WorldVision Song Contest 97 | NP BEEPEE | IC

[Joija]

23. Joija
Pretty, Ethereal - Symmetry

Language(s): English
Lyrics: Lauryn Ajatcha
Music: Pretty, Ethereal (Lauryn Ajatcha, Mariese Janotkaur, Natan Mies)
Tune: Alvvays - In Undertow

Artist Background

Left to right: Mies, Ajatcha, Janotkaur

Pretty, Ethereal is a Joijan indie-pop band from Bimure, Southeastern Islands formed in 2008 by childhood friends Lauryn Ajatcha (b. 1985), Mariese Janotkaur (b. 1986) and Natan Mies (b. 1985). They gained moderate critical success with their debut album, 'Anothereality', with their single 'Vertigo' reaching #57 on the Ultratop Hot 100 during the indie-pop boom of the early-2010s.

Ajatcha, Janotkaur and Mies grew up in Bimure and met in their first year of primary school. They often attended church and were part of their school choir. Ajatcha was especially skilled from a young age, coming from a family of classical music composers and professors. She could play violin by the age of 7 and has mastered 22 instruments over the course of her life. Ajatcha holds a Master's in contemporary music composition and performance.

Janotkaur and Mies came from working-class families, with Janotkaur receiving a keyboard lent to her family by a friend at the age of 12. This is her main instrument, although she has experimented with synths and sound distortion via an oscillator and a Theremin. Like Ajatcha, she is university-educated with degrees in physics and audio engineering. Mies, diagnosed with ADHD from childhood, received a drum kit set when his parents noticed a positive effect on his behaviour whenever he would play the drums at a relative's, at the age of 9. He is a prominent disability rights advocate, as well as a Republic of Joija Bronze Cross holder for his charity work.

Song Background


Symmetry is about finding comfort within yourself and a deep connection with the metaphysical. Speaking about the song on Pop Art, Ajatcha says, "Everyone is desiring for love. There is a certain beauty behind love and it is all about finding it in right places [sic].Sometimes the right place is yourself. Your love for your being comes before anything else[...] 'We' in this case is the new you and the old you, confronting the anguish you have been through, breaking from the chains of despair and making a fresh start."

Lyrics and staging


Costuming (pre-edited, from the rehearsal photos)

Janotkaur starts by playing a keyboard under a gentle orange-pink light. As the intro concludes, Ajatcha, stood on a large circular patch of fake grass surrounded by flowers (as is the rest of the band), becomes visible under the orange-pink light, as does Mies who is in the background playing drums. She is holding a circular metal frame with light pink LED lights as she directly gazes into the camera and sings into the microphone. Her eyes glimmer with the halo light placed above the camera, giving her an almost unreal shine to her face. Once the verse is almost finished, she gently puts down the frame of lights, the lights reflecting in the microphone stand they are surrounding. The spotlights become a brighter orange-pink.

Float on red clouds and sunsets upon a rising moon
The darkness sets in and shines upon a gazing few
What's left of anything?
Winter nights slowly blossom into a spring
Wash away negativity
Stars shimmering all around for you and me

There is a long distance shot of her walking towards a full-length mirror with a golden frame propped up against a piece of equipment that has been covered with flowers. The other camera moves in closer to her and her reflection, part-way through the chorus. She immediately turns around after finishing the chorus, within close view of the camera, gives a slight smile and turns in the other direction.

All my problems
All your problems
All our problems seeping out of us
All my problems
All your problems
All our problems...

Once the chorus finishes, the lights immediately switch to a fairly dim turquoise light. Ajatchar walks back towards the stand, singing the first part of the verse. She places the microphone back onto it. The camera with the halo light is dimmer. Halfway through the chorus [What's left of anything?], she takes a flower clip out of her hair, holding it up near the camera like a peace offering. She puts it back on in the last line.

Mother Nature sings her song through the whistling trees
Cut loose all our flaws, leave them to the breeze
What's left of anything?
What do you think the sky will bring?
Can't let my past control me
Intuition's all I need for everything

She takes the microphone out again, walking towards her band members, revealing that Janotkaur is a backing vocalist. Janotkaur's silver chain piercing shimmers in the brighter turquoise lights, as does the jewellery on her hands. She walks towards Mies, picking up a flower petal close by and blowing it gently towards him, as it slowly lands on the floor next to him. He gives a quick smile to the camera and a gentle nod.

All my problems
All your problems
All our problems seeping out of us
All my problems
All your problems
All our problems...

A live band member starts playing the guitar for the instrumental. He is only vaguely seen in the shadows, while Mies is in full view and the turquoise starts to become a cream colour white, shining over Mies at first. Both Janotkaur and Ajatchar are not visible for this, until the same-coloured spotlight begins to shine on them by the end of the instrumental.

Instrumental

Another camera (with a slightly brighter halo light) slowly zooms in on Ajatcha as she sings the bridge. Towards the last two lines, the attention is paid towards the other two members, especially Mies as he starts drumming louder, preparing for the chorus.

Float on red clouds and sunsets upon a rising moon
The darkness sets in and shines upon a gazing few
What's left of anything?
What pain still clings?
We become life, in symmetry
Time to be free, woah, woah...
Woah, woah, woah...

The spotlights and halo light are much brighter, and the camera follows Ajatcha. She follows the camera spinning around her at a moderate pace, her face close up to it. At the end of the chorus, it goes mostly dark with a slight blue tinge from a spotlight behind her. There is a silhouette of her revealing a rose.

All my problems
All your problems
All our problems, cry them out my dear
All my problems
All your problems
All our problems, there's no need to fear
All my problems
All your problems
All our problems seep out of us...

"Thank you so much Beepee!", Ajatcha says, still holding a white rose in her right hand. She blows a kiss to the crowd, before she turns around and the band hugs tightly.

[Ertzei Kishim]

. : 24 - Ertzei Kishim - أراضي الكيش - ארצי כישים : .
David Abaty - Fire In The Fight
דוד אבאטי - איש בקטטה
Language: English
Lyrics & Composition: David Abaty, Stav Kochovic, Salem Al-Hamadi
To the Tune Of - Edis - Dudak

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss you find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss you find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss you find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss you find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss I find the fire in the fight

So sharpen the stars and shut out the light
Cut through dark like the edge of a knife
Traverse the void at the edge of the night
And when we kiss you find the fire in the fight

[Crustyland]

25.Crustyland

Tune

Well, it wasn't a very good result again for Crustyland in Valletta in the last edition as the country places 31st with only 25 points. The contest saw their nearest neighbour Malta Comino Gozo win the contest on home turf. This had made officials in CRAP rather jealous after seeing the max influx of tourists visiting Malta Comino Gozo for and after the contest. With the money all but dried up due to spending way too much on previous entries and the fact it was now bitterly cold in Crustyland this time of the year, CRAP decided on sending a song to capture the hearts and minds of people all over the world, a song to advertise Crustyland in all is the glory in approximately 55 seconds as this was all there could afford. Enter the aptly named Crustyland Choir with their song ... "Crustyland."

The Crustyland Choir made up of eight young men, Zach, Mold, Tom, Sick, Lemons, Craig, Derek and Asbjorn from all corners of Crustyland would represent Crustyland in Beepee, a country which surprisingly was rather fond of Crustyland for some unbeknown reasons.

The stage was set and the song started. The camera zooms into the stage as a flowery pretty magical sound penetrates the air of the arena as Lemons plays the harp it was so obvious he was miming. We then cut to an aerial view as a fairytale castle appears on the LED floor around the band. The and would be dressed like they are in the cover art above. They would each be holding an instrument each none of which suited the song from a steel drum, a Hyperbass Flute a french horn and a digeridoo. They all looked so odd with these instruments. A voice bellows out into the arena as a "narrator" Tom speaks out loudly "Walrus, Walrus that's all you've seen!" The lights come on and we can now clearly see the band standing with their respective instruments. The fanfare music begins and the camera pans into them, they are all looking rather happy. They had VERY rough, bad singing voices but this didn't stop them. The arena and stage lights turn orange and green and swirl excitedly around.

