The Head of the French Delegation spoke to esctoday.com's French editor, Yann Charpentier, a few days before the big day of the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki where Les Fatals Picards will be showing Europe L�amour à la française.
Have you recovered from the French final yet?
Of course, our first impression stays the « enthusiasm »! Thanks to France television and especially Bastien Millot, Claude Lacaze and Marie-Claire Mezerette, French people discovered new talents. That represents 6 months of hard work with the most talented contemporary authors and composers in France. We are more and more optimistic to interest some famous artists into our selections. France made a new step with a more popular selection even if the final result is not the desired one.
Looking back, how successful was the French final this year and has it helped increase interest in Eurovision in France?
The satisfaction is great for us and for the public too even if the figures aren’t good enough. We noticed that with the number of votes for the selection this year. French people could vote themselves for their song and the success of Les Fatals Picards and Medi-T has shown that they really were the favourites of everybody, mine too. We noticed an interest for the French selections and for Eurovision in the French newspapers. The intellectual press has even shown a big interest! That’s the first time in France that we can see all these positive reactions. That’s, for example, the first time that a candidate for Eurovision Song Contest sings for the “Printemps de Bourges”, a festival of music where you can hear alternative, rock and pop music. Les Fatals Picards were the revelation of the manifestation this year.
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