It’s 2023 and yet people still can’t let Edgar Allan Poe’s telltale heart rest.
If you’ve seen the famous 19th century horror writer’s name pop up in your socials this week, that’s probably thanks to Austrian pop duo Teya and Salena. “Who the Hell is Edgar?” — their entry for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest — just made it to the grand final, which airs Saturday on major broadcasters across Europe (and Peacock in the United States).
Teya and Salena’s satirical song for the extremely popular contest — which sees countries across the continent select their brightest and boldest talent to perform on the international stage — is quite a roller coaster.
At the song’s beginning, a dramatic voice says “You’re such a good writer!” only for the artists to admit it’s really just Poe, who has possessed them: “There’s a ghost in my body and he is a lyricist / It is Edgar Allan Poe, and I think he can’t resist.” The track goes on to lament the streaming pay model (”Gas station champagne is on me / Edgar cannot pay rent for me”) as the chorus features the artists singing “Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe” to the beat over and over again. The song, which is already quite popular on TikTok, ends with a repeated question: “Who the hell is Edgar?”
Baltimore knows exactly who the hell Edgar is. The acclaimed writer and poet lived — and more famously, died — in the city, and his influence can be felt all over. There is the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in the downtown rowhome he lived in as an adult. You can visit his grave at the Westminster Presbyterian Church. And, of course, it’s no coincidence that Baltimore’s national football team is called the Ravens.
Alex Zavistovich, founder and artistic director of the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre (which, yes, is also located in Baltimore), believes that Poe’s omnipresence starts early, as a lot of people are assigned to study Poe’s works in school, and reading suspense and thrillers at a young age can stick with you. And the writer’s international acclaim is nothing new. He has often made appearances throughout pop culture history: He’s even featured on the cover of The Beatles’ “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (in the back row).
Zavistovich believes Poe’s pen is what has kept readers inspired. “Poe’s relevance after more than 100 years lies in his ability to use short stories — sometimes very short — to create and sustain feelings that tap directly into some of our innate fears,” he said.
If Poe has indeed possessed Teya and Salena, it seems only right that the duo make the trip to North America and visit us here where it all started.
