Utopian Land
| "Utopian Land" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Argo | |
| Released | 10 March 2016 |
| Recorded | 2016 |
| Genre | Greek hip hop |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Music video | |
| "Utopian Land" on YouTube | |
| Eurovision Song Contest 2016 entry | |
| Country | |
| Artist(s) | |
| Languages | |
| Composer(s) | Vladimiros Sofianidis |
| Lyricist(s) | Vladimiros Sofianidis |
| Finals performance | |
| Semi-final result | 16th |
| Semi-final points | 44 |
| Entry chronology | |
| ◄ "One Last Breath" (2015) | |
| "This Is Love" (2017) ► | |
| Official performance video | |
| "Utopian Land (First Semi-Final) on YouTube | |
"Utopian Land" is a 2016 song by Greek band Argo.[1] The song represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 held in Stockholm, Sweden after being internally selected by Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), Greece's broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest.[2][3] The song would proceed to compete in that year's first semi-final, failing to qualify. The song scored 44 points, well enough for a 16th place position in the semi-final.[4][5]
Background
[edit]The song is inspired as a message about the 2015 European migrant crisis, with the band saying that the song is a call for unity and overcome challenges that people face.[6]
Composition
[edit]The song features three languages sung, with Greek, Pontic Greek, and English all being featured within the song. The song is described as a mixture of " funk, R&B and traditional Greek sounds" that keeps a "cheery and soulful" vibe, despite the message of the song according to Wiwibloggs correspondent George Vasileiadis.[2] The song combines hip-hop with Pontic folk music.[6]
Release
[edit]On 2 March 2016, Argo would announce that their song for that year's Eurovision Song Contest would release on 10 March 2016.[7] Upon release, a music video was released coinciding with the release of the song.[3]
Eurovision Song Contest
[edit]Selection
[edit]On 2 February 2016, ERT announced that they would be selecting Greece's act and song internally.[8][9] A week later on 9 February 2016, they issued a press release that confirmed the band Argo (formerly known as Europond) as the Greek representatives for the 2016 contest.[10]
At Eurovision
[edit]According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five", consisting of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, were required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top 10 countries from each semi-final progress to the final.[11] The EBU split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with the goal of reducing the amount of neighbourly voting.[12] On 25 January 2016, an allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals and determined which half of the show they would perform in. Greece was placed into the first semi-final, held on 10 May 2016, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show.[13]
The Greek performance featured five of the members of Argo performing together on stage with a male dancer; the female members were dressed in white outfits, while the male members were dressed in white shirts and light brown baggy trousers.[14] The performance was choreographed by Maria Lyraraki with lighting design by Konstantinos Garinis and costumes designed by Yiorgos Mesimeris.[15] For the performance, Argo member Elias Kesides was replaced by dancer Vasilis Roxenos.[16]
Critical reception
[edit]The song received mostly negative reviews from Eurovision fans and media reviewers. A jury from Eurovision fansite Wiwibloggs had given the song an overall rating of 4.34 out of 10, one of the lowest ratings of all the songs for that year's Eurovision Song Contest.[17] In response, the band would say that " We respect everyone's opinion. We know that not everyone can like our song and we respect that... We are not afraid of the negative comments."[18]
When the song proceeded to fail to qualify, Greek TV channel Star Channel wrote that most Greeks were not surprised since they never really supported its selection in the first place.[19] After continued criticism on ERT director Dionisis Tsaknis, who had chosen the artist, the CEO of ERT, Lambis Tagmatarchis would release a statement defending Tsaknis, saying that it was a collective decision to send them and that Argo deserves "congratulations for their effort".[20][21]
References
[edit]- ^ "ΕΛΛΑΔΑ: Ο τίτλος και οι στίχοι του τραγουδιού!". OGAE Greece. OGAE. 25 February 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- ^ a b Halpin, Chris (February 9, 2016). "Argo will represent Greece at Eurovision 2016". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Vasileiadis, George (10 March 2016). "Greece: Argo release Eurovision song "Utopian Land"". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Roxburgh, Gordon (10 May 2016). "We have our first ten finalists". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- ^ "Results of the First Semi-Final of Stockholm 2016". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- ^ a b Xifaras, Billy (March 20, 2016). ""Utopian Land" lyrics - Argo (Greece 2016)". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Xifaras, Billy (2 March 2016). "Greece: Argo will reveal its Eurovision song "Utopian Land" on March 10". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Granger, Anthony (2 Feb 2016). "Greece: Song Details Revealed". Eurovoix. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ Xifaras, Billy (2 February 2016). "'Strong ethnic and Balkan sounds' — CEO of ERT reveals details of Greece's Eurovision 2016 song". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ Vranis, Michalis (9 February 2016). "Greece: With Argo to Eurovision!". ESCToday. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ Escudero, Victor M. (23 September 2015). "'Big Five' and host country more prominently in the Semi-Finals". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Paul (21 January 2016). "Semi-Final Allocation Draw on Monday, pots revealed". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ Jordan, Paul (25 January 2016). "Semi-Final draw held, this is the outcome". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ Outerson, Michael (6 May 2016). "Eurovision 2016: Day 5 – Second Rehearsals from Finland, Greece, Moldova, Hungary, Croatia and The Netherlands". EuroVisionary. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ "Eurovision 2016: Πως σας φάνηκε το ελληνικό τραγούδι; ΨΗΦΙΣΤΕ" (in Greek). News247. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Vasileiadis, George (20 March 2016). "Greece: Argo will stage 'Utopian Land' with Pontian dancing and lose one vocalist". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
- ^ Mike (14 April 2016). "Wiwi Jury: Greece's Argo with "Utopian Land"". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Vasileiadis, George (26 April 2016). "Greece's Argo: "We are not afraid of the negative comments"". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Karagianni, Katerina (10 May 2022). "Eurovision: Οι καλύτερες και οι χειρότερες συμμετοχές της Ελλάδας" (in Greek). Star Channel. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- ^ Argyriou, Giannis; Vatmanidis, Theo (18 May 2016). "ERT speaks out about Greek Eurovision 2016 failure". EuroVisionary. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "Ταγματάρχης: Αδικη η στοχοποίηση του προέδρου της ΕΡΤ για τον αποκλεισμό από την Eurovision". Kathimerini (in Greek). 13 May 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