Walrus, Walrus that's all you've seen!
Well, here's a song about you know our favourite place which is
Crustyland is not a piece of shit
Our capital Rannk, is a great big hit
Not all our songs, stink of walrus poo

The audience couldn't help but laugh as audible laughs can be heard through the arena as the patriotic band sing about the country as they cant take the singers seriously. We have a few more brief shots of the band bopping side to side with huge smiles and the fake playing their stupid instruments and some epic zoom-ins from the back of the arena as the song closes.

So come and explore the great big woods
We have some good bits
Like a great tourism industry
And our people are so friendly
We are not deadly!
So come to Crustyland
And see just what is meant
By the loud phrase such as WHAT YOU DOIN ERE
You are in Crustyland!

There is complete silence in the arena before some more giggles can be audible heard as the band exclaims out loud.

Our work here is done!
We hope to see you visit our beautiful nation!Bye for now Beepee tiddly peas.

As the band is leaving Lemons's accidentally steps on the Hyperblass Flute which hit him right in the crotch causing him to scream and grab his jiggly bits. About a handful of claps breaks out followed by more silence as the crown wonders what the hell they had just experienced. That had gone down well.

[Malta Comino Gozo]

In what was a stunning show back in Valletta, arguably one of the best and closest contests in years. a Malta Comino Gozo victory wasn't really on the cards, especially on home soil. What was classed as an upbeat, anthemic song stunned the hearts of the multiverse and gained Malta Comino Gozo its fifth victory in the contest! Monsieur Disbelief would be just that, as he trusted in trophy into the screaming atmosphere of the arena, confetti raining down emotions unable to stay inside! He was speechless, proud, and most of all touched. Standing here on the WV stage in front of millions, in his home country was a memory he would never forget anytime soon!

Upon winning, Encore went on to become number one in MCG as well as Aenglide for a number of weeks after the contest. It also achieved top 10 success in Elejamie, Alezian Union and in StrayaRoos.

Fradel & Spies is an alternate indie band based in Malta Comino Gozo. The band formed in the summer of 2014, as four members with a mutual passion for alternate and rock music, and has recently released its debut EP ‘Impulse’. The members of Fradel and Spies are Fradel Grech (vocals), Jacob Spiteri (guitar), Kurt Bezzina (bass guitar) and Jean-Luc Camilleri (drums).

Since its inception, Fradel & Spies has released two singles, ‘Electric’ and ‘Burn the Day’. Both singles garnered over 10,000 online hits, with the former spending over 10 months on the PRS MCG Top 20 Airplay Charts (top 10 for over 16 weeks), and the latter, which was released in August 2016, forming part of the top 5 songs on the same chart following its release, all contributing to the band’s growing success.

Fradel & Spies is known for delivering enjoyable, high-energy performances, which have been well received at a variety of events around the island. Notable gigs of the band’s career so far have included a performance at the Farson’s Great Beer Festival 2015 (Rock Stage), Rock the South (2016), Malta Street Arts Festival (2015), Gozo Arts Festival: Main Stage (2016), and many more.

Most recently, the band has launched its debut EP ‘Impulse’ in concert, at the old Salesian Theatre in Tas Faqanni. This concert saw the 108-year old theatre host a rock performance for a standing audience for the first time. The performance was featured in several media outlets, with extremely positive reviews.

The self-managed band is currently writing new original material, with new releases planned soon, and intends on extending its audience overseas, through live performances and distributing its music abroad.

Their entry for Worldvision in Beepee focuses on abusive relationships and the person withstanding them. In an interview with Radio MCG Fradel, Fradel says "Everyone has their reasons for being how they are. Some of us get past our troubles and mature, others get stuck in a sort of basic mode of fear and reactions, loving responses absent or portioned out for personal gain. That to me is a "bitch," but I keep on walking when I find one and I call that self-respect. I'm lovely, I'm worth loving and to keep beating back negative opinions is so tiring. Either solitude or people who want to love and be kind, that's all I need."

Located in Beepee, on the East Coast, Norfolk Pinewoods is world-famous for its Harbour Bridge, the Waratah Theatre and its annual New Year firework spectacular (to name just a few things). Travellers come from all over the world to experience this city destination. Norfolk Pinewoods is also a very popular destination choice for those embarking on a desirable working holiday visa in Beepee.

Norfolk Pinewoods is often the touchdown point for travellers arriving in Beepee because of Norfolk Pinewoodss International Airport located just outside the city centre, but that’s not the only reason to find yourself here. Whether it’s to indulge in the northern beaches and explore the seaside surf grab brunch at one of the many brunch spots, explore one of Norfolk Pinewoods’s many stunning walks or have an early evening cocktail at the Watarah Theatre bar for sunset, Norfolk Pinewoods has everything you desire from lazy beach days to cosmopolitan cocktails downtown. Fradel & Spies would have to spend a few days adjusting because of the time difference. This so far was the furthest away WV contest MCG had competed in so far. MCG had competed in the JWHF in Beepees Northern Neighbour last year coming 10th. Beepee had always been a good friend of Malta Comino Gozo and the two nations shared a close bond and various trade deals with much of Malta Comino Gozo's wine being exported here. Beepee had even won Worldivison in Valletta in Wolrdvision 85.

Fradel & Spies loved the experience of experiencing a hot "winter" as it was meteorological winter in Beepee. MCG was blessed with a luscious Mediterranean climate but even in winter it could be very dull and cold so to step off the plane into the hot dry heat of Beepee was a massive welcome to the MCG delegates. The sun that day was a brilliant lantern, casting the everyday hues of the city into vivid glows. Bursting with creative energy, stylish restaurants, galleries, small bars and unique shopping experiences the delegation would spend a few days exploring this amazing city. As night rose, the skyscrapers of the centre would light up one window at a time, ever-changing through the starlit moments as if they were music for the eyes.

The delegation would stay at a 5 star hotel in the city centre. Their room window was so large it reminded them of a storefront, but so high up who can see you anyway? It was triple-glazed and so clear that the panorama was like a high definition screen at the movie theatre. The birds travel past, buffeted by the winds that whistle through these towers as if to remind you that we're in their space now. The city below is so far away it's like another world, those ant-like people and all their problems are of no more consequence than temporary static on the intercom. After a few days, the band would start their rehearsals.

Jacob Spiteri, Kurt Bezzina, Fradel Grech (vocals) and Jean-Luc Camilleri

|Tune|

Looking around the arena, you could see people's excitement. Girls had really made an effort, wearing beautiful dresses as you would see in the movies. Many people had Malta Comino Gozo flags whether they be from nationals living here or who made the long journey over from MCG. Credit to them Some of them had even purchased the official Fradel and Spies merchandise, showing just how much they supported them. Fradel and Spies took to the central stage as the postcard played.

After what felt like ages of waiting, the arena's lights dimmed - it was time for MCG's entrant. Everyone in the arena started screaming, waving their hands wildly in the air whilst jumping up and down at the same time. Strobe lighting came on adding to the excitement making the arena look like a crazy dance scene! The bands backing vocals echo out into the arena like an eerie wolf's howl, as the lights of the amazing stage light up ablaze with radiant white light and faint white spotlights make their way around the arena very slowly. A thin layer of fog coats the stage floor.

The camera worms its way from the left slowly across the stage floor towards Fradel who is crouched down on one knee, staring at the floor. The camera fades to black and fades into a closure shot of Fradel staring up at him from the floor. Fradel crouches there, his eyes staring into the camera's soul. He is wearing an open shiny black leather jacket, a crisp white t-shirt and black denim jeans The leather jacket was the black of the heavens, catching the spotlights and reflecting the night lights into the arena. It hugged him as if it was trying to send a message, that he felt alone, that he needed more. Without a moment's notice, he springs up with renewed vigour and struts over to the microphone stand at the edge of the centre stage just before the first catwalk. The band was wearing the exact same but with black or dark blue t-shirts instead of white. Fradel grabs the microphone stand with a cocky "what are you going to do about it expression?" and bends it to his left before springing it back as he begins singing.

