Pumps and a grand piano: Janna Eijer at Liet International
Saturday, January 7
On Saturday, November 19 Liet International took place in the North Italian city of Udine. Dirk Hofstede
and Albert Jensma travelled along to report about this ‘other’ European song contest. An
interesting musical gathering, because at this festival only artists who make music in a
minority language participate. They come from regions where it is often difficult to sustain the
mother language; some of the participating artists sing in a language with less than 10,000
speakers. Participants came from regions and countries such as Udmurt, Friul, Karelia,
Basque Country, Sápmi, Friesland, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland, Asturias and the Italian
Dolomites.
A surprising journey. Because the intent of the makers was to make a portrait of the
Frisian participant Janna Eijer (22) from Jubbega. With high hopes that she would end
high on the scorelist. But they also knew that the chance was small, because some other
participants make professional music now for years. But as Janna, that night as one of the
last participants, hobbles onto the stage on her new high heels and takes place behind the
grand piano, it becomes very quiet in the theatre. Four minutes later, there is an applause that does
not stop. The jury was amazed.
Liet International, at 17:05 o‘clock and then every hour from 18:17 o‘clock at Omrop
Fryslân TV. Watch this programma on-line.
Friesland wins song contest for minority language in Italy
The young Frisian singer Janna Eijer (22) from Jubbega won the eight edition of Liet International in Italian Udine, last Saturday evening (19 November 2011). Liet International is the big international song contest for contemporary songs in European minority languages. Alongside Frisian, the other contestants in Udine came from Ireland, Austria (Burgenland Croats), Val Badia (Ladinians), Scotland, Karelia in Russia, Udmurt in Russia, Friulian in Italy, Switzerland, Norwegian Sápmi, and the Basque Country and Asturias in Spain. Janna Eijer was send to Udine as the winner of the Frisian song contest Liet earlier this year. She was the only soloist of the twelve contestants. At Liet International songs were in Irish, Croatian, Gaelic, Sápmi, Ladinian, Vepsian (Karelia), Ladinian (South Tyrol), Udmurtian (a Finno-Ugric language in Russia), Friulian, Rumantsch (Switzerland), Basque and Asturian.
Janna Eijer made an interesting change to the solid rock music from the Basque Country and Asturias and the folk music from Scotland and Ireland. She wrote and composed her sensitive ballad “1 blow” herself. While softly singing the audience in the sold-out Teatro Giovanni da Udine was completely silent. The twelve-headed jury – one jury member for each participating region – made an exciting affair of the scoring. Not until the final jury member, Orla Sweeney from Ireland, Janna Eijer passed the Udmurt band Silent Woo Gore from the Russian Federation with only two points. It is the first time in the existence of Liet International, a Frisian initiative, that the Frisian contestant wins the song contest. Earlier winners of Liet International came from Catalonia, Corsica, Sápmi (4x) and the Faroe Islands.
The public award went to Coffeeshock Company, an energetic reggae, hiphop, rap band from Burgenland (Croatian), in the eastern part of Austria. Their huge, fanatic fan base joined them to Udine.
Liet International in Udine was organised by the Frisian foundation Liet International in cooperation with Friulian cultural organisations and governments. The song festival is supported by, among others, the Council of Europe, the Spanish region Asturias and by the candidate European Capital of Culture Ljouwert/Leeuwarden 2018.
Janna Eijer in Udine
Line-up Liet International 2011:
* Skama la Rede – Asturias, winner of the Premiu al meyor cantar
* Noid – Vepsian band from Karelia, Russia
* Rollfa – Sámi band from Norway, winner of the Sámi Grand Prix
* Manam – Gaelic band from Scotland
* The Silent Woo Gore – Udmurt republyk, Russia
* Siroka – Rockband from the Basque country
* Aoife Scott – Eire
* Janna Eijer – Fryslân, winner of songcontest Liet 2011
* Priska – Friûlian band, invited with a wildcard
* Coffeeshock Company – Croat singing band from Austria and winner of songcontest Suns
* Cuntra Löm – Ladinian band from Italy, winner of the public award of Suns
* Rezia Ladina – Rumantsch singer from Switzerland, winner of the first Rumantsch songcontest
