We take a look at the aftermath of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. In this episode we look at the eighth place for Hungary this year with the song ‘Origo’ by Pápai Joci.
“Pápai Joci was the 8th place at Eurovision 2017!”, writes the headline of the website of A Dal, the successful Hungarian preselection. Enthusiastic and perhaps somewhat surprised, the Hungarian broadcaster reports on the victorious top 10 for the gipsy song in Kiev. A victory in several regards, also in social meaning.
Joci Pápai live @Eurovision
Pápai Joci is extra proud of his result, because it is the first time a gipsy song makes it to the final of Eurovision, let alone the top 10. The song tells his personal story: “The song is the summary of my life as everything in Origo is one hundred percent me. This song is a blend of styles, it’s modern world music – electronic beats meet with Hungarian and gypsy styles, it’s an extraordinary yet finely balanced combination.”
The Aftermath
After the contest, Pápai Joci did a Q&A with fans for the newspaper Blikk. He told that he sees his result as “a message to the hateful”.
According to a reader, in Hungary people said that they felt that Pápai Joci did not represent Hungary, since he is from Roma descent. Was he hurt by that, and how does he feel about it now that Hungary celebrates his result? “Unfortunately, I can not really understand this because the Hungarians are sending me and I am a Hungarian citizen.”
Similar comments were made in 2014 when Hungary chose András Kállay-Saunders to go to Eurovision. He, as well, reached a remarkable result for the Hungarians. In that regard, A Dal and the Eurovision Song Contest have an important societal meaning, providing opportunities to people from different ethnic backgrounds. And so far, all of them have made Hungary proud.
If he ever returns to Eurovision, chances are that Pápai Joci can do his press conferences in English, since he will now start to study and learn that language.
I loved this one. Lovely visuals as well. The juries disagreed however. Like they allways punish songs with more or less rap in it.