Eurovision Pre-Parties: A Savior or a Death Sentence

The pre-party season is a beloved time for Eurovision fans all throughout Europe. It’s a chance for Eurovision artists to perform in front of fans for the first time, and for the fans to meet their favorites before the show…for better or worse. Pre-party performances are hard to judge as they are usually full of tech issues, but that doesn’t stop the fans from using these performances to decide what performances to give their attention to, and which to throw away.

Those Who Succeeded

If you were to ask me what the general feeling of fans was to Lithuania’s entry was, I wouldn’t know. They were never talked about. However, after the pre-parties recently, Monika Liu has become one of the fan favorites. She oozes personality on the stage and constantly interacts with the fans. Without these parties I’m almost positive she would not qualify. Now though? She is a sure qualifier. Other artists such as Poland, Armenia, and Georgia, have impressed the fans with their live vocals more than ever before. Albania and Spain put on electrifying performances sure to make the fans dance and have gained more fans than ever before.

Those Who Failed

The definition of disappointment this season has been Austria. Lum!x and Pia Maria left everyone wondering if she could sing live, and after tonight’s performance it is clear she cannot. without this Pre-party appearance, Austria would still be sitting at a sure top 10 spot for fans, but now they have fell down so far many believe they won’t even qualify. Ireland and Czech Republic had similar, though less damaging issues with vocals. Had they all not showed for pre-parties, then they may have saved themselves embarrassment

Those Who Don’t Attend

Some countries get along just fine without attending pre-parties. Cyprus has never been, and yet place consistently high every year. Switzerland rarely attends as well. there are countries however, such as those in none qualifying spots for fans, where it makes little sense why they don’t attend. Azerbaijan has a beautiful ballad, but with just a video and no live performance, they have been quickly forgotten. So do pre-parties help or hinder? It truly depends on the song. The artists should look at themselves and where they stand with the fans and weight whether it’s worth it. My favorite song this year is Portugal, and i would love to see them live, however if the performance isn’t ready or the vocals aren’t there yet, it would ruin the song for me.