Portugal’s victory is a victory for Eurovision itself. It’s a clear sign that pure music is still valued and recognised in all corners, in all cultures of Europe, no matter what language or what country. It’s Eurovision’s own victory, because this song winning demonstrates that the contest is still open and that anything, in any style, from any country, in any language, can win – as long as it’s good and it touches the hearts of the European people. It’s Eurovision’s own victory, because it shows the world the competition is still fair and relevant (after this victory, probably more so than in the past decades).
Portugal 2017 must be the anti-hero of SVT. The nightmare of the Swedish establishment, who seem to love nothing more than a performance that is completely planned-through into the smallest detail and will always be the robotic same. Who seem to want to kill any spontaneous artistic expression at the root. Who seemed like they needed to teach the rest of Europe how to do Eurovision “properly” (in their eyes). Who seemed to force their standards upon the whole contest. Who – deliberately or not – seem to have established colonies in Azerbaijan, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and other countries, in a condescending attempt to take over the whole of Europe, the whole of our Eurovision. They failed. Europe has emancipated itself from the Swedish establishment.
It is indeed a great article!
