World Hit Festival 33 - Avranches, Normandy and Picardy

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:58 am

Welcome to Avranches for the 33rd World Hit Festival, where we will Discover a whole new world of music...

OOC Thread | Playlist | Information

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:59 am

The night had come, the night when Avranches would be in the spotlight and that Normandy and Picardy would host the World Hit Festival for the first time since the 'cursed edition' - NNN were determined to pull off the best show possible. Technicians were going through their final checks as 30,000 fans from across the multiverse flooded into the Stade D'Avranches Diron, a swarm coming in via tram, metro, bus and practically every other form of transportation. A buzzing atmosphere hung around the stadium, excitement dripping from the air and filling the audience - not just in the stadium but around television sets in Todlichebujoku, Britonisea, Izmedu... everywhere, people tuned in to watch the grand spectacle, a night of music, of fun and of discovery. Obviously, this contest is going to be much more cosy than the humongous stadium last time in Harrikes, but within the smaller stadium the feeling was still there, if not amplified...

Andre Millian, tonights host, sat both excited and nervous, waiting for his moment, for Avranches' moment. Nothing could prepare him for this, but he felt ready all the same, as he chatted to the creative director and went over his lines for the billionth time; 'not too rehearsed', he told himself, 'try and act natural, whatever is natural in this case'. The acts all went over their lines, dancers practiced routines, and heads of delegation ran about, not so much panicked as 'wanting to make sure nothing goes wrong'. All out of view of the stadium, of the audience, but the two worlds had much in common; a shared euphoria, a shared excitement and a shared appetite for discovery.

As 20:00 Normand Summer Time (BST) approached, everything was put in place. The live feed was prepared, the camers checked, the subtitles in English, French, Izmeduan, Kalosian and Neurmen (other broadcasters would have to provide their own subtitles if they wanted different languages) were made available and the creative director was finally satisfied (not really, but he was forced to because someone told him the show had to begin at 8 pm).

It was 8:00pm. The new opening ident, to this tune (0:18-0:28), with the graphics like this (ignore the music) culimaniting in the WHF logo with the Normand flag in the musical note. As the music ended, the cameras instantly showed the inside of the stadium, with the crowd waving flags of all nations, quiet cheers almost muffled by the expectant darkness, as the first part of the opening began. As is traditional, the previous opening song opened the contest, and as Euski won last contest Samira would return to the WHF stage, even though Euskirribakondara weren't competing at the contest, to sing طوّل بالك...

Opening Act 1
طوّل بالك - Samira
Tune: LP - When We're High

(Translation between brackets; that translation is given to the participating broadcasters to subtitle this performance when broadcasting.)

The stadium was pitch black as the crowd cheered in anticipation of the performance. Samira would begin the song singing as the top of a
pilar de 3 (a castellers' construction), with both of her arms forward (she was using a headset microphone).

The song began, and the camera focused on the hand of a guitarist amongst the choir at the back of the stage, and zoomed out as he played the very first notes of the song to a roaring of the crowd, as the spotlights brought back the light into the stadium. The image quickly faded into that of Samira's face, who began to sing. Samira is focused: not only on not falling from the pilar, but also in her song, in the lyrics, in the energy of 30,000 people in the Stade D'Avranches. You could see in her eyes that she's determined to use this song as a healing for herself, as a shout of empowerment, as a breaking point in her life. She didn't look into the camera, though; and for each word, a different camera and angle was used (zooming in on her face).

Biziapez (Everyone has lived)
Baleneplarpez (Everyone has cried until they've fallen asleep)
Balenbarreapez (Everyone has laughed until they've ran out of breath)

A new camera zoomed out from her face and see was actually standing on a pilar. As the crowd realizes, a huge roar is heard again. Castells are a very important Aranese tradition, and it symbolizes courage and strength, which is exactly what Samira was conveying by standing there, hitting the right notes, more than three meters above the ground. She kept on singing as the camera slowly moved away (gesturing in the "us" and "them" words), to finally move up and look at the ceiling (lit with the current stars above Avranches), to end on a blurred image of those stars.

Maitesupez (Everyone has loved)
Gu, haikak, airenez (Us, them, all of us have been charged with the same crimes)

Eight backing dancers stood in a semicircle on the stage in front of a special projector screen, and they performed as Samira keept on singing (she isn't shown on screen, because she's being descended from the pillar). Their dance incorporated elements of urban music, hip-hop and contemporary dance, so it was still very artistic but bold in appearance and movements (you could say it has a lot of character). They are wearing white outfits, which contrast very nicely with the black floor; and their movements are captured by cameras going around them.

Ni niha (Of sometimes having brought myself down)
Aixeaki dak (I'm guilty too)
Berrada guren majormak (Again, we build our own walls that contain us)*

*In Euskal philosophy, the human soul is perceived as a fluid, akin to a river. It is said that when the soul doesn't "flow", it has encountered a containing wall; and when it "flows" with a lot of strength, it is said that it has become a waterfall. Euskal people are all looking to be waterfalls in life and avoid containing walls.

The dancers continued their performance, but suddenly, water started falling in the additional screen, creating a visual waterfall behind them, which was joined by the water in the water pit moving about and threatening a burst of water, which was also captured by the cameras.

Guren akaxak, gu erakiripesa (But we also build our own waterfalls)

The attention went away from the main stage as the cameras followed Samira as she walked onto the left catwalk. The language of the song (which until now had been only Euskal) would now switch into Greenlandic. Samira was already standing on the left catwalk, with six of her backing dancers (dressed in a sepia tone) between her and the camera taking this shot. They were striking poses every second, with the flags of the fans waving on either side of them.

Ullut inuuffigisakka (In the memories of my lifetime)
Aliannaarpunga; aak! (I rejoice, I remember them with pleasure; take that!)
Ooooh! (Ooooh!)

As the chorus kicked in after a very heartfelt 'oh' by Samira, all there was a sudden flash of lights throughout the stadium (blinding the shot): a camera panned over the whole crowd towards the main stage. Samira and her dancers advanced to the beat of the chorus. When the camera reached the main stage (which was turned off at the moment); it turned left, and the image switched to a steadicam that was in front of Samira and her dancers, and who moved back as the latter moved forward with their choreography. They incorporated finger snaps and claps to their choreography (matching the snap heard in the music of the song), and the crowd instantly caught up with it (elevating the sound and feel of the performance). For this chorus, the languages would be Aranese and Birugaian.

Ho compro tot (I buy it all)
Non regreto niente, non (I don't regret anything at all, no)
Są pīmti elām (Let's accept life)
Tulē viss yātta (Everything will come at last)

A big "whoah" could be heard from the audience, as the spotlights shone bright over the two choirs, revealing them finally. The golden light made the choir women look as if they were wearing golden dresses, adding to the 'wow' effect of their sudden appearance, that came thanks to the first Euskal Arabic line of the song: the title of it, actually.

(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

The chorus continued as a collaboration between Samira (marked in black in the lyrics), the left choir (marked in purple), the right choir (marked in blue) or both of them (marked in golden) who were standing on the stage at this time. This time, in Khauo (the most recently officialized language of Euskirribakondara) and Birugaian. When it was the turn of Samira, the camera would shoot close-ups of her face, that faded into the image of the choir singing the next line (both general shots and special takes around the choir with the help of additional cameras).

Rhǎtà songsē (Our insomnias)
(Cê khwã̀) (Our insomnias of regrets)
Jièhāb thàsáomã́? (Why do we accept them?)
(Phrang ngyèb) (If the moon always stays silent)
(Thàsáomã́?) (Why do we refuse to sleep?)
Są pīmti elām (Let's accept life)
(Kās ÿrā) (The way it is)
Tulē viss yātta (Everything will come at last)
(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

The attention went back to the left catwalk where Samira and her backing dancers started to move forward again with their choreography, which was more dramatic and theatrical this time. The dancers interacted with Samira in such away that they appeared to be those excuses and doubts she was singing about. The many years of experience of Samira were paying off now: she didn't seem to struggle at all dancing and singing (a vocally challenging song already) at the same time. For the third line, the dancers and Samira rushed forward and froze.

Beté ai-tzakiá (There will always be an excuse)
Zapteak dirá (There will always be doubts)
Abúr lag(e) xi, paginagá (If it makes sense today, go ahead)

The image now switches to a camera at the back of the stadium that focused on the background screens with each displaying a spinning dharmachakra.

Oré tarmatxakra biratariná (The wheel keeps spinning anyway)*

*This proverb means that change is an inevitable thing, and also, that whatever happens, life still goes on. In Euskal philosophy, which is heavily influenced by Buddhism, the tarmatxakra (dharmachakra) is a symbol of constant change (it is even featured in the Euskal flag) and the acknowledgement that every action has consequences. Samira aims to highlight the fact that things that might seem right today, might not seem right tomorrow, but we took a decision already when we thought it was right.

The cameras focused on the triangular screens at the back of the stadium. Each of them showed a different person, with a different emotion or look (one was sad, one was angry, the other was fearful, another one was crying, one had scars, another one had a pokerface, another one looked in love, and another one looked bored). First a general shot, and then shots for every screen. For the last line, a general shot again in which the on-screens people smiled (each in their own way) in a synchronized way. In these seconds, Samira was being taken in a golf cart from where she was standing before (on the island at the end of the catwalk) to the main stage.

(Aaaaaah....) (Aaaaaah....)
Ajornarkkatoorpunga (In the memories of the times I met my obstacles)
(Aaaaaah....) (Aaaaaah....)
Aliannaarpunga; aak! (I rejoice, I remember them with pleasure; take that!)
Ooooh! (Ooooh!)

The main stage lit up again and the eight dressed-in-white dancers from before re-appeared (the special screen was gone). The camera movements were very dynamic, panning around; and the choreography was once again bold on every movement. Images from the choir would intersperse with the dancers images when the former sang. For a mid-tempo song like this, the performance and visuals were actually very lively: the catwalks would beat (as blood flowing through a vein, from bottom to top) with golden light with every snap of the song. Samira was still singing in the golf cart, so she wasn't seen on screen.

Del que dono jo (From what I give out)
Non espero niente, non (I don't expect anything at all, no)
Pīmti hiset ((Let's) accept people)
(Kās ÿrā) (The way they are)
Tulē viss yagate (Everything will come in due time)
(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

We can now see Samira again, this time on the center of the left side of the stage and backed up by five dancers in grey outfits (similar to this). They are surrounding her, trying to cover her and keep her like a prisoner. The spiral lines are beating with orange light. For the last four lines, the cameras would focus on other parts of the stadium (in order to give time to the five grey dancers to leave the lstage, and the six previous backing dancers to join Samira on stage). For the "let's be love" line, they would focus on the embrace of a couple of fans; then on the audience around the stadium with two panoramic shots.

