Olivia Dunne unveils new NIL deal in bikini during poolside photoshoot, MrBeast dubs her 'USA baby'
Olivia Dunne secured a brand ambassador deal with Accelerator energy drink, showcasing her patriotism and talent on TikTok
2023-07-20 15:15
'AGT' Season 18: Who is BJ Griffin? Singing cellist got through personal struggles by going deep sea diving
BJ Griffin is 34-year-old Virginia Beach native
2023-07-19 06:50
Khalid Hassan on ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 20: Michigan-based boxer wants to be swept off his feet with love
Khalid Hassan, a passionate boxer from Michigan, is now on ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 20 in search of love, though he hides his romantic side
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‘Vanderpump Rules’ fans slam Ariana Madix as she shades ex Tom Sandoval with 'Single AF Cocktails' book
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Eurovision 2023: A homage to naffness or musical genius? Two writers battle it out
Millions will be watching as 26 countries go head to head to be crowned champions of the Eurovision Song Contest this weekend – but not everyone calls themselves a fan. The notoriously weird and wonderful event still divides opinion right down the middle – when it comes to Eurovision, you’re either all in or not. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter We pitched two writers against each other, one who loves Eurovision and one who can’t stand it. So, whose side are you on? Kate Plummer: Why I hate Eurovision What would happen if you brought together all the kinds of musicians who X Factor judges consider passing at the audition stage of the competition - but ultimately decide not to? What would happen if you asked cruise ship singers to come together and belt out hours of 'tunes' that resemble copyright-free hold music at best, or something your 10-year-old niece cooked up on GarageBand at worst? The answer, of course, is the gaudy Eurovision Song Contest, that homage to naffness, that yearly nightmare that we are forced to endure. "But it's fun!" the doltish masses cry. "Look at their outfits," the square-eyed cretins say. Save it. Like most organised fun and forced merriment (see hen dos, school reunions and anything to do with sport), Eurovision is absolutely awful. But unlike hen dos, school reunions and anything to do with sport, there is no escaping the tyrannical grip of its regime. It man spreads over the course of Saturday night telly, it bleeds into every pub, bar and group chat of excitable friends organising their cursed viewing parties. This year, it will even be screened in cinemas. Where is my respite? I didn't even vote for Brexit but surely the yearly congregation of the worst representatives of Europe is a dividend we could have gained from leaving the bloc? The 2023 contest is being held in the UK city of Liverpool this week, building up to the grand final on Saturday. Acts from 37 countries are taking part. So will I be tuning in to see which act has become this year's meme and what 'funny moments' have gone viral on social media? Absolutely not. After all, 66 contests and over 1,600 songs, there's a reason the only Eurovision act anyone can name is Abba... Eurovision is completely naff. Count me out. Harry Fletcher: Why I love Eurovision There aren’t many things that every single member of the family can sit down to watch together and genuinely look forward to. Eurovision is one of them. It’s a big event in our household, with family members spread around the country heading back up north to watch together. Why do we love it? The sheer strangeness is certainly a factor. The likes of Käärijä, representing Finland in 2023 with the bizarre 'Cha Cha Cha', are doing a good job keeping it weird and wonderful. But the sheer quality of the entries is more impressive year on year. The overall standard has increased inexorably and the quality of the songwriting in the strongest entries is always staggering. Crafting a good Eurovision song is an art form, and there are still entries from more than 10 years ago that pop into my head occasionally. Eurovision also has to be the most welcoming, accessible major event in the UK calendar. It’s for absolutely everyone; it’s a comfortable space, completely free of cynicism. With Eurovision, you take away all the nastiness that comes hand in hand with X Factor and other formats that invite people to sing before live audiences. Here, there’s none of the sneering at contestants or gawking at eccentric members of the public. Instead, with Eurovision it’s a celebration, and an invitation to be as weird as you like when representing your country. Eurovision can always be relied on to bring out the best in Twitter, too. When so much of social media is increasingly devoted to negativity and hate, it feels like a throwback to nicer times when it functioned more as a public forum for fans during events like Eurovision. The contest has changed a lot since I started watching around 15 years ago. There was an endearingly cheap feel about the contest back then, but the production values are outstanding these days. It’s far less of a niche interest than it used to be too; with the event coming to the UK this year, it’s attracted more and more attention. More eyes on this wonderfully odd event, which celebrates diversity, gives us genuinely brilliant songs every year and gives us something wholesome to get stuck into on social media can only be a good thing. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-13 14:23
5 Misconceptions about Health and Wellness
How much water should you really drink a day? Well, it’s complicated.
2023-10-10 00:24
Stevie Nicks hails Daisy Jones and the Six
Stevie Nicks has admitted to being a huge fan of 'Daisy Jones and the Six', the hit TV mini-series.
2023-10-04 15:20
11 Things to Remember This Veterans Day
The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the end of World War I, which occurred at the 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month.
2023-11-09 01:17
Gwendlyn Brown praises Janelle Brown's fatherly role, slams 'Sister Wives' patriarch Kody as misogynist
In a bold proclamation, Gwendlyn Brown crowned Janelle as a nurturing father figure
2023-05-16 10:23
Why did Yara Zaya threaten to divorce Jovi Dufren? Night out with '90 Day: The Last Resort' star Angela Deem sparks feud
'90 Day: The Last Resort' couple Yara Zaya and Jovi Dufren's relationship seemingly gets worse
2023-08-29 10:54
Roisin Murphy says pop mainstream is drowning in 'confessional music'
Roisin Murphy is not a fan of pop stars confessing to "normal" things.
2023-08-31 18:26
What is Jack Ryan’s last mission? John Krasinki makes explosive comeback in Season 4 of action series
Amazon Prime Video will drop two episodes of ‘Jack Ryan’ Season 4 every week starting June 30 with the finale releasing on July 14
2023-06-30 06:58
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