2014 RANKINGS

1) AUSTRIA

Adele and James Bond's loss is Eurovision's gain. This song has been a revelation. I was hoping for an up-tempo number but this song has so much attitude and verve but also brings out the feistiness of Conchita. She will sell this and sing this with passion - I just know it won't get the votes it deserves.

2) MALTA

This is a grower. Although I didn't think that much of it during preselection, it has slowly crept up the rankings. However I must admit that the video is just STUNNING  and gives an extra dimension to the song's meaning. The singers in Firelight are so harmonious and technically on point.

3) HUNGARY

A slow song with dubstep choruses really but importantly the words reflect the tempo. A great song that also contains a serious message on the subject of domestic violence - something portrayed in his performance, Kallay-Saunders has a great voice but will need to work on his camera presence to sell it.

4) MONTENEGRO

Initially, you may be mistaken that this was the Irish entry. This slow rhythmical ballad in the local tongue won't be easy to understand, which will lose it votes, but the tune of the song is stunning - as is the wonderful touristy video! Sergej will hopefully make this the country's first final qualification!

5) GREECE
Not a whiff of balalaika or souk to be heard! A fantastic retro dance song with the odd sample of Balkan-esque trumpets. Although rapping at Eurovision is not the best thing to do, it contrasts with the repetitive choruses. Freaky Fortune & Riskykidd need to make sure the country can afford to win first.

6) FRANCE

This is a great summery dance tune with a great sense of fun and rhythm. Although it is mostly in French the song there is more emphasis on the rhythm than the lyrics of the song. With a bit of thought this could be a really visual number with TwinTwin's individual sense of styling.

7) LITHUANIA

This has the best intro this year and sets out the stall of the song straight away. The verses are simplistic but the bridge is quite special and choruses are really punchy and memorable. The dancing always works well. Vilija has a great personality but needs to make sure the story of the song comes through.

8) BELGIUM

This is a very sweet yet also dramatic ballad. The song really grows and the live versions, although not perfect, have always been better than the recorded version. But Axel needs to watch his French accent. Just a shame the Axel's stylists has dressed him up as the "Go Compare" man.

9)  ROMANIA

This is the typical mixed tempo Eurovision fayre that we would expect to find in the contest. The chorus is ear catching and has lots of different beats to it. Paul and Ovi are returners to the contest and know how this thing works. Paula's note near the end is quite literally a miracle!

10) NORWAY

This year's "Birds". This emotionally driven song will speak to all even if they don't understand English. It is quiet and unassuming which will make it stand out among all the busyness. Carl Epsen's voice is even more surprising when you seen he is a rather butch, tattooed ginger.

11) ISRAEL

A really modern contemporary song that would not feel out of place on the playlists of Heart (not so much a good thing)  the chorus is really memorable and the song have a very sinister dark feeling. Mei has a fantastically velvety rock-edged voice and should put on a really good show.

12) UNITED KINGDOM

For the first time in a while, the UK has taken the contest and bit more seriously or at least treated it with some respect. This thumping song has a great progression and a chanting quality to it. Molly has also proved she can sing this live, which gives me great confidence in a good finish.

13) ARMENIA

What starts off a slow ballad turns into an angry, shouty rant. This is a very individual song and will stand out a mile with its dark mood and dubstep backing track. Still, the fact that Aram MP3 did not sing this live during the presentation show bugs me and makes me doubt he can do this properly live.

14) FYR MACEDONIA

A modern dance number with lots of instrumental parts. This song has grown on me over the weeks and feel that choosing the song in English was ultimately the best choice. Tijana has an interesting look and an even more interesting voice - hopefully her deep tones will entice the voters!

15) SWITZERLAND

Singing, fiddling and whistling - all in one song! The whistling motif is infectious, catchy and language beating! Sebalter is not the best singer, doesn't have the best pronunciation but he knows how to work a camera. Let's hope he stays in time with the music all the way through.

16) IRELAND

Another typical Irish uptempo song with fiddle and dancers to boot. The chorus is anthemic and the start is also strong. The verses and bridge don't sit quite as well. The backing track needs more oomph and beat to keep it driving on. Kasey is a good singer but needs to put on a show.

17) ICELAND

The song sounds like a theme tune to a 1990's CBBC show. The singers work well together and the main singer does well during all the stutter parts. The outfits are really memorable and the dad dancing is quite funny. If only Pollapönk had kept this in Icelandic it'd be in my top 5.

18) SAN MARINO

This Siegel penned song is a whimsical, thoughtful ballad which suits Valentina's jazzy voice. The title is very prominent and memorable but it may have been better to have something in Italian again. Hopefully she will having something visual to go with it. Will this be 3rd time lucky for Valentina?

19) POLAND

This song has been a huge hit in its homeland and the video has been a viral hit on youtube. Although in Polish, the song has an unmistakable rhythm, is really repetitive and gets you clapping along. Not sure if Donatan and Cleo are a little too in your face and urban for Eurovision...

20) GERMANY

This is a song that is quite literally a mix of everything so much that it almost sounds like nothing. Part oompah band, part folk, part Slavic, part klezmer and should appeal to many people. It has a good beat, a memorable chorus, and the lead singer of Elaiza has a distinctive tone and range.

21) PORTUGAL

This is a real party/carnival song with hints of Lambada, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez about it. With a energetic and colourful stage show this could do much better. The chorus is very memorable and singalongable even in Portuguese. However, Suzy needs to be more energetic on stage.

22) SPAIN

This is a typical Spanish ballad which goes far too over the top. The chorus is memorable but it takes to long to get there and too long to get to the dramatic ending. Although Ruth Lorenzo is known to UK viewers this may fall flat elsewhere as they run from their TVs due to the size of her mouth.

23) FINLAND

I would say this was the only rock song in the contest although more in the style of Brit Pop than Lordi. The song has weak verses although the chorus is very chanty. The mid section clap-along 'oh-oh-oh' bit gets you clapping and singing along. Softengine may find themselves low on the scoreboard.

24) ESTONIA

Very much inspired by Loreen's "Euphoria" in terms of musical style and from that view it is a little predictable. The tune of the song is quite good but the lyrics don't quite make sense to me.  However the performance is quite a sight to behold as Tanja's dance routine out-Loreen's Loreen.

25) DENMARK

The title holders look to win again with this Motown number. The song is radio friendly and modern and his voice is very ear catching. However it's all a little bit knowing, smug and self assured. The dancers are also really annoying and over the top. Basim is less Bruno Mars, more Bruno Uranus.

26) LATVIA

The underdog of Eurovision. The song is a very simplistic ditty obviously written about the lead singer's admiration of The Great British Bake Off (is there a Latvian version..?) Intensely annoying/catchy/earwormy. Aarzemnieki will, whatever the result, bring some fun to the proceedings.

27) MOLDOVA

A typical Moldovan song - a big belter of a ballad with a dubstep breakdown. Goes a bit too high in the chorus. The staging was quite something in the national finals with funny mirrors, scarves attached to drones controlled by dancing Mongol soldiers. But Cristina has *THE* dress of the contest.

29) UKRAINE

After numerous remixes and rewrites we have a final version which is akin to mid-tempo '70s guitar led disco. The intro is too long, the key is too high and the ending too abrupt. It's a weak tune with even more unintelligible lyrics. Not quite sure if Mariya can actually pull this version off live.