Oooh... (Oooh...)
Rhǎtà àkhchêap (Our silences)
(Cê phánglaph) (Our silences of pain)
Chyānẽ thàsáomã́? (Why do we share them?)
(Xīn pùthôi) (If our hearts aren't dark)
(Thàsáomã́?) (Why do we share our silences of pain?)
Būt miyarū (Let's be love)
(Kās ÿrā) (The way we are)
Tulē viss yamaru (Everything will come the way it's meant to be)
(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

The whole stadium went dark, and Samira started a very interesting and modern dance with her six backing dancers, with the LED spotlight screens on the triangular backgroun screens(and as the only source of light): the effect achieved was a dance of shadows in front of these spotlights (the camera was standing still, in front of them). Samira was giving it her all; and the dance crew as well, who were perfectly synchronized among each other creating an image of symmetry in the whole thing (with Samira as the axis of symmetry). As an easter egg, in the moment 2:22, the spotlights changed to orange and blue (the national colors of Euski) for a second. The crowd roared again; they had never before seen Samira performing so well.

Ja arribarà… (It will come…)

The dance of shadows continued until the song's bridge came in. At that moment, the spotlights were turned off, a bright white light took over the stadium for a fraction of a second, and Samira turned, so that her back would be illuminated with a blast of pyro, and her face would face another camera. A huge column of fire came out of the fire pit and acted as a backdrop for this shot (that only featured Samira): the fire behind her empowered her (both visually and in reality). The bridge, in Euskal language, was probably the most meaning-packed lyrical portion of the song. On each line, there would be a camera switch (in order to show different angles of Samira) and a fire color change (to keep dynamism). In the last line, Samira reached out to the audience with both arms, and the camera moved up and away from her, as the fire behind her reached its maximum intensity.

I és verità… (And it is true…)

Benóu maites - zorúi halde (Nine stories of love - eight different homes)
Zazti lan ketxetan seian (Seven major jobs that make you get home at six o' clock)
Bótxi mepal - láu E.E.A. (A good routine my friend (and five life crises), four stages of education)
Hiru mentxa, biai bide (Three dimensions, two possible ways)
Un erbatria bakada arazoaper (Only one decision for every dilemma/situation/problem)
Kebez bai/ez galdeeee… (It is never as easy as having yes or no questions….)

*The bridge is actually a countdown from nine to one, making several Euskal cultural references and criticizing the fact of living a standard life and following a strict routine; highlighting the fact that we always make decisions and that usually, they are not easy. Click on the spoiler below to know more about these references.

- 9: In the Harianada, the epic poem of Euskirribakondara, Harián (the main character) has nine different stories of love with nine different people throughout his life. In Euskal tradition, thus, it is said that even though one can have many significant others, there is a maximum of nine "true loves" along the way. In fact, in Euskal wedding vows, one usually refers to his/her bride/groom as his/her ninth love... the last, and lasting, one. Samira thus, here refers to love as a milestone in life.
- 8: According to the Euskirribakondaran Department of Statistics, the average Euskirribakondaran lives in eight different homes throughout his life.
- 7: According to the Euskirribakondaran Department of Statistics, the average Euskirribakondaran has seven major jobs throughout his life.
- 6: With the normal work shift going from 9 to 5, most people are already home by six (if they have an average job, of course). Samira here criticizes the fact of dedicating one's life to a constant routine of working from 9 to 5 if that's not really your passion.
- 5: There's a clever word play here: "bo tximé, pal" means "a good routine, my friend"; but "bótxi mepal" means "five life crises". Coincidence? No one knows, but Samira seems to be the first one who spotted this!
- 4: The E.E.A. (Euskirribakondararen Etuketa Ardariak, Euskirribakondaran Stages of Education) are the different stages of education according to the government: (1) Primary School and Secondary School, (2) College/University, (3) Continued Education and (4) Education for the Elderly.
- 3: Samira references the three commonly accepted dimensions of the world, as she references an Euskal saying... In Euskirribakondara, an open mind is called a "4D mind"; thus implying that you should think outside the box.
- 2: In Euskal philosophy there are two possible ways for every action: doing something or not doing it.
- 1: In Euskal philosophy every single action has a consequence; and every single action demands a decision (that doesn't necessarily have to be easy).

Samira took a very deep breath and belted out her opera-singing days with a vocal riff (2:53 - 3:01). A camera was filming her from the floor, in a low-angle shot, showing the main background screen in the back; which was beating like a heart (following the heartbeat heard in the song) with red light (a single, white spotlight was shining over Samira).

As she came back to a normal register (#godshehitveryhighnotes), she started strutting with extreme determination towards the front of the main stage. A steadicam was ahead of her moving backwards as she moved forward. Her six main backing dancers appeared again to complement her performance.

I és que al final… (And the thing is that in the end…)
Lo vescut, vescut està (What has been lived, has been lived and that's it)
Są pīmti mūtta (Let's accept change)
(Kās ÿrā) (The way it is)
Tulē yegas yātta (Everything will make sense eventually)
(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

Samira reached the front of the main stage and the six dancers with her joined the other eight. They began their final routine as both Samira and the cameras moved among them. The steadicams played with the zoom level of their lenses and their own tilt to create a visual effect like THIS (0:06 - 0:23). The cameras were filming in all possible angles, so that all of the Stade D'Avranches was in view at various times.

Cěhuì (Chances)
(Xàyú ba!) (Take them all!)
Nǐcê hâlõi dàoha (Get answers to the questions you have)
(Dàoha ba!) (Get them all!)
(Hâhǎzhōngphà) (An answer is better than a lifelong doubt)
Gapīmti elām (Accept life)
(Kās ÿrā) (The way it is)
Tulē viss yātta (Everything will come at last)
(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

The fourteen dancers created a circle around Samira, who began belting out her opera high notes again (3:36 - 3:40). They started running around her, as the camera shooting her stood still in front of her... The result was flashes of shadows passing in front of her, as she, with her eyes closed, entered a musical trance. For the choir line, the cameras would show the choirs, now on the catwalks.

(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)
Ja arribarà… (It will come…)[/align]

One final high-notes vocal riff (3:44-3:48), this time provided by one member from the choir (Samira's cousin, actually); as the fourteen running dancers around Samira increased their speed. They suddenly stopped, the stage suddenly turned off, and all the spotlights (bright and white) quickly gathered together right above Samira, as she delivered her final line to a close-up of her face.

Gui*, benkogizanak (We*, the imperfect humankind)
*An i is added to the end of a final pronoun (like, "Gu" = we/us), to sign letters in Euskal language. Thus not only is Samira acknowledging the fact that she is singing in the name of an imperfect humankind, but also, she's ending the song as if she was signing a letter: she's closing her statement about life.

The song ended with the choir singing (and the crowd, as well) the title of the song, with a massive echo effect. The images switched to outside of the Harrikes Olympic Stadium, to a camera in a helicopter that hovered around the stadium, and showed how a flash of golden pyros came out from the perimeter of the stadium and lit up the night.

(Ṭawwal bālak) (Be patient)

The camera quickly showed Samira, who broke into tears as she thanked the audience in Avranches before leaving the stage as the next part of the opening began.

Thank you WHF world! Géskerri Rasko Avranka! Ni zuhakoha maitesu!

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:00 pm

As the crowd calms down from the first half of the opening act, a 'wave' suddenly washes over the camera feed, spreading across from the bottom left corner to fill the whole screen before the camera screen fades to show the Olympic Stadium in Harrikes during the late evening. We are introduced to a young girl called Natalie, who is originally from Avranches herself. She welcomes the audiences watching across the multiverse, waving as she says:

Bonjour FTM, Hello WHF. Last contest, we were all here to celebrate in Harrikes, but now it is the turn of Avranches to invite you to join us in discovering the world. So join us, and let's discover together...

With that, Natalie runs off towards the coast and into the sunset, the camera following her down the streets for around 10 seconds before lifting up to show all of Harrikes, as the music begins. The coast that can be seen suddenly comes to life in the colours of the Normand flag, and splash out towards the screen, showering it in colour. When we next see an image we are in Vodiznad, Izmedu, and a young Izmeduan girl comes from a crowd in the centre of the city as the music plays and says 'Oktrimo...' before the camera than cuts to Al Maizilah, Kwadai and a Kwadaian child in the Souq, who walks out into the sunlight and says 'اكتشاف'. The same happens with all of the rest of the competing countries, with various 'Deskover's, 'Cooperire's and 'Scopri's amonst others, ending with Natalia once more in the Port of Avranches, who looks straight into the camera in front of her as the music stops aand says:

Découvrez La Musique, Discover Music with us here in Avranches. You're here now, so there's no stopping now. A musical adventure awaits...

With that, the cameras turn around to show a speedboat with the child from Britonisea on it, as this tune begins, and they are heading off along the coastline of the Bay of Coutances, and with that Natalia herself runs away. What follows next is a series of cuts between the children from each competing nation travelling to the stadium through Avranches in various ways; the Kalosian child travels by bike through the Parc D'Avranches in the city centre, the Merecendan child is having way too much fun pulling on the chain that produces the flames in a hot air balloon as they fly over Normand national treasure Mont St Michel, and the Cosneoltan child is travelling on the back of a tram; rather slow, but with the pace of the camera cuts and pans even that is made to look quick. The metro, a simple walk and a motorbike are amongst the other things utilised as all the children descend upon the Stade D'Avranches Diron.

The children are shown dismounting from their various modes of transport and pulling out the flags of their respective nations and running into the stadium, and they run onto the stage waving those flags in front of the audience in real time, dancing around with other young children from each of the countries until the music ends. They then run off stage as a small clip plays introducing Avranches as the host city, discussing many of the sites that the children had run past.

With that, the cameras return to the jam-packed Stade D'Avranches Diron, giving a panoramic shot of the stadium, with cheering crowds and flags waving, with notably fewer Britonish flags than usual. With that, the second part of the opening act begins...

Opening Act 2
Discover - Marie and Andre
Tune: Iveta Mukuchyan and Aram MP3 - Al Eghnim

A camera comes down from the ceiling to show the LED floor with an image that looks like this, with the floors twisting around and moving. The camera moves down and tilts up to show the triangular background scenes, and a backing singer/dancers emerges from behind each of them, all having distincive floral patterns on them, one by one during the opening to the song, each in costumes with the colours of the flag of one of the competing nations of the contest.

Discover, your heart, your soul
Discover, your rhythm, your song
Discover, your heart, your soul
Discover, your rhythm, your song

Andre (full name Andre Nousaire, a popular Normand comedian/singer) is shown on the left catwalk, with the crowd cheering and waving behind him, as he sings the next part of the opening section to the song. He is wearing a suit like the man in this photo, whilst beneath him the LED floor is covered with the translation of 'Discover' in different languages moving about, the same as on the main background screen.

