YOU: ...Who The Hell Is Edgar?

Album: Who The Hell Is Edgar? [Single]

Artist: Teya & Salena

Genre: #Alternative #Pop #DancePop #Electropop

Sub-Genres: #PopPunk #EDM #Funk #Satire #ElectroDisco #IDontKnowGenres #ItIsAVibe #Eurovision

Label: Warner Music Germany

Non-Airable Tracks: N/A

NOTE: I’m not responsible for any binge listening to this song on repeat. That is all.

Description:

Austria’s selection for this years Eurovision 2023 contest is something I did not expect to vibe to, but now that I’ve discovered it, I just cannot stop listening for some reason. It’s been stuck in my head since Sunday night on repeat, and if I don’t write about it, I may just lose my mind—what’s left of it anyways—so here we go!

“Who The Hell Is Edgar?” is by Austrian singers Teya and Salena, who have submitted their song to represent Austria in the international Eurovision competition, which will be held in Liverpool, England, later this year instead of in Ukraine as it was originally scheduled (for obvious reasons—and if you don’t know why, you’ve been living under a rock and I commend you for coming out). Austria hasn’t had a winner in the competition since 2014 when singer and drag queen Conchita Wurst dominated the scoreboard and won first place for their song “Rise Like a Phoenix.” Austria hopes that with this years entry, it has a chance to bring them back on top.

But I’m sure you’re asking yourselves: why the heck do we care? We just want to know what it sounds like! Well, let me tell you.

“Who The Hell Is Edgar?” consists of a mostly dance pop/electro-pop energy with a tinge of electro-disco intermixed within. It bops in a faster-energy paced way that keeps you bouncing back and forth to the beat. It is sort of EDM-ish at times, but what really drew me in was the electro-disco sounds.

I’m a big fan of retro music (preferably 80s over 70s as I detest 89% of disco tunes, but some 70s is niche), so when I heard this song, I found myself vibing with it. Electric sounds mixed with a disco feel help to bring back the nostalgia of my go-to music while also making it modern enough for me to dance to. I’m not breaking out my disco moves per-say—the world isn’t ready for my moves—but I definitely like the electric dance beat. You just vibe to the tune and rhythm and find yourself chanting along with the chorus.

It is also satirical, which also tickles something within my inner middle school English student self. It speaks of Edgar Allen Poe, the dark American poet who when you look at his life, you go, “Ooof, that’s rough buddy.” The lyrics speak about how the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe has possessed the singers, and they imply that their words are an ultimate masterpiece and will make them rich like the author. However, as the lyrics progress, they add more satire that directly addresses the music industry.

One of the lyrics chanted is “zero dot zero zero three.” Bet you may be asking yourselves what the heck that means, or why we should care. Well, Teya and Salena reference the 0.003 cents that songwriters often receive per each stream of their songs.

In this economy? Ouch.

Obviously, they agree and are disappointed in this amount, and follow that up with “give me two years and your dinner will be free.” The two singers refer to the lack of stable income that they get paid as songwriters and the troubles that follow it in their daily lives.

Double ouch.

During the bridge of “Who The Hell Is Edgar?” they say “Edgar cannot pay rent for me.” Not with 0.003 cents, he’s not. This directly attacks the music industry by implying that even the most successful, talented artists in the industry can struggle. Hence, if they celebrate, it would be with “gas station champagne.” But honestly, gas station champagne still sounds classy given our current economy.

Hey, don’t judge me—I’ll take what I can get.

Likewise, every middle school English teacher would probably love this song just for the satire alone. Heck, mine would have had me write a two-page essay in MLA format, double spaced in Times New Roman just to describe the “hidden” meaning in the lyrics. (Trust me, I’d have rather done it on this than on “My Shot” from the Hamilton musical that I had to do every. single. semester for YEARS.)

(Also, hot take: Hamilton the Musical is overrated. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard the music, and that’s all I need to know. Sorry Ms. Markano!)

So, do I recommend listening to “Who The Hell Is Edgar?” Yeah, I would surprisingly. My world music pallet is slowly growing, and Austria isn’t something I hear a lot of music from, so I’d check it out. If anything, you might just like this electro-pop tune. But we still have one unanswered question: Who The Hell Is Edgar?

Here’s my answer: Who the hell cares? It’s a funky little beat.

Sounds Like (but not really):

1. Dance (Our Own Party) by The Busker (sort of?)

2. 2016-2017 Alt Pop Tracks maybe???

3. I really have no idea – Handclap by Fitz and the Tantrums???

Recommended Tracks:

1. ​ Literally the only song on the album

Reviewer’s Name: Kaitlyn Liddicoat

Date of Review: 15 March 2023