Alvan and Ahez will defend the French chances in the Eurovision final in Turin (Italy), on May 14, with the song Fulenn, interpreted entirely in the Breton language. So decided the jury of personalities, chaired by Jenifer, and the viewers of the selection program, presented by Stéphane Bern and Laurence Boccolini, broadcast on Saturday on France 2.
Twelve songs were in competition during this second edition ofEurovision France, you decide. After a first round of public votes, five of them were eliminated (Paris my love of Hélène in Paris, Hush by Julia, Browser by Joanna, Mrs by Joan, Where is he ? of Sam) and one, My family of Cyprien Zéni, was fished out by the jurors.
Tributes to Ukraine
Six songs therefore remained in the running for the second round of votes. The votes of the jury and those of the viewers each counted for 50% of the result. In the final standings, the Breton group won with 222 points, ahead of Pauline Chagne (172) and the Soa duo (140).
In Breton, “fulenn” means both “sparks” and “young girl”. Alvan, 29 years old from Rennes, specialized in electro music, collaborated with the group Ahez, made up of three traditional Breton singers, Marine, Sterenn D. and Sterenn L. Their song is inspired by a Breton legend: a young woman who passed his nights dancing in the forest without worrying about the outside gazes…
France has already been represented by a song in Breton at Eurovision: in 1996, Dan Ar Braz and L’Héritage des Celtes performed Diwanit Bugale (“How children are born”).
If the show did its job of entertainment, it did not forget to mention the war in Ukraine. It opened with the notes of Pray for Ukraine, a song by Zlata Ognevich, a Ukrainian singer who participated in Eurovision 2013. Another tribute was paid during the evening to the country invaded by Russia through the video intervention of Jamala. This artist, who gave Ukraine a second Eurovision victory in 2016 with her song 1944, is now a refugee in Turkey. “I would like the whole Eurovision community to be able to support Ukraine, because it is also decisive for us. Stop this war,” she said.