The great European singing competition resumes its rights this Saturday, May 13, 2023. Eurovision is back, in the United Kingdom, on behalf of last year’s winner, Ukraine. Here is the program for tonight and the time at which the candidate from France will perform…
The Eurovision Song Contest returns this Saturday, May 13, 2023. The show will air from Liverpool, England, thanks to the success of Sam Ryder last year. The British singer had finished the great European song contest in second place with his title Spaceman, succeeding the Ukrainian orchestra Kalush who had won the competition. Due to the still raging war, it was agreed that the second place country would put on the show on behalf of Ukraine.
The big Eurovision song contest will start at 9 p.m. and will be broadcast live on France 2, with Stéphane Bern and Laurence Boccolini on commentary. The singer Anggun was responsible for announcing the “12 points” of France at the end of the program. But the star of the evening in France will be above all La Zarra, France’s candidate for Eurovision this year, with the title Obviously. And the hopes are high to see her win the first prize, while she is one of the favorites of the bookmakers, a few hours from the final.
At what time will sing La Zarra, the candidate of France
The big winner of Eurovision 2023 should not be known until around midnight. La Zarra will therefore have to be patient, she who will perform among the first batch of artists in the evening. The draw has indeed placed France in 6th position. Eurovision organizers scheduled the show at 9:39 p.m. sharp. An indicative timetable. As the show is live, anything can happen, starting with a few minutes late!
Passing in the first half of the 26 Eurovision candidates has often been judged as a handicap, a theory that the artists passing at the end of the competition, just before the votes, mark the spirits more than the first. La Zarra would also have the misfortune to pass in the same “lot” as Spain, Italy, but also and especially Finland and Sweden, the main favorites of the competition this year.
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A total of 26 countries will take the stage during the evening. Ukraine, winners last year, will be much watched when they perform, in 19th place. Discover the running order that was decided by draw this week.
The order of passage of the final of Eurovision 2023:
- Austria: Teya & Salena – Who The Hell Is Edgar?
- Portugal: Mimicat – Ai Coracao
- Switzerland: Remo Forrer – Watergun
- Poland: Blanka – Solo
- Serbia: Luke Black – Samo Mi Se Spava
- France: La Zarra – Obviously
- Cyprus: Andrew Lambrou – Break A Broken Heart
- Spain: Blanca Paloma – Eaea
- Sweden: Loreen – Tattoo
- Albania: Albina & Familja Kelmendi – Duje
- Italy: Marco Mengoni – Due Vite
- Estonia: Alika – Bridges
- Finland: Käärijä – Cha Cha Cha
- Czech: Vesna – My Sister’s Crown
- Australia: Travel – Promise
- Belgium: Gustaph – Because Of You
- Armenia: Brunette – Future Lover
- Moldova: Pasha Parfeni – Soarele şi Luna
- Ukraine: TVORCHI – Heart of Steel
- Norway: Alessandra – Queen of Kings
- Germany: Lord of the Lost – Blood & Glitter
- Lithuania: Monika Linkytė – Stay
- Israel: Noa Kirel – Unicorn
- Slovenia: Joker Out – Carpe Diem
- Croatia: Let 3 – Mama ŠČ!
- United Kingdom: Mae Muller – I Write A Song
A favorite who has already won Eurovision
This year, Sweden, which will come just after France or almost, in ninth position, is represented at Eurovision by singer Loreen, who performs the title “Tattoo”. She is a big favorite according to the bookmakers, who give her more than 50% chance of winning this Saturday evening, far ahead of Finland or Ukraine.
Loreen already won the singing competition in 2012, thanks to the song “Euphoria”. Nothing prevents a candidate from taking part in Eurovision several times. What matters is that the forbidden song is completely original and has not been performed before. Thus, singer Johnny Logan twice brought victory to Ireland with two different titles, in 1980 and in 1987.
Towards a sixth French victory, finally?
France has not won Eurovision since 1977. In total, France has emerged victorious five times: first in 1958, thanks to André Claveau’s performance on the song ” Sleep my love”; then in 1960, Jaqueline Boyer interpreted “Tom Pillibi”; in 1962, it was Isabelle Aubret who won the victory with the title “A first love”; in 1969, Frida Boccara was crowned winner with the piece “Un jour, un enfant”. Finally, Marie Myriam offers France’s last victory at Eurovision in 1977 with the title “The Bird and the Child”.
Since then, France has struggled in the competition, so much so that some speak of a curse. In 1991, for example, France finished tied with Sweden. The rules and counting of points in the competition favor the Nordic country, and France loses once again. Moreover, some observers note that if the artistic proposal is decisive, the geopolitical vote also has a weight in the competition, since many countries vote for their neighbors with whom they have more cultural and political affinities.
La Zarra got off to a bad start in their European campaign
In 2021, however, Barbara Pravi ranks second in the ranking thanks to her title “Voilà”, and loses by a short head against the Italians Maneskin.
While many hopes have been placed in her, France’s Eurovision candidate nevertheless caused concern in the first weeks before the competition by shunning the “Eurovision In Concert” tour, in London and Amsterdam, in mid -april. At the last moment, less than a month before the final, La Zarra canceled his performances to everyone’s surprise. At first, she will evoke a “personal problem”, before entrusting the Parisian with having experienced several difficulties since his selection, and in particular a loss of voice which lasted “six months”.
“I’m not going to lie, I have ups and downs in relation to the competition. Sometimes I tell myself that I’m going to win and other times that it’s too much. But I’m here to do the best I can,” said she said daily. His general rehearsal, and especially his performance during the semi-finals of Eurovision, however, reassured his fans.