The fans had been piling into the grounds of Senmerí International Airport since the early afternoon. Some had splashed out on rickshaws but most had come via trolleybus from the city centre. As they gathered in the forecourt of Hangar 2b, transformed temporarily into the Senmerí Fetsival Hall, their was an atmosphere of cheer and joviality. Friends from across the multiverse reunited, excited for their annual musical therapy. Suddenly, the hangar doors of the arena rolled open and the crowd streamed in. Quickly finding their seats, the audience played along warmly to the warm-up, an intern from CháReTe with a megaphone, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!". Hyperbole?; quite possibly but the audience knew what he meant. The crowd roared in anticipation as the hangar doors began to roll shut, blocking out the light of the setting sun over the distant mountains and bathing the auditorium in thick darkness. The tension was palpable.
The triangular backdrop to the stage flickers alive revealing a visibly pregnant Nání, winner of the 19th World Hit Festival, standing in Darbar Square at sunset, the dying orange light making the ornate wooden carvings of the ancient temples and palaces burn with colour. Nání smiles into the camera, "Hello! Swagatam! Welcome to Chámelíyá - and welcome to Senmerí as we join together for one of the multiverse's greatest musical celebrations under one sky." The camera pans up from Nání and points into the hazy blue sky where the first stars twinkle dimly. As the camera pans down again, it reveals that it is no longer in Senmerí but in Sterblichengokai, the largest city in Tödlichebujoku - close runners up in the previous edition - and a previous host city of the World Hit Festival. After a few words in Suomi (subtitled in English) from Pilvi, the last Tödlichebujoki entrant the effect is repeated twice more featuring Senka and Alja Gammël from Izmedu and Kalosia respectively. All together, they represented the previous top countries still competing in the Festival - the montage set the whole time to the edition's theme tune. As the camera pans down for a final time it reveals all four singers, dressed up for the night, standing outside the hangar, a slight crack in the door letting light spill out into the cool night air. All together the laugh, "What are you waiting for?!" and turn around to run into the venue. The backdrop suddenly fizzles out and the auditorium is once more submerged in darkness.
Jan Jan - Inga & Anush
The auditorium fills with blue as the backdrop comes to life once more, this time displaying the sheer edifice of the famous Hiuñchotí mountains at night, their crystal peaks glowing in the light of defined galaxies. Below it stand two silhouettes, stark against the ethereal illumination behind them.
Ooohh, hey!
Spotlights fade on, revealing the identities of these singing totems, Mátangí and Malina Ráná, winners of the 17th and 18th World Hit Festivals respectively, dressed in glittering, matching gold and red sárís. Traditional musicians dressed in slick, modern daurá surúwáls positioned on the angular platforms at the back of the stage stand and play the opening drones whilst lights flash and sweep around the arena. The cameras catch the singers share a quick smile in anticipation of the exposure the multiverse is about to experience to Chámelíyálí culture before Malina steps forwards towards the camera and begins the first verse.
Stars are aligned, songs so divine
My spirits primed for a musical sensation
Bells chime, release the ancient sounds
That last for eternity
Mátangí moves to Malina's side and the two exchange another smile before Mátangí steps away leading the camera slowly back towards the centre-front of the stage, her voice noticeably softer in contrast to Malina's more bombastic sound.
Infinitely, they set us free
Can’t you see our liberty?
In unity we shout bright and loud
We’re allowed to give this offering of sound
All nations here, make it clear, for all far and near
As the song transitions, the lights intensify and the drumming loudens. Malina paces back towards the centre-front to join Mátangí and the two begin to dance in synchrony, shimmying around the spot, letting their hands flow in enchantingly intricate and delicate gestures, and bellowing out the chorus.
Everybody move together, the sweet sound of one night
Every person come together, singing out under one sky
Everybody laugh together, joy that lasts ‘til you die
Every nation come together, singing out under one sky
The cameras cut to shots of the musicians gently swaying their bodies to the music as the flashing lights glint of their instruments. On stage, Mátangí and Malina stand back-to-back, the camera rotating around them as they playfully bounce the lyrics of the verse between each other, taking turns to sing - smiling with the knowledge that they have been given the honour of singing the first words of Chámelíyálí ever on the World Hit Festival stage.
Ke duhkha ho? Ke noksán ho?What is pain? What is loss?Ke hudina ali gít sañgaIt's nothing when you have a little songLa, háñsnuhos! Hijo nasochnuhosSo laugh! Don't think about yesterdayÁja din tapáíko jíwan surúhunchhaYour life starts today
The singers turn around to face each other, holding each other with one outstretched arm and holding their microphones with the other. The irresistible rhythm compels them to gyrate their bodies in time to the beat.
Eutá ákásh muni nach, sabai gáuñchha, “Yále!”Dance under one sky, everybody sings, "Let's go!"Puráno átmá jagáuchha, tapáí birsanchha kas’rí?Old spirits awake, how can you forget them?Eutá ákásh muni háñs, sañsár gáuñchha, “Yále!”Laugh under one sky, the world sings, "Let's go!"Sundara átmá jagáuchha, tapáí birsanchha kas’rí?Beautiful spirits awake, how can you forget them?
The two singers release their grip on each other and turn and step towards the front of the stage and call out to the audience encouraging them to join in. Behind them, there is a flurry of colour as five Lákhe dancers and five Kumárí dancers stream onto stage from the left and right, lining up behind Malina and Mátangí,
Singing out!
Singing out under one sky!
The Lákhe and Kumárí dancers begin their spinning dance - twirling like whirling dervishes, the weave themselves in and out of each other in a dizzying blur, their dresses of flying fabric circling around them in a chaos of colour. At the front of the stage Malina and Mátangí press the audience further to join in with the dance, holding hands and gently moving about to the music.
Yále! Yále! Come and join the dance
Brothers, sisters, join your hands while you have the chance
Taktuk taktuk taktuk taktuk taktuk taktuk
Tak digdig da digdig tak digdig da
Ombombe, dednde dednde dednde dednde dednda
The lights briefly slow their manic assault as the cameras close in on the singers' faces, singing serenely to each other and into the auditorium, welcoming the world to their home. The frenetic dancing behind them seems to have calmed also as the song appears to catch its breath.
Yále! Yálálálálá
Yále! Yálálálálá
Everybody visiting our home
Welcome, one and all!
The respite is short and the lights begin to flash again as the beat builds up once more whilst the Lákhe dancers lift the Kumárí dancers in the air and spin them around before resuming their crazed spinning again. Lines of drummers fill up the aisles in the auditorium and the camera pans around the audience capturing it stirring and moving to the music. On stage the singers push the crowd to make one last effort.
Everybody move together! Yále! Yále!
One last time let’s make it better!
Singing out!
A flash of pyrotechnics released from the stage's perimeter sets the audience alight as the lights flash and strobe and the aisles of drummers begin to fill the arena with the sound of thunder. On stage Malina and Mátangí dance freely as the belt out the last chorus to the dancing morass of a crowd before them, the sounds and colours of the performance overwhelming them completely.
Everybody move together, the sweet sound of one night
Every person come together, singing out under one sky
Everyone, laugh together, joy that lasts ‘til you die
Every nation come together, singing out under one sky
A final crack of fireworks brings the song to its climactic finale prompting the audience to howl and applaud wildly. As the dancers, musicians and drummers swiftly file off the stage and out of the auditorium, Malina and Mátangí remain on stage quickly catching their breath, beaming with delight. As the crowd begins to settle they tease it crying, "ARE YOU READY?!" into the microphones causing the fans to roar back their response. Laughing, they continue, "THEN LET THE 20TH WORLD HIT FESTIVAL BEGIN!"