Tonight: Junior Eurovision Song Contest

It takes more than the word "Eurovision" to enthuse me these days. I was never a fan of the short-lived Eurovision Dance Contest and I never blogged a lot about Junior Eurovision either.

I used to like it in the beginning, thought it was a fun little show and a good chance for talented kids to try out singing for a greater audience. There is nothing wrong with that, really.

But I feel the rule changes through the years have changed the JESC into something less pleasant. The creativity has been taken further and further away from the competing kids on all levels. I can't shake the feeling that many of them are just put there to sing a song that some adults decided that other kids will like.

I'd like to know how many of tonight's participants really had an influence over their own performances. How many had a real input as to how they are presented and styled.

The contest has its fans, and I won't be the evil one who calls for its destruction. I have objections, but it is not my party. I hope all participating kids have a good experience in the end and that they will be able to put this experience in good use for the future.

What I really have a problem with is that tonight's final from Kyiv will show host country Ukraine in a blindingly positive light, as a happy clappy fantasy world where everything is fine for everyone, at the same time as police forces brutally act against the people protesting in the street.

That, if anything, leaves a bitter taste this year. Apart from that - may the best song win, and may the Junior fans have a great night.

Sweden 2012: fingers crossed for Ulrik

One thing that has surprised me is that no singer has ever progressed from the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (or its Nordic equivalent MGP Nordic) to the Real Big Thing of a contest.

Quite a few of the participants have popped up in national finals, but nobody has ever been to the ESC. (If I'm wrong here please correct me, but I can't think of anyone.)

Ulrik Munther from Sweden could have the potential of being the first to do the trick. When he won the 2009 MGP Nordic (the last edition to date), I was doing Finland's commentary and was pretty sure from the word go that Ulrik was a winner.

He was cute, charming, had a strong presence and a very good voice, confidence and that certain something that is so hard to put your finger on. Many singers in that final were impressive but Ulrik stood out.



Ulrik - En vanlig dag (MGP Nordic 2009)

Sure thing, the heart-throb from Gothenburg won hands down but then he also managed to cut himself a neat little career in Sweden.

Maybe the nickname "Sweden's Justin Bieber" isn't pure flattery in the business, but at least he has assembled himself an impressive fanbase in short time. The single "Boys Don't Cry" is a success and now he will take the MF stage in February.

Win or lose, it is a brave thing to enter Melodifestivalen at this early stage of his career. On a good day he can gain several new fans, and on a bad day he can lose it all.

But I keep my fingers crossed. He is a good kid, and I hope his song will be good also this time around.



Ulrik Munther - Boys Don't Cry

Junior Eurovision 1989

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is a bi-product of the ESC, originally intended to inspire kids to write songs and perform. To give them an arena to try their wings and yet remain kids.

Up until 1990, children were allowed to take part in the real ESC as well. Monaco, Spain and Denmark have all played the "cute kids" card in some form, and a bunch of other countries have had successful, but not winning, entries of the same kind in their national finals.

Of course, the most famous singing child in the history of the ESC is Sandra Kim, only 13 years of age when she won with "J'aime la vie" back in 1986.



Sandra Kim - J'aime la vie (Belgium 1986)

Maybe Sandra's victory worked as inspiration because in 1989 two countries decided, simultaneously, to take the idea too far. Both Israel and France decided to enter singing children - Gili Natanael won the Israeli final while Nathalie Pâque was internally selected to represent France.



Gili & Galit - Derech ha'melech (Israel 1989 NF)

At first, the children were regarded with quite a lot of media interest and I suppose I was not the only ESC-loving child who found a hero in Gili or a heroine in Nathalie. They were there doing what I secretly would have wanted to.

However, during the week in Lausanne, the tone shifted and the press became more critical. Most reporters (as well as delegates from other countries) did not like what they saw, how these children were treated, how much pressure was put on these 12-year-olds.

Nathalie was yet to turn 12, in fact. The Swedish commentator made a special remark about the effort the French delegation had made in order to make the child look and sound like an adult, clearly showing he was not amused. Dieter Bohlen, composer of the German and Austrian entries of 1989, asked at a press conference who would pick up the pieces of the little girl once the show was over.



Nathalie Pâque - J'ai volé la vie (France 1989)

Maybe Dieter Bohlen wouldn't have wanted such a clear answer so soon after his question. Once the show was over, Nathalie Pâque broke in to tears, reduced from singing sensation to the disappointed child that she was. At least in Sweden, pictures of security guards trying to comfort the girl got more press attention than the winning song.

Another Swedish entertainment magazine described the week of the Israeli delegation as verging on child abuse. The composer/conductor had poor Gili rehearse at ever given moment, also between stage rehearsals. Come Saturday, his pretty boy soprano was tired and didn't carry anymore.



Gili & Galit - Derech ha'melech (Israel 1989)

The year after, the EBU decided to have a lower age limit, stating you had to reach the age of 16 within your year of participation. Some years ago, it was sharpened - now you have to be 16 on the day you perform on your final/semi final.

Back in 1989, "Derech ha'melech" was my big favourite. It made such an impression on me that I couldn't stop singing it. When I watch the preview clip, I can still feel the taste of a certain pear-flavoured ice-cream that I ate when I watched the previews with my cousin.

I related so much more to him than to Nathalie, probably because he was so much more obviously a child in looks, actions, movements. I think I even found him cute, even though I wouldn't have put that word on it back then.

In many ways, Gili is still my hero. He did the best he could, there and then. But I am very happy about the current age limits. Let children be children, far away from the Eurovision stage.