The 56th WHF- Sterblichengokai, Tödlichebujoku- Draft Thread

by **Todlichebujoku** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:51 am

W H F N E T W O R K | O O C T H R E A D | I C T H R E A D

STAGE DETAILS

Welcome to the Draft Thread of the 56th World Hit Festival! This will be the place where nations will work and post on their entry that I (the host) will then eventually transfer to the IC thread once it opens. The final deadline for posting entries will be January 17th, 11:59PM CST with the IC thread up 24 hours later. However, nations are free to make minor edits to their entries as I transfer them to the IC thread. There will be a 24 hour grace period after the entry posting deadline for nations to ask for edits as I post/finish up the IC thread. After January 18th, all entries are considered final.

For this thread, you can use any format that you wish when posting your entry. The only things that will change as it is transferred to the IC thread will be the header (which will act as a link to your postcard and will be located at the top of your entry) as well as the text being aligned to the center for uniformity's sake. Otherwise, the host nation will not alter the RP aspect in any major form, but minor additions are liable to be made that will only come at the very end of your entries.

Please leave translations at the end of your post under a single spoiler.
If you are currently working on an entry, please put Work-in-Progress or WIP on the top of the entry or on a spoiler. This makes it easier to track which countries have completed their entries based on WHF standards.

As written by Kalosia for WHF26: The host (Tödlichebujoku in this case) reserves the right to make alterations to your RP when copying it over to the IC thread. However, these alterations will be limited to cleaning up the formatting as well as adding (not deleting) RP regarding the situation in the arena (i.e. how the audience reacted). Substantial/major alterations will not be made without written permission, and any further changes to an entry within the IC thread will only be done upon written request by the user behind it, and with host discretion.

Remaining Deadlines

Sign-ups Close - January 10th
Draft Thread Close - January 17th, 24 hour grace period
Voting Week- January 18th to 25th
Winner Known By: January 31st

The Running Order

Revealed in the IC thread! Official list soon

Additional Information/Miscellany

RP and Stage Info: When determining your performance, you are more than free to use the show + host city details as you write your RP. If you have any questions about specific stage effects or trying to see what is/isn't possible on the stage, don't be afraid to ask me questions through the WHF56 OOC thread, through telegram, or through Discord.

What is a Complete Entry?: A complete entry, by technical definition, is an entry on the draft thread with a usable tune and a complete set of lyrics (all stanzas, verses, and etc. covered). Which means, I can transfer a post with just pure lyrics onto the IC thread and mark it as a complete entry. However, I encourage all nations to put in RP to your entries. It makes the entry look far more complete than just lyrics on the page, and while it won't guarantee higher points, it will signal to the WHF community that you are putting in effort than just beyond lyrics. However, since time is often a crunch (aka me every WHF so I relate). What will not be transferred is an entry with incomplete lyrics, just a header, or one considered too low-effort or inappropriate for the standards of WHF.

Additional Information on Headers: You are encouraged to include the names of your song's IC producers and IC lyric writers. This information will go on your header. I will supply the header template used by Euskirribakondara and Normandy and Picardy (which will be replaced by a graphical header on the IC thread). However, you are not required to use this particular header for this draft thread, as you are free to use whatever format you use.

WORLD! START POSTING NOW!

Note: This post may be regularly updated without announcement, please do check from time to time especially during/near deadlines.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!

by **North Alezia** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:22 am

XX. North Alezia
"Secret Lover (Where Are You)" - Emilia Rosetta Dadon
Title Transcription: -none-
Title Translation: -none-
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Emilia Rosetta Dadon
Music: Emilia Rosetta Dadon
Tune: Sebnem Paker - Besinci Mevsim

BACKGROUND

ARTIST INFORMATION

Emilia Rosetta Dadon is a North Alezian singer and actress. She was born in Bucinnois, located on the northern side of the currently disputed Pantabang Islands. She was born on 22nd of July, 1998 (22) as the only child from Darinael Makani Dadon and Isebaella Tuntanai Dadon. She lived a very harsh life from South Alezian attacks. However, her parents guaranteed her everything and other than the hard Dadonese life, she lived a pretty okay life.

Emilia's singing abilities was known since her early stages of life. Since then, she has been participating in competitions. And she was actually very lucky because in 2007, she was selected to sing the national anthem (The North Alezian Advances On) and to sing the Dadon-Salemian anthem (Kanamikintoana) (in Dadon-Salemian means Returning) in Zafizamarrah's National Stadium in front of 30.000 spectators. And when she heard about Worldvision, she was interested to try to represent North Alezia, but she never got to it.

Other than singing, Emilia is also a capable actress, being a great theater actress, and played in movies. Her most famous work is "Bonna Sernoux" (Good Mid-night), which is a movie musical and has broken charts around North Alezia, especially with Emilia's final song in the movie, "Seisbatoux, Mouines Aleziennes" (Fight, My Alezia) which itself has certified platinum, even breaking into South Alezia at some point.

Even though she lived a not so good life because of the South Alezians, Emilia still have sympathy towards the South Alezians and she usually advocates for North-South reunification, or the creation of the United Federation of Alezia (consisting of North Alezia, South Alezia, the united Pantabang Islands, and the united state of Mosin-Nagan). Her philosophy is that the people are not to blame. The ones she blame are the South Alezian military and the government.

ABA got news about Emilia from her singing at a debate show that broadcasts everyday between 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM called "Public Opinion" in ABA Channel 1. Emilia was chosen due to her experience, and her ability to connect and rekindle relationship between North and South Alezia.

SONG INFORMATION

PERFORMANCE

Erica Santavelhaveux, the North Alezian orchestral conductor for WHF 56

(The lights as usual went dark with the light only being turned on above Erica and the orchestra. The view first shows Erica standing near her conductor podium. As the camera points at her, Erica bows facing the camera, and then returns to face the orchestra. She starts the song with her usual cue of "1...2...1-2-3-4!" The maracas, accordion, and the orchestra all at the same time starts to play their instruments. Slowly, the view changes to Emilia and her instrumental crew. The lights at the stage turns on, showing Emilia with her black long dress . Firstly the view changes to the maracas player, which quickly changes to the accordion player, then changes to the violins in the orchestra. Then, the view changes to Emilia who starts to sing while descending down the steps.)

Detectives solving crime
Poets write poems that rhyme
Firefighters fight blazing fire

Teachers teach kids to glow
Gardeners make plants grow
Doctors cure even at the low

(The view quickly changes to the maracas player, which then fades in to show Emilia walking around the stage until she returns to her initial position)

That's how it goes and it goes,
Like circles, it goes

Yet I wonder
Who sends these letters without a sender

(The view changes to the conductor giving instructions to the orchestra, where the orchestra continue to play their instruments.)

Oh my secret lover
Where are you, are you far?
When will you come from the border?

(The view changes to Emilia holding her microphone singing and moving right and left around.)

Oh my secret lover
Please come, my dear lover
Will you break through the big border?

(For the instrumentals, The view changes to show the accordion player playing his accordion. Few seconds later, specifically in 1:45, the view changes to show the orchestra in a split screen between the trumpets and the violins. When the instrumentals end, Emilia starts singing and Emilia walked to the front section of the stage, which is followed by a camera.)

Separation by walls
Cries of people that calls
The people of unity that falls

I know the way to Love
You have the People's Law
We're People destined to be in Love

(Emilia looks at the ceiling, spreads her left hand, while her microphone continues to stay at the same height as previously)

That's how it goes and it goes,
Like circles, it goes

Yet I wonder
Who serenades me without a sender

(Emilia continues to sing at the same position. Emilia then returns to her normal posture, while holding her microphone with her right hand and swinging her left hand left and right.)

Oh my secret lover
Where are you, are you far?
When will you come from the border?

Oh my secret lover
Please come, my dear lover
Will you break through the big border?

(The view changes to the conductor signaling the orchestra to end the song, then the view changes to a close up look at Emilia lowering her left hand and raising her right hand holding the microphone to the sky while she as well looks up. After the instrumental truly ends, Emilia faces the front again and says "Shuukran Kasiira. Thank you." Her maracas and accordion player walks down the steps into the stage to meet Emilia. There, she is joined also by her conductor. The four bows at the audience, and all four leaves the stage from the left.)

by **Darkmania** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:32 am

XX. Darkmania
"Mennesker" - Ërÿk Ärse
Title Translation: Human
Language(s): Norwegian (Bokmål)
Lyrics & Music: Erÿk Ärse, Dënys Fülg, Grÿta Ärse, Wÿnt Rëolaine
Tune: Tommy Körberg - Stad i Ljus (Studio) // Live peformence at Melodifestivalen 1988

The postcard has played and on stage, we see Ërÿk as well as an unidentified trumpet player on the stage. All of the colours have been digitally removed making the broadcast black-white.

Ërÿk mostly has a microphone stand and doesn't move a lot.

En ny fremtid kan lett skapes
(A new fututre can easly be made)

Fikse alt som gikk feil
(Fixing everthing that went wrong)

Det finnes allitd tid
(There are always time)

Til å redde vår grønne hjem sammen
(To save our green home together)

The colours has now returned and we now see Ërÿk`s green jacket.

Det fins alltid noe mirakler
(There are always some miracles)

Men det finns alltid også forbannelser
Vi er i en ny tid sammen
(We are in a new age together)

La oss rette vår framtid som et
(Let us fix our future as one)

Vi er mennesker
(We are human beings)

Med sjør sjel og sinn
(With fragile soul and mind)

Gi oss kraft
(Give us strength)

Til å skape en nytt hjem
(To make a new home)

The camera focuses on the trumpet-player playing his solo part with a close-up of him. At the end of the trumpet solo, we see three persons on stage; Ërÿk, the trumpet player, and a Steadicam operator who decidedly appeared on the shot despite not supposed to be. But the broadcast then cuts to a new, closer shot of just Ërÿk so the camera operator can run away.

På veien til paradis
(On the path to paradise)

Skal vi alle jobbe sammen
(Shall we all work together)

For alles felles mål
(For our common goal)

Vi ønsker alle fred
(We all wish peace)

Og ingen vonde ting
(And no bad thing)

Vi er mennesker
(We are human beings)

Med sjør sjel og sinn
(With fragile soul and mind)

Gi oss kraft
(Give us strength)

Til å skape en nytt hjem
(To make a new home)

Ërÿk decides that for the climax of the song he is to walk closer to the audience at the venue. But there is a stupid microphone stand with his microphone attached to it. Ërÿk tries to remove mic but seems to struggle for some seconds before successfully unplugs his mic. He then walks toward the edge of the song as the song climaxes. In the last line, pyrotechnics in form of rain at the back begins to appear.

Vi er mennesker
(We are human beings)

Med sjør sjel og sinn
(With fragile soul and mind)

Gi oss kraft
(Give us strength)

Til å skape en nytt hjem
(To make a new home)

The audience gives extended applause for Ërÿk and the trumpet player who both have just finished the darkmanian entry and we might not see them for a while.

by **Malta Comino Gozo** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 12:56 pm

XX.Malta Comino Gozo
"Qalb ta' Qalbi" - Margerite Camille
Title Translation: (Heart to Heart )
Language(s): Maltese
Lyrics: Margerite Camille
Music: Musicroom
Tune: Lise Darly -Tout De Moi

Background

In the 54th edition MCG placed a very respectable 7th in the contest with Bradley Gauchi with his song "You". Sadly Malta Comino Gozo would withdraw from the next contest. After a one contest abscence from the World Hit Festival, Malta Comino Gozo would return.

On their return MCG 1 selected Margarite Camille as their next entry. Margarite is a 32 year old singer from Ghasrin Gozo the second largest island in Malta Comino Gozo. She sings in English and Maltese. She started singing when she was a child. Performing both as a soloist and accompanist, Margarite is an accomplished singer and musician as both a pianist and a harpist. Graduating from Briarwood University with a B.A (Hons) in piano performance, she went on to gain a fellowship diploma from the MCG college of Music, before gaining a PhD in musicology. It comes as no surprise that Camille is in high demand across Malta Comino Gozo, particularly at weddings where her heavenly harp playing captivates audiences to listen in silence. Margarite received an award as part of the Malta Comino Gozo Music Awards 2014. She was awarded the ‘Golden Voice Award'.

Qalb ta 'qalbi is about a man, Jason, whose been left in bits by his ex girlfriend who has cheated on him with another. It is a song of heartbreak, pain and depression but also about love and care. The man is finding it difficult to ever love someone again, but this is where the lovely Margarite comes in singing about opening back up again, to finding a new woman, her, and healing. Margarite has always loved him but the man was already in a relationship, one that was destroying him.

Margarite spoke about it in a local TV interview, about the upcoming festival. "As reality set in for Emma and Jason, you could almost see the heart of their relationship split into two halves. Two people go their separate ways. No longer one, no longer together. Tears stream down both their faces, as they realize that they were just not meant for each other. Each tear that falls to the ground is like each good memory they spent together disappearing. Those tears, and those memories, went from being some of the best in the world to being incredibly sad and painful. As they walk away, their footsteps echo into the night and the shadow of what they had together follows them around. They slowly heal, and that shadow slowly diminishes until that person can find what they always needed in life. Love and happiness. It's what we all need. For those of us lucky enough to find it, we cherish it, and never let go for all eternity."

Performance

The stage is dark as the postcard ends and the crowd cheers. The stage is left very dark with a light mist covering the bottom of the stage. The orchestra pit is dimly lit, so they can see. The camera view is from the back ceiling showing the entire stage and venue. The opening bars start with the flute and the crowd applauses. Leilhê Volcova is the conductor. The camera fades to a close up upper body shot of Margarite. She is wearing a yellow-blue gown made of soft, satiny fabric, long and loose. She has light make up, mascara eyeliner and some lip gloss, a rosy pink blush, and natural pink lipstick and dangly white earrings. Her hair is tucked into a bun. She walked as lightly as an acrobat. Margarite is stood at the bottom of the stairs at the back of the stage. She is holding her microphone in one hand. Either side of the stairs are four female backing singers, two each side they are all dressed in ankle length black dresses. The camera follows Margarite for the first few lines as she steadily walks around the orchestra pit to the centre edge of the circular stage. The camera pans out as it does before it eventually is above her looking down. Her voice is clear and very soft and the LED screens remain black. We can hear a harp, and viola amongst other instruments.

Tevita, meta niġi viċin
Biex tibża ', mill-affezzjoni kollha
Ħallini nidħol, biex inkun nista nara
Il-ħsara li għamilt, jiena nħallik

As she reaches the centre edge the camera fades and switches to frontal shot of her looking into the camera. She is bathed in glowing golden light, the light mist around her feet swirling around gently. The camera pans around her slowly, clockwise, once, as she sings to the arena. In the crowd we can see many flags waving and spotlights from the back of the arena.Her voice is golden and confident that ripples with warmth and confidence.

U ma nafx kif xi ħadd jista 'jagħmel dan għalik
Tweġġagħni sempliċement biex tara int tibki fuq l-art
Naf li nista 'nħobbok, u ngħinek permezz

The violins now more prominent as the chorus begins. The camera fades back to a frontal view of her as she sings out. The crowd applauses. The instruments are gentle and soft and fit the song perfectly. The camera fades to a shot from the bottom left off the stage looking up, whilst moving left to right at Margarite as she stretches a hand out gently in front of her before putting it back down to her side. The camera gently fades to a stage shot that follows her. She has slight sad look in her eyes, a look of someone pleading. The camera then lifts upwards as Margarite gently places her hand out again and she looks up following the camera before it fades to another left side body shot of her singing out. As the chorus ends we have a brief shot of the orchestra playing. They are calm, and have blank expressions as they play their respective instrument parts.

Qalb għal qalb, iftaħ biss tiftaħ qalbek
Ħossha biss, ħossha f'qalbek, iftaħ biss
Kawża mill-bidu
Ħabbejtek, dejjem ħabbejtek tarbija
Taħbit tal-qalb
Imma inti ttieħdet u hi kissirt, tarbija

The LED screens now showing golden sparkles The golden light is replaced by a bright spotlight which illuminates the stage beautifully. The camera is now on Margarite right hand side as she passionately sings out. She then turns to look to the camera, pleading. It then fades to the backing singers at the back as we hear them back up Margarite beautifully. They are also lit up by spotlights, their voices angelic.

Tibża 'wisq, li nista' nweġġgħek
Imma jien xejn, bħalha oh le
Agħtini ċans biss, biex nagħti ħarsa
Agħtini mument, ħallini nidħol

As the verse builds up The LED's are now golden starsThe camera fades to a frontal shot of Margarite with a sad expression across her face, as she cant believe the woman has done this too him. She gently shakes her head left to right. The camera gradually zooms in. The emotion rising. The orchestra builds dramatically. It the fades to a side profile body shot with Margarite reaching out her hand almost pleading to help.

U meta nħares f’wiċċek nara sbuħija
U ma nifhimx kif hi setgħet tkissrek
Kull ma nixtieq li nagħmel, huwa li ngħinek tgħaddi

The chorus hits and the people on stage are then bathed in golden light again. Its complemented well with the dark lights of the rest of the stage. The camera softly fades to a shot from behind of Margaret singing out to a excited crowd. We then have a quick shot of the backing singers before it gently fades back to frontal body shot of Margarite. She is leaning forward. Her voice hits every note. She is desperate to help the man she loves.

Iftaħ biss, iftaħ biss qalbek
Ħossha, ħossha f'qalbek għeżież

We now have a close up of Margarite as she steps forward a little she doesn't look at the camera. Her face looks desperate. She holds the mic in her right hand her left arm by her side. She then brings her left hand up gesturing outwards as she's singing. The on stage camera now circles around her twice as she holds the note "qalb .." before spiralling off backwards towards the backing singers, showing a specular shot of the arena. The audience is barely illuminated but we can see them cheering.

Kawża mill-bidu, jien dejjem ħabbejtek
Dejjem ħabbtek tarbija
Imma inti ttieħdet u hi qasmet qalbek ... qalb .. qalb ..

We then have a brief shot of the orchestra before it smoothly fades back to Margarite singing desperately at the frontal camera shot her hand raised up.
It then fades to a view pulling away as she sings.

Oh-ohhh oh ..

We then have a wind machine blowing her hair gently. Her voice drips with angelic emotion and is very clear. The stage lights grow a brighter gold, the LED screen is back to the sparkles. She sings to the audience and turns to face the camera on her left before it fades to a side shot of her singing again. She praises her hand up high as she sings and holds another note. She then places her hand across her heart as she finishes singing.

Iftaħ biss, iftaħ biss qalbek
Ħossha, ħossha f'qalbek .... f'qalbek

The crowd cheers loudly! Margarite speaks down her microphone " Thank you Sterblichengokai! Grazzi! She leaves the stage as the crowd carries on applauding them.

by **Achaean Republic** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:17 pm

XX. Achaean Republic
"Todo Es Vanidad" - Narinho
Title Translation: All is Vanity
Language(s): Spanish
Lyrics: Nelson Pereita
Music: Nelson Pereita, Carolina Couto, Pablo Acevedo
Tune: Dilsinho - Astronauta

Nelson Pereira is used to second chances and serendipitous moments that only came when he least expected it. He found a second chance at a home when some very nice Achaean Pentecostal missionaries saw him at a Brazillian orphanage and adopted him and made him his own. He had a second chance when he dropped out of college and suddenly made his money writing songs and performing in crowded bars throughout the Achaean Republic—while singing at his parents’ church on Sundays. He also had a second chance when he was hand-picked by AS1 to represent the nation in the 47th World Hit Festival in Kyvivre, Britonisea, and he had a modest boost to his pagodeiro career. But he received another second chance when he was called once again sent packing to Tödlichebujoku for the World Hit Festival…again. But think more of this trip as an unlikely third.

The Casals Sinfónico Popular was a one-time contest offered by AS1 and the Festival Casals Musical Foundation as a way to select a representative for the World Hit Festival’s Orchestral Edition and also bump up the channel’s special Thanksigving programming, as well as providing a much-needed income boost for the non-profit foundation in an unusually tough year. They challenge twelve up-and-coming artists to create a song using symphonic elements for the competition, to be performed live with the University of the District of Muñíz Symphony Orchestra. The winner would go straight to the World Hit Festival, while another entry—not necessarily the runner-up—would represent the country in the WorldVision Song Contest. The winner (and favorite), Anita Carrasco and her song, Truena was disqualified by the Overseer of the World Hit Festival as it contained computer-generated EDM sounds that were not permitted, given the special rules of the Orchestral Edition. This caused a minor controversy in Achaea, one that already had the contest reeling as they previously canceled the public voting and replace it with a demoscopic jury, only to reintstate the voting later after some irregularities. Then, the second-placed BREAKNESS was already chosen by the Achaean WorldVision delegation to represent the nation with their song, Fire. This led to third-placer Narinho to once again travel for World Hit Festival glory, this time boarding a plane to Tödlichebujoku and carrying the hopes of the island nation on his shoulders once again.

A few days before leaving for Estegoa, Narinho visited his father’s church on Corola’s Barrio Tercero. Despite his burly and inked exterior, he visited the old Mission Board church he was raised in with his adoptive family every so often, and not just Christmas and Easter and weddings and funerals. His father’s sermon that morning amidst a crowd of socially-distanced parishioners, related to the Preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes as he tried to find meaning in the world—and not searching any. The tone of the book is strikingly cynical and hopeless for first-time readers who couldn’t understand the Gospel at work. Or so it seemed. The Preacher or the Ruler—being richer, powerful, stronger, wiser—could not even enjoy one ounce of his power since everything surrounding him was meaningless. Narinho’s father went through different versions of the word in other translations: folly, vanity, useless, pointless. All the pleasures of the world were at his fingertips, yet he could not enjoy them to the fullest because there was something else that would always entice him, someone new that would always replace him, some new truth that would always elude him. What was the point of living if having nothing was the same as having it all? Nothing could satisfy him anymore because nothing ever did in the first place.

