Totallympics Annual International Song Contest 2018

[OlympicIRL 5,532]

Loved this song, still listening to "Hear Me Now" quite often

 

[vinipereira 3,240]

 

Continuing with the contemporary music session this night, the Swedish singer and songwriter Zara Larsson - one of our participants this year with the song "Only You"-  will join the British electronic music band Clean Bandit at stage. They will perform "Symphony". The song, which has some classic music elements, was the theme for our official motto this year.

 

 

 

[Bohemia 1,411]

At the time the previous annual contest was held, I liked the song, but then French radio started to play it constantly... So listening to an acoustic version is really nice  It makes me like the song again.

[Bohemia 1,411]

Symphony  Love this song!

[dcro 10,210]

For an emabarrasingly long time I thought that song went like: "I just wanna be a part of your cellphone."

[vinipereira 3,240]

 

 

Now, we have a special announcement. Twice a year, users from around the world reunite here in Totallympics in a big celebration of the universal language of music - hence our official motto "Music connects the world".   From Algeria to Italy, and Kazakhstan to Venezuela, more than 50 nations have participated at least one time throughout the 10 editions of the contests, with countries representing Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas.   We take this opportunity to present the official Totallympics Contests logo: the globe represents the global nature of the contest - while the headphones emphasize that the contest revolves around music. Now we present the logo, a collective effort between @dcro, @OlympicIRL and @vinipereira.

 

 

 

 

[Wanderer 1,726]

@LDOG might go nuts, the map on the globe is clearly eurocentric  

[vinipereira 3,240]

 

After performing international hits throughout the night, now it's time for the Ouro Preto Orchestra perform brazilian music. Nothing better that we finish our Gala Event with a song from my region, Northeast.   The Orchestra will perform "Desafio" from the landmark album Do Romance ao Galope Nordestino - from group Quinteto Armorial. Released in 1974, it was one of the first records mixing typical brazilian root music with classical elements. The influence in brazilian music is notable to this day, as some of the group's compositions could be heard at the Rio 2016 Olympics Opening Ceremony.   The Organizing Committee hope everyone enjoyed this evening and we invite you all for the Opening Ceremony tomorrow and our Grand Final at Saturday!

 

 

 

 

Good night, ladies and gentlemen!

 

[Wanderer 1,726]

I guess the logo for this edition is going to be presented tomorrow.

 

Thank you Vini and Team Brazil for this Gala event! Beautifully done. I might ask for recipes though  

[OlympicIRL 5,532]

Thanks for the amazing gala event @vinipereira. It was a huge amount of fun and a great addition to our Jubilee celebrations

 

To conclude the gathering, I would like to bring you all back to our roots and take a look back at where it all began.....

 

 

 

Going Back To The Start - Revisiting our Roots

 

 

"And Finally....... Sweden 12 points....."

 

It is hard to believe that all those years have past since TISC came into our lives. No one could have predicted, not I at least, that 10 editions in and we would still be going strong - stronger than ever in fact!

The history of TISC goes all the way back to 2012 when Totallympics staged a once-off topic devoted to finding the "Best Eurovision Song of All-Time". That thread began on September 21st, 2012 and, in truth, this is the date the TISC was born.

It was a truly colossal competition - 5 preliminary round heats featuring 7 decades-worth of Eurovision hits, and that was only just the aperitif. A further 4 semi-finals were dished up before the main course arrived - a Grand Final in the spring of 2013 which would eventually see Abba’s Waterloo see out victory in a final vote thriller. The result would not be clear until the very last mark was cast. It was a treat to savour. A drama, the likes of which we would never see again on our little forum at the corner of the world-wide-web. A drunken fool could have told you that much!

 

Such drama, a fitting culmination of months of competition and a community spirit burned so bright that day, lighting a fire inside the hearts of Totallympians. There was now an appetite that needed feeding, and what was to follow on our very fine menu is what we have now come to know as The Totallympics International Song Contest.

 

TISC - that sweet dessert that we have been dining on since 2013. And what a greedy lot we are. Long may it continue!

