It wasn’t just Molly flying the flag for the United Kingdom at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Eagle eyed viewers of the second Semi-Final will have spotted Eurovision in Wales’ Glen Bartlett on stage as the UK’s contribution to Europe’s Shared Dance. How did Bartlett land the gig, and what was life like behind the scenes?
Normally at your first Eurovision Song Contest as accredited press, you kind of want to find your bearings, to work out what will support your content, and begin to understand how the game works. I was thinking all of that so that in 2015 I’ll be set and (sort of) ready to go.
That was well and truly thrown out the window for Copenhagen, as my first Eurovision on the ground decided to take on a life of its own and hand me a unique experience.
Hello World, This Is Mumbles Calling!
Picture the scene. It’s June, 2013, and I’ve just been given a great opportunity to present my own Eurovision radio show W12P on Oystermouth Radio (it’s in Mumbles… near Swansea). The goal was simple, to brings a Welsh angle to the Song Contest, with the latest Eurovision music, competitions and features (and sometimes we’re lucky enough to get the odd interview!).
The reason I set up the Eurovision in Wales show was because of my undying love of the competition. The Song Contest has become a sort of lifestyle for me since I was nine. <y love of Eurovision music, and also the connection I have with other Eurovision fans, made me want to be a part of the bigger picture.
Along with my love of presenting and broadcasting, setting up my own Eurovision show was just a natural decision. When I first started publicizing the show. I never expected how popular it would become. The internet stream of the show month gets around an average of 700 listeners every week, along with the thousands of followers on Twitter who interact live with the show, and it’s a pleasure to get behind the microphone every week.
With Oystermouth Radio being a community project, I had to fund my trip to Eurovision out of my own finances. Many fans would shiver at the mere thought of having to pay for a ‘Scandinavian Eurovision’ experience, especially when staying out there for two weeks, but (and I know this sounds careless) it’s Eurovision! It’s the highlight of my year and Copenhagen was an incredibly great host city. The area, the facilities and (most importantly) the people really made me enjoy every second of my first Eurovision fortnight.
When Welsh knees were knocking….
#JoinUs #On #The #Stage
If you haven’t noticed by now, let me remind you that the theme of this year’s contest was #JoinUs. In the run up to the Contest, our host broadcasters DR reminded us several times that Europe had to get involved in this year’s edition of Europe’s favourite TV show.
Me being me, I had to take up this unique opportunity of gracing the same stage as Abba, Cliff Richard and Celine Dion once did! Not that I’m the world’s greatest dancer, but I sent in a video anyway, through the joinus.dk website. Basically it was me taking the mickey. by Improvising a camp and cheesey dance for thirty seconds. I did it for a laugh and had never thought that DR would even look twice at it.
So a month passed, and next thing I have an email from Janne Lyskær at DR. As I had already accredited myself as press I thought it’d be a generic email saying ‘We look forward to welcoming you to Copenhagen in May!’. Well, I was partially right…
With a month to go until the Contest, I had an email inviting me to perform with 20 others on stage, in front of millions, in the 2nd Semi-Final. I couldn’t believe it. I genuinely thought I was being made a fool of! It was only when I started receiving documents about rehearsals, where to meet etc, that I suddenly realised that this was all real. My mum couldn’t believe it.. my friends just laughed.. even I didn’t really know what I was getting myself in to!
…and then Glen waits until nightfall and leaps out of the rabbit… (picture: Daniel Koren)
I didn’t tell a lot of people that I was taking part in the interval act because I really didn’t know the scale of the performance. When I received the email that said there would be twenty of us on stage, I thought that you’d hardly be able to see me and that I’d be near the back because I really really can’t dance!
I Wanna Live Forever! I Wanna Learn How To Fly!
We went to the Operaen, a large Concert Hall near the BW Hallerene arena for our first rehearsal. We were brought to a big rehearsal room (‘this is just like Pineapple Dance Studios style, I’ve so made it’, I thought) with big mirrors and different coloured tape across the floor marking out the stage. I had a chance to meet the other dancers who were from all over Europe – brothers from Finland, best friends from Norway, a security guard from Sweden – all very unique but all so very nice and talented and I’m glad to have met them.
To begin the first rehearsal, Christian our choreographer said ‘Right, let’s begin with your individual dances’ of which was greeted by a nervous but excited laughter by all of the dancers, including myself.
“Individual dances’?!… dancing solo!*?” How on Earth was I going to do this?
After three rehearsals, where we were taught our solo pieces and had blocked everything on the stage, it was Thursday night, and it was time to take to the main stage. Throughout the rehearsals, I was genuinely frightened of it all. No way would I be able to get up there in front of approx. 10,000 in the hall and another 30 million watching at home and do my funny dance.
At one point, I didn’t think I was up to it. We had a few run-throughs before the dress rehearsals the following day and for some reason… I just wasn’t getting it right. Either I did a move wrong, or my timing was off. Something wasn’t clicking and time was running out.
Nobody puts Glen Bartlett in the corner.
It was when the music started at the beginning of our interval act in the semi-final that it dawned on me; when will I EVER be able to do this again?! Basically, let go and dance in front of Europe. When the music started, all the nerves disappeared and I just had a good time – and it paid off! I was so happy to be up there and the roar of the crowd was incredible. I even had a mention by the BBC – a big thank you to Laura Whitmore!
Coming off the stage, I had about 200 text messages from friends, with my Facebook and Twitter going wild. Even people I’d never even met were complimenting me on my moves – I was honoured!
Arriving back home a week later felt great. I made TV appearances, had interviews with newspaper and radio reporters, and I truly felt like I was having my 15 minutes of fame! Being a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest for all those years never did I ever think one day that I’d actually be a part of the competition, on the big stage, performing for millions of people across the UK, Europe, and the world.
I can see why so many artists want to take part in the Contest. It’s all about the huge buzz and floods of of adrenaline you get from being on stage. For those fifteen seconds the eyes of Europe were watching me!, Glen, from a small village near Swansea! I was so blessed to receive such an incredible opportunity.
Glen Bartlett, and all the other dancers
I had the time of my life up there on the Eurovision stage – and if you ever get the chance to do it yourself, go for it! It’s a-ma-zing!
Glen was already a star BEFORE his Eurovision dance segment, but now he’s a certified PLATINUM dead-set legend!
Glen, you have struck the jackpot. To be performing in front of 10,000 people and millions back hone, around the uk, around Europe and the world, is one thing, but to have a near standing ovation from green room (and I assume the press centre as well) is a completely different ball game.
Congrats on being on stage.
Respect due to Glen – beats my selfie appearing in Malta’s performances in their 2nd Rehearsal, SF and twice in the Final!
https://eurovisionthroughtheages.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/lmbto-getting-closer-to-action-with.html