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It was thrilling till the final minute: Canadian Céline Dion received the Eurovision Music Contest for Switzerland in 1988 – by only one level.
The shoulder pads had been broad and perms had been customary: in 1988 the Eurovision Music Contest was nonetheless known as the Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson. Its internet hosting was an occasion for which individuals gathered with associates and neighbors in entrance of the tv – even when solely to gossip about it.
The night is an thrilling one for the Swiss spectators. As a result of till the final voting, the English pop singer Scott Fitzgerald is within the lead.
Legend: The Canadian Céline Dion competes for Switzerland in 1988 – no native Swiss may very well be discovered for ESC. KEYSTONE/LEHTIKUVA/Heikki Saukkomaa
The 20-year-old Quebecer Céline Dion is working for Switzerland – in a costume that “Der Bund” mocks the subsequent day: “A high à la Maggie Thatcher, mixed with a tulle crinoline sawn off simply above the knees.”
From the gymnastic bars to the microphone
Dion had already clearly dominated the nationwide elimination, though the Swiss knowledgeable jury solely awarded her six out of ten attainable factors. The music “Ne partez pas sans moi”, composed by Atilla Şereftuğ with lyrics by Nella Martinetti, has all the pieces that makes a success. Dion is already a star in Canada, however no one is aware of her in Europe.
Celine Dion comes from a musical household. The daddy performs the accordion, the mom the violin. All 14 siblings play an instrument. She made her first look on the age of 5. However she nearly did not change into a singer however a gymnast.
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Legend: Switzerland wins with 137 to 136 votes – and the crew celebrates: composer Atilla Şereftuğ (left), songwriter Nella Martinetta and Céline Dion (proper). KEYSTONE/Str
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Legend: Ten years later, Céline Dion celebrates one other massive victory: with the “Titanic” music “My Coronary heart Will Go On” she received the Oscar for “finest movie music” in 1998. Getty Photos/Frank Trapper/Corbis
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Legend: The Canadian has received quite a few awards over the previous few years, together with 5 Grammys. In 2004, the star additionally obtained her personal “Stroll of Fame” star. EPA/ARMANDO ARORIZO
When the Summer time Olympics occurred in Montreal in 1976, Céline Dion noticed the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci on the uneven bars. Comăneci achieved an ideal grade of 10 – the primary inventive gymnast in historical past.
This success impressed Céline Dion: “I needed to be nearly as good as Nadia Comăneci. I knew I had the braveness, will and self-discipline to do it. However then I held a microphone in my hand as a substitute of a gymnastics bar.”
Victory within the Hitchcock finale
The Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson 1988 in Dublin begins optimistically for Céline Dion. The bookmakers see her as the favourite. However after the primary take a look at, their fee drops.
On the ultimate day, an unbelievable 600 million viewers watched the present on TV. You’re served a criminal offense thriller that continues to be gripping till the tip.
Scottish singer Scott Fitzgerald delights the viewers together with his ballad “Go”. Till the final vote, Nice Britain was main by 5 factors. The TV manufacturing supervisor is already instructing Scott what to do if he wins. However then the unimaginable occurs: Yugoslavia provides Switzerland six factors and Nice Britain not a single one.
Declining profession
No person anticipated this, particularly not Scott Fitzgerald. “After which, rapidly, when the final factors had been awarded, all of the cameras turned away from me,” remembers the Brit. «From one second to the subsequent I used to be alone. There was nobody there anymore and I felt extra lonely than ever earlier than.”
For Scott Fitzgerald, second place was the sluggish finish to his profession. He earned his residing on cruise ships, whereas Céline Dion launched a world profession and sank the Titanic with “My Coronary heart Will Go On”.
ESC 2024 at SRF
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SRF will present the ultimate of the Eurovision Music Contest 2024 on Saturday, Could 11, 2024, dwell from 9:00 p.m.
- On the Information App you possibly can watch the finale with Nemo Stream and in ours entertaining dwell ticker monitor.
- SRF 1 additionally reveals the present. We’ll already coordinate with you there 8:15 p.m with this system “ESC – the countdown” in direction of the large finale.
Right here you’ll find all our content material about ESC 2024.
SRF 1, nice hour of music, Could ninth, 2024, 12 p.m.