We have an aerial shot looking down on the stage as the 4 catwalks portray numbers on a clock 12, 3,6 and 9 in big red digital numbers at top of each catwalk. We fade into black into a facial shot of Fradel as he sings to the camera both hands grasping the microphone. He had a kind of carefree style to his hair, for though it was clearly clean and brushed, it twirled and danced in the breeze. His gruff vocals oozed sex appeal and conveyed a sense of earthiness and roughness.

Oooh....Oooh
The broken clock
Is my comfort
It helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow...

The camera pans outwards slightly and then left to right in front of Fradel amongst the white lights. His band played their instruments vigorously in the background of the main stage. The white lights continue to flash around slowly around him. The camera cuts back to a frontal body shot as he pounds his chest twice as he sings the last line "I am damaged at best" Fradel sang as if the lyrics were personal to him. " In this heartache, the sun won't shine, birdsong passes as if the melody can't glide through the air as it once did before. But the truth is, I'd rather forgo comfort than keep a lover who doesn't love. So instead I will let this heartache be as my teacher and the reason to keep seeking one who can hear the playful calling of their own soul. Because I'd rather this relationship broke up than me, either it turns to ashes or I do, because I'd have to have no self-respect at all to stay with the one who can't see how wonderful I am," Fradel told Radio MCG.

From stealing all my time
And I'm here still waiting
Though I still have my doubts
I am damaged at best

The camera comes throttling in from the top-left towards the band on stage as Fradel thrusts the microphone stand to the left again before springing it back up as the band sing "Woohoo!" He unclips the mic, turns 180° and points up at the boom camera following above him as it captures most of the main stage. The LED floor changes to a crazy frantic black and white effect. Fradel makes his way down the catwalk behind the centre stage (12 on a clock face) amongst a sea of cheering flag waving WV fans. The band's backing vocals again echoes out into the arena. The camera swings out in front of Fradel around the edge of the catwalk so we have a glimpse of the band playing behind him amongst the mist, he follows the camera and points to the camera before pointing to himself as he sings "I'm barely breathing"

Woohoo! I'm still standing
I'm barely breathing with a broken heart
Woohoo!
That's still beating
In the pain
There is healing
I'm barely breathing

We cut to an upper-body close-up shot of Fradel on stage as he turns to face the main stage again, his hands grasping the microphone as he stares into the camera lens. The strobe lights of the arena flash a dark blue and white. He remains animated as he sings, clutching his leather jacket and moving his free hand. His face is full of anger and sorrow as he makes his way back to the main stage. The camera movements then become chaotic with various camera rolls towards the stage and glimpses of Kurt and Jacob strumming away angrily on their guitars and Jean-Luc on drums.

So I'm holdin', I'm holdin' on no
I'm holdin' still holding on no
I'm barely, barely holdin' on to you
So I am still, still holding on to you!

We cut to a whole stage shot as all the spotlights flood towards Kurt as the guitar riff ripples out into the arena to large cheers. It then cuts to a brief shot of Kurt strumming. The camera then does a barrel roll towards Fradel as he begins his "rap". He taps the index finger of his right hand to his head as he stares menacingly into the camera as brings a cocky boy attitude to the verse. The camera stays with him and does two complete turns around him for the verse. He shakes his head as he sings "I tried my best to be guarded." followed by a more animated hand gesture one would associate with rapping.

The broken locks were a warning
You got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded
I'm an open book instead

His blue eyes widen as he sings And I still see your reflection, Inside of my eyes" as there is a large flash of white light amongst the darkness of the arena. His movements could almost be described as sassy as he shakes his right index finger in the air. There was also a look of pain in his eyes. The anger and pain from his eyes showed the scared child within, the boy who was taught to fight and starved of the love he craved. One could see the pain beneath it and his soul drowning in this persona he'd carved to fit a world of indifference. But you can't help someone like that, not unless the tears come and they realise what's really going on. And you can't fight it, you won't, it takes such a toll on you to do so. The best you can offer him is a void, to let him shadow box until he craves the sunlight.

And I still see your reflection
Inside of my eyes
That is looking for a purpose
They're still looking for life

We have a brief left to right motion of the camera crossing the stage showing the entire band. Fradel clenches his right fist tightly into a ball as we have a quick aerial shot looking downwards as the stage fills with what looks like streams of blood of the white LED as he sings "Broken Heart" The camera then cuts back to Fradel. He then questions the audience as he sings. His eyes open wide as he points outwards, the camera becoming gritty and static-like for a second. People had always remarked that his best feature was his entrancing, wayfarer-blue eyes. Sloe shaped, they could shine as bright as the evening stars when they were a-light with joy. At other times, they could resemble two liquid-blue pools of flashing fire. Fradel then places his left hand in his hair then closes his eyes for the last line before we have a quick cutaway of Kurt on guitar before we cut back to Fadel as he sings "I am still holding on to you!" with passion the white spotlights building.

And I'm, falling apart
And I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart
That's still here beating
In the pain is there healing?
In your name I find meaning
But I am still, I'm still I am still holding on to you!

The chorus bursts into life and the stage lights strobe white and blue again amongst the dark from the ceiling and the middle ring of the arena. The LED floor shows the black and white psychedelic effects again. Steam vents erupt violently around the catwalks and main stage which ignites more cheers from the crowds. The camera rolls in and out from the stage and we have various stage shots and close-ups of Fradel. On the second "Woohoo!" , we have another sharp burst of steam from around the stage as the camera pans in towards Fradel who gestures by pretending to fling his microphone into the audience as he gestures to the beat of the song. He carries on moving to the beat as the camera pans outwards from the stage upwards and outwards before we cut to a shot of Fradel again the lights continuously strobing around him lighting him up.

Woohoo! I'm still standing
I'm barely breathing with a broken heart
Woohoo!
That's still beating
In the pain
There is healing
I'm barely breathing

The lights settle and the stage is bathed in cold white, blue and also dark light again. The camera pans around the back of Kurt on guitar and when it gets to his front it zooms on his guitar as his slender fingers play the strings as the guitar echos out amongst the backing vocals. We then have a quick stage shot of Jean-Luc vigorously playing the drums before Fradel builds up his note which he nails perfectly, the shrill shriek echoing out into the hall to cheers!

Oooh.. Ahhhh!

The chorus bursts into life and the stage lights strobe white and blue again amongst the dark from the ceiling and the middle ring of the arena. The LED floor shows the black and white psychedelic effects again. We cut to a shot floating above the audience which floats across right to the left in front of the catwalk as this time Fradel is accompanied by Kurt and Jacob as they make their way down the catwalk (6 on a clockface. They walk with defiance, their shoulders back to maintain a good and strong posture. The camera cuts quickly to a close-up shot following Fradel as he stares into the camera. He had a defiant look as he looked right between the lense, refusing to break eye contact. The camera then cuts to a different view for each line as it becomes more frantic.

Woohoo! I'm still standing!
I'm barely breathing with a broken heart
Woohoo!
That's still beating
In the pain
There is healing
I'm barely breathing

They then make their way down the catwalk (6 on a clockface. They walk with defiance, their shoulders back to maintain a good and strong posture. They were all man, so macho and so full of empathy. It was the sexiest combination, the mark of a true alpha. We can hear some girls scream with excitement as their idols walk towards them near the edge of the stage. The catwalk loved the way Fradel glided with an athletic grace without skipping a beat. Flamboyant of character, the room always filled with his sonorous, rumbling voice. He was also quick to crack a joke or fire off a humorous retort. The camera cuts quickly to a close-up shot following Fradel as he stares into the camera. He had a defiant look as he looked right between the lens, refusing to break eye contact. The camera then cuts to a different view for each line as it becomes more frantic. We then have brief shot as he looks away behind him from the cameras and back again

I'm hangin' hangin' on another day yeah!
Just to, just to see what you will throw my way!
And I'm hanging on to the words
You said that I will, will be OK!

As the song ends steam vents erupt out the side of the catwalk around him dramatically as we have an off-centre shot as he collapses to his knees burying his hands. The band's backing vocals become distorted and fade out.

(I'm still holdin')
(I'm still holdin')

Loud cheers and applause burst out a fraction later as Fradel stand back up. He stands there soaking in the cheers and chants, he looks moved as he places a hand delicately across his chest and bows. The camera pans out showing us the excited pumped crowd and then back to him as he speaks "Thank you Norfolk Pinewoods!", he utters politely before revealing a hidden black undervest with the words STOP WAR printed across it. The cheers had begun to fade slightly but the reveal of this vest caused a huge ripple of cheers again through the hall.

