2015 show 2

Round up number 2 of the countdown to Eurovision 2015.

Not really that much news this week but there was some trepidation to exactly what the much hyped Dutch entry was going to sound like! There will be a review of this later in the week but you can hear my tentative first opinion here. I also watched the start of the Cyprus Eurovision selection process, which confused me greatly... mainly because I don't speak Greek!

I'm not sure if it was the lack of news OR abundance of pregnancy hormones but this week's episode seemed to go off kilter a bit too quickly! If you would like to find out more about my karaoke exploits this Christmas, OR watch my videos from the last few years, you can find them at https://www.youtube.com/user/squiresag/videos

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2015 show 1

My first round up of the 2015 Eurovision silly season!

There's firstly a nod to Junior Eurovision as well as completed national finals from Malta and Macedonia to catch up with. As for the rest, there are artist reveals and national final dates set.

WARNING - please be aware this podcast involves me bad mouthing about a certain Belgian city I didn't like (and neither did the hotel manager in Hasselt) and also made me realise I get very stressy over the French language - MY BAD!!!!!!

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MALTA

The Maltese Final was held on November 22th at Marsa Shipbuilding (home the previsous week to Junior Eurovision) hosted by Daniel Chircop and Lyona Xuereb Gatt. Before the final there was a semi-final the previous evening, with 14 of the 20 songs qualifying for the final. The voting was a mixture of an "expert" jury and televoting and the winner was "Warrior" sung by Amber.

The Maltese took the same route as they have done over the past few years, with a semi-final and final... just a bit earlier than normal! This said, I find the semi aspect of this qualification a little redundant as they only get rid of 6 songs. For a semi final I would expect the field to be cut more substantially than that. The show seemed a very Maltese affair with the same old adverts and to be honest the same old singers!

The song will bring comparisons to Moldova's failed entry last year. The minimalist dub-steppy backing track is a great palette to showcase Amber's singing and performance skills. It starts of like a normal ballad but then ramps up pretty quickly. The chorus is very memorable but the rest of the song is a little non-descript. It is very easy to become lost and unhooked during the verses. If Amber wasn't so much of an engaging singer, this song would not have worked.

Amber has an amazing voice - much better live than in the recording. I also like the way she seemed quite confident just standing there on her own, interpreting the song herself, without a barrage of dancers or an over the top backdrop. She has to push quite hard to get tot he higher notes but she never really seemed strained or OTT.

I have a feeling that Malta will probably rip this up and start all over again. It wouldn't surprise me if it turned into the hot mess of Moldova last year. I personally think it works as it is, although a revamp of the backing track might not be a bad idea. They may well give Amber a more warrior-like dress to wear, especially to stand out a bit more against that backdrop. Less is more, Malta...

However you must also keep in the back of your mind the fact that the new Maltese Eurovision rules state that they could decided to drop the song totally for something brand new...

In fairness, the field was not that strong and this stood out a mile as an obvious winner and scored 12 points from all 5 jurors AND the televoting. I don't think it will be quite the same come May. Just don't mess about with it too much, Malta!!!

ARTIST - Amber

SONG - Warrior

MUSIC - Elton Zarb

LYRICS - Matt (Muxu) Mercieca

FYR MACEDONIA

The Macedonian Final was held on November 12th at the Metropolis Arena in Skopje, hosted by Vasil Zafircev. The winner was chosen by televoting (50%) and by a range of international juries from Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Netherlands and Croatia (50%). After conclusively winning the televote, the act going to Vienna will be Danijel Kajmakovski with the song "Esenski lisja" (Autumn Leaves)

This year, FYROM brought back the much missed Skopje Fest to choose their entry. As well as showcasing a range of song genres in the and singers the show was really entertain. In particular the host's interpretation of a range of Eurovision classics was quite funny, especially the full on matador version of "Bandido" and the balletic rendition of "Nocturne" in something which resembled Norwegian! If anything, the most negative thing I can say is that the whole thing took too long to get going as MRT spent most of the first 30mins of the show talking to guests (mostly previous FYROM Eurovision acts) as they came into the hall.

The song is a very contemporary number that probably could be heard on most radio stations - in the local lingo of course. It has a familiar ring to it but that may well just be it's modern nature - not something FYROM has been noted for in the past. The verses of the song are quite predictable in structure and something you can find yourself getting to quite quickly but the bridge part slows the impetus the song has. The chorus could be really special with a backing track rather than the live orchestra. The ending really needs looking at as it has damp squib written all over it as it stands.

