Long before Simon Cowell turned popular music into a soulless production line for teenage girls’ bedroom poster impulses and gave twenty-somethings a reason to exercise their ability to vote, now that the young no longer engage in politics, the Eurovision Song Contest was boldly presenting such winning classics as “La, la, la,” “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” and “Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley,” to a global audience ranging from 100,000,000 to some 600,000,000. This year, as the big night approaches, a potential Eurovision starlet is offering a 3D printed incarnation of herself to her avid fans. 
The Eurovision Song Contest is something you either love or you hate. I call it ‘PowerSave Mode Night’ in honour of all the hours of electricity that I have saved whenever someone reminds me that it will be gracing our televisions. It’s a time for sombre reflection, imagining the tears of Bach, Mozart and Jimmy Hendrix, the joy of Beethoven at being deaf in the light of what music has since become, and the slight decline in sales from the world music section as five people instead purchase the CD versions of the winning Eurovision entry while ABBA re-enters the charts in the name of an isolated case of genuine musical ability. And Napoleon. But don’t let my old cynical self stop you from enjoying the pop-tastic plethora of performances both on the television and, now, thanks to the never-ending marketing prowess of 3D Hubs, in the form of a 3D printed model to help you idolise an aesthetically pleasing person bearing their heart, soul and glitter to you in a heated frenzy of tactical voting and the embodiment of common cultural spirit that speaks volumes about just how far unity in the European continent has come since everyone stopped trying to conquer each other. Dilara Kazimova is a talented and beautiful singer and actress. She is going to represent Azerbaijan, near China, in the wondrous display of inclusivity that is the Eurovision Song Contest, which in 2014 will be hosted in Copenhagen. Which is not near China. There Kazimova will be performing the catchy tune “Start a Fire.”
Last weekend during the press conference in Copenhagen, Kazimova presented the 3D model to journalists, sharing that fans can purchase her 3D printed replica via eBay and funds collected from the deal will be sent to a Danish animal shelter Dyreværnets. The full body copy of Dillara is 20 cm high and looks exactly like her. This figure is unique and for one lucky Eurovision fan this will become a priceless trophy. It’s all a good bit of fun, and the 3D printed model looks to be a good quality. So why not head over to eBay and help contribute in the name of a good cause in the form of animal protection. As PowerSave Mode Night approaches you could soon be indulging in playing Start A Fire on your CD player as your 3D model replicates miming to the song. Joking and slight mocking aside, let’s hope for a fun evening of pop-tastic pleasure and put our hands together for a 3D printed pop princess.
