical Profile [with Prince's Audio Engineer Susan Rogers!]
February 12th, 2023 | 49 mins 46 secs
barenaked ladies, eurovision, go-a, jendrick, kalush, netta, prince, salvador sobral, sam ryder
Do you prefer lyrics or melody? Intricate harmonies or driving rhythm? The digital tones of synthesizers or the “real” sounds of acoustic instruments? Drawing from her successful career as a music producer (engineering hits like Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Barenaked Ladies' "One Week"), professor of cognitive neuroscience Susan Rogers reveals why your favorite songs move you. Susan and I will also discuss some Eurovision "controversies", including Amar Pelos Dois, Toy, Fuego, Shum, Stefania, Out of the Embers, Spaceman... and some of the Nul Points from 2021.