Oh
Open your eyes to a new world
Oh
There’s no turning back now
(disco-, disco-, disco-, disco-,disco-)

The camera turns back towards the main stage area to show Marie Desmeu, also a comedian and singer, although there's no funny business with her performance tonight. She is carried by a group of the backing dancers/singers from the back of the stage as she begins to sing, the end of her red dress hanging over from the platform made by the people carrying her. As she sings the third line of the verse, she reaches out and due to the wonders of computer generated graphics, a group of cartoon-like (although not childish) white stars appear around her hand. She then holds her hand like a cup and a cartoon earth appears in her hand, and she appears to throw it towards the camera. As the last line is sung, she is standing up with the backing dancers/singers behind her doing a dance somewhere between traditional country dance and hip-hop (the perfect demonstration of the Avranchais spirit of the contest), and due to the camera angle the image of a lion on one of the background screen behind her, again rather cartoonish, lines up perfectly so her head appears in its mouth.

Time to sail away
Into the sea of eternal fame
Trace your name into the stars
The world is yours, take it with both hands
There’s no one that can stop you now
So sing your song, open your soul
Rise like lions after slumber
You are many, they are few

The camera returns to show Andre as he begins walking down the catwalk, two of the dancers behind him in clothes bearing the colours of Izmedu and Ethane. He walks down the catwalk, throwing flags (mainly Normand flags) into the audience pit and generally swaggering about as the LED screen under him shows the flags of the different nations, flowing across and melding into one another and creating a wave like effect, almost making it seem like he is walking on water.

Reach out and march into the dawn
The sun rises on your new hope
So don’t hold back, let yourself show
Let your passion flow inside
There’s no point in hiding when
There’s a whole world to discover
Rise like lions after slumber
You are many, they are few

The audiences at home are shown a few panoramic shots of the audience, partying and waving their flags as per usual for the opening act (or indeed for any act), before the camera view returns to the stage to show Marie once more, singing with arms outstretched to the camera as if making an appeal to the viewer at home. Behind her, a group of 4 dancers sporting the colours of Mercedini, Estogium, Kwadai and Kalosia do a dance that is sort of interprative. The camera pans around the staging, capturing it from all sorts of angles. The last line of every line is shown on the floor in floral pattern in the colours of a different countries flag each time, with the last time being the colours of the Normand flag.

Discover your voice
And never stop singing your song
Discover your rhythm
And find your place in life’s melody
If you just open your eyes
Beauty and love will be your guides
Discover a new world out there
And in that you will find yourself

Discover life, discover life (discov, discov)
Discover life, discover life (discov, discov)
Discover life, discover life (discov, discov)
Discover life, discover life

Never, ever that say you can’t
All you have to do is try
How can you ever be free?
If you chain yourself to mundanity
There’s no limit, don’t pretend
Don’t stop yourself, let yourself grow
Discover what you want to be
Just be yourself, no one else is you

Discover your harmony
What you love and what you want to be
Forge your own path, make it yours
Don’t be afraid to go on your own

There will always be those who
Want to stop you, want to make you fail
Don’t pay attention, march ahead
The choice is yours, which road you take

Discover your voice
And never stop singing your song
Discover your rhythm
And find your place in life’s melody
If you just open your eyes
Beauty and love will be your guides
Discover a new world out there
And in that you will find yourself

La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa
La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa

La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa
La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa

Sail into the seas of life
Conquer the waves, make the world yours
Go ahead, don’t falter
Discover the unknown, make it yours
Sail into the seas of life
Conquer the waves, make the world yours
Go ahead, don’t falter
Discover the unknown, make it yours

La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa
(Discover yourself)
La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa

La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa
(Discover yourself)
La la la la laaaa
La la la laaaa

Your name, your name, your name
Your name, your name, your name
Will go down in history
Your name, your name, your name
Your name, your name, your name
Will go down in history

So set sail and discover
Discover, discover
So set sail and discover
Discover, discover

Your name, your name, your name
Your name, your name, your name
Will go down in history
Your name, your name, your name
Your name, your name, your name
Will go down in history

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:21 pm

As the stage is cleared and Andre and Marie lap up the crowd's cheers, especially from the Normand crowd who know them so well, the host of tonight's show, Andre Millian walked up to the front of the stage, prompting another large round of applause from the audience. He begins speaking as the camera moves towards him from another panoramic shot of the ecstatic audience within the Stade D'Avranches:

Hello, and welcome to 'The Festival', seen as though tonight it isn't that global nor are any of the songs hits. Oh who am I kidding,
I love all of tonight's entrants (yes, all of them) and I'm sure you will too. Yes, it is a bit smaller this time than the huge spectacle in Harrikes, but that's not because of us, right? Come on Avranches, let's show them some Normand Hospitality!

(The crowd cheer at this suggestion, seemingly ready to do so. The cameras picked up two people kissing in the crowd - that hospitality seemed to be starting early)

It was a... bit of a shock to the WHF community when we got the rights to host this, the 33rd WHF, this evening - even we're not sure how we pulled it off - but despite the fact we are 'incompetent frauds' we are determined to do this right. This means no badgering acts with personal details, no unnecessary gimmicks and a normal, proper festival. Last contest, our friends in Euskirribakondara made some big changes to contest, and thankfully for everyone else we're rolling most of those back, if only to preserve our own 'special' legacy following the contest that must not be named... I probably shouldn't have brought that up...

Anyway, this contest is not going to be the usual 'oh look how good we are HAVE OUR CULTURE DOWN YOUR THROAT' fest, because that's not our style. Instead, we're actually going to explore the cultures of all of the competing nations, allowing you - the audience at home - to discover a whole new world of music. Because that is what this contest is about, showcasing culture, music and talent, and we want to bring you on the voyage of discovery.

Avranches, World, Multiverse, are you ready! Well, it's time to begin!

(There is a flash of pyro and lights as an excerpt of the song from earlier played. The audience cheered wildly as the first postcard began...)

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:34 pm

Given that the Kalosian Delegation didn't give us any of the materials to produce their postcard, have this instead.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:40 pm

1. Kalosia
"Lë Ražo Bello" - Marisa
Tune: 5 fine frøkner by Gabrielle
Title Translation: The Beautiful Boy
Language(s): Kalosian
Lyrics: Marisa Kenafsi, Alexandra Korsikanë
Music: Ǧorǧo Distriano, Alexandra Korsikanë, Leo Markus, Rajan Salama

For the international debut live performance of the song tonight, Marisa was wearing a glittery silver dress, which she will consider manufacturing through her startup if she can get a top 3 placing tonight.
As the song began, the vision was blurry (and the camera was aimed at the audience but slowly moved rightward), as the intro ended the blur faded away and Marisa was now visible. She was seen at some sort of bar setup with a martini glass on the table as she begun to sing her lines. The camera continued to slowly move rightward and, by the end of the last line in the next part, it had passed Marisa and blurred again. The aura of the stage was blue.

U’l diskoteka, venurët lë sirë
Un ražo bello, ja vedrot il la
Il ežat alto, ijat oki blu
E il dansat la attraves lë nuta

The camera faded to show the stage from the front. As it turns out, this bar setup was fixed on top of a circular platform that could spin, and had a wall. Marisa turned around on the swivel bar stool that she sat on and got up, slowly walking off the platform in this next part.

Sans jentë per briga
Il movë ëtra’l lusi
Komë sëtë se’l realita
Ovli tuta sen pasat
Il ežat alto, ijat oki blu
A il allo e alorëm ja diro:

The platform started to slowly spin 180°, revealing a DJ stand on the other side, separated by the wall. On it was Markovskii, behind the mixing machines. As the song was building, in this next part strobe lights flashed to the beat. People of sorts — all hired dancers — ran/danced onto the stage from both sides.

Sano ja kë tu senti sul ur
Ma ja kañon së per te, per favorë
Tu e ja puvom vivë enkor
Sa mi daris ten amurë e ten korë

The LED floor displayed a dance floor, and the Stade d'Avranches Diron was now one giant nightclub. The people in the audience pit went wild and raved, so did the dancers on stage. Although it seemed crowded, Marisa was in the front and visible at all times.

Lë ražo bello dansa attraves lë nuta
Se solo, vul ovli tuta
E ja sen lë raža bella këlo vul dansa kon il
Pirže ja vulo vivë e amirar il

The lights darkened, the aura of the stage was blue again, and some of those people walked around the stage (i.e. to create a sense of movement in a way that fits the next part) while those who didn't stayed and slow-danced. All but one — the titular "Beautiful Boy". He just stood there in the background, mostly seen as a silhouette due to the dimmed lighting. In the foreground was Marisa, singing this next part.

Dëpo tut’e tre bišeri di vodka
Ja sen hipnotisat, së’s lë hor dvia
Vedro lë poplo venuram e allam
Ma sano kë nuša vulom riman ši
E sen oki
Diram mi kë ceršë un reni

The boy started walking towards Marisa, this was noticeable in the camera.

Ja penšo kë ja puvo dar il pju
Ad së këlo il vul, së’s këlo kruro
Il ežat alto, ijat oki blu
A il allo e alorëm ja diro:

Marisa turns around as if about to talk to the guy, the camera changes to a side angle (which makes it more apparent that it looks like a conversation), and the lights are strobing again.

Sano ja kë tu senti sul ur
Ma ja kañon së per te, per favorë
Tu e ja puvom vivë enkor
Sa mi daris ten amurë e ten korë

All the performers return to the dancefloor, and the stadium is once again a nightclub. Marisa and the boy are in the spotlight now, being circled by everyone else who continue to dance but keep a small distance to further put them in the focus.

Lë ražo bello dansa attraves lë nuta
Se solo, vul ovli tuta
E ja sen lë raža bella këlo vul dansa kon il
Pirže ja vulo vivë e amirar il

Lë ražo bello dansa attraves lë nuta
Se solo, vul ovli tuta
E ja sen lë raža bella këlo vul dansa kon il
Pirže ja vulo vivë e amirar il

The aura of the stage returns to blue as the lights dim momentarily. The dancers slow-dance again. The boy walks away (toward the front of the stage, where the camera angle is) as a backing singer (may or may not be one of the dancers — who knows?) sings the next part.

(Il ežat alto, ijat oki blu)
(A il allo e alorëm ja diro:)

Marisa quickly catches up with the boy and reaches for his shoulder. The boy turns around and Marisa sings into his eyes. The camera spins around them. The dancers stop, face the two, and (in the second half of the next part) start clapping to the beat — something that the arena quickly joins in at doing.

Sano ja kë tu senti sul ur
Ma ja kañon së per te, per favorë
Tu e ja puvom vivë enkor
Sa mi daris ten amurë e ten korë

Now the stage lights up, and everyone is dancing again. The arena goes wild.

Lë ražo bello dansa attraves lë nuta
Se solo, vul ovli tuta
E ja sen lë raža bella këlo vul dansa kon il
Pirže ja vulo vivë e amirar il

Marisa moves toward the pedestal, while the boy joins in with the rest of the audience.