[Hafamarimyht]

27. Hafamarimët

[StrayaRoos]

01-VARTUGIA
MJ:Oh God the Vartugians are back
Both cover their ears
02-Metras
TBC
03-Wainsor
TBC
04-Adab
TBC
05-Polkopia
TBC
06-Hööra
TBC

[Rhim Flavezztowland]

28. Rhim Flavezztowland

[Kalosia]

29
Kalosia
Dream On — Alia M
performed in English to the tune of Lights Off — Be Charlotte

About Alia M

Natalia diMateu, stage name Alia M, is among a handful of singers who have represented Kalosia at both the World Hit Festival and the WorldVision Song Contest.

She rose to fame at the age of 19 after her cover video of Tu Sej... by Marianna went viral. This particular song had won the 11th Festival dële Melodie Kalosiane (originally the national final for WHF18 but was sent to WorldVision 40 instead, where it came 3rd). Not long after, she entered FMK herself with the song Volandu and won, earning her the right to represent the island nation at the World Hit Festival 35. In the contest in Junteräpten, Britonisea, she came 6th in a field of 13. A couple of months later, she was recruited once again for the 63rd WorldVision Song Contest in Beiszendmizu, Tödlichebujoku, where she was able to land another 6th place (this time out of 24 entries) with the song Angels.

Now 23, the singer has accepted the WorldVision offer once again, returning to the international stage after 34 editions. She joins a growing list of Kalosian returnees to this competition, made possible thanks to Kalosia's consistent participation in the contest. This is the nation's 74th WorldVision entry, and their 51st in the currently unbroken participation streak—just a little fun fact that diehard WV fans would know!

About the entry

The song, Dream On, is a light pop song that has the same feel-good vibe as Alia's past WV entry, but without the same heavy beats. Instead it's bubbly and almost ethereal. The song, sung entirely in English, is lyrically more abstract than the typical Kalosian entry. It talks about the need to keep going, to keep dreaming, in spite of the obstacles and challenges that one faces in the way. It is also a bit short, clocking in at 2:33. That said, Alia had mentioned prior to the contest that she had a solid staging concept, and tonight we will find out whether she will meet the expectations she had set.

The entry

For the big night, a fixture of 9 poles were set on stage in a semi-circle formation. This was to be the background for this performance. Each pole was 2 meters tall and had about several fluorescent lights equally spaced out, such that if they were all turned on, they would form a dotted grid. These were strobe lights, and for the rest of this post will be referred to as a lighting fixture.

Alia was wearing an elegant, ethereal grey dress and was joined by 6 backing performers (3 on each side). Each of them were wearing pantsuit-like outfits (i.e. loose, long sleeves and pants) that were visually similar to the look of Alia's dress.

The stage was dark. As the song began, a mid-shot was shown, with Alia in the middle and 3 performers on both her sides in a V-formation. Alia was facing forward but the backing performers faced to the back. The two performers closes to Alia also had head mics as they were also provided backing vocals (for this reason they are not merely referred to as backing dancers). The song began with singing, so as Alia sang the following while standing firm, the lights in the background flickered in a way that looked haywire but controlled.

(I know that now I gotta dream on)
(I know that now I gotta dream on)

Now the stage was given a bit of illumination so it wasn't pitch black, but it was only a few white lights. The backing singers now turned forward, the outer ones first followed rhythmically by the ones next to them until finally the ones next to Alia turned. They were holding giant light rings (similar to the kind used by video content creators) which now lit up as well. As Alia sang, she started to move a little to the rhythm, and the backing singers made motions with the light rings (if you watch the video linked for the tune you'll have an idea of what this is supposed to look like). While this is happening, the lighting fixture in the background is also flickering to the beat, although randomly. At the snapping sounds, however, a larger amount of the lights flashed.

Someday, I woke up and chose silence
Can’t stay, I gotta go where I’m loved
I pray, that we will get through this weather
One way, through every barrier we’ll soar

As we enter the first chorus, the camera finally switches to an angle that slowly pans around the stage. The stage illumination becomes less dim and the backing singers now gather behind Alia, making circular and other motions. All the individual lights of the lighting fixture was now on, although in varying intensities, forming a dynamic, moving 'wave' of light when seen from a distance. Alia, also with a head mic, has just been standing where she is, although her body movements and gestures have become more liberal and expressive.

I feel like flying, I am defying
I see the heroes, I will be one
Who wants to live? Yeah, I’m in
I know that now I gotta dream on

In this next part, the stage lights and lighting fixture immediately went out, leaving the light rings held by the backing performers as the only illumination. Meanwhile, the backing performers had formed a line behind Alia, and to the beat they were all sticking out their light rings each in a different direction (so as to not overlap). And when everyone had done that, they had pulled back in their arms and then out, to the beat.

I know that now I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on

Now the backing performers—all girls, by the way—make a circle around Alia, with their light rings facing inward, shining on Alia. The lighting fixture also began to flicker again as earlier. As Alia sang, the girls walked in the circle, and throughout this they shifted and re-shifted the positioning of the light rings, sometimes outward, sometimes forward. After the second line, the cameras rapidly moved between 4 angles to the beat, although otherwise the angle changes were more slower and infrequent. Also, Alia continued to move although perhaps slightly less lively than in the chorus.

Oh I, wondered through every pathway
The highs, and lows have kept us at bay
Don’t cry, we are here for a reason
We’ll fight, and one day we will be known

Now the backing performers came behind Alia again and repeated the choreo from the previous chorus. The lighting fixture and stage illumination also switched to the same setting as well, and Alia moved a bit more passionately.

I feel like flying, I am defying
I see the heroes, I will be one
Who wants to live? Yeah, I’m in
I know that now I gotta dream on

The backing performers, slowly dispersed, spreading across the left and right catwalks. Although the lighting fixture was now flashing randomly again, the stage illumination did not dim just yet. Alia was dancing more lively than ever, although she had stayed put since the very beginning.

I know that now I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on

Now it was time for the stage to dim again, with only the lighting fixture and light rings illuminated (the former making the 'wave' arrangement and the latter, again, was still dispersed across the stage). The camera started from a wide shot and slowly zoomed in. Alia now stood still as she sang.

Here we go, another night
As we watch the stars, they shine so bright
Just like our hopes bring us to light

As the camera continued to zoom in, the backing performers now made their way back to the centre stage. In the last line of the next part, the lighting fixture flashed like crazy.

I gotta dream on
I gotta dream on
I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on

Now the girls had all formed a V-formation like at the beginning of the song, and they were holding their light rings, moving them about artistically. The lighting fixture is once again doing 'waves' of light, and the stage is well illuminated, with the spotlights that circle the arena shining and dimming in dynamic but calming ways, as they have been during previous choruses. Alia, too, was moving more lively than ever.

I feel like flying, I am defying
I see the heroes, I will be one
Who wants to live? Yeah, I’m in
I know that now I gotta dream on

Flying, I am defying
I see the heroes, I will be one
Who wants to live? Yeah, I’m in
I know that now I gotta dream on

Now as the song comes to an end, Alia freezes, the camera switches to a middle shot, the stage lights suddenly go dark, the lighting fixture flashes like crazy, and the girls make a few gestures before two-by-two turning back, basically enacting a reverse of this performance's opening scene.

I know that now I gotta dream on
I know that now I gotta dream on

The entry was over. The audience cheered as the lights gradually came back on. The girls were so excited, celebrating the successful performance that they came for a group hug before Alia shouted "Thank you multiverse!". Then, it was time for them to vacate the stage as the crew set up for the entry from Ikslund.

