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German ESC candidate Jendrik: A mere »being there is everything« does not apply
Photo: SANDER KONING / POOL / EPA
The emotions that the Eurovision Song Contest triggers year after year have already subsided a little. The cocaine test with the singer of the winning band from Italy turned out negative. And the German interpreter Jendrik Sigwart has apologized for his first remarks after the ESC show - he actually had better songs, and since his nomination he has gained 30,000 new Instagram followers. "There was too much euphoria and alcohol involved."
But the three lonely jury points from Austria and Romania remain on the list of results for Jendrik's contribution "I Don't Feel Hate", plus the zero points from the televoting. It is the 25th and penultimate place for Germany, just like last time, just like 2017, before that there were two very last places. Germany managed only one positive outlier in between, Michael Schulte's fourth place with his ballad "You Let Me Walk Alone".
The Norddeutsche Rundfunk (NDR), which is responsible for the ESC in ARD, has obviously not found a reliable way to find the right song for the taste of the European audience. And that despite the fact that they were so proud of the selection process with two expert juries. If what Jendrik said in an interview before the finale is true, after a few contributions that were immersed in mediocrity, the algorithm was even sharpened and specifically looked for polarizing songs. His contribution polarized, but unfortunately mostly in the negative direction.
At the same time, the NDR longs for success on the European stage, a mere »being there is everything« is not appropriate - for example, he likes to decorate himself with Michael Schulte, who is invited to broadcasts on many occasions.
In this respect, after the ESC is before the ESC - and the question arises: How can it get better?
Nothing guarantees the success of a format
If you look at which countries have regularly performed successfully at the ESC recently, of course, the first thing to look at is Italy. Since the Italians ended their multi-year waiver in 2011, they only failed to make the top ten twice. They served all possible styles, from opera crossovers to typical Cantautori songs, from casual rap to posh glam rock. The highlight: All of these titles have already been winners. Italy usually sends the artist who
wins
the so-called
Festival della Canzone Italiana di Sanremo
, who wins over several rounds over several days in juries and the TV audience. The festival has existed since 1951 and was itself a model for the introduction of the Eurovision Song Contest.
In Sweden, on the other hand,
a Eurovision participant is chosen
at the
Melodifestivalen
after several preliminary rounds broadcast on TV (including a second chance round). The interest is huge, songs always turn into hits, even if they are not sent to Europe. Those who make it to the ESC almost always end up at the top - Tusse's 14th place this year is the weakest result in eight years.
Stefan Raab organized a similar television event over weeks from 2010 to 2012 in cooperation with the NDR, Lena and Roman Lob were winners and successful in the song contest. Raab himself has not overcome his obsession with the ESC to this day, as shown most recently by the "Free European Song Contest" shows he produced on ProSieben. They also showed, however, that Raab's taste in show with the Heavytones as the backing band and the joke Einspielern has lingered a little.
Raab's contact person at ARD was Thomas Schreiber. Since 2008 he has been responsible for the German ESC campaigns as head of entertainment, the triumph of Lena Meyer-Landrut fell during his time, but also the many recent failures. Now he is moving to the ARD film subsidiary Degeto, his successor as entertainment coordinator in the ARD organization chart is the NDR's TV program director, Frank Beckmann. With a new person in charge, a new approach to the selection could also be tried (even if participants for the expert jury 2022 have already been sought).
The principle of finding a figurehead who stands behind the one concept for a new music competition, has contacts in the television and music industries and is outside the broadcasting bodies would still be the right one.
If ARD felt the competition with private linear TV was too tight for a cooperation, completely different players would now also be offered: Netflix, for example, showed the ESC film with Will Ferrell with some success, Magenta TV has been looking for a long time in the music sector attractive content.
Nothing guarantees the success of a new format.
But France, which like Germany is one of the established Big Five, has managed a kind of rebirth at the ESC in recent years, which culminated in second place in 2021 - the preselection was partly made by international juries and television viewers.
This is how it could work in Germany. And if not - then we as the audience are at least to blame for it.
