Yesterday, Turkish representative Can Bonomo, premierred his song in a presentation show. Can will be singing Love Me Back at the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku this year. With that the speculations about his song has ended for now, but is it just silence before a big storm?
As The Turkish broadcaster, TRT, internally selected the not well known Can Bonomo to represent them at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 their choice was heavily discussed.
Yesterday, Can Bonomo presented his song Love Me Back to the public in a special show, that was aired on TRT1, TRT Türk, TRT Avaz and TRT Müzik. The presentation was also streamed online by this year’s official broadcaster of the Eurovision Song Contest, İçtimai TV and EBU’s website for the contest, eurovision.tv.
The show began with a performance of Bana Bir Saz Verin, which is to be found on the latest album from Can Bonomo. Despite that it looked like the orchestra were playing in the packground, the song was performed with as playback. The situation unfortunately reminded of Hadise’s vocal failure at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 – the heavy critisms went towards Hadise’s poor vocal performance. However Turkey came 4th that year.
By the end of the performance the show continued with the presentation of Işıl Özden. Unexpectedly, we didn’t see a regular press conference this year, but Can was interviewed by the host.
The first suprise came from Hüsniye Maharramova, the İçtimai TV presenter, who we have been seeing in various national finals, she also presented the 2012 edition of Milli Seçim Turu in Azerbaijan. Thought Hüsniye was asked in Turkish, she replied in Azerbaijani language, but all the audience in Turkey were able to understand her with ease. Hüsniye told us, ‘I have heard the Turkish song backstage before it is announced’ and then she claimed the song will be a hit at the contest this year. She continued ‘All my wish is the hosting honour of the song contest will stay in another Turkish country, so that we will be travelling to Turkey in 2013.’
The show continued with the second part where Can presented his song Love Me Back
to the public. The song is clearly ethnic pop, which includes tunes from Agean as he was born there, in İzmir. It is about the love of a sailor. The song is written and composed by Can Bonomo as he said in a speech: ‘I made it, myself, in my home, alone!’. The arrangement has been made by Can Saban and It is recorded in TheFatLab Studios. After the presentation of the song he continued singing with a couple of his acts, Meczup and Sebebi Var. At the
end of the programme, we were able to hear the representative song once
again. In the meantime 27 musicians with various ethnic and international equipments appeared at the back of Can Bonomo.
In the show we also saw videoclips of the period, which Can has been through up until presenting his song. He couldn’t hide his excitement neither at the stage nor backstage. After giving his performance he told us that he was about to faint because of this excitement.
"I later realized what I have been going through, that is a serious duty.", Can said in the official interview. He also replied to the question about why he had been wearing a hat all the time, "it is not my special choice but I think people find that it suits me and now it’s like a part of me. At once, I went to meet with a friend without a hat and she couldn’t realize that I was me."
About the clothing for the Eurovison Song Contest: ‘The chareography preparetions are still ongoing and the concept should be appropriate with the soul of the songs’ said Can Bonomo. The costumes will be designed by Umut Eker for usage on stage in Baku. The videoclip will be out so soon and Can symphaticly replies the question how the video clip will be shot: ‘Of course I will play in the clip and there will be a ship!’ The videoclip will be directed by Can Saban.
Can conservatively replied the question asking whether the latest version or another arrangement will be coming till the contest ‘I think it will be the last version’.
The first ever Turkish representative Semiha Yankı who participated in 1975 with the song Seninle Bir Dakika, sent her bes wishes for Can. The Turkish commentator who has been heard on TRT for many years during the song contest, Bülend Özveren, told that ‘Can has a good talent, can’t say that 10/10 of inguenity but his participation is fair enough. Differently from last year, we are back in a good group in the semifinal where Turkey usually receives a lot of points from, i think we will qualify.’
On the other hands, the song presentation is received in a similar way as the announcement of the representative name to the public. Can Bonomo and his song Love Me Back raised to the 2nd place in the worldwide lists in social media, Twitter. Singer and songwriter Metin Arolat, ‘The song that smells of İzmir, smells of Agea is always good indeed. Everyone asked into who Can Bonomo was and said that there should be somebody else representing Turkey, now got their replies. I quite liked the song!.’ he said via his Twittera account. Famous singer Yeşim Salkım told via her account, ‘There is a hard duty is on the shoulders of Can, let’s support him and end the critisms’. Another singer Zeynep Dizdar told ‘Can has a great energy at the stage and he is simply symphatic. I am sure he will receive a good degree’.
At least, the reactions to Can Bonomo and his song Love Me Back doesn’t seem to be stopped until the song contest ends. Will everybody guess this right according to those reactions; Can Bonomo or can’t Bonomo? Well, we will see!
Below you can see the live performance of Love Me Back at the song presentation show.