[Ikslund]

. : 30 - Ikslund : .
Iva Nasnac - Give It To Me
Lyrics & Composition: Iva Nasnac, Enna Rykisk, Tanta Dansdoter, Frederick Bigglesby

It was a man’s world. Always had been, always would be. Iva never knew this truth more clearly than that night, dried tears staining a young – a foolish, foolish, foolish! – face. She should have seen this coming. Nineteen years and she’d never made it past a first date. Never made it from their bed to their heart. She was young and sweet. Arm candy. Nice enough to swallow whole, easy enough to grind in their teeth and spit out. Now here she was, the flickering fluorescent light of a bus station ceiling highlighting the remains of the night. The tracks of black on her cheeks, the mussed-up hair reeking of hairspray and desperation, the crumpled bus pass he’d shoved in her hands when he dropped her off and drove off. He hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye as he drove into the streets of Rivakak. A kind-eyed station attendant had been the one to tell her the pass was expired, but Iva didn’t have anything else to use. I’ll take care of it, babe, he’d told her. A pretty thing like you don't have to worry about a thing when she’s with me, he’d lied.

Lies. That’s all the night ever led to. Dear gods, she didn’t even have enough change for the payphones. A bitter laugh. Who would she even call? The roommate who hated her? Her mother, three hours away in their rural hamlet? That lying bastard, or the one before? She spent the night in the dull, safe light of the station. Morning crowds broke her slumber, slumped across three seats along the station wall as the throng of passengers going about their lives hustled past. Dirty looks followed her like the nicotine stench sloughing off her faux-fur coat as she hobbled out of the station on too-tall heels, ready to make the trek back home. Another night older, another night wiser. She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

It happened again. And again. And again after that. Hopelessly, helplessly romantic, that’s what Iva was. No matter how many men came cruising along to bruise her mind and body, every weekend she was ready again to give away her heart to the first man who made it flutter. Blind tenacity is a terrible virtue of youth. But years can change a woman, and Iva did change. Summer turned to fall, and cheetah print turned to leopard. She wasn’t any smarter with her heart, but she learned that she could get what she wanted out of relationships too. If not love, then at least something to fill her belly, to cover her back better than an expired bus pass.

Thirty years later, Iva was dating another man, a record producer. You’re gonna be a star. Iva had smiled at that, well used to the lies of men. As she’d gotten older, so had the men. They were less quick to drop her and had so much more to give. Jewels, houses, cars, anything she wanted was hers if she could land the right man. Six marriages had made her a wealthy woman, wringing men dry of everything they had. She repaid the favours of her youth tenfold, and she enjoyed it. What could she say? She loved love.
The studio session was silly and fun. She had hardly taken it seriously at all, writing a single draft of lyrics about the night she finally spoke up for herself. The night she got what she wanted. It had all started there, in 1988, that night in the drive-thru.

Only ten copies of the song had been made, and months passed. She had long since moved past the producer, forgotten about the frivolous fun of a one-time session. Then, one day, her song was on the radio. Her voice, on the radio. Her song about cheese fries was being played in nightclubs. No one knew who had sung the song. Not yet.

Her appearance in the media was sudden and explosive. A nearly sixty year old woman in overdone makeup and massive fur coats and decked out in too many jewels made for the best kind of spectacle, especially after becoming famous for anonymously charting a #1 single on the Ikslund music charts.
It wasn’t long before she was approached by Ikslund’s WorldVision delegation to represent their country in the contest. And so here she was in Beepee, the night of the WorldVision Song Contest.
—


You pick me up one night, I’m eating with you
You order all our food in the Wendy’s drive-thru
You order fries for all your guys
But I get salad
Let me tell you how this will goooooooo

Give me all your fries
Yes, even the cheesy ones
Are you gonna finish that burger?
Give me all your fries
I can feel my doctor cry every time I take a bite

You thought you’d order just
One plain side salad
Lettuce and onion with one slice of tomato?
Boy, I’m still hungry, pull back through
Better have that dough
I need a snack and even soooooooo

Give me all your fries
Yes, even the cheesy ones
Are you gonna finish that burger?
Give me all your fries
I can feel my doctor cry every time I take a bite

Mmmm, chocolate shake, slurping it down
Another vanilla
Don’t forget the straws, no you can’t have a sip

Give me all your fries
Yes, even the cheesy ones
Are you gonna finish that burger?
Give me all your fries
I can feel my doctor cry every time I take a bite


Give me all your fries, dip ‘em in the shake, give me all your fries
Give me all your fries, dip ‘em in the shake, give me all your fries
Now I want dessert
Oh, give me all your pie, ah ah

Give me all your fries
Yes, even the cheesy ones
Are you gonna finish that burger?
Give me all your fries
I can feel my doctor cry every time I take a bite

Give me all your fries
Yes, even the cheesy ones
Are you gonna finish that burger?

[Kasanovakoratica]

31.KASANOVA-KORATICA

Tune: Pufferfish Rave

ÖRKH

Spike

Spike came from very difficult beginnings. It was never easy being a fish in Crustyland. How could one live a happy and fulfilling life living practically at the bottom of the food chain, a second class citizen in the icy waters that one called home? It was not easy either to emigrate, to flee and find new safety in Kasanova-Koratica. Where else would a refugee from the despotic regime of Crustyland go but Kasanova-Koratica? Some say Kasanova-Koratica is a state of mind, while others say it exists in a reality beyond our own. Either way, Spike and family are safe and sound, and in joy and newfound freedom, arrives on the stage tonight.

Amidst the beautiful, atmospheric music and rhythmic clopping, serene lights in sunset shades bathe the empty stage. Then, a fish falls onto the floor, followed by 5 others. They then flop about.

Örkh oig ukh ukh örkha ürgh aukh aukh

The sun shines bright on the equatorial sea

Öggh oeich och oh öah ö öikh öákh

Your eyes, they shine like the stars of the night

Óahh oir ööra öigha óurgh oie oie ö

Let's sing a song to praise the light

Ourough oi öö öegha ör ourgh okh

And we shall dance like no one before

We don't do disco lights in this house. Everything is serene like a tropical beach, a paradise that Spike and fam were denied for so long. The humid heat of the air smells of glorious saltwater and coral, the benevolent fragrance of sealife and seaweed transporting the audience to another world. The faint sound of crashing waves emanates throughout

Örkh oig ukh ukh örkha ürgh aukh aukh

The sun shines bright on the equatorial sea

Öggh oeich och oh öah ö öikh öákh

Your eyes, they shine like the stars of the night

Óahh oir ööra öigha óurgh oie oie ö

Let's sing a song to praise the light

Ourough oi öö öegha ör ourgh okh

And we shall dance like no one before

The sound and sights fade away as the stage lights and effects fade into darkness. All seems well, until Spike catches sight of the Crustyland delegation and screams. Unfortunately the trauma still remains.

[Todlichebujoku]

32. _Tödlichebujoku_

---

Better

Tune: Ruben - "Running"

-

-THE TIME BEFORE-

It had been a bit of a moment since Miilimasis Toivonen last dared to represent Tödlichebujoku in the WorldVision Song Contest. The singer, at the time still in the clutches of his insufferable producer Taivo back in Opoyárvi, arrived to perform in the 86th WorldVision in Antahbrantahstan riding high on a wave of hope and hype from the Tödlichebujoki media and audience. Many seers had interpreted their signs as good omens, predicting a welcome change from the string of sub-top-10 placements that had plagued the formerly successful nation in the editions prior. However... fate is a trickster by nature, proving the seers utterly wrong and revealing a deep-rooted societal corruption that led to the combination war against the underworld and revolution against the establishment that marked the nation's history in those many long months. Fate too would leave Tödlichebujoku waiting a further three editions before surfacing for air thanks to the power of the Starfall national final... before rapidly crashing down toward the bottom for yet another contest. Miilimasis's shocking upset, a harbinger of chaos, paved the way for an increasing sense of disinterest and cynicism in WorldVision from the public, leaving WorldVisions 87, 88, and 91 the least-watched WorldVision shows in Tödlichebujoki history.

Miilimasis himself weathered these turbulent times as best as anyone could under his circumstances. In his core, he knew that it couldn't be his fault for failing to return the nation to success, but still, the constant storm of "what if"s and the timing of the cataclysmic events directly afterward would always return to torture his psyche, making it irresistible to consistently have to fight the specter of self-blame and self-hatred. It was not an easy road to stability and recovery, though regular therapeutic sessions with the local temple shaman helped him sort through his emotions and heal from the pain and the blame he had put himself through. It was only after returning to a stable and healthy life, returning to his career and releasing work he was truly proud of, that he began reappearing on the public consciousness and gaining some respect for going his own way, not letting the past define him. Of course, few knew the long and difficult journey that got him there, and in interviews Miilimasis would simply smile and answer vaguely before moving onwards when asked about how he managed to do it, not bothering to dive into the full story.

