The Nation on Stage
Since
the country’s debut in 1994, Romania has been showcasing entertaining
performances in the Eurovision Song Contest with a wide variety of themes,
styles, and messages. The songs through which Romania represents itself in the competition
can either be melancholic songs that connect directly to events taking place
within the nation or pop songs that connect people universally through a common
language and upbeat tune.
In 2014, Romania entered the
Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Miracle,” performed by Paula Seling and
OVI. The pop-dance song being produced of piano, a consistent bass drum, and synthesizer
instruments, along with simple lyrics sung entirely in English made it easy for
the audience and judges to enjoy. The lyrics illustrate two people expressing
their realization of the “miracle” of love shared between them. This
eye-opening miracle is described as “magical,” “beautiful,” and “a dream come
true” (Eurovision Song Contest, 2014). Although the song characterizes this
feeling as a sensation only shared between the two subjects, as sung in the
lyric “All for you and me,” the message of love’s marvelous feeling is
universally understood and appreciated.
Accompanied with the lively rhythm and
energy of the song was an even more lively stage with a plethora of effects and
movements. As the performance begins, the bright blue and white lights dim
right before OVI starts his verse, standing alone with a large glowing ring in
the middle of the stage. As he begins singing, the LED screen behind him
portrays a field of stars, reflecting the song’s lyrics “We could be dancing
with stars in night.” OVI then gestures to the right side of the stage,
introducing Paula Seling, singing in the form of a pre-recorded hologram. After
a series of awkwardly choreographed arm movements, the hologram vanishes in a
flurry of stardust as she sings the referenced lyric of dancing with stars. Mirroring
the lyrics “It’s a miracle!” as the chorus begins, Seling miraculously appears
in person from the other side of the stage and joins OVI by the glowing ring. A
sudden explosion of lights, stars, and glowing butterflies co-occur with the
chorus, along with the number stage lights that move both vertically and
horizontally.
The performance is followed by OVI
standing inside the glowing ring, revealed to be a round keyboard, made even
more distinguishable by its own animated image projected both on the flood and
the LED screen behind the stage. The chorus restarts, and numbers of butterflies
are displayed, most likely represent the feeling of butterflies during the “magical,”
“beautiful” sensation of love. Finally, during the climax performance, the
camera spirals around Paula Seling as she belts a high note that initiates a
key-change in the song. In an attempt to mirror the intimate hug between the
dancers of the song’s preview video, OVI and Seling sing part of the last
chorus in an uncomfortable hug together; the camera intensifying the
awkwardness in another close-up spiral of the artists. After OVI and Seling break
apart from the hug and turn to face the audience, the camera cuts to a full
view of the stage, revealing the LED screen showcasing a burst of colors and
lights, a stark contrast from the dark, monochromatic blue screen that was
displayed when OVI stood alone during the beginning of the song. The performance
ends with flashes of flames along the edge of the stage and one final burst of
light on the screen.
Although a bright and energetic stage, the
song, lights, camera movements, and props cannot distract the audience from the
unsettling awkwardness of the performance. Beginning with a seemingly random
and unnecessary placement of Paula Seling’s hologram, the performance leaves
the audience with an uncomfortable and slightly confused feeling since the
start. The awkward chemistry between the OVI and Paula Seling, who both– during
the very little times that they look at each other– match each other’s movements
with slightly off-timing. The uneasy dynamic between the two is further
highlighted during the staged hug following the song’s climax.
The gender dynamics of the performance play
a significant role in the awkwardness of the performance. As stated on the
official Eurovision Song Contest website, Paula Seling excels in playing the
piano, even earning herself several awards throughout her life. Her talent is
showcased through the preview video, as she skillfully plays the piano
throughout the song (Eurovision Song Contest, 2014). However, during the
performance, only OVI moves around the stage to play the keyboard ring, leaving
Seling to stand in the same spot almost the entire time, limited to her awkward
arm choreography. The imbalance between the performers results in not only a disconnect
on the stage, but a disconnect beyond the stage with an unsettling reaction
from the viewers.
Romania tells another story the following year through its entry
for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest,“De La Capăt,” performed by the band Voltaj. The song’s
message emphasizes the hope for children to be reunited with their parents who
had gone to work abroad to better the lives of their children (Eurovision Song
Contest, 2015). The motivation for “De La Capăt” is explicitly stated in the preview video, “More than 3
million Romanians are working abroad, trying to make a better life for their
children. Unfortunately, the children are left behind” (Eurovision Song
Contest, 2015). The song, written and composed by the members of Voltaj, was
created to introduce a project called the “All Over Again (#delacapat) Program”
which partnered with two well-known organizations, World Vision Romania and
Habitat for Humanity Romania, to fund and support the needs of children in
Romania whose parents have been absent in their lives, working abroad to provide
for their families (AllOverAgain, 2019). Although not initially keeping the
Eurovision Song Contest in mind when creating the song and campaign, Voltaj decided
participating in the competition would be beneficial for the campaign, given
Eurovision’s international influence.
