Eurovision Song Context - Episodes Tagged with “Go A”

Episode 92: Is Opera Dying, or Have We Stopped Thinking? With Katie Glass

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:00:00 -0400

ABOUT KATIE GLASS

Katie's website:
https://katie-glass.co.uk/

Katie's articles for The Standard:
https://www.standard.co.uk/author/katie-glass

Katie's features and investigations:
https://katie-glass.co.uk/features.html

KATIE'S JOURNALISM MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

Yes, opera has an age problem — because society has an education problem

The article that inspired our conversation, examining opera's ageing audience, arts education, reading and cultural confidence.
https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/opera-education-problem-b1293322.html

Katie's other writing

Her work covers subjects including feminism and strip clubs, flower shows, class, and life during lockdown.
https://katie-glass.co.uk/

Katie's reporting on the Post Office scandal

Her account of reporting on the subpostmasters' experiences and the eventual television adaptation:
https://www.the-independent.com/news/post-office-inquiry-alan-bates-b2525638.html

THE EUROVISION PERFORMANCES

We encourage you to watch these performances before listening to our discussion.

Australia, 2019 — Kate Miller-Heidke, Zero Gravity

A classically trained singer combining pop and operatic vocal technique with one of Eurovision's most spectacular staging concepts.

Eurovision artist profile:
https://eurovision.tv/participant/kate-miller-heidke

Performance video (ABC):
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-19/kate-miller-heidke-performs-zero-gravity-at/11127750

Albania, 2012 — Rona Nishliu, Suus

An intensely emotional performance, notable for its demanding vocal range, dramatic delivery and unusual musical structure.

Eurovision 2012:
https://eurovision.tv/event/baku-2012

Luxembourg, 1973 — Anne-Marie David, Tu te reconnaîtras

The winning entry from 1973, performed with the live orchestra that was once central to Eurovision. We discuss its musical construction, David's voice and the commitment of the performance.

Eurovision 1973:
https://eurovision.tv/event/luxembourg-1973

Ukraine, 2021 — Go_A, Shum

A fusion of Ukrainian folk traditions and electronic music, featuring Kateryna Pavlenko's striking vocal technique.

Official Eurovision profile, music video and lyrics:
https://eurovision.tv/participant/go-a-2021

OTHER EUROVISION REFERENCES

JJ — Wasted Love (Austria, 2025)

Austria's Eurovision-winning operatic pop performance, discussed as an example of the crossover between classical singing and contemporary popular music.
https://eurovision.tv/event/basel-2025

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 — Turin

The contest Bradley attended, and the starting point for our discussion of the practical costs of Eurovision tourism.
https://eurovision.tv/event/turin-2022

OPERA, THEATRE AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

Glyndebourne

The English opera festival that inspired Katie's article, famous for its productions, formal dress and long picnic interval.
https://www.glyndebourne.com/

Glyndebourne Encore — watch recorded productions:
https://www.glyndebourne.com/encore/

Marquee TV

The streaming service Bradley mentions for watching opera, theatre, dance and other performances at home.
https://www.marquee.tv/

Royal Opera House / Royal Ballet and Opera:
https://www.rbo.org.uk/

Los Angeles Opera:
https://www.laopera.org/

British Museum:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Royal Horticultural Society — Chelsea Flower Show:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show

FESTIVALS, AUDIENCES AND ACCESSIBILITY

Glastonbury Festival

Katie compares the cost and cultural identity of attending Glastonbury with Eurovision and opera.
https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

Burning Man

Another event discussed in relation to the financial and cultural commitments involved in attending.
https://burningman.org/

THE BRITISH POST OFFICE SCANDAL

Katie's investigation focused on the human consequences of the Horizon scandal, in which subpostmasters were wrongly accused of financial wrongdoing following problems with the Post Office's accounting system.

We discuss the loss of livelihoods, reputations, homes and community standing, and the importance of telling the personal stories behind a complicated institutional failure.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office — ITV:
https://www.itv.com/watch/mr-bates-vs-the-post-office/10a0469

ITV production press pack:
Includes producer Natasha Bondy's account of reading Katie's article and recognising that the story needed a dramatic adaptation.
https://www.itv.com/presscentre/presscentre/sites/default/files/2023-12/ITV%20Mr%20Bates%20vs%20the%20Post%20Office%20Press%20Pack.pdf

Katie's first-person account of the reporting and the drama:
https://www.the-independent.com/news/post-office-inquiry-alan-bates-b2525638.html

Eurovision Song Context:
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/

Episode 22: (Part 2) Master-pieces

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0400

Today’s ESC Submissions:

We don’t Want to Put In, Stephane & 3G, 2009, Georgia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6-7Rw4xug

1944, Jamala, 2016, Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxS6eKEOdLQ

Go_A - Solovey - 2020- Ukraine 🇺🇦 - Official Video - Eurovision 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNetXPSld50

Links from Elka herself:

“Here are some links for you beyond the obvious SAI, lectures you found etc
My Lokal 30 gallery links in Polish and English (scroll for English):”
https://lokal30.pl/artysci/elka-krajewska/

A selection of my movies at MSN
https://artmuseum.pl/pl/filmoteka/artysci/elzbieta-krajewska

Includes documentary on my imax
https://artmuseum.pl/pl/filmoteka/praca/krajewska-elka-plany-mela-documentation-of-omnimax-dome-film

And text by poet Thom Donovan about it
http://lokal30.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2007_PlanyMela_ThomDonovan.pdf

My artist website needs update since after corona
But some work will be updated soon
Elka.net