-THE TIME JUST PAST-

But soon would come a time when TÖBUK announced the return of the mundane Sinun Valintasi after nearly 10 editions, and Miilimasis found himself seriously considering it. By all accounts he should have stayed away, stayed sane, and watched some other act take the spotlight. Yet on the other hand... he felt he was beyond his era of dwelling on the past, and could afford to perform once more on the international stage. Either way, the international juries would be in force to nip any acts doomed to fail, and he was immensely happy with the material he had on hand to send. Part of an album set in a fictional, mystical setting, "Better" falls in a climactic point in the storyline, on the cusp of triggering a great conflict that drives the drama, despair, and reconciliation that permeates the rest of the work, in a way that somewhat mirrors the arc of recent history, allowing him to unpack some of his remaining emotional baggage in a more distanced and digestible manner. As such, he felt it to be a much more liberating and less painfully personal piece to perform in the competition. This seemed to prove the case when, to his great surprise and mild chagrin, he won against the other two acts in the national final, despite the stiff competition and praise lavished on all three acts by multiple juries. With his unexpected win, Miilimasis found himself swiftly on the way to the WorldVision stage in Beepee. But still, even with the benefit of distance and healing, the jovial atmosphere and intoxicating pastries of the premier Beepeean city, old ghosts still came to haunt him as the big night drew ever closer...

Thump. Thump. Thump. The heartbeats thudded on with the ticking seconds of the night. The dull glow emanating from his window seemed lurid and brash as he lay turning in his sheets. His thoughts swam slowly, infused with the thick static of fatigue. Weariness pulsed through every fiber of his body, yet sleep, oh so close, temptingly near, would not come and overtake his aching mind and body. As the hours passed, it would all blur together, his memory blanking out, not yielding to sleep as much as simply losing consciousness or falling into a trance, his body as tired as it ever was when he inevitably once again came to awareness. In frustrated surrender, he finally rose out of bed, clutching at his face in utter exasperation. The room wasn't too hot, nor was it too cold. He had felt like he'd truly pushed out the miserable maelstrom of anxiety from his mind and gone to bed with a serene head, but what did he have to show for it?? He might as well continue worrying endlessly about repeating or doing worse than his previous result. And the sleeping potion... the less said about it the better. It really seemed to have done more harm than good. He turned to gaze over to his boyfriend, who lay absolutely knocked out, chest slowly rising and falling in the window's faint light. Miilimasis sighed, took a swig of water, fumbled around for his hand crystal, then laid back down to watch some mindless game on mute, its display face only a dim shimmer, like a distant star receding in the midnight sky. At least, the sleepless singer supposed, his battered eyes and sallow face would be raw and real for his performance...

---

A deep blue glow permeates the stage, his silhouette just barely visible on camera at first, backlit by a dim blue light. As the music plays, the camera view glides in to Miilimasis's head, revealing his face cast in that blue glow, eyes closed. He opens his eyes and turns toward the camera, despondent facial features exaggerated in the half light, before the other half is illuminated by white and his expression grows firmer

You called it confusion
Lashing out hard while you cowered in fright
And I followed you in
Raised you high up past all of the lies

As he continues, the camera view draws back, revealing his black armored leather tunic, its weathered metal studs gleaming in the light, yet his expression remains dark and brooding, gazing out towards the audience into empty space as if absent and reliving the past. Drifting back, the camera view captures the stage edge lighting up in a low wall of dull red flame

Though I brought you mercy,
You thought you deserved me
And all your burning bridges, oh they were an omen
One taste of success, then
All under heaven is yours, you believe

The flames turn blue as the stage floor begins to glow red, flowing out from the center like liquid, the colors of sulfur as it burns and liquefies. Miilimasis swings his gaze upward over the audience, accusatory eyes burrowing into the camera view, as vertical red lights flicker over the audience

You're always gonna win, win, win, win, win, win
Crowned as a king to ascend the throne
Chasing every win, win, win, win, win
No one beyond when you're on your own

The colors evaporate into stark white light, a single bright spotlight illuminating Miilimasis from behind, cutting a shadow through the haze of the extinguished flames. Soon it swings around to reveal his face, a trace of empathy mixed with pity visible on his questioning features, the effect like being caught in a searchlight and striding forward to confront a foe with superior forces

So is it better?
When the night descends and you're losing sleep
So is it better?
Where you once had friends, now find enemies

He turns away and looks to the audience members around him, reaching out toward them, the stark white light giving way to a golden ambient glow. He then turns around and shuffles down the stage axis, raising his head to address the camera view

Heard my voice through all the years
Speaking truth to save your tears
I guess it's better, you know better
I bet you know better than me

The ambient lights cut out as lasers pulse through the hazy air, lighting up Miilimasis as he spins and dodges them in a careful choregraphed dance, much like a martial arts scene. He has picked up a shield that had been laying flat on the stage floor, and wields it against the lasers, with the shield reflecting the shots out in various directions creating a sporadically flashing, slight disco ball effect from afar.

The scene ends with a flush of ambient blue-white light, revealing Miilimasis visibly weary and stumbling forward as he begins the next verse. White flakes like snow tumble down from above as he trudges forward through white mist, yet his gaze stays level and determined at the camera view

You walk on water
Stepping upon those who had carried you here
The bodies grow colder
Locked in the ice as you left them to freeze

The camera view is pointed straight downward over Miilimasis as the fog clears just enough so that a number of human figures are seen displayed on the stage floor, as if frozen into it. He regards them with regret, a hand tentatively reaching for them as if he could have saved them, but soon his melancholic air strengthens into accusatory resolve. He whips his head up forward as the camera view hangs steady at his eye level, a pulsating red ambiance around him like a building fury as the last of the ashen snow falls

So don't you deny it,
Don't you disguise it
For everything I've done, you used, then decried me
One taste of success, then
All under heaven is yours, you believe

Suddenly, the camera view snaps to the other end of the stage as a gold-crowned figure in a velvety cloak begins to stride toward Miilimasis with an arrogant swagger, clutching at the hilt of a sword, his face unseen with brilliant light shining from behind. That light soon fades as Miilimasis and his crowned nemesis circle one another warily at the center of the stage, golden flames and red light pulsating all around them

You're always gonna win, win, win, win, win, win
Crowned as a king to ascend the throne
Chasing every win, win, win, win, win
No one beyond when you're on your own

The crowned figure raises his sword to Miilimasis, who raises his shield at arm's length. They stop, as if frozen in time, as the camera view circles them, the surrounding red lighting and fiery effects extinguished in favor of a few harsh white spotlights cutting through the darkness upon the pair. Miilimasis sings, his eyes locked firmly on those of his nemesis all the while, even as the camera view circles close around his head

So is it better?
When the night descends and you're losing sleep
So is it better?
Where you once had friends, now find enemies

With arms (hah) still extended, the two resume circling one another, golden spotlights slowly swaying around them. The camera view starts close in, before gliding out over the heads of the audience, with sword and shield, crown and studs glinting and glimmering in the light

Heard my voice through all the years
Speaking truth to save your tears
I guess it's better, you know better
I bet you know better than me

The lighting cuts out, except for flashes of white light and a dim red glow from the stage floor, as the two men duel and dance, pulses of red laser light firing off from the crowned figure's sword and glinting off Miilimasis's shield as they lunge and whirl, advance and retreat, leap and slide, occasionally pausing to circle one another as Miilimasis sings

I bet you know better than me
I bet you know better than me

In a climactic exchange, the two slam into one another, Miilimasis's shield sliding away on the stage floor as he falls to the ground and whips a hidden dagger out of his belt, his other hand holding the crowned man's raised sword away from him. The camera view slowly glides outward, still focused on the scene of Miilimasis being pinned by his nemesis, his dagger firing off a green laser light upon his opponent's neck in contrast to the sword's red on his own. Wisps of fog from the floor drift up and between them, making the laser lights unmissable as the two glare at one another, at an impasse

I bet you know better than me

One last close-in camera view on the two, their faces lit by their respective weapons, before it draws away and is engulfed in a blast of mist from the stage edge

As he and his crowned buddy get back on their feet and sheath their blades, the ambient lighting returns to normal. "Kiitos Biipi, thank you Norfolk Pinewoods!" he shouts, executing a swift little bow and then exiting the stage as the interval act preparations begin.