The performance for “De La Capăt” in the Eurovision Song Contest,
albeit not as flashy and energetic as Romania’s entry the previous year, sends
a clear message about what story the song tells. Lead singer Călin Goia explains the choice of the black
attire worn by the band on stage would “help [explain] the message” of the
performance (Eurovision Song Contest, 2015). In avoiding flamboyant outfits and
flashy colors, the audience’s attention is more drawn to story told onscreen,
accompanied by the song lyrics. Throughout the performance, the LED screen
behind the stage plays clips from the song’s preview video: a young boy who
lives alone with his sister or caretaker, patiently waiting for a sign of his
parents return home. The clips depict the boy writing letters to his parents,
reading a map to locate them, and watching ships and boats pass through the
see, with hopes that his parents are aboard one of them. Scattered along the
stage are briefcases eight briefcases, which appear to be simple props for the
performance. During the second chorus, the camera pans to a bird’s-eye view of
the stage, then sweeps down from end-to-end, displaying different pictures of
the boy from the preview video under each briefcase. The briefcases are then
revealed to signify the constant packing and moving that families must experience
in order to find a better life.
The lyrics of the song are sung from the
perspective of a parent who must leave their child to work abroad. The line “Won’t
stop till I reach the sea / Sooner or later I’ll get there” indicates the
efforts of the parents searching for a better life for their families, as well
as reassures the child to not lose hope during the parents’ absence and that
their parents will return soon (Eurovision Song Contest, 2015). The chorus
reflects the struggles and sacrifices that parents make through adversity, but
in the end pays off when they know it would result in a happy life for their children.
The members of Voltaj also add that their own personal meaning of “starting
again” are the births of their own children, connecting the message of the song
to their own personal experiences (Eurovision Song Contest, 2015).
Although the lyrics are mainly sung during
the competition in Romanian and the song is to promote a campaign in Romania, “De
La Capăt” extends beyond the
borders of one nation. Acknowledging the sacrifices parents make for their
families and preaching the significance in uniting families is understood across
the globe. Voltaj further makes an effort to connect the song to international
audiences by not only singing the last chorus in English during the Eurovision performance,
but also by releasing a version of the song entirely in English (Sapon, 2015). Bassist
Valeriu “Prunus” Ionscu describes the song’s message as on that “does not
belong to a country,” emphasizing that it “belongs to all the people in the
world” (Eurovision Song Contest, 2015).
Whether it be about the miracle of love
or the sacrifices made for families, Romania’s 2014 and 2015 performances in
the Eurovision Song Contest send a message that is understood beyond its own
nation.
References
Eurovision Song Contest. (2014). Paula Seling & OVI.
Retrieved from
https://eurovision.tv/participant/paula-seling-ovi-1
Eurovision Song Contest. (2014, April 28). Paula Seling
& OVI - Miracle (Romania) 2014
Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved from
Eurovision Song Contest. (2014, May 10). Paula Seling
& OVI - Miracle (Romania) LIVE
Eurovision Song Contest 2014 Grand Final.
Retrieved from
“Voltaj” (2015). . Eurovision
Song Contest. Retrieved from
https://eurovision.tv/participant/voltaj
Sopon, S. (2015, March 07). Voltaj: “‘De la capat’ is
more than a song, it is a manifest”.
Wiwibloggs.
Retrieved from https://wiwibloggs.com/2015/03/07/voltaj-
interview-sn-2015/83875/
Eurovision Song Contest (2015, March 09). Voltaj
(Romania): 'We want children to have
a better life'. Retrieved from
Eurovision Song Contest. (2015, March 17). Voltaj - De la
capăt / All Over Again –
(Romania) 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.
Retrieved from
Eurovision Song Contest. (2015, May 12). Backstage:
Voltaj (Romania). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1oHZ7qJDnE
Eurovision Song Contest. (2015, May 23). Voltaj - De La
Capat / All Over Again
(Romania) - LIVE at Eurovision 2015 Grand
Final. Retrieved from
AllOverAgain. (2019). All over again - Help the childrens
| Project by Voltaj. Retrieved
from http://delacapat.ro/en/
Comments
Post a Comment