After 46 years without victory, the French enthusiasts of the contest want this time to believe in the chances of La Zarra, representing France.
One week away from the Eurovision Song Contest, it’s effervescence in the living room of Vincent’s apartment. It’s a check-in day for the podcast “12 points”dedicated to the competition, which he runs with his friends Quentin and Thomas. “We are entering Holy Week”, exults the latter.
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When we talk about the clichés that stick to the skin of the competition, what immediately stands out for Quentin: “It’s cheesy, it’s kitsch, it sings badly… Which, to be honest, isn’t completely wrong.” Vincent abounds: “That’s also why we like Eurovision. It’s because there’s that side too. Moldova with the Scorpion women and the flautist dwarf, it’s kitsch. Me, I’m also fascinated by this thing which is still a live concert in front of millions of people.” Eurovision audiences are close to 200 million viewers each year.
“It’s also a sounding board for certain countries that we don’t hear about for a year. These are also political and linguistic issues.”
Vincent, from the podcast “12 points”at franceinfo
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“I am from an Erasmus education”
Proof of this politicization of the competition, the landslide victory of Ukraine last year: “There was a sympathy vote for Ukrainians. This year, I think again, there will be a kind of compassionate vote again. It’s songs instead of shells.”
A politicization that is not recent for Thomas: “I think this is the primary desire of the program which was born after the war and which precisely wanted to ensure that peoples could share their culture. I have an Erasmus education. I want to believe in what precisely Europe can be beautiful because we are proud to be able to be different and despite everything to continue to share the pleasure of being together.”
After recording the podcast, head to the Marais in Paris, where the “eurofans” are having a party. This is how the enthusiasts of the competition call themselves. Stéphane Figure is the President of OGAE France (General Organization of Eurovision Amateurs), which has more than 500 members in France, thousands throughout Europe. For him, this year France has every chance.
La Zarra, “it’s the Francophonie”
“It’s been 46 years since France won Eurovision, it’s the good one”, wants to believe Stéphane, T-shirt with the image of La Zarra, the representative of France this year, on the shoulders. Opinion shared by this other fan: “She has a charisma. Visually, there is a La Zarra brand. Even if she is Canadian, I find that she really personifies the image that we have of France abroad. Francophonie.”
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In this party, Kissy, a drag queen, takes up the song of the representative of France, photo of her hanging on the cleavage. “Yes, La Zarra will bring the cup home”, says Kevin, 28, further. “In 2024, we will have the Olympic Games, we will have Eurovision. France Télévisions, we will have to get our hands on the wallet because we will do the double and we will win Eurovision.”
Here, La Zarra is really unanimous, by her voice, but not only for Yvette Leglaire: “I really like La Zarra, so her hat and her outfit are beautiful. And the song is very beautiful and she sings divinely well.” It remains to be seen whether the singer will succeed in convincing the judges of the competition. Result next Saturday.