🇺🇸 Met The TES Team Part 14: Ben

Before we get sucked into all things Eurovision, we wanted to give our readers the opportunity to get to know our team a bit

Hiya everyone!

This is Ben– calling you all the way from the birthplace of jazz: New Orleans. I am currently an aerospace engineering student; yeah, I’m an actual rocket scientist. I’m one of the rare kinds of engineers who is also artistic; I am a trained saxophonist and love writing/arranging music. If I’m not stressing over class, playing sax, baking cookies, or out rowing, I am probably fruitlessly asking people around me to watch a national final with me.  After years of what felt like screaming my Eurovision opinions into the void, I’m so excited to join the team at TES.

Name: Ben Young

Age: 20

Pronouns: he/him

Socials:

Twitter: @YoungAEngineer

How did I get into the Eurovision Song Contest:

I think I have one of the weirdest introductions to Eurovision. In 2014, I watched a video from a science and technology YouTuber, Tom Scott, about the tie-break system that was used at the time. I listened to Conchita’s song and downloaded it but didn’t go deeper. Then, in 2018, I watched the Big Fat Quiz of The Year where there was a question about Netta. After hearing about this “Eurovision” that Brits ranted about so often, I decided to check it out. The musician in me loved all the different genres, languages, styles, everything, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

What point did I consider myself as a “Eurofan”?

I would say that I became a “Eurofan” in early 2020. Around this time, I tuned into my first national final, MGP, and annoyed my roommate by cheering too loud for Ulrikke. Then, just like the rest of the world, I found myself stuck in a house, taking classes over zoom, and with too much time on my hands. I started getting more active on Eurovision Twitter and found myself looking forward to Friday afternoons when I could tune in to “Eurovision Home Concerts”.

How has my life changed since becoming a Eurofan?

My life has completely changed since becoming a Eurofan. I’ve gained so many people from around the world that I would consider close friends! Becoming a Eurofan also reignited my love for music and sparked me to start learning piano and arranging again. Finally, I finally have an outlet to talk to others about my weird obsession with music in languages I can’t understand.

What are my favourite Eurovision Songs and Countries?

Oh, without a doubt, my favorite countries are Norway and San Marino. Norway because I have loved so much of what they’ve sent, and San Marino because, deep down, I live for the chaotic energy they never fail to bring. As for songs, I am a sucker for ballads, anything electronic, and songs that incorporate traditional music styles. These aren’t exactly my top 5, but the 5 most special to me

• 🇷🇸 Serbia (2007) Marija Šerifović with “Molitva”
• 🇫🇮 Finland (2017) Norma John with “Blackbird” (ROBBED)
• 🇸🇲 San Marino (2013) Valentina Monetta with “Vola” (ALSO ROBBED)
• 🇳🇴Norway (2019) KEiiNO with “Spirit in the Sky”
• 🇸🇪 Sweden (2014) Sanna Nielsen with “Undo”

What are my favourite National Final songs

I love the national final season so much because I get my fill of chaos that is hard to come by in the main contest. This is where I get to talk about how KEiiNO is my favorite band of all time and Monument is my favorite ESC-tangential song. There are so many amazing songs that get cut every year, but these are some of my favorites + one that won but couldn’t compete.

• 🇳🇴 KEiiNO with Monument (Melodi Grand Prix 2021 – Norway)
• 🇺🇦 Maruv with Siren Song (Vidbir 2019 – Ukraine)
• 🇸🇪 Lynda Woodruff Sarah Dawn Finer with Moving On (Melodifestivalen 2009 – Sweden)
• 🇸🇪 Nanne Grönvall with Håll om mig (Melodifestivalen 2005 – Sweden)
• 🇱🇹 Gebrasy with Where’d You Wanna Go? (Pabandom iš naujo! 2021 – Lithuania)

What are you looking forward to in the next Eurovision season?

I’m super excited to see all the new music and artists that we will meet and love. I am also excited to see all the fashion whether it is cliche or insane. Finally, I’m super excited to experience Eurovision season with everyone here at TES and all the other friends I’ve made along the way. Here’s to an amazing ESC 2022!!!

What do you think of Ben’s favourite songs? Want to learn more about our team? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.