My main issue is that as it stands it is too long. I personally think they could shorten the piano introduction, quicken the whole thing up a tad and make the beat in the chorus much stronger. Considering the delegation now has 6 months to finalise an act for Vienna, they could literally do anything.

Daniel seems a very confident and accomplished singer. He has good charisma with the camera and the audience in the hall. It seems like the song is really within him and can comfortably pull it off. I would feel confident to have him as the singer representing my country. However I would definitely think of giving him something better to wear - something than makes him less like Ovi's little brother who has been let out for the night. I would also advise him to stay away from the swivelling dance steps in the middle.

As I have already hinted any kinds of changes could occur between now and May. The first thing to consider would be if they are willing to change into English. Part of me feels that if the language was to be changed it might be worth making the song much more plot driven a la "Running" last year. Secondly the song needs much more of a staging - this again may be affected by any language change. I feel that the song needs backing singers to add atmosphere but does it need dancers too...?

As there is nothing to compare it to, this is tricky.

I certainly don't hate it, yet I don't love it to pieces but it is certainly a great place to start from - it has plenty of time grow, morph and fall into its place in Eurovision 2015.

ARTIST - Daniel Kajmakoski

SONG - Esenski Lisja (Autumn Leaves)

MUSIC -Joacim Persson

LYRICS - Aleksandar Mitevski, Daniel Kajmakoski

JUNIOR EUROVISION 2014

This mini-pop version of the real thing has some through some changes and ups and downs over the years. However this year's contest feels different. Maybe it is because many of the contestants look and sound more mature, or that the songs feel more modern and less bubble gum or maybe it is down to the sudden jump in entry numbers and general media interest around Europe.

 This year we some returnees after a break (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Serbia) as well as 3 brand new participating countries (Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia) With a mix of groups, solo acts, ballads and dance numbers, this year seems like an interesting if not hard year to judge. This is made a little more difficult as so few of the entries were chose through a live national final and many songs only have a generic pop video to judge on. However after a couple of days of rehearsal I do have a very small window to judge their vocal ability on...

1) BELARUS: Nadezhda Misyakova - Sokal (Falcon) 

This is an odd little number, especially as an opening to the show. Nadezhda seems to have the spirit of a small Ruslana while looking like a mini Carola. 

 Vocally she seems to carry the song off well although I'm not too sure how well she can perform the elongated choruses with some of the nerves on the night. I like the fields motifs and the back ground and seems to echo the folky quality of the song. The song itself has a pleasant feel and the chorus has a good ear worm. However I find that the song lacks light and shade - except for the end which doesn't work. 

She seems to be styled more like an American Indian with the headband on!  

2) BULGARIA: Krisia, Hasan & Ibrahim - Planet of the children 

Considering the failure of the country in adult Eurovision, this return to jESC is a bit out of the blue - as is the standard of their entry. 

This is a moody, if not quite adult, ballad sung by the tiniest little thing. The song has an almost classical feel and a this kind of song could easily have been an entry in the adult version This all said the musicality and professionalism of Hasan and Ibrahim must not be underestimated and I hope their role is not minimised too much on screen. 

Krisia is obviously a very talented and passionate singer but rumours are that she has been sick this week and a poor vocal on this song will destroy its chances.  

3) SAN MARINO: The Peppermints - Breaking my heart 

My goodness, this is choreographed within an inch of it's life! 

From watching the rehearsal I was really surprised how much a full show this is. Firstly they star on the floor, then do some stomping down the catwalks, duo dancing and dancing in a line. It's quite a full on show! Vocally they are not bad. Considering they spend most of the song moving, I would expect a loss of energy near the end but they seems great from start to finish. If anything I would have liked to have heard more harmony in the chorus. 

The song is a bit of a grower and the chorus gets inside your head really quickly and I think this could be a really good result!

4) CROATIA: Josie - Game Over 

The title really says it all... 

Poor Josie looks really out of her depth here. She is a cute petite little things and she looks really uncomfortable on stage, especially dancing. I would've preferred her being more natural and 'acting' with the dancers who show here up a little bit. Josie also doesn't have the best of voices but also she looks *petrified* She could possibly get away with being a little bit small in the voice if she looked a little more girly and cute and smiley. 

