The nation
on Stage:
Eurovision performance’s tend to be considered as very
over-the-top or dramatic, but when you actually look deeper into the lyrics,
staging or lighting, it can provide you with a very clear message as to what
the country is trying to portray or represent. We are going to be analyzing
Serbia and more specifically its performances in 2010 and 2011.
In 2010, Serbia continued from previous years, with the
fun, upbeat theme and sent Milan Stankovic, entering a song called ‘Ovo Je
Balkan’(This is the Balkans). From the title you could make predictions that
the song is going to be about the Balkan states. A former Yugoslav musician
named Goran Bregović who is commonly known as the Balkans’ most celebrated
composer, wrote the music and lyrics of this song, making the song stand out in
the field of pop ballads and Eurodance tracks. Bregović is also the
first man to imbue Serbian music with elements of gipsy folk, rebranding what
is thought of as ‘traditional’. This song received a lot of publicly stating
that it was very traditional yet stylish ("This is the Balkans – traditional yet stylish, 2019).
Digging deeper into the lyrics of the song it seems that
‘Milan Stankovic is begging his girlfriend to get physical. This can be
identified from the lines “Oh, Ljubica, Ljubica, You make me want you so much
Oh, squeeze-me, kiss-me, Ljubica, hold me close to your chest”(Eurovision Song Contest
2010). Milan connects sex with culture and he says it’s within the Balkan
D.N.A.. He seems to say the word ‘Ljubica’ which in English means ‘sweetheart’,
referencing it in terms of love, however, there are two women on the stage,
making the message a lot more confusing. Throughout the performance, you see
three main distinct colours of, blue, white and red, which are the national
colours of Serbia. This could indicate and send a message that this is Serbia
and we are proud of who we are, but also these colours are the Pan-Slav colours
that represent freedom and revolutionary ideas. The line ‘Not once, not twice,
but three times Belgrade’ clearly represents the fact that when Serbian’s
introduce themselves to people they kiss three times which is a unique thing
that only Serbia does (Eurovision Song Contest 2010).
The song overall cleverly plays on the Balkan identity,
and Milan the singer due to his recognizable voice, appearance and attitude
became a very highly popular and loved star ("This is the Balkans – traditional yet stylish, 2019). In my opinion, the two men and women who are
behind him, are being controlled in the rotating pedestals as you can see them
doing a robotic dance like a music box doll or puppet which could relate to how
Serbia was said to be in control of the Balkans. This also reminds me of the
song “Doll on a box” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, where truly is disguised as
a wind up music box doll, metaphorically and actually on a pedestal. Truly
sings about herself and her rigid nature, all behind the mask of the ‘doll’ she
is portraying. This could relate to how all backing singers are trying to
portray something they aren’t and are being controlled.
However, Speaking
to Serbians friends it is clear that the song is about Serbian girl beauty and
how nothing can compare to her. Also, how there is no need to change who you
are to satisfy the man, as everyone favours the Serbian girl. The perfect girl
is a Serbian girl. This indicates a sexist, controlling narrative from an androgynous
man which means the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics. Having
the physical features of both sexes. It can be identified when talking about
gender identity, sexual identity or sexual lifestyle which is why it relates
well to this particular song as Milan has very feminine like features however
referenced as a male.
In 2011, Serbia entered a retro, cutesy theme song called
“Čaroban” by nina (2011,Serbia), sung in Serbian which
translates as ‘magical’.
Looking
at the lyrics it is clear that Nina is talking about ‘the perfect man’, coming
home from a rough day to your lover and being good enough just the way you are
and not having to change to please someone else. When she says ‘goodbye sorrow,
hello smile’, this could indicate a lot of things for example, she had a bad
day at work, that she came out of an abusive relationship or she just got left feeling
as if she wasn’t good enough for anyone , however, this man has come into her
life and put the smile back on her face (Eurovision Song Contest 2011).
