Our Australian Eurovision fan of the week is Ayan from Melbourne AKA @brokeandnotwoke from Twitter! Read her awesome Q&A with us below.
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Ayan and I’m from Melbourne, Australia!
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
I am currently a law student at university (graduating soon, thank god!). I speak English, Somali and to a lesser extent, French. I also have the only talent of being able to quote Vines verbatim (RIP Vine, gone but never forgotten). Alongside Eurovision, I am an AFL obsessive (Collingwood!) and you can always catch me at the Australian Open in the summer, so in short, a keen sports fan!
Vines and Australian Open are both awesome. Collingwood is gross. ~ Aussievision
On to Eurovision itself – when did you first get into the contest?
Now that is a little bit convoluted. My first exposure to Eurovision was on a family trip to the UK in 2004 and I saw an ad of some sort about something called Eurovision and I clearly remembered Sakis’ Shake It. I was immediately intrigued!
We came back to Australia and I started asking everyone I knew about Eurovision and literally nobody else had a clue what I was talking about. So I dropped it for a few years until just before the 2007 contest. A friend of a friend mentioned that she had to get up early to watch Eurovision. I asked her where she watched it, what time it was on and boom, I was hooked. I was probably the only 11 year old getting up alone at 5am on a Sunday morning just to watch it and well, what a year! And the rest, as they say, is history.
Do you have a favourite Eurovision year?
You always remember your first and so 2007 holds a very special place in my heart.
Why is it your favourite?
Honestly, because it had the two things I adore most about Eurovision: the beautifully written and emotional ballad (Molitva) and the kitschy, over-the-top, high energy performance (Dancing Lasha Tumbai) which were both did incredibly well!
True the top two were SO Eurovision but is VERY different ways.
Which Eurovision song:
Is your favourite?
Ooh tough one! Either Anne-Marie David’s ‘Tu te reconnaîtras’ (1973) or Emmelie De Forest’s ‘Only Teardrops’ (2013) I adore them both, so I couldn’t choose between the two!
Excellent taste with 'Only Teardrops' that is one of my favourites ~ Mike
Is overrated?
Lena and ’Satellite.’ (2010) I will never, until the day I die, ever understand how that song won. Ever. Its probably the only ESC winner that I skip when it comes on. Her voice, that sparse staging, the LYRICS! Come on, what a horrible winner. Made me like Ell and Nicki a whole lot more considering I was comparing them to Lena. Jessy Matador was robbed. Now THAT was a performance.
Thank god you're my spirit animal I couldn't agree more - Mike
Umm what are you both talking about it's amazing (as was Jessy Matador and his back up singer!) ~ Dale
Was robbed?
#JusticeForDami She had a beautiful live performance and although Sergey’s was the best performance of the night, her phenomenal vocals gave her the total package and the edge over Russia. The real 2016 winner Had the best live performance? Russia and Sergey in 2016. I just about screamed when he climbed the screen and started tilting in it. My wig was in orbit. A distant second would probably be Jedward 2011. Not the best song (understatement) but god what a performance!
Our wigs are still missing in action after Sergey's performance.
Did you last play?
Undo - Sanna Nielsen (2014)
Taste.
Is your guilty pleasure?
I am going to be judged to high heaven for this but as the youths say, YOLO. My guilty pleasure is the Czech Republic’s 2008 entry, ‘Have Some Fun.’ Poor Tereza cannot sing a lick (and her backing singers are worse) but when that chorus drops, I am bopping along like nobody’s business. It’s a messy train wreck from start to finish but hey, the heart wants what the heart wants Any other interesting honourable mentions? I’m a sucker for Sunstroke Project so ‘Run Away’ (2010) and ‘Hey Mamma’ (2017) are up there as well.
Which songs do you like for the 2018 competition?
Warning, basic alert! I love Saara Aalto and Monsters this year. It’s ranked number one for me. Rounding up my top five are Estonia, Australia, Hungary and FYR Macedonia, so you can call me basic, but at least there’s some diversity there :) Thinking with my head though, I don’t think Saara will win. After her performance in Tel Aviv, I think this year, it’s Netta’s to lose.
Not basic at all!
Why should or shouldn't Australia be in Eurovision?
I think we should be there. Our passion for Eurovision has always been high and has sky-rocketed since we were included and I think passion needs to be rewarded! We take the contest seriously and try to make a real effort each year (*cough cough* Unitedway Ingdomkay) which you can tell from all the songs and singers we’ve sent in so far. Plus, we’ve been broadcasting the contest for more than 30 years; longer than some countries in the contest who are part of continental Europe, so its not like we’re jumping the queue, so to speak. We’ve done our time on the bench, now let us shine alongside you, Europe!
Are you happy with the choice of Jessica this year for us and her song 'We Got Love'?
I’m not going to lie, the studio version didn’t do too much for me and I was worried that it would come across as ‘generic’ or ‘bland’ but it wasn’t until I heard her live in London that I knew this song meant business, that the song was made to be performed live. Right now, count me as a stan. Also, it’s Jess Mauboy! The official Queen of Australia! She’s so loveable and to see that she’s putting in so much effort with the other contestants and the song contest as a whole just shows how much she is taking this seriously, and who can’t appreciate that?
And finally favourite Australian song – Sea of Flags, Tonight Again, Sound of Silence or Don’t Come Easy?
Sound of Silence, which is a sound people who thought Jamala was better should be making forever *sips tea*
Anything else to share?
Also, just as an aside, Dale and Michael, its really great that you are such passionate Australian fans! I really look forward to each podcast and it’s great to share the ESC experience with other obsessives haha Keep up the great work with Aussievision!
You are too nice thank you and thank you for your time!