30) AZERBAIJAN

At least there will be no annoying man in a box this year... A slow dramatic ballad with ethnic tones. A song you can listen to but not sing to. Sounds like a song from a movie that doesn't work outside the movie. If you can understand a word Dilara says then you're obviously a fan of Norman Collier.

31) GEORGIA

The most individual song of the year and is quite the assault on the senses. Not the most singalongable of songs but this is true to The Shin's musical style.  Just when you've got your head around the oddly chorded yodeling it goes into a proper song. Not sure if this is SEN or gifted & talented...

32) SLOVENIA

An odd dual language song that doesn't really progress very from start to finish. The stage act during the national final was a bit too staged for my liking. This is not a bad song - just a boring one. Tinkara plays the flute on stage however whacking someone on the head with it may give better entertainment value.

33) NETHERLANDS

An anti climax from last year's 9th place. This quiet country song is a bit too quiet and a bit too country for my taste. It starts and keeps on going with no ebb or flow, peaks and troughs. Although the Common Linnets are well known in their home country, this style won't be translating into votes.

34) ALBANIA
This *was* a nice song when sung in Albanian and with a in your face intro that made it almost 4 minutes long. Now it sounds unintelligible, forced, fake and odd. The tune if you can get past the weirdness is half decent. Plus, Herci has been turned into "Little Miss Emo" and it doesn't suit her.

35) ITALY

Not quite sure what all the fuss is about this song. For the most part is looks messy and sounds even messier. The verses are really forgetful and the choruses sound like Emma is having a slanging match with the other instruments. This is Eurovision, not a crowd surfing convention or fashion show.

36) SWEDEN

I really do not get this song. Not only is the tune similar to a dog's whine but some of the lyrics are an abomination of the English language. It is a very slow winy number which actually doesn't have that much of a positive message. The mid-20s Sanna looks more like a desperate menopausal cougar.

37) RUSSIA

It is not often I can hear a Eurovision song five times and have NO recollection of it whatsoever. This is a very weak and half-hearted entry from a country that normally finds itself in the top 10 on a regular basis. The Tolmachevy Twins may have won Junior Eurovision, but they won't be doing the double. 

2014/10

So... this is it... all 37 songs have been heard!!!

In a jam packed week we've seen a lot of rush of Eurovision action!
We had finals in Greece, Germany, Norway, Moldova, Portugal and Belgium, plus song presentations from Georgia, San Marino, Armenia, Azerbaijan... but also two very late declarations from Austria and Russia.

There was also the EBU meeting on Monday which saw them provisionally set Eurovision for 2015 as well as draw Denmark's place in the final.
Finally I take a brief look at some of the official videos that have been released of the entries - needless to say I'd probably go back to Switzerland if Sebalter was in charge of my hotel!!!

In non-Eurovision news you learn about my leg trouble and my head trouble (possibly a little bit TMI!)
You can sponsor me for Sport relief here - http://my.sportrelief.com/sponsor/annsquires

Music from Georgia, Romania and Spain as well as a fond farewell to Jean Valee from Belgium.
Follow us on twitter at https://www.twitter.com/DVVHolland
or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DVVHolland to find get the latest information about blogposts and podcasts or even have a look back at our old ones :o)

You can download or listen to it here https://archive.org/details/DVVH140319Recap010

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RUSSIA

The Russian entry was revealed on March 19th. Rossija 1 initially planned national final in March called Kto? (Who). However this was postponed until after the Sotchi Olympics. It was then announced that they had scrapped this selection procedure and were now looking at an internal selection. With just a week to go, they announced that the 2006 Junior Eurovision winners, The Tolmachevy Sisters would be going to Copenhagen. The song they are singing is "Shine"

The presentation is the studio version of the song over what feels like a very rushed and/or cheap video. The video is a mashed together selection of the twins' pictures since their success in Junior Eurovision. Ironically the video also contains subtitles - is this a subliminal message that maybe you can't understand what they are saying?

This is not a live performance which is a shame as I always like to see how voices sound under pressure. You also have the added influence of having two voices which sound very similar. I would guess that the girls will sing the song with little fuss in the middle of the stage, possibly singing to each other with 4 backing singers off to one side.

The song is a mid tempo song with a rocky chorus. The girls sing the song together, initially singing the same tune and then shining in harmony, both of which could show up any flaws. Their voices are quite low in the mix in the song which sounds quite odd. Their pronunciation is OK. the instrumental is odd as the voices doing the vocal gymnastic doesn't sound like them at all.

I have many issues with this song. Firstly it's not a strong song or melody and I think it may well get lost amongst the emotional ballads and strong beats of semi-final one. I also predict that the song won't have a string visual aspect either. Added to this that there voices (at least in this version) seem very small and weak and I seriously wonder it they have the power to carry off the song live. Finally, I feel that the emotions of the crowd will mean this will get a very poor reception.

One also has to bear in mind the political situation Russia is in at the moment. I suspect that although the juries may judge this song fairly, many of the televoters will not. They twins may well ahve won Junior Eurovision but there will be no repeat in proper ESC. Normally I would say that as it is Russia, they will qualify. I feel this *may just* qualify and bomb in the final but I would be very happy to see this very DNQ. I know that Eurovision should not be used for political protests but I think this would be a very public platform for Russia to see what other countries think of them.

I hope the girls know what they've let themselves in for and their presence may not be warmly welcomed...

Artist - Tolmachevy Sisters

Song - Shine

Music - Philipp Kirkorov, Dimitris Kontopoulos

Lyrics - John Ballad, Ralph Charlie, Gerard James Borg

AUSTRIA

The Austrian entry was revealed on March 18th firstly on the radio station Ö3 then during an official press conference in Vienna and finally the video was revealed on the eurovision.tv website. Way back in September, ORF announced that they had chosen Conchita Wurst as their next Eurovision representative. The song she will be singing is "Rise like a phoenix".

This was a music video clip, so Conchita was not singing live. This said, there are a lot of clip of her singing live, in particular the Austrian National final of 2012. It would have been nice to see a live version in front of an audience to gauge the interaction with the fans with the some kind of reaction from the crowd.

The video takes pace in quite a plain white studio punctuated but chaise lounges, red drapes, rose petals and a bath! Conchita wears a number of different dresses (as well as none when in the bath) and sings to the camera. There is not really very much of a narrative but you do get a good idea of the type of character Conchita is and the kind of act you might get on the stage. The only voice heard is Conchita's and I would guess that she will be the only one on stage in Copenhagen.

The best way to describe is to say it a ballad in the style of a Shirley Bassey performed James Bond theme tune. There are lots of strings and drums and build up to a really dramatic finish. The verses are nothing special but the choruses really show off her vocal range - even more so in the very final key change. The lyrics really reflect her character and what she stands for and it certainly a song she can feel and hopefully emote to the audience and hopefully go down a storm in the hall.

Although I think that Conchita is an amazing singer I was slightly disappointed with the style of song as I was really hoping for something a little more uptempo and more engaging to the ears. The tune of the song is a little unpredictable and you have to listen to it a good few times before it stays in your ear. The start of the chorus (which just so happens to contain the title of the song) is not terribly legible. Finding out what the staging will look like will be interesting.

