Prelude
What a year it had been for Carrelie. From the election of Empress Edith-Marie to the situation in Achanor, there had been highs and lows and CarrelieOne was ready to enter WHF again. This time they again held an internal selection among the nations of Carrelie...
April 15th, 2021 - Densmouth Hall, Densmouth, Dentricia
V: "Fiona é ve Barrows, dieze!"
"Fiona é ve Barrows, dieze!"
"Sophie, dieze!"
"Fiona é ve Barrows, dieze!"
"Fiona é ve Barrows, dieze!"
"Dolce Vita, dieze!"
"And finally, the winner of the Sondienne oú Canerila, Fiona é ve Barrows, dieze! Congratulations!"
And that's how it went. Unlike Eurosong 1983, there was very little booing this time, in fact, there was a resounding cheer! The heartfelt lyrics and soulful vocals really went down well with the audience and Carrelie as a whole, and everyone was proud to be represented by such a lovely group!
Fiona & the Barrows
Barrow siblings Fiona (31), Liabhrann (26), Lùisadhe (30) and Sìoltach (28), shown in the above image anti-clockwise from the top, migrated from Scotland to Arianos when they were only children, after their father left them for New Douria and never returned. Their mother made barely enough to support them, and thus they spent a lot of time outside. It was on one of these days when the four would stumble upon something that would change their lives forever.
A normal day had came and went, when at 7pm, Fiona and her siblings were walking home from the park. Their trek had been long and unforgiving, but Sìoltach was still rather alert. The sun was just setting when out of the corner of his eye he saw a strange contraption lying in a bush, nearly untouched. It had strings that twanged like no other, an acoustic sound - it was a guitar!
Sìoltach took to the guitar quickly, learning everything with haste under the watchful eye of his mother. Fiona and Lùisadhe began singing, and Liabhrann fashioned drums out of pots and pans - everything was coming together! The four played and played into the night, and attracted local crowds playing covers of popular folk songs, soon catching the eye of a few big names in the music industry. They soon became Arianosien child stars and a display of perseverance against unfavourable circumstances.
They began releasing tracks of their own, each telling its own story. From "Days Now and Forever", a song about their time outside, to "Scraping By", about their mother's financial situation, songs were recieved well by the community, and thus winning a ticket to compete in Songs of Carrelie, the chance to represent Carrelie at the World Hit Festival.
Performance
Fiona walks up to the stage alone, looking across the audience with a smile. Her dress glides across the floor as she traverses to the centre, up to the microphone. Her smile fades as the stage darkens, except for one light shining directly on her.
While you’re gone all that way can you tell us you wanna come back,
Then we’ll know that you love us, even if you’re in New Douria.
Another light turns on, revealing Lùisadhe on the platform, wearing this to contrast with Fiona, whose light quickly turns off, leaving only Lùisadhe in focus. A guitar and drums seem to appear from the stage.
Just send us a letter, a call and hey,
You could always tell us ‘bout that thousand miles away.
You sailed Caerwskwr, to Reconnaitras,
We’re all still thinkin’ ‘bout you, so please can you come back?
Lùisadhe's light cuts out, and a light turns on in the same position Fiona was in, now revealing Sìoltach, who is strumming a guitar. He's dressed in a suit and is sitting on a stool with the microphone in front of him.
While you’re gone all that way can you tell us you wanna come back,
Then we’ll know that you love us, even if you’re in New Douria.
Sìoltach's light stays on, and Lùisadhe's is also turned on, revealing Fiona too. The LED screens illuminate to show scenes of the ocean and islands.
I’ve tried to picture, how your life’s goin’,
Big business trips and livin’ high and trav’lin’ over Nove an’ Donwin
We should’ve told ya, never let us go,
But we always come last place, we’re always just too slow.
While you’re gone all that way can you tell us you wanna come back,
Then we’ll know that you love us, even if you’re in New Douria.
Sìoltach continues playing the guitar as the lights die down, the stage now only illuminated by spotlights.
What’d you love more, St William’s or home?
Gafrey or home?
There or home?
What’d you love more, St William’s or us?
Gafrey or us?
There or us?
What’d you love more, St William’s or home?
Gafrey or home?
There or home?
All the lights cut out, and a light on the stage's east fades in, revealing Liabhrann on the drums. His thick accent definitely adds some flair to his verse.
We don’t know why, you haven’t returned,
Even when you’re longin’, to leave the promised land.
Do you even want to? Will you soon return?
We can only speculate, and tell, oh, how it hurts.
All lights now illuminate, showing all four siblings on the stage as they all sing in unison
While you’re gone all that way can you tell us you wanna come back,
Then we’ll know that you love us, even if you’re in New Douria.
The lights once again die, now revealing each sibling one by one, starting with Liabhrann, then Fiona, then Sìoltach, then Lùisadhe.
Will you come home, please just come home,
Please just come home,
We want you home.
Will you come home, please just come home,
Please just come home,
We want you home.
Can you come home, please just come home,
Please just come home,
We want you home.
Can you come home, please just come home,
Please just come home,
We want you home.
Only Lùisadhe is illuminated now, sitting on a stool facing the audience. Her tearful conclusion is strong yet so very gentle.
You sailed Caerwskwr, to Reconnaitras,
We’re all still thinkin’ ‘bout you, so please can you come back?
It had been done. The Barrow siblings had achieved one of their great dreams, though there are many yet to go. Who knows what's next for them?