Solomon. Ozymandias. Walter White. Previous Achaean festival entries have touched upon serious philosophical themes such as faith, addiction, and death. Now, the sermon inspired Narinho to contact his team and create a song speaking about the Preacher’s cynical presumptions on the meaninglessness of pleasures and life. Narinho looked up on the Bible, his girlfriend prepared the lyrics, and his friends managed to perform the beat in a few hours at a bar—and lots of beers at hand. Once an original composition that only included the orchestral portions thanks to a violinist friend of his that also played at the University of Corola Symphony Orchestra, but was furloughed due to the pandemic. Given a new lease on life (and profit) with this commission, he prepared the musical sheets that only needed few tweaks for the Casals Sinfónico Popular.

There was a small crack that appeared on the main screen, where Narinho was standing. It looked like a crack made with glass. It grew slowly, grew slowly, and expanded to apparently tear half the screen. There was a bit of condensation, but it was impossible to tell whether or not the cold or the heat were responsible for creating the tear. Then, the image of the glass exploded into tiny little fragments that were feverishly scattered throughout the screens with small, heat-induced fimbriations of red, blue, and green concentric strikes that looked more like colorful displays of lightning rather than broken glass. The creak of broken glass was also displayed on the circle surrounding the orchestra, the cracked pattern also burnishing with the same red-blue-green strokes commonly displayed for the Achaean Republic.

At that moment, the music began to play. The orchestra in the middle, the violins, pianos and clarinets would take center stage. Beside them, the electric guitar. was playing on one side. Behind the guitarist, there were two backing singers—one of them carrying a pandeiro, and another a tantā or tan-tan, a cylindrical hand drum used as a percussion instrument to mark the beat of rodas de choró in smaller sambas and pagodes. On the other side, there were two other vocalists, one carrying a cavaquinho, a small guitar not dissimilar to the typical cuatro that is commonly used in Achaean popular music; and another had the repique de mão, a smaller drum used to elaborate on the samba tempo. All, including Narinho, wore ragged white clothes with faux-golden fimbriations that were tattered and worn. They looked torn, defeated and dirty. The golden trims were a gilded way of marking some type of former opulence—and so the faux-jewelry of the women—that was ripped to shreds over something they had no control of. Narinho also looked like that, with his signature white hat and ripped pants with gold trims and a once-opulent white-and-gold dashiki that may have seen better days.

Who was the man Narinho needed to portray? Was he a wealthy king that had all the power wrapped under his mighty hand? Was he a madman who believed he held the secrets of the universe squirreled away through the sheer force of his cynicism? It was hard to say how Narinho could interpret his tone. He was a man who had everything he could imagine—all the riches, all the power, all the earthly desires that could be fulfilled. There was so much he could do in so little time, so many pleasures he needed to enjoy. He was young and virile, ready to seize the day and go on the hunt. The greatest goal of his life was pleasure at whatever cost he came since that would cost nothing to a man of his stature. What was the point of having fame and not enjoy it?

Era yo un hombre vivo y alienado
Lleno de riquezas y poder
La riqueza es locura, tan pecado
Mi vida fue llena de placer

Then again, he rattled off a series of poetic accomplishments, as if he were humble bragging about his stature. Did he earn it? Was he born with it? It was hard to tell—the discourse and his haughty tone of voice suggested a supernatural type of confidence and seduction that was virulently unmatched by anyone else before or after him. He teared down barns and built bigger ones for the grain. He had enough wine to feed a hundred villages in one night. He had enough soldiers to defend him, wives to please him, slaves to care for him, gold to purchase, silver to dine with, bronze to smelt the finest weaponry. A master of war. A man of peace. A diplomat and a statesman. What could possibly go wrong?

There was a sense of saudade in Narinho’s voice. Saudade, the voice of longing, longing for something that was lost but no one knows why. A feeling that something that was lost will never return. There is no pleasure in the midst of the pain. That strain was repeated through the strings of the violins and the chords of the cavaquinho. It was hard for Narinho to not embrace the saudade in the king’s voice—he was living through the saudade of his former glory. The orchestra, ever so eager to indulge, reflected the king’s brokenness through the formerly triumphant music.

Y construí
Viñas y mil castillos
Llenos de juguetes con bocas y piel
Sobreviví
A ataques y lamentos
Con fiestas y botines celebré

El oro acaba
Para mí todo esto es nada

The king would question his fears and frustrations in the silence of his mind. Fears that,despite being surrounded by so much greatness, so much luxuries and entertainments, his life would amount to nothing. Frustrations that, having tried everything in his power to enjoy life, he could never find true fulfillment. Meaning and fulfillment—those two things haunted him for so long that, in his death bed, he finally vocalized his inner regrets for the first time in his life. Hedonism in his purity didn’t work; it only served him to distract him from running his house and lead his nation. This led him to believe, with all of his regrets, he only had a declaration: Everything was meaningless, vain, hopeless. He only wanted this poem to be a reminder to all leaders, young and old, that the world they lived in had no meaning—at least, the meaning they would think were entitled to expect.

Back into the arena, Narinho’s focus was on the end of the stage and the broken LED floor below him transformed into pieces of Gold—as if he were to have Midas’ touch. Taking advantage of the supernatura, however, the Achaean delegation also summoned augmented reality to make “golden” images of beautifully dressed couples dancing a waltz beside him as the orchestra played its tune and the crowd kept cheering to the refrain in whatever Spanish they could understand. A wide pan of the stage revealed its hollow fullness, what with the augmented dancers (and a lone half-naked passista decked in a golden fantasy.

Dime por qué mi vida se hace en el ocaso
Fue un fracaso
Todo el trabajo que hice por mi ego
Llené mi boca de abrazos
Todos son falsos
Perdí toda mi fe

Mi corona se llena de espinas, pues algo
Quitó mi canto
El deseo perdí, frágil y menso
Y todos pisarán mis rastros
Al Seol yo reclamo
¿A quién agradecer?

Todo esto es vanidad
Todo esto es vanidad

But why was it so hard for the king to share his message, even if (in public at least) he still had to express the opulence of his job even if he heavily disliked it. Would anybody bother to listen to his warnings about power, wealth, and pleasure and not be enthralled and secuced by its temporal comforts. It was hard to warn the youth that there was more than life than eating, drinking, and being merry. They would try to sustain their feeble existences with pleasures that made no sense, but they could never imagine a life beyond them. Not all pleasure can be infinitely good, and not all pain can be infinitely bad—there needs to be a balance between both extremes in order to lead a happy, fulfilling life. This is what the king wanted to say to his people as he laid on his deathbed, and yet they could only see the crown atop his head, not the thorns below his feet.

Y construí
Viñas y mil castillos
Llenos de juguetes con bocas y piel
Sobreviví
A ataques y lamentos
Con fiestas y botines celebré

El oro acaba
Para mí todo esto es nada

The cameras circled around Narinho and the ragged crew als playing the additional instruments that would accompany the performance. There weren’t the usual gimmicks or acrobatics expected from Achaean performances—rather, Narinho walked towards the circle surrounding the orchestra, the manual cameras surrounding him in turn, his eyes half closed while occasionally glazing intently at the camera whenever he had the chance. The screens behind him alternated between gilded displays of opulence and broken shards of glass on the floor, with blood covered on them. They compared and contrasted the apparent pleasures of riches with the shattered illusion of meaninglessness. It was hard not to be moved by the delicate complexion of the music, especially the crying sounds of the violin or the hypnotic thuds of the tantã. He even threw a few passinhos that only eagle-eyed viewers would look to closely. But he needed to maintain the somber and somewhat violent composure of the song. In essence, he tried to become Solomon, but ended up harnessing Midas.

Dime por qué mi vida se hace en el ocaso
Fue un fracaso
Todo el trabajo que hice por mi ego
Llené mi boca de abrazos
Todos son falsos
Perdí toda mi fe

Mi corona se llena de espinas, pues algo
Quitó mi canto
El deseo perdí, frágil y menso
Y todos pisarán mis rastros
Al Seol yo reclamo
¿A quién agradecer?

Todo esto es vanidad
Todo esto es vanidad

It was hard to determine the extent of the king’s resignation. Was it fear? Was it dejection? Was it desperation? The king’s hopelessness could not be taken lightly. For a brief moment, Narinho was not just a singer on stage—he was a king, a preacher, a wise man who would draw his dying breath trying to warn the world, in vain, of the futility of living. He tried to minimize his pain and maximize his pleasure, but that didn’t work. But philosopher Thomas More stated on Utopia, his magnum opus, that “the chief part of a person's happiness consists of pleasure.” That said, can the pursuit of pleasure be a good in and of itself and not a detriment to the search for our purpose? Because the king once had it, but he lost it and is now regretting it in his deathbed.

Perdí toda mi fe
Todo esto es vanidad

The electric guitar along with the faint sound of the cavaquinho let the audience know that the song was to its end. The orchestra remained silent as the final strokes of the piano were played. With a manual camera on the back, Narinho took his hat off and curtsied to the crowd, showing some of his bulging muscles and many tattoos, but only by accident. The clothes were supposed to look tight and somewhat broken, just as the king of the story. He then waved to the crowd with his microphone-free left hand and blew a kiss. For a few seconds, the cameras focused on the always-ecstatic Achaean crowd waving their flags and shouting Narinho’s name. Back to the stage, the conductor also bowed with Narinho.

by **Pemecutan** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 6:55 pm

XX. Pemecutan
"Cinta Kita (Takkan Goyah)" - Ayu Pratiwi
Title Transcription: -
Title Translation: Our Love (Will Not Falter)
Language(s): Indonesian
Lyrics: Dewi Sri Andini
Music: Acwin Dwijendra
Tune: Loren Allred - Never Enough

The 55th World Hit Festival have been a tremendous journey for Pemecutan itself. The country reach their top 5 for the first time in their third participation. After their shocking first participation (winning the Semi Final phase), the country is steadily finished in the top 10 of the competition. This result makes the competition more attractive in Pemecutan itself. For the 56th edition, PRIA (Pemecutan Recording Industry Association), internally selected their representative as orchestrated music is quite rare in Pemecutan music industry. The organization was contemplating for choosing between traditional-based orchestra or internationally recognized orchestrated music. The choice then come to the second option, as in 55th edition their representative is a combination of modern and ethnic music.

For that reason, PRIA pick Ayu Pratiwi. The 23 years old singer was the runner up of first edition Pemecutan Got Talent. She was defeated in the final by Etnikali, an ethnic music group. Born in small town of Seseh, Ayu Pratiwi is attracted to music from young age. She was singing in pop at first but when she was winning an opera singing contest during her teen, she is increasingly interested to exploring opera. But Pratiwi doesn't want to address herself as an opera singer as her pop vocal is still clearly heard even though she is singing opera song. She compete in Pemecutan Got Talent at the age of 13 and finished as the runner up. From that moment, she began to explore the music industry. But it is harder for her to set her place in Pemecutan music industry as her music genre is not very commercial in Pemecutan. Her first album was released 5 years after her Got Talent performance. The album was not selling well but she is continuously being invited to singing off-air notably at government events or wedding events. She is always said that singing has been her passion whether or not it is commercially accepted but she will continue to sing. She feels like she is promoting the genre itself. So more people will attracted to it.

Ayu Pratiwi is waiting nervously at the backstage while she is watching the current performer who is still singing their last part of the song. The tension is build up as she hear the crowd clapping at the performance. She took a deep breath to calm herself. The host is thanking for the performer who just finished. After the crowd is calming down, the host introduce Pemecutan entry. The big screen is showing Pemecutan postcard while Ayu Pratiwi is getting ready to enter the stage. The host is calling out her name accompanied by the claps from the audience who's welcoming her. The lights are blackened with only a single light is on. The light is enlighten Ayu Pratiwi who is standing nicely in the center of the upper stage. She is wearing modern style of pastel brown kebaya, a traditional clothes of Pemecutan, which combine with printed batik long skirt. Her hair is styled with modern Lelunakan hairstyle, a traditional Pemecutan hairstyle which is use by teen and young woman during a holy ceremony. It is also a hairstyle for Tenun Dance performance. The hair is decorated with arranged golden chrysolite flowers, golden clover flowers and red rose at the top and a single frangipani flower in the middle which makes it more beautiful.

Acwin Dwijendra, the conductor, is standing in front of the orchestra players taking his position. He raise his hand and started the music that accompany the song. The sound of a piano is opening the intro of the song which captivating the audience for her singing voice. She begin to sing the first verse in a quite low tone. Very soft it is almost unheard. Luckily, the host sound system can make even the softest voice to be heard throughout the venue. The truth really a relieving for Ayu. She continue to sing the verse as she walk down the stairs into the lower stage. The light keep following her movement until she is standing at the lower stage.

Tak pernah terbayangkan
Begitu dalam rasa yang t'lah tercipta
Saat kita bersama
Menjalin kisah asmara dua insan

Tak ada yang kan memisahkan
Kita berdua

She then walks elegantly through the right side of the stage when she sing the chorus while the orchestra band is in the center of the stage. The light accompany her movement. Ayu can be seen smiling once in a while and gazing to Acwin. She is also make interaction with the audience by reaching out her hands. She is stopping at the front of the stage while she sing wholeheartedly for the last part of the chorus.

Segala rintangan datang
Tak akan mampu menggoyahkan
Rasa cinta kita, cinta kita

Apapun yang mereka katakan
Tak kan mampu untuk lemahkan
Rasa cinta, cinta kita....berdua...

Tak kan goyah...tak kan goyah...cinta kita...berdua...
Tak kan goyah...tak kan goyah...tak kan goyah...cinta...kita...berdua...

She took a deep breath while she sing for the last part of the song. The vocal took one note higher while the music getting more powerful. She gives all her power to sing the song until the last part. The lights getting more lively when she sing the last part which makes the audience can see the whole stage. The sound of violin and drum can be heard dominated the song until the whole sound completely silent when she sing the last word.

Segala rintangan datang
Tak akan mampu menggoyahkan
Rasa cinta kita, cinta kita

Apapun yang mereka katakan
Tak kan mampu untuk lemahkan
Rasa cinta, cinta kita....berdua...

Tak kan goyah...tak kan goyah...cinta kita...berdua...
Tak kan goyah...cinta kita...tak kan goyah...cinta kita...tak kan goyah...cinta...kita...berdua...

The lights gets darken with only one light shining through Ayu who is still standing at the front of the stage. The music is also become silent. She just sing one last word then Acwin gives sign to play the last string as the finisher.

Berdua...

The lights are enlighten again. The audience are clapping for the sweet performance. Ayu is seen bowing elegantly, thanking for the positive feedback from the audience. The host congratulate her once again for her performance before she walks off the stage.

by **Beepee** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:11 pm

XX. BEEPEE
"The Same" - Ivor Biggun

Language(s): English
Lyrics: Ivor Biggun
Music: Wayvn La Baton
Tune: Do - "Samen Zijn"

ARTIST BACKGROUND - IVOR BIGGUN

Ivor Biggun, is a 28 year old singer, actor and personal trainer from Isring Forest, Beepee.

Likes: romantic walks in the rain, snuggling whilst watching musicals, and exploring historic sites.

Dislikes: Cheese in a can, Igneous rock formations, and things without glitter.

The observant amongst you may have spotted Ivor previously, singing backing vocals for Ashi N at World Hit Festival 54.

Ivor Biggun is a gentle giant. Standing at almost 2m tall, his height is compounded by his muscular frame which he has spent many years perfecting. His sheer bulk and mass can be of putting to many, but beneath that hard exterior lies a quiet and gentle man.

Ivor grew up in Isring Forest, a small town on the outskirts of Norfolk Pinewoods. He was a quiet child who enjoyed his own company and a small circle of friends.

Ivor wasn't particularly gifted as a student. Often finding himself disinterested in the history or geography lessons in school.

In his late teens, Ivor discovered sports particularly soccer and this lead him to undertake a degree in physical training from the local college. Before working as a physical trainer at a local gym.

In his early twenties, he undertook some modelling work and it landed him a few small walk on roles in melodrama and soaps. Whilst small, and often non-speaking, roles, the experience ignited a passion for theatre and in particular musical theatre.

The long hours and occasional touring has meant it's hard for him to find a partner, and Ivor often finds himself longing for a nice man to hold. Someone friendly who likes food and nights in.

But being single is difficult. Many of his high school and college friends have moved to the city in search of work or settled with a partner and are setting up family. Leaving the single Ivor behind and trying to find love, often in the wrong places.

Ivor wrote the song "The Same" a while ago, but only recently drummed up the courage to present the song for consideration to the BONC Song Selection Committee.

The song is a love song, but not a typical love song. Ivor explained the song is based on a conversation and a feeling of helplessness when the Beepeean Government held a plebiscite on marriage equality. The plebiscite was carried, however the nature and tones of the conversations he had at that time stayed with Ivor for long after the vote.

Beepeeans have rallied behind the song, despite some negative reaction from religious groups within Beepee.

Lonely Symphony

Ivor arrived in Tödlichebujoku a couple of weeks before rehearsal was due. Like all Beepeeans, Ivor considers punctuality as important.

Ivor was alone for the trip. The Beepeean delegation had been paired back somewhat over recent cycles in a bid to save money for the national broadcaster. But this allowed Ivor freedom to explore without a chef de mission watching his every move.

He wished to explore the sights and sounds of Sterblichengokai, to explore the culture that a boy from a small town longs for.

Each morning, Ivor would waken early, lift some weights in the hotel gym and then feast on the all you can eat buffet on a continental style breakfast, before heading into the city.

He was surprised as to how kind the people of Sterblichengokai were. Not for any reason other than he had heard the larger a settlement got the more inward its occupants looked. But as he wandered the streets of Sterblichengokai, people were friendly and accommodating.

He had, as all Beepeeans do, bought a phrasebook before heading to Tödlichebujoku, and Ivor stumbled his way through greetings, pleases and thank yous. But every time the locals met him with a smile and thanked him for trying.

Ivor enjoyed the cool breeze which occasionally swept through Sterblichengokai. Not for any other reason than when he had left Beepee it was the height of summer and the hot, muggy days were a contrast to the fresher cooler city.

After a few days, Ivor found himself feeling lonely. Whilst exploring a new city can be fun, he imagined it must the more fun sharing it with someone close.

As the days had passed, Ivor had seen other delegations arrive and he introduced himself to them. Smiling and nodding and answering the same questions from each of the press affiliates. But after the cameras were turned off for the day, most of the delegations returned to their own groupings and Ivor felt himself alone once more.

One evening before the first rehearsals, Ivor thought it may be nice to go to a nightclub. He infrequently enjoyed a disco, and he thought it might be nice to experience the nightlife of Sterblichengokai. As it was coming closer to the time of the contest many fans had made their way to the host city and, even Ivor could feel, a buzz around the city centre.

Ivor thought to himself that, as a foreigner in a strange city, gathering with other nationals and visitors would be less nerve shredding.

Ivor looked up nightclubs online and found what seemed to be an friendly large club where they were having a WHF/WV fan evening. The club would be playing hits from the contests for fans. It sounded perfect.

He styled and teased his hair, put on his 'going out' shirt and jeans and headed off to find the nightclub. It didn't take long and already there was a short queue to enter. Ivor waited patiently and eventually entered.

As he walked in a wall of sound him and dark room and dry ice smoke, together with the rabble of talking and music was a sensory overload. Ivor breathed heavily and walked into the main hall.

As he did, a few patrons nudged each other and whispered to the each other. Ivor approached the bar and tried to order a beer in Taploukkun. However the pronunciation was off so Ivor actually said "I'm looking for a bear".

A local beside him at the bar, laughed a little and Ivor felt a little self conscious, but the local translated for the barman, who dutifully served him.

"That'll be 4 valijana", the local said.

Ivor pulled out a pocketful of change and the local took some coins and handed them to the barman.

"You're not from round here are you?", the local said.

"No." a little embarrassed, Ivor said raising his voice to be heard over the music. "Its obvious, huh?". Shoving his change back in his pocket.

"A little", the local shrugged. "You're here for the contest?".

"Yeah..." Ivor responded, adding sheepishly, "I'm performing".

"Oh good for you." The local said almost without expression. "Would you like to dance?".

"Sure".

The local lead Ivor into the dance floor and the pair began to dance. Ivor shuffled almost nervously from one foot to the next, whereas the local raised his hands above his head and danced with gay abandon.

The local occasionally would lean in and ask if Ivor was OK or needed another drink, and Ivor was pleased for the company.

The music was popular and clubby. Sometimes the dj mixed in dance versions of tunes. Most of the songs were Tödlichebujoki or contest winners songs. Ivor knew a few of the songs, but no all. But as he drank his beer and danced finding the beat became easier.

When Ivor had finished his beer, the local indicated a drink and the pair headed back to the bar. This time the local ordered and Ivor pulled put some money to pay.

"No. No. Its my treat". The local said.

"Well thank you." Ivor said putting his cash away. "I don't even know your name?"

The local introduced himself as Henrik. And the pair talked briefly heading to an ante room, to talk more openly. Ivor enjoyed the conversation which was pleasant but not too deep.

Henrik asked Ivor about his time in Sterblichengokai and about his performance. Ivor explained about his time in the city and how much he was enjoying it. Ivor told of his nerves and wanting to do a good job in the contest.

