Inside the wildest Eurovision performances that you’ve probably forgotten about
With just minutes to make an impression many Eurovision performers have taken the concept of a memorable performance to the extreme.
Italy send Francesco Gabbani to the 2017 Eurovision 2017
Eurovision Song Contest participants have a mere three minutes to make an impression on the audience and judges. Therefore it is no surprise that even those with incredibly strong songs sometimes resort to bonkers staging and gimmicks to ensure their songs stand out. Over the decades the stage has welcomed all manner of bewildering stunts and props in the name of entertainment - and of course, selling the song! Here are some of the most wonderfully weird and wild performances you may have forgotten.
Belarus 2016
Making an instant impression is a must at Eurovision features about 20 songs in just two hours. Make yours stand out by starting and nothing makes people sit up and take notice like nudity. This was surely the thinking of Belarus’s IVAN when he began his performance of Help You Fly with a hologram of him naked, beside a howling wolf. His efforts were in vain though as he failed to qualify for the grand final, meaning audiences were only subjected to his naked form once.
Ukraine 2014
While treadmills have often featured in a performance in 2014 Mariya Yaremchuk took the concept a step further with a human sized hamster wheel on stage as she performed her track Tick-Tock. Her dancer gor Kuleshyn performing all manner of tricks inside it as she sang. The performance was so bonkers it inspired a scene in the 2020 Netflix comedy film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams.
France 2008
While performance enhancing drugs are generally banned in all competitive events it appears that helium doesn't count. Sébastien Tellier’s arrived on stage driving a golf buggy, and was clearly worried about hitting the high notes on his song Divine so he inhaled a helium balloon mid-performance, raising his voice a couple of octaves.
Italy 2017
Francesco Gabbani's performance of Occidentali's Karma featured a gorilla breakdancing and waving to the crowd. The gorilla was supposed to be represent the fact we are all “naked apes” on the inside as the song gave a philosophical take on modern life. However the message went over most people's heads as they focused on the dancing primate instead.
Ireland 2008
While many Eurovison songs have been turkeys Ireland is, to date, the only country to send a literal turkey to represent them. Dustin the Turkey was a popular character on Irish children's TV but the irreverent song, Irelande Douze Pointe, which was a spoof of the Eurovision voting system ultimately didn't qualify for the final.
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Moldova 2018
DoReDoS took to the stage for Moldova with My Lucky Day in 2018 and they certainly ensured their three minutes were memorable. A series of doors opened and closed and the audience could see people being "intimate". With only six people allowed on stage it is unlikely they flaunted the rules and rather people probably moved around but it certainly left people slack jawed and scratching their heads.
Ukraine 2007
Verka Serduchka's performance of Dancing Lasha Tumbai makes every list of weird and wonderful Eurovision performances. Verka is the drag persona of Andriy Danylko who also wrote the track. This performance had it all: never-ending key changes, costumes that looked as if they were made out of tinfoil, double entendres and several accordions. UK commentator Sir Terry Wogan wasn't impressed exclaiming: “Heavens above. And this is the favourite.” The track proved more popular with viewers and judges and came in second.