 

 

TISC I - TISC Open 2013 (Ireland) Totallympics (Open) International Song Contest 2013

 

 

 

 

Grand Final: Saturday November 9th, 2013

Venue: The O2, Dublin, Ireland

 

 

 

 

• Argentina (LDOG)
• Azerbaijan (Ilqar, AndyAnar)
• Brazil (vinipereira, titicow)
• Bulgaria (batbobi)
• Canada (Canada4thewin, olympicsfan97, juddy96, Intoronto)
• Croatia (crovitlaci, Deuce)
• Czech Republic (stepansevs)
• Denmark (Agger)
• Egypt (Dermatologist, thepharoah)
• France (Bohemia)
• Germany (catgamer)
• Greece (Janakis)
• Guyana (PrivateKnoll18)
• India (gvaisakh, gubchandrolai, dolby)
• Ireland (OlympicIRL)
• Italy (Henry.Leon, SteveParker, leli, Pablita)
• Kazakhstan (Ruslan)
• Latvia (vitaamiins)
• Lebanon (Roy)
• Lithuania (Werloc)
• Malta (Glen)
• Mexico (mrv86)
• Morocco (Amal)
• Poland (rybak, mati, mateusz00142, Adriano)
• Romania (vlad, yellowviper2001)
• Russia (vovanA)
• Serbia (pčelica, dareza, earth, smrča)
• Slovakia (JanMolnar)
• Slovenia (2007, mihamiha)
• Sweden (fabwin, Mango)
• Turkey (Euphoria)
• Ukraine (zhenya)
• United Kingdom (10ftTITAN, uk12points)
• United States (dezbee2008)
• Vietnam (DoPhuQuy)

 

 

 

Totallympics Song Contest 2013
Grand Final Scoreboard

 

	OFFICIAL RANKINGS				Lebanon		0
	Latvia		32		Brazil		95
	Sweden		211		Poland		51
	Russia		38		Czech Republic		51
	Vietnam		119		Croatia		55
	Argentina		19		India		46
	Serbia		73		Greece		20
	Kazakhstan		69		Egypt		56
	Slovenia		36		Lithuania		53
	Denmark		91		United States		150
	Guyana		167		Mexico		128
	Italy		206		United Kingdom		178
	Turkey		28		Canada		150
	Romania		40		Morocco		65
	Slovakia		18		France		89
	Azerbaijan		19		Germany		92
	Ireland		111		Malta		77
	Ukraine		30		Bulgaria		11

 

 

Current Top 5 Positions:

1	SWEDEN	211
2	ITALY	206
3	UNITED KINGDOM	178
4	GUYANA	167
5	CANADA	150

 

 

On the 23rd September 2013, the very first thread for the inaugural TISC Contest was opened on Totallympics. A tentative toe was dipped in to test out the water. Sure, the previous "Best Eurovision Song of All-Time" topic proved a success, but would anyone really want to come onboard for this one? Those were the thoughts going through the minds of the organiser at this premature stage of our TISC journey. We did not have too wait too long however for the very first post in response to the new thread to come in.... "Approved", it said. And that was that. TISC was approved!! One single word from Henry.Leon to set minds at rest and to set TISC on its fruitful journey. Approved!

 

 

 

The exact format of the contest was not known at that stage and as users registered for this exciting new project, there were many questions about how it would take shape:

 

- If not enough countries take part, maybe we can have 2 songs per country?

- Does the song have to be from the current year?

- Does the song have to contain lyrics?

- Does the video have to be a live performance?

- Does the song have to be performed by the original artist?

- Does the song have to be in the national language?

 

 

After almost 1 month of getting the idea off the ground, 35 Nations had chosen their songs and artists with which they would compete with at TISC. However, after the voting window had come and gone, one nation had still failed to cast their votes. Nothing had been heard from the National Jury of Lebanon since they registered and submitted their entry. Despite multiple attempts to reach out to the Lebanese jury member, Roy, sadly Lebanon had ceased to fulfil their role and there was no choice but to exclude them from the contest. However, in what proved to be the only such instance to date, it was decided Lebanon could remain on the scoreboard as a "ghost entry" in faded out font. Any votes they had originally received would also show in faded out font, but would not count in the rankings.