Let's be honest this has been a very controversial choice. Whether you like it or not many countries will find this act very shocking. There have even been petitions in Belarus and Russia to try and censure this act then it appears on the stage in Copenhagen. This kind of publicity will affect her vote in some countries but will increase it in others. Many people will look at the ideals that Conchita embodies and will find many groups of people will support her wholeheartedly.

Whichever way you look at it this will get a lot of publicity before the contest but I am not at all sure this will turn into votes. In a semi-final with many Eastern European countries this may well find itself on the cusp of the qualification and therefore in danger. That said, if it does go to the final it will get votes from all of the Big 5 so may do better in the final than semi-final.

Artist - Conchita Wurst

Song - Rise like a phoenix

Music - Charley Mason, Joey Patulka, Ali Zuckowski, Julian Maas

Lyrics - Charley Mason, Joey Patulka, Ali Zuckowski, Julian Maas

AZERBAIJAN

The Azerbaijani entry was premiered on March 16th via the Eurovision.tv website. Earlier in March the singer Dilara Kazimova won the Böyük Səhnə selection show to be the participant. It was then announced that the selected song would be chosen at a later date. The song she will be singing is "Start a fire".

The video is a pre-recorded pop video rather than a live singing recording. During the Böyük Səhnə selection she showed some skill however that was with cover versions in Eurovision and non-Eurovision hits however this will was the first time she has been seen singing an original song for the contest.

The video is shot with 2 main themes. One is of sheet music and instruments, the other of night time views of a city and Dilara is present in both. Her miming doesn't seem to be very good and seems to have a wayward tongue! It certainly fits the mood of the song but isn't particularly entertaining or tell the story of the song. I find the close ups of here during the video a bit too close up!

The song is a modern piano ballad with folk instrumental elements. The lyrics of the song are really emotive and lyrical however the tune of the song, and Dilara's vocal style, doesn't always allow you to listen to the words carefully and get the true meaning of the song. It stays quite mellow and quiet until about 2 minutes when the orchestration kicks in and then subsides

The main obstacle to the this song is Dilara's voice and pronunciation. It seems like you only get to understand every other word. Her way of saying the letter 's' is quite odd and the last line of the chorus (apart from Start a fire) is almost unintelligible. There is also the notion that this is not a very Eurovision song. Obviously the video gives us very little idea of stage production but hopefully this will help get the meaning of the song to the viewer.

I don't know how well this will be received, especially after the voting debacle of last year. I also don't think this is a very televote friendly song but will get some song writing points from the juries. It may also get lost in the trickier of the two semi finals. This will qualify, even though it possibly shouldn't, and I have no idea how it will do in the final. I personally like the tune of the song but find it really hard to get into it.

Artist - Dilara Kazimova

Song - Start a fire

Music - Stefan Örn, Johan Kronlund, Alessandra Günthardt

Lyrics - Stefan Örn, Johan Kronlund, Alessandra Günthardt

PORTUGAL

The Portuguese Final was held on March 15th at Convento do Beato in Lisbon, hosted by José Carlos Malato & Sílvia Alberto. Before the final there was a semi-final where the field of 10 was reduced to just 5. The televoting window for voting ran from March 8th-15th. The winner was Suzy with "Quero ser tua".

                                                                                                                         

I was able to watch both the semi-final and final live on TV thanks to RTP International Europe. I have to say I am not quite sure what the point was of having a semi-final when there were so few songs to begin with and I feel that a final of 5 is much too small a field. I would rather have had two small semis of 5 each where 3 go through so we had a final of 6, or just a straightforward final of all 10.

The staging of the song is very similar to that of Ryan Dolan last year. Suzy is centre stage with 2 female backing singers at one side and Behind her are 2 male dancers who also bash about two very large vertical drums. In addition she has a topless singer/mobile drummer who is drawn on with multicoloured body paints. On this stage the effect is OK but may benefit from much stronger background colours and some more effective costumes which for this performance are mostly in black.

The song is a happy, dance party song with aspects of carnival about it. It has a very sunny Mediterranean feel about it of which there is nothing like in the contest. The song also sounds a lot like "Lambada" which was recently sampled by Jennifer Lopez. The chorus lends itself to audience participation with 'oh-oh-oh' parts. The song seems to be quite within Suzy's range but the end part shows her upper range during the last key change. However the song, as it stands, it all in Portuguese and I feel that a slight change in this could make the song even more accessible.

There is a lot that can be improved with the performance. They either need to ramp up the background screen so that is is really colourful and bright OR they need to have a plainish background but with really OTT colourful outfits. They need to sell the carnival aspect of this. I don't think the dancers work - the drums are very old hat and the dancing with the wings just looked awful. Maybe they need some scantily-clad Rio dancers instead... who ideally can sing too? Plus, ideally they need to make some of the song, possible the last couple of choruses into English

However after the final there was a lot of disquiet. It seemed like the audience in the hall were not pleased about the result and neither were many of the tweeters. There have been rumours of some sort of vote fixing but with less than 48 hours before the songs have to be presented to the EBU. I doubt this choice will be changed to the second place act, Catarina Pereira's "Mea culpa".

This was the best choice in a poor and very old fashioned field. The song and singer have some potential but without some big tweaks this will not make it to the final. I would suggest this is a non-qualifier.

Artist - Suzy

Song - Quero ser tua (I want to be yours)

Music - Emanuel

Lyrics - Emanuel

NORWAY

The Norwegian Final was held on March 15th at the Spektrum in Oslo, hosted by Jenny Skavlan & Erik Solbakken. Before the final there were 3 semi-finals with 3 songs qualifying from each. The winner was be chosen in two rounds of televoting - the first to select the top 4 and the second to select the winner. The winning song was "Silent Storm" sung by Carl Jepsen.

I was able to watch the second half of the show in the internet, stating with the reprise of the 4 songs that go through to the superfinal. I thought that the idea of having the semi-finals in a much smaller venue than the final a very clever idea. Let's remember, this is a song contest and if you only have enough stage to truly rely on the song, this si no bad thing. However it was also interesting to see how he acts developed their semi-final acts to a much bigger stage.

The staging of the song is very simple. the atmosphere is very dark with blue lights. Carl is backed only by a pianist, who is viable all the time on stage and is the only instrument you hear at first, then as the song progresses you also see a timpani player. Initially Carl is staic for the first verse and chorus then moves more centre stage for the rest of the song. Carl is a very burly looking gentleman who looks very butch and rough with his beard, tattoos and beer belly but this is counteracted by is very tender vocals.

This is not typical Eurovision entry at all. This is a very, quiet minor ballad which almost feels like an epilogue to "Birds" by Anouk last year. Its structure is very simple as there are two verses with a chorus after each one. The chorus sounds eerily familiar but don't quite know why. There is a real progression in the song and does build nicely. If he can grab the viewers' attention long enough to get through the first chorus I think he will have people on his side. The song does end very quietly and I have a feeling that this is not doing to work. I fear that the audience in the crowd will hear this 'false ending' and start cheering before its actually finished. hearing the ending properly is also important to this songs chances.

I have to admit that the first time I heard this song, it did nothing for me and could not quite understand why so many people were gushing over it. But I think I now understand how and why this is. It is one of those emotion lead songs that if you listen carefully enough to the words of the song it could mean something dear to you, and it sounds like it does to many people. Also I think that that you expect a man that looks like Carl to sing in a certain way and sing a certain style of song and when that doesn't happen it takes you aback. However I think this is an important selling point.

