Canary Islands International Song Contest

Thanks (I think) to our old mates over at Canarias Bruta for pointing this piece of pure entertainment out and, if it does nothing else, it may explain one reason why I often advocate going to hear Canarians playing Canarian folk music: it may not be something you'd want to buy or listen to at home, but it's authentic and, at least the performances are of what people know and do best.

This, by complete contrast, is the epitome of creative overstretching.

It's dangerous ground to criticize any artist, because I know first hand how hard it is to get on stage and "have a go", but then, some folk appear way too over-confident in their abilities and, putting this as diplomatically as possible, maybe they should be encouraged to find an alternative hobby.

Even this song's title, "May Seven Sunday" - has been written (or translated by Systran) into unintelligible English (though, not as you know it), then it's strangulated and pronounced through an old woolly sock. Mr Albelo, who clearly doesn't actually speak English, should stick to rica música latina.

But he didn't and this travesty was his entry into the equally over-ambitiously entitled Canary Islands International Song Contest, a.k.a. Universong.

Eurovision it was not! You didn't think there was anything more embarrassing and crap than Eurovision or X Factor, did you? See how wrong you can be! :)

As well as Universong, which took place in Los Realejos and, as Canarias Bruta point out, had "no media repercussion" - even we'd never heard of it - they have another contest for failed karaoke singers, called EuroSingers.

There's worse to come, Universong is going to be repeated in 2009 and you may be delighted to learn (or not) that you can register to participate (I can hear your excitement already) in either Spanish or English. Requirements (apart from being tone deaf) seem to be relatively few and old-tech and, the entry fee is a mere 80 euros (that can even be paid via Paypal.) :)

To end on a positive note, you'll hear much better and more authentic than this at any late night "knees up" at even the smallest village fiesta.

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