Looking Ahead

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

and streams in the wasteland.

-- Isaiah 43:19

In January of 1951, three Italian musicians sang original, unreleased compositions on the radio in what became the first iteration of the Festival Della Canzone Italiana di Sanremo (the Italian Song Festival of Sanremo). Two years later, the expanding new-song festival moved from radio to live Italian television, and two years after that, the Sanremo Music Festival inspired the creation of the Eurovision Song Contest, an international competition that provided a way for war-torn Europe to draw together after World War II by showcasing new compositions from around the world.

This year's Eurovision competition begins today in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where 39 countries are gathering for the first time since 2019. When pandemic restrictions canceled Eurovision in 2020, many Americans were introduced to the song contest for the first time with the Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga - a Will Ferrell comedy that inspired many to begin hunting for clips on YouTube. Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands won Eurovision in 2019, which is why the event is hosted in Rotterdam this year.

With its kitsch appeal and boundary-pressing international flare, Eurovision has been a launching ground for many best-selling artists, including Julio Iglesias (1970), ABBA (1974), Olivia Newton-John (1974), and Celine Dion (1988). In its earlier years, performers were required to sing in their national language. As competition grew more fierce and songwriters across Europe recognized that judges needed to understand their content, however, entries such as "La La La" (1968) and "Boom Bang-a-Bang" (1969) entered the mix until organizers relaxed the language rule.

While it may seem far afield for many of us, much of Europe will be focused here this week: Semi-Final 1 is today, Semi-Final 2 is Thursday, and the Grand-Final is this Saturday. And, for the first time ever, an American company is streaming this year's competition: To watch, create a free Peacock account on the Peacock TV website. Each participating country casts two blocks of votes: one is based on a professional jury, and the other comes from votes of the general public. For a list of past Eurovision winners, look here, and for a glimpse at ABBA's 1974 winning entry "Waterloo," look here.

It's unfortunate that we Americans have been mostly out of the Eurovision loop over the decades, as the contest is a fabulous example of talent and silliness, glitz and non-political camaraderie. Despite the rule changes over the years, the competition has held firm to its requirement that entries are original and previously unreleased. As we look to the newness of spring, the new that is emerging from pandemic restrictions, and the new talent that is showcased in contests like Eurovision this week, let us remember that we are called to focus on the new -- looking ahead rather than dwelling on the past, stepping boldly forward into change rather than walking away from the challenges that God sets before us. As you move through this week, how will you embrace the new, finding Christ's promised joy in each next moment?

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

-- Revelation 21:5

Christ's joy to you this week,

Jennie