Lë ražo bello dansa attraves lë nuta
Se solo, vul ovli tuta
E ja sen lë raža bella këlo vul dansa kon il
Pirže ja vulo vivë e amirar il

The song ends, Marisa is now standing powerfully on the pedestal, the dancers freeze, and a brief shot of fire surrounds the stage. The crowd goes wild for Kalosia, to which Marisa can only shout, "Thank you! Gretsi tuta, we love you!" and then leaves the stage, bring promptly prepared for the next entry. The crowd went mad for the song, and the roof was nearly raised off of the Stade D'Avranches. Was this to be a sign of Kalosia's fortunes...

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:43 pm

Erm... a bit awkward isn't it? Nevermind, we'll fill this gap somehow

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:43 pm

2. Ethane
"When Will You Turn Your Phone Off?" - Leo Valdez
Tune: Declan McKenna - Humongous
Language(s): English
Lyrics and Music:Leo Valdez

Leo was standing centre-stage, wearing these sunglasses and this outfit. He has a vintage microphone on a stand in front of him, and is holding an electric guitar to his right, and an acoustic guitar in his hands, which he is playing. The stage is lit up with an array of lights of different colours, ranging from green to pink to create a confusing array of colours. He is stood in front of a large screen like this. This screen is showing what appears to be a livestream of cat memes before the song. However, when the song begins it appears to be showing a livestream of Leo singing on the WHF stage. He is quite still in front of the microphone for the verse, strumming. The LEDs and the backstage lighting creates a metallic appearance of the walls of the back of the stage as well as the floor, creating a future-sense and technology theme.

You tag us in all your memes, all your livestreams,
I know, I’ve seen them all before-ore-ore-ore.
And we only hear our , own echos, in our bubbles,
We have all the information yet we are unaware.

The lighting is reduced to just red, orange, and yellow, but the beams are flashing and moving around to create a greater sense of intensity. Leo is also moving around a bit more, jumping up and down a bit and moving away from the microphone at points in which he is not singing (like what Declan McKenna does in some live performances). The screen is showing various clips of people walking into things on a social media site (facebook-like display) - scrolling through the posts. 4 people also walk onto the stage, in groups of 2 either side of the large screen in line with Leo. They are all holding phones and looking down at them, showing the others things on their phone throughout. They continue to do this for much of the song, serving almost as a nuisance rather than becoming part of the performance.

Do we care?
I feel so powerful and yet so weak,
Filled with despair,
They say you have a voice yet I can’t speak.
On this chair,
I try to stand up but I only sit,
I don’t care,
All I have is the power to submit,
No one cares.

Lights go back to the all-colourful array of colours not flashing. He is playing the guitar and singing again but is back to being a lot more still in front of the microphone, not running around while playing. The screen returns to a livestream of Leo.

Eyes glued to the screen, full of life but without life,
I know, I liked another pho-o-o-to
I scroll past a cat eating cherries, a nice pussy,
My cat meows, I shout to it ‘GO PLAY ELSEWHERE’

Staging is the same as the last chorus.

Do we care?
I feel so powerful and yet so weak,
Filled with despair,
They say you have a voice yet I can’t speak.
On this chair,
I try to stand up but I only sit,
I don’t care,
All I have is the power to submit,
No one cares.

The lights remain on the increased intensity and limited colour setting, although blue is added as a colour. Leo is running around the stage while playing his guitar, jumping around onto speakers at the front of the stage. He returns to the microphone for the ½ chorus. Meanwhile, the screen shows a variety of people seemingly bound to their chairs and the computers and phones, unable to lift their heads away from the screens or stand up, almost trapped by the power of social media and the internet. Leo removes the acoustic guitar and changes to the electric guitar.

Do we care?
I feel so powerful and yet so weak,
Filled with despair,
They say you have a voice yet I can’t speak.
Do we care?

Leo begins to violently strum the guitar, going down onto one knee to play the guitar solo(ish_ part.) He stands up to sing the ‘do we care’ part again, leaning into the microphone and looking out towards the audience. The 4 people in groups of two look down at their phones and walk behind the large screen, disappearing from view.

Do we care?

His actions are jerky but he seems to be playing the guitar intensely, violently strumming the strings with 1 knee on the floor. When the guitar playing seems to become more sharp and sounds slightly more electronic, he removes the guitar from himself and removes the microphone from his stand. Leo runs around the back of the screen and climbs up one of the three sets of stairs that are around the back, putting him on a mini-platform on top of the screen. The 4 people went up in their groups on the 2 stairs either side of the screen, putting them on the mini-stage also but at either end of the screen. The are looking down at their phones and reading, not interacting with anyone else and missing the flurry of lights and information which seems to be flashing around them. They are horizontally lined up with the drop down to the stage in front of them and an unseen barrier behind them to prevent them falling off. As Leo sings ‘phone off’, the 4 of them walk off the front of the stage and land on a soft-cushion like thing put there to soften their fall. As Leo sings ‘hear you’, he throws the microphone down and picks up an electric guitar (same as the one at the bottom) and begins to play the final part of the song. As the guitar music comes to an end, a set of fireworks shoots off from either side of the screen and Leo jumps off the screen, which is showing a panned out livestream of Leo playing. He falls onto the cushion on the stage, and the music ends.

[Look up at the world and listen,
You aren’t alone,
When will you turn your phone off?
Some things you don’t have to tweet,
They may ignore you,
But that’s why you have to stand up and make them hear you.

Leo stands up and gives thanks to the crowd to a rapturous cheer. He then walks off, leaving the WHF staff the fun job of clearing the stage for the next act.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:45 pm

The Hilkarmanigan postcard begins with an aerial shot of this rock formation; the camera pans around to try and find a patch of coast or even water but none is to be found anywhere, to the annoyance of the camera operator who is briefly heard shouting at the Hiklarmanigan delegation, before realising it was being recorded. The shot quickly changes to show the camera that is going around the rock, and zooms until you can see a child who clearly is not enjoying his time up in the air. The shot then returns to showing the rocks as the helicopter pulls away, mercifully. The child is heard shouting 'Deskover' (Discover) as the helicopter flies away.

The view then fades and then changes to show what can only be described as 'a building that looks like a bag', and still no coastline. At all. We see the same child, who it turns out is scared simply by existing, or wants to stop everything else from existing; the choice is up to you. The child walks around the inside of the building, having been rigorously searched for any form of tool with which to destroy it; he still somehow had a lighter which he got out of his pocket, before - on camera - being wrestled to the ground.

The camera view then changes to show the child being escorted out of the building and back into the van they had arrived in. Somehow, the child remembered he had a job to do, and so shouted Deskover dig silv (Discover yourself) as he was thrown into the back of the van. The camereman, in desperation, films a puddle that the van goes over, and as the van drives away the song details come up...

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:55 pm

3. TIDS Hiklarmaniga
"Give us all your points!" - Slavie
Tune: Slavko Kalezić – Space
Language(s): English. Lines in literal gibberish.
Lyrics and Music: Slavie

Slavie stands alone in the main part of the stage,in the worst outfit you can think of. His hands-free microphone is way too close to his mouth and as a result, his breathing can be clearly be heard.

He will sometimes sing like this. At the [*Microphone audio glitch*]- part, he can clearly be seen "lips-syncing" a racist word. Which racist word it remains a mystery. He mostly stands in one place and sings

Bitches gonna be shocked by this
We are here to gonna win this
Let the [*Microphone audio glitch*] sing and do their shit
Here is well-written hit

Short booty shaking.

This entry has very deep lyrics
Oh my god, we can into win
I was horny when i wrote this
So let me see your big titties
So let me see your big titties

After a dramatic zoom-out like this, he begin realizing this song is shit.

So why do I do this? Act like a retard?
This song has no flow! This song is shit
*Gibberish*
Give us all your points!

He begin to take off his horrible shirt and begin to dance shirtless. He has a poorly-drawn six-pack on his stomach.

So why do i do this? Act like a retard?
This song has no flow! This song is shit
*Gibberish*
Give us all your points!

He takes out a figetspinner out if his rectum and throw them away without spinning

Let us win this contest
Let all be alone in the danger zone
The losers can yiff whenever they want
We are here to do some shi.....

He tries to dab, but accidently smacks a Steadicam operator in the face.

So why do i do this? Act like a retard?
This song has no flow! This song is shit
*Gibberish*
Give us all your points!

He begins to run and roll around in the water area. Somehow, the water near him turns yellow...

So why do i do this? Act like a retard?
This song has no flow! This song is shit
*What the heck are he saying here?*
Give us all your points!

After rolling in the water and making himself wet, he begins to dance in the main part.

[So why do i do this? Act like a retard?
This song has no flow! This song is shit
*Is he speaking French?*

He tries to sing high notes, but this causes bad thing to happen.

*Scream of agony*
*Autotuned, Out off tune voice-cracks everwhere*
*Glass shadders*

While the stage colapses, he yells out the line.

We are the true winner!

As he is about to sing the last line again, he collapses from his singing and this causes his entry to stop, and it's considered done.
This causes the contest to be postponed for about 2 seconds to fix the stage, whilst the audience struggles to comprehend what the hell just happened. When it's done the next postcard gets played.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:58 pm

We begin our trip to Britonisea with a panoramic shot of the King's Death Bed on St King's Bay, with the Bay itself being extensively showed as a way to drive home the nautical feel of the contest (despite various broadcasters going out of their way to make it out otherwise). The camera then descended to head hight and walked around the ruin, before turning around to show a Britonish girl called Nina, who points to somewhere out of shot, shouting 'Cooperire' (Discover) before she runs out of shot; when she is on screen once more we have been transported to a structure called the Turbine Estuary, which we are told provides green energy for ~~Capinhaydn~~ ~~Capinhanden~~ Cappehnyaden, wherever that is. We see Nina once more, being taken up to the top of one of the many turbines, climbing up the staircase in the face of a rather blustery breeze. Once she reaches the top she looks out to the sea, with the camera also turning to show the amazing view from the turbine.

The camera leaves Nina behind on the wind turbine as it travels out to sea, before we are transported once more, this time to the coastline of Ghiez, were 1 million people apparently huddle around a radiator to avoid freezing to death. A camera - attached to a drone as the cameraman was afraid of being mauled to death by a polar bear - follows Nina who turns up once more, now on the back of a snowmobile which travels through the wilderness. Don't worry, she isn't driving it, that job goes to the most dispensible of the locals. Luckily for them, they aren't attacked by a polar bear or the snow, and so the camera can pull away as Nina shouts 'Cooperire Concord' (Discover Harmony) safe in the knowledge Nina hasn't died painfully... so we assume.