 

And so we were left with our 34 pioneers:

 

Argentina Azerbaijan Brazil Bulgaria Canada Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Egypt

France Germany Greece Guyana India Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Latvia

Lithuania Malta Mexico Morocco Poland Romania Russia Serbia

Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom United States Vietnam

 

 

Little did we know that this would be the first and only time (to date) that Ukraine and Vietnam would participate.

Nine editions later and of that pioneering list, 17 proud warriors still hold the distinguished achievement of being a TISC "ever-present". Take a bow Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States!

 

 

By virtue of random draw, it was decided that Latvia would have the honour of delivering the first ever set of votes at TISC. The first 12 points at TISC would go to France for their entry "Fleur de Saison" by Emilie Simon. United States took over pole position after 4 rounds of voting had passed. Their entry "Feelin' Good" by the late Christina Grimmie was proving early on to be a big hit amongst the national juries.

 

During the early stages, one could not have foreseen the twisting road that lay ahead. Abiding memories of that contest are of three titans battling it out at the top, two of which had made early and apparently decisive bids to claim the inaugural TISC title. The third, waiting in the wings throughout, unflinching, biding their time, happy to let others set the pace, all the while keeping them within sight. Three titans, each with different shares in the drama that would unfold. Let us then introduce the first contender, Italy:

 

"Con Te Partiro" - Andrea Bocelli

 

Three consecutive sets of 12 points sent Italy racing out to an early lead by the time jury number 6 had finished delivering their votes. Another 11 points from the next jury from Slovenia and soon Italy had established a 22-point cushion at the top of the leaderboard. Scoring heavily, it looked as though Andrea Bocelli would not be stopped on his onward march to TISC glory. However, the second of our titans had other plans and the battle-lines were well and truly drawn. Enter the United Kingdom....

 

 

Anything you can do.....

 

The United Kingdom were being represented by John Lennon with his powerful entry "Imagine". Having endured a slow but steady start to the contest, the United Kingdom were stirred into life and three consecutive sets of 12 points of their own saw them establish themselves as the one to catch at the head of the standings. By the end of the second of three voting sessions, the United Kingdom had opened up a healthy 30-point advantage over their nearest rivals, the healthiest advantage of the day. And with just 11 more juries left to cast votes in the evening session, many juries were already toasting the United Kingdom and John Lennon on their success. However, what was to follow in the evening session was nothing short of astonishing. "Alfred Hitchcock could not write such drama", one jury member from Egypt exclaimed. But, for the United Kingdom, it was a tale more apt for a Stephen King classic.... a horror in the making. All the while, silently biding their time, the third big player was about to make their move and time their killer punch to perfection.

 

 

Here is how the scoreboard looked going into the final session......

 

 

Totallympics Song Contest 2013
Grand Final Scoreboard

 

Juries Voted So Far 23/34

	GREECE VOTING				Lebanon		0
	Latvia		32		Brazil		60
	Sweden		135		Poland		28
	Russia		23		Czech Republic		28
	Vietnam		80		Croatia		52
	Argentina		13		India		30
	Serbia		65		Greece		17
	Kazakhstan		38		Egypt		34
	Slovenia		11		Lithuania		39
	Denmark		45		United States		79
	Guyana		114		Mexico		109
	Italy		139		United Kingdom		169
	Turkey		18		Canada		102
	Romania		22		Morocco		41
	Slovakia		6		France		58
	Azerbaijan		11		Germany		71
	Ireland		57		Malta		42
	Ukraine		19		Bulgaria		7

 

 

Current Top 5 Positions:

1	UNITED KINGDOM	169
2	ITALY	139
3	SWEDEN	135
4	GUYANA	114
5	MEXICO	109

 

 

 

The Final Session....

