Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Next debacle for Germany
Jendrik Sigwart during his performance
© imago images / ANP
As in 2019, it was enough for Germany, which Jendrik Sigwart had sent into the race, only for the penultimate place this year.
At the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, it set the next debacle for Germany. Jendrik Sigwart (26) landed on a disappointing 25th place with his song “I Don’t Feel Hate” and was penultimate. The big winner of the evening in the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam was the rock band Måneskin from Italy, who won the race in a real heart-stopping final.
Sigwart, according to ESC commentator legend Peter Urban (73), the “whirlwind against hateful messages on the Internet”, started the race with start number 15. The 26-year-old musical performer danced, sang and ukulelte quite energetically through his title. But a staid vocal performance and an exuberant performance, including a trumpet solo with a dancing peace sign or middle finger, apparently failed to score points with either the ESC audience or the jury.
Italy wins thanks to the crowd
The national juries gave Sigwart a meager three points – two from Austria and one from Romania. Only Great Britain (James Newman – “Emers”) got even fewer points, namely zero. Switzerland fought head-to-head with its artist Gjon’s Tears (22) and his song “Tout l’univers” and France with singer Barbara Pravi (28) and her classic chanson song “Voilà”. In the end, Gjon’s Tears greeted from first place with 267 points. Pravi was close behind with 248 points.
But with the voices of the audience, everything could change. However, Great Britain did not get any points from the spectators either. Just like Sigwart. With that, the 25th place was finally cemented. In the further course everything was whirled around quite tremendously. Italy, which the rock band Måneskin had put in the running with their song “Zitti E Buoni”, suddenly found itself very popular with the audience and took first place.
But it should actually take until the very last point announcement before the decision was made. Because until the end, Switzerland had the opportunity to overtake Italy. But nothing came of it. The points of the audience voting were not enough to dispute Italy for victory. So it was clear: Måneskin are the winners of the ESC 2021 ahead of France and Switzerland.
Two artists tested positive
In April, the Dutch government declared the huge event a test case and allowed 3,500 viewers each to the nine shows, including six public rehearsals, the two semi-finals and the final. The show was based on an extensive test concept. All employees, journalists and artists had to show a negative corona test every two days in order to even get into the arena.
And in fact there were two corona cases in the field of participants. First known that a member of the Icelandic band Daði og Gagnamagnið tested positive for the coronavirus. The band had then decided to withdraw from all appearances at the live shows. Duncan Laurence (27), who brought the contest to the Netherlands with his victory two years ago, also tested positive a short time later. Laurence should have presented his winning title “Arcade” on stage during the finale. His performance was shown on a video clip.