My show at Arsenał about travelling in Poland
https://galeria-arsenal.pl/wystawy/elka-krajewska-pole-lokalne

Show at Soloway in NYC
http://soloway.info/Shows/49ElkaKrajewska/ElkaKrajewskapressrelease.html

A chapter of my SAI book No Longer Art: In a Coma published by Rubin Museum
https://rubinmuseum.org/spiral/no-longer-art

Another chapter is published in Speculation from MIT and Whitechapel
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545334/speculation/

There might be some links at the Lokal gallery website
To follow but most writing is In polish

INSTAGRAM:
@elkakrajewskastudio
@nolongerart

Bradley's favorite links about Elka:

Elka’s Art, Gallery Link:
https://elka.net/Project-Index

Lovely simple article about Salvage Art:
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-artwork-damaged-repair

Video- "Debris, Constellations, and Counter-Histories"
the “glitter and gunpowder” bit... Russian oligarchs & Art & money in times of war
Elka’s part starts at 1:00:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=9EdYWnN0Yvg

Salvage Art Institute (now called No Longer Art) on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/no_longer_art/?hl=en

Bonus link to an Icelandic contender for Eurovision called “Ciccolina” (Ciccolina was Dean Koons’ partner for many years-- he's the balloon dog artist):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlk4ulVs-2M

Art lost in the attacks of 9/11
(+ photo of Calder's Bent Propeller sculpture)
https://cultbytes.com/piecing-together-art-lost-911/

The last known color swatch for the Calder sculpture we talked about:
"Calder red"
http://mckaylodge.com/calder-red/

The Gallery of Lost Art (TATE)
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/other-venue/gallery-lost-art

A Continually Update List of Art and Cultural Heritage Lost in Ukraine
https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/news/ukraine-damaged-cultural-sites-russian-invasion-1234628274/the-kuindzhi-art-museum-in-mariupol/

and
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/may/27/ukraine-russia-looting-museums

Congressional probe: Russian oligarchs using art to evade sanctions
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/29/probe-russian-oligarchs-evade-art-sanctions-386154

Anti-Russia songs in Eurovision, fan-compiled:

2005- Eurovision Held in Kyiv
2007- Dancing Lasha Tumbai
2009- We Don't Wanna Put In - Eurovision Held in Russia
2013- Russia refused to broadcast the final due to a same sex kiss
2016- 1944 (Ukraine) , “If Love Was a Crime” - Bulgaria
2017- Eurovision Held in Kyiv
2022- Kalush Orchestra - Stefania – Ukraine
2023- Mamma SC, Waterguns, My Sister’s Crown

Summary of the “Russia–Ukraine relations in the Eurovision Song Contest” wiki. A wiki with 73 paragraphs, 160 citations.

2007:
• Ukraine was represented by Verka Serduchka with the song "Dancing Lasha Tumbai."
• Allegations arose that the song contained political subtext and that the phrase "Lasha Tumbai" was a mondegreen of "Russia goodbye."
• Serduchka denied these claims, stating that "Lasha Tumbai" meant "churned butter" in Mongolian.

2009:
• Russia was represented by Ukrainian singer Anastasia Prikhodko in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Moscow.
• She sang the song "Mamo" in both Ukrainian and Russian.
• Following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Prikhodko denounced Russia's actions and stopped performing there.

2014 and 2015:
• Russia's intervention in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea in 2014 led to increased tension.
• The Russian contestants, Tolmachevy Sisters (2014) and Polina Gagarina (2015), faced booing from the audience due to political opposition.
• The 2015 contest introduced 'anti-booing technology' due to excessive booing in the previous year.

2016:
• Ukraine's Jamala won the contest with the song "1944," inspired by the deportation of Crimean Tatars.
• Russian officials criticized the song, claiming it violated Eurovision rules against political content.
• The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continued, with some officials suggesting boycotting the 2017 contest.

2017:
• Russia's entrant Yuliya Samoylova received a three-year travel ban from Ukraine.
• The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) attempted to find a solution for Samoylova to perform, but Russia declined offers.
• Russia ultimately withdrew from the contest due to the ban.

2019:
• Maruv, Ukraine's selected artist for Eurovision, faced controversy over her willingness to perform in Russia.
• Disputes over contracts and Russia-Ukraine relations led to Maruv's withdrawal, and Ukraine did not participate in the contest.

2022:
• Ukraine's national selection winner, Alina Pash, faced allegations of entering Crimea in violation of Ukrainian laws.
• Alina Pash withdrew her candidacy, and Kalush Orchestra replaced her as the Ukrainian entrant.
• Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to its exclusion from the contest.
The Russia-Ukraine tensions have had a significant impact on the Eurovision Song Contest, leading to controversies, withdrawals, and disruptions in the usual proceedings of the competition.

History of “Douze Points” between Ukraine and Russia

Russia gave Ukraine 12 points in: 2004 (F), 2021 (TSF)
Ukraine gave Russia 12 points in: 2003 (F), 2006 (SF), 2006 (F), 2008 (F), 2016 (TF)

In Rememberance of Toto Cotugno
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/22/toto-cutugno-whose-song-litaliano-was-no-1-across-europe-dies-at-80

You can find the podcast’s editor, Max Prosha on Fiverr at:
https://www.fiverr.com/its_prosha?source=gig_page&gigs=slug%3Aedit-your-video-podcast-interview-zoom%2Cpckg_id%3A2

Episode 21: (Part 1) Master-pieces

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:00:00 -0400