Daði Freyr has called for the end of pre-recorded backing vocals at the Eurovision Song Contest. Freyr, who famously represented Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam, took to Twitter to express his feelings.
Daði Freyr: “It’s just not as interesting”
In a tweet, which you can see below, Daði Freyr commented on the use of pre-recorded backing vocals. He states that he think it’s less interesting to use vocals on a backing tape, as he’d prefer to just hear all vocals live on stage.
Several Twitter users called out the fact that last year, Daði og Gagnamagnið themselves made the strongest use of pre-recorded backing vocals. Back then, “10 Years” was accompanied by a large pre-recorded choir of fans.
Pre-recorded backing vocals here to stay?
Back in 2021, the new Executive Supervisor, Martin Österdahl, announced pre-recorded backing vocals for the Rotterdam contest. The EBU took the measure to create smaller delegations amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. A smaller delegation would most likely ensure a safer contest, as less people would be on the ground in Rotterdam.
In addition, the EBU mentioned that as the musical landscape progresses, this change will allow the live performances be even closer to their studio counterparts. Examples of songs that have been forced to adapt due to the previous set of rules include Poli Genova’s “If Love Was a Crime” and JOWST’s “Grab the Moment”.
Before the 2022 contest, the EBU decided that pre-recorded backing vocals were going to remain valid for the contest in Turin. The information originally came from Icelandic broadcaster RÚV and in the end turned out to be true.
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