The final camera shot is of some very happy looking seals; our cameraman was very happy to film these majestic creatures in the wild, before getting out of there as quickly as possible.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:02 pm

4. Britonisea
"Letalio Diomhair" - Eva Almast
Tune: Iveta Mukuchyan - "Amena Ամենա"
Title Translation: Lethal Secrets
Language(s): English, Britonish, Armenian (a phrase)
Lyrics: Eva Almast, Tess Philippa, Arat vem Yetuart
Music: Krisdapor Yerem, Tess Philippa

The initial withdrawal of RVC and KVC (the World Hit Festival broadcasters for Estogium and Nightom respectively) came as a shock to the people in their respective countries but also to BVC and the people of Britonisea. Though, they saw this as a drive for an act from the ABEN to go to the World Hit Festival as the popularity of the contest increases. Another shock for the BVC was the placings of Estogium and Nightom. Estogium came 8th with a funny summery song - clinging on to the left hand side of the scoreboard, while Nightom languished at 11th place, falling seven places from it's participation in the 31st World Hit Festival. With this in mind, Britonisea were anxious about their return.

But despite their anxiety, Britonisea is back after a two edition break (WHF31 and WHF32) and are ready to wow the audience tonight in Normandy and Picardy. This is the third time that Britonisea will be going to World Hit Festival in Normandy and Picardy, and the fifth time that Britonisea will be travelling to Normandy and Picardy for any sort of international song contest. Interestingly, BVC believes that working with the Normand broadcaster, NNN, will be great for them due to previous experience with them. This way, their ambitions in the very meticulous staging will be perfect for the final of the contest. The last time Britonisea was in the contest, it came 2nd place, with Tyreece Ryage, who sang "Na Py Fyloa." It was the first song which featured Britonish in the World Hit Festival, and it's amazing début made it a necessary addition for the returning of the country to the World Hit Festival.

There were many cards on the table, though, and at first BVC did not know what direction they wanted to go in. On one hand, they thought that they should send someone who was famous to the World Hit Festival, or even someone who had even represented Britonisea at the contest before. They thought whether a male would be good, or a female - but based on the fact that the last four participations were males, they wanted to send a female back to the contest. Perhaps they could send a group? The last group they send was Xterior to Todlichebujoku, and they came 6th. However, BVC did not want to work with a group, especially a boyband. They have not yet sent a boyband to the WorldVision nor the World Hit Festival and they were not planning to send one any time soon. After looking around, they came across Eva Almast, someone who they considered. After having contacted her, the BVC constructed a team to work with her, which included Krisdapor Yerem for music, and Arat vem Yetuart. Moreover, the team decided to get hold of Tess Philippa (who helped with the song and lyrics), who will work with the contestant, Eva Almast, during the contest. You can tell Tess has worked on this entry as it sounds similar to her song "Overtaking."

KEY
(Lethal Secrets) - Translations
I'm wrecking my mind - Eva Almast singing
Letalio Diomhair - The Backing Vocalists singing

Eva Almast slowly walked on to the stage, in front of an eager crowd who were very busy watching the screens, which showed the postcards. She looked around before descending on to her place on the stage. Remembering what has been happening with the nations in the Brityunikosphere, she was worried that she would let down her own country. She did not want to get placing, as she thought that it would damage her career. She thought that a top half result, or even better, would do the job. She had confidence in her song, and her performance. This song is very different to what Britonisea last sent to the World Hit Festival, back in the 30th World Hit Festival. After a two edition beak, Britonisea wanted to return with a bang, with an experimental choice as they realised that the contest is anyone's for the taking; and can be unpredictable. Eva wore exactly what is shown in this picture, as she wanted to go for the cool diva style. As the postcard finished, the audience started cheering from Eva Almast as she got in to a position, leaving backwards on her foot (similar to the picture.)

The audience started cheering loudly as the music started; a mysterious but interesting start to the song. The introduction, which is ten seconds long, consisted of voices acting like a drone in the background with light beats behind hit. The stage was dimly lit, but the lights in the background around the arena flashed as nothing happened on the stage. What you could see was the standing figure of Eva Almast who continued standing in her diva position. On the stage she was different. It was a place to escape the quiet and well-mannered girl everyone perceives her to be. She finally gets to be the centre of attraction for once. As the song's introduction carried on, the screens behind her showed this and was to show this all the way through the next verse.

Your touch leaves me in paralysis,
And you live off of my fear.
You always play the antagonist,
I'm always left as the fool.

The texture of the song started to build as, what could be interpreted as, hand claps were included in to the song giving the song a feeling of it's song developing and going somewhere. Also, a drum was added in the back too to make the song seem more frantic. The camera slowly backed away from it's position that it was at (in front of her) but remained stable there. As this part came in, she started to bob along to the song, moving her hips in a circular motion - but she did this lightly so it didn't seem as though it was being overdone.

The lights in the arena stopped flashing, even if the LED screen continued with the effect it was doing. A purple light shone from either side of the stage onto her body as she hit her face away from the light hitting straight on her face. She began to sing the next part;

But you know you've blown your cover,
I have sussed you out - come out to play.
There is no reason to be afraid,
If anything, I'm afraid of you.

As she sang, "I'm afraid of you," she quickly turned her head to the camera, which was by the audience, and as she did this, another camera which came from the far end of the arena quickly zoomed in as she walked forwards to the edge of the stage. As she walked to the edge of the stage she tried to hype up the audience by making a hand motion (as if you're trying to tell someone to go higher), looking at certain members of the audience.

The chorus of the song had arrived, and she enjoyed this part. Although some contest that this part of the song is singing, she almost felt as though the song also included a bit of rapping because of how fast she says the words. From the arena LED walls, large white blankets were thrown down, covering the LED walls though making a wonderful display. On the white blankets there were scriptures and words in English, French, Britonish and Armenian. The camera zoomed out to capture all of this.

I'm wrecking my mind.
I can see you work in overdrive.
Watching your back as if something will happen,
Won't keep you alive - you will die,
Say your last goodbyes.

You have a past you're keeping to yourself,
Tell no one else or you will end up dead,
Gone with out a trace, in thin air.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal Secrets)

The backing vocalists came in strong, putting the bits of the song together - making it feel whole and full. The camera panned out to reveal the stage, with the large white lights turning around the stage, so bright, it blocked what was happening on the stage as the camera went further out. Eva started to bop on the spot as the vocalists came in.

Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
I will work out watching you're keeping secret,
Your deadly secrets
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
And I won't back down 'till I found out,
I'll find out your
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)

Here was a little section where singing wasn't present, and so the colour of the stage was sucked out of the stage, and other murky colours were featured. Eva raised on shoulder before putting it downwards, not watching the camera as it flung itself by her.

In the next part, the song would dramatically cut, featuring a man saying an Armenian saying. Here, all of the lights in the arena immediately closed off, except one spotlight which was seen in the distance with a man under it. The spotlight, however, was not white, and was peach-colour. This meant that you could not see his feature as shadows went all over his face. However, from the posture of the man, you could tell this man was of a good and straight built. Suddenly, as the song came back in, Eva appeared on the ground, laying down. The camera came from above her, but in a very dizzying way. It looked as though as she laid down, people (who were all dressed in black came towards her.

Jury chamban ky chari: (The water will find it's way)
Something is different in the air,
But I don't know what it is.
I am not told the whole truth,
Arevn ampi tak ch’i mnay (The sun does not remain under a cloud)
And I know it will be,
Mighty hard to break you down.
But with the persistence that I have,
I am sure that you'll open up.

As she sang, "And I know," she got herself up and twisted her body to a camera which came from the other side. She then walked to the front, where she was greeted by another camera. She bobbed up and down, similar to what she was doing earlier, before the figures - dressed up in all dark - rose up. The white blankets had a fan blown under them and a red light (a la Molly Sanden "Universe," Melodifestivalen.) She put her hands out looking at her nails, expressing how much of a diva she is on stage, though unbeknownst to what is happening behind her.

I'm wrecking my mind.
I can see you work in overdrive.
Watching your back as if something will happen,
Won't keep you alive - you will die,
Say your last goodbyes.

You have a past you're keeping to yourself,
Tell no one else or you will end up dead,
Gone with out a trace, in thin air.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal Secrets)

The same happened here which happened in the first chorus, but this chorus, she made more eye contact with the viewers at home, and the audience. She still stood in her original space, but she was due to move after the next verse. Eva continued to stand with attitude, trying to convey her emotions of the song through not only her song but her posture and stance.

Letalio diomhair(Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
I will work out watching you're keeping secret,
Your deadly secrets.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
And I won't back down 'till I found out,
And I'll find out.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)

During the first bit of this instrumental, two girls who looked like her, wearing their hair in the same way and simplified dress which still looked like Eva's, walked upon the stage and stood next to her, a step back. As the song continued without the lead vocalist, the three women on the stage rolled their shoulders in circular motion, with every beat being a new rotation. Moreover, when they could hear the strong pulse of the shake, they abruptly turned their head from the left to the right, centre, and back to left. Occasionally, Eva brought the microphone to her face, but her other arm was left on her hips, while the other dancers left their arms hanging down.

At 2:45, when the bridge started to liven up, and the vocalists started to become prominent, you could start to hear Eva asking, "Why?" with the backing singers saying "secrets" in a monotone voice in a call and response moment of the song. By this point everyone had stopped rolling their shoulders, and the two backing dancers had disappeared off the stage. Eva started to walk quickly to the edge of the main stage by 2:53, near the water pit, and as the next part of the song suddenly began, fog machines shot in to the air, the camera quickly panned out and people started to appear from under the water, and started to move in a weird majestic way, like a snake being charmed out of a hat by the sound of a flute. Eva was know kneeling on the floor.

I'm wrecking my mind.
I can see you work in overdrive.
Watching your back as if something will happen,
Won't keep you alive - you will die,
Say your last goodbyes

You have a past you're keeping to yourself,
Tell no one else or you will end up dead,
Gone with out a trace, in thin air.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal Secrets)

Eva then got up from where she was kneeling and then started to dance on the spot, swaying from side to side, using her hand to trail along the side of her body, past her neck and to her hair. Those in the water pit began to sing even louder even if they started to dance more psychedelically. She started to shout "Come on, Avranches! Come on!" as the cameras followed around her and those in the pit.

Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
I will work out watching you're keeping secret,
Your deadly secrets.
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
Letalio diomhair (Lethal secrets)
And I won't back down 'till I found out,
And I'll find out.
Letalio diomhair. (Lethal secrets)

As the song died down, the dynamics now quitened, she turned her back away from the audience and started walking off the stage. The audience cheered loudly, very loudly indeed (very unusual given the fact the Normands were amongst those cheering loudest), for Eva Almast as she turned around and bowed, "Thank you every, thank you very much!"

¹ This saying "the water will find it's way," is a saying in Armenian, which means that whatever happens, the person finding the truth will end up finding the truth. In this circumstance, it is Eva who will be finding her way to the truth at any cost because she believes as though there is a benefit to the end of it.
² This saying "the sun does not remain under a cloud," is very similar to the previous saying which in English means that a lie will come out - no matter under what circumstance (a lie cannot say unhidden forever.)

