CROATIA

The Croatian entry was released on March 2^nd. It was premiered on Croatian Radio 2 then a song release on youtube. In February, the Croatian broadcaster HRT announced that Jacques Houdek will represent the country in the 2017 contest. He will be singing the song “My Friend”

An account of the visual is very difficult – as currently there are none, the premiere of the song has all been done aurally, apart from the painting in the lyric video. What we do know is that Jacques is quite a big guy so I don’t see any huge stage choreography. Although he can move I don’t think any kind of sidestepping or shimmying would suit the style of this song. We can also hear a number of backing singers on the track so we know these will be required – seen or unseen. There are also some prominent violin parts, so ths might feature on stage too.

This is a very unique song and has lots of memorable parts. First of all the instrumental of this, which incidentally revealed a few days before the vocal version, is really quite beautiful. The violin solos remind me of Croatia’s 1995 entry ‘Nostalgija”. It left a lot of people guessing as to what Jacques would put on top of it. First of all there is a spoken word intro which is VERY unusual for Eurovision. He then starts singing the song in English when all of a sudden it not only changes to Italian – but in an operatic voice. This toing and froing continues throughout out the song. You have to keep reminding yourself that the same man is singing both parts. The tune is not very memorable although the chorus is VERY Eurovisiony and repeats the title quite a few times. There are issues around the 2 min mark when the two sides of his voice appear to overlap each other. He will either have to choose one style over the other or get the backing singers to help this part out.

This is truly astonishing. This is either a piece of dire campness that will totally flop OR is actually a piece of genius that will be recreated in other entries for years to come - either way this is going to be remembered. The staging need to be considered. Rumours are abound that his stage outfit will be part influenced by his pop voice and part by his opera voice. I have visions of god-awful Got Talent contestants who half dress up as Pavarotti and half dress up as a blonde bimbo and do both parts of a duet…

This is bad, but it is memorably bad and no matter what you think of the song -  you won’t be able to forget it. After listening to it a few times it just won’t stay in my brain – all I can remember is the spoken word then the opera. I don’t think this will qualify (although there are plenty of neighbours and Eastern countries in its semi)  but will give TV broadcasters more footage for their ‘isn’t Eurovision wacky’ vignettes.

ARTIST - Jacques Houdek

SONG - My Friend

MUSIC - Jacques Houdek, Tony Roberth Malm, Siniša Reljić

LYRICS - Jacques Houdek, Arjana Kunštek, Fabrizio Laucella, Ines Prajo