3 things to know about Monaco and Eurovision
If the Principality does not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, Monaco has been represented 24 times the creation of the event and has even won a victory.
1. Monaco won the contest in 1971
Big Eurovision fans remember it. Séverine, a French singer, aged 22 at the time, won the famous competition in June 1971 in Dublin under the colors of Monaco with the title A bench, a tree, a street.
Written by Yves Dessca and composed by Jean-Pierre Bourtayre, the song, whose clip was shot in front of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, very quickly became a success throughout Europe, even reaching 9th place in the charts at the UK.
This Eurovision victory was the first and only for the Principality, which could participate in the competition until 1979. The red and white flag will then make a timid return, after a 25-year absence, between 2004 and 2006. Monaco being eliminated each time in the semi-finals, the organizers will choose to put an end to the adventure.
In terms of awards, in addition to having won the competition once, Monaco finished in second place in 1962, and three times in third place in 1960, 1964 and 1976. On the contrary, the city-state was awarded last place twice, in 1959 and 1966, and also achieved a zero pointi.e. a blank score, in 1966.
2. Monaco has never been a host country
As is customary, the winning country organizes the contest on its territory the following year, but this was not the case of Monaco which thus became the only winning country never to have hosted Eurovision on its soil. Having first decided to orchestrate the 1972 edition alone, the Principality finally approached French public television to find financial and material support.
Monegasque television (TMC at the time) wishing that the competition be held in Monaco and French television in France, the two States did not manage to tune their violins. The Monegasque officials therefore gave up the organization of the competition, which was finally held in the United Kingdom.
3. Gainsbourg wrote a title for Monaco
Despite this small downside, the Principality shone with Eurovision. Did you know, for example, that a song worn by Monaco was composed by Serge Gainsbourg? It is in fact about Boom Badaboum performed on the Eurovision stage in 1967 by Minouche Barelli, famous variety singer and TV presenter, but also daughter of the naturalized Monegasque conductor, Aimé Barelli.
Another known personality to wear the colors of the Principality: Jacques Pills with the song My friend Pierrot. In 1963, it was Françoise Hardy who represented Monaco in the competition in London, then Michèle Torr in 1977 with A little French. Finally, Séverine Ferrer will play Monaco’s last appearance at Eurovision in 2006 with the song Coco dance.
Will there be other anecdotes to tell in the future? For that, Monaco will have to make a comeback… The reason for its non-participation in 2023 in Liverpool is technical, economic and logistical. But the arrival of Monte Carlo Rivierafuture Monegasque public channel broadcast on TV5 Monde, could perhaps modify the chorus.