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:07 pm

We begin our short tour of Mercedini in Exton at the Pier of Hope (Molo Speranza in Mercedinian), with a timelapse image as the sun sets. The pier is busy, with people walking (as one does on a pier) and boats sailing past, the captain of one of them waving to the camerman - that wasn't intended but it was too good to keep out. In the distance, the rest of the city carried on, with the distant noise of cars and general civilisation being heard above the music for the postcard. It is from this haze of noise and light that a group of Mercedinian children who run along the pier, thumbs raised up for some reason as they shout 'Scopri' (Discover), with them running straight towards the camera man as we move to the next location (don't worry, the cameraman wasn't seriously hurt by the onslaught of children, only bruised).

We then come to the rather drab and boring Zoloroni Carlsgrunik MetroBullet Station, but soon the sound of a swarm of screaming young children can be heard, something that made the hairs on the cameraman's back stand on edge - he hated children as it was (an odd choice for filming postcards involving children you may think, but it is part of his therapy) without there being more than 1 of them near him and making a noise. But the swarm came, and they started throwing paint everywhere and generally running around and being a nuisance, getting in the way of normal people and making the camerman very nervous. He turned off the camera as soon as he could. So then we come to our last stop, the Soltudine Resort situated in the lovely Kingfisher Islands. We are given a few shots of the beach, and a panoramic view from the air. Everywhere seems good and calm and then the children appear once more, shouting 'Scopri La Vita' (Discover Life) as the details for the song come up...

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:10 pm

5. Mercedini
"Sun's Coming Up" - Anja Tella
Tune: Sigala ft. Ella Eyre - Came Here For Love
Language(s): English
Lyrics: I. Ekugwu, F. Pommozella
Music: S. Borlaviac

As the song begins, a cartoon-ified version of a tropical island appeared on the LED screen at the rear of the stage. A white sandy beach, a calm turquoise ocean, waving palm trees and wooden sun loungers are all shown on trees to give the song presentation a summery vibe. Onstage, a young couple wearing summery beach clothes stroll over to two wooden sun loungers similar to those shown on screen, they lay down their towels and lie down as if they were soaking up the sun. On the other side of the stage is the tiki bar where a bartender and three customers with their back to the audience are located. At the end of the introduction, it is revealed that Anja was sitting in the middle of the three customers as she swivels around and faces the audience to sing the first verse.

Let’s go, back to, where we started
Let’s set this dancefloor on fire
This starry night is departing
Let’s share this moment for life

The two other people at the bar move along with Anja to the far side of the stage to treat that part of the audience with a choreographed piece before moving back to the centre of the stage. In the second half of the pre-chorus, the young couple on the loungers then get up and join the three already there in the centre of the stage, the five form an arrow in the centre to prepare for the chorus.

Expectations ain’t stopping me
Nowhere else we should be
Darkness is broken by light

Standing here next to me
Hands touching my body
There’s just no need to fight

For the pre-chorus, the stage lights around the arena shine a brilliant white at the camera makes a series of sweeping shots from the audience to the front of the stage. As Anja is sings, she offers her hand to the audience and moves it from left to right before looking into the central camera and offering it to the audience at home. For the final line, the camera zooms out until it captures the vast expanse of the stadium with the audience waving their flags, with the stage looking light a small, bright spec lighting up the darkness of the crowd.

The sun’s coming up
I’m gonna let go, tonight
Make love in this club, boy
Let’s light up this blackout

The five of them then perform a polished dance routine onstage while steam jets fly from the stage which gets a cheer from the audience. The camera cuts between the sweeping shots of the performance onstage, the audience and the tiki bar where the bartender has got a saxophone from somewhere and is playing it passionately to the tune of the music. The light around the arena have changed from a brilliant white from a rainbow which is pulsating different colours to exsensuate the feel good nature of the song. The lights fade away leaving just the LED screen lighting up the stage.

The sun’s coming up
The sun’s coming up
The sun’s coming up
Let’s light up this blackout

The five of them move back over to the bar where the bartender has put his saxophone away and is now making cocktails for the performers at the end of the song. He is flipping bottles around while the dancers pretend to chat and have fun while Anja is in the centre of them all singing to the camera which is zoomed in even though it's at the other end of the stadium. After she sings, she gives a small wink to the crowd before continuing the song onto the build-up of the second chorus.

Bright lights, they shine through the darkness
We’ll have the time of our lives
And I know you feel broken hearted
Please just let me give you mine

The five of them then make their way down the catwalk with the crowd waving their flags and jumping as they go past. Audible screeches are heard from the teenage girls beneath them as they give a brace-covered toothy grin to take a selfie with the Mercedinian participants as they walk past to make it to the connected island, they give each other reassuring looks before aligning themselves into the same arrow shape as the first chorus, she waggles her finger raises her fist to the camera, giving the audience a visual representation of the lyrics she is singing.

Expectations ain’t stopping me
Nowhere else we should be
Darkness is broken by light

Standing here next to me
Hands touching my body
There’s just no need to fight

Without postponing it any longer, the song immediately bursts back into life with light, colour and steam jets all accompanying the choreographed piece taking place on the island. The bartender has his saxophone which raises a small cheer from the crowd whenever he is shown on the screens in the stadium. This time, the camera angle floats above the stage at head height and rotates around the island and circling the performers on stage. The camera then cuts to some people in the crowd dancing in the stands before moving back to that performance on stage

The sun’s coming up
I’m gonna let go, tonight
Make love in this club, boy
Let’s light up this blackout

The sun’s coming up
The sun’s coming up
Let’s light up this blackout

The lights and colours fade away from the stage as the song mellows somewhat. The dancers walk from the island back to the main portion of the stage, two on each side to leave Anja on the island. The stage becomes dark with an orange hue on the stage which is reflected by the LED screen behind her which was turned into dusk with a warm orange sunset popping its head over the island with the sun's rays reflected on the barely visible water. She faces the central camera which is fixed on her as she sings to the audience at home, all alone on the stage.

Maybe we can spread the love,
The sun’s coming up
Make love in, make love in this club
Maybe we can spread the love,
The sun’s coming up
Make love in, make love in this club

As the song begins to build up in intensity once more, she walks back to the stage with purpose and intent as the camera tracks her movement back to where the other performers are waiting. She sings the words with passion and puts all of her effort in getting out the notes out while giving the power that the song deserves and the audience craves. She makes it back to the centre of the stage in time for them to perform one final dance routine to finish the song

Maybe we can spread the love,
The sun’s coming up
Make love in, make love in this club
Maybe we can spread the love,
The sun’s coming up
Let’s light up this blackout

A final bout of light and colour fills the stadium as the main chorus kicks in for one final time. They give all they have for one last chance to impress the audience. White beams of light make their way around the stage and he rest of the arena to give this frenzy of colour more intensity as the song draws to a close. She grasps he heart as she sings the final line before the song is turned up to another notch.

The sun’s coming up
I’m gonna let go, tonight
Make love in this club, boy
Let’s light up this blackout

This time she holds onto her note which gets a big cheer from the crowd, all the while sparks fly from the stage and confetti of all different colours is released onto the audience, injecting one final rush of colour into the performance. The saxophonist bartender is playing his instrument with more passion than ever before, and with sparks coming from his saxophone who could blame them. For the final line, they all rush over to the bar where five rainbow cocktails are waiting for them, they toast the audience and take a sip as the song draws to a close.

The sun’s coming up
The sun’s coming up
Let’s light up this blackout

As the crowd begins to applause, she gets a selfie stick and they all pose for a group photo with everyone onstage being involved. The audience at home then see the photo to signal the end of the performance. With the performance now over, she gets off the seat and waves to the crowd with a beaming smile on her face, while the rest of the performers on stage do a mixture of applause for Anja and waving to the crowd themselves. 'Merci, Normandy et Picardy!' They all perform a group hug before the camera transitions to a group of Mercedinians waving their flag before the postcard of the next act appears on screen.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:13 pm

*Silence*

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:16 pm

6. Skanden
"Gratitude" - Carmen Lagarde
Tune: Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly
Title Translation: Gratitude
Language(s): French
Lyrics: Carmen Lagarde
Music: Carmen Lagarde, Amand Sardou

For the performance, a fake 'bar' (including three high stools, drink props, and a wall) was installed on the main stage with Carmen positioned on Catwalk 1. The Stade D'Avranches Diron was initially dark, before the soft piano of “Gratitude” slowly began to fill the arena. The 'bar' on stage was lit up in a neon pink, carrying the name of the song. The camera slowly moved through the bar, with three people on there lazing about in high chairs, before fading into a shot of Carmen walking into the bar. She would be singing into a headset.

Oh j'ai perdu
Toutes les personnes j'ai connu
J'ai égaré
Donc, je suis vraiment tout seul

Carmen walked through the bar as she sang the first verse. She had both of her arms crossed as the pink neon light shined against her face, her expression downcast that fit the moody nature of the song. The camera focused mostly on her solitary walking, with Carmen on the verge of tears as it look like she'd just gone through a massive argument with her friends, and was now looking for some comfort. She looked towards the people on high chairs, with two people having fun while the one who wasn't moving looked towards Carmen.

Comment oses-tu abandonne-moi
Quand je suis dans mon plus faible
Sais-tu que j'avais te besoin?
Tu te sens concerné pas par moi...

The camera faded back to Carmen for this part of the verse, releasing her arms as she began to go to a corner of the bar where she could be alone. Midway through this verse, Carmen could be seen putting her back against the wall, closing her eyes as she sang the last two lines. By this point, the person who wasn't having fun on the high chairs, a woman, began to walk over to Carmen. In the brief transition to the chorus, a spotlight began to shine on that woman, revealing her to be looking almost similar to Carmen...

Gratitude
Que j'ai besoin de “Gratitude”
Je dois voir la monde dans l'autre point de vue

The camera view faded to a stationary view from the right of the stage, showing Carmen and the woman facing each other. Carmen and the woman both sang 'Gratitude' at the same time, their mouths moving in sync even if the source of the sound was from Carmen. During this, the instrumentation took a soft orchestral bent, making the ensuing scene look like it was filmed on a drama series. The woman, as Carmen sang, would 'lip' the chorus back to Carmen. However, the camera faded to close ups .between them both, and the woman's expression suggested as if she was the one explaining the concept of needing gratitude to Carmen.

Gratitude
Je veux pas être une paria
Mais, je suis pas sans reproche pour ma peine
Si seulement j'étais reconnaissant pour ma vie
Gratitude

The woman walked over to Carmen with a look of understanding, as if knowing what the singer had gone through in her life even though the scene presented them as strangers. 'Singing' these lines softly to her versus Carmen's emotional belting, with Carmen's expression pleading, begging for forgiveness from the people that weren't there. By the end of the chorus, both women had their eyes locked with one another, with the woman motioning for Carmen to walk with her after Carmen sang 'gratitude' one last time. During the transition to the second verse, the camera faded to a wider view of the stage, with the bar in full view.

