This week we warmly welcome Joe (@joecrook96) to Aussievision Fan of the Week! Hailing from the UK he's been part of the online fandom and avidly following the contest for over a decade. He shares with us some exquisite song choices - if I do say so myself - and a love of all things Eleni Foureira.
Thank you for being our Aussievision fan of the week! Tell us a little about yourself...
Thanks for having me! My name is Joe, I'm 25 years old and I’m from Oxford, England. I have a degree in Geography and I currently work for the University of Oxford.
Other than Eurovision, my main (borderline unhealthy) obsessions are Rihanna and The Simpsons. I have two cats, and I love travelling. I’m hoping to visit every country in Europe, eventually…
~ What a diverse group of interests! Oxford is so lovely - went there in 2012 and absolutely would love to go back (Liv)
How did you get into Eurovision? What was the first year you watched?
I’ve been watching Eurovision ever since I can remember, my mum would always watch it every year when I was little. The first contest I remember watching was Athens 2006. Nobody could forget Lordi, even if you wanted to!
Oslo 2010 was the first time I really felt invested in the contest. I would definitely credit Lena’s 'Satellite' and Kristína’s 'Horehronie' as the songs that turned me from casual viewer to hardcore fan!
Who is your favourite Eurovision performance and why?
There’s only one answer to this question. Eleni Foureira.
Something about 'Fuego' just got me from the second the music video was released. It’s my favourite Eurovision song and performance of all time, and Eleni remains one of my favourite artists because of it. My biggest regret is not going to Lisbon 2018 to see the contest live, but I did get to see Eleni live in concert later that year in London, so all was not lost!
~ Absolute top shelf choice - 'Fuego' I believe has better longevity than 'Toy' and would have been a worthy winner but alas it wasn't meant to be. The first time I saw that performance she rocketed from my 8th or so to a firm first. Great pick! (Liv)
Which British artist would you love to see on the Eurovision stage?
Mabel is the only name in British music at the moment that comes to mind. I’m not convinced that she would ever do it, but I love her music and think she would give us a shot at climbing the scoreboard (for a change).
~ You're not the first British Fan of the Week to recommend Mabel - Harry a few weeks ago did too! I'll have to check out more of her work! (Liv)
How and when did you find the twitter fandom?
I’ve been on Twitter for more than a decade now (yikes), but it wasn’t until 2014 that I started to become more involved in the online Eurovision community. The first national final I ever watched was Melodifestivalen 2014, and it sort of spiralled out of control from there… I attended my first ever Eurovision live show at the Stockholm 2016 final (*Iveta Mukuchyan was robbed!*), which was probably one of the best nights of my life, and made me become even more involved in the community.
~ Soooooo jealous you've been to Eurovision - and not just any year, a real special one like 2016! Hope you get to go to many more in the coming years! (Liv)
Which national final do you look forward to the most? What makes it special?
Melodifestivalen is always going to be one of my favourites. It was the first one I ever watched, and it’s always a great production. I’ll never understand how Loreen didn’t win with 'Statements'. For less obvious choices, I’m a big fan of Albania’s Festivali i Këngës, Latvia’s Supernova (it gave us Eurovision legends like Samanta Tīna and the Riga Beaver!) and Croatia’s Dora has also been great the last couple of years.
~ Many of our Fans of the Week have added Festivali i Këngës to their lists of favourites - it's quickly becoming a real favourite! Can't go past the amazing production and catchy entries of Melfest. (Liv)
Would you like to see a return Eurovision: You Decide or an equivalent National Final?
I’m not sure. I love the *idea* of another British national final, but in reality, they don’t always live up to the expectations of most fans. If the BBC can create a show on the same level as Sweden or France have done for their recent national finals, then I’m all for it. The first step is to select songs that don’t sound like they were made to be the soundtrack of a yogurt commercial…
~ AKJRHFKAJDHKJHDRJKSHR yoghurt - screaming (Liv)
If you could pick only three performances to encourage new people to watch Eurovision what would they be:
Eleni Foureira - 'Fuego'
Loreen - 'Euphoria'
Jamala - '1944'
Which Eurovision song:
Is the best winner?
Sweden 2012 - 'Euphoria'. Loreen totally changed the future of the contest with that performance. Everyone I know likes that song, even if they don’t like Eurovision!
Has the best live vocal?
Jamala’s '1944'. The tree moment. Need I say more?
Is your favourite Eurovision: You Decide National Final song (not to make it to Eurovision)?
I would probably say 'Legends' by Asanda. It’s a bop!
Was the best British entry - Pre 2000?
Gina G 'Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit' and Imaani 'Where are you'. Our 90s uptempo club-influenced entries were everything! BBC, more of this please.
~ I second this! (Liv)
Was the best British entry - Post 2000?
Javine’s 'Touch My Fire'. It’s one of our only entries of the last 20 years that I still get excited about when I rewatch old contests.
Was robbed?
'Horehronie'. HOW did that not qualify? In *that* semi-final line-up? I will never understand it. Slovakia deserved a lot more. I hope RTVS are reading this, because Kristína needs another shot at the trophy!
Is your guilty pleasure?
Poland 2014. Cleo is still one of my favourite Eurovision artists, and 'My Słowianie' is totally iconic. I voted for it so many times, which must explain why it topped the UK televote, lol.
Is your favourite National Final song (that didn't make it to Eurovision)?
'Lo Malo' by Aitana and Ana Guerra. Cyprus wouldn’t have been the only 'Fuego' on stage if Spain had chosen this.
~ ROBBED (Liv)
And finally which Australian entry is your favourite…
I think it has to be Jessica Mauboy. Honorary mention to Dami Im for her amazing live performance, but something about 'We Got Love' is just so much fun!
Any other titbits or comments you’d like to make?
I think I’ve already mentioned most of my Eurovision favourites… oh yeah, don’t forget to stream 'El Diablo' for clear skin!
Thank you so much Joe for being our Aussievision Fan of the Week! Next time I'm in the UK we definitely need a Spotify party because this taste is exquisite and some A+ points where made.