With 27 days to go until the Eurovision 2023 final, this was to be the official start to La Zarra’s campaign. The start of the home stretch for the young Canadian singer, who will represent France on May 13th. This Saturday evening, she was to sing her title “Obviously” on stage, in Amsterdam, with 28 other of her future opponents, during “Eurovision In Concert”, an unmissable event for fans of the European song contest.
But here, here, here, as her predecessor Barbara Pravi sang, second in the 2021 edition, at 9:59 p.m., the time she was supposed to go on stage, La Zarra had still not arrived at AFAS Live, the Local Zenith, located opposite the emblematic Johan Cruijff stadium. The same followingnoon, she had however met the international press there and then rehearsed her song on stage, deploring numerous technical problems, in particular the return of sound in her earphones. After a passage in her hotel room at the end of the day, to put on makeup and put on the dress and the hat provided, the young woman did not come out of the building once more.
Shortly before 11 p.m., when all the artists who followed one another all evening returned to the stage in front of the 5,000 spectators, the organizers announced that ultimately La Zarra would not perform for “personal reasons”. A sigh of disappointment went through the crowd, which placed her among the 10 favorites for the final victory. “Unfortunately following a personal problem that occurred this evening, it is with regret that La Zarra will not be able to perform at the concert scheduled in Amsterdam. Thank you all for your understanding, ”said the delegation on Twitter without further details.
“This is a problem that at his request, I cannot disclose. She prefers to rest to be in good shape on D-Day”, confirms a spokesperson for France 2 who insists on remaining “benevolent”.
Misunderstanding and annoyance
Behind the scenes of AFAS Live, this rabbit without explanation sowed incomprehension and annoyance. “We hope it’s nothing serious. But yes, we are disappointed. I hope it will not start to delirious too much on social networks. After all, Poland also canceled its visit from the start of the followingnoon, without explanation, ”reacts Benoit Blaszczyk, secretary of Eurofans at the exit of the room.
A little earlier in the followingnoon, La Zarra told us that he had lost his voice “for 6 months”. “It’s been better for only three weeks,” admitted the young woman, chaining the throat lozenges. “I’m not going to lie, I’ve had my ups and downs with the competition. Sometimes I tell myself that I’m going to win and other times that it’s too much. But I’m here to do the best I can. “, she explained to us. The Dutch air did not seem to calm him. In an Instagram story, she blasted the hotel in the Dutch capital where she spent the night. “Really I love you madly because sleeping in a room that smells of mold when you have a voice as wonderful as mine… How to say, I washed my room with bleach myself so much it was dirty. There are even pillows with blood stains! It’s all very cheerful, ”laughed La Zarra.
Eurovision is a big challenge for artists. “Emotionally we don’t realize but these are two very intense months, with a lot of pressure, many imperatives and short nights”, recalls a regular at the competition.
This Sunday, La Zarra was to fly in the early morning for London for another “Eurovision pre-party”, followed Monday by a reception at the French Embassy in the United Kingdom. Tuesday, she is the Alex Reed of “Télématin”. For the time being, these three appointments are maintained. Unless they are canceled this Sunday morning… of course!