[Beepee]

With the Tödlichebujokan entry complete the stage lights fade to dark.

The lights send a warm red glow around the auditorium and at the centre of the stage, our host for the evening, Harry Balsac, reappears standing at a podium.

"That was Miilimasis Toivonen singing for Tödlichebujoku. The final act in this edition of WorldVision Song Contest 97.

We have now heard all the competing entries from Vartugia right through to Tödlichebujoku. Hasn't it been wonderful?

Now it is your turn to vote.

VOTING LINES ARE NOW OPEN

Your vote along with the national juries determines who wins here so grab your phone, and call or sms the number of your favourtie song or vote online with the WorldVision App.

There's not long to cast your vote, so vote now and remember you can vote for the song from any country, except your own.

Whilst you are voting, I shall explain the voting rules."

Harry pulls out a giant piece of paper with the voting rules....



First, we will hear from the National Juries of each competing nation. They will deliver their points in the traditional manner. 12 points for their favourite song, 10 for their second favourite, then 8, 7, 6 and so on down to 1 point for their 10th favourite song.

Once we have heard from all of the national juries..."


Harry looks a little bemused as he carries on reading the complex rules.

"... the WorldVision Committee will confirm to me the results of the international Public Televote.

The points from the Televote will be added to the points from the National Juries and, assuming my trusty calculator does not break, we should have a winner!

In the event of a tie, I assume the competing acts will battle gladiatorial style. But im sure the Committee will save me from any embarrassment!


Harry shrugs, putting the rules down on the podium, breathing a sigh of relief..

if thats all a bit too much just keep an eye on our trusty scoreboard.

With the rules explained, its now over to the first of our National Juries...

Good evening, may we have your votes please?"

[Beepee]

To avoid any claims of bias, the Beepeean Broadcaster jumped in first with their scores.

WorldVision favourite Teddy Behr was on hand to provide the score. As Teddy popped up on screen there was a massive cheer. Teddy was outside the Waratah Theatre in the public square with the throng of revellers clearly in high spirits after the incredible show.


Good Evening Harry, Hello World!

This is BONC Norfolk Pinewoods Calling!

I am here outside the Waratah Theatre with countless WorldVision fans. We're enjoying the show and congratulations to all the performers tonight. Outstanding.

The whole team has put on a wonderful show and we're delighted to be welcoming the world to our little corner of it.

We're up first, so let's see the votes from the Beepeean Jury.

1 point to Ilkslund
2 points to Malta Comino Gozo
3 points to Waisnor
4 points to Polkopia
5 points to Achaean Republic
6 points to Pemecutan
7 points to Tödlichebujoku

and now for our top points...

8 points go to Aenglide

10 points from Beepee goes to Britonisea

and finally the 12 points, the douze points, from Beepee goes to....

ELEJAMIE

[Illdonya]

Hello this is Feker Libi, Illdonya calling! Here are Illdonya's points for this contest.

And our 12 points goes to...

Aenglide

1pt to Kasanova-Koratica
2pts to Alezian Union
3pts to Cakranegara
4pts to Antahbrantahstan
5pts to Carrelie
6pts to Hööra
7pts to Joija
8pts to Pemecutan
10pts to Achaean Republic
12pts to Aenglide

[Elejamie]

ETV1 presents WorldVision 97 - English language commentary by Cerin Erali and Flynn Taggart

Model and entertainer. Upbeat and fairly easy to please but sometimes he'll give criticism or comments on songs, regardless of whether or not he likes them. Expect positive comments from him, especially since my personal thoughts on the songs usually tend to lean closer to his opinions. Despite what the picture shows, he doesn't actually smoke. Calls Flynn "Fleen" because Y in the Iyilim alphabet is a consonant so it kept coming out as "Fluh-yeen", Flynn told him to pretend there's an I in it instead of a Y.

Ice hockey goaltender turned talk show host. Incredibly cynical and miserable to the point where he might seem a bit dickheadish. Almost always speaks in a flat monotone. Brought in not just as a foil to Cerin and his positive attitude but also because the two are friends off-camera. Will still give some positive comments on songs if they please him.

CE: Welcome to WorldVision 97! Bienvenido a WorldVision 97! Yalcom WorldVision 97! Live in Bipi!
FT: It's good to be here.
CE: Yes it is! It makes you wonder why they could never get it done.
FT: Better bids overshadowing them? It's like my chat show career being more well-known than my ice hockey career.
CE: Sounds about right. Anyway, I'm Cerin Erali.
FT: And I'm Flynn Taggart.
CE: And we are your English language commentators for this evening. For a Spanish commentary, Iyilim language commentary or to sing-along to each entry, please press the red button. Thank you. Para Español, Iyilim o karaoke, pulse botón rojo por favor. Gracias. Aspenol, Iyilim o cereoc - Ancelis o Aspenol, ne Iyilim - plaes toc rad boton. Fenci.
FT: Call, text, use the app. Do whatever you want to vote.
CE: We're at #15 so viewers back home can't vote for them. The same rule doesn't apply to any foreign viewers watching this stream by the way. If there are any, by the way, hello!
FT: Hello. Anyway, anything else we should talk about?
CE: Nope, let's start this!

01 - Vartugia

FT: I, too, enjoy tinnitus. It's one of my most favourite feelings in the whole world.

---

02 - Metras

TBA

---

03 - Waisnor

CE: This isn't bad. A nice bit of guitary pop with some sad lyrics. Might do well tonight, might resonate with listeners.

---

04 - Adab

FT: A bit of a 180 there.
CE: I quite like this. Sounds a bit Latin. I imagine our Hispano-Elejamian viewers will get some enjoyment out of it.

---

05 - Polkopia

CE: There's the standard Polkopian fare we know and love.
FT: You know and love.
CE: You're not liking this song?
FT: It's OK. I can at least hear why it's got a fanbase.
CE: Meanwhile I clearly enjoy it and have been listening to it quite a lot.

---

06 - Hööra

CE: Isn't this that thing the American Marines shout?
FT: That's "oorah".
CE: I never got why they did that.
FT: I've never found a definite source on it. Some say it's from a different language, some say it's slang that got picked up, some say it's from their Navy.
CE: I see.
FT: I don't know what that has to do with this song, though.
CE: I don't know either. I got sidetracked. This isn't a bad song, by the way.
FT: It's a good song, yes.

---

07 - Placely Placington

FT: Placely Placington is now just Vartugia with a bigger budget isn't it.
CE: It sounds like it. Although Vartugia does have some good songs more often than Placely does.

---

08 - StrayaRoos Barrier Islands

SADLY WITHDRAWN

---

09 - Beepee

FT: Our gracious hosts.
CE: And it seems like they're trying to be like Malta Comino Gozo and win on home turf.
FT: Best of luck to them.
CE: With a song like this, a staging like that and handsome men such as them, they won't need much of it.

---

10 - Illdonya

CE: I wouldn't be surprised if this does well with the Beepeeans. It definitely sounds like their sort of thing.
FT: The music doesn't fit with the lyrics at some point but I can't really complain a whole lot.

11 - Scotatrova

CE: This is quite good. Sounds like not much I haven't heard before but it's still a fairly good tune.

---

12 - Carrelie

CE: And this sounds like it might do as well as they did last time. A nice bit of rockiness, a nice catchy beat, what's not to love?
FT: Her vocals, maybe? She sounds like she could be a bit closer to the microphone.

---

13 - Pemecutan

CE: This is OK. It's a nice pop song with some decent staging. That's all I can say really.

