Teo from Belarus with “Cheesecake”

Last year countertenor Cezar from Romania was my favorite, this year Teo from Belarus has convinced me with his team, his preperation for ESC and his song Cheesecake. On the one hand in multiple skills both are the best of the year, on the other hand both have to overcome great obstacles. This makes them much more interesting to me than all the stars that are spoiled from success. 

Cezar’s unusual mix between trained opera voice and pop music met with resistance, Teo's disadvantage is that he comes from Belarus. Strange for a music competition? Western European delegations such as NDR from Germany are repeatedly confronted with rhetorical questions, whose answers imply insult and exclusion of non-NATO countries. Last attempt was the campaign around Conchita Wurst from Austria. Remind: The petitions of this campaign want to display Russia and Belarus as homophobic dictatorships. Officially there doesn't exist reliable information about this petitions, so far they proved to be unnecessary. 

The musicians are left out in the cold. Fortunately Teo shows much diplomacy in dealing with snubs. A 15-minute documentary of the Belarusian TV makes a joke about the exaggerated preparations before ESC. It also includes Conchita Wurst's trials of charming flirt with Teo.

Teo, real name Yuri Vashchuk, was born in Minsk on 24.01.1983. He studied music and now works as a composer, arranger, producer and singer. As a composer he has already a few times won the Belarussian pre-selection (2010, 2012, 2013), unfortunately his winning songs were replaced. With replacements of songs Belarus has often irritated ESC-fans. Thus, even after Teo 's victory of pre-selection 2014 the first question was about changing the song. The lyrics of "Cheesecake " (author Dmitry Novik ) refered namely to "Google Maps" and thus violated the rules, because advertising is not allowed. But Teo only changed one line to "all the maps". 

I do not wanna be your toy perhaps today

I'm not gonna be your boyfriend, it's too late

I look over all the maps trying to escape 

'Cause I'm tied up in your sweet cheesecake

Teo took part in a lot of promotional activities such as "Eurovision In Concert" in Amsterdam, "Teo's Stage Party" in Minsk or "Russia Eurovision Pre-Party " in Moscow. Teo shares a sense of fun, making the atmosphere relaxed and friendly with competition for cover versions of his songs, with giant cheesecakes, with a performance together with Babushkas, with a music surprise for Loreen from Sweden and a nice meet and greet interview after his first rehearsal in Copenhagen.

Whether Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, Teo is present everywhere. He seems to be interested in feedback from his fans. But in his promo he has to accept a few strict rules . According to the contract with Belteleradiocompany 

- He may not put on weight (not consume too much cheesecake). In recent weeks he has even operated regular exercise and already lost 10 kg 

- He cannot determine his clothes and hairstyle 

- He is not allowed to consume alcohol and drugs 

- And he has to keep a strict timetable. 

In return the contractual partners are obliged to pay organization, travel, accommodation, clothing etc. Now it becomes clear what the amusing 15-minute video is about. Teo is so far the only one who makes fun of some bizarre restrictive contracts that ESC participants have possibly to sign. 

Although commissioned work as one of the few songs Teo’s funky song does not sound as exclusively composed only for the Eurovision Song Contest. On 08.05.2014 during 2nd semi-final Teo will try to make it to the final with Cheesecake. For his performance he will be supported by backing vocalist Denis List, Artyom Akhpash and Yury Seleznev and dancers Alexander and Andrei Martynov Zalesskiy

...