This is different: Belarus is not allowed to Eurovision because of a “political song”
There are still more than two months until Eurovision 2021, but there is already too much talk around it. Moreover, while in Russia they are discussing the hyper-politically correct Tajik Manizha, who came from nowhere, with her song about a strong and independent Russian woman, Belarus has its own story - no less interesting.
The European Broadcasting Union refused to allow the song of the group “Galasy ZMesta” (in Russian its name can be translated not as “Voices from the Place”, but as “Voices with Meaning”) “I will teach you” to participate in the competition.
The funniest thing about this is the wording of the refusal. The song allegedly "questions the non-political nature of the competition." In fact, after they sang “Together We Are Rich”, “Lasha Tumbay” and “1944” on the Eurovision stage, there were no more questions about the politicization of the competition. Of course, many have already made jokes about this.
But the EBU decision has its own background, and both sides are good here. It all started last year, when the Belarusian selection for Eurovision 2020 was won by the group “VAL”. Due to Covid, the competition did not take place then, and this group was supposed to go to Rotterdam this year. But it didn’t work out. August 9 came, elections, protests, a split in society... In general, the group and Belteleradiocompany found themselves on opposite sides of the barricades and VAL was excommunicated from Eurovision with the wording “due to loss of conscience.”
Of course, this excommunication did not go unnoticed by the Belarusian opposition, and it launched an entire international campaign on the exclusion of Belteleradiocompany from the list of EBU participants and, accordingly, its removal from Eurovision. Signatures were even collected in the European Parliament.
However, despite serious pressure, the EBU supported Belarusian television, also motivating its position with considerations of apoliticality. “The Eurovision Song Contest is a music competition without a political agenda. We consistently and resolutely reject attempts to use this cultural event for political purposes,” said the union’s response to the Belarusian Foundation for Cultural Solidarity.
And so, the Belteleradiocompany conducted the selection for Eurovision 2021 in deep secrecy. There was no gala concert, no broadcast, even the selection participants and jury members remained unknown to the public. And was there any selection itself? One way or another, the Belarusian side definitely decided to really “use a cultural event for political purposes.” The presented composition turned out to be nothing more than political propaganda.
The Galasy ZMesta group gained fame last fall thanks to political texts in which it denounced Lukashenko’s opponents. The group calls itself satirical and consists of former KVN players from Baranovichi. Actually, it also looks and sounds at the level of provincial KVN. Of course, I’m not a music critic, but most reviews are something like this – boring.
As for the text with the refrain “I will teach you to dance to the tune... I will teach you to walk on a string... You will be happy with everything, happy with everything... You will be better off on your own,” some perceived it as harsh banter at the left-liberal “Brave New World” , which the globalists are preparing for us.
If you look into it, you get the impression that this is so. But the text can be interpreted in different ways, and, given the political situation in the country and the background of the group, the majority did not delve into it too much and considered the song a mockery of the opposition. Perhaps if the political situation had been different, the song would have been perceived differently.
Did the EBU have the right to withdraw a Belarusian song from the competition? Legally, it was. And a precedent for such a decision has already taken place - in 2009, the Georgian composition “We Don’t Wanna Put In” was also removed “for politics.”
But the reputation of Eurovision with its passion for LGBT, feminism, etc. (also, by the way, politics) is such that it would be nice to dilute it with Belarusian anti-liberal trash. In the end, the Cypriot performer with overt Satanism in the lyrics of the song had no problems with her participation.
The conflict has not been resolved. Belteleradiocompany is negotiating with EBU, but Baranavichy KVN players have little chance of traveling to Rotterdam. To adapt the song to European requirements, its lyrics would have to be changed completely, and such a capitulation would not look very good.
So there are two scenarios - either replacing the song with something more neutral and consistent with the format of the competition, or another scandal with refusal and curses against the Europeans. Considering Belarusian trends, I am inclined to the second option.
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