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Eurovision Heading To Moscow

International News, By Christian Taylor, 26th May, 2008

The Eurovision Song Contest descended upon Belgrade in Serbia on the weekend, with 26 year old Russian pop singer and model Dima Bilan taking out top place with his song Believe.

Bilan is mixing in the right circles, it seems. His winning track was produced by man of the moment Timbaland. His album, which comes out later this year, also features a duet with Nelly Furtado.

Watch the video of his winning performance here:

Bilan’s win means that Eurovision 2009 will be held in Moscow. Gay pride groups are already concerned about the implications of hosting the event there.

“I don’t want to detract from Dima Bilan’s victory; it’s a great song,” said Colm Howard-Lloyd, a director of Pride London, to UK Gay News. “But how can you let a city that denies some of the most basic human rights to LGBT people host the contest next year?” He went on to add, “I’m not sure how comfortable it will be, next year, to get as excited about Eurovision when we know the host city beats-up and detains people because of their sexuality.”

Of course, there were doubts that Serbia would be a safe, welcoming place for the contest this year, given the homophobic threats that had been made by fascist groups in the lead up to the event.

Meanwhile, Eurovision’s English host Terry Wogan says that his time with the song contest may be up. He’s been commentating on the contest for 35 years, but he believes the contest is no longer about the music, it’s about politics, and that Western European countries should consider abandoning it altogether.

Wogan says that the voting system is rigged, with judges from different countries forming political alliances that ignore musical merit.

“Western European participants have to decide whether they want to take part from here on in, because their prospects are poor. I don’t want to be presiding over yet another debacle,” says Wogan.

“Russia were going to be the political winners from the beginning… At least the voting used to be on the songs. Now it is really about national prejudice. As far as the Eastern bloc countries are concerned they are voting for each other.”

If Wogan was to quit, it would be a massive blow to the competition for English speaking audiences. Many say that his wit and quips are the only reason viewers are watching anymore.