This year's Eurovision song contest is shaping up to be a battle of the geriatrics with the announcement that a folk group comprised of elderly ladies will represent Russia. The news that Russia's Eurovision contestant will be rural folk group Buranovskiye Babushki comes on the heels of Britain's decision to choose septuagenarian crooner Engelbert Humperdinck as its entry for the song contest in May. The group, from Russia's Republic of Udmirtia, some 1,300 km (800 miles) east of Moscow, have embarked on their hunt for musical glory after having failed to win approval to represent their country in two previous attempts. Clad in the traditional red headscarfs and long dresses of their region, thumping feet shod in tree bark shoes and urging the audience come and dance, they outsang such rivals as 2008 Eurovision winner Dima Bilan and Julia Volkova, a former member of the band Tatu, which topped the UK charts in 2003. The choice of a folk band will strengthen Russia's quest for the top spot at the competition, said young Muscovite Viktoria. "These are traditions, culture should not be forgotten," she said. This year's annual Eurovision song contest -- a blockbuster television event watched by some 100 million people -- will be held in Baku, capital of former Soviet republic Azerbaijan. Buranovskiye Babushki producer Kseniya Rubtsova told Reuters that the grannies will have their work cut out for them if they hope to defeat the 75-year-old Humperdinck, who is best known for 1960s hit "Release Me". "He is a very serious contender, well-known both in our country and the world over," Rubtsova said, adding that the group members, the eldest one of which is 76 years old, are pinning their hopes on God. "The group is sending their wages to raise the funds for building a church in their Buranovo village," she said. "We are hoping for the divine help."
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