As he did, Henrik put to his hand on Ivor's forearm. It was a comforting gesture but Ivor was taken unguarded for a moment. Henrik noticed and apologised removing his hand.

"I'm sorry if that was forward. I forget that other nations are more sensitive about sexuality than Tödlichebujoki".

"No, no, it's, it's... okay", Ivor stumbled.

The pair talked more. Henrik talked about his likes and his work. Ivor talked about the same topics. It was pleasant. The pair shared a joke and laughed, and Ivor felt more at ease.

At one point, Ivor reached out for Henriks hand. It felt right and natural, and Ivor smiled. Henrik placed his other hand on top of Ivors. It was warm and Ivor smiled.

As the night deepened on the pair danced a little and talked more. Sharing some beer, become more comfortable.

On the dancefloor, the pair danced slightly closer and slightly more in synchronisation as the night wore on. As a remix dance version of Seppo Takala's 'Take Me Away' played, Ivor was taken by the moment and leaned in gently caressing Henrik's face as he swayed in closer and felt his lips touch.

Although it started slowly, the kiss grew more passionate, and Ivor felt Henriks hands wrap around his neck.

As the kiss ended, the pair nodded in unspoken agreement and headed out into the night air. They headed back to Ivors hotel, holding hands and leaning into each other, giggling occasionally as naughty children sometimes do.

As they made their way into Ivors room, the pair kissed and felt each others warm embrace. Ivor let Henrik explore his body before tugging off each others clothes and feeling their way around each other.

As dawn broke, sunlight began to flow through the sheer curtains of the hotel room. Ivor blinked awake reaching to the other side of the empty bed. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and face forcing himself awake, but Henrik was gone, and once again Ivor was alone.

WORLD HIT FESTIVAL 56

Beepeean Televisual Commentary

Once again Hugh Jakeman provides a considered and rational commentary for those watching in Beepee and across the interwebs to the multiverse. Well, at least until he opens the sherry.

That was a wonderful performance there... well I assume it was, I nodded off midway through.

Next up... Ivor Biggun, well that's what the present Mrs Jakeman tells me.

Now, let me tell you I've not seen guns like that since I visited the Polkopian Armoury.

We've got a musical masterpiece here written by Beepee's own orchestral maestro, Wavyn LaBaton. So you know its high quality.

This song has been controversial in a number of the early run throughs with the more conservative mobs threatening a boycott... personally I like the message, but when has that ever been what this is all about.

Here he comes now... dressed in... well, I'd call that midnight blue. Let's cheer Ivor on in word and gesture.

PERFORMANCE

A ripple of applause fades from the audience and, as the postcard ends, the stage is set in colours of wet asphalt. Ivor stands alone centre stage, quietly, holding his microphone, wearing dark jeans and a dark blue t-shirt.

Wayvn La Baton musical conductor steps up to the podium and taps on the stand in front him, to get the attention of the player before starting up the orchestra. The music begins from the orchestra. A simple piano begins, slowly accompanied by the strings and woodwind section.

Ivor lifts his microphone, and begins... a little shakily to begin with... as the camera pulls in to provide the audience with a good look at the perofmer.

You say words
without thinking about them.
You tell me that
That I am not 'the same'.

As he continues, a low hush settles of the audience. The orchestra, the oboes and bassoon continue to add to the cacophony, as the bass and the cellos begin to add to the depth of music which wells up in the pit of listeners stomach.

The director determines to show various shots cutting between the audience, Ivor and the orchestra.

You say its me,
Thats it's all my fault
All because... I love him.
As if I can stop.
You say the world is not
for those who feel the way I do.
I see the world
Through a different lens, perhaps,
I think the world is filled with love.

As the verse continues, the violins and flotists raise their pitch to match the sentiment of the lyrics.

Ivor remained steadfast looking down the camera, with a hidden pain up to this point, however as he finishes the verse there appears to be a release, an unclenching.

And perhaps,
I want to believe.

As the chorus begins, Ivor bends through his knees reaching to find the courage to find the notes. The audience can feel him seeking to contain his feelings and to project at the same time.

The same as you,
The colour of our eyes and skin,
As if those things really matter to Him at all,
The same as you,
The same colour blood flows through our veins,
The only difference here is our love,
I'm the same as you,
The same as you,
I wish you felt that too.

As he sang the chorus, across Beepee, spontaneously, voices raised to support Ivor singing the song. If one were to be walking through the streets of one of the many towns or cities in Beepee at that precise moment, you would hear voices singing along with patriotic fervour.

As the second chorus began, Beepeeans hoped their voices would travel over the miles to support Ivor, as ridiculous as that may be.

The orchestra crescendos aided by the brass section as the second chorus continues...

The same as you,
The colour of our eyes and skin,
As if those things really matter to Him at all,
The same as you,
The same colour blood flows through our veins,
The only difference here is our love,
I'm the same as you,
The same as you,
I wish you felt that too......

As Ivor sings the second chorus he feels as though his knees will give under the weight of emotion and expectation. He steps forward, unexpectedly, as he reaches to get to the final note, which he struggles toward.

As the song ends, the audience, which had sat quietly during the performance, watching, applauds politely. Ivor, bows and then waves to the audience exiting stage right.

Beepeean Televisual Commentary

Hugh Jakeman returns to the airwaves to provide his commentary... clealry emotional and trying to hold it together as he is overcome with national pride.

We are all the same tonight, and if its all the same to you, I'll be opening my wine now.

Up next, who do we have....

by **Northern Beepee** » Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:33 pm

XX. Northern Beepee
"Today Is" - Gunner Boscher

Language(s): English
Lyrics: Justin Hawig / Gunner Boscher
Music: Justin Hawig
Tune: Wem - Howard Carpendale

ARTIST BACKGROUND

Gunner Boscher is a 42 year old rock schlager singer from Hakea. Gunner has been performing professionally for 22 years, both in a solo capacity and as part of rock-schlager band Fremdschämen.

Gunner has a distinctive voice, which has been likened to a gravel driveway or the kind of voice only a mother could love. Despite this the band has had numerous hits in the local charts.

Boscher is married to fellow bandmate Justin Hawig, who co-wrote the song with Boscher. The pair have been together since 2007. In 2018, the pair became parents when they adopted.

Boscher and Hawig generally shun the press and publicity believing their music should stand alone. The pair are rarely seen in the tabloids.

Room For a Guest

There is a long standing tradition in Northern Beepee of welcoming guests into the home. The hardships of daily life are of little consequence. No matter how small the apartment, there is always room for a guest.

Tables will be laid with the finest linen, upon which, perhaps, will stand a small vase of flowers.    The best crockery and cutlery will be brought out.   Everything is set to welcome the visitor and to make them feel like they are truly welcomed and special.

On the night of the World Hit Festival it is customary for friends to visit and congregate to sit together and watch the show.   This year is special for many Beepeeps given the nation will return and the special orchestral nature of this edition.

At the time of special celebrations, Beepeeps take on special customs they feel will make their guest feel special.   As this edition of the Festival is taking place in the glorious city of Sterblichengokai, Tödlichebujoku, many Beepeeps have sought to incorporate elements from the Reborn Republic.

Florists have seen a run on white dryad, which will adorn many a table. The pointed white petals which represent purity, holiness, and endurance over adverse conditions, a glorious symbol of Tödlichebujoku culture.   Sprigs from the balsam poplar and balsam fir used to create a contrast in green to the pure white of the dryad.

Guests will be treated to a feast. Depending on the location within the nation, entrees of prawn, fruit, or pastry will be prepared before a main meal of lamb of indigenous meats and fish, with accompaniments of vegetables, sauces, saltbush, baked yams and pepperberry jams. Desserts of cakes, pies and tarts. All served with the finest of wines. As the old saying goes, there is never enough food, but there is always too much.

Guests will watch the Festival together woth their hosts in a spirit of congeniality. Watching and listening closely to each entrant with consideration.

Throughout the Festival snacks will be provided including crispy native leaves, or fruit and cheese platters with flatbreads. Drinks will continue to flow. By the end of the Festival, both visitors and hosts will be satiated.

WORLD HIT FESTIVAL 56

PERFORMANCE

Gunner stands centre stage. A fog machine blows a low level smoke around his feet.   To either side, and slightly behind, are 6 cellists.

The string section begins with the violins, cellos and bass, creating a rousing cacophony before Gunner starts.

Gunner walks towards a mic stand close the front of the stage, and begins...

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

As he sings the preceeding, Gunner emphasises the lyrics raising his left hand on the first line, his right on the second and then pointing to his feet as he sings about 'today'.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

As he repeats the chorus Gunner holds his hands up in front of his eyes as though the he's pretending to walk through a fog.

The programme director decides to cut towards one of the cellists on the stage, before a sweeping shot over the audience, before cutting back to Gunner.

Gunner looks down the camera with a sense of purpose as he continues...

First there was only you and I
Nothing but the stars in our eyes
And then world changed one day
To take you away from me

As he sings the following, Gunner begins to walk across the stage, sightly dragging the mic stand with him. He looks directly out over the audience...

I walked this world alone at night
Looking for your memory
Too many dreams kept me awake in fright

As the chorus begins once more, there's a steely determination in the eyes of Gunner. The director quick cuts between the orchestra, the onstage players and Gunner.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

Between the chorus high pressure steam jets shoot 'fog' up into the sky in a blast of excitement. There's a brief gasp of surprise from the audience. The jeys are really just a distraction to allow a small group of choral signers to assemble unnoticed on stage to provide chilling vocal accompaniment.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

As the final verses begin Gunner seems to be enjoying the drama of the song... his gravelly voice provides a strong contrast to orchestra and the choral singers.

After years of searching for you
I came across a missing clue
A fragment of a dream that took me
to edge of what we had

Gunner bops slightly from side to side to the beat of the music.

I was swept back through the mist
Back to when we used to exist
I recall those days we used to have it all

As the final choruses begin, again then high pressure jets go off and the choral singers raise in voice. The overall crescendo of sound from the orchestra, the jets and the choir singers threatens to overpower Gunner, but he continues unrepentant.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

Yesterday is nothing but a memory
To-morrow is not on the horizon
Here
Today is
All that we have.

As the song ends, Gunner waves to the audience, before politely thanking the assembled audience and leaves the stage....

by **Rhim Flavezztowland** » Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:36 pm

XX. Rhim Flavezztowland
"My Best Friend" - Sienna Cody
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Sienna Cody
Music: Sienna Cody, Giovanni Seacrest
Tune: "The Red Shoes" - IU

ARTIST INFO

Sienna Cody

Born on June 11, 1990 in Westcairn, Marnia County, Rhim Flavezztowland, 30-year-old Sienna Cody is a well-known Flavezztowlander singer-songwriter and former girl group member who's currently signed to the Flavezztowlander entertainment company Chrysalis Entertainment. She entered the music industry on April 2, 2003 as the maknae (youngest member) and lead singer of the now-disbanded Blueyoung Entertainment girl group Perfect Touch, which lasted from 2003 through 2015. After Perfect Touch disbanded on February 28, 2015, Sienna decided to begin a solo career under Blueyoung Entertainment by releasing her Platinum-certified solo debut mini album, Summer Style, on August 1 of the same year.

On May 25, 2018, Sienna Cody officially left Blueyoung Entertainment and signed a solo contract with Chrysalis Entertainment the next day; since then, she's released her newer solo comebacks under the latter company.

SONG INFO

"My Best Friend" is a Sienna Cody song that is one of the two title tracks of her latest studio album, Century #20 (released on December 30, 2020), the other being "I'm Your Lady". Its sound differs from other Sienna Cody songs in that it takes on a jazzy sound, whilst the lyrics involve the themes of best friends and love.

SONG LYRICS

[Verse 1]
Back when you weren't here
I was very lonely
I was a used-to-be of my old lover
And my heart was broken 'til I met you

[Verse 2]
Now that you're here, I feel great
My past lovers are in the past
You and I are like two birds
(La-la-la-la-la)
Of a feather and flockin'

[Chorus]
'Cause from now on, you're my best friend
Leave your old best friends in the distant past
My best friend is you, my lover
You're more than just a friend 'cause you're my new lover
I want no one but my best friend
'Cause I know that I really can't live without you
You're my love, my best friend

[Post-Chorus]
Umpah-umpah-doo-dooby-dooba-dum
Now I know with my whole heart
That I love you, love you

[Verse 3]
Your eyes shine like they're gold
Your smile is as white as snow
And the way you talk is just like sweet music to my ears
Darling, you're just the perfect man for me

[Verse 4]
'Cause I love the way you look
And 'cause I love the way you walk
Darling, my old lover's love
(La-la-la-la-la)
Is now no match for your love

[Chorus]
'Cause from now on, you're my best friend
Leave your old best friends in the distant past
My best friend is you, my lover
You're more than just a friend 'cause you're my new lover
I want no one but my best friend
'Cause I know that I really can't live without you
You're my love, my best friend

[Post-Chorus]
Umpah-umpah-doo-dooby-dooba-dum
Now I know with my whole heart
That I love you, love you

[Bridge]
Since I found you, my heartbreak's been healed now and forever, yoo-hoo
All my love is for you
Darling, you're my best friend, my lover, my everything, yoo-hoo
Love is like strawberries, yeah...

[Instrumental]

[Chorus]
'Cause from now on, you're my best friend
Leave your old best friends in the distant past
My best friend is you, my lover
You're more than just a friend 'cause you're my new lover
I want no one but my best friend
'Cause I know that I really can't live without you
You're my love, my best friend

[Outro]
Umpah-umpah-doo-dooby-dooby
Umpah-umpah-doo-dooby-dooba-dum
Now I know with my whole heart
That I love you
Love you
Love you
Love you

by **Tohotokai** » Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:45 pm

XX. Tohotokai
"私のすべて" - Nakamura Shion
Title Transcription: Watashi no Subete
Title Translation: My All
Language(s): Japanese
Lyrics: Nakamura Shion
Music: Nakamura Shion
Tune: "A Thousand Years" - Christina Perri

Nakamura Shion

SONG LYRICS

悲しい女の子です
Kanashii onna no ko desu

私がすべてをくれられるよ
Watashi ga subete wo kurerareru yo

不思議の女
Fushigi no onna

私は遠田町がないよ
Watashi wa tomodachi ga nai yo

これでしょうか？
Koredeshou ka?

私のこえが語る
Watashi no koe ga kataru

時間がとまる
Jikan ga tomaru

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

恋愛は美容のように
Ren'ai wa biyou no you ni

無限大な宇宙の大小は測らない
Mugendai na uchuu no daishuu wa hakaranai

もっと膨らむわ
Motto fukuramu wa

恋愛するの実質って何か？
Ren'aisuru no jishittsu tte nani ka?

これでしょうか？
Koredeshou ka?

私のこえが語る
Watashi no koe ga kataru

時間がとまる
Jikan ga tomaru

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のハートが語る
Watashi no hāto ga kataru

タイドがとまる
Taido ga tomaru

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

「インスト　－　Instrumental」

これでしょうか？
Koredeshou ka?

これでしょうか？
Koredeshou ka?

私のこえが語る
Watashi no koe ga kataru

時間がとまる
Jikan ga tomaru

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のハートが語る
Watashi no hāto ga kataru

タイドがとまる
Taido ga tomaru

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

私のすべてか？
Watashi no subete ka?

by **Duskain and Bodresia** » Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:26 pm

XX. Duskain and Bodresia
"Monsieur Bonhomme" - Les Deux Femmes
Title Translation: Mr. Bonhomme
Language(s): French, English
Lyrics: Patricia Sardou, Sonia Trémaux
Music: Patricia Sardou, Jean-Baptiste Breguet, Empirio Spagna, Metrofane Fenoglio
Tune: "Piano Man" - MAMAMOO

ARTIST INFO

Les Deux Femmes members (from left to right): Sonia Trémaux, Patricia Sardou

Les Deux Femmes (lit. "The Two Women") is a brand-new musical duo from the federation of Duskain and Bodresia that consists of two 19-year-old female university students from the Université Dusquainoise des Arts (UDA): Sonia Trémaux (the duo's main vocalist) and Patricia Sardou (the duo's rapper and sub-vocalist). As stated in an interview on the TDF Deux variety show On vous demande tout, the duo was formed as a result of Patricia being inspired by the Duskainois jazz music she was listening to in her dorm one night and teaming up with Sonia the next day so they could make some music of their own.

SONG LYRICS

[Instrumental]

Qui est le plus beau en ville?
Qui est le plus aimé en ville?
Monsieur Bonhomme!

[Instrumental]

(Ah...)
Il y a un homme qui s'appelle Monsieur Bonhomme
Et il est le plus aimé en ville
Voici sa beauté et voilà son bonheur
Il est l'homme qui les citadins aiment
(C'est très vrai...)

Il est l'homme idéal qui ne rate pas d'attirer
Tous les personnes qui vivent en ville
Monsieur Bonhomme n'est jamais un homme mauvais
En fait, il est un homme gentil

Lalalala-lalalala-lalalala-oh...
Lalalala-lalalala-lalalala-oh...

Monsieur Bonhomme
T'es le meilleur homme qui je connais
Monsieur Bonhomme
Tu me rends jaloux comme un homme riche
Si je pouvais, je voudrais être aussi belle et aimée comme toi
Parce que t'es trés parfait

He's the perfect man, he's the greatest man, he's the ideal man
He's a good man, he's a real man, he's a nice man
(Ouais!)

Monsieur Bonhomme ne va jamais être en retard
En plus, tous les femmes en ville l'adorent pour sa bonté
Même Madame Coutermache parle de lui tous les jours
Et les journals font l'éloge de lui

Lalalala-lalalala-lalalala-oh...
Lalalala-lalalala-lalalala-oh...

Monsieur Bonhomme
T'es le meilleur homme qui je connais
Monsieur Bonhomme
Tu me rends jaloux comme un homme riche
Si je pouvais, je voudrais être aussi belle et aimée comme toi
Parce que t'es trés parfait

He's a good man, he's a real man, he's a nice man
He's the perfect man, he's the greatest man
Voici Trisha
(Ouais!)

Just like the days of old
This is jazz, yeah
I'mma present all o' the music that we've prepared
All my own pictures could be published worldwide
Here's hoping we get the recognition that we deserve
I am the one who started this with my friend
Don't you know that this is our first song?
Plus, minus, A, B, O, all that I want 'cha to know

Mesdames, messieurs, chantez
(La-la-la-la-la, oui)
Mesdemoiselles, chantez
Nous sommes un duo
(Tout le monde, chantez)
Nous sommes Les Deux Femmes...
Chantez, chacun ici!

Monsieur Bonhomme
T'es le meilleur homme qui je connais
(Oui, c'est vraiment Monsieur Bonhomme...)
Monsieur Bonhomme
Tu me rends jaloux comme un homme riche
Si je pouvais, je voudrais être aussi belle et aimée comme toi
(Je t'aime, Monsieur Bonhomme, c'est trés vrai!)
Parce que t'es trés parfait

It's the end of our song
See you later, everyone!
(La-la-la-la-la-la...)
Oh!

by **United Australasian Commonwealth** » Wed Jan 06, 2021 6:29 pm

XX. Australasian Lushanskian Confederation
"Sarie Marais - P.W. Botha

Language(s): Afrikaans
Lyrics: Sarie Marais , Constand Viljoen
Music: Sarie Marais by Peter De Angelis IC song composers
Tune:https://youtu.be/7KOLKu0aBEc

Background: Pieter Willem Botha served as the last Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1948 to 1957 before New Zealand's annexation to the UAC and the 6th President of the UAC from 1994 to 2001.

P.W. Botha drives up in a 1959 Citroen DS on stage and leaves the car

Peter De Angelis and his band begins to play

PW Botha then sings these lyrics:
My Sarie Marais is so ver van my hart
Maar'k hoop om haar weer te sien
Sy het in die wyk van die Mooirivier gewoon
Nog voor die oorlog het begin
O bring my t'rug na die ou Transvaal
Daar waar my Sarie woon
Daar onder in die mielies
By die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais
Oh, bring my t'rug na die ou Transvaal
Daar waar my Sarie woon
Daar onder in die mielies
By die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais
Ek was so bang dat die Kakies my sou vang
En ver oor die see wegstuur
Toe vlug ek na die kant van die Upington se sand
Daar onder langs die Grootrivier
Oh, bring my t'rug na die ou Transvaal
Daar waar my Sarie woon
Daar onder in die mielies
By die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais
Die Kakies is mos net soos 'n krokodillepes
Hulle sleep jou altyd water toe
Hul gooi jou op 'n skip vir 'n lange, lange trip
Die josie weet waarnatoe
Oh, bring my t'rug na die ou Transvaal
Daar waar my Sarie woon
Daar onder in die mielies
By die groen doringboom
Daar woon my Sarie Marais

[translation]
Sarie Marais (English translation)
Artist: PW Botha
Song: Sarie Marais

My Sarie Marais is so far from my heart 1
But I hope to see her again
She lived in the area of Mooi-river
Before the war began

Chorus:
Oh bring me back to the old Transvaal
Where my Sarie lives
There by the maize
By the green thorn tree
There my Sarie lives

I was so scared that the Kakhis2 would catch me
And send me far across the sea
So I fled to Upington
There next to the Grootriver

Chorus

The khakis are just like crocodiles
They always drag you to the water
They throw you on a ship for a long long trip;
Who knows where they're taking you

Chorus

Relief came and it was possible that we could go home
back to the old Transvaal
My love will probably also be there
to reward me with a kiss[/translation]

PW Botha : Thank you and a Vote for this song is a vote for Democracy against Communist Opression

by **Rusmailica** » Thu Jan 07, 2021 2:44 pm

XX. Rusmailica
"Panacea" - Platans
Language(s): English, Polish
Lyrics: Kaja Platan, Tyme Platan
Music: Kaja Platan, Tyme Platan
Tune: Kwiat Jabłoni - Wodymidaj

The Rusmailican siblings from Robrana - Kaja (26 y.o.) and Tyme (27 y.o.) found the band called Platans. Their father is a famous Rusmailican composer and lyricist so they had to deal with music since a very young age. "Panacea" is a song about our planet, an appeal to the people of the world to take part in saving their home before it is too late.

