by Serena Butler
So it’s my first official year covering Eurovision after sporadically tuning into the webcast over the past three years. When I first caught wind that Sergey Lazarev would represent Russia in this year’s competition, I was downright delighted. To be honest, it was EQ that is guilty of introducing me to my pseudo-obsession with the Russian pop star.
He came out with all the right stops prior to the show, pure pop vocal prowess with his entry “You Are The Only One”, a very technologically advanced video full with things you have never seen used before in the modern music video age, and heck. He’s got the looks to boot. He had to be a shoe in for a top spot. That isn’t the EQ music blog bias speaking either. All the top pollsters had him taking it.
Sergey attacked the stage with a full blown technologically innovative performance. He took something similar to the interaction with Måns Zelmerlöw’s ‘Chalk Boy’ in 2015 and adding a brand new 3D (or is it 4D?) element. With such an uplifting love song containing a heavy electronic melody, you need something to really stand out. As the wings emerged from his arms on the backing screen, you were instantly sucked in. Meticulously placed choreography highlighted silhouettes behind him as he stepped away. Yet, as we’ve seen before, anyone could just play with a 2D element. As the later chorus hit, blocks that acted as stairs emerged from this wall allowing the new dimension of performance art to come to life. He walked to the top of the screen! I was left sitting in the middle of a casino ballroom in Las Vegas with chills; waiting to catch my breath by the time it was all over. It was classic Sergey.
Upon the results of this year’s finale, it was quite the shocker that he did not take it all. Of course, it’s hard to say if there was some political motivation behind some votes, or if people didn’t enjoy the same thing I saw. Eurovision did announce as of 17 May that Sergey did in fact win the majority of the televote. Regardless of the third place result. The world finally got to get the full taste of what we here at EQ Music knew for many years. We’re proud of what our favourite lazerboy brought to the stage!
CLICK HERE for the official music video.