En ce moment
Je devrais pas en colère
J'étais furieuse contre mon cœur
Et les amies qui détestent-moi

Additional layers were added on the instrumentation just in time for a second verse, a drum beat timed to Carmen's vocals. As they slowly walked across the bar, with the camera mostly focused on Carmen, she sang this verse as if she was speaking these lines to the woman... Her eyes were up in a few moments, her body language casual, her voice intensely emotional. By the end of the verse, they were at the edge of a bar, standing out what would be considered 'outside' near the water pit. Carmen looked at the point of breakdown, the woman approaching her with that same wise look as the song transitioned to its chorus...

Gratitude
Que j'ai besoin de gratitude
Je dois voir la monde dans l'autre point de vue
Gratitude
Je ne veux pas être une paria
Mais, je suis pas sans reproche pour ma peine
Si seulement j'étais reconnaissant pour ma vie
Gratitude

By this time, it was only Carmen that would be singing as she began to realize the lesson that the woman was teaching her all along... As she belted out the chorus with a greater intensity, the woman could only nod towards woman, silently pleading with her to start enacting and believing the words she was singing about. At the second instance of Gratitude, the lights on the bar dimmed as Carmen could be seen beginning to walk on catwalk 1, the camera positioning itself sideways to her and yet in a close view. She walked slowly during this chorus, her vocals at their most intense as the instrumentation, with the added drum layers, was at its most dramatic. At the last two lines, Carmen was at the halfway mark between the main stage and the central pedestal.

For the final saying of 'gratitude,' the camera faded to a view of it floating above Carmen, an angled bird's eye view with her looking up towards the camera as she ended her vocal. The camera gently floated up as the final few piano notes closed off the song. When the final note passed, the spotlight on Carmen faded.

“Merci!” Carmen said to the Normand crowd, walking backstage to a sizeable cheer.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:17 pm

This postcard opens with a man holding a boomerang which apparently is the oldest things in Estogium, being precisely 2 minutes 3 seconds old (as of filiming); real ancient history, I'm sure you'll agree. The camera zooms out to show the holder of the boomerang, that being an unnamed child who also somehow is carrying a huge log on her back; along with everything else from the Estogian delegation that was sent into NNN, there are no details on who this child is, but we can presume she has 4 arms and is a weightlifting champion; luckily, our cameraman didn't discover (or as it is in Estogian 'How about you pick a phrase for me and I'll translate it then' , apparently - a bit of a mouth full you know but don't judge) whether she was a champion boomerang-thrower.

We then move on to a zoo, where we meet our log-carrying friend once more with a bunch of orangutans, who seem to be enjoying themselves in the midday heat and longing for the sight of water, as was our cameraman. The Orangutans really seem to like our mystery weightlifter, with them climbing all over her log and sharing their twigs with her. She was removed before she could be harmed, but it is very likely she would have fended for hersel anyway.

The Estogian broadcaster hadn't actually provided anything for the last bit, but whilst he was in Ghiez for the Britonish postcard the cameraman thought he may as well film some footage of the glaciers nearby, and claim they were in Estogium. No one would notice surely...

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:25 pm

7. Estogium
"Life Goes On and On" - Tracey Fallon
Tune: Amanda Green - La Isla Bonita
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Tracey Fallon
Music: Tracey Fallon

Tracey Fallon sat on her seat near the piano and composed herself. The two backing singers, who were close friends of hers, stood behind the microphone, of which were place on the side of the piano. Other countries in this contest had bigger displays, but Tracey Fallon was having a simple performance, of which would do well or not - but this did not matter to her. Tracey's piano was positioned in the centre of the arena, on that platform behind the audience pit. As the postcard finally finished, the song started promptly, there was no introduction. Tracey let the audience clap for five seconds before beginning her song. People started to turn their phone torches on.

The camera made the picture quite blurry (not to the point you couldn't see it) but it created a nice close affect.

Watching the world from all angles,
It's astonishing how much is not found.
It took a long time to know,
To realise that I am a pin in a haystack.

The girls who stood behind the microphones now started to sway backwards and forward, as the LED screens way back in the distance were forest green and brown patterns, moving downwards on to the stage. The camera quickly came from the LED screens to the central plaza before swinging around to girls who stood there. A steadicam was then ready, positioning itself by the piano.

I feel as though I'm alone,
Locked in my sanctuary,
It's four walls of which I own,
My pride and joy.
People walk past me,
I wish I could see,
Their lives in a movie.
Oh, I wish I could see.

The girls who was singing did hand motions to match what they were singing in sign language.

Here I am, here with my piano.
Singing to thousands, oh millions.
All your eyes fixated,
But there are lives which are ending,
They're suffering.

When she sang "All your eyes fixated," she sharply looked at the steadicam which was on the stage, with wide open eyes and a look of worry on her face. But as she singed on, she shrugged before returning her eyes to the piano.

I feel as though I'm alone,
Locked in my sanctuary,
It's four walls of which I own,
My pride and joy.
People walk past me,
I wish I could see,
Their lives in a movie.
Oh, I wish I could see.

The camera moved around the group of girls as Tracey followed the camera with her eyes. The lights in the arena all went to where she was on the stage, which made it look as though she was amongst a field of stars because everywhere else was so dark.

I want to meet everyone in this world.
I want see every sight at each turn.
Beautiful sunsets go down on each beach
And all while Life Goes On and On

The white lights started to track itself outwards from the position they were in. On the disjointed LED wall was a sunset was going down, which the cameras picked. The audience started to sway their torches.

Watching the world from all angles,
It's astonishing how much is not found.
I feel as though I'm alone,
Four walls of which I own,
Is my sactuary,
As Life Goes On and On
People walk past me,
I wish I could see,
What they can see in me
As Life Goes On and On...

As Life Goes...
On and On (Ahhhhhh)
As Life Goes...
On and On

The audience slowly clapped, unsure whether they were clapping for the entry or for Tracey Fallon leaving as she descended off the stage.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:29 pm

Placeholder for Cosneolta's postcard

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:31 pm

8. Cosneolta
"Flying Above" - Convikt ft. Rachel Nollov
Tune: Dami Im - Fighting for Love
Language(s): English
Lyrics: A. Convikelic, R. Nollov
Music: A. Convikelic

The song starts with Rachel standing in the centre of the stage with Convikt behind her on an elevated DJ set with the stage darkened but with mild strobing in time with the song. Smoke covered the stage floor, the camera was already up on stage and was circling Rachel, the camera moved to in front of her in time for her to sing the opening lyrics.

When skies are grey, when seas are rough
I spread my wings, they lift me up.
I'm leaving now, soon I'll be gone
Am I your, only one?

The stage lights up and the camera angle sweeps along the bottom of the stage as Rachel sings into the audience, the LED screens behind her are completely white, as is the floor. The lights are focused on Rachel and are flashing on and off in time with the music. Rachel then sings into the central camera which is zoomed in on her face and upper torso. When she sings the final the camera sweeps out into the audience, meaning Rachel gets smaller within the expanse of the stadium as the camera retreats.

If you know, if you know what picks me up.
Do you think, that my love will be enough.
Uh oh
Off the ground, can you see me in the sky?
Breaking free, do you want to get so high...
above

Two male dancers walk from the back of the stage and stand each side of Rachel as she sings the lead-up to the dance section. They stand still as Rachel sings. The three backing singers standing in front of the DJ set assist Rachel in singing the lines and fill in the gaps when Rachel doesn't sing. The strobing gets more intense as the song approaches the instrumental part of the song.

I'm flying above
The clouds are the only things I see
I'm flying above
I'm floating above the deep blue sea
I'm flying above
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)
I'm flying above
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)

When the beat kicks in, Rachel and the dancers do a polished dance routine in the centre of the stage while cameras in the arena do sweeping shots far away from the stage. A wind machine is turned on which blows away the carpet of smoke on the stage, it also blows Rachel's hair and her and the dancers' clothes. Stobing gets intense as the beat and the backing singers perform their duties

I'm flying, I'm flying above

The stage darkens once again and the strobing subsides, the camera moves back on the stage with Rachel as she sings the second verse. She gives a small wink into the camera as the camera circles Rachel once again. The backing dancers swing their arms in time with the music with Convikt twisting knobs in the background, like DJs do.

You'll miss me, when I win
The boundary is, paper thin
Even if you think I am fading
When you're down, you'll be wrong
The final match, won't be long

One of dancers approaches Rachel and the do an intricate dance routine featuring a lot of foot movements and hand gestures with each other. When she sings the last note, she lifts her hand in the air, and the camera does another sweeping shot into the audience. The camera captures the party atmosphere inside the stadium with flags flying and bright white lights being emitted from the stage into the audience.

If you know, if you know what picks me up.
Do you think, that my love will be enough.
Uh oh
Off the ground, can you see me in the sky?
Breaking free, do you want to get so high...
above?

The stage turns completely white and Rachel looks to the sky and sings with her head up, the dancers move to the side of the stage while the backing singers move to the centre-rear of the stage. As she reaches the end of the lead-up, the sticks her arms in the air and looks into the overhead camera to sing the title of the song before returning to the central camera for the chorus

I'm flying above
The clouds are the only things I see
I'm flying above
I'm floating above the deep blue sea
I'm flying above
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)
I'm flying above
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)
(I'm flying, I'm flying above)

Another polished dance routine from the trio at the front of the stage with strobing and sparks flying from the stage. She gives her all before finishing the dance routine and walking to the side of the stage. The backing singers take control of the song as they give support to Nollov as she is performing her routine on stage. When she's finished her dance routine, she walks along the catwalk to the connected island where she sings into the camera and let's out the note off her life which gets a large cheer from the audience.

(I'm flying above, I'm flying above)
I'm flying above!
'bove, 'bove!

Off the ground, can you see me in the sky?
Breaking free, do you want to get so high...
above?
I'm flying abooooooooooooove!

As the song draws to a close, she begins to take a step off the island and walk along the catwalk. The white lights across the stage all flash in unison with the beat of song. She walks back to the main section of the stage where her backing singers and dancers all join her at the front of the stage where they all strike a pose and the lights focus on her, signalling the end of the song.