Both Rusmailican and Lotnuscoran entries are conducted by Urban Randanas, 42 y.o. conductor from the Brachlesh Opera Theatre in Brachlesh, Saintrabina.

The performance starts with inostensible sound of a single mandolin held by Tyme. He enters the stage from its left side while Kaja is walking out out of its right side. They meet each other in the centre of the upper stage. The LED screen behind them is covered with lush vegetation of jungle forests growing in front of our eyes out of nowhere. Tyme starts to sing his part looking at his sister's face. Kaja joins him in singing the last verses of each three-verse.

We are caught in our times
We are caught in our places
We of different faces

Would you ignore all these facts
Would you quarrel with gods
To release your senses?

I cannot tell that you're right
I cannot tell I know better
But does it matter?

When there are fires around
There are floods, there are earthquakes
We can change the weather

The weak white light turns into a green and brighter one. Kaja and Tyme go downstairs looking at each other and take two different paths when they are at the lower platform. We can see colourful birds appearing in the lush of the forest on the screen. The siblings take a walk along the circular run and sing the refrain together still looking at each other.

You better take your bundle, take the trail
There are so many hurdles to unveil
Don't need to choose to be a superman
The earth now begs for help in human hands

They rejoin each other at the front of the lower stage and it is time for Kaja to sing her part alone. Tyme accompanies her in the last verses of every three-verse as it happens with the previous versus. They hold each other's hands during the following part and looking at the audience from time to time. The LED screen bihind them now shows the dynamic photoshoots from different corners of the world where environment deals with drought, floods, fires and people suffer from thirst and hunger.

We shouldn't drown them in tears
We shouldn't bury feet under
Think of thirst and hunger

The world is home, keep it safe
But many people are deaf
So let's be a thunder

Together we are the cure
Together we can work better
And it really matters

When there are fires around
There are floods, there are earthquakes
We can change the weather

The big rotating globe of the Earth is appearing on the main LED screen. The siblings separate and take their own walks back toward the stage stairs interracting with the audience that is gathered around the lower platform. The lights are green, blue and yellow. They sing together.

You better take your bundle, take the trail
There are so many hurdles to unveil
Don't need to choose to be a superman
The earth now begs for help in human hands

You better take your bundle, take the trail
There are so many hurdles to unveil
Don't need to choose to be a superman
The earth now begs for help in human hands

They rejoin in front of the stairs and hold each other hands. They stand sideways to the audience looking into each other's eyes. The next verses are sung like mantra while the whole arena except for the orchestra is fading in the dimness. The main screen shows outlines of different countries of the world that slowly appear and disappear during the bridge part.

Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea

Kaja and Tyme run in the main platform up the stairs. They are looking at the audience and claping their hands encouraging people to do so.

Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panacea
Panacea, panaceaaaa...

Then the whole arena burst with bright flash of light and the LED screens shows again the jungle forests but this time with a big amount of flowers, colors, birds and insects. The siblings sings the last refrains laughing and dancing, heading slowly for the front of the lower stage.

Więc lepiej weź tobołek, naprzód idź
Jest w ludziach tyle zła, naprzeciw wyjdź
Nie musisz być jak jakiś supermen
Gdy ziemia błaga, ty jej podaj tlen

Więc lepiej weź tobołek, naprzód idź
Jest w ludziach tyle zła, naprzeciw wyjdź
Nie musisz być jak jakiś supermen
Gdy ziemia błaga, ty jej podaj tlen

Kaja and Tyme stands at the two different sides of the lower platform when the music is coming to the end. They stop dancing and interracting with the audience and turn towards each other. They smile charmingly looking into each other's eyes and simultaneously beat their chest three times. The LED screen behind now shows the globe of the Earth that pulsates as a beating heart.

When the music stops, they bow towards the people sending them kisses and waving their hands. The Rusmailican performance end with a joyful and loud "Thank you, people, together we can save the world!".

by **Lotnuscora** » Thu Jan 07, 2021 2:52 pm

XX. Lotnuscora
"Cosmos" - Shifra
Language(s): English, Polish
Lyrics: Roma Ganasz
Music: Uki Przybył, Hieronim Bala
Tune: Sorry Boys - Carmen

Shifra is a folk-rock band from Mescul consisted of three members - Roma Ganasz (vocalist, lyricist), Uki Przybył and Hieronim Bala (instrumentalists, composers). Although Bala and Przybył won't be present on the Sterblichengokaian stage, they will accompany Roma on the backstage. Roma Ganasz is a 36 y.o. female singer that comes from a little village near Mescul. She met Hieronim and Uki when they were studing at the Mesculan School of Art. They found Shifra not long after their graduations.

Both Rusmailican and Lotnuscoran entries are conducted by Urban Randanas, 42 y.o. conductor from the Brachlesh Opera Theatre in Brachlesh, Saintrabina.

At the beginnig of the Lotnuscoran performance, the stage is completely dark except for the orchestra. Only the inconspicuous pictures of galactics and stars begins to emerge from the dark of the main screen. They rotate and grow while the sonorous humming is resounding in the arena. Roma's vocal is accompanied by two female vocals of Madlena and Galena Zamkovski, two young female opera vocalists. Their black silhouettes are barely noticed in the corner of the upper stage.

Ti-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri, ti-ri, ti-ra-ra,
Ti-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri, ti-ri, ti-ra,
Ti-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri, ti-ri, ti-ra-ra,
Ti-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri, ti-ri, ti-ra.

The light is focusing on the upper platform where Roma is heading for. She is wearing a long classical red dress like in this picture. Her lips are painted juicy red as well. She is singing the first part taking her place in the centre of the upper stage.

Cosmos
The eternal ocean
It's full of planets, full of stars
Only a drop of it is ours

The galactics on the screen behind grow to enormous sizes and appear on the neighbouring LED screens. Roma's dress composes perfectly with the red light that enters the stage during the refrain part.

Do we even matter?
Ask an astronaut
Have you ever heard an echo in the vacuum
There's no life, the only Earth is by you side

From the sparing gestures, Roma moves to a very dynamic expression when more emotional part of the song is coming. The stars behind her flare up and wane quickly, repeating this process irregularly.

We, pollens in clouds of nebulae
We, secret like soils of Mercury

My, pyłki w obłokach mgławicy
My, w poszukiwaniu granicy

When the instrumental part takes its time, Roma takes her microphone out of the stand, grabs the fabric of her dress and carefully walks down the stairs in front of her to appear on the lower platform. She is turning several times during her graceful walk along the circular run. Her eyes sometimes are closed and sometimes she look at somewhere in the distance. She seems to be so absent spiritually but full of passion at the same time. The audience is clapping to the music when Roma gives the rhythm with her own hands. Then she grabs the microphone and sings the Polish refrain with more emotions than previously. She even seems to cry but her face is still inshakable and proud.

Czy cokolwiek znaczysz?
Astronauta wie
Czy usłyszysz echo odpowiedzi z próżni?
Nie ma życia, moja Ziemia tobą jest

The choirists start to make an ethic vocalizations while Roma is coming back to the upper stage by stairs. Then she joins them with her strong vocal. Together with the orchestra they create a beautiful symphony. The pictures of cosmos on the screen are slowly fading away while the song is heading for the end. The lights go out simultaneously with Roma's last longer note.

When the arena gets illuminated after the performance, Roma is taking a bow to the audience. Hieronim and Uki run onto stage to escort their vocalist backstage. And that was the end of the Lotnuscoran entry.

Last.fm · by **Faraby** » Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:50 am

XX. Faraby
"Brotherhood of Man" - Iskender Salih
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Iskender Salih
Music: Iskender Salih
Tune: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Iskender Salih

Behind the Scenes
In 2018, the Principality of Faraby emerged from what has become known among its people as the Dark Time, a 15-year period in which the throne of the Principality was disputed between two claimants. Though the situation never devolved into all-out civil war, as many Farabians feared, street fights, kidnappings, and assassinations increased at an alarming rate, even as the two sides publicly appeared to be participating in peace negotiations. Faraby City, the country's capital, and a few other major towns across the Principality suffered under a series of curfews across the years, and people were afraid to roam the streets - especially late at night - fearing that they would be caught in a street fight or being kidnapped or even murdered under suspicion that they were secret agents working for one side or the other. During those years of darkness, power rested in the hands of Prince Mustafa III, who oversaw continued economic and technological process in the country but fell under suspicion of ordering the exile, kidnapping, torture, or even murder of his political enemies. Mustafa's nephew Samir rejected his uncle as an illegitimate usurper and, with his father having passed away, claimed the throne for himself. He and his followers, however, found themselves outmaneuvered by Mustafa, and the young claimant was forced to leave his residence at Prince's Palace and retreat to the northern town of Suleyman, where he set up his headquarters, slowly built his own army and public support, and publicly entered into negotiations with his uncle, even as he himself was accused of privately having his enemies kidnapped or assassinated. Over the next few years troops loyal to Mustafa and Samir would engage in the occasional skirmish, but this was the closest the two sides ever came to engaging in open warfare.

Finally, in 2018, Mustafa's unpopularity at an all-time high after 15 years of misrule, Samir achieved a decisive breakthrough as he and a band of followers stormed Prince's Palace late at night and took the Prince prisoner, after Samir was seated on the throne and proclaimed the rightful Prince of Faraby. Palace guards provided no resistance, and so did the Faraby Armed Forces when word reached them of the coup (Samir denied rumors that he had bribed them). In any case, the increasingly weary public needed no bribing and welcomed Samir with open arms, hailing him as the savior of Faraby and the country's hope for the future. Samir quickly set to work, removing Mustafa's people from all levels of government and replacing them with his own people, and promising a more open and democratic government that would work to realize the interests of the people. Chief among the reforms proposed by Samir was the increased role of the Grand Vizier in running the government and the establishment of an elected legislature, marking the transition from a semi-absolute monarchy to a semi-constitutional monarchy.

In his desire to inaugurate a new era for Faraby, Samir was keen for the country to play an increased role in affairs beyond its borders as a peacemaker and diplomatic and economic partner, believing that this would help him in establishing an image of Faraby as an open, democratic country in the eyes of the multiverse. Aside from establishing diplomatic relations with countries which many Farabians had never even heard of before, Samir wanted the country to participate in international cultural and sporting events. After spending several years improving the country's economy, it came to be that, in the year 2030, the Prince desired for the country to participate in the World Hit Festival and the WorldVision Song Contest. With signups for the 56th WHF drawing to a close, the Prince pushed the Faraby Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) to register for the contest, intending to use it as an opportunity to test the waters for future WHF and WorldVision participation.

And what song would this debutant country choose to perform at the WHF? To celebrate the end of the Dark Time and the return of peace, the Prince insisted on a song "about peace, freedom, and brotherhood". It was no secret that the FBC, under Director-General Sabiha Vali, wanted an upbeat pop song or something akin to that, instead of a statement song as the Prince wanted, believing it to be more marketable. Kara Abbas, Faraby's newly-appointed Head of Delegation to the WHF, agreed with Vali. Grand Vizier Sania Russo understood Vali's concerns, but also told the Prince that she saw nothing wrong with a "song about peace and love, about freedom and all that". Meanwhile, the Prince had found out that Iskender Salih, one of his personal bodyguards who had served under him since the Dark Time, had musical inclinations, serving as guitarist and occasional bassist in a local band in his spare time, being able to play no less than ten instruments, and having a pleasant baritone voice. The Prince told him that he would become the first person to represent Faraby at the WHF and told him to compose a song for the occasion. Salih was reportedly stunned at the Prince's order - music having never been more than a pastime for him - but nevertheless obeyed. Within a few days he had come out with a song titled "Brotherhood of Man", which he sang to the Prince in his office. The Prince liked the composition and ordered him to perform it with the Faraby City Orchestra in a closed-door session.

Two weeks later, with the performance having been completed, the Prince called Vali, Russo, and Abbas to a meeting in his office, where he played a recording of the performance for them. Russo proclaimed herself "amazed" by the performance and stated her approval for Salih to represent Faraby at the WHF. Vali, on the other hand, denounced the song as a "dreadful dirge" and, while understanding the Prince would in the end choose the song to be performed at the WHF anyway, stated that the song was unlikely to bring Faraby success on the WHF stage. The Prince declared that "success based on the final position" was never his objective anyway, which was to present Faraby to the multiverse as an open, peaceful, and democratic country and an active participant in the international community. Abbas, for her part, did not like the song very much but declared that she had no problem with the song being performed on the WHF stage. And so the decision was taken: Iskender Salih would represent Faraby and perform "Brotherhood of Man" at the 56th World Hit Festival.

The Performance
Illuminated by the lights of the Ergasia Vadonixa, Iskender Salih emerged on the rear platform of the stage wearing a clean white shirt and pitch-black blazer. This hardened soldier took a moment to gaze around the venue, its lights, its seats, its screens, seemingly barely able to believe that his life's journey had taken him from skirmishes on the gentle, undulating hills of Faraby to this beautiful opera house, the stage of the 56th World Hit Festival. The eyes of the multiverse were now on him, who liked to think of himself as the simple man who never went to university, who barely graduated from high school before choosing a life in arms, for whom music was no more than a pastime when there was no skirmish to be fought or no enemy to eliminate. Nevertheless, he too went onstage tonight for the glory of his country, though his weapon was no longer his pistol, but the purity of his voice.

Around him the screens revealed themselves with scenes of everyday activities in Faraby during the day: people walking on the streets, people eating in restaurants, people sitting on the beach, people generally having a good time. Right behind him the main screen now displayed a picture of six people posing in front of the entrance to Prince's Palace in Faraby, each one representing one of the country's major ethnic groups: Arabic, Turkish, Jewish, Greek, Italian/Sicilian, and Afro-Farabian. As one spotlight shone down on Iskender, another danced around the ring that formed the lower stage and the orchestra pit in the middle. The orchestra was a mixture of members of the Faraby City Orchestra and other classical musicians plucked from all across the island of Faraby at the Prince's behest.

Iskender's eyes caught those of the pianist; the former nodded with a smile, signaling at the pianist to begin playing. His hands softly danced on the grand piano, the sound of the keys echoing across the venue. Mic in hand, Iskender gingerly made his way down the staircase to the lower platform. Slowly but surely he walked around the ring, his eyes never leaving the audience, his baritone voice letting out the first words to the song. Among the audience near the lower platform, he saw the Farabian contingent there to support him, led by Head of Delegation Kara Abbas. And through it all rang in his mind the words of the Prince, words of advice from a prince to his loyal bodyguard: Be yourself, Iskender. Be yourself and show the world what you've got. I am not sending you there to win the entire thing. I am sending you there as an ambassador for our country, to show to the world the new Faraby. When you have done that, then you will have won a victory greater than a thousand earthly contests.

One tender morning
The sun rises and I sit
Watching the birds fly past me
So graceful

Now, for the first time since he descended the staircase, Iskender's eyes left the audience, shifting momentarily to the orchestra and its conductor Ahmad Salim. If he was looking for some sort of assurance that the orchestra knew what to do, then he did not need that assurance, for the orchestra knew what to do, and knew that their time had come. As the pianist continued on with his playing, the violins softly began to follow, accompanied by the violas. Peace settled on Iskender, and he once again turned his gaze on the audience.

One tender morning
Greet my neighbors with a smile
Walk to the park, see them go by
All in peace

The screens behind Iskender now displayed scenes of people of various races, colors, and creeds marching down the streets of Faraby City, the city's high-rise residences and skyscrapers towering over them, intermixed with pictures of Prince Samir and Grand Vizier Sania Russo interacting with people across the country. Iskender now sat on the front end of the ringed lower platform, the closest he could get to the audience without leaving the platform. For a moment, the violins and violas receded, as the pianist's playing grew more urgent with a series of staccato notes. Near the last note, the timpani came in, and all those instruments and Iskender's voice came together for the chorus.

Oh the brotherhood of man
Where love envelops us all
Oh what a glorious day
When peace reigns here in our land
Live and thrive, joyful and free

Iskender rose to his feet, but did not move from his spot, as the daylight in the screens gave way to night and scenes of Farabian nightlife. The audience was treated to pictures of people walking down the streets as the stars and skyscraper lights shone on them, enjoying romantic dates by the candlelight, and congregating in, among others, bars, restaurants, and concert halls. They were intended to demonstrate how peaceful the nights had become in Faraby, especially in the capital, after fifteen long years during which citizens were haunted by the possibility of nighttime kidnapping or murder.

One peaceful evening
We gather and tell stories
Moonlight glimmers on us
So beautiful

One peaceful evening
I go home, rest on the chair
And rest I do, I feel good
I feel peace

Iskender then turned his back on the audience and started walking again, but just as it seemed he was about to go for a lap around the ring again, he turned and ascended the staircase to the rear platform. Once he was on the rear platform, he again looked at the audience, extending his mic-free hand as if to reach for the audience's own hand. He never felt completely at ease being a performing artist, feeling more suited to the arms than the arts, but this WHF thing wasn't too bad either. There was a bizarre feeling to all this, that tonight the Prince's bodyguard had probably become one of the most famous Farabians abroad. In the orchestra pit, the piano, violins, and violas worked in unison, their sweet sound traveling the length and width of the Ergasia Vadonixa, ushering in once again the chorus.

Oh the brotherhood of man
Where love envelops us all
Oh what a glorious day
When peace reigns here in our land
Live and thrive, joyful and free

The screens now changed to emphasize scenes of Prince Samir and Grand Vizier Russo participating in official events, visiting charities they patronize, and interacting with citizens from all walks of life, interspersed with meetings of representatives of the country's major faiths and ethnic groups. Still on the rear platform, Iskender stood silently, the hand holding his mic gently dropping to his side, as the pianist launched into a solo, soon to be followed by the rest of the orchestra. After a moment he once again raised his mic to his mouth for the outro, slowly descending the staircase back to the lower platform as he did so.

No differences shall separate us
Race, color, or creed, we are all one
No differences shall separate us
Race, color, or creed, we are all one

Softly and gradually, the sound of the orchestra's playing faded into nothing, and Iskender stepped to the front end of the lower platform, his eyes once again at the Farabian contingent in the audience. There was a moment of quiet, where Iskender turned to the orchestra behind him as they rose to their feet, led by the smiling conductor Ahmad Salim, and then he turned to Head of Delegation Kara Abbas in the audience, nodding slightly as if to say that he had done what he came here to do. Then the venue came alive in a chorus of cheers and applauses, the Farabians even giving their man and the orchestra a standing ovation. Iskender then led the orchestra in a final bow to the audience before making their way out of the stage.

by **Spiritual Republic of Caryton** » Sat Jan 09, 2021 5:14 pm

XX. Spiritual Republic of Caryton
"Beautiful Retriever" - The Carytonic Theological Orchrestra
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Caryl Gough-Queen
Music: Caryl Gough-Queen
Tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXmk7oxtfGE

Cary in her lush and green private "estate" 38 miles southeast of Georgine.

'Beautiful Retriever' is a Carytonic hymn and considered to be the third most important song in the country behind 'The Spirit of Cary' and the national anthem. Hastily composed a day before independence from Caryl Gough-Queen, this hymn was sung at the raising of the flag over what would become Georgine. Over the years, Gough-Queen had arranged a more beautified version of the song for the Carytonic Theological Orchrestra. With simple lyrics and a lack of vocal artists, this would be a serious yet beautiful testament to the Spiritual Republic's freedom and Caryton's contributions to the world.

The entire Carytonic delegation and audience would stand as a show of respect. The tolling of the bells and triangle would convey a feeling of newness and spiritual fulfillment.

0:36

Cary, our sunshine. Cary, our moonlight;
Christlike and noble your heart aligns.
Generous, loving. Faithful, caring.
Jesus shines through your radi'nt deeds.

1:29

Cary, our companion. Cary, our messenger.
Christlike and noble your heart aligns.
Forgiving, candor. Loyal, understanding.
You guide our hearts to eternal love.

2:17

Beautiful Retriever! Illuminate our darkened paths!
Pet of Christ and dog of God!
You turn sin as red as wine into your shiny coat of gold!
We will love you forevermore!

3:42

Beautiful Retriever! Illuminate our darkened paths!
Pet of Christ and dog of God!
You turn sin as red as wine into your shiny coat of gold!
We will love you forevermore!

We will love you forevermore, Amen!

by **Nightom** » Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:33 pm

XX. Nightom
"Never Forget" - Matinée Schylestreake
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Matinee Schylestreake
Music: Matinee Schylestreake, Gordon Bennett
Tune: Adele - Love in The Dark
Conductor: Kayden Christopher-Armstrong

She's back: Matinée represented Nightom at the 31st World Hit Festival in Izmedu where she came 4th place - Nightom's highest score to date.

