La Zarra: representing France at Eurovision without being French? Settlement update

La Zarra representing France at Eurovision without being French Settlement

ZARRA EUROVISION. Last straight line before Eurovision for the French candidate, La Zarra, who carries the hopes of France to Liverpool.

[Mis à jour le 12 mai 2023 à 14h20] Last straight line for La Zarra! France’s candidate for Eurovision 2023 proved that she had every chance in the European singing competition, during the first semi-final, France being however automatically qualified for the grand final on Saturday, being one of the biggest sponsors of the event. It is in sixth position that La Zarra, with his song Obviouslywill come on stage, in Liverpool, carrying the hopes of France for this Eurovision 2023.

A few hours before the start of the show, a question always arises: how can she represent France, not being French? The Canadian-Moroccan singer was born in Montreal. A priori, no connection with the tricolor nationality. However, the rules of Eurovision authorizes it and stipulates that “the nationality of the artists and their level of professionalism is completely free.”

Can La Zarra win Eurovision?

On the eve of the grand final of the competition, France and La Zarra lose a place in the ranking of bookmakers, these bettors who are connoisseurs of Eurovision, to rank fifth in the forecasts, with, according to them, a 3% chance of winning. ‘to take with. The first videos of La Zarra at Eurovision were well received by the public present on the spot and encouraged the Eurovision bookmakers, whose predictions are very popular every year, to give France a chance.

Even if the fans of La Zarra can largely hope for a better place than last year, with the 24th place of the group Alvan & Ahez, it is a safe bet that it will not repeat the exploit of Barbara Praviperformer of Sowho had made an impression and finished in second place at Eurovision 2021. As a reminder, in addition to Barbara Pravi, second in 2021, the last Top 10 at Eurovision dates back to 2016 with sixth place for Amir, best ranking since 2002.

La Zarra takes its first steps in Eurovision

For its first Eurovision appearance, the Zarra appeared atop a circle-shaped plinth draped in shimmering fabric and jutting five meters off the ground. She herself was dressed in a fitted dress made entirely of black and red sequins. The cylindrical column, covered at the top with mirror tiles, delivered a spellbinding scene that will end with the appearance of the French flag on an LED wall at the very end. A successful performance from start to finish by the singer, who reassures after a few weeks of doubt.

In April, La Zarra had indeed drawn criticism from many commentators after having canceled his concert during the “Eurovision in Concert” evening, a preview of the Eurovision final bringing together fans and candidates from different countries. . Evoking a “personal problem” she had drawn the spotlight on her, but also shed light on her doubts and her own demons. A page now turned?

This year, therefore, France Télévisions is betting on Obviously, a title subtly located between French song and electro, even disco. On Sunday February 19, 2023, a few weeks after being announced as a French representative at Eurovision, La Zarra unveiled this track with which she will defend France in Liverpool on May 13. A title written by the artist herself with the Canadian Benny Adam and produced by the electro duo Banx & Ranx.

“The song Obviously arrived while I was doing a seminar in the South of France for my second album, which will be released after Eurovision and will be followed by a tour. I hummed it and it stayed. We wrote it in three nights, because we don’t sleep. It was very easy to do, in a good mood, very passionate, even if the note where I sing the great France was hard for me”, explained the artist to the Parisian after his selection.

Why did La Zarra cancel a concert before Eurovision?

The singer La Zarra was forced to cancel her visit to the “Eurovision in Concert” evening, organized on Saturday April 13 in Amsterdam. This evening brings together, each year, thousands of fans of the ceremony, who come to listen to the candidates from different countries a month before the big European competition. Noticed, the absence of France was nevertheless shrouded in mystery. If the Eurovision France Twitter account then advanced “a personal problem” of La Zarra, the tricolor representative indicated for her part that she was going through “difficult times.”

In a long message posted on Twitter, La Zarra wrote: “I would have liked so much to be with you all, but sometimes life decides otherwise. So I will need a few days to manage these difficult moments. These moments of intimacy are going to be important to me. Thank you for your kindness.”

But what really happened in Amsterdam that caused La Zarra to cancel his performance at the last minute? The Parisian has since referred to a “family event”. But one month before the grand final of Eurovision, such a last-minute cancellation has caused serious concern.

La Zarra wanted to reassure his fans in a video

In a short video, posted on social networks on April 26, La Zarra spoke again to “reassure”. Three weeks before the contest, she spoke “a few days away from leaving for Liverpool” and wanted “absolutely to send a message of thanks” to her fans for the messages of support received after her abrupt cancellation.

La Zarra, facing the camera, assured above all that he was “more determined than ever to wear the colors of France with pride and love”. And to address his detractors: “So even if we can’t always be unanimous, so many of you have simply told me that you believe in me and in my song. And that’s all I need. I need.” “We are ready, we are more than ready. We are going to make the Liverpool stage sparkle. We have prepared a dazzling, dangerous and so classy à la française”, concluded La Zarra, thus giving an appointment to his fans on May 13.

Who is La Zarra, French candidate for Eurovision?

Fatima Zahra Hafdi, known as La Zarra, was born on August 25, 1997 in Montreal, Canada. In the columns of Parisian, she says she comes from a family of seven children, including six girls, born in Quebec to parents who emigrated from the Maghreb. But refuses to give his age. In 2016, she collaborated with Niro on the song white spring. But before breaking into music, La Zarra worked as a hairdresser. She then moved to Paris.

It is in 2021 that the notoriety of La Zarra explodes with the song you will go away, which plays in a loop on the radio as well as on television. Nominated in the Francophone Revelation category at the NRJ Music Awards 2021, she released her first album, Treacheryin 2022. The following year, she was appointed by France Télévisions as the French representative at Eurovision 2023, on May 13 in Liverpool, England.



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