The Balkan Girls
"The Balkan Girls" | ||||
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Single by Elena Gheorghe | ||||
from the album Te Ador and Disco Romancing | ||||
Released | 6 January 2009 | |||
Genre | Dance-pop | |||
Length | 2:58 | |||
Label | Cat | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Elena Gheorghe singles chronology | ||||
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Eurovision Song Contest 2009 entry | ||||
Country | ||||
Artist(s) | ||||
Language | English | |||
Composer(s) |
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Lyricist(s) |
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Finals performance | ||||
Semi-final result | 9th | |||
Semi-final points | 67 | |||
Final result | 19th | |||
Final points | 40 | |||
Entry chronology | ||||
◄ "Pe-o margine de lume" (2008) | ||||
"Playing with Fire" (2010) ► |
"The Balkan Girls" is a song by Romanian singer
girls.It represented
Music critics generally gave the song mixed reviews, praising its beat while criticizing its cheesiness. "The Balkan Girls" fared well commercially, topping the Romanian
Background and release
"The Balkan Girls" was written by Laurențiu Duță and Alexandru Pelin and produced by Duță, Ovidiu Bistriceanu and Daris Mangal.[1] It was released on an enhanced CD on 6 January 2009 by Cat Music in Romania,[1] and was later included on a special 2009 edition of Gheorghe's second studio album, Te Ador (2008), and her third record, Disco Romancing (2012).[2][3] The song was written for Gheorghe's Eurovision participation after she contacted Duță, who came up with its chorus in one week.[4] "The Balkan Girls" is a folk-influenced dance-pop song.[5][6] Lyrics from its refrain include: "The Balkan girls, they like to party, like nobody, like nobody".[5][7]
Reception and accolades
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Eurovision.de, a reviewer called it a hymn for Balkan connections in the Eurovision Song Contest and praised its folk elements and danceability.[5] Uwe Hinrichs, in his book Handbuch der Eurolinguistik (Handbook of Eurolinguistics), cited the song as an example of the word "Balkan" referring to a group of people rather than the geographic region.[7] The Guardian's Heidi Stephens gave it a lukewarm review, calling it "cheesy".[8] In a 2016 Wiwibloggs poll entitled "What is your favourite Eurovision song from Romania?", "The Balkan Girls" finished sixth with over 300 votes.[9]
"The Balkan Girls" had low betting odds before the Eurovision Song Contest,
Music video and promotion
Gheorghe premiered the music video for "The Balkan Girls" during
To promote "The Balkan Girls" before the Eurovision Song Contest, Gheorghe began a tour in Berlin in early March 2009 and performed at the ITB Berlin. She was interviewed by the Berlin press, and sent her song to local radio and television stations.[19] The singer performed the song in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium before Eurovision,[4] and a number of times after the contest.[20][21]
At Eurovision
National selection
On 31 January 2009, the
In Moscow
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009, at the
Gheorghe's female dancers from the Selecția Națională also danced in Moscow, and Lucia Dumitrescu provided background vocals. Russian
I [can] assure [...] that we have contributed with all our forces, imagination, ideas and of course, the talent of people who really know what a "show" means. [...] I wish only that my performance will wake up an optimistic feeling for everybody and want to share my pleasure and love for my music to everybody that is watching the show. If you have managed to convince through interpretation, dance and scenography, then for sure the public and the jury they will appreciate you.[4]
Her performance began with "a cloud of smoke", from which the singer's background dancers emerged in "ropey hair extensions,
Points awarded to Romania
The country finished ninth in the first semi-final with 67 points, including ten from Portugal and eight from Israel.[26] In the Grand Final, Romania reached 19th place with 40 points, including 12 from Moldova and seven from Spain,[27] one of Romania's lowest scores in the contest.[28]
Track listing
- Romanian enhanced CD[1]
- "The Balkan Girls" (Eurovision version) – 2:58
- "The Balkan Girls" (David DeeJay Remix) – 4:00
- "The Balkan Girls" (DJ Daronee Remix) – 3:26
- 8 JPG image files
- "The Balkan Girls" (Promotional music video)
Charts
Chart (2009) | Peak position |
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Romania ( Nielsen Music Control)[12]