Nightom is returning to the World Hit Festival after taking a break from the 54th and 55th World Hit Festivals. The last time that Nightom participated was in Bovingdon, Britonisea which is when the country qualified out of the Grand Final for the 2nd time in their history out of 2. They also qualified during the 50th World Hit Festival also meaning KVC knew what to do when it came to making sure the nation qualified. Though, at the Grand Final, Nightom was not a contender for the title. Nightom placed 14th out of 17 nations. 14th out of 33 nations is a good number, but the nation had hoped to crack into the top 10 - something Nightom hasn't done since DoRiTos in the 38th World Hit Festival, in Doportedas, but that was a given since 11 nations participated there. The last and only time Nightom did well was at the 31st World Hit Festival - 25 editions ago - where they placed 4th. There was some talk of Nightom picking between the WorldVision Song Contest and World Hit Festival to properly pursue it and continue participation in it. Their recent success at the WorldVision Song Contest - where the nation scored 6th (their second-highest placement ever) made them decided to perhaps push a few more times at the World Hit Festival before making a decision between the two contests. This edition, they're sending the big guns to see whether it is the people they are sending or whether it is them as a broadcaster.

Matinée is back, hoping to rescue Nightom from failure which the broadcaster is quite scared of. She was responsible for Nightom's best-ever performance at the 31st World Hit Festival in Izmedu all those editions. Nightom has seriously struggled to make an impact at the World Hit Festival and so they are hoping that with this performance, they can do just that. Matinée is sending the song "Never Forget" which is about breaking up with someone and trying to get over the emotions of that. It is assumed that the person who she is singing about may have committed infidelity, as she speaks about how broken she is.

Matinée said that she was very excited to make another appearance at the World Hit Festival, hoping that she could emulate the success she had at the WorldVision Song Contest (which was also held in Todlichebujoku...kind of) here in Tödlichebujoku's Sterblichengokai. She is sending a ballad with orchestration. She says that she feels so very emotionally attached to the song, especially since the song was written by her. Only time will tell whether she will do well at the World Hit Festival.

There was a drone sound, probably by one of the double bass players. The stage was dark at the moment, you couldn't see anything apart from the few lights dotted around the stage. The camera continued to move forward in the darkness before a single spotlight was shone on Matinee who stood centre stage with a long white dress on. Her hair was done up in a way which looked beautiful, but quite frazzled at the same time - a fussy hairstyle you might say. After the intro came and went, she started singing...

Why did you fall so, so much in love with me,
For you to disappear? I could only just watch you leave
My heart's broken, I'm left to sweep up the pieces.
I know it's not your fault, I can't help but feel resentful
I miss...your smile, which could light up a night sky
I miss...your sweet eyes, one look and I was in love

During the pre-chorus, there was another shot from the side of her as the lights around her slowly lit up to reveal more parts of the stage. You could see some of those in the orchestra pit strumming away and doing their thing. Matinee didn't have any eye contact with the camera at all - she was lost in her own thoughts. This was a simplistic performance that was being shown through the staging. There weren't any gimmicks.

I will never forget you,
Our memories are engrained in my heart
I'll cope on my own, all alone
For however long I can go on
I-I-I-I-I-I will never forget you...

As the chorus hits, the camera directly in front of her slowly moved outwards as she raised one of her hands in the air, slightly raising her voice as she sang the first chorus with some conviction. Though, her face didn't change much - it looked like she was singing this without any effort at all showing how professional and great she was as a singer.

I couldn't believe that you would do this to me, dear
After years and years together, I thought that we were nothing but sound
Why must I compete with another woman for your love
You broke my trust, you broke your promises, you broke my heart.
[But] I miss...your smile, which could light up a night sky
I miss...your sweet eyes, one look and I was in love

The stage slowly turned in a purple hue with the spotlight still on Matinee, singing out to the audience. There was a close-up shot of one of the people in the orchestra bowing their instruments before we cut back to Matinee. The light was more intense now as smoke started to fill the stage behind her. It wasn't too much, just enough to add to the feel of what was happening on the stage.

I will never forget you,
Our memories are engrained in my heart
I'll cope on my own, all alone
For however long I can go on
I-I-I-I-I-I will never forget you...

Yet another chorus came and go, with Matinee giving her audience just that bit more to make sure that she was keeping them engaged. The conductor meanwhile constructed the orchestra to raise their dynamics as Matinee took a deep breath, moving onto the bridge section - the climax of the performance.

The apple of my eye,
Like two peas in a pod,
My man that's by my side
That's what you should've been
Why did you do this, please
Was it me? Was it?
I just cannot forget you, just like that!

After the very dramatic build up during the bridge section which involved a close-up of Matinee looking directly at the camera, at the end of it, the camera quickly zoomed outwards over the auditorium. During the small instrumental section before the end of the song, Matinee looked up at the sky as she was bathed in white light - with the surroundings around her remaining purple. There was a shot of a man in the orchestra pit with his eyes closed bowing his instrument with true bliss as we got to the final chorus.

I will never forget you,
Our memories are engrained in my heart
I'll cope on my own, all alone
For however long I can go on
I-I-I-I-I-I will never forget you...

In the end, the light faded away before Matinee disappeared off of the stage. There was applause heard before the camera switched to the conductor who bowed for his audience. It was time for the next performance.

by **Britonisea** » Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:37 pm

XX. Britonisea
"Enchanté" - Alexandre Augustin
Title Translation: Nice To Meet You
Language(s): French, English
Lyrics: Alexandre "Alex" Augustin
Music: Alexandre "Alex" Augustin
Tune: Loïc Nottet - Mr/Mme (Audio)
Conductor: Kayden Christopher-Armstrong

Nice to meet you, Alex: "Enchanté" will be the first Britonish WHF song to contain French, one of the nation's official languages...

Britonisea returns to the World Hit Festival for the 16th edition a row with young Alex singing the song "Enchanté", hoping that he will connect with many hearts out there...

Britonisea's results took another dip last edition when AIDA represented the country with her song, "My Final Promise." AIDA finished in 7th with 15 points which is the lowest amount of points the nation has received since the 51st World Hit Festival. The Britonish fandom is still very much reeling from Britonisea's sudden dive in results, which happens after they got complacent with Britonisea's consistent 20+ streak the nation had, with the points haul for not only the country but the contest reaching new heights when the country won at the 50th World Hit Festival with 51 points - a record that is still held to this day. Recently, Britonisea has struggled to get to the top five, with the nation's results sitting in 10th, 6th and 7th place but there's mounting pressure on those that run the BVC World Hit Festival team to do better. The most recent World Hit Festival competition that happened was that of the Junior one, with Britonisea coming in 3rd place overall which might be good news before the 56th World Hit Festival in Todlichebujoku, however, Britonisea did finish 11th in the Jury vote which shows that perhaps the broadcaster needs to think more about appealing to what can be the picky tastes of the Jury.

BVC POST;

Britonisea knows that it has the support of the televoters of the World Hit Festival but they needed a song that could appeal to both - they needed to find the winning formula. It wasn't as though BVC didn't know how to - the nation's 7 previous wins continues the hope that the team has when going into each World Hit Festival alive. The 2nd orchestra edition of the World Hit Festival is finally here and it marks 10 editions since the very marmite "Dangerously in Love" sung by Vhe Qi won the Festival. Who would the title of the best orchestral nation at the World Hit Festival be this time around? BVC is hoping that with Alex's song, that title will be kept in Doportedas. Unlike previous editions, which had a long drawn out artist picking process, Alex's appointment as the Britonish representative was a rather swift one with The Team arguing that Alex has the look and vibe that they were going for. They wanted to go for something markedly different from what they went for the last time - wanting to keep the international community on their toes.

Alexandre "Alex" Augustin (b. 25th July 2001) is a boy who's only 19 years old which makes Alex the youngest Britonish World Hit Festival participant. He is from Eaux City in the North-East of the mainland where French is most prominent hence the rather French feel of his name. Like many of the previous World Hit Festival participants, Alexandre has a background in music - with his foster parents both being part of the Eauian Orchestral, where his foster mother was focused on the strings and his foster father who is a well-known Britonish pianist. With his background fit for the orchestral edition of the Festival and his own ventures in the orchestra and singing, BVC had headhunted Alex's foster father and asked him whether he and his family would be interested in producing the song for the upcoming World Hit Festival which we now know would take place in Todlichebujoku. Alex's foster father went onto ask Alex himself who said that he would be happy to write the song as long as he had creative freedom in terms of lyrics and melody. Alex had a childhood unlike many of the boys and girls around him and that's something that he was more than eager to write about. He polished the song with the help of his father and his mother before recording it with the Grand Philharmonic Orchestra in Eaux days before this announcement.

The song didn't chart as well as other World Hit Festival songs that Britonisea has sent in the past. This may have been down to the style of music that it was - it wasn't very often that you would hear an orchestral song in the Britonish top 20 without it having electronic instruments lathered on top of it. One could say that Alexandre was singing the song in the purest form of the orchestra. The song had nothing more than a piano, which come the live performance that he would do in Todlichebujoku, he'd be playing himself and a few strings instrument in the back to help the natural arc of the song. It was fine though, it didn't phase him where he song placed on the charts. The song was watched by over 4.6 million people who tuned into BVC's A Hit For The World song reveal show that is showing a few weeks before the actual event. Similarly to the artists that came before him, A Hit For The World was the last thing that he was signed up for before he got himself to the host country. Alexandre was quite nervous about travelling. This was the first time that he had taken an aeroplane, especially to a country so far away. He had been out of Britonisea before, travelling to Estogium, Wazekia and Taeseon but those were all (cheap) train and coach/car journies. When he knew that by the time he would enter Todlichebujoku on a dragon, he nearly fainted at the thought of it. Though luckily for Alexandre, the dragon was a very friendly one and so there wasn't much turbulence. He did think that he would have to get back on that thing in order to come back to Britonisea, but it was fine he thought.

Todlichebujoku hosting again brought back bad memories of the 51st World Hit Festival. The Britonish are a superstitious lot and thought that this could be a bad sign for Britonisea doing well at the upcoming competition. Though, it made the Britonish delegation try even harder to avoid a World Hit flop. They wanted to improve on the results that Britonisea was getting before this contest - 10th, 6th and 7th was getting quite boring. When would Britonisea reach the top 3 at the senior World Hit Festival? The Britonish public were already getting restless and it had just been half a year - some countries participate for many editions before getting a top 3 result...out of luck. But complacency was the real issue here - Britonisea's scores haven't been half bad, but they wanted more. Tom Stardust was facing heaps of pressure not from his bosses, who were wary about another Britonish hosting especially if they weren't able to have a World Hit Festival under normal conditions (BVC did lose money at the World Hit Festival 53 hosting because while the tickets were super expensive, most of the money was used to pay back those who were in the Festival Area, leaving the broadcaster at a lost when in previous World Hit Festivals, BVC could make a monetary gain - even if just a few ten thousand.). BVC bosses were quite satisfied with Tom's work so far, but they did suggest to work a bit harder to get Britonisea up that scoreboard. This is where Alexandre Augustin comes in.

Alexandre did say, in the final few days before the night of the Grand Final, that he did feel pressure to do well for Britonisea. he said that people were expecting quite a lot from him. Tom Stardust told Alexandre not to worry about it and that wherever he placed, he should know that the adoptive parents he had, the delegation and "the nice fans" which always appreciate you. Tom said to Alex that he didn't think that Alex would do badly at the World Hit Festival either. In fact, Tom was quite confident that "Enchanté" would do very well at the World Hit Festival, here in Todlichebujoku. Perhaps he would go on to place #1. Though, Alex wasn't holding his breath. This is the first time that Britonisea was sending a song in 50%(ish) French and he noted that there has been no French winners of the World Hit Festival, and no Britonish-language ones either. He didn't regret the French in his song. At the end of the day, Alexandre was from French Britonisea and it was a part of his identity. He hoped that his song would touch people anyway even if a majority of the nations participating didn't speak French or sent songs in that language. He just wanted to get up on the stage and sing his story to the millions of people that would be watching.

It's Saturday 30th January 2021 and officially the day of the Grand Final of the 56th World Hit Festival. Alexandre had been nervous all day, knowing that this time that he would perform the song, there would be an audience of over 100 million people watching across the Multiverse - with 13 million households watching the World Hit Festival. Alexandre made his way to the beautiful hall that would be hosting the Festival for the last time. The next time Alexandre would sleep in the bed of the hotel that he was sleeping would be after he knew whether he was the winner of the World Hit Festival or not. Perhaps he would embarrass his country and come last? Perhaps after the Festival, everyone would forget about him and he'd be all alone as his song suggests? Perhaps no-one would understand his outcry in these very deeply personal words that he was singing. "No" he said to himself as he took a deep breath at the start of the show. He had done enough rehearsals and he knew that regardless of how he performed tonight, he would be doing himself justice. It was soon to be time for the Britonish performance, so Alexandre got himself ready backstage doing a wide series of warm-ups. "Aaaaah" the boy shouted at the top of his lungs, gaining satisfaction from his vibrating chest - it made him feel somewhat calmer before the dreaded words were said behind him, "Alexandre, please get ready to go onto the stage." He received a hug from Tom Stardust, the Head of Delegation - I mean, COVID didn't exist in Todlichebujoku, anyway, and even if they did have COVID, by now they were sure they would've burst in smithereens in Todlichebujoki airspace. Either way, Tom whispered to him, "You'll do well, don't you worry about it", patting him on the back and forcibly turning the young teen out towards the door to the stage area.

The performance of the nation before finished and it was time for Alexandre to make his way on the stage. He wore only white on the stage - oversized clothing which actually quite suited the theme that he was going for. He walked onto the stage while people were distracted with the contents of the postcard for Britonisea. For this staging, The Team at BVC asked the Todlichebujoki broadcaster whether Alexandre could be the one who played the piano in his performance, with the piano - one that we brought ourselves - being placed somewhere on the stage - we assume that it would be at the top - above the stairs. There would be the use of the screens behind (well, assuming he is sitting side-on, they would be to his right) Alexandre. He took his seat as the stage went dark. There was applause with Alexandre's mind filled with crazy thoughts. He also thought back to his life as a child where he would unlock some of the emotion deep within him. There wasn't much on the stage other than the piano and him. He was slightly lit up from underneath him which made him look rather ominous on the stage alone. Alexandre looked at the conductor as he started doing his thing. The conductor pointed towards Alexandre telling him to start going. Alexandre started to play the piano, playing a beautiful 14-second melody before he began in French...

Salut tous le monde, enchanté, nice to meet you
J’ai une histoire tragique, I’m sorry, c’est ma vie
Born in the summer haze, life just started for me
Un gamin qui ne savait pas que venirait

A year passed, I could walk, though I’d tremble, I’d still fall
J’tais innocent à l'époque, je n’ai compris pas
Sa vraie haine pour moi, so, everyday she’d weep.
Who knew one day she’d get up and walk out on me?

Alexandre here was singing about the first couple of years of his life where he introduces that when he was still a baby, he didn't understand the emotions of who we can assume to be his mother, but noticed that she cried all of the time. He argues that his mother hated him and walked out on him (leaving him with his father). As he played the instrument, he didn't engage in much eye contact with the camera which was pointed at him. This edition, BVC didn't want to overdo it in terms of the camerawork. For a performance that last over 6 minutes, one could have assumed that there would have been over 100 different camera angles - as normal three-minute performances can have about that. Though this was the orchestral edition and this time around, BVC didn't go for the crazy rocker vibe they went for the last time. This time they wanted to go for a softer touch and so along with a beautiful glare on the camera, the movement of the cameras were slow and steady if they were moving but at this point of time, they were just still. As you could see Alexandre from the side, you could see the facial expressions that he was doing as well. As Alexandre sang about "Sa vraine haine pour moi", his mother's real hatred for him, he closed his eyes shut with force as he thought about his mother. He doesn't have many memories of her and so it was a shame that the ones he did have were rather negative.

J’avais quelques amis quand j'étais petite, trois,
Je me souviens de leurs noms, James, Fi, Amy.
My only source of love, made me feel I belonged,
I thought this love would last, I was naive and wrong.

[A home] with plumes of cigarette fumes from infected lungs,
Where there was no escape, no locks on the doors,
With each creak on the stairs, you knew darkness beckoned
Je n’avais rien excepté l' espérance je survivrais ouais

When Alexandre brought in the fact that he had some friends - three, coincidentally when he was three years old - which he could remember. There was a shot now further away with Alexandre still being lit up from a few lights that were in front of him. As he mentioned the names of the three people, "James, Fi, Amy", on the screens behind him, amongst a black background, there were moving drawings of three children which appeared on the right of him - with a drawing of him on the left side of him. The camera was focused on Alexandre, but you could still see the children behind him. If you wanted an example of how it looked, you could use Malta JESC 2020, but instead of looking quite juvenile (it was JESC after all), the drawings looked similar to this image instead. Alexandre on the drawings behind him looked young, fresh-faced by shy. The three children smiled as he sang, "My only source of love". As he continued, you could see that the three friends that he had slowly disappeared before the screens behind him zoomed out to show Alexandre from a birds-eye view in the middle of a crowd of people - but no one was near him, almost as though people created a no-go ring around him.

As we moved onto the second part of the verse, "with plumes of cigarette fumes", the screens behind Alexandre completely was covered with smoke before we saw a picture of a normal chocolate box house that we could say was the house in which Alexandre grew up in. You could see the fumes coming from the window as he sang about it. The door then opened, before the drawing made us zoom straight into the house to the staircase which was near the entrance. We then looked up at the drawing of the stairs - with it looking as though the stairs was metres into the air - like a staircase to heaven. There was then footsteps on the stairs on the drawing which kept on going. There was then a shot of Alexandre as he playing, with him turning to the audience as he sang "Je n’avais rien excepté l' espérance".

Est-ce que tu vois les ecchymoses?
Est-ce que tu vas faire quelque chose? I think not.
I’ll survive this on my own, like I have done, all alone.
Never needed your help, I can rise ‘bove the rest.
I’ll soar high in the sky, when I’m older you will cry,
At the sight of how beautiful I will become.
From the ugly caterpillar that I once was to
The brightest, most magnificent butterfly.

Va te faire foutre, those who sort to drag me down.
Look at me, here on this stage many years later.
There’s no more to say to you, except these few words,
You failed, I’m stronger, encore une fois, enchanté.

Alexandre aggressively hit the piano as he asked the first question with passion. Here he was speaking about the bruises that were on his skin. After the lyrics he sang before, one could begin to infer that he was abused when he was at home. Here, Alexandre sings about how despite people noticing the bruises that he had on his skin - nobody was going to do anything about it. There was a shot further away after it had gotten closer and closer throughout the last section. This part showed lights at the end of the stage section closest to the audience. Strobe lights were shining up towards the roof of the hall - creating a cage effect between Alexandre and the audience that were sat watching him. He slightly raised his voice as he sang those questions, especially as he moved to "I think not", saying it with conviction and emotion as he remembered how he would feel when no one thought to do anything about this boy. While child protection services in Britonisea are considered good, the fact no-one spoke might have been down to his father's position in the community - though Alexandre had never gone into his opinion on why no one spoke up for him. As Alexandre continued to sing, getting more agitated at the line, "I'll soar high in the sky", there was a camera shot of Alexandre, who was now sitting in a certain position to make it seem as though the screen was clearly behind him. Wings appeared on the screen behind him, with Alex slightly tilting his hair backwards - raising his voice to make sure that he could be heard. The wings looked as though they appeared right behind him as though they were attached, though as he sang the lyrics, "most magnificent butterfly", the wings moved from behind his back across the screen - revealing a beautiful butterfly, which gained colour as it zoomed from behind Alexandre to the left of the screen (the first bit of colour we have seen on the screens). Due to hologram technology, the butterfly which was on the screen came off the screen before flying over the audience - a beautiful, multi-coloured butterfly - red and orange in the colour of the Britonish flag. At the end of the "chorus", there was then another shot of Alexandre from close up.

I was eight, got my first A on l’examen d’Anglais,
I was so proud of it, and I thought you would be too.
I took it home to show you, through the thunderstorm and rain
Snatched it from my hands, ripped it along with my heart.

Zut alors, pourquoi est-ce que je mérite ça?
J’ai été bon pour toi, jamais problématique!
Je dois chercher pour un chez sûre, loin, loin d’ici
Quelque part loin de toi, je suis désolé, adieu.

After the butterfly flew away off the screen and things had calmed down, the camera was still looking at Alexandre as he looked down. During the chorus, it seemed as though another pianist was being played because it seemed much richer - especially in comparison to when he was playing alone as he sang "I was eight,". As Alexandre continued his life story, the camera slowly zoomed out on his face which was more lit than the verses before and the screens behind him were now being interactive with what was being sung. The camera quickly cut to another shot of Alexandre, now from just over the audience, facing upwards slightly. The lights around the arena flickered, simulating a thunderstorm. The screen behind Alexandre showed the top half of a young boy (who started to a bare resemblance to Augustin) walking through the rain. His hair looked soaked, and it also looked as though he was holding something under the jacket that he was wearing. We then moved on to the next paragraph with a drawing of a man sitting down a chair as the boy walked in the chocolate box house that we saw earlier in the performance. There was then shots of Alexandre shouting at his father, with streaks coming from Alexandre's cartoon behind him to show that he was shouting. Here, the flickering lights had stopped before the colours that were used on the strobe lighting turned slightly orange and purple.

