Out of the Archives: Eurovision’s Winner, Måneskin, Sends Shockwaves Through The Digital Generation
Is the resurgence of rock ’n’ roll the much needed therapy for a post-covid Europe?
Tomorrow, Saturday 14th, is Eurovision! For all of our readers in Europe, you might be excited or you might cringe. But I beg you to give it a chance, especially if you are a parent. Last year, I cringed, but after the show I had an urge to write the article below written on June 3rd, 2021 that I just pulled out of our archives in anticipation of tomorrow! Well, this one article led to the formation of Tarantula: Authors and Art, and almost a year later we are now four versatile writers that have so much love and excitement for every new month that we get to do this; and we have presented to you many wonderful artists!
So tomorrow might be a beginning of something new. Put on your dancing shoes, make some food, and enjoy post covid Europe with some fun, dancing and laughter! Release your bodies of any tension; I am sure it is needed after the last few months And if you still have a “mini-you” in your household, observe, strike a conversations, take notice, they are the future generation of Europe!
Predictions of who is going to win Eurovision 2022 by the now almost 10 year old (our main protagonist in the below article): UKRAINE
(and not because of the war, but because they have the best song!)
Share your predictions with us!
from archives, published on June 3rd, 2021
A vision of Europe as a pandemic survivor flashed across our screens this May as Eurovision took stage in Rotterdam after a two year wait due to covid. The anticipation among the youngest audience was unprecedented; thus, most parents felt too guilty to send them to bed before the end of the show. With eyes half shut, bodies half sunken into their chairs, almost hitting the floors from fatigue, a new wave of energy came over them when Europe’s public votes pushed the Italian rock band Måneskin to the first place. After the last votes came in, it was clear while the Italians were crying in each other’s arms, their emotions full on display on the TVs in our rooms, that our children’s lives have changed forever.
As Europe’s smallest citizens were left confused at 1 AM and shocked that the pop inspired songs didn’t win, their parents who grew up in a time before the time music was overproduced to flawlessness, questioned the authenticity of the new winner. They thought that music influences from the past could be detected in the song Zitti e Buoni; they commented that the band looked as if it was created by some music reality show producer; thus, lacking the originality of the rock culture of the past. The parents, now too old, happy that the music competition is over and done, fell asleep with their children.
The morning after, Eurovision’s youngest audience, woke up for a late breakfast. While the parents prepared food, the nine year olds waiting at the table continued to question how come a rock band won. What is rock … meaning, where did it suddenly come from? The twelve year old cousins, currently going through a full blown pre-teen experience, came out of their silences to proclaim that the band is “weird.” The parents and uncles and aunts had to stop for a second with the breakfast preparations as they realised that something bigger than just Eurovision is happening.
1.CLOTHES
The half naked bodies of the Italian band covered in leather pants, with chest hair sticking out as the nine year olds described the guitar player, was what half of the kids reacted to. “The song wasn’t so bad, but what were they wearing?”
With pop artists constantly showing off skin, what was so different in the eyes of the children with Måneskin? The chest hair, the fact that most half naked bodies were men? The parents explained that when they grew up, most rock ’n’ roll bands looked like these new rock kids on the block. It is nothing strange. However, a gasp followed, but before Europe’s post covid generation of children could add anything else, the parents quickly brought the toasts and waffles to the table, so that the children could stuff their shocked mouths instead.
But the children had more to say …
2. RAWNESS
When the Italian band performed the winning song one more time, a spectacle happened before our children’s eyes. A display of raw affection. The lead singer playfully rubbed his guitar player’s face with his hand, even kissed him on the mouth at some point; the bass player, the only girl in the band, hit the floor and started jerking her body to the rhythm with joy. It’s as if society cracked open and something else came out — something new reminiscent of something old.
The parents who at this point in the conversation started carefully listening to the youngster realized that the new generations are growing up with music and behaviours so polished, Instagram perfect, with added filters. Living today has no room for mistakes or imperfections, or mosh pits or spraying each other with beers, the privilege that the parents once had when they were young. Everything is constantly perfect, everyone has to be happy and in search for meaning, until another shooting happens at some school in the world, or another missile attack occurs reminding us that we are human. Even in the midst of the pandemic the grown-ups were more worried that the children are falling behind in their education and less about how this year might affect them emotionally.
After the fiftieth question, the sceptical parents started realizing that Måneskin might be good for their digital children. Watch out algorithms, AI and New Ageism, humans in all their rawness are back!
3. STATE OF ROCK
When the lead singer received the award, he screamed: *We just want to say to the whole world, rock ’n’ roll never dies!” Just like their parents have been questioning for decades if punk rock is really dead, the children started questioning how come rock won, how come most of the public votes went to Finland’s hard rock band and the Italians? The distinction between the different branches of rock became clear as well as the fact that Eurovision’s professional jury is political. It took 5 minutes for the nine year olds to realize that the neighbouring countries always give each other points, etc. Intergenerationally, everyone agreed, that the professional jury should be kicked off the music show and the votes should go to the people of this continent, and let’s not forget about Europe’s other continent, Australia.
A few days after the grand spectacle, news from You Tube about the Eurovision contest involved stories of hook ups, drug tests, and what seems like good old fun. The bodies of the now changed generation of 9 year olds started moving like Jagger in front of the bathroom mirrors, their minds spinning with questions for their parents about what are drugs, Tourette, who is Mata Hari. What started as a showcase of European’s amateur bands and singers, a night for family entertainment, ended as a sign of the times post this long year of deaths and corona.
Måneskins’ Zitti e Buoni is a primal screams for all of us who have not only been locked in physically, but also emotionally. And as rock ’n’ roll wins, both parents and children can only hope that once we are all vaccinated a new time will come where we meet each other again in all our crudeness. To the words of Europe’s winners, “buonasera, signore e signori,” l will add, move your bodies … release the trauma … let the roaring twenties begin!
To read the interview with Tijana Pakic who was the first artist that we featured and who inspired us to start looking for artists to showcase them monthly in our virtual gallery, click here
Browse through our archives for other wonderful articles and inspirations