Eurovision: why can La Zarra, a Quebec artist, represent France?

Romain Rouillard 6:18 p.m., January 12, 2023

She became known in 2021 with the tube

and will be entitled to a consecration on May 13 at the Liverpool Arena in the United Kingdom.

Quebec singer Fatima Zahra Hafdi, better known as La Zarra, will be in charge of wearing the colors of France at the next Eurovision.

A competition that France has not won since 1977 and the title

interpreted by Marie Myriam.

But if France were to triumph on the British scene, it is a Canadian artist who would receive the honours. 

A situation reminiscent of Eurovision 2004 during which France was represented by Quebecer Natasha Saint-Pierre.

And fifteen years earlier, in 1988, Celine Dion had represented… Switzerland and had even distinguished herself by winning the competition.

Thus, it is therefore quite possible to see a singer representing a country that is not his own, although such a scenario remains unusual.

"The nationality of artists is totally free" 

The rules of the competition are intended to be quite clear on the issue and stipulate that "the nationality of the artists and their level of professionalism is completely free".

Like the group Alvan & Ahez who represented France last year and who sang in Breton, La Zarra will be free to choose the language of their choice.

The regulations specify that "the language of interpretation is free in the international final, each participating television can indicate a limit to this freedom with regard to the representative of its country". 

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For the Quebec artist, the objective will be to do better than the Breton group in 2022 which had failed in the penultimate place of the ranking.

And why not succeed Ukraine, title holder with the song Stefania, performed by the group Kalush Orchestra.