Started lycée at 10. I knew nobody.
I was that boy who didn’t speak, labelled a freak
Et j'ai toujours été victime d’intimidation,
Je te reproche, tu aurais pu faire mieux

Tu aurais pu me sauver, but where were you?
Knecking your tenth shot of rum with your prostitutes.
“Tu tiens à moi ou pas? Est-ce que tu m’aimes, papa?”
The words I shouted out to you when…

We then moved on to the next part of the performance when he sang about starting secondary school. As you can tell, we are slowly making our way throughout his live - he was now 10 years old but he was speaking about his school experience which was bad. Alexandre was picked on at school for being a bit odd - which mostly was done to his troubled upbringing and not having the stability that he really needed. The screens behind him showed a group of boys who surrounded him. The young, now 10, Alexandre Augustin's cartoon stood in the middle of the screen right behind Alexandre who was playing the piano still. These boys all looked larger than him, with the screens behind him showing this by making Alexandre look increasingly small compared to the ever-growing bullies. These boys had mean faces, pointing their fingers directly at Alexandre before they turned around (as the cartoon Alexandre faded away) to look at the real-life Alexandre, pointing and laughing at him as Alex turned to look at the audience. There was a shot of Alexandre's face close up as he turned, looking emotional as he remembered when he was ambushed by a group of boys at 10. This made Alexandre filled with rage, evident on how he raised his voice as he said, "Tu aurais pu me sauver", really emphasising the "But where were you?". In the meantime, you could see a picture of Alexandre sitting on the right side of the screen with a phone in his hand - one of those flip phones since this was set in 2010 - whereas on the left of the screen you could see the chocolate box house drawing again. This time you could see women dancing in the windows before they both turned around to shut the blinds. The screen then faded away as we focused now on Alexandre. There was a camera shot which swung from the left of the arena to the right with the heads of the audience being shown. He then moved onto the next part of the song, a really personal account of his father.

When...you took your last chance, yes you did, your final performance.
You were entranced, as you whispered softly “putain”
Watched you slip to the floor, I called an ambulance
Tu me regardais toujours avec répugnance

I was there, by your side, when you had no one else
I held your hand with love, despite all of your flaws.
I knew you cared ‘bout me, cared ‘bout me deep within.
All these years you made me believe I wasn’t good.

During the above section, we quickly cut to a shot of Alexandre close up so that you couldn't see the rest of the stage. We firstly started by panning down from the lights on the roof, before slowly going down the screen - where you could see a picture of his father holding his chest in agony, though we didn't see much of it - that was for the audience in the hall to see. We then saw Alexandre now looking at the camera as he hit the keys on the keyboard with power and with more aggression than he did before. The sounds of people singing under him were also heard, with backing singers now appearing on the stairs, laying on their sides - all of them - with a few steps to separate them all. The camera slowly trailed its way down the body and leg of Alexandre before it showed the stairs of the people laying down with their eyes glued towards the screen. All of the singers were wearing similar attire to Alexandre.

Regardez-moi, look at the boy that I’ve become,
Can’t you say you’re proud as you leave me parentless?
Allow me to feel love, et ouais je t'en supplie.
Admets-le, admets-le, admit you did love me.

You turned to me and smiled, a tear streamed from your face
Your cheeks blushed a rose red I’d never seen before.
You squeezed my hand quite tight, was this what it felt like?
Was this the paternal love which you hadn’t shown.

During this section, the screens weren't being used. We had reached the climax of the performance here and so the cameras were doing a tiny bit more work, coming from different angles in order to show Alexandre's expressions from different angles. You could see that Alex was hurting pretty badly, with his cheeks turning a burning hot red. The backing singers got increasingly louder as they continued to sing, which helped add to this very intense moment. Here, Alexandre is singing about the hospital bed in which is father stayed in. He begged his father to let him know that his father loved him. It seemed as though Alex's words to his father actually got through to him as, for the first time in Alexandre's living memory, his father had shown some love towards him. Alexandre continued to sing, "opened your mouth to speak; what were you going to say?", looking at the camera - fantastically catching his cue there. Though as we finished singing "all these years gone" we had finally reached the peak of the song with the camera cutting to the strings section of the orchestra pit. Those who played the instrument furious bowed that final note which caused an echo in the hall. The staging, which had some lights which slowly were increasing in intensity as we moved to the end quickly turned off, plunging the whole stage into darkness.

Opened your mouth to speak, what were you going to say?
Were you finally ready to set the record straight?
You took a deep breath in, your eyes full of guilt
That you could no longer hold in from all these years gone.

Alas, it was too late. Your grip grew much weaker.
You faded away, don’t go yet, my father.
I had no mother, I now had no you too.
I had no one at all, nothing at all was mine.

I cried for months, I did. I was just so alone.
I thought I could do all of this, all on my own
But I was only fourteen, I was just a child.
God, why did I have to have this tragic life?

As we plunged into darkness at "Alas, it was too late", Alexandre's voice croaked amongst the darkness. Slowly, a burning red heart provided some of the light on the stage. The sombre lighting that we saw at the beginning off the performance which was coming from below him - off to the side - came back slowly as he continued to sing. Alexandre was bearing singing the words, it was almost as though he couldn't bare more than just speaking, whispering the words he had to. You could feel how fragile Alex was feeling as he recalls losing his father - which to him was like losing the only thing that was his. He then goes on to speak about how he coped with his father's demise, with a range of close up shots being used in order to show Alex who - while he wasn't crying - definitely looked visibly upset. He was the only person on the stage as well with the singers leaving earlier. You could only hear Alexandre during that final verse - pure and raw emotion. As he reached the end of that section, he shouted out to the sky, "God, why did I have to have this tragic life", with the lights around the stage suddenly becoming very intense.

Alexandre got up from his position at the piano with the pianist in the orchestra pit taking over from here. Alexandre starting walking down the steps of the stage, holding his head up high as he sings in French. There was a camera which followed Alexandre from the sides of the stage. As he sang, the young man was doing hand expressions with his free hands, such as putting his hand over his heart when singing about how he hadn't been love, or pointing below when singing about hell and back etc. By the time Alex had reached the final stanza of his poetic song, Alex stood in the middle of out circular walkway, closest to the audience. There was a low angle shot of Alexandre which slowly made its way up to catch his eye line. The final shot of this section was further away, slowly zooming into him as he sang about how he will still soar, how we will still shine. He sang the final words delicately as the lights in the arena were once again cut.

Donc je dois garder ma tête haute au dessus du ciel
No one can tell me there’s something I cannot do
I’ve been through thick and thin, I've been to hell and back.
I haven’t been loved, I’ve come to terms with it.

So to those of you who envy me, or hate me
You could do your worst to me, I’ll hurt no longer.
Je peux encore voler
Je peux encore briller
Dis bonjour au nouveau moi,
Encore une fois, enchanté.

As Alexandre sang the "oooooo"s at the end of the performance, there was a single spotlight on him as he slowly made his way onto the floor as he sang the falsetto at the top of his lungs. As he went further and further down, he decided to curl up into a ball. The camera slowly backed away and arched itself down to make it seem as though it was him laying down in a cradle position amongst a sea of darkness with the only thing that you could see was the lights of the orchestra pit, the deep red lights of the strobes nearer the screen and the spotlight on him which by the end of the performance had faded away. The camera continued to zoom out slowly until we reached the end of the performance.

There was a silence. After a while, the audience came in with an applause. Alex didn't say a word - that performance was a form of catharsis for him, he was exhausted and needed some time alone to process that performance.

Hi everyone, enchanté, nice to meet you
I have a tragic story, I'm sorry, it's my life
Born in the summer haze, life just started for me
A boy who didn't know what was coming.

A year passed, I could walk though I'd tremble, I'd still fall
I was innocent at the time, I didn't understand
my mother's hatred for me, so every day she would weep
Who knew one day she'd get up and walk out on me?

I had some friends when I was small - 3
I remember their names, James, Fi and Amy
My only source of love, made me feel I belonged
I thought this love would last, I was naive and wrong

A home with plumes of cigarette fumes from infected lungs
Where there was no escape, no locks on doors
With each creak on the stairs, you knew darkness beckoned
I had nothing except the hope I would survive

Yesah can you see the bruises? Will you do something about it? I think not
I’ll survive this on my own, like I have done, all alone.
Never needed your help, I can rise ‘bove the rest.
I’ll soar high the sky, when I’m older you will cry,
At the sight of how beautiful I will become.
From the ugly caterpillar that I once was to
The brightest, most magnificent butterfly.

Fuck you to those who sort to drag me down.
Look at me, here on this stage many years later.
There’s no more to say to you, except these few words,
You failed, I’m stronger, once again, enchanté.

I was eight, got my first A on l’examen d’Anglais,
I was so proud of it, and I thought you would be too.
I took it home to show you, through the thunderstorm and rain
Snatched it from my hands, ripped it along with my heart.

Oh my, what did I do to deserve this
I have been good to you, never problematic
I need to find safety from far, far from here
Somewhere from you, I'm sorry adieu

Started secondary school at 10, I knew no one.
I was that boy who didn’t speak, labelled a freak
And I was always bullied
And I blame you [dad], you should have been better

You should have saved me, but where were you?
Knecking your tenth shot of rum with your prostitutes.
Do you care for me or not, do you love me papa?
The words I shouted out to you when...

When...When...you took your last chance, yes you did, your final performance.
You were entranced, as you whispered softly “putain”
Watched you slip to the floor, I called an ambulance
You still looked at me with repugnance

I was there, by your side, when you had no one else
I held your hand with love, despite all of your flaws.
I knew you cared ‘bout me, cared ‘bout me deep within.
All these years you made me believe I wasn’t good.

Look at me look at the boy I’ve become,
Can’t you say you’re proud as you leave me parentless?
Allow me to feel love, and yeah I'm begging you
Admit it, admit it, admit you did love me.

You turned to me and smiled, a tear streamed from your face
Your cheeks blushed a rose red I’d never seen before.
You squeezed my hand quite tight, was this what it felt like?
Was this the paternal love which you hadn’t shown

Opened your mouth to speak, what were you going to say?
Were you finally ready to set the record straight?
You took a deep breath in, your eyes full of guilt
That you could no longer hold in from all these years gone.
Come on papa, say something. Do you care for me?
Do you love me dad? Do you love me, tell me?

Alas, it was too late. Your grip grew much weaker.
You faded away, don’t go yet, my father.
I had no mother, I now had no you too.
I had no one at all, nothing at all was mine.
I cried for months, I did. I was just so alone.
I thought I could do all of this, all on my own
But I was only fourteen, I was just a child.
God, why did I have to have this tragic life?

So I need to raise my head above the sky
No one can tell me there’s something I cannot do
I’ve been through thick and thin, I've been to hell and back.
I haven’t been loved, I’ve come to terms with it.

So to those of you who envy me, or hate me
You could do your worst to me, I’ll hurt no longer.
I can still rise
I can still shine
Say hello to the new me,
once again, it's nice to meet you.

by **Axuva** » Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:08 am

XX. Axuva
"Everything" - Victoria Kwon
Language(s): Language(s) English
Lyrics: Victoria Kwon
Music: Daniel Kim, Chang Jae-Hyun
Tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jpsu2bN9e0

And welcome to… the best performance of the night! The most incredible, and talented, Victoria Kwon, along with her Vickettes!

As the audience cheered, the lights would dim and the piano would start playing and a light would come on, revealing three silhouettes on a curtain. As the song approached the entrance, the curtain would raise up and they would continue snapping and two stepping to the beat and Victoria would turn around, facing the old fashioned mic. She adjusted the flower in her head before beginning to sing.

[Verse 1]
Once I was so so lost
Not even I could even find me, hey
Nothing compares
To the way you treaded on me, hey

As they approached the pre-chorus the backup singers harmonized together moving side to side to the beat while snapping to the beat in unison

[Pre-Chorus 1]
It’s true
That you don’t know how you made me feel
Was the love even there
Nothing compares to the way you made me feel
Fuck you and your friends, get up out of here

As the piano played and Viktoria sang she held the microphone, using her full potential and strength to push through the chorus and as they approached the end of the chorus they all started to snap in a motion, in rhythm to the song.

[Chorus]
If you didn’t mess with me do you know what we could be
You lied, you lied to me baby
And you can’t see from me and you know I’m hurting
So Goodbye, goodbye
You were my everything, my everything, my everything,
But there’s no more of that, baby

Victoria would move the microphone stand aside, as a wired microphone dropped from the ceiling and the sang into it, walking down the steps as the girls walked behind her and they she continued to sing and the girls flaunted their outfits and beautiful classy demeanors. Victoria walked to the front of the bottom stage as the girls stood on the sides, as microphone stands were placed in front of them and they were now near the end of the second verse and Viktoria would let her microphone go, and it shot back up into the air.

[Verse 2]
Think back to all the times you put me
Into bad positions, ooh
Never could tell if it was me or you
And it was like having tunnel vision, hey

As they sang the pre chorus, they would do signature 20s 30s 40s dance moves while singing the pre chorus and singing the song.

[Pre-Chorus 2]
I knew, suddenly that you were just a waste of time, hey
I choosed, to reclaim all my time and now I’m feeling fine
I’m leavin’ you behind, and taking back whats mine

She repeated everything she did previously, along with the backup singers.

[Chorus]
If you didn’t mess with me do you know what we could be
You lied, you lied to me baby
And you can’t see from me and you know I’m hurting
So Goodbye, goodbye
You were my everything, my everything, my everything,
But there’s no more of that, baby

The piano would play a solo and Victoria and her backup singers snapped until it was over and the spotlight was only put onto the pianist. As the piano solo ended, the stage would light back up and Victoria would hold a now modern standard microphone, holding the microphone stand in her other hand as she started to sing again. Then letting go of it, she walked up the stairs and the backup singers followed along, singing.

[Chorus]
If you didn’t mess with me do you know what we could be
You lied, you lied to me baby
And you can’t see from me and you know I’m hurting
So Goodbye, goodbye
You were my everything, my everything, my everything,
But there’s no more of that, baby

As she ended the song, her hair blew from the fans blowing in her direction, also blowing her pantsuit, belting out the last few notes and the backup singers would be doing their part and as the song was close to ending they walked off and it would be Victoria alone and she would pose at the end, as the curtains closed.

by **Fromulya** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:44 am

XX. Fromulya
"Pemecatan" - Qasidah Jaya RT 3
Title Translation: Getting fired
Language(s): Indonesian
Lyrics: Hasan Ali Wardhani
Music: Hasan Ali Wardhani
Tune: Bom Nuklir — Nasida Ria
Conductor: Ananda Kusumaputra

Current full lineup of Qasidah Jaya RT 3. Only 8 of these members are making the trip to Sterblichengokai.

Qasidah Jaya RT 3 is a qasidah band from the district of Panembahan in Fromulya. The band was formed in 1977 by Wardhani Ali Marzuki and initially consisted of a group of housewives from the third neighbourhood (Rukun Tetangga 003 / RT 3) within Panembahan. In case this is confusing to foreigners, neighbourhoods make up the smallest subdivision level in Fromulya and are numbered per district. Initially performing for the local community, the group became known outside the district in the 1980s. In 1985, the band relocated to the nearby city of Banyubesar where it continues to be based to this day, although most of its current and incoming members still originate from within Panembahan.

The band sings in the traditional qasidah style, with the majority of songs focusing on the experiences of life as working class Fromulyan Muslims. Their most popular song is Selamat Datang Para Santri (Welcome, Islamic Scholars), released in 1991. Many of their songs tend to have moral messages, however many of their more recent releases (mid-1990s onwards) have explored socioeconomic themes as well, including issues such as environmentalism, justice, and materialism.

Throughout the years, the lineup has changed a lot, with some members having died or otherwise left the band to return to domestic life. Wardhani Ali Marzuki himself passed away in 1994, and the band has been since managed by his son Hasan Ali Wardhani.

A snapshot of Qasidah Jaya RT 3 from the 1990s.

With Fromulya having successfully won the 54th World Hit Festival, the broadcaster Televisi Republik Fromulya was under great pressure to impress on home turf. Having pulled off a successful WHF hosting with a decently placed entry, the broadcaster was no longer seeking another victory for the time being. Instead, they were now much more comfortable with being experimental with their entries, and used this opportunity as a platform to promote local Fromulyan music, even if not necessarily the kind that was to find mass popularity abroad.

Thus, TVRF internally selected Qasidah Jaya RT 3 to represent Fromulya at the 56th World Hit Festival in Tödlichebujoku. The Fromulyan HoD noted that the band's use of traditional instruments, and their tendency to perform with those live instruments was a factor behind the choice to send them, particularly considering that this was an orchestral edition of the World Hit Festival. The song they are going to sing is titled "Pemecatan" (not to be confused with the similarly pronounced participating nation Pemecutan), and discusses the issue of unemployment and the poverty that it brings.

Due to logistical limitations both on the band's and the broadcaster's halves, only 8 of the band's current 13 members will perform at WHF. In addition to TVRF not being able to afford to have the whole band go, a few members were not in a position to travel due to other personal duties unrelated to the band as well as health issues. Accompanying the band to Stergo is Ananda Kusumaputra, a music professor at the Fromulyan Institute of Music (IMF) who is classically trained but has worked with Fromulyan folk music theory as well. He will conduct the Fromulyan entry.

A more recent snapshot from a concert. Note the way their performing style has changed throughout the years.

Although not all members left for Tödlichebujoku, those who did were absolutely impressed with the journey. Many of them had never left the country, and their visit to a country that is immensely more technologically advanced than Fromulya was a culture shock to them. They would surely be amazed by the local scene that they would have many stories to tell once they came home, but were also too distracted with the local technology to notice the rampant homosexual behaviour of the locals, which they would've disapproved of had they realized. The delegation attended the opening ceremony but did not drink, nor did they make any appearance in the official WHF nightclub or any other clubs.

Fromulya was drawn to perform 19th, following the entry from Nightom. For the big night, the ladies wore the same outfits in the first picture above. Some instruments were brought along with them — two rebanas, an electric guitar, an electric bass, and a violin.

They were set up as follows: A carpet was laid on the main stage behind the orchestra. At the back of the carpet, 3 chairs were placed. The guitar, bass, and violin players would sit on these chairs. The remaining 5 members of the band would sit on the carpet, in front of them, with some of them holding the rebanas.

As the Fromulyan postcard finished playing, Ananda was seen waving his baton to signal the beginning of the song. As the orchestra's violins kicked in, the camera showed close ups of the orchestra as it played.

After a while, it was time for the band to start singing. The lead singer of the band, Azizah, was sitting right in the middle of the entourage. As she sings, the cameras focus on the band, closing up on her as well as the other members, including the ones who are playing instruments.

Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari
Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari

When the camera shows the whole stage, we see that the background screens are all filled with Islamic-style patterns. In the middle screen there was the band's name in fancy golden lettering, making sure the world knew who was performing. We also occasionally saw shots of audience members enjoying the song.

Cukupkah biaya untuk beli makan
Supaya tidak kelaparan?
Cukupkah biaya untuk beli makan
Supaya tidak kelaparan?

Now the cameras return to Azizah, who moves her body slightly from left to right to the rhythm of the song, as is done by the other members of the band.

Putuslah pencarian nafkahnya
Beratlah hidup menanggung bebannya
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

Now all the other members chimed in, singing together. They all had their own mics, be it handheld or headsets.

Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari
Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari

Cukupkah biaya untuk beli makan
Supaya tidak kelaparan?
Cukupkah biaya untuk beli makan
Supaya tidak kelaparan?

Now Azizah took over again.

Putuslah pencarian nafkahnya
Beratlah hidup menanggung bebannya
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

For this brief instrumental break, the cameras closed up on the band members on stage who played instruments, as well as those in the orchestra. And then it went back to Azizah and close ups of the members on stage.

Mungkinkah menjadi tukang bangunan
Jika tak kunjung dapat pekerjaan?
Mungkinkah menjadi tukang bangunan
Jika tak kunjung dapat pekerjaan?

Semua pekerjaan ini mulia
Akan mendapatkan rizki dariNya
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

And once again, the other members sang along, repeating the chorus as well as what Azizah sang.

Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari
Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari

Mungkinkah menjadi tukang bangunan
Jika tak kunjung dapat pekerjaan?
Mungkinkah menjadi tukang bangunan
Jika tak kunjung dapat pekerjaan?

Back to Azizah. This was pretty much how the whole performance was going to be. While it might feel repetitive to those who are used to more commercially-produced music, this repetition actually allows the lyrics to be better remembered by the band's listeners, and makes their message get across more effectively.

Semua pekerjaan ini mulia
Akan mendapatkan rizki dariNya
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

Another instrumental break. Again, while it may seem repetitive, the band's songs are typically this long. They could've made a shortened version for WHF, but when you think of it, they made it all the way here to Todlichebujoku. Might as well make whatever time they have on stage worth it.

Once the cameras are done showing the instrument-playing band members and the orchestra, as well as the audience, the camera goes back to Azizah.

Jika perekonomian membaik
Akan ada pekerjaan yang layak
Jika perekonomian membaik
Akan ada pekerjaan yang layak

Semakin maju negara Fromulya
Lapangan karir pun akan meluas
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

By the way, this song was structured in a way that at least allowed for lyrical progression. The first verse dealt with the immediate response to getting fired, the second verse explored the medium-term aftermath (i.e. job search), and this final verse gives hope that the Fromulyan economy will improve such that the door will open for more opportunities.

Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari
Bila terjadi pemecatan
Akan susah kehidupan sehari

Jika perekonomian membaik
Akan ada pekerjaan yang layak
Jika perekonomian membaik
Akan ada pekerjaan yang layak

As the song is coming to an end, the cameras close up on Azizah as she sings, but eventually show medium shots of the entire band.

Semakin maju negara Fromulya
Lapangan karir pun akan meluas
Sungguh sedih menjadi kaum fakir
Oh oh... oh oh... oh oh oh...