|
1 |
Release history
Country | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Romania[1] | 6 January 2009 | Enhanced CD | Cat |
See also
- List of Nielsen Music Control number ones of the 2000s
References
- ^ a b c d The Balkan Girls (CD single). Elena Gheorghe. Cat Music (Barcode: 6420565005571). 2009.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Te Ador (Liner notes/ CD booklet). Elena Gheorghe. Bucharest, Romania: Cat Music (Barcode: 6420565005571). 2009.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Disco Romancing (Liner notes/ CD booklet). Elena Gheorghe. London, United Kingdom: Blanco y Negro Records (Barcode: 8421597071860). 2012.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d "Elena Gheorghe Speaks About "The Balkan Girls"". EuroVisionary. 11 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b c "Rumänien: Elena" [Romania: Elena] (in German). Eurovision.de. ARD. 9 March 2009. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b c Schaar, Stephan (12 May 2009). "Kleine Überraschungen beim ersten Halbfinale" [Little surprises during the first semi final] (in German). Eurovision.de. ARD. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ ISBN 9783447059282. Archivedfrom the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b c Stephens, Heidi. "Heidi Stephens: Eurovision 2009 Liveblog". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Honciuc, Bogdan (24 April 2016). "Poll: What is your favourite Eurovision song from Romania?". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ Jurnalul (in Romanian). 11 May 2009. Archived from the originalon 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Eurovision 2009 : pour Patricia, ça Kaas... pendant qu'un prodige norvégien pulvérise le record du concours!" [Eurovision 2009: for Patricia, that's Kaas ... while a Norwegian prodigy crushes the competition record!] (in French). Pure People. 17 May 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Cele mai ascultate hituri" (in Romanian). Cotidianul. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- ^ "Premiile Muzicale Radio Romania Actualităţi 2010 au fost decernate! Vezi câştigătorii…" [The Radio Romania Actualităţi 2010 were handed out! See the winners...] (in Romanian). Radar de Media. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Elena a lansat videoclipul "The Balkan Girls"" [Elena released the music video for "The Balkan Girls"] (in Romanian). Viva.ro. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Jurnalul (in Romanian). 16 March 2009. Archived from the originalon 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Elena – The Balkan Girls (Official Video) Eurovision 2009". YouTube. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Scris de Adi (15 March 2009). "Videoclip Elena Gheorghe – The Balkan Girls" (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 12 June 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Scris de Adi (11 March 2009). "Videoclip Balkan Radio 21 Girls feat. Elena Gheorghe" (in Romanian). Urban.ro. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Elena Gheorghe începe promovarea" [Elena Gheorghe begins the promotion] (in Romanian). UTV. Archived from the original on 2 July 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Elena Gheorghe – The Balkan Girls (LIVE @ Eurovision. Aleșii!)". YouTube. 12 February 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Eurovision România. Elena Gheorghe şi Ad Libitum Voices, recitaluri în Salina Turda" [Eurovision Romania. Elena Gheorghe and Ad Libitum Voices sing in Salina Turda] (in Romanian). DC News. 11 February 2018. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ Selecția Națională 2009. 31 January 2009.
- ^ "Vezi românii care au participat, de-a lungul vremii, la Eurovision" [See all Romanian Eurovision entrants]. Libertatea (in Romanian). 14 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ a b Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Moscow, Russia. 12–14 May 2009.
- ^ Taut, Codrin (18 May 2009). "Caru' cu vedete: Elena Gheorghe acuzata de playback" [Caru' cu vedete: Elena Gheorghe accused of playback] (in Romanian). HotNews. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Eurovision 2009 Semi-final 1 Results". Eurovision World. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Eurovision 2009 Results: Voting & Points". Eurovision World. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ "Romania in Eurovision Voting & Points". Eurovision World. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.