World Song Contest

The 56th edition of the World Song Contest welcomed 51 countries. Once again semi finals were organized to reduce that number to 36. Belgium was represented by new charts sensation Stromae. At that time, the song "Alors On Danse" only charted in Belgium, but the song had to become a major European hit. It also did well in WSC. Among other entries that charted well accross Europe is Romania's Inna, with "Hot", another dance song.

Dance songs had the honor of the voters, despite the presence of singers such as Beyoncé for USA or Captain Samouraï Flowers, better known as Pascal Obispo, for Luxembourg. Monaco was also noticed with Brigitte Fontaine, French underground icon, born in 1939. It's not a record as Monaco, once again, was represented by Juliette Gréco in WSC .53. The lady was born in... 1927.

Belarus took part for the first time in WSC .16, and managed to reach the top 10 on three occasions, including a 3rd position in WSC .45. Belarus also failed to qualify for the final 10 times. Its 21 first participation had to become its best moment in WSC. Despite the results were really tied betweed Belarus, Mexico and Belgium, Serebryanaja Svad’ba took the best of this and won the contest with the song "Novy Most". Mexico came second and Belgium third.

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THE WINNER

Country: Belarus
Artist(s): Serebryanaja Svad’ba
Song: Novy Most

Freak cabaret band Serebryanaja Svad'ba (Silver Wedding) is an international co-operation of musicians united by clear thinking, excellent appetite and tender love for France. Serebryanaja Svad'ba is a band of innate tramps and travelers performing a sort of music permeated with love for life. They are amateurs who arrange charming hooliganism in the company with a banjo, bayan, drums,concertina contrabass and violin. The band’s performance is a cabaret – a mixture of a slapstick, music, theatre, tricks, dolls and everything possible of this kind. Songs-stories with their characters, heroes and heroines are lived before spectators' eyes in all sincerity and honesty. Everything is about love, heart-rending sufferings and heart tortures. The songs are performed in Russian and French, a language of a dream. The main characters of these performances are: inhabitant of Paris's sink Emmanuel Kant Rat, chick woman Leech, Baskerville Dog, Rook, suitcases, pistols and cognac. Romantics of suburban chanson, people of hard destiny but high flight make it their aim to raise the total degree of cordiality all over the world.

Musicians:
Ben'ka – vocal, concertina, harmonica
Georges Zabelov – accordeon
Francheska-Maria Vasilevska – violin
Georges Punsh – banjo, guitar
Francois de Bosh – durbar, durper, garbage drums, declamations
Williams Gabbs – contrabass