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      HUNGARY       

Song : "Candlelight" 
Performer : Csézy
Music :
Viktor Rakonczai
Lyrics : Imre Mózsik

Running Order : #15 in the second semi-final 

Audio file
Preview video
Live Performance (Hungarian)

THIS YEAR'S ENTRY

After failing to qualify for the contest in 1993, Hungary made a very successful Eurovision debut in Dublin in 1994, finishing 4th. However after a series of disappointing results, they disappeared from the contest for a few years after being relegated in 1998. Returning in 2005 in Kyiv in 2005, they just missing making the Top 10 and opted out of the 2006 contest in Athens. Returning in 2007, they reached the Top 10 and would have come close to winning the contest, had jury votes been used.

This year's Hungarian Final was held on February 8th at the Fortuna Stúdió in Pólus Center in Budapest when 15 songs competed for the ticket to Belgrade. The winner was chosen by a 50/50 mix of a jury and televoting. As there was a tie at the end of the voting, the song which did best in televoting was declared the winner; "Szívverés" (Heartbeat) sung by Csézy. Within a few days of being chosen it was announced that the song would be translated into English for Eurovision, under the title "Candlelight". 

Csézy (Erzsébet Csézi) was born in November, 1979 in the town  of Mezőkövesd in Northern Hungary. Her childhood was a little bit different from the one of average children, since Csézy's parents considered it extremely important to provide high-level musical education to their daughter from a very young age. This lead to her comprehensive musical qualification, which covers various fields, she is not only a singer of great talent and much creativity, but also plays on the piano.

Csézy graduated from the Béla Bartók Music Department of the University of Miskolc. Afterfinishing school, she toured with intensity in the company of her former classmates, and they did not have to wait too long for their first success. In Spain, the group won the first prize at an international contest where they were singing local folk and polyphonic songs. If we are talking about folk music, mention must be made that Csézy was born in a family which is proud to preserve Hungarian folk traditions, namely she is the last descendant of the worldwide famous Matyó dynasty.

In 2007, Csézy's childhood dream came true when her debut album hit the shelves of Hungarian music stores. There was no doubt about her classical background, but in order to gain a wider audience, she wanted to show her talent in the field of pop music as well. "Általad Vagyok" the first single from the album became a huge success in Hungary, since local radio stations picked up the moving ballad immediately. The spectacular, visually fantastic video prepared for the song also remained in high rotation of Hungarian music TV channels for weeks.

"Candlelight",the song that Csézy will perform in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, is another ballad. The composer is Viktor Rakonczai, its lyrics were written by Imre Mozsik. Viktor Rakonczai's name might be familiar to those who have been following the history of Eurovision Song Contest, as he was one of the singers of the boygroup named VIP which, represented Hungary, at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1997. At that time they finished the contest in 12th position. Now Viktor is eager to return to stage of Eurovision as a musician, since he will accompany Csézy on the piano at the event. The lyricist of "Candlelight" is Imre Mózsik, who has also been to Eurovision before, as he wrote the lyrics of "Unsunstantial Blues", Hungary's entry which finished 9th in Helsinki in 2007.

On stage in Belgrade, Csézy will be supported by four members of the a cappella vocal band Fool Moon. The band was formed in 2001 by five young men, each with a solid background in classical and light music. The group has been invited to take part in numerous a capella events and festivals throughout Austria, Germany and The Netherlands. Fool Moon is also the winner of several international contests of the said music genre: the International Ward Swingle A Capella Contest in Graz in 2005 as well as the Sixth Taiwan A Capella Contest in 2006 just to name a few.

The year's Hungarian entry is not favoured to reach the final, based on both bookmakers odds or most internet fan polls.

 

SAMPLE LYRICS

I will fly tonight, forever keep you in my heart
Make it feel so right when you love me by sweet
Candlelight, hold me till the morning shine
All my fears subside when I look into your eyes

 

BROADCASTER

RATINGS

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Eurovision history

Runnning order
Fan Poll
Webmaster

LAUNCH PAD

  1. Csezy's website
  2. Hungarian television website
  3. The song's lyrics (from Diggiloo.net)
  4. Information on the Hungarian selection

 

HUNGARY AT EUROVISION

First entry: 1994 
Number of previous entries: 6
Best result: 4th (1994) 
Worst result : Second last (1995)

TEN YEAR FORM GUIDE

 

WEBMASTER REVIEW

It's a well crafted if slightly old fashioned Eurovision ballad and I don't often say this, especially when Hungarian is involved, but I think that this song is actually better i its original form than it is in English. I think the idea to put a section of the Hungarian lyric back into the song is a good idea but I still feat that this may struggle to qualify through the televote. However it would not surprise me to see this being the jury selection from the second semi-final.

REVIEWS

"If there is a ballad to win this year, than preferably this, a very beautiful and touching ballad, certainly one of my favorites and one of the best songs this year. This must be in the top 5, without doubt the most beautiful and best ever entry from Hungary. - Nicky Peeters (Belgium)

"Standard Eurovision fare. If there is an average normal Eurovision song - this is it. No surprises." - David Berlinger (Israel)

"A very classic Eurovision ballad, slightly old fashioned but really not bad and the singer seems to be very good too. Not sure if it will stand out against other strong ballads but this could yet by another jury choice." - Paul Hutter (Germany)

"Amazing choice, a wonderful melodic song, with great vocals and beautiful atmosphere. Although there are two different versions an up-tempo and a ballad and I preferred the up-tempo" - Atmantas (Greece)

"Isn’t it too Eurovision formated? For me, it sounds like an old french entry. The voice is great." - Yom (France)

"Another song that simply can’t compare to 2007. Pleasant and nicely sung, but totally forgettable. There’s not much more I can say about it really, this is a ballad year and this doesn’t stand out." - John Withers (U.K.)

"A lovely, romantic old-fashioned ballad from the Hungarians. The song adheres to Euro-ballad rules and is none the worse for doing so. A confident performance on semi-final and well – you never know!- David Bridgman (U.K.)

There's only one word for this: "dull". it remainds me of Eurovision in the early 1990s when one singer after another would come on stage, belt her heart out for three minutes and then another country would do the same. The contest has moved on, whether for the better, or not" - Ian Carson (Ireland)

"I'm not sure if I've heard the entire song through yet. It just doesn't catch my attention at all. I'm not going through fire to hear it again. Boredom in the same category as Poland." - Alesta (Norway)

"Coming right after Georgia, here we have a second impassioned ballad in a row. This is a nice tune, and could do very well in Belgrade if performed simply. Maybe a grand piano on stage with a candelabra. If she can sing well live, this might do better than people think. I don’t think it’s too bad at all." - Dermot Manning (Ireland)

"My God, three times out of four they had the best song in the 90s. And now, I hate to say it, but this is the worst song this year. A very ordinary ballad, nothing new, could have been a song in the 1982-final. Will sink like a stone in the semi." - Steinar (Norway)