 

As already stated, there was no telling what was to come. Sure, a couple of juries went by without United Kingdom scoring points, but nothing to worry about, they had been scoring healthily all along, the points would start coming soon, or so we thought. And sooner became later, and later, and juries came and went and still the United Kingdom were superglued to their 169 points. 9 straight juries voted without a single point for the United Kingdom. By the end of that horror run, the United Kingdom's chance of lifting the trophy had vanished. Incredibly they only scored 9 points in that final session. 9 points from 11 juries when they had been scoring so heavily in the previous sessions. How it all went so wrong for John Lennon in the final session is still a mystery many TISC fans have been asking ever since. And it was a lesson for all future editions that it never is over until it's over.

 

Meanwhile, Italy resumed their position at the top of the standings, all the while, Sweden stalking their every move, keeping a distance but never to far away to strike. With 5 juries to vote, the contest was as tight as ever.....

 

Current Top 5 Positions after 29/34 Juries Voted:

1	ITALY	174
1	SWEDEN	174
3	UNITED KINGDOM	169
4	GUYANA	150
5	CANADA	121

 

 

 

A further 12 point score and a 10 pointer to boot seemingly set Italy on the road to victory. With just the juries from Malta and Bulgaria left to deliver their verdicts, Italy had totalled 196 points to Sweden's 187. Next up came the votes from Glen, the spokesperson of the Maltese National Jury. The preliminary votes were announced... no Italy, no Sweden to be seen. Then came a powerful blow.....the next vote revealed..... "Italy 10 points". Italy now sat pretty on 206 points vs Sweden's 187. Malta's 11 points came, Sweden were nowhere to be seen..... it looked a desperate cause for Roxette and the Swedes. And then...... "Sweden 12 points". The neutral crowd cheered as Malta delivered on all the suspense and TISC fans would be treated to a final vote shoot-out. Step up Bulgaria and batbobi. Seatbelts were fastened.... TISC would go to a one-by-one vote for the very first time!

 

 

Current Top 5 Positions after 33/34 Juries voted:

1	ITALY	206
2	SWEDEN	199
3	UNITED KINGDOM	178
4	GUYANA	161
5	CANADA	150

 

 

The National Jury of Bulgaria were in the privileged position of crowning TISC's first ever winner. Gasps all around as it was revealed that Bulgaria were not in the mood for a quick finish and instead would deliver the hyper-suspenseful one-by-one vote. Italy knew that 6 points were all that was required to claim the title or alternatively for Sweden to appear anywhere in the first 6 reveals. The odds seemed stacked in the Italian's favour. 1 point came, 2 points, 3 points...... the tension rising with every reveal. 4 points, 5, points, 6 points go by.... no sign of the two contenders. By now, Italy knew the title would be their's if they would show up anywhere in the remaining 6 reveals - in effect, it was 6 more chances to claim the title.

The reveals came and went, slower each time, the tension bubbling and boiling over! Bulgaria has used up all their reveals but one... the crucial 12 point reveal. Italy or Sweden? Or neither? "Lebanon 12 points" some users called out amusingly. Others called for a doctor, the strain of the suspense proving too much for some.

And then it came, after what seemed an eternity, the refresh buttons battered to oblivion on many a keyboard across the TISC land...... and finally......

 

 

"Sweden 12 points!!!".

 

 

Gasps, roars, cheers, heartbreak..... all the emotions you could think of conveyed in the floods of posts that followed. Heartache for Italy. Rapture for fabwin and Sweden.

An incredible and unforgettable finale that will live long in the memory of all TISC fans. Roxette would become the first ever winner of TISC. Sweden who had not led on their own for the entire contest, delivering the killer blow when it mattered. As did TISC, such drama and excitement proved to be too good to resist and we just wanted more and more! And so here we are today, celebrating our 10th Jubilee edition and let us never forget the importance of this great first edition.

 

So to conclude our trip down memory lane, let us pay tribute to our first ever TISC winner......

 

 

 

 

 

Long Live TISC !

 

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by OlympicIRL