Ya nauchu tebya (I'll Teach You)
"Ya nauchu tebya (I'll Teach You)" | |
---|---|
Single by Galasy ZMesta | |
Released | 9 March 2021 |
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 entry | |
Country | |
Artist(s) | |
Language | |
Finals performance | |
Final result | Rejected |
Entry chronology | |
◄ "Da vidna" (2020) |
"Ya nauchu tebya (I'll Teach You)" (Russian: Я научу тебя) is a song by Belarusian band Galasy ZMesta. The song was selected by the Belarusian national broadcaster BTRC to represent Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, but was rejected by the competition's organisers for having content which they believed was too political in nature. The music video was also taken down from the official Eurovision site.
Eurovision Song Contest[]
On 9 March 2021, Belarusian broadcaster BTRC confirmed that Galasy ZMesta would represent Belarus in the 2021 contest with the song "Ya nauchu tebya". The song would be performed in the first half of the first semi-final of the contest.[1] Although many artists who had originally planned to participate in the cancelled Eurovision 2020 contest returned to Eurovision 2021, state broadcaster BTRC had confirmed in September 2020 that they would refuse to reselect VAL as Belarus' representatives due to VAL's support for the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, alleging that the duo "had no conscience".[2][3]
"Ya nauchu tebya" elicited a strongly negative response from Eurovision fans. Within hours of its release, a Change.org petition was started requesting Belarus' disqualification from Eurovision 2021 due to lyrics which were interpreted as celebrating "political oppression and slavery". It generated over one thousand signatures in twelve hours.[4] Later in the day, Sweden withdrew Belarus' place on the Melodifestivalen jury, asking the United Kingdom to step in as a replacement.[5] Several Eurovision news websites stated that they would stop giving coverage to the entry.[6][7]
Two days after the song's announcement, the EBU issued a statement asserting that due to the political nature of the song, it did not follow the rules of the contest. The Belarusian broadcaster was subsequently given the option of either resubmitting a modified version of the song, or selecting a different song. Should Belarus refuse both alternatives, the country would no longer able to compete.[8][9]
A second song was proposed titled "Pesnya pro zaytsev (Song About Hares)". This was in its turn rejected by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), meaning that Belarus could not part in the 2021 contest. EBU issued a statement saying: "It was concluded that the new submission was also in breach of the rules of the competition that ensure the Contest is not instrumentalized or brought into disrepute. As BTRC have failed to submit an eligible entry within the extended deadline, regrettably, Belarus will not be participating in the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in May".
References[]
- ^ Groot, Evert (17 November 2020). "2020 Semi-Final line-up to stay for 2021". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ Granger, Anthony. "Belarus: "Val will not go to Eurovision 2021" - BTRC". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ Ten Veen, Renske (15 August 2020). "Belarussian Eurovision stars react to Protests". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- ^ Luukela, Sami (10 March 2021). "A new petition to disqualify Belarus from Eurovision 2021 hits 1000 signatures". ESCXTRA. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Luukela, Sami (10 March 2021). "United Kingdom to replace Belarus in Melodifestivalen jury". ESCXTRA. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Deakin, Samuel. "Eurovoix's Statement on Galasy ZMesta and Belarus' Participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Waddell, Nathan; Van Lith, Nick (10 March 2021). "A statement from ESCXTRA on Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021". ESCXTRA. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021.
- ^ "Latest news: EBU statement on Belarusian entry". Eurovision.tv. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ Agadellis, Stratos (11 March 2021). "EBU releases statement on the country's entry for Eurovision 2021". ESCToday. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
External links[]
- 2021 controversies
- 2021 songs
- 2021 singles
- Eurovision songs of 2021
- Eurovision songs of Belarus
- Music controversies
- Russian-language songs
- 2020–2021 Belarusian protests