This week's International Eurovision fan of the week is a cracker - it's Ellie from the UK aka Ellievision aka @ellie_made - here's her Q&A with us below.
What is your name and where are you from?
I’m Ellie, originally from South Yorkshire in the UK and now residing in Glasgow.
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
I’ve got a PhD in Experimental Physics, a black belt in knitting and I’m a pub quiz demon.
When did you first get into Eurovision?
The typical story, I think. It was one of the nights of the year when we were allowed to stay up late, drink fizzy pop and eat loads of sugar and E-numbers. Between the singing, the dancing, the frocks and the general mucking about, I fell in love. There was a time when I lost touch with the contest (something to do with going out on Saturday nights) but by 2003 I was back in the fold.
What is your favourite Eurovision year and why?
This is going to sound weird, but 2013. I know it’s much maligned and pretty much no-one really likes Only Teardrops, but there are some of my favourite songs there. I also happened to be living in the Netherlands at the time, and I was able to get tickets to Eurovision In Concert, where the special Eurofandom atmosphere blew my mind.
We totally agree. Don't get why it's hated on. Loved eight of the top 10 and plenty others in the rest of the field. ~ Aussievision
Do you think UK are starting to get their Eurovision mojo back?
It’s a process, and I think it’s slowly working. Newly selected SuRie will be going into the contest with her eyes wide open, and aiming to get as much out of it as she can. The main thing that’s holding us back is the intense snobbery of the UK media, including the BBC themselves, towards the contest. This stops the top tier UK songwriters getting involved, which makes the contest unattractive towards big name pop artists - they won’t come if the material isn’t there. A new UK pop act would much rather be on the Sound of… list or get a Jools Holland slot than be in You Decide.
SuRie seems like a great ambassador, think you've summed this up rather well, until that media snobbery goes it'll be a struggle. Maybe a top 3 one year will help create change...?
Which Eurovision song:
Is your favourite?
I Feed You My Love. All hail our cyborg Berger Queen. I also do quite a good metal version of this with my band.
Amazing choice, and it's aged really well!
Is overrated?
I’m a lover, not a hater. Mostly.
Was robbed?
Hear Them Calling. That semi final night in Stockholm, I was so sure that Greta was qualifying that I was actually dressed as her in the press centre. I wanted to make her laugh in the qualifiers press conference! Instead, I ended up in Euroclub hugging tearful Icelanders and doing the full lipsync to Hear Them Calling on the podium.
It was a surprise. We were in a bar in Helsinki and all the Finns were supporting her (not their own act...) and they were all devastated. Was a bit of a mood killer! Sounds like you made the most of it regardless haha!
Had the best live performance?
I can only really judge the ones I was in the stadium for. So it comes down to Jamala singing 1944 vs Salvador and Amar Pelos Dois. Two incredibly different performances in scale, but both utterly huge in terms of emotion.
Did you last play?
According to my http://Last.fm , it was the lovely Sertab Erener. I hope that at some point the political situation in Turkey resolves to the extent that Eurovision participation becomes possible again.
Preach
Is your guilty pleasure?
Aisha - What For? Only Mr God knows why.
:|
Any other interesting honourable mentions?
Seis by Mick Pedaja. It should have been the Estonian song in 2016, but they lost their nerve and sent poor old Juri Pootsman. It would have been a genuine cosmic chills moment, and given us something incredibly different. Oh, and Frances Ruffelle’s Lonely Symphony and Imaani’s Where Are You? are tied for my favourite UK entry.
Do you follow the national finals? If so have any songs caught your attention so far this year?
Do I? Does Carola love a wind machine? I haven’t been out on a Saturday night in Q1 in living memory. I’ve got a multiscreen setup that would give lesser mortals nausea. I can work TV streams in most European languages. I sit and listen to the Belarus live auditions (спаси́бо!) and I’m terribly attached to the Riga Beaver. The fact that we’ve had a massive 30 national finals this year gives me joy. My National Final faves this year are Intoxicating Caramel and Esamiba from Latvia, Vizlat Nyar from Hungary, You & I in Armenia, most of Eesti Laul and Vidbir, Sannie in Denmark and of course, Scandilove from the divine Ida Maria in Norway.
"Does Carola love a wind machine?" hahaha we are going to steal that.
We LOVE that spasibo! got a mention. Very impressive all round!
What do you think of Australia being in Eurovision?
Love it. Slightly love that it upsets some people too. Love how Australia approach the contest - sending us big names and big songs with big shows.
What do you think of our artist this year – Jessica Mauboy?
She is FAB. I got to interview her about 20 minutes after she was announced and she sounded so excited to get to compete this time. She’s going to be fantastic, and I hope she’s bringing us something fun and totally electric to continue that 100% top ten Aussie run of form. I’m a bit worried that she’s so busy in Australia in the run up to the contest, when everyone else will be doing European promo, but I guess that’s the price you pay for having a big name?
Sea of Flags, Tonight Again, Sound of Silence or Don’t Come Easy?
Sound of Silence. I especially loved Dami’s ad libs in the Semi 2 live show version. So incredible.
Still prefer semi performance to grand final though she was superb in both!
Anything else you’d like to share?
One of the ways I express my Eurofandom is through crafting. Check out my instagram @ellie_made for Eurovision crafts. There’s all sorts - soft furnishings, Eurovision fashion, random embroidery, samplers of Estonian song lyrics and lots of lovely flag heart badges.
Oh this sounds amazing we shall be checking it out.
Thank you so much for your time Ellie it has been an absolute pleasure!