DON'T IT FEEL GOOD: METTE WINS 20TH GRIFFINISKAJA LAUL
Double anniversary: Griffin Empire celebrates 20 glorious editions at Nation Song Contest
The 20th edition of Griffiniskaja Laul, the pinnacle of the Griffin Empire's musical calendar, concluded in a blaze of triumph, heartbreak, and historic performances. The Principality of Sletterimaa emerged victorious, igniting rapturous celebration with their standout entry "Mama's Eyes" performed by the captivating Mette. Their compelling song, showcasing emotional depth and musical brilliance, garnered an impressive 140 points, securing the crown in both Griffin televoting and the adoration of international juries, who contributed 78 points to their stellar total.
Contrastingly, the Principality of Foreõsvdetrre, the gracious host of this milestone edition, clinched second place with 102 points, led by Alfie Templeman's soul-stirring performance of "Broken." Templeman, a luminary within the Griffin Empire, captivated hearts but landed fourth with the international juries. Marika Hackman's "No Caffeine," representing the Principality of Westersund, made a resounding impact, claiming third place both with the juries and overall. Meanwhile, Færy's enchanting "Blýth" from the Principality of Õklingsmaa mesmerized international juries, securing second place but landing fourth overall, highlighting the fascinating dynamics between local and international preferences in the contest.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Principality of Färzas-Lætingmaa, represented by a song yet to find its stride, faced the unfortunate outcome of finishing last for the third time in the festival's history.
Full results featuring all the scoreboards can be found behind the spoiler.
Griffiniskaja Laul 20 was hosted by GTV FOR in the Principality of Foreõsvdetrre following their victory at the previous edition. With its jubilee status, expectations of a themed edition arose, yet the event unfolded without a designated theme. Graisplaits Arrenaa in Kralingslæting, the esteemed host venue, welcomed the event for its second time, adding another chapter to its historical significance within the festival. Simultaneously, Kralingslaeting marked its third time as the host city, a rare achievement only shared by Pyetsit, cementing a special record held jointly by these two cities. Anya Taylor-Joy, a celebrated actress, helmed the evening as the presenter and host, ensuring an enchanting and seamless experience for the audience. Opening and interval acts showcased chart-toppers and celebrated hits from the Griffin WLSC, NSC, and GL repertoire, enhancing the jubilee's splendor.
In a testament to the festival's enduring legacy, we present the top 50 all-time hit songs from the festival, as chosen by GTV:
CELEBRATING THE JURIES
As the glittering curtain falls on another stellar edition of Griffiniskaja Laul, we extend our deepest gratitude to the esteemed international juries. Their dedication and meticulous work in evaluating and supporting the principality entries have greatly contributed to the whole idea. Effiland, your commitment in casting the first vote laid the foundation for the jury process, sparking the excitement of this jubilant event. To each and every nation, from Solentoya, Mormadorei, Ugaly, Cherniya, Utopolis, Meridia (formerly Bigicia), Svobodnia, Waiting List of Shelley & Nici, to Rumia, your invaluable participation and unwavering dedication have elevated the festival to remarkable heights.
We extend a special note of appreciation to Solentoya, Utopolis, and Meridia, as they chose to partake in Griffiniskaja Laul despite not participating in the Nation Song Contest.
Reflecting on the historical context, the international juries have been an integral part of this musical odyssey, with a total of 44 nations contributing to the jury process at least once. In the first edition, the juries comprised ÜÜCS, Neajlovia, Solentoya, Arkodrë, Tanoiro, Bigicia, and Tybalteva, laying the groundwork for the future of jury involvement.
Svobodnia stands tall as the most dedicated member, having been part of the juries a remarkable 17 times, closely followed by Effiland, with 16 participations. Throughout the contest's illustrious history, save for a few editions, we've welcomed new jury members, enriching the diversity and perspectives guiding our selections. In this commemorative edition, Waiting List debuts as the freshest face among the esteemed jury nations.
While, during the early editions of the festival, five nations were graciously invited but declined our invitation, all the other nations that have been invited at least once have honoured us by accepting the responsibility of jury duty at least once.
As a thank you, we present you a top list of top 50 all-time hit songs immortalized by their average points earned from international juries
ANOTHER DECADE OF GRIFFIN EMPIRE AT NSC
The second decade of the Griffin Empire's journey at the Nation Song Contest witnessed a remarkable evolution, characterized by a blend of trials and triumphs, ultimately painting a mosaic of success despite a hesitant inception. The Empire, though initially slow off the mark, surged forward to clinch a place in the final in six out of the nine appearances during this phase. Notably, a string of five consecutive finals underscored the Empire's growing prowess in this celebrated musical arena, solidifying its presence on the international stage.
The pinnacle moment arrived when the Griffin Empire triumphed for the first time, led by the mesmerizing Troye Sivan and his compelling anthem "Rush." Moreover, the Empire consistently secured top 10 positions four times, earning a prestigious top 5 placement thrice, resulting in prequalification for the subsequent edition on three occasions. However, the journey wasn't without its share of challenges, as the Empire encountered a setback, failing to qualify for three consecutive editions from 215 to 217.
Lack of language diversity unfortunately continued as a defining trait, with English as the most frequently used language, followed by Serbian, Estonian, and French.
Artist Stephen Sanchez made history by becoming the first to represent the nation twice, leaving an indelible mark in both the 217 and the 206 editions.
While Griffin Television (GTV) continued not to track the statistics for the received points, the focus remained on monitoring and collating the points awarded by the nation. Mormadorei, Doire, Effiland, Bigicia, and Insomnéa notably received the most votes in combined Finals and Semi-Finals. When considering points exclusively awarded by the Griffin Empire in the finals, the nations that received the most points were Mormadorei, Orangualia, Doire, Tamausia & Deltannor, and Bigicia. However, a total of 70 nations received at least one point through either the REJU, semi-finals, or finals over the course of the 20 editions.