Russian and British Eurovision fans in London have donned wigs for a parody Eurovision video to showcase their favorites for this year's song contest.
The video opens with Eurovision enthusiast, Matthew Blakemore, explaining the contest to his friend, who seems to have no idea what he is talking about. Before you know it, the young man has transformed into Conchita Wurst and is enthusiastically miming "Rise Like a Phoenix" in a pink dress and beard.
"We are big fans of Eurovision and so made this video with a few friends to show what great contestants there are this year!" said Tatjana Apukhtina, who also features in the video.
After Conchita, the group dress up as their favorite five contenders for the prize this year: a couple appear, accompanied by a ukelele player and heart shaped balloons, to parody Lithuania's entry "This Time," sung by Monika Linkyte and Vaidas Baumila. The duo, who sing seventh in the final Saturday, entered the Lithuanian national selection as solo artists but then found romance and are now a couple.
Next up is a passionate operatic number from Italy's male trio Il Volo, which will sing in 27th and last place on Saturday, followed by Russian entry Polina Gagarina, which sees Apukhtina wearing a bright blond curly wig and a floaty dress, followed by cuts to different random people, much like the video for the song. Gagarina will sing 25th on Saturday.
Apukhtina was born in Russia and is rooting for Gagarina. "Polina is really nice and the meaning of her song is pure and friendly, [which is] especially important now," she said.
The final two are Swedish pop star Mans Zelmerlow, the favorite in the contest who will sing in tenth place and Maria Olafs from Iceland, who went out in Thursday's semifinal.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