This song is a grower. It is a very quiet ballad sung by a man - and there are not that many of those in the contest. If he can keep everyone's attention through the first verse into the chorus he may well get a lot of votes. I also think a song like this may polarise the juries. Part of me thinks this might just be a little bit too different to be a contender for the win.

Artist - Carl Epsen

Song - Silent storm

Music - Josefin Winther

Lyrics - Josefin Winther

MOLDOVA

The Moldovan Final was held on March 15th at the TRM TV Studios in Chisinau, hosted by Olivia Furtuna & Iurie Gologa. Before the final there were 2 semi-finals with 7 songs qualifying from each. The winner, chosen by televoting (50%) and an "expert" jury (50%) was Cristina Scarlat with "Wild Soul".

Unfortunately being at the end of a very rushed and crowded National finals season, the Moldovan selection really kind of passed me by. Although the final was available online it clashed with too many things and so the closest I came to watching any of it was through watching recaps of each semi-final on youtube.

The staging of the show is quite unusual. Firstly Cristina has the most wonderful dress - a dress that encapsulates the sound of the song before she has even sung a note! The background is of black, red and white smoke patterns which kind of fits in with the energy of the song. Throughout the act, Cristina is static, all of the action happens behind her with her 4 backing dancers. They are dressed in a similar to Dschinghis Khan back in the '70s but their dancing is much more modern. They also use a series of props to create some very unusual and sometimes daredevil stunts behind her. The use of the flying scarves is very effective - where do they come from?!?!?!

The song is a ballad over a modern dubstep dance beat. The song starts off low and quiet and builds up nicely - we even have a much needed and much missed key change in the final chorus! I was starting to think this was an endangered species! It progresses as you would predict however the ending of the chorus is a little different and allows Cristina to really show off her excellent vocal ability. Her voice is really clear and her diction is not bad either. Although not the most in your face song, after a few listens the song becomes more memorable. There are lots of repeated words and phrases but none of them the title.

This is very much a visual performance, although her voice needs to be the star. I think the show as it is may look a bit tacky and amateur on a huge Eurovision stage. Firstly they need to makes sure that the dancers escapades add to and compliment Cristina, not overpower it. I would like to see them redesigning the costumes not sure what to but as they are it doesn't seem to fit with the background or what Cristina is wearing. They also need to think about the props. I am still at a loss as to what the bendy mirror is all about and I am not sure how they can make the scarves (which is possibly the best and simplest visual trick I have seen this Eurovision season!) into something much more epic!

This kind of mish-mash of styles is the kind of thing you expect from Moldova and from that side it doe snot disappoint. Part of me wishes there was an even bigger ending to make it stand out more. In a semi-final with quite a few allies this will qualify but probably won't do much at all in the final.

Artist - Cristina Scarlat

Song - Wild soul

Music - Ivan Aculov

Lyrics - Lidia Scarlat

SAN MARINO

The San Marino entry was presented on March 14th during a special show on SMRTV called "Verso Copenhagen" hosted by Alessandro Capicchioni, the Head of Delegation for San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest. Back in June, it was agreed that the principality will be represented by Valentina Monetta for the third consecutive year. In Copenhagen she will be singing the song "Maybe".

The pre-recorded show was very basic, it did it's job. I also noted that the show, although mostly in English, also had English subtitles possibly a nod to the fact that this show was being watched around the world on TV or via the internet. Appearing on the show were Valentina herself and the composers of the song. However they also had a plethora of special segments syke chats and and in studio discussions about the contest as well as appearances from John Kennedy O'Connor and Sanjay Jiandani from ESCToday. The song presentation was made in the form on a video clip.

Although this was not a live performance, as she is a known (and tried and tested) act on the Eurovision stage I don't quite have so much negativity for this. The video is mainly set at the beach although there are inserts of her sitting at a piano, but not playing it. The setting of the coast really suits the song and the elements help the song to build however the studio parts focus her emotion to the camera.

The song quiet slightly minor sounding ballad. Most of the song is sung quite quietly and focuses on the words and meaning of the song which is a slight difference to her past entries. The song also contains a lot of repetition of the word 'maybe' which is no bad thing. The song slowly builds up but is more subtle and less dramatic than in "Vola". The song quietens down for the ending which is a little weak in my opinion and would benefit from being a little more punchier.

I think that there is no question that Valentina can sing so that is not an issue. The song is just her singing so will not be any extra bodies as backing singers. I could though see dancers especially to emphasise the meaning of the song and slight change of tempo. However I would also see here singing is all by her self, possibly with a pianist. Hopefully they have learnt a lot about staging from last year, which severely let her down. It will be less frantic and possibly less visual than her previous entries.

I think that Valentina will get a lot of publicity for her third appearance in a row and a pet favourite for many people. I also think there will be A LOT of love for her in the area. Part of me thinks this will come about midway in the jury ranking and possibly near the bottom in the semi-final televote. If it does qualify it will be a great result but I am really not sure. San Marino and Valentina deserve a crack at the final.
Just a place in the final would be a win to them.

Artist - Valentina Monetta

Song - Maybe

Music - Ralph Siegel

Lyrics - Mauro Balestri

ARMENIA

The Armenian entry was presented on March 14th during a special show on Armenian TV where past participants Gor Sujyan, Hayko, Emmy, André and Eva Rivas all performed. Back on New Year's Ever, Aram mp3 was revealed as their internally selected artist. The song he will be singing is called "Not alone".

I watched most of the show live but in the end it was a little bit of a disappointment. After all the performances in the studio, the song was eventually revealed at the end of the show - as a video clip. Aram mp3 was even in the studio during all of this. It did make you think why he wasn't singing it live.

The video is partially based in a studio, punctuated with instruments being played, whilst the rest features Aram mp3 driving and arguing inside a car. As the song builds up the colours and camera angles change and become more frequent. Am not quite sure how relevant the car bits are as I find the studio bits, especially with the changing lights, much more effective visually. Also this possibly this might give us an idea of what a performance version might look like.

The song starts as a quiet, thoughtful ballad. In some ways the recorded version is too quiet to the point where it feels very mumbled and you can't understand a thing. The chorus just seems to be 'you're not alone' repeated a few times with large gaps between which although repetitive is not exactly the best song writing. But half way through the beat starts kicking in and although he tempo does not change the style of the song becomes more angry and powerful. It is only really at this point does the song and performance start come alive and show some personality. Even at this point the song writing is very repetitive. Finally the song ends by repeating the chorus quietly.

I think the studio parts could give an insight to what Aram mp3 might do on the Eurovision stage. There us also a large scope for other people on the stage as the recorded version on contains his voice. They might decided to put a group together behind him or have some kind of dance troupe. My main concern though it whether he can sing and perform this live. Although I think he could probably carry off the first part of the song I am not sure if he can perform the final part without getting too screechy, shouty and out of tune. As I said earlier, the fact that this was shown as a video clip does give you reservations.

On first listen to this I was very unsure. If I am honest, I was really not expecting this kind of song. On further listens it has grown on my and does make an impact. With a decent singing performance this will qualify but come mid-table in the final, but with a poor semi-final show it will be marked down by the juries putting it on shaky ground.