The song itself is not bad (with a great opening to the chorus) but needs much more power in the backing track. However she has the best background of the night!  

5) CYPRUS: Sophia Patsalides - I pio omforfi mera (The most wonderful day) 

And I thought Alanis Morrisette was Canadian... 

For the video of this song, Sophia is surrounded by other dancers who do a lot of the moving to this song but on the stage she is alone. I didn't think this change would work but it really does. She has a great command of the stage and actually moves really well. She certainly looks the most mature and professional act on the stage and I hope it doesn't come across too polished or adult. 

This is a very typical dance song of the moment but is not as repetitive as many of the songs in this year's contest. Sophia has a great voice and is one of the few who really interacts with the audience.  

6) GEORGIA: Lizi Pop - Happy Day 

This sounds nothing like Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball.... Honestly! 

This is a very odd song. The structure and tune of the song sounds quite sad and melancholy yet you have this tiny child with a big mouth singing Happy Day. It just sounds a bit odd. Lizi does belt the whole thing out but it ends up feeling a little bit screechy and you need feel 100% confident that she's going to reach the high notes. 

Like in the video Lizi is backed by 4 dancers, one of which sports a plaster cast/arm sling in one version. To be honest the whole thing just looks and sounds messy and disjointed and I would expect much, much more from Georgia.
 

7) SWEDEN: Julia Kedhammar - Du är inte ensam (You're not alone) 

This entry could only come from one country... Dance-schlager has made it's way to jESC 

Overall I am quite under-awed by this song and performance. The verses seem to low and tuneless and although the chorus seems perkier it still feels a bit pedestrian. From rehearsals, it seems that she is backed by 4 dancers, possibly in an attempt to inject meaning and oomph into the song. 

Unfortunately it falls flat for me as it just makes poor Julia look a bit stilted and nervous. The key change at the end is decidedly dodgy and needs a lot work. If I could offer ANY artistic direction, I would have liked to have seen something more like David Lindgren's "Skyline"  

8) UKRAINE: Sympho-Nick - Pryyde vesna (Spring will come) 

So finally, Zlata's "Gravity" gets the Junior treatment as sung by Feminem Juniors. 

The trio certainly have their own style, physically and vocally, which will stand them in good stead. The girls seem very confident in what they do and seem to enjoy the song. Like many of the national final routed songs, the performance looks to have changed very little in essence, although they have made good use of the catwalks at the start. 

The song takes a little time to get going but then it gets into its stride. My main concern is that this is more 'muzak in a lift' than something a junior audience can comprehend and sing along with.
  

9) SLOVENIA: Ula Ložar - Nisi sam /Your light (You're not alone) 

If hearing was believing, this might be a winner - just keep your eyes closed! 

Ula has a great voice and is very pure and clean in the high notes, you'd think she couldn't get that high but she does with ease. The performance is very simple and actually she has an expressive face and expressive hands so the close ups should be quite interesting. 

I do however have a couple of issues with her performance. Firstly she switched around the languages a lot during rehearsals and it would be nice to see here reduce the English part. Secondly STOP MESSING WITH YOUR HAIR and thirdly I hope that outfit isn't anything like what you will wear on Saturday!  

10) MONTENEGRO: Maša & Lejla - Budi dijete na jedan dan (Be a child for a day) 

After finally qualifying in Adult Eurovision, Montenegro have made the jump to jESC. 

The song is quite Yugoslavian sounding, with echoes of "Rock Me" and "Hajde da ludujemo" about it but also have a slightly dated feel. Maša and Lejla are together and go through a quite simple dance routine in the middle of the stage whilst blending the voices in harmony in the chorus. 

Needless to say, it looks and sounds a little bit amateur, almost a bit seaside talent contest sounding, compared to the other entries but in this way it has a certain innocent charm and appeal that many of the over-polished songs don't have. Let's hope *some* countries give it points so they come back next year!

11) ITALY: Vincenzo Cantiello - Tu primo grande amore (Your first great love) 

The only boy in the competition really is trying hard! 

He has a very flexible voice with quite a range for a small boy. My only real issue with him is the fact that his style of singing can come across to diva-ish when I feel that having someone with a more gruff male voice would REALLY make him stand out from the crowd. 