It is evidently a love song, the line ‘their love is
contagious’ could represent them trying to spread love not only around Serbia
but around the world (Eurovision Song Contest 2011). The song is called magical
which could mean that what she’s feeling doesn’t feel real because he makes her
feel ‘beautiful’ and as ‘strong as a rock’ which she’s not used to (Eurovision
song contest 2011). It’s not real in her eyes. In my opinion, the overall
message that this song is trying to put across is the perfect man in everyone’s
eyes is magical being a metaphor for it is not true or real. The staging helps
portray this message as it feels like you’re in a fantasy watching it, a lot of
bright colors and the backing singers reactions looked very fake and
unrealistic. The whole setting makes you feel like your in a dream which is
exactly what the message of the song is, the ideal man is an illusory. Also all
the lighting on the back screen is moving very quick which makes me feel like is
not real life.
On stage, singer Nina wears a white dress which is
considered the colour of perfection and innocence, and three other backing
singer who are all wearing much more extravagant colours; orange, green and
pink. There are a lot of spirals circles being projected on the back screen
which could represent she’s lost in a tunnel however it’s in bright colours
which could show she sees the light at the end of the tunnel.
Nina is wearing target like ear-rings which symbolise the
fact that she is the main target, and everyone is after Serbia. The target ear-rings
could be relating it to the 2010 performance ‘Ovo Je Balkan’ where a Serbian girl
is the perfect girl and the men are after her because they are sexist and
controlling. Also what I find interesting is how all the backing singers right
at the end turn and look at the singer, which could indicate that there’s a
world much brighter than having the perfect man, for example, having three best
friends.
To conclude, I feel like This is Balkans says a lot more
about Serbia’s attitude as they performed that song looking for votes from the
Balkan countries. The fact that Serbia believes the song is about Serbian
beauty and that nothing can compare to a Serbian girl, suggests there
confidence and arrogance as a country, which helps the statement they are known
as a ‘dominant’ country. I feel ‘Čaroban’ is more of a generic and broad topic rather than being
related solely to Serbia, it's more just around the perfect man isn’t real or
true it's more of a magical feeling or thought.
I believe ‘This
is Balkans’ can be related back to Serbia’s location and history, when they
were a part of Yugoslavia and then took over Kosovo, as the song is very
dominant emphasizing Belgrade and no other Balkan country symbolising their
potential hierarchy to the other countries. However, I do not believe they are
trying to insult or speak poorly of the other Balkan countries as this song was
intended to get the majority of its votes from them. Both songs are touching on
gender expectations and relationships which could symbolise Serbia are a very
gender orientated country who put a lot of time into relationships and finding
there ‘ideal man’. Ovo Je Balkan’s upbeat song about a love story set in
Belgrade qualified for the final and finished 13th place. Nina in 2011 with her
60’s inspired song, qualified for the final and achieved 14th place. The fact
that Serbia has finished in the top 15 in both years suggests that they are a
country willing to fight and do well which relates back to their competitive
behavior.
References:
Stankovic, M (2010). This is the
Balkans (Ovo Je Balkan). (Serbia). Eurovision Song Contest 2010 Oslo. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=29&v=4pVEII2pmso
Nina (2011).
Magical (Čaroban). (Serbia). Eurovision Song Contest 2011 Dusseldorf.
Milan Stankovic
(2010). Eurovision song contest. Retrieved from https://eurovision.tv/participant/milan-stankovic
Nina (2011).
Eurovision Song Contest. Retrieved
from
Nina (2011).
Magical (Čaroban) preview video. (Serbia). Eurovision Song Contest 2011
Dusseldorf.
Retrieved
from
Stankovic, M
(2010). This is the Balkans (Ovo Je Balkan) preview video. (Serbia). Eurovision
Song Contest 2010 Oslo. Retrieved from
Trading
economics (2019) Serbia Competitivness Index Retrieved from
This is the Balkans – traditional yet stylish:
Serbia's Milan Stanković | ESC Radio - Eurovision Song Contest Eurosong
Webradio. (2019). Retrieved from
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