Artist - Aram mp3

Song - Not alone

Music - Aram Sargsyan

Lyrics - Garik Papoya

GEORGIA

The Georgian entry was presented on March 14th during GPB 1′s Good Morning TV Show. Back in February it was announced that The Shin and Mariko Ebralidze would be representing the nation in Copenhagen.
"Three minutes to earth" is the name of their song.

The song was not performed live but a video of the whole song was shown. Although this gives a good idea of the song, it does not however give us any idea about performance style, singing ability and audience reaction, which I will have to make a decent guess at.

The video clip itself is quite surreal. The band are in a very strange location, not sure if it is indoors or outdoors but are seemingly playing on grass. Around them are lots of people but all acting like mannequins as they play the song but move very slowly during the instrumental parts.

The song is a very odd one for Eurovision. Its structure is very unusually for the contest and may well be too unusual for most ears. The first minute is Georgian jazz scat sung by the band's drummer. This in itself is not so odd but starts to feel incongruous as the song progresses. Then Marika starts singing a more traditionally constructed song. She have a very unusual tone to her voice, which sometimes feels a little strained but it also makes her diction quite difficult to understand. The chorus on the song has a good rhythm but there isn't really much of a tune to the whole thing. The ending it also a little weak.

After my first listen to this song I was quite shocked - I really did think this was the most awful thing I had ever heard. This obviously has a lot of ethnic influences to it, which I don't mind but I don't think it is very accessible to those 'normal' people watching the contest although I feel song of the Caucasus regions may enjoy this more. As for possible its performance, I think there will be 6 of them on stage so there will be no scope for extra dancers or singers on the stage. I feel that the performance will be quite static but may depend on how active Marika can be while singing at the same time.

This sing is a grower. After 5-ish listens you get to understand the structure more but most Eurovision viewers will not have this luxury. I think the clashes of styles in the 3 minutes will alienate many voters and I don't think the jury will even find this worthy of votes. I predict an DNQ for this song but I do applaud them to giving us something different and true to their culture.

Artist - The Shin and Mariko Ebralidze

Song - Three minutes to Earth

Music - Zaza Miminoshvili

Lyrics - Eugen Eliu

GERMANY

The German Final was held on March 13th at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, hosted by Barbara Schöneberger. Before the final there was a semi-final where a wildcard act was chosen to join the final. The winner was chosen in 3 rounds of televoting. Firstly each act sang one of their selected songs. Then the top 4 singers then performed both of their songs. Finally, the 2 most popular songs were performed once more. The winning act was the wildcard winner, Elaiza, singing the song "Is it right?"

I watched all of the show live on Das Erste, and I also saw the Klubkonzert show a few weeks earlier. The show was very professional and slick and was probably as  good a show to watch in the area as it was at home. What was very confusing was the way the show was laid out in terms of how the song was selected. I feel that this was of selecting a song was not thought through properly and meant that we didn't hear 4 of the songs at all and 4 of the songs got more listens than the other 4. What is the point in voting if the slates are wiped clean...?

The staging of the whole show was very simple but the lighting and video screens, as well as the 8 floaty diamonds, made sure that each song had it's own identity. The stage however was a very plain space which each artist used to their own effect.  For "Is it right" the trio was joined by a male drummer on a plinth behind them. The first chorus was punctuated by a street of red streamers whilst the final chorus end with white streamers. As the group actually performed this song 3 times on the night their outfits changed each time. I personally preferred the white outfits best.

The song is a plodding song with folk elements. It's not really a ballad as there is too much of a beat to it but is also not a simple folk number for the same reasons. The singer has a really striking voice and the song shows this off perfectly. The chorus is very memorable and repetitive. For newcomers they seemed very at home on the stage and took direction really well. The instrumentation, although folky with Eastern European lilts, is not similar to any other entry this year. It certainly got the audience clapping along.

From one point of view there is a lot that could be done the with the performance level of the song, however one may also think that their innocent charm is a plus point in itself. One thing I would suggest is added is a couple of backing singers to help make the chorus and possibly the echoey parts a little more oomphier, bassier and atmospheric.

I think that although possibly not the best performance on the night, this was one of the best songs and possibly the one most suited to Eurovision. I think this song is really tricky to call because it has its plus points and minus points. I think this may be more a jury song than a voters song - unless the crowd go with it on the night... Gut feeling says around the 10-15 mark.

Artist - Elaiza

Song - Is it right?

Music - Elżbieta Steinmetz, Frank Kretschmer

Lyrics - Elżbieta Steinmetz, Frank Kretschmer

A video of their first performance during the final can be found on the ARD Eurovision page

http://www.eurovision.de/videos/elaiza235.html

THE NETHERLANDS

The Dutch song was performed for the first time on March 11th during the TV show "De Wereld Draait Door". Back in November the broadcaster TrosAvros announced they had internally selected the singers Ilse DeLange and Waylon, performing as The Common Linnets, to represent the country at Eurovision. The song they will be singing is "Calm after the storm".

I watched the presentation via the BVN satellite channel. As well as singing their song they also had a   long interview regarding Eurovision and the success of last year's entrant, Anouk. The performance was billed as an 'acoustic version' of their Eurovision entry. the next day the recorded version on the song was aired for the first time and in fact the acoustic version was not a million miles away from their 'full blast entry'.

The presentation of the song took place in on a very small stage with no special lighting or effects, only a video screen above the showing sky and clouds. The duo both played guitars but also had a band behind the which was playing live. They were both dressed quite conservatively in black with Waylon also wearing a hat which a) didn't suit him and b) shadowed his face badly.

The song is a quiet, country style ballad with a slightly sinister edge. Both singers sing the whole song but they sing in harmony with each other which sounds really nice and shows how good they are as a duo. There is no doubt that both Ilse and Waylon are seasoned performers and were able to cope with singing with a live band - something they won't have to deal with on the Eurovision stage. On further listens it sounds quite similar to "Every step you take".

This is a very different kind of entry in a style not really seen before, which I think is the least of their problems. First of all the song has no rise and fall no peaks and troughs - it literally goes nowhere. From that perspective some may see it as a bit of a tuneless dirge or a song that goes on and on and on. Secondly the title of the song is not prominent at all, coming at the end of a phrase that is really low in both of their registers. It also won't led itself to a very active performance.

Initially I though the song was awful, however after a few listens if really gets into your system, however most Eurovision viewers won't have this luxury. Unfortunately this is a really big disappointment. In a year where they are lot of songs that have a country twang or leaning, this is one of the worst. And after the Netherlands FINALLY qualified last year I think many euro fans had hopes raised, only to have them dashed with this song. This is an almost certain non-qualifier.

Artist - The Common Linnets

Song - Calm after the storm

Music - Ilse DeLange, Waylon

Lyrics - Ilse DeLange, Waylon

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GREECE

The Greek Final was held on March 11th at the Acro Music Hall in Athens. After amalgamating the televoting (50%) and jury (50%) votes the winning song was "Rise up" performed by Freaky Fortune featuring Riskykidd.

I was able to watch the majority of this show in the internet. At first I thought I had missed most of it but as it happened the first half of the show was nostalgic Eurovision padding with appearances from Elpida, Anna Vossou, Kalomera and Kati Garbi (amongst others) performing more modern versions of their Eurovision entries. The standard of entries was quite good and 3 of the 4 were worthy of winning the title. As it happened, once the 4 entries were done and dusted the voting did not go on long.

