2005

 

• Hosted in: Hasselt, Belgium

• Won by: Belarus – My mveste by Ksenia Sitnik

• UK entry: How does it feel by Joni Fuller

The JESC finally got out of Scandivania in 2005, the top three isn’t the top three anymore, and the ballad trend is slowly and surely fading.

We have to recognize Serbia and Montenegro’s only entry in JESC history here – Filip Vucic’s “love and football”, who, fittingly, carries a football on-stage. Anyone who were there may be horrified if he actually kicked it. However, Alina Eremia’s Țurai might have more cheering than this, even though her intent is to blend Romanian culture, evident by she and her crew dressing traditional clothes. Meanwhile, Nicolai goes “Shake shake shake”

For the presumed “big three” however, the UK has yet again sent a girl with a muscular name – Joni Fuller. Her song no doubt tried to capture whatever Cory Spedding did last year, and most of the entries in 2003, and even tried to manifest a future Eurovision winner – Alexander Rybak – by whipping out a violin. However, it’s not a surprise that everyone have grown, and the UK only gained a pathetic 16 points, 28 points total (we’ll get to that in a minute) and third from last on the scoreboard. Only beating Malta, our lovely wooden spoon winner of ’05 with their song “Make it right!” (ironic), and Sweden. Yup.

Combined that with the low audiences rating during its broadcast on ITV2 – and the subsequent shortened re-airing on ITV1, and you got yourselves the UK withdrawing from the contest entirely for 17 straight years. Yes, it’s that bad.

Croatia didn’t do any better, while they did finish above the UK and Serbia-Montenegro, that’s it. They also manifested their previous wins so bad, they recruited Dino Jelusick’s sister, Lorena. Though her “Rock Baby” doesn’t do any justice as much as her brother did. They finished fifth from last.

The only remaining top three country here is Spain. Who, surprisingly, retained their spot on the podium. Finishing an impressive second place. Though “Te traigo flores” by Antonio Jose not as upbeat as Maria Isabel’s. You know what she said, she’d “rather dead than simple”. However, she is still seen alive and well in the interval act. Phew.

 

Only 3 points ahead of Spain, however, is, unexpectedly, Belarus. Not really what you think when I say “Eurovision winners” here. Ksenia Sitnik is our winner here with her song “My mveste” (Come together), an upbeat and catchy pop tune evident by Ksenia herself wearing a rather sporty dress.

With the UK ghosting the JESC for a while, I’ll look at the other ones, I guess.

Presentation and format

Despite the EBU’s Executive Supervisor pretending to wish that everyone can have 12 points last year, 2005 saw the introduction of literally giving every country 12 points at the start of the voting procedure, to prevent any potential heartbreak and bullying… back in school of course. Though if you received 12 points and nothing else, that means you’re having a rough time. Despite this, this otherwise nonsense procedure became JESC tradition, and lasted all the way until 2016.

Another change in the procedure saw the first 5 points being placed on the scoreboard, though the presenters still announced them, saving no time at all. The spokesperson then announce the remaining points. They are repeated again in French, despite France was absent this year. This practice was never repeated until France themselves hosted the contest in 2021 and 2023. There was yet another error, though not as bad as 2003, where the producers couldn’t connect to the UK’s spokesperson, Vicky Gordon, for a few seconds.

2005 also saw the introduction of slogans to accompany with the brand identity of each year’s contest, something that is not new to Eurovision and continues to this day. The first slogan is “Let’s get loud”, which next year’s co-host took it too seriously…

The organizers decided to give the contest’s trophy a mid-life identity crisis, and saw the prize awarded to the winners being different in appearance every year, in this year’s case, a red plaque, until 2017.

The hosts are Maureen Louys and Marcel Vanthilt, both representing the French-language RTBF and Flemish VRT respectively. The postcards are the same as 2004, albeit on a green screen instead.

Since the UK withdrew and despite their return in 2022 and 2023, this contest is, unfortunately, the last time all three countries from the original “Big Three” – Croatia, UK and Spain – competed together.