German radio station Norddeutsche Rundfunk (NDR) says its investigating whether this year’s German Eurovision Song competitors No Angels plagiarized their song “Disappear.”
The station says parts of “Disappear” are similar to the refrain from the song “Breaking the Silence,” which contestant Steffi List sang on a German show similar to American Idol in January.
“Naturally we take such accusations seriously, and will look at them closely,” said NDR’s entertainment director Ralf Quibeldey on Monday in Hamburg. “In the last few years hardly any of the Eurovision Song Contests haven’t had some accusations of plagiarism. It belongs to the event just like chiffon dresses and wind machines. Generally these accusations are unfounded.”
German viewers voted in favor of No Angels band members Lucy, Sandy, Nadja and Jessica after they sang “Disappear” on March 6 in Hamburg. The vote won them a place for Germany in the upcoming 2008 Eurovision Song Contest this May in Belgrade. The last time the country won a Eurovision contest was 1982.
Eurovision has a massive cult following of fans who love the show’s kitschy European pop style. The most famous Eurovision winner was Swedish band Abba, in 1974.
Compare the two songs for yourself on The Local’s Blog.