 

The staging of the whole show was very simple with just a basic stage with lighting and a small screen at the back. The DJ in the band was centre stage on a small plinth whilst the two vocalists stood either side but moved around on the bulk of the stage. The performance needs lot more direction and interaction but a lot of this was stymied by the simplicity of the stage and the lethargy of the audience to get involved.

 

The song is a modern, up-tempo dance song with brass sampling with a Balkan edge. The song starts off slow with Riskykidd doing a small rap. Then the singer joins in with a chorus followed by an instrumental break. It is a very modern song and has lots of interesting rhythms and earworms. The chorus repeats the title numerous times and the instrumental brass breaks are really quite infectious and appealing. Although I think that the rapping is sometimes superfluous it does give does give a modern edge to it. The false ending is actually very clever and will fool a lot of people.

 

As you can tell with the tone of this review, much needs to be worked on with the visual performance of this song. I think with much more freedom of movement, lighting and more vibrant video screens. Also with more varied camera shots they will be able to sell the song more to the viewers at home. I don't think they need any dancers as I think the stage could be made busy enough with just the three of them, although they may need a backing singer to help with the repetitive parts and help with the end chorus.

But the big question is - can Greece afford to host Eurovision at this time?

Do they REALLY want to win...?

 

This was one of my favourite songs before the show stared and I am so pleased that it won. In addition it was good to see that their vocal performance was quite strong and not too dissimilar to the recorded version. This will easily qualify and I think this will be an almost definite top 10 if not top 5.

 

Artist - Freaky Fortune featuring Riskykidd

Song - Rise Up

Music - Nick Raptakis, Teo Pouzbouris

Lyrics - Nick Raptakis, Teo Pouzbouris, Riskykidd
 

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2014/09

The end of the selection season is ALMOST in sight - but still have over 10 songs to some to the surface!

This week we've had results from Sweden, Israel, Slovenia, Montenegro and the hosts Denmark and I haven't exactly agreed with very many of the results! We've also had heats in Norway and Portugal to catch up with as well as a confusing selection process in Germany.

I also get a bad case of the burps and am interrupted by the bin men!

In between the madness and forthright views we have music from Slovenia, Ireland, Portugal and Monaco (on which I give some interesting and money saving tourist advice!)

Follow us on twitter at https://www.twitter.com/DVVHolland
or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DVVHolland to find get the latest information about blogposts and podcasts or even have a look back at our old ones :o)

You can download or listen to it here http://www.archive.org/details/recap2014_09

Click here to listen to this podcast in your usual music player (M3U Playlist)

MONTENEGRO

The premiere of the Montenegrin entry was held on March 9th during a special RTCG broadcast from the Hotel Splendid, Podgorica. Back in November, Sergej Ćetković was internally selected to represent Montenegro. During the show it was revealed that he will be singing "Moj Svijet" (My World).

I watched the presentation show via the internet which was a lot of padding for a 3 minute song. They seemed to have everybody was anybody commenting on the song! Sergej has been a well known singer in the Balkans for a good 10 years or more so I cannot blame RTCG for making the show longer than it possibly should. They also inserted 'making of' clips of how they made the video for the song which were actually quite informative and interesting. 

The presentation was made in the form of the video clip, not a live performance which is a shame. This said the cinematography of the video is absolutely breath taking. If it hasn't been sponsored by the Montenegrin Tourist Board it should be. The views are quite staggering but most importantly it also fits with the style of the song. It does feel like Montenegro is being re-branded as Balkan Ireland! It would be worth them using some of the views from this as part of their video screen backdrop. This would look amazing on a wide shot.

The song is a slow Balkan ballad in the style of Željko Joksimović or Hari Mata Hari although the orchestration makes is sound very much more Celtic which is a welcome and unexpected mix. It has a long-ish introduction (by Eurovision standards) and starts with pipes and a violin, giving it that Irish feel. The first verse is quite slow and a little plain. After a minute the chorus starts which also signals a change of time signature in to a Viennese Waltz tempo 3/4 time which it stays in until the end.

There is so much about the entry that I like but there is one very large issue with the song. On further listens it becomes apparent that, with the long intro and a couple of long instrumentals, the song only consists of one verse, two choruses and an ending refrain. This just isn't enough for anybody to find a way into the song and find it memorable.
However, a few days later he released an English version of the song called "My Love" and although the Montenegrin version took precedence during the presentation, no final word has been given to the language he will be singing in at the contest. Both versions are below.

I've surprised myself by liking this song, especially as it is a ballad and nothing like "Euro Neuro" or "Igranka" which are two of my favourite songs. But Montenegro does not have a lot of luck on their side. Like Slovenia they have no Balkan neighbours to help them in the voting - or have Ireland or the UK voting either. Plus you have the history that Montenegro have NEVER qualified from a semi to the final.
I personally think that the English version will garner more votes, but the Montenegrin version sounds better. Sergej is not always able to make the 'th' sound which makes the English version sound a bit odd.
Although they probably deserve to qualify, I think this may just miss out. Again.

Artist - Sergej Ćetković

Song - Moj Svijet (My World)

Music - Sergej Ćetković

Lyrics - Sergej Ćetković, Emina Jahović

DENMARK

The Danish Final was held on March 8th at Arena Fyn in Odense, hosted by Louise Wolff & Jacob Riising. The winner was chosen by SMS voting (50%) and an "expert" jury (50%) in two rounds of voting - the first to select the top 3 and the second to select the winner. The host nation's entry will be " Cliché Love Song" sung by Basim.

Although I didn't catch the singing of the songs live, I watched the Danish final from just before the selection of the songs going forward to the superfinal. As even the show was well run ad very slick and the stage was quite simplistic but very effective - I wonder if this is a peek into things to come in May!

The performance used the whole of the t-shaped stage. He is backed by one female and two male backing singers and two male dancers. All six are dressed in black and white suits but with individual variations. Although Basim is very much the singer and the star of the song it is also very much an ensemble effort. The dance routine during the chorus is simple and could be easily danced along with at home. The groups has great connection with the audience although I think the balance of dancers and singers needs to change.

The song is a mid tempo pop song with a Motown/Jackson 5 type feel to it. Very similar to Bruno Mars style. It is certainly the type of song that could be heard on Radio 2 and has a retro yet contemporary feel. The song starts with a short chorus which gets the this part of the song in your head immediately. The song is quite formulaic and the chorus (although not very good) is very clever by using the scatting so that anybody can join in. The song is a little saccharine for my liking but is expected for its genre.

I am quite impressed by the way this mini groups works together and with the audience. Their outfits are also striking. My main concern is with the two dancers as I found them far too over the top and distracting. The three backing singers also danced but did so much more reservedly which suited the song much more. I would suggest that they are replaced with 2 more singers - possibly another female. I was also impressed by Basim's voice and tone as it was very similar to the recorded version.

I don't think this was the best song in the Danish Final but he was by far the best and most charismatic singer plus the overall performance was most eye-catching. It needs some tweaks but will be a fair entry to represent Denmark in Denmark. A decent song but not a winner.

Artist - Basim 

Song - Cliché Love Song

Music - Lasse Lindorff, Kim Nowak-Zorde, Daniel Fält, Basim

Lyrics - Lasse Lindorff, Kim Nowak-Zorde, Daniel Fält, Basim

SLOVENIA

The Slovene Final was held on March 8th, hosted by Ula Furlan. The winner was chosen through two rounds of televoting - the first to select the top 2 and the second to select the winner. In the end the winner was "Spet (Round and Round)" sung by Tinkara Kovač.

