Alice joined the ESC United team in 2022. Based in Washington, D.C. she writes articles mainly about Italy, Switzerland, and Germany at ESC.
Tell me about your first Eurovision memory?
The first time I ever heard the word Eurovision was in a very unlikely place. It was 2008 – I was in high school and big fan of the Twilight books at the time, and the first movie was being filmed that spring. I got really into this online forum where Twilight fans would share updates about the movie and off-topic things like new music and books. One afternoon in May, some UK fans were posting about this “Eurovision” thing. From what I could gather it was a music show and people were rooting for different countries and songs. I was able to find instructions on the ESC website to stream the show (which was a whole ordeal that involved downloading a web player and dealing with a pixelated image and unstable connection – nothing like how easy streaming is today!) and I got it working just as Dima Bilan was performing “Believe” at the end. I was intrigued, and checked out the winning song each year even though I didn’t watch live (the winners of 2009-2012 just happened to match my exact music taste as a teen, which kept me coming back). It wasn’t until 2013 that I actually sat down and watched a full broadcast live, and once I’d experienced my first live voting sequence and the stress and excitement of it all, I became a true fan from then on.
What’s your favorite Eurovision song?
Every time I try to answer this question, I think of another song I love – it’s so hard to choose! But three songs that always get stuck in my head are “Life Looks Better in Spring” (Cyprus 2010), “Friend of a Friend” (Czech Republic 2019), and “If Love Was A Crime” (Bulgaria 2016).
What are your favorite musicians outside of Eurovision?
Using the metric of ‘I like every album they make’ to decide, my favorite bands are probably Fall Out Boy and Keane. But I also really like the Swedish artist Veronica Maggio, and I still hold out hope that One Direction will get back together someday and reclaim their place among my favorites too.
What about your favorite food?
I love fettucine alfredo, chicken parmigiana, caprese salad… basically any Italian dish.
Favorite place?
I don’t have a specific place in mind, but for vacation I love the beach and vineyards.
Best way to spend your free time?
Listening to music! Ever since back in school when I’d listen to my iPod on the bus home to decompress, I listen to music every day when I’m commuting, or taking a walk, or as background noise when I’m working. It could be indie music when it’s gloomy in the winter, or party music when it’s hot in the summer. I love discovering that perfect song that captures how I’m feeling at a certain time. It really is the soundtrack to my life.
One interesting fact about yourself?
I’ve never broken a bone (knock on wood!)