Eurovision 2011: Feel Your Heart Beat!

Ok, folks...this just got real!

Every year, the country that has the honor of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest gets to put their personal stamp on the event.  Through branding and design, the nation has the opportunity to make Eurovision their own!  Last year's theme for Oslo was "Share the Moment", which carried through not only in the advertising, but through the whole contest itself.  The "postcards" used to introduce artists showed groups of fans gathering together in the nation's capital or largest city, and the interval act was described as the "World's Biggest Flash Mob", involving dancers throughout Europe, as well as in the Telenor Arena itself.  It was incredibly sweet, and I felt like it really embraced the ideals that the ESC stands for.


The official logo and motto for the 2011 Contest has just been revealed:

(Logo copyright of NDR)

According to the Eurovision.tv website, "The theme refers to the great emotions which music can evoke – and which belong to the distinctive character of the Eurovision Song Contest: enthusiasm, heart beating, excitement, love and passion.  There are no limits to these emotions, there are no language barriers. The theme also refers to the fact that every song has its individual rhythm."  It also alludes to Lena saying "I heart you!" to her fans and supporters during an interview...ain't she cute?

We also have the official confirmation of this year's hosts: Anke Engelke, Judith Rakers, and Stefan Raab.  Anke is an experienced television and radio personality born in Canada, and Judith is a well-known news presenter and writer.  As lovely as Anke and Judith may be, however, Stefan Raab may the true star of the show.  He's basically the German Mister Eurovision (or, should I say Herr Eurovision?), as he wrote the songs performed in 1998 and 2004 (you can see him as the conductor and lead guitarist, respectively, in the two performances), performed the unforgettable song from 2000, and set up the popular (and obviously fruitful) preselection for 2010, "Ünser Star für Oslo (Our Star for Oslo)", the competition that picked Lena and "Satellite" to represent Germany.  In Oslo, he acted as Lena's nearly-omnipresent mentor.  Raab doesn't just sit at home and obsess about Eurovision all day long, however; this jack-of-all-trades also hosts the wildly successful "TV Total", a comedy/variety show.  He's also the originator of the Bundesvision Song Contest (an all-German song competition), as well as the International Wok Racing Championship.  I kid you not.

Between the 42 countries competing in this year's event, the obvious passion that Stefan Raab has for Eurovision, and his propensity towards the ridiculous and hilarious, I have a feeling that Düsseldorf 2011 will truly be one for the ages.

And I'm thrilled to say that I'll be there!