10 April – I don’t know how to live without you

Is there a formula for doing well at our favourite TV show? Does every act need to be outrageous? Does it need eight costume changes? Does it need to be a woman dancing on a box or in a sandwich toaster?

Sometimes, simple staging works best. Just look at the Dutch in 2014. Anyway, Big Five stalwarts France sent today’s birthday girl Barbara Pravi (née Barbara Piévic) to the big contest in 2021, and she already had a pedigree in the Junior version, writing a winner a mere few months before. Unlike that JESC performance, hers was paired down and was surprisingly effective. She almost win, and gave Italy a real run for their money when you consider the many many points available. Not put off by her Eurovision near-miss, she came back to JESC in 2022 and wrote another winner. Is she France’s Ms Eurovision?

Barbara is 30 today.

Bonne anniversaire, Barbara!