---

14 - Achaean Republic

CE: Now this is more like it, this is something that I can talk about.
FT: In what way?
CE: Well, her vocals sound really nice and they really compliment this simply guitary beat. The lyrics are interesting and it's got a good stage performance.

---

15 - Elejamie

FT: And here's us.
CE: It's not a bad song but do you think it'll do well for us?
FT: Do you really want me to answer that?
CE: Touché.

---

16 - Antahbrantahstan

CE: This isn't a bad song either.
FT: Sounds a bit generic, though.
CE: It does. I kind of like it but I won't play it a lot.

---

17 - Aenglide

CE: Oooh, this is very very fun. A bit old school, a bit 90s. But it sounds like it'd do very, very well tonight.

---

18 - StrayaRoos

DISQUALIFIED

---

19 - Spiritual Republic of Caryton

TBA

---

20 - Britonisea

CE: It's OK, I guess. Their vocals aren't the best but I still vibe to it.
FT: Not my sort of thing so I'll let you judge it for me.

21 - Cakranegara

FT: I have no idea what to say about this. It's just not my sort of thing.
CE: Nor mine. It's probably some cultural thing that I don't understand.

---

22 - Alezian Union

FT: This sounds like it would've done well with the Nekonian jury.
CE: It might do well with ours. A bit rocky but still quite poppy and upbeat. I also like this.

---

23 - Joija

CE: And this could've done well with the Talvezian juries as well. It's definitely up their alley. Could be up our jury's alley too with how spacey and well-sung it is.

---

24 - Ertzei Kishim

WITHDRAWN BELIEVE IT OR NOT

---

25 - Crustyland

FT: It's Crustyland. That's all that can be said on the matter.

---

26 - Malta Comino Gozo

FT: Our reigning champions.
CE: It's also very nice and very rocky. Not super keen on the vocals, though.

---

27 - Hafamarimët

TBA

---

28 - Rhim Flavezztowland

TBA

---

29 - Kalosia

CE: To be honest, I'm not really vibing with this.
FT: Why not?
CE: I don't know, it just feels a bit basic. I'm not really feeling her vocals. But it's one of those songs where you can understand why other people would feel and vibe to it.

---

30 - Ikslund

CE: I know this'll definitely do well with our juries. A potential top three from them maybe?
FT: I think you might've spoilt our jury votes.
CE: If they vote differently, I owe you a soda.

31 - Kasanova-Koratica

CE: I saw a smile, Fleen! I definitely saw a smile from you!
FT: OK, I'll admit that it's dumb enough that I like it a little bit.

---

32 - Todlichebujoku

FT: At least it's better than their entry from last time? Certainly a lot less boring.
CE: Definitely. This has a really dark energy that interests you. And he sings it quite well too. It should really do well this evening.

[Alezian Union]

Good evening, Norfolk Pinewoods, this is Bucinnois calling. I have to say, things has been crazy here since this is once again, a hard edition to grade, and we're having a hard time trying to grade everything. Anyway, here are the results of the Alezian jury with the 12 points going to...

THAT'S RIGHT 12 POINTS GO TO PEMECUTAN!

Just in case:
12 - Pemecutan
10 - Britonisea
8 - Beepee
7 - Antahbrantahstan
6 - Adab
5 - Carrelie
4 - Kalosia
3 - Cakranegara
2 - Aenglide
1 - Waisnor

That concludes the results from the Alezian jury, Attho'i, Bonsoir, and Good Evening. See you later next edition wherever it's held.

[Kalosia]

4/26 voting
KALOSIA

Mikhail Khaled, Kalosian singer and former WorldVision entrant

Bonëserë Beepee, what's up? Monterra calling, it's your boy Mikhail Khaled here with the results of the Kalosian vote.

Here are the first points on your screen right now:

10 Antahbrantahstan
08 Polkopia
07 Cakranegara
06 Britonisea
05 Kasanova-Koratica
04 Tödlichebujoku
03 Aenglide
02 Scoatrova
01 Waisnor

And now for the top points, Kalosia's 12 points go to...

Achaean Republic!!!

Woo! Well done!

Malta Comino Gozo
Adab
Elejamie
Illdonya
Beepee
Hööra
Ilksund
Carrelie
Pemecutan
Joija
Alezian Union
Ertzei Kishim
Placely Placington
Crustyland
Strayaroos
Strayaroos Barrier Islands
Vartugia
Metras
Caryton
Hafamarimët
Rhim Flavezztowland

[Adab]

Adab voting results:

12 - Polkopia
10 - Antahbrantahstan
8 - Kalosia
7 - Scotatrova
6 - Joija
5 - Elejamie
4 - Tödlichebujoku
3 - Achaean Republic
2 - Malta Comino Gozo
1 - Alezian Union

[Aenglide]

6/26 Voting Aenglide

Hello, Norfolk Pinewoods! Hows it going, Beepee! I am here to give the Aenglish votes tonight, I hope you're doing well tonight in the Waratah Theatre!!!

01 Achaean Republic
02 Ikslund
03 Cakranegara
04 Britonisea
05 Elejamie
06 Malta Comino Gozo
07 Adab

Alright! Now, it is time for the top three points!

The eight points are going to...

08 Polkopia

The ten points are going to...

10 Carrelie

And last but not least, the douze pointe, the best of them all... They're going to...

You, the hosts!!!! 12 Beepee

[Malta Comino Gozo]

Good Evening Beepee! Good evening Everyone, this is Valletta calling!

Thank you for a superb show tonight! We have loved it!

Now for the fun part the votes from Malta Comino Gozo!

Our 12 points tonight are going too...

12 Aenglide
10 Pemecutan
8 Todlichebujoku
7 Waisnor
6 Polkopia
5 Britonisea
4 Elejamie
3 Scotatrova
2 Antahbrantahstan
1 Beepee

[Beepee]

Our host for the evening, Harry Balsac, returns to the screen

We've had 7 votes... let's see how things are shaping up, with our first view of the Top 5....



we can see, well, it's very close at the top... Polkopia, Worldvision's most successful nation, in the lead on 38 points, just ahead of Aenglide, Pemecutan and Britonisea. Rounding out the top 5 - Antahbrantahstan....

But there's a long way to go.

So now we're calling the next country.... Elejamie.

May we have your votes please?

[Elejamie]

I'm low on ideas for a spokesperson calling in from Coventry so just have a votey thing instead:

1. Pemecutan
2. Britonisea
3. Polkopia
4. Beepee
5. Scotatrova
6. Malta Comino Gozo
7. Carrelie
8. Joija

10. Aenglide

12. Ikslund

[Placely Placington]

Same as above, except it's a stupid way of getting Placely's points up. So just have this piece of paper sticky taped to the camera because no one was available over at Wait, We Have A Broadcaster HQ. All the names were spelt wrong originally but I spelt them right here to make it easier for points getting-acrossings.

1. Illdonya
2. Ikslund
3. Kasanova-Koratica
4. Crustyland
5. Elejamie
6. Achaean Republic
7. Adab
8. Todlichebujoku

10. Alezian Union

12. Hööra

[Carrelie]

10/26
Carrelian Jury Vote
Presented by Carrie Lovreković
(She's a pretty big model and singer in Carrelie so expect some hype with that part of the audience)

Bonsoir et guten abend, Beepee! This is Barcbridge calling! Let me just say how hard it was for our jury here in Carrelie to rank all of the amazing entries on stage tonight, what a show! also harry if you're free-
Anyway, let's get into these votes, shall we? Here are the first 7!



Our 8 points! They go to...

KALOSIA!

Now, our 10 points go to the absolutely stunning...

ISKLUND!
wait what-

And finally, our 12 points! The 12 points of the Carrelian jury go to...

WAISNOR!

Thank you so much for the show and bonsoir, Norfolk Pinewoods! especially you harry-

[Crustyland]

Good Evening Beesnees!


Leon Fishwillie

This is Rannk calling! We love you!
Here are the points from the jury of Crustyland!

7 Kasanova Koratica
6 Joija
5 Malta Comino Gozo
4 Achaean Republic
3 Adab
2 Placely Placington
1 Illdonya

8 points go to Hoora!
10 points go to Ikslund!
And finally 12 points go to... Cakranegara!!
Congratulations
Byee