Finally, the song comes to an end. Azizah says a polite "Terima kasih" as the audience cheers just as politely. The members in chairs help the others get up and they all promptly leave as the stage is prepared for the next entry, another vocal group, from Togonistan, occasionally waving behind towards the audience as they make their way out.

by **Hafamarimyht** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:15 pm

XX. Hafamarimët
"Ajan Öivun Mugëk" - Ameka Pmïlganetka
Title Translation: I Will Always Look for You
Language(s): Hafamari
Lyrics: Ameka Pmïlganetka
Music: Ameka Pmïlganetka, Gajen Umah
Tune: Natacha Atlas - I Put a Spell On You, specifically this live version

Ameka Pmïlganetka is a well-known folk singer from Zajhadda, a town in the rural central mountains of Hafamarimët. TVH internally selected her for their return to the World Hit Fest and allowed her to pick the song. She worked closely with Badan Žunkaca, a talented dëžëk player from the neighborin down of Mïdnöba, to craft this version of a song from her most recent album Hutnäsëk. Her career spans decades, having released her first album in 1992, but this is the largest audience (when you take into account the television audience) that she will ever have performed for. When asked if she was nervous, she responded, "No. I don't know if this is what this contest likes, I've never watched it, but I'm going to treat it just like any other performance and just make sure my emotions come across."

The performance this evening will be rather more subdued than most entries in this contest, but again, the emotion is the focus, not spectacle. Ameka largely stays in one place, not quite making eye contact with the camera - though she does make eye contact with a few audience members.

Ajan öivun mugëk
Rën hut pa öi, jë jë jë
Rïmvöčidi, sešunčidi
Im asbjë pa, aa, asbjë, asbjë

Suh čadcavdan gët čemaladi
Usaränd čïnčiga čöjcavem, jë jë jë jë
Cem öivun mugëk
Kutöitavdan

The camera focuses mostly on the hand drum player and Badan Žunkaca, the dëžëk player she crafted this version of the song with. Ameka dances a bit and wanders around the stage from time to time, but again, there are no overwhelming theatrics present in this entry. TVH denies it has anything to do with budgetary restrictions, but of course Twitter has its own opinions.

Ajan öivun mugëk
Rën hut pa öi, jë jë jë
Rïmvöčidi, sešunčidi
Im asbjë pa, aa, asbjë, asbjë

Öi hut pa, vrö öidi mujëkta ïkï pa
Bend vrö lïncata, bend vrö sïdanca
Ajan öivun mugëk
Haž mujadi

She bows and indicates to all the different musicians on stage and in the orchestra. She bows again and says "Thank you," although she doesn't say it into the mic, so the sound isn't heard. She nods her head, waves towards the camera, and walks gracefully off the stage.

by **Normandy and Picardy** » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:10 pm

XX. Normandy and Picardy
"T'es tombée sur ma main" - Frédéric Duchamps and Annabelle Vallence
Title Translation: You Fell Onto My Hand
Language(s): Normand French
Lyrics: Frédéric Duchamps
Music: Frédéric Duchamps
Tune: "Piccola Anima" - Ermal Meta and Elisa

Frédéric Duchamps and Annabelle Vallence, the partners and musical duet representing Normandy and Picardy in the 56th World Hit Festival

Coming third in Brahmokerto meant Normandy and Picardy further secured its place as a country you might reasonably expect to see competing for the win, following the previous record of 4th, 2nd and 2nd. Naturally, the Normands were greatly pleased with these results, and were even beginning to become used to the agony of coming so close. Simone Derrida, the Head of Delegation, had herself never truly been phased, as it had never really been about winning for her. Sure, it is easy to say that, but for her, it really was true; winning was simply a nice bonus to being able to show off Normand culture as part of her remit in cultural programming at SRNP. It was more everyone else at SRNP, who it was well known had plans in place for if they ever did win the contest (which many of them certainly did want to do; what better way to show off the country? And of course, the bragging rights as well were nice...), and the fan community which had been buoyed by the recent run of success, but of course were praying that they would go one step further. Third felt slightly like a stop back, but for Simone especially, it did relieve some of the pressure to push for the win that she had started to feel, no matter how much she tried to not think about it. And, in their own way, the accountants at SRNP were certainly happy too, as they wouldn't now have to fund the hosting of the contest in Normandy and Picardy, at least for the next contest.

And indeed, the next contest was to be a special one, namely the special, all-orchestral edition, 10 editions after the previous one, in which the Normands had done very well with a rather large, bold, operatic number. Would they be bringing more opera to the Ergasia Vadonixa, itself an opera house, and the host venue of the 56th World Hit Festival? Frankly, Simone thought, she would carry on in that indomitable manner in which she always did, and so the idea of trying to make such a calculation never particularly entered her head. Her method had not failed her thus far, whether the goal was to do well or to present the best of Normand talent. And so, the search for the next artist or artists to represent Normandy and Picardy on one of the biggest musical stages in the multiverse began. Would it be an act who appeared on her SRNP Radio 3 show who she would realise would be perfect for the contest? Someone she met via her numerous connections within the Normand cultural scene who anyone who actually bothers to read these introductions will now she has cultivated over a long career including via the post of Head of Cultural Programming, a post she stepped down from not long after the last contest? Would it be one of the latest hit stars fresh from an awards show win? An unknown act from a small bar somewhere in Normandy and Picardy, waiting to be discovered? Or something else entirely..?

Annabelle Vallence and Frédéric Duchamps, 43 and 37 respectively, are in many senses veterans of the Normand culture industry. The two both studied at the Cherbourg College of Arts, albeit obviously a few years apart, which is in many ways the normal route to a musical, artistic, or similar career in the country. Even though attempts have been made to break the monopoly in recent years, and both Avranches and Rouen have grown as cultural and in the case of Avranches media hubs, Cherbourg has retained its class, reputation, and high standard; there is a reason why the biggest domestic television event in the Cherbourg Grand Prix, featuring both music and dance competitions over the course of a week. Indeed, this is a contest in which both Annabelle and Frédéric have performed on multiple occassions, and where they both first met each other, ten years ago, as competitors. Spending the week together in Rouen, the pair got to know each other rather well, and though neither of them won - indeed, perhaps the fact neither of them won helped - they began a relationship soon after. They have now been married for 6 years now, and have become one of the best known couples. Both continue to perform under their own names and do solo material, and indeed both have had number one singles and albums, but they have also collaborated. Indeed, they released what is one of the best selling albums of the final few years, a series of duets performed by the two.

Now, it just so happens that Annabelle also happens to know Simone Derrida rather well, the two having known each other since Annabelle's days at Cherbourg College. Frédéric and Simone had met a few times at various functions and award shows, but it was Annabelle and Simone who were the close friends. The two met up a few months after the contest in Fromulya, when any certain thoughts about the next contest were barely beginning to form in Simone's mind; indeed, she had her radio show to worry about more than anything else at that point. It was the usual; a quick catch up over a coffee and a light lunch, chatting about life, but it was this ordinary conversation that set the spark. Derrida happened by chance to mention that she had been in Brahmokerto for the 55th contest, which intrigued Annabelle. She had thought about the contest before, but had in fact never realised that Simone was the Head of Delegation. Simone, for her own part, was highly surprised to learn that Annabelle was even willing to consider the contest. She knew they'd both have to convince Frédéric, who was likely to be more resistant. But the two seemed to hatch simultaneously the plan that would send them on a plane to Todlichebujoku.

It took some careful persuasion. Derrida promised them that they would love the contest, that it was a great experience if nothing else, and why not take the opportunity to expose yourself to a much wider audience? Frédéric especially remained slightly nervous, whilst Annabelle herself, whilst she was the driving force behind the pair's decision, herself remained somewhat reluctant. Would it be right for them, at this point in their career? Luckily for Annabelle and Simone, Frédéric had a few days before their intial meet-up began working on some new material in the home studio that he has in the couple's house, just outside of Rouen. Even more fortunately, Annabelle happened to overhear Frédéric working on a new song, which he had originally intended to put on his new album, and she fell in love. It was perfect. And further more, it would be the song that they would perform at the song contest, no question. She burst in, joining in with Frédéric as he sang one of the choruses, and let him know her mind. He set to work altering the song into a duet for the two of them, realising it would be perfect. And eventually, she persuaded him that this would be their entry. If anything, it was Simone who was the most resistant out of the three of them; she was certainly not sure of the song at first. Indeed, she eventually made a deal with them; they would have to release the song as a single in Normandy and Picardy, which she would premiere on her Radio 3 show, and if it did well in the charts, showing that Normand people were behind it, her hand would be forced and it would represent the country. And the rest, as they say, is history...

All was still. All was dark, as the very final preparations were made practically under the cover of darkness, the dusting of snow around the lampposts provided, the bench placed, the backing singers took their places, and the technical team made sure everything was ready. Frédéric and Annabelle hugged tightly, a soft murmur of good luck passing from Frédéric's lips, and a very quick kiss, before the two were practically carried onto the stage. It was finally happening. It felt mad. Also taking his place was the Normand conductor, Maurice Delavier, director of the Cherbourg College of Music Symphony Orchestra, who had helped arrange the song for this particular performance. Positions taken. The postcard finished. Both of their hearts pounded like mad, as Frédéric glanced up towards where Annabelle was standing, yet couldn't particularly make her out. But he would have to get to the task at hand, although task might perhaps be the wrong word. However you choose to describe it, he would have to deal with it, whilst Annabelle would be caught in a lurch. A nod of the head in the orchestra pit, a fateful blow through the air, signalled the beginning. Not any great brass scream but rather a soft woodwind note annoucened the start.

Frédéric was stood beneath an old style street lamppost with floral elements, something rather like this. Around the base of it, and beneath his black brogues could be seen a thin layer of snow. This was actual snow that had been provided kindly by the hosting production team as part of an agreement with the Normand broadcaster, who obviously preferred to use the real deal if at all possible. There's more where that came from. In any case, Frédéric was leaning from the right hand side of the lamppost as according to the camera view, to the left for the audience, on his elbow. Indeed, this reveals an important point here, namely that the camera shots for this first section were all looking out towards the audience seated in the Ergasia Vadonixa, mostly to hide the nervous Annabelle stood on the back rampart on the top of the stairs leading up from the lower stage section. This would be revealed openly later, but for now the focus was on Frédéric, wearing a dark blue suit with an overcoat that looked rather like this, but itself also dark blue, and around his neck he wore a red scarf. But for now, these colours could not be made out. Why? Not for the lack of light, which whilst the only source at this point the lamppost provided ample amounts. Rather, for this initial section, the shots were in black and white, and made deliberately grainy. Having been looking down towards the floor in the direction in which he was leaning, as the song started, he looked up towards the camera which slowly zoomed in towards him as the verse moved on. Beyond this, there was not much more beyond the slightly movement of the zoom, Frédéric singing rather softly, and never quite looking perfectly at the camera, as if preoccupied, fully getting into the role.

T'es tombée sur ma main
Je suis tombé sur toi
Et dans la nuit très froide
Mon cœur s'a rechauffé encore

At the end of this first verse, going fully with the idea of the opening section having almost been like an old film, the reel seemed to sort of melt away, like this sort of thing, but the holes that emerged in the 'film' actually revealed the colour image behind it, and thus this burning and melting away provided the transition to the colour view. In fairness, it is not as if there was a sudden explosion of colour, but instead the orange glow of the lamppost and its reflection on the sand, the dark blue of his suit, the white collared shirt beneath, one button undone, and the red scarf tied around his neck, could all be properly seen. Not much else actually changed during this verse, as the focus very much remained on Frédéric, playing the role of the lover who has lost the object of his love, standing out in the cold winter night. There was perhaps, over the course of the verse, a slight increase in the lighting, as the screens on either side slowly came into life; they would be used to show a night sky later on, and had already moved to show this, the starts twinkling away, and these LED screens being on helped provide this extra ambient glow. There was some slightly panning camerawork, but most of the focus was on Frédéric's subtle movements, whether a quite glancing pass of his chest with his hand, a searching look out into the distance, or, perhaps more certainly, his movement up from having been leaning on the post to being stood up more properly, and indeed swinging slightly, not with a great amount of vigour or energy (or, at the very least, not "too much").

Et bien que t'aies fondu
Et dans la nuit silencieuse t'aies disparu
Je te sens toujours ici avec moi solitaire
Et mon cœur fond une fois encore
Et mon cœur fond une fois encore

As the chorus began, the camera shot changed to show one of the screens on the left of the stage from the perspective of the audience, on the right from the original camera view and from Frédéric in his current orientation, to show the moon slowly emerging out of the clouds, slowly zooming out to show the image of the night sky, broken up between the screens but being spread across them, before turning around to show Frédéric singing now beneath the moonlight. Indeed, this movement also allowed for a judicious use of lighting, with a very faint white spotlight shining down onto Frédéric so that, within the camera shot which essentially looked down from the other side, it might appear that the moon was properly shining on him, joining the general light from the LED image of the moon. Alongside this, the audience had been asked to get involved specifically for this first chorus, in the form of using their flashlights on their phones or various other devices (who knows what the Todlichebujokis especially have at this point), to provide a 'starlit' background for Frédéric as he song, walking slowly about. These wider shots also revealed the position of the backing singers, all dressed up in similarly suitable, formal, almost slightly old fashioned, winter wear. There were three of them, all part of the delegation that had travelled from Normandy and Picardy, Anais Merchaut, Julie Benoit and Luc Medard; this was Anais' first World Hit Festival, whereas Julie and Luc had both provided backing vocals in the past; all of them would especially be key for this entry, in which their vocals very much provided part of the music itself alongside what was being played in what was perhaps a slightly underutilized orchestra. There were a few more panning shots, and one or two of the orchestra playing along.

Et j'attends toujours que tu chutes
Du ciel sur ma main comme mes rêves
Je verrai mondes que je n'aurais jamais pensé d'imaginer
Quand je te regarde ici en bas où je suis debout

The chorus ended, however, with a camera shot now looking towards the stage from the audience perspective. This, of course, meant we got a shot looking from behind Frédéric, who had been faced towards the orchestra the entire time. But, this was deliberate, and allowed for a shot that focus in on the new lampost light that turned on at the back of the the stage area, up on the back rampart at the top of the stairs, the camera focusing in and consequently Frédéric in a sense fading away, to show Annabelle stood in a long, relatively form fitting black dress, (certainly not too tight, allowing her a decent degree of movement, however - perhaps slightly less tight than the image used at the exaple here), with a small, faux-fur jacket over her shoulders and upper torso, which she was holding in tight. The turning on of the top lampost also seemed to have the effect of bringing life to the back LED, it too changing to show the background of stars and the crisp, night air as if in a wave emanating from the lamppost, which was to the right (from both audience and camera perspective) compared to the lamppost on the bottom stage area and also the staircase. There was a general fade out and a shift to a close up camera view of Annabelle as she sang her verse. She too had been leaning on the lamppost, which also had a dusting of snow around it, and the fur jacket thingy that she wore had also received a slight dusting; around the main body of Annabelle's lampost, there was what looked like ivy growing up; otherwise it was the same. As she began singing, she pretty immediately and elegantly picked herself up, as it were. The camera here, rather than zooming in as it had onto Frédéric, rather slowly zoomed out to show more of the background, at this point still just the starry sky, and more of Annabelle. She proceeded to slowly walk along to the centre of the top rampart, i.e. to the top of the stairs, over the course of the verse, at one point brushing her hand along the railing which too had been lightly covered in snow, having reached the top by the end of the verse.

Je suis tombée du ciel
Et j'ai trouvé ta main qui m'attend pour moi
La vent a guidé le chemin
Jusqu'à ce que je sois arrivée enfin
Et j'ai trouvé quelqu'un à qui aimer, à qui perdre
Et mon cœur toujours fonds aussi

And so, the song reached its second chorus, and the cameras zoomed back even further to show the full stage, the full span of the opera house in which the contest was being held, and in which more of the background lighting was now being used, an ambient, slightly coloured light, certainly to the extent of the lamppost lights, but still with a bit of an orange tone to it. The camera view, looking as it was towards the back of the stage, was thus first focused on Annabelle as she slowly walked down the stairs, and further on the background screen behind her, which also seemed to scroll down, from showing just a starry sky to now showing the rooftops of rather stereotypical looking French-style townhouses, and in the background the silhouette of Rouen Cathedral appeared; above all this the night sky now hung. There was a shift around now to show Frédéric, was shown looking up towards Annabelle, his arm now reached out, as if desperately longing, but almost as if his feet were stopping him from moving. He finally began to walk around, almost looking as if he was having to put force into it; not too much now, though, because he wouldn't want to slip on the frosty ground. There were a variety of shots used in this section, a series of wider shots to show off the background LEDs and to show both of them moving closer to one another, finally seemingly reuiniting it would be as per the song (or uniting for the first time? You'll see why this interpretation is here later), intermixed with shots focused on the two of them, looking out across the stage to each other as they moved, Frédéric especially seemingly moved by the experience, as well as some shots looking over the stage and the orchestra, dutifully, marvelously playing along under Delavier's instruction. By the end of the chorus, the two of them had reached the central point of the back part behind the orchestra pit, where they finally properly locked onto each others life. They could do this. This was their moment. Or so they both thought, and willed the other to also think.

Et j'attends toujours que tu chutes
Du ciel sur ma main encore une fois
Je verrai des ciels que je n'aurais jamais pensé d'imaginer
Quand je te regarde ici dans cette nuit trop froide

The camera focused on the two of them and it seems that the moon must have moved in the "sky" as a single spotlight provided nearly all the light shining on them as everything became very close and intimate. The viewers across the multiverse were shown a shot of their upper bodies rather close, the two of them looking deeply into their eyes as they sang to each other. The spotlight slowly gained in 'strength' as it were and was slowly joined by more ambient lighting over the course of this section, as the camera slowly zoomed out. Anyway, to return to their intial meeting, the two, as noted, stood and gazed at each other, as Frédéric unwrapped his scarf from around his neck and wrapped it around her. The two reached out there hands and joined them together, palms meeting together and clasping each other, and coming down to a natural rest. The two slowly walked around, keeping each other at the same, close distance with their arms, so that the two seemed to swap places. Just before this section ended, Frédéric moved one of his hands, the camera shot moving behind him to show him slowly brushing a bit of hair to the side, before taking her into hold.

Bien que nous sachions qu'il n'allait jamais durer
Chaque seconde était incroyable
Et chauqe moment passe dans ma tête
Chaque faible lueur
Et puis ils diminuent vers le crépuscule
Mais ils laissent leur empreinte sur mon esprit et ma main
Et mon cœur fond une fois encore

Then, Anais' vocals took over, and showed why she had been brought in for the job of backing vocalists. As her frankly angelic voice ushured in the brief instrumental section, the camera which had been slowly zooming out faded out to allow it to jump the rest of the zoom out and show all of the stage as the background LED screens came back into life again, but now showing it snowing too over the rooftops of the city of Rouen as portrayed in the background. A fade to another shot, now from the surface level of the stage, focused on Frédéric and Annabelle as they slowly waltzed their way clockwise (if you view the stage from above and orientated from the audience side), slowly moving, to-ing and fro-ing, there way, twirling round, and barely breaking hold; Annabelle's dancing lessons as a young student at the Cherbourg College of Arts had certainly not gone to waste, and Frédéric... Frédéric had had a last minute crash course during the dress rehearsals itself, but a dog is never too old to learn new tricks. They did go this way around deliberately of course, in order to avoid the backing vocalists who were doing such a great job. They reached the front of the stage, beneath, indeed, the lamppost where Frédéric had started, and where they now finally broke out of hold. Frédéric was on the right hand side and Annabelle on the left, and they now stood facing slightly away from one another, but connected to each other via the hand that they held in between themselves. At this point, as the camera shot settled to just below stage level, looking up slightly, and a rather tight, close shot, snow began to slowly, gently, yet clearly fall from the roof of the Ergasia Vadonixa, the snow from the background images now clearly coming to life here too.

Je verrai des ciels que je n'aurais jamais pensé d'imaginer
Quand je te regarde ici dans cette nuit très froide

As the song slowly began to come to a close, the lights faded away again, until it was just the lamppost shining on the two of them, and the snow slowly continued to fall, forming layers on their clothes, getting into their hair, but of course generally looking very pretty if very annoying for Frédéric and Annabelle themselves. The camera view focused on Frédéric, who was 'singing to' Annabelle, i.e. it was slightly faced towards him rather than looking straight down the middle axis of the stage. The lamppost was not very strong, strong enough to show the two of them, intimately close once more, have turned in to face each other, and enough also to reflect off and playing amongst the snow flakes, which two danced along through the light. Yet, Annabelle seemed to slowly pull away over the course of the section. And then, she let go. The precise moment was caught on camera, as it were, the very instant that the contact was lost, and idneed, rather than show the whole process, instead the live feed stopped at this point, and simply faded to black and white, before fading away entirely into an old style cinema screen with FIN across it in fancy writing, as though to bring to an end this little fleeting romantic film indicated by the opening verse.