Due to the other Eurovision programmes on at the same time, I did not watch the final however I was able to catch the voting reprise half way through. Unfortunately the songs were not of a particularly good standard and nothing seemed to stand out - in a good way at least!

The stage for EMA was white and the background changed colours to fit each song and create a different atmosphere.  For her song, Tinkara is centre holding her flute and wearing the most awful two-skirt outfit! Behind her are two female backing singers and three male instrumentalists on guitar, electric guitar and drums. Nothing very much happens visually apart from some basic choreography by the backing singers.

The song is a mid-tempo pop number mainly in English however the first verse and last chorus are both in Slovenian. This makes is similar to the Israeli entry although the use of dual language is used in such a way it doesn't quite make sense, like it has been shoehorned in as an after thought. The structure of the song is very formulaic however it only the bridge part that sticks in your mind quick enough inside the 3 minutes. Tinkara has a nice voice and the style of song really suits her. Tinkara's shtick is the fact that she also plays the flute - this doesn't have the visceral appeal of Alexander Rybak's fiddle  or the folkish charm of Nicole's guitar but it does give the viewer a memorable visual connection to the song.

The main problem with this song is that it just isn't good enough - for Eurovision at least. It needs a lot of work visually to start with. Ideally she should get rid of the three instrumentalists and either get more backing singers or a couple of dancers. Tinkara also needs to work on her facial expressions which can be a little extreme when the cameras on close up (especially the wide eyes!). If I were in change I would get rid of the Slovenian bits, especially the first verse.. This sets us up for what we expect to hear and to have it change within 30 seconds is not a good surprise. Starting in English is more likely to get people into the song and get them to stay along.

Let's face facts - this is not a good song, it's not the best performance, has a weak ending and most of Slovenia's Balkan neighbours are either staying away from Copenhagen or are in the other semi-final. Unless this gets a very severe make-over, visually and aurally, the chances of this qualifying are extremely slim.

Artist - Tinkara Kovač

Song - Spet (Round and Round)

Music - Raay

Lyrics - Tinkara Kovač, Hannah Mancini, Tina Piš

SWEDEN

The Swedish Final washeld at the Friends Arena in Solna on March 8th, hosted by Nour El-Refai & Anders Jansson. Before the final there were 4 rounds of heats and a second chance round. Voting in the final was conducted with votes from various international juries and televote combined to get a winner. The winning song was "Undo" sung by Sanna Nielsen.

As ever, Melodifestivalen was a great big production on the many stages the hearts went to throughout Sweden. The final show was very slick and the two presenters, although seemingly opposites, worked really well and had a good charm with the audience in the area and those at home. The show could have dragged on and on but the songs were rattled though quite quickly and the jury/televotes was eked out just long enough to gain enough tension. However when it came to quality of songs, it was disappointing.

Sanna's performance was very unlike the majority of entries in the final as it consisted of just her on stage. No backing singers no dancers. She was dressed quite conservatively in a black top and trousers which contrasted with the her short blond hair. The stage is all back too, with only the use of light beams an a nice crystal curtain effect around her. There is very little action in the song and it very static.

The song is a emotive power ballad in the schlager vein of song writing but is very slow. It feels very laboured and ultimately goes nowhere. The tune of the chorus in particular is so fragmented and odd that it's hard to remember or sing along with. It almost feels like she's gone out of tune  The lyrics of the song are in badly written English and don't make sense... especially with the use of the phrase 'undo my bad'.

There are no issues at all with her. Sanna is a very experienced performer, having been in Melodifestvalen 7 times and she knows how to work a crowd and work the camera angles.  She has the voice and the personality to do well in Eurovision - just not with this song. The staging needs a lot of thought as does her styling. Her outfit makes me think mid 40s - not 29 . However the lack of bodies on stage leaves some leeway in term of additional people on stage but it may well be that this solitary type of performance may well be a selling point.

I feel like Sweden's hands were tied - whatever song they would have sent would have felt like a disappointment. I sit here typing and wondering who will vote for this. I'm not sure juries will find it aurally pleasing and I don't think those in Eastern Europe will understanding and it certainly doesn't feel like a song you could hear on any European radio station. Their only saviour might be that they have Denmark and Iceland voting in their semi-final This was a bad, bad choice Sweden. I predict a DNQ.

Artist - Sanna Nielsen

Song - Undo

Music - Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah

Lyrics - Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah

ISRAEL

The Israeli Final was held on March 5th, hosted by Ofer Nahshon at the IBA TV Studios. Back in January, Mei Feingold was announced as being their internally selected singer but that the song would be chosen in a public final. The winner was chosen by SMS voting and was decided to be "Same heart".

I don't really have much information about this final as I did not watch it or keep a en eye on social media at the time. I am slightly bemused as no performance videos have appeared on line. The only thing I can deduce from this was that the votes were based solely on the videos of the song which is a bit of a shame.

Not a lot can be said about the staging of the song from a music video. Neither can a lot be said about singing ability and personality. She had come through a reality TV show and has shown some good performances however the pressure of Eurovision is something different. I think that although the video very much suits the song, it gives us very little info about its performance possibilities in Eurovision. I'd almost be tempered to say it is back to the drawing board.

The song is a mid-tempo pop rock song mainly in English but the middle part of the song is in Hebrew. This language shift doesn't rally bother me although the tune does alter, which does sound odd. Her voice is really unusual and suits her native tongue better than English. The verses are nothing special and one might lose attention during these parts but the chorus (or the English tune at least)  is really memorable, simple and singalongable. I can imagine this going down big in the hall but not necessarily at home.

The video portrays some great character and setting - most of which can't be translated to the Eurovision stage. Mei looks great and has a great connection with the camera. I feel she will need to really sell her song to the camera and focus less on choreography although dancers may emphasise the song in the hall. I like the idea of her doing something in her warrior outfit!

I like this song and was the most memorable of the 3, however I cannot make a true judgment of the song based on a music video. She should be a good singer and performer but may depend on how much moving about she is doing in the stage. Right now I like the song and it has a very memorable chorus BUT something is lacking. Maybe it will come alive in a liver show... maybe it won't. I fear this will be a low qualifier and score low in the final.

Artist - Mei Finegold

Song - Same Heart

Music - Rami Talmid

Lyrics - Rami Talmid

UNITED KINGDOM

The United Kingdom entry was revealed on March 3rd in a special BBC Red Button feature hosted by Scott Mills. Earlier in February it was confirmed that their song and act was being chosen internally. It was then revealed that they were using the "BBC Unsigned" feature to bring a new young talent to the contest. Representing the UK will be Molly Smitten-Downes with herself-penned song "Children of the universe"

It was filmed the day before in a secret location and presented as a special 'red button' feature, available on all digital BBC tv channels. There was much guesswork on who the artist was but a blogpost on the BBC site regarding an artist who had progressed through the BBC introducing platform. run by the BBC Local radio. She had also written the song especially for the contest, not just a track off an existing album or website.

The staging have very basic but also effective. Milly is backed by a very prominent drummer and four backing singers. from what I would see, all of the vocals were live.The song is not one for choreography, but the act is not static but allows for energy and interaction with the audience. The venue is quite dark but uses a lot of very bright lights to emphasise parts of the song like "What if" last year. Molly moves round the stage well and it doesn't seem forced.

