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 26: (Part 1) Fan Diplomacy in Eurovision
November 12th, 2023 | 48 mins 10 secs
dami im, diplomacy, eurovision, francesca michelin, litesound, political science
I'm Bradley, and I'm joined today by Dr Zoë Jay. She’s a an academic and founder of the Eurovisionaries project. We’ll talk about what it means to be a Eurovision fan diplomat, history, perceptions and ESC crushes/hormones. We'll also chat about some iconic submissions from 2012, and 2016, including Litesound, Dami Im and Francesca Michelin.
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Episode 25: (Part 2) A Very Country Eurovision
October 12th, 2023 | 43 mins 20 secs
eurovision, joan franka, stefan, systur, texas lightning, the common linnets, zdob și zdub
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Episode 24: (Part 1) A Very Country Eurovision
October 12th, 2023 | 46 mins 23 secs
eurovision, joan franka, stefan, systur, texas lightning, the common linnets, zdob și zdub
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Episode 23: ["While You Wait" Bonus Content] Alex Mantzaris on Bias, Collusion & Neglect
October 12th, 2023 | 16 mins 23 secs
We've had technical issues with this month's episode. It'll be up and running soon. In the meantime, enjoy some never-before-heard content from episode 1.
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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!