In Latvia, European pop's best, worst gather for glittery annual showdown (Associated press)

Time of publication: 25.05.2003

BY J. MICHAEL LYONS, Associated Press Writer

RIGA, Latvia - Europe's glitzy battle of the bands kicks off Saturday with its annual fare of the weirdest, wildest and — some say — the worst pop music has to offer.

Latvia is hosting the 48th Eurovision Song Contest, which this year features acts from 26 countries, ranging from sassy, sexually ambiguous Russian teens to an Austrian chimney sweeper turned cabaret singer.

They'll compete for call-in votes from at least 150 million television viewers expected to watch the live, three-hour show. Thousands more from around the world are expected to watch the show live on the Internet.

Long a staple of derision by European sophisticates, critics contend that Eurovision is nothing more than a showcase of kitsch, spotty talent, and vapid lyrics, illustrated in part this year by Slovenia's Karmen Stavac who plans to sing "Nanana."

"He sang to me na na na na na so naturally he set my heart on fire," the tune goes. "Oh baby, how he was so na na na na."

But since Eurovision was created in 1956 by the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, it has become one of Europe's most popular annual music events — and the biggest pop music pageant of its kind in the world.

Few winners, except for Swedish supergroup ABBA in 1974 and Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion (news), who represented Switzerland in 1988, have been propelled to international fame and fortune.

Oddsmakers this year pick Tatu, two chart-topping Russian teenagers known for their flirtations with lesbianism, to win this year's contest.

Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina, 18-year-olds whose passionate kisses while performing have garnered plenty of headlines worldwide, hinted they plan to shake up the event when they sing "Don't Believe, Don't Fear, Don't Ask." The duo hasn't hinted what that may be.

Their manager asked if the rules prohibited performers from taking the stage in the nude, but abandoned the request when warned by organizers not to tarnish the show's family friendly image.

"They're the bad girls of pop," said the EBU's Sarah Yuen. "We shouldn't have expected them to come here and be nice and pleasat."

Other hopefuls include Spain's Beth singing "Dime" (Tell Me), Turkey's Sertab Erener with the peppy tune "Every Way That I Can," and Estonia's Ruffus singing "Eighties Coming Back."

Among the more urbane performers are Alf Poier of Austria, a 36-year-old cabaret singer who bills himself as the "anti-Eurovision" contestant.

Latvia, a former Soviet republic of 2.4 million people fiercely sensitive about its image worldwide, has paid half the US$11 million to host the concert and is counting on a smooth event. It will be held in the 6,000-seat Skonto Hall.

The second ex-Soviet bloc country to host the contest after Estonia last year, Latvia won the right to host the event when 22-year-old law student Maria Naumova won last year. The winner's home country is tapped to host the following year's event.

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