The song is in the same vein as Natalia Kelly's "Shine" but this has so much more power, atmosphere and lift in the chorus it. The drum beat is really prominent and driving in this song - as are the quality of the backing voices. There are many harmonies in the song as well as call of response parts which could show any faults in the song. There is a lot of repetition and lots of chances to either join in, fist pump, sway and catch earworms. Her voice is also very strong, she just about carries off the low parts in the verses but her voice really sours in the bridge and chorus.

Part of me wants to say don't change too much. As a singer-songwriter she needs to feel comfortable singing - especially in front of an area full of people. I hope that the BBC have got a range of gigs and venues lined up for her. The more experience she gets on big stages and with large audiences the more confident she will feel. On the other side, as she has written the song herself it should be nicely within her range and so could push it further.

All in all, this song and chosen act has had such a warm reception from so many corners. It is a modern contemporary song what one might hear on the radio anywhere. I think a lot of western countries will vote of this as well have its niche with the juries. Not sure that this one is a winner but the UK has been in the bottom 5 the last two years - this will very much improve on this. I just hope this is the start a new phass of choosing the UK entry.

Artist - Molly Smitten-Downes

Song - Children of the universe

Music - Molly Smitten-Downes

Lyrics - Molly Smitten-Downes

FRANCE

The French Final was held on January 26th at a TV Studio in Le Pré Saint Gervais, hosted by Natasha St-Pier. The winner was chosen by internet voting/televoting (50%) and jury (50%) which ran from January 26th - February 23rd. The winner, announced on March 2nd, was "Moustache" by Twin Twin.

The presentation of the 3 songs was shown during the show "Chansons d'Aboard" but the votes were not revealed until 5 weeks later. All the songs were easily available on your tube. The show was a bit clinical and the performances just sang their song then went off. It seemed although France was going to make an effort this year with a national final, it was a minimal effort.

The performance was very much restricted by the stage which was very small and very plain. The three members of Twin Twin, who all had live microphones, were backed by 3 female dancers. All six of them moved around the cramped stage as best they could. It looked quite bright and eye-catching as everybody on stage has either vivid coloured clothing and quite defined sense of style. The staging will need a very though review. I don't think the dancers brought anything to the performance apart from making it look cramped. I feel that the staging needs to reflect the meaning of the song and I almost feel male dancers would work better.

The song is a dance song with elements of guitar and rap to it. The song is really carried by the rhythms rather than the words of the song, which are mostly in French but has the odd line in English and Spanish. It is an extremely modern sound and something that would not be out of place on French radio. Many have likened this song to Stromae's "Papaoutai" and although it shares a rhythmical quality, the tunes are not similar and this is much more light hearted. It is made up of lots of bits and is not a straight forward verse/chorus or even verse/bridge/chorus. There are lots of earworms here and if you don't song along with the  "I wanna have a moustache" part you will be at the "Je veux ci je veux ça" part.

The vocal standard of this song is OK. It is more a spoken rap than singing and I think the levels on the mics were not exactly right on the night either. The main singer copes really well with the different beats of the song and carries the tune off well. The other two guys are not so proficient and possibly need their turned down ever so slightly. I don't think however they need more backing vocals. It needs a bit more personality and more work to the camera. Although I dismissed the Stromae connotations earlier, this show might benefit from having dancers similar to the Papaoutai video or by having a lyric video in the background screen a la ByeAlex or Gianluca.

This was the best song out of the three and this will give the Eurovision final a much needed dose of light hearted fun on the Saturday night. The young adults of the French speaking countries, as Stromae fans, will love this. It could also be a really eye catching and memorable performance. But let's face it, no jury member (unless they are a French-speaking, teenage Stromae fan) will be voting for this. It will do really well in the televote but bomb in the jury vote. Shame.

Artist - Twin Twin

Song - Moustache

Music - Viktor Pierre Beyres, Kim N'Guyen

Lyrics - Lorent Idir, François Ardouvin

2014/08

It's been a busy old time in Euro-land!
In fact it's so busy I think I may have left my brain in bed today!

Still, I power my way through the podcast picking up the pieces of what's been going on and in some cases spitting it back out again! In particular I look at the recent reveal of the UK entry and the response to it online and in the media.
We have results and announcements from Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and France to talk about as well as an unexpected edition of "celebrity Boxing" in Ireland.
Plenty of news and plenty of songs to talk about - we are over 1/2 way there!

Music from Germany, Cyprus, Hungary and a fan fave from last year's Melodifestivalen.

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You can download or listen to it here http://www.archive.org/details/recap2014_08

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ROMANIA

The Romanian Final was held on March 1st at the Sica Alexandrescu Theatre in Brasov, hosted by Nicolle Stanese. The winner was chosen by televoting (50%) and an "expert" jury (50%). Going to Copenhagen and returning to Eurovision are the duo of Paula Seling & Ovi with "Miracle"

The Selectia Nationala was an odd affair this year. Lots of variety but not much of was of it was good quality! Many suggested this was almost to 'guarantee' a Paula and Ovi victory. This did not seem as clear cut at first as Vaida won the televote by a mile... This at first was interesting but not so surprising when you discover that Vaida had a plan. On her website she enticed the viewers to vote for her by bribing them with watches! As it worked out, Paula and Ovi were second with the viewers but 1st with the jury, cementing their place as winners.

 

Due to the minimalist nature of the stage, not much of a performance was to be had although there are elements that could be used on the bog stage. Ovi begins by himself with a see through neon lit piano. Dispersed on the stage are some 3D screens which pop up visions of Paula and Ovi. During the first chorus Paula joins him physically on stage. It is not very well choreographed although it is obvious they have good chemistry together but also can work a crowd but I feel this needs more oomph and drive. The piano is underused and not enough is made of the 3D screens.

 

The song is a dance style uptempo number although the verses are quieter than the loud choruses. The chorus is what sells this song and gets inside your head. The repetition of the title is really ear catching but the staccato middle part brings out that dance beat. The balance of their voices is just right and the song really showcases Paula's vocal talents. The bridge part with the piano is quite a thing to behold - that note is just UNBELIVEABLE! She has got lungs!

 

The one thing the duo need to work on now is the performance and the stage setting. When they came second in 2010, the performance with the see through piano and choreography (and Paula's catsuit!) really worked the song to their advantage. They now need to do the same with this. They have got another flashy piano and some magic 3D screens however it needs more power and direction. Not sure if they need backing singers or dancers or even a cool light show but it needs something punchy to emphasise the song.

 

The fact of the matter is that this song appeals to a lot of people. It has a good accessible dance edge yet also has a Scandinavian Schlager quality. You could easily hear this song on the radio or even in a club. Their chemistry is good and Paula's vocals are just stunning. This will go big in the hall and will get the fans in the area screaming for Romania's name to be read out at the end of the semi-final. This is a certain qualifier and very much a fan favourite to win.

 

Artist - Paula Seling & Ovi

Song - Miracle

Music - Ovidiu Cernăuțeanu, Phillip Halloun, Victor Forberg Skogberg, Beyond51

Lyrics - Ovidiu Cernăuțeanu, Phillip Halloun, Victor Forberg Skogberg, Frida Amundsen