Another May, another Eurovision.

May is that special time of the year in Europe where countries go to battle for the best song. Each country chooses a singer to represent the them, and both an official jury and the European public decide on the winner via a point system. You can learn more about the voting process here. The winning country gets to host the event the following year, but that’s not always the best financial decision for certain countries. Hosting an event of this size is costly, and some countries (France included) have pleaded poverty to avoid hosting. Success doesn’t come cheap, it would seem.

France won’t have to worry about dishing out money to host next year, though, as they only came in 12th for 2017, but their chosen artist certainly gave a valiant effort. This year, Lyon-born Alma performed a piece called “Requiem,” where she sings, according to Eurovision’s official site, of her “quest for never-ending love.” I feel you, girl.

So, who is Alma, and how was she chosen? Legally, her name is Alma Maquet, but on stage, she dropped her last name. Maybe she’s trying to be the next Beyonce or Adele. Who knows? Either way, Alma has spent a lot of time abroad and has lived in Italy, Brazil and the United States. I’m a very big advocate of travel for personal growth, and according to world renowned opera singer Reri Grist, it gives performers an advantage. She says, “Go travel. See what life is like. Talk to people. Roll up your blanket and sleep out under a tree.” Looks like Alma understands this!

In September of last year, public channel France 2 started accepting online auditions of French-speaking singers aged 16 to 50 from any country. I have to admit, I’ve always found it odd that someone of a different nationality could represent another country in a competition like this, but I don’t get to make the rules. Three hundred applications were submitted, and Alma was chosen to represent France.

The song was written by the same person who wrote “J’ai cherché,” France’s 2016 Eurovision submission. In the end, “Requiem” received 135 votes (45 from the jury and 90 from the European voters). The winner was Portugal’s Salvador Sobral with “Amar Pelos Dois.” This piece received 758 points with 382 from the jury and 376 from the home voters.

Des amours meurent, des amours naissent
Loves die, loves are born
Les siècles passent et disparaissent
Centuries pass and disappear
Ce que tu crois être la mort
What you believe to be death
C’est une saison et rien de plus
Is nothing but a season

Un jour lassé de cette errance
One day, tired of this wandering
Tu t’en iras, quelle importance
You’ll go away, doesn’t matter
Car la terre tournera encore
Because the world will still turn
Même quand nous ne tournerons plus
Even when you’re not turning anymore

Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you love me
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Make me smile in the middle of a requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you live me
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Make me dance until time takes back
Ce qu’il a donné
What it gave us

Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erases the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
On pleure mais on survit quand même
We cry, but we survive regardless
C’est la beauté du requiem
That’s the beauty of the requiem

Les étincelles deviennent des flammes
Sparks become flames
Les petites filles deviennent des femmes
Little girls become women
Ce que tu crois être l’amour
What you believe to be love
C’est un brasier et rien de plus
Is an inferno and nothing more

Nos déchirures, nos déchéances
Our fractures, our declines
On pense qu’elles ont de l’importance
We think they’re important
Mais demain renaîtra le jour
But tomorrow the day will be reborn
Comme si nous n’avions pas vécu
As if we had not lived

Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you love me
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Make me smile in the middle of a requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you live me
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Make me dance until time takes back
Ce qu’il a donné
What it gave us

Will you take me to paradise?
With you nothing ever dies
You take my smile and make it bright
Before the night erases the light
I won’t go below silver skies
The only dark is in your eyes
On pleure mais on survit quand même
We cry, but we survive regardless
C’est la beauté du requiem
That’s the beauty of the requiem

Des amours naissent, des amours meurent
Loves are born, loves die
Ce soir enfin je n’ai plus peur
Tonight I’m finally not afraid
Je sais que je t’aimerai encore
I know that I will still love you
Quand la terre ne tournera plus
When the world is turning no more

Des amours naissent, des amours meurent
Ce soir enfin je n’ai plus peur
Je sais que je t’aimerai encore
Quand la terre ne tournera plus

Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you love me
Fais-moi sourire au beau milieu d’un requiem
Make me smile in the middle of a requiem
Embrasse-moi, dis-moi que tu m’aimes
Kiss me, tell me you live me
Fais-moi danser jusqu’à ce que le temps nous reprenne
Make me dance until time takes back
Ce qu’il a donné
What it gave us

Ce qu’il a donné
What it gave us
Embrasse-moi
Kiss me
Tell me that you love me
Embrasse-moi
Kiss me
Tell me that you love me

Fun fact: the song was originally entirely in French, but it was decided to remove portions of the lyrics and add an English verse to attract a wider audience. You can watch the original version below: