Topic: Eurovision Song Contest 2003, Riga, Latvia

[ijm123]

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2003, RIGA, LATVIA

The contest stayed in the Baltics moving from Estonia to Latvia.  It was the biggest contest ever with 26 countries taking part, including the introduction of Ukraine.  The hosts were 2 of Latvia's previous participants, Marie Naumova, the winner from 2002, and Renars Kaupers, who was singer with Brainstorm.  Ich Troje represented Poland and would return 3 years later.  The Russian representatives were t.A.T.u. who had had a massive Europe wide hit earlier in the year with "All The Things She Said".  Rumours of them appearing naked on stage and engaging in various lesbian activites were unfounded.  The Belgian entry took the language rule literaly by performing in an imaginary language.  The United Kingdom reached new lows, both in performance and result.  Singing completely off key and out of time it came as no real surprise that for the first time the UK finished last and got 0 points.  It looked for a long while that the hosts would join the UK on 0 points and but for a little neighbour voting from Estonia, they may well have done.  The voting was incredibly close throughout.  The lead was never more than 7 points all the way through.  The lead was held by Turkey for a long while.  Belgium then took the lead and held it until the final set of votes.  Russia were also in with a chance of taking the title.  With only Slovenia to vote the socres were Belgium 162, Turkey 157, Russia 152.  The Slovenians gave only 3 to Belgium meaning that Turkey needed 10 or more to win and Russia could not now win.  With their 10 and 12 to award there was still no sign of points for Turkey.  When the 10 points went to Turkey the scenes in the greenroom were of wild Turkish celebrations.  12 points to Russia meant that only 3 points separated the top 3 songs.  After 28 years of waiting and only 3 top 10 finishes Turkey were victorious.  It was also the first time that a song drawn in position #4 had won the contest.

Results

1.(4) 167 points - Turkey - Everyway That I Can - Sertab Erener
2.(22) 165 points - Belgium - Sanomi - Urban Trad
3.(11) 164 points - Russia - Ne ver, ne boisja - t.A.T.u.
4.(18 ) 123 points - Norway - I'm Not Afraid To Move On - Jostein Hasselgård
5.(25) 107 points - Sweden - Give Me Your Love - Fame
6.(2) 101 points - Austria - Weil der Mensch zählt - Alf Poier
7.(20) 90 points - Poland - Keine Grenzen-Zadnych granic - Ich Troje
8.(1) 81 points - Iceland - Open Your Heart - Birgitta
(12) 81 points - Spain - Dime - Beth
10.(24) 73 points - Romania - Don't Break My Heart - Nicola
11.(3) 53 points - Ireland - We've Got The World Tonight - Mickey Harte
(10) 53 points - Germany - Let's Get Happy - Lou
13.(14) 45 points - Netherlands - One More Night - Esther Hart
14.(16) 30 points - Ukraine - Hasta la vista - Olexandr
15.(8 ) 29 points - Croatia - Vise nisam tvoje - Claudia Beni
16.(6) 27 points - Bosnia & Herzegovina - Ne brini - Mija Martina
17.(17) 25 points - Greece - Never Let You Go - Mando
18.(19) 19 points - France - Monts et merveilles - Louisa Bailleche
19.(13) 17 points - Israel - Words For Love - Lior Narkis
20.(9) 15 points - Cyprus - Feeling Alive - Stelios Constantas
21.(23) 14 points - Estonia - Eighties Coming Back - Ruffus
22.(7) 13 points - Portugal - Deixa-me sonhar - Rita Guerra
23.(26) 7 points - Slovenia - Nanana - Karmen
24.(21) 5 points - Latvia - Hello From Mars - FLY
25.(5) 4 points - Malta - To Dream Again - Lyn Chircop
26.(15) 0 points - United Kingdom - Cry Baby - Jemini

[mongol-boy]

Belgium was robbed.

[ijm123]

Belgium was robbed.

Couldn't agree more - how the average Turkish song won with an average vocal performance and an OK dance routine I don't understand - but at least it wasn't the disgusting Russian entry that robbed you.

[mongol-boy]

Couldn't agree more - how the average Turkish song won with an average vocal performance and an OK dance routine I don't understand - but at least it wasn't the disgusting Russian entry that robbed you.

That would've been much worse!

[mongol-boy]

Danny's top 10!!!

01. BELGIUM
02. Germany
03. Latvia
04. Malta
05. Portugal
06. Iceland
07. Netherlands
08. Greece
09. Croatia
10. Austria

[My Star]

Estonia was robbed

[Thomas]

No, Iceland was robbed. 

[ijm123]

[ijm123]

[ijm123]

Ian's Personal Chart of 2003

1. Portugal - Deixa-me sonhar - Rita Guerra
2. Romania - Don't Break My Heart - Nicola
3. Belgium - Sanomi - Urban Trad
4. Spain - Dime - Beth
5. France - Monts et merveilles - Louisa Bailleche
6. Bosnia & Herzegovina - Ne brini - Mija Martini Barbaric
7. Norway - I'm Not Afraid To Move On - Jostein Hasselg

[Lonter]

Couldn't agree more - how the average Turkish song won with an average vocal performance and an OK dance routine I don't understand - but at least it wasn't the disgusting Russian entry that robbed you.

Because it appeals to the public, the performance reaches the general public. My mother adores Sertab (and Ruslana, but not Lordi, Marija or Helena), but when I showed her, long, long ago, when I was beginning with the whole ESC fan thingy, she was bored to death with Belgium, and gosh, completely hated Russia (and Spain by the way)

I think she has a quite ''West Europe'' (as ESC extremists would define) way of viewing the songs, so I think she is a valid example of why Sanomi hasn't won.

Then again, there was only 1 point in it, so who knows?

(Turkey = Right winner anyway)

[mongol-boy]

Portugal, Romania & Germany deserved more.

Especially Portugal!
How this could've scored so few points is UNBELIEVABLE!

[Remy]

My favorite this year was Open Your Heart from Birgitta Haukdal!
She was the first one to sing that night and I think it was a great opening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koHRAFE8Wok

But I can live with Turkey as winner. Every Way That I Can is one of their best entries.

[Centrix]

I remember her. I also liked her very much.

[Martial]

Iceland 03 was indeed a cool opening to esc, tough for a favorite! But she did an ok job, however she's vocally weak and the english version is so dumb "Open your heart" sounded gross to my American friends!

I'm so mad at Sweden and Slovenia for being the last votes and stealing Belgium from its very fair victory!