Those who've had the opportunity to witness the theatrical spectacle of the Eurovision Song Contest are enamored with the music, the sparkle, and the heart that goes into the making of the European competition.
Since 1956, worldwide talents such as ABBA and Celine Dion have graced the stage and eventually launched successful recording careers. The notoriety streak continued for artists with more recent wins such as Conchita Wurst of Austria, Jamala of Ukraine, and Netta of Israel, who have used the contest as launching pads themselves.
In America, the popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest is much more tamed, and many more remain unaware of its existence. A new film from Netflix, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, thrusts the competition in the faces of an American audience with heart and a dash of self-deprecating humor. Starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, the story of aspiring and clueless Icelandic artists dream of taking the Eurovision stage with their own imaginative recordings.
While the film indeed has its low points, mostly the confusion caused by numerous fake accents throughout, it does a fine job at highlighting the outlandish fascination and desire for winning the coveted glass 1950s microphone trophy.
However, it's the accompanying soundtrack that deserves praise for its spot-on portrayal of all things Eurovision. The creators and producers certainly did their homework, put their love for the contest on full display, as the tracklist weaves through Russian pomp, overly-inspirational pop fluff, and demonic/angelic rock songs from Belarus.
Here are a few of the album standouts:
"Volcano Man" (performed by Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams and Molly Sandén)
As promotion for the film, the first taste of the soundtrack came with the release of "Volcano Man", the imaginative brainchild of Ferrell's main character and our introduction to the hopeless dreams of Fire Saga. Swedish producers Gustaf Holter and Christian Persson overlay a sense of satire over disco-tinged production and a hilariously obnoxious earworm of a chorus. While the song represents just a dream in the film, the only thing hard to believe is that we only get to experience one minute of this comedic masterpiece.
"In the Mirror" (performed by Demi Lovato)
Somehow, makers of the film lured pop starlet Demi Lovato to play the character of Katiana, the pop singer with vocal pipes of gold chosen to represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest. Before an untimely "accident", the audience is treated to her entry. "In the Mirror" is a slice of dramatic balladry that the likes of Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera would find chart success with in real life. Katiana wallows in her own loneliness, while the soundtrack producers instead turned the song into an anthem about an artist unaware of their own naivety.
"Song-A-Long: "Believe", "Ray of Light", "Waterloo", "Ne partez pas sans moi", and "I Gotta Feeling"" (performed by Cast)
Towards the middle of the film, as the characters of Lars and Sigrit get fully immersed in the Eurovision magic, the audience is treated to the queerest cinematic experience in recent film history. For a "Song-A-Long", producers mash-up iconic pop classics into a celebratory party anthem. Cher transitions into Madonna, which transitions into homages to the aforementioned ABBA and Celine Dion, capped off with a little from The Black Eyed Peas. The cherries on top are vocal cameos from Eurovision champions: Conchita, Netta, Jamala, Loreen, and Alexander Rybalk.
"Running with the Wolves" (performed by Courtney Jenaé and Adam Grahn)
Heavy metal aesthetic and pop production collide on the Belarus song entry "Running with the Wolves". A supposed homage to Finnish rock band Lordi, who won the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, the track may be scary on the outside, but is quite endearing on the inside. The lonely souls of the world finally find their pack of outcasts, coming alive under the moonlight. Adam Grahn's deep, demonic vocal performance juxtaposes with a sense of angelic innocence coming from Courtney Jenaé. It's a mirror image of the craziness that can blossom under the Eurovision lights.
"Husavik" (performed by Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams and Molly Sandén)
SPOILER ALERT: Following a failed semi-finals performance of original entry "Double Trouble" which involved a long scarf and giant hamster wheel, Lars and Sigrit return to the Eurovision stage for a touching hometown ode in the form of "Husavik". Instead of the comedic bells and whistles, the artists stick to a more personal effort that comes straight from the heart. While Rachel McAdams can be heard on the track, as can Ferrell in a comforting supportive role, the heavy lifting is on Sandén shoulders as she sings of seagulls and whales with authentic Icelandic lyrics.
The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands was cancelled and postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully, the charm and laughs surrounding the comedic film and its brilliant soundtrack will tide die-hard fans over until 2021.
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