T'es tombé sur ma main
Et mon cœur a fondu, une fois

With that, the performance was over. There was a cut back to the live camera feed which showed a clearly exhausted Frédéric and Annabelle now at the centre of the stage, holding one another close and looking up at each other. They had done it, they had got through the perfomance. And they had loved every minute of it, just as Simone had promised them they would. And now, they would be able to sit, relax, enjoy the rest of the show, before the results section, a thought which temporarily loomed large in both of their minds. But, for now, they could enjoy their moment, give their "Merci!"s to the crowd, and go and have a nice, relaxing drink...

by **Kalosia** » Fri Jan 15, 2021 2:56 am

XX. Kalosia
"Inamuratë" - Filipa Sardu
Title Translation: In love
Language(s): Kalosia
Lyrics: Filipa Sardu
Music: Roberto Manšini, Fernandu Tražu
Tune: Mi sei scoppiato dentro il cuore — Annalisa
Conductor: Roberto Manšini

For the 46th Festival dele Melodie Kalosiane (FMK), it was initially planned that the format of the previous FMK was to be carried over. FMK45, the national final for the 55th World Hit Festival in Brahmokerto, Fromulya, was held behind closed doors with no audience, and an orchestra performing in an adjacent studio. It was particularly imperative that the orchestra remain no matter what, due to the fact that the 56th WHF was a special orchestral edition, and whatever song was chosen to represent Kalosia would join all the other entries from other participating countries in being performed with a live orchestra.

However, new regulations in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to organizers. With cases going back up, it was considered a risk to include a live orchestra during the event, even if in a separate studio. To overcome this, RTVK held studio recording sessions where the orchestra played in real time with minimal sound mixing. The competing artists were present at these sessions and treated them as sound/vocal rehearsals. Ultimately, however, these sessions mainly produced the instrumental backing tracks played during the live broadcast, and the competing artists sung live.

24-year old Filipa Sardu was announced as the winner of FMK and therefore won the right to represent Kalosia at the 56th World Hit Festival with her song "Inamuratë". It is a quite classy and whimsical song sung from the perspective of a woman who has fallen head over heels for a man after previously having lost faith in men.

For the international performance, the conductor was one of the songwriters, Roberto Manšini. The 45 year old songwriter's repertoire included various music scores for Kalosian films as well as the occasional song here and there. He was definitely better known for the former. Kalosia was drawn to perform 22nd, after the entry from Hafamarimët. For the big night, Filipa wore a beautiful elegant white dress that draped over one shoulder. Roberto, meanwhile, wore a matching white tux. Conductor aside, she was to be alone on stage.

Shortly after Roberto was introduced, he turned to the orchestra, signalling the start of the song. As the song began, Filipa slowly walked from backstage onto the back platform, mic in hand. With a grin on her face, she began to sing.

Loru
Dišonu dëli homi
Kë loru sonu lë stesu
Kë sonu suštitubilë

Halfway through this next part, she reached the center of the platform. Viewers could now see that at the background screen was an abstract red background. Soon, little heart shapes and rose petals began to fall inside that background screen. As the song built up to the chorus, Filipa began to show her vocal prowess.

Ma tu, ma tu, ma tu…
Tu së difrentë
Aj portatu unë novë
Perspektivë a vitë mia

As the chorus kicked in, a camera flew in from the back of the venue, panning across the audience, and then the orchestra, and then to Filipa. At this point we can see that the little canvas-like screens on both sides of the stage had different graphics. They fused together like one giant window, showing a romantic nighttime view of the old town area of the Kalosian city of Kafalon, where Filipa is from.

U braši toji, sentu solu
Inamuratë, sto inamuratë
Kestë es l’uniko sensažio
Inamuratë, inamuratë

Now the cameras showed a few close up shots of Filipa. She seems really passionate and looks like she really means what she is singing.

E kadë kesti dwe kori
Stanu batendu u harmonia
Ja sentu benë
Inamuratë di ti

Now the music calms down a little. Filipa strolls down the ramp onto the donut-shaped main stage, where a mic stand is waiting for her.

E or
Kadë rëkordu di moji eši
Ťi anu mi datu dolor
Penšu ja di tiu sorisu

As she reaches the mic stand, she crouches down and extends her hand towards the orchestra pit in front of her as a member of the Tödlichebujoku orchestra hands her a single red rose. As this happened, it was as if Annalisa was singing to that person. She then gets up again.

E tu, e tu, e tu…
Tu së uniko
Së diventatu lë spešal
Amurë di vitë mia

Now she sets up her mic at the stand, freeing both of her hands (well, one of them was still holding the rose but she had more freedom of movement with it for sure). This allows her to project her voice more effectively, which in turn allowed her to convey her emotions more powerfully.

U braši toji, sentu solu
Inamuratë, sto inamuratë
Kestë es l’uniko sensažio
Inamuratë, inamuratë

And as we got to see the whole stage once again, we notice that the stage lights had turned a warm yellow, matching the colour of the lights in the singular picture that the screens on the left and right sides of the stage showed. The center background screen still showed the abstract red background with the hearts and roses, though.

E kadë kesti dwe kori
Stanu batendu u harmonia
Ja sentu benë
Inamuratë di ti

By now, Filipa was singing more powerfully than ever, with a very strong and emotional voice.

U braši toji, sentu solu
Inamuratë, sto inamuratë
Si, kestë es l’uniko sensažio
Inamuratë, inamuratë

As the song was beginning to come to an end, Filipa did not hold back. When she sang the third line, she extended her arms downward towards her sides, before promptly bringing them back wrapping her body right as the last line starts. And as she sings the final word of the song, she extends her arms forward first, before extending it to her sides, sustaining a very powerful projected note the whole time.

E kadë kesti dwe kori
Stanu batendu u harmonia
Ja sentu benë
Inamuratë di ti

As the song ends, the crowd cheers. She takes a bow, satisfied with her performance, before promptly gesturing towards the conductor. Roberto, in turn, is seen bowing to the audience, and the two soon leave as the stage is set up for the entry from Tödlichebujoku. As it is the host entry, the audience begins to cheer louder once they realize who is about to perform, and the Tödlichebujoki postcard begins.

by **Todlichebujoku** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:32 am

XX. Tödlichebujoku
"Luminary" - Kuutamo Liberuyassa
Language(s): English
Lyrics: Yuuma Kita, Hitomi Takala
Music: Armas Pinheiro, Yuuma Kita, Aapo Išikava
Tune: UNSECRET ft. Sam Tinnesz & Fleurie - "NO SANCTUARY"

2 weeks before the contest

These were dark times for the nation. Armed attacks dotted Tödlichebujoku's cities, especially in the central and eastern regions. The sky loomed through the windows, a lurid blood red like the nation had already collapsed into the underworld. Hitomi Takala took a moment to take it all in again. It was all just so heartbreaking, and every piece of news left her with a sinking feeling in her heart. What would become of this great nation? Sure, it wasn't at its peak, but at the same time, it was doing reasonably well prior to this point. Was it all really doomed? All the systems and institutions infiltrated and rendered ineffectual? The young singer turned away. All this horror, this melancholy... it all felt very similar to the inspiration of her song with Yuuma, even if the circumstances were entirely different. The seeming collapse of all that she had grown up with was far from, you know, the sudden death of a lifelong close friend, but still it pained her to her core and endangered her hope for the future. Yuuma and her had bonded over similar experiences, and so it was natural to write "Luminary", a piece expressing the pain and suffering of the loss of a close friend but also the hope and love shared between them, the tangle of feelings involved in letting go.

She closed the curtains, cutting out the omnipresent glow of the crimson sky. Sterblichengokai, her home city, had so far been spared from the destruction and violence that had plagued cities elsewhere, but even so it was just maddening to think about it all and those people in the streets going about their day as if nothing odd was happening, pretending all was fine. It just got on her NERVES and she needed to find peace, find a way to release her frustrations. And "Luminary" helped with that. The catharsis of letting go, the admission of loss, the glimmer of hope. Her apartment was small, sure, but the one thing she was able to wrangle from her real estate agent was a room for a studio space to sing in. She wasn't huge enough to afford a real custom studio, but this office area worked out for her. Brushing past the mini jungle she kept around the house, she settled into the studio, closed her eyes, and centered herself. She hummed the first few notes and began to sing.

The stage is dark. A blue glow slowly appears, revealing Yuuma sitting at a chair by a small table on the projecting platform, dressed simply but slightly disheveled, his head in his hands. The light shifts to a soft white from behind him as he raises his head to sing, gazing emptily into the distance. Near him sits a hospital bed, dimly lit, but with a figure of an unconscious woman just about visible in it. The camera view comes in level with the table, focusing past the bottle of vodka and empty shot glass sitting on it, to Yuuma's despondent figure. At first, he refuses to acknowledge the camera, turning away, eyes downcast, before giving up and shifting his gaze over to meet it

Had another shot in the dark
Feels like I'm going under
Maybe I've had too much to drink

In this storm I'm foundering
Don't have strength to fight it
You helped me dream of better days

The camera remains close in, an intimate presence in this fragile moment. Little else visibly moves, only the pianist faintly visible beyond him in the twilight. He breathes out, reflective, gazing out into the distance with a wistful expression as he turns back to the camera view, eyes soft, a slight mournful tone in his voice. The camera view catches his face half lit by the soft glow, before turning to the bed with the prone figure

You and I have lived so much together

Yuuma rises from his chair and turns toward the audience, his movements leaden, dragging with grief and fear. Around him, the light panels glow gold, but the lighting upon himself stays muted, therefore suffusing his face with a soft gold from the panels. A point of light rises in front of him, its borders indistinct, slowly hovering over the audience ahead of him. He raises an arm out toward the light, nearly touching it, before it draws away from him just a bit and his arm falls back down to grip the edge of the table next to him.

My luminary
There's no place like home
My luminary
Don't leave me behind

He turns off to the side, facing the audience members along the wall. His actions are shaky, his body trembling. The table shakes as well, and the vodka bottle tips over and shatters on the floor. Luckily, the sound isn't picked up much by Yuuma's microphone, so it registers as little more than a faint background noise as his wild gaze meets the camera view and his voice cracks ever so slightly with emotion. The lighting from this angle turns to a cold, harsh white light as Yuuma's expression falls and he clutches at his chest, before looking back up to the audience and being suffused with a warm glow once more as he sings the title of the song

Every time I breathe, I suffocate
Can't feel nothing else but my heartache
My luminary
Don't let me, don't let me go

After a shot of the orchestra behind him, backlit by the various light panels and the floating point of light, the camera view returns to showing the stage from the audience's perspective. The lighting fades back to darkness, before tender beams of golden light, echoing the light strums of the harp strings, fade into view on the upper stage where Hitomi appears, in a very simple, but ethereal white dress of silky fabric that glows in the light. As Yuuma is barely visible gazing down in contemplation, oblivious, all attention turns to Hitomi who begins to sing. Her eyes are wistful as they catch the light, and she regards the camera view with warmth and tenderness as she starts off her verse simply standing, before heading down one step and sitting down, the extra fabric of her dress arrayed around her, glowing as if caught in a sunbeam in a forest clearing straight from a Llaltese fairytale

Remember when we first laid eyes
The sunshine burning bright
My breaths rasped shallow in delight

You couldn't keep your eyes off mine
Every day brought a new horizon
And I slept peaceful through the night

The shot focuses on a cellist in the orchestral pit, before rising past the harp player and their beautifully gilded harp, which shines softly with reflected light, and finally arrives at Hitomi who reaches out, and seems to hold and bring the camera view to her side, looking out over the audience, before the camera view glides forward off the steps, over the orchestra pit and the audience

Everything felt so right beside you

The stage is suffused with light, Yuuma visible once more as he stands by the table, gazing over the audience where the floating point of light used to be. This time, the two singers are surrounded in a pool of soft golden light similar to that of the floating point, referencing how they are one another's luminary, their guiding light. With the drumbeats coming in, a slight breeze is visible washing across the stage, tossing hair and rustling Hitomi's dress fabric along the steps, and the camera view taking a dramatic shot that passes along the two of them as the breeze comes through

My luminary
There's no place like home
My luminary
Don't leave me behind

Every time I breathe, I suffocate
Can't feel nothing else but my heartache
My luminary
Don't let me, don't let me go

A number of longing, wistful, and pained shots later, soft light beaming in hair and off of gaunt cheeks, the camera view sweeps along the edge of the orchestral pit during the instrumental, soft underlighting accentuating the warm wood tones of the instruments and subtly gleaming off the polished surfaces as the players work their figurative magic. Soon after, Yuuma steps along the edge of the stage, one arm outstretched as if trying to embrace a glow that only he sees, hope and pain on his face as he reaches in hopeful desperation. Hitomi, meanwhile, reclines back at the top of the steps, striking a dramatic pose, eyes shut as if trying to pierce through the boundary of life and death through mental strength alone

No…
Don't let me go
No…

The lights fade, only the softest of glows are left on Hitomi as the camera view faces down on her from above, her eyes just beginning to open. She gazes dreamily in the direction of the camera view, not quite making eye contact, clearly living in a different world than the present. Her hair is arrayed upon the smooth floor, making for an artistic impression as the glow of light glints off its waves and curves. She closes her eyes with the second stanza, reminiscing of the times spent together, feeling safe and sound, a slight smile forming upon her lips as she does so

My luminary
There's no place like home
My luminary
Two heartbeats, one life

Made me feel at home in the danger zone
Made me feel alive in the darkness

As the two launch into the chorus, Hitomi keeps her eyes closed until "luminary", at which she opens them and gazes into the camera view, and rises back up to a sitting position, the camera view following with her and slowly drawing away. Before long, it passes the orchestra pit and then Yuuma, who is on his knees in the golden lighting which seems more intense, and harsher than before, drawing sharper shadows on him as he looks upward with longing, almost into one of the spotlights. The camera view draws away, beginning to arc around the stage and capture the whole vista, and thus catches a thin curtain of gold pyros beginning to form, slicing the stage in half diagonally, with a carefully laid spell rendering the sparks inert as they hit the orchestra pit. Only now do Yuuma and Hitomi outright acknowledge one another, as Yuuma turns to see her through the curtain of sparks, steps forward, and reaches out to her, while Hitomi rises to her feet and carefully begins to descend the steps, and arm half raised as if in disbelief and cautious hope, shock on her face as the camera view captures her through the falling embers

My luminary
My luminary
My luminary
There's no place like home
My luminary
Don't leave me behind

The camera view gets extremely close to the pyro curtain, and then turns so that it cuts through the view, in half. Yuuma approaches on one side, Hitomi on the other. They raise their hands tentatively, reaching out to one another, but are unable to make contact due to the pyro curtain. Even so, they keep their hands raised, so as to imitate touching hands, and as they sing the lyrics with ever more passion and intensity, the meaning changing ever so slightly - now they are sympathizing with one another's plight, their ordeal of separation, and are making a promise to remember the other despite the insurmountable barrier of death. Yuuma blinks rapidly as if to suppress a tear, inhaling swiftly between lines as if suppressing emotion, allowing us to see his emotion at its rawest and tenderest point in the performance. For her part, Hitomi gazes on with a pained smile, finding comfort in knowing Yuuma is still there, and that one day they will reunite

Every time I breathe, I suffocate
Can't feel nothing else but my heartache
My luminary
Don't let me, don't let me go

The spotlights and ambient lighting cut out as the pyro curtain is replaced by a narrow line of ice white lights diffused by the residual smoke. The camera view remains the same; Yuuma and Hitomi are now separated by a thin wall of what seems like glowing fog now, which reflects on their faces, which are frozen as if in disbelief and a glimmer of hope. The shot and lighting stay still for a few seconds, and then cut out into full darkness

"Kiitos, Estegoa, thank you so much," breathes Yuuma into the microphone as the lighting returns. "Obrigado, thank you," adds Hitomi before the two execute a quick bow and then turn to exit the stage.

by **Skanden** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 9:14 am

XX. Skanden
"Dame tus besos" - Anita Sánchez
Title Translation: Give me your kisses
Language(s): Spanish
Lyrics: Tiago Lopez
Music: Luis Suárez
Tune: La dolce vita — Anneli Saaristo
Conductor: Lauri Norrberg

After a polarizing entry by SKT Українська, Skanden's participation in this contest is being handled by SKT Español. The song, Dame tus besos, is sung from the perspective of a woman who wants her man back. In the lyrics, she expresses regret for having caused him pain, and hopes to make it up to him. The singer is 28-year old Anita Sánchez.

SKT Español was initially unaware that it was an orchestral edition of the World Hit Festival, and by the time they found out, they were unprepared to provide a conductor. While there was always the option of using the Tödlichebujoki host conductor, the main SKT headquarters elected to send their very own conductor to lead the Skandish entry at WHF. Lauri Norrberg, however, was not particularly an expert on the style of music that the entry was in.

After the first round of rehearsals, there was reportedly a bit of drama because the composer, Luis Suárez, did not approve of Lauri's arrangement of the song. They got in a bit of an argument during their allotted rehearsal slot because Luis felt that the arrangement diluted the particular features that made it sound authentically Spanish. Lauri defended himself, saying tried to make the most of the orchestra and the hall's acoustics, which meant that certain instruments did not appear as prominent as they would in a studio mixed track. After a bit of back and forth, Luis left the hall in protest, full of anger, and this made its way to WHF news sites and fan circles. When asked about it during the press conference, which Lauri also opted to miss, head of delegation José-María Ximénez asserted that there were some behind-the-scenes disagreements that were being sorted out, but it was nothing to worry about.

Lauri and Luis later met to work on the arrangement of the song ahead of the second rehearsal. While it still wasn't satisfactory to Luis' standards, it was enough for him to no longer make a fuss over it. The end result — the version that is performed below — particularly accentuates the guitars and horn section which are perceived to make the song sound 'Spanish'. The string section, which doesn't appear in the studio version, remains in the arrangement but does not prominently appear until the second verse. But what lacked in the arrangement, the delegation tried to make up through staging — you'll see in a moment.

The producers of the 56th World Hit Festival decided that Skanden was to open the show. It's always quite nerve-wrecking when you get such an honour, but Anita will manage. For the big night, she was wearing a classy red flamenco dress. Briefly, after the Skandish postcard ended, the camera now focused on Lauri, looking at the orchestra, and waving his baton, signalling that tonight's first entry had begun. After a few seconds, the camera transitioned to showing the platform at the back of the stage, focusing on on the silhouettes of a couple dancing flamenco. When the guitars kicked in, the camera showed the two guitar players at the back of the donut-shaped stage, and slowly zoomed out to reveal Anita, who just finished walking the front of the stage, slightly to the side (so as to not obstruct the conductor from view). As soon as Anita was in focus, she began to sing.

Si pudiera ser una ladróna
Yo robaría tu corazón
Porque tienes la mejor sonrisa
Me da una nueva emoción

Now the camera switched to a close up of Anita, briefly cutting away to a close up of the guitars after the third line below.

En las calles escucho al músico
Y me recuerda a tu voz
Y quiero volver a nuestras aventuras
Oh querido, te extraño

As the cameras panned over the stage, we could see that the flamenco dancers from earlier were now behind mic stands, and were also backing singers. At this point we could see that the background screens were all filled with beds of flowers.

Dame tus besos
No puedo esperar otra noche
Dame tus sueños
Tus brazos, todo tu ser

Now a few close ups towards the backing singers (who by the way are grooving along to the melody) and Anita, and then then the guitarists, and then back to Anita.

Yo se que no era la mejor para ti
Pero sabes que es lo mejor para mi
Por favor dame otra oportunidad
Dame tus besos

It is at this point that the strings come in, somewhat taking over the guitar parts. The backing singers are now dancing once again, but instead of silhouettes there is a spotlight on them. And then the camera pans on the guitar players before it goes back to Anita for this next part. Also, at the very least these strings kept the song dynamic, and if anything the strings in this next part below "split" from the main melody, almost as if trying to engage in a dialogue with the singer.

Si yo pudiera ser una bruja
Yo nunca te hechizaría
En cambio tus palabras me encantan
Quiero des-rompe tu corazón

The camera also occasionally shows audience shots, by the way. One again, the shots with the guitar are repeated.

En mi cama estoy llorando ahora
Lamento mucho mis errores
No merecías el dolor que te di
Oh querido, perdóname

Now the camera shows us around the stage. It doesn't exactly pan around the stage, but we get to see all of the performers, almost as if we were talking around the stage.

Dame tus besos
No puedo esperar otra noche
Dame tus sueños
Tus brazos, todo tu ser

Towards the end of the next part the camera does that thing with the guitars again, before closing up on Anita.

Yo se que no era la mejor para ti
Pero sabes que es lo mejor para mi
Por favor dame otra oportunidad
Dame tus besos

Now for this instrumental break, members of the orchestra that aren't playing anything at the moment clap their hands to the rhythm while the two backing dancers briefly do a dance routine. Anita herself is also seen doing a bit of dancing in place. The cameras catch all this as it happens.

The backing singers quickly get back in place as the camera angles get more dynamic, switching between Anita, the horns section of the orchestra, and the backing singers.

Dame tus besos
No puedo esperar otra noche
Dame tus sueños
Tus brazos, todo tu ser

The camera pans around the stage before showing a close up of Anita singing the third line below. After showing a close up of the guitar players once again, the camera shows Anita once again as she sings this last line below.

Yo se que no era la mejor para ti
Pero sabes que es lo mejor para mi
Por favor dame otra oportunidad
Dame tus besos

The camera slowly zooms out.

Dame tus besos

For the final few seconds of the song, the backing performers quickly join the guitarists. Anita joins them as well. They do a few final moves ending in a final pose, marking an end to the song. A quick little shot of pyrotechnics comes up at the same time as the final guitar strums.

The entry is now over. The audience cheers with excitement for the first song of the night, the guitar players get up and all the performers take a bow. "¡Muchas gracias Stergo!" Anita exclaims, waving to the audience before leaving the stage as it gets cleared for the second entry of the night, from Faraby.

The 56th WHF- Sterblichengokai, Tödlichebujoku- Draft Thread

The 56th WHF- Sterblichengokai, Tödlichebujoku- Draft Thread

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XX | Nightom | Matinee Schylestreake - Never Forget

XX | Britonisea | Alexandre Augustin - Enchanté

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