I'm flying above
Above
Above
(I'm flying above, I'm flying above)
I'm flying above
Above
Above

The crowd cheers with flags of all nations being waved in front of her, with the Mercedinians and Cosneoltans waving and cheering most proudly of all. "Merci, Normandy, Thank You all very much!!". She walks off stage while waving at the audience while there is a transition to the postcard of the next act.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:32 pm

Placeholder for Togonistan's Postcard

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:34 pm

9. Togonistan
"Dreamer" - Thunder Brigade
Tune: Rammstein - ''Sonne''
Language: English
Lyrics: Choejor Dhakpa
Music: Choejor Dhakpa

With recent increase of the popularity of WorldVision Song Contest in Togonistan, TNTV has massively increased it's viewing figures. This however did not make a rivaling commercial TV channel Lucky 7 very happy, who decided to find a way to fight for their viewers. As Lucky 7's board meeting was held to discuss a possible solution for the situation, an idea to acquire WHF broadcasting rights came to someone's mind. It didn't take long until they had all the paperwork done and were ready to bring the show to Togonistanian television viewers.

Lucky 7 now had full rights to broadcast the competition, but there was still one thing left to be done - they had to find someone who would represent Togonistan. At first they had planned to host a national final similar to WV National Selection, but when they realized it would be incredibly hard to fit into schedule it made them reconsider their decision for a internal selection instead.

From left to right: guitarist Gojou Teruatsu, singer Choejor Dhakpa, drummer Ken Mansulota and keyboardist James Hinojosa.

After considering various artists they decided to make an offer to Thunder Brigade, a former underground band currently gaining more popularity had just released their first album and were doing rather well at local radio charts. Thunder Brigade had participated in WorldVision NF two times but were unsuccessful on both occasions. When Lucky 7 approached them with their proposal, they accepted on one condition - they get to choose the song themselves. A band decided to participate with their song ''Dreamer''.

When asked about why they chose this song, the band's lead singer and songwriter Choejor Dhakpa said: ''This song has a strong meaning for us. When we discussed with band what we should perform at World Hit Festival, everyone immediately said Dreamer. It's a song we can all relate to, and although it seems like somewhat simple song, it has a deep story behind it. Some people get it, some people don't. And if they don't get it, then we honestly don't care.''

The stage is empty. Led screens show a grayish color and as the music starts playing, Dhakpa can be seen entering the stage through triangular led screens at the back of the stage, shortly followed by other bands members. Band, all dressed in outfits similar to a shadowfey, moves to their spots, forming a diamond shaped formation. Dhakpa had started singing first words of the song before he was even seen on the stage and kept singing until whole band had moved to their positions.

pain...
cry...
try...
fear...
dust...
mist...
steam...
path...
pain...
crush!

Band starts playing their instruments that were placed on the stage floor for them to pick up when they get to their positions. Led screens suddenly turn full black and pyrotechnics around the edge of the stage start bursting flames up into sky to the rhythm of the music. When it is time for Dhakpa to sing again, flames stop and instead, smoke machines start working to cover the stage in gray, mysterious smoke. Led screens remain black for the rest of the performance.

I don't even need to try
my own dreams, lifting me high
I surrender to my imagination
as it takes to destination

...and these are things that i will feel

As the chorus starts, a puff of smoke appears behind Dhakpa, covering rest of the band members for a moment. Smoke machines start working more intensely, creating more smoke to the stage than before.

pain... my world is surrounded
cry... my world is surrounded
try... I am a dreamer, living in my world
fear... my world is surrounded

Flames burst into air around the edge during the instrumental part again. Smoke that used to cover only the stage has now become so big and thick that it covers everything up to band members torso. Sadly, the smoke also reaches to some of the people who stand too close to the stage at the audience pit, which means they can't see the performance very well. Maybe first row tickets aren't always the best after all?

Falling apart, i'm feeling helpless
can not sleep, i am restless
on the verge of losing my mind
from reality I have resigned

And I leave my mind once again
and of reality I don't care

Thick gray smoke covers the whole stage now. Band members step out of the smoke and move along both catwalks. Singer and guitar player walk at the left catwalk while keyboardist walks at the other catwalk. Keyboardist has attached his instrument with a belt to his torso so he can keep on playing while walking. Only drummer remains on the large stage, unable to be seen through the smoke. Rest of the band walks to the pedestal while singing and playing the chorus.

pain... my world is surrounded
cry... my world is surrounded
try... I am a dreamer, living in my world
fear... my world is surrounded

dust... my world is surrounded
mist... my world is surrounded
steam... I am a dreamer, living in my world
path... my world is surrounded

Just as the shorus ends, they reach to the pedestal, which is also already covered in smoke. They get down on their knees and pedestal platform slowly starts lifting them up, higher than the smoke can reach. Crowd can be heard cheering when they rise higher and higher.
From there, they perform final part of the song.

pain... my world is surrounded
cry... my world is surrounded
try... I am a dreamer, living in my world
fear... and on my knees i've heavenly fallen

dust... my world is surrounded
mist... my world is surrounded
steam... I am a dreamer, living in my world
path... my world is surrounded
crush!

As he says the final word, all lights on the venue suddenly go out and everything is pitch black. Some surprised voices can be heard from the audience asking what happened, and also there is a large, unexpected cheer. The lights turn on again and all four band members can be seen on the stage waving to the audience as they leave the stage to make room for next performer

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:36 pm

Placeholder for Balkvla Island's postcard

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:39 pm

10. Balkvla Islands
"E'ewa" - Niku Jam
Tune: Estrella - Nicky Jam
Language: Balkvlain
Lyrics & Music: Niku Jam

English translation in brackets [ ]

The song begins with Niku standing in front of the mic in the middle of a completely dark stage, a single spotlight shines on him.

Ka’ta’te de aru, viaharu iru [I'm a singer who always travels]
Dinero o hama, na mo tu [I have fame and fortune without you]
Milu muheretu ‘o bu’kamata [Thousands of women seek me out]
Demo amo o nadie o tu! luharu okuparu [But you are the only one I love]

The LED screens in the background slowly come to life to show various computer generated starscapes as the lights slowly turned on.

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru [I feel happy with you]
I’po’tanai deberu e’re’taru [I don't care how you feel]
Tu ha kererunaraba e’ewa bu’karu iru [If you ask for a star, I'll find it]
Wo ha mo’ta!a ikiho a’tai de tubiru [I'll climb mountains for you]
Tu to demo todo [All to just be with you]
Tu ha harenei [Without you there's nothing]

As the music picks up, Niku Jam takes the microphone off the stand and begins to slowly make his way to the catwalk, at the same time, the audience in the pit and throughout the whole arena wave around white glow sticks to simulate a starry sky.

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru
I’po’tanai deberu e’re’taru
Tu ha kererunaraba e’ewa bu’karu iru
Wo ha mo’ta!a ikiho a’tai de tubiru
Tu to demo todo
Tu ha harenei

As he walks on the catwalk, he takes time to high-five or shake hands with the audience in the pit while still singing. The spotlight still follows him while the stage becomes bright enough to reveal his backing band on stage.

Tato’o ha furo’to ! maru [A chateau by the sea]
Avionu!p’ivadoi to mo’to [A private plane for me]
Demo no, ihualui te’tini’i [But it is still not the same]
Ko’ta’ato de ka’tamata, ka’tamata [I sang concerts, sang]
Demo, notetu ni vatioi ‘o henanaka’ta [But they all felt hollow without you]

He finally made it to the central pedestal and stood still to sing the next verse

Itu yo pe’taru, to’riiru imiti [I think of you smiling]
Yo ha huraru, tu ha yo!helitidadu [Because you are my happiness]
Yo ha detimiti, tu ha a’rie’hamata [I told you how I felt]
Yo ha tubete yo!te’neru [I would give you what I have]
Kore ha realu detu [Because this is real]

Niku then continued on his walk down catwalk two, doing the same thing he did only now making his way back to the main stage.

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru
I’po’tanai deberu e’re’taru
Tu ha kererunaraba e’ewa bu’karu iru
Wo ha mo’ta!a ikiho a’tai de tubiru
Tu to demo todo
Tu ha harenei

He finally reached the main stage as the screens were displaying stars exploding into colorful supernovas.

Itu yo pe’taru, to’riiru imiti
Yo ha huraru, tu ha yo!helitidadu
Yo ha detimiti, tu ha a’rie’hamata
Yo ha tubete yo!te’neru
Kore ha realu detu

Everything suddenly goes dark again, the only light sources being the spotlight on Niku and the white glow sticks being waved around by the audience, giving the appearance of a night sky.

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru
I’po’tanai deberu e’re’taru
Tu ha kererunaraba e’ewa bu’karu iru
Wo ha mo’ta!a ikiho a’tai de tubiru
Tu to demo todo
Tu ha harenei

Suddenly, for the final run through of the chorus, all the stadium lights turn on, illuminating everything, moving around the main stage, singing to the audience.

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru
I’po’tanai deberu e’re’taru
Tu ha kererunaraba e’ewa bu’karu iru
Wo ha mo’ta!a ikiho a’tai de tubiru
Tu to demo todo
Tu ha harenei

Tu to itu wo bienui te’tiru

Everything suddenly goes dark as the song abruptly ends. The lights turn on once again so that Niku and the band can bow to the audience and safely leave the stage.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 1:40 pm

Before the Merecendian postcard, a warning appeared on screen. Unforetunately NNN had to go through with the postcard, but that didn't mean they couldn't tell people to turn over for about 30-45 seconds, although they may have accidentally added a few minutes to that to save the audience from the song.

The postcard began benignly enough, with an amazing shot of what the Merecendians call Cloudy McCloudface. A few panoramic shots do the job, before we enter the city where we meet a group of victims from a volcanic eruption being wheeled through the corridors, with a large sign saying '05%%&^%4*' (which we assume means 'Discover') on the wall as they pass it. The camera shot then changes to show 'We Won' which is shown for exactly 2 seconds, which is the amount of time that our cameraman was able to show it before being sick, crying and running away.

The last location is ~~in Ghiez again~~ a huge wall of ice, with our brave cameraman once again feeling as if he is dying of the cold. He uses a drone to show a few panoramic shots of the wall before its internal wiring freezes over, and we are treated to the view of it crashing into the wall and breaking into tiny little pieces. The camera then turns around 90 degrees to show the volcano victims once more, somehow having being transported here with '05%%&^%4*$^9856874' (Discover... we presume the second word is something like death or insanity) grafittied across them. We are then treated to one last view of the wall as the song details are shown.

World Hit Festival 33 - Avranches, Normandy and Picardy

World Hit Festival 33 - Avranches, Normandy and Picardy

Opening Act One

Opening Act Two (WIP)

Host's Intervention

1. Kalosia (Postcard)

1. Kalosia

2. Ethane (Postcard)

2. Ethane

3. Hiklarmaniga (Postcard)

4. Britonisea (Postcard)

4. Britonisea

5. Mercedini (Postcard)

5. Mercedini

6. Skanden (Postcard)

6. Skanden

7. Estogium (Postcard)

7. Estogium

8. Cosneolta (Postcard)

8. Cosneolta

9. Togonistan (Postcard)

9. Togonistan

10. Balkvla Islands (Postcard)

10. Balkvla Islands

11. Merecendi (Postcard)

Who is online