He is alone on stage, a bit like in the video but he has a very expressive face which will make a difference on the camera close ups. the song is a fairly standard dramatic ballad which doesn't really have much of a tune. The song is quintessentially Italian in style which may lose or gain it fans.  

12) ARMENIA: Betty - People of the Sun 

Possibly the most 'Junior Eurovision' song of the whole night.

There have been many changes to the staging since the national final which has done it some good. Betty is now on a platform which gives her a bit more independence when it comes to moving and dancing, more prominence on the stage but does move her away from the audience. The dancers are really amazing!

Betty has an ok voice but the song is within her range. The tune of the chorus is quite catchy. It's also a shame that jESC is in winter as this is the most summery of the whole bunch. Stuck between a couple of similar styled ballads may be to its advantage. 

13) RUSSIA: Alisa Kozhikina - Dreamer 

Another power ballad sung by a tiny child. 

There is no doubt that Alisa can sing and that this song really shows off her vocal talents. But I also have to remind myself that this is a SONG contest and not all about the singer. The song a little bit drippy and over-indulgent but this does not mean it is easy to sing. The official video is very well made and really reflects the meaning and tone of the song. 

However she seems to be singing alone on the stage static and most of the movement will be done via the camera work. It is unfortunately quite forgettable if not over-saccharine. If it was nearer the middle, it would be time for tea...  

14) SERBIA: Emilija Đonin -Svet u mojim očima (World in my eyes) 

Tea time has just been extended... 

This song, unfortunately, is just blandness personified. Maybe I was hoping for something a bit more Balkan a bit more Serbian rather than something from Vanilla Land. To be fair, Emilija has a good voice for piano ballads and seems to be well within herself when singing the song, it's just a shame that the song goes nowhere. 

She is alone on stage and plays the piano for the first 2 minutes. Then she gets up and walks to the front of the stage. This point of the song either needs to be more dramatic in her stance or facial expressions or more interactive with the audience in the hall to gain votes.  

15) MALTA: Federica Falzon - Diamonds 

If operatic minipops did Bond themes... 

I find this song a real love/hate affair. On one hand I love her voice in the top of her range and her vocal skill is amazing for someone of her age. The staging is very simple yet effective (almost similar is style to Conchita) and I feel this song will really stick out. 

However in the verses, the song feels far too low and generally I cannot understand a word she says. She could be singing in Maltese for all I know! Plus she needs to stop doing the armography in the choruses - it doesn't look natural and you can tell she is thinking about it. Getting the feeling Malta want to do well but not win.

16) NETHERLANDS: Julia - Around 

This is a modern, radio friendly ditty however this is almost it's problem. 

It's a slick production and it looks like the whole thing is being transported as was in the national final to the jESC stage. It almost looks and feels to good to be true... The song has a good structure with quiet and tuneful verses and a powerful, earwormy- chorus. Julia performs the whole thing well, vocally, although I worry she seems stilted and choreographically uncertain. 

My main concern is that the chorus is too much - especially when you consider that literally the last 90 seconds is the chorus sung over and over and over again. It makes you wonder when it's going to bloody end!!!!



As for a winner - I have no clue. I guess it will come down to who performs the best and who the audience is most feels the most accessible and likeable. My favourite three are probably Bulgaria, San Marino and Cyprus but I wish them all the best of luck on Saturday night!

ESCfaves 5

And now the end is near...

Yes I've come to the final instalment on my favourite entries ever!
As you will hear many of the countries on today's list were very difficult and I changed one song literally as I was about to start recording!

Today's selection brings reminiscences of Busted (although it's McBusted these days), duets involving in stabbings (seemingly true!), songs John Peel once played live on Radio One (very much true) and my suggestion for next year's interval act (I would love it to be true.)

I'll also explain why I don't like French and Danish languages, I find that Baltic Eurovision contestants seemingly all know each other and ponder if a certain country should stop being so stereotypical. (The answer ends up being NO!!!!)

This week I play entries from Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Montenegro and Spain.

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You can download or listen to it here https://archive.org/details/Escfaves5

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ESCfaves 4

Here's the penultimate podcast in search of my favourite Eurovision entries!

It's been a hectic old week with plenty of work and pregnancy goings on which has temporarily made me lose my mind slightly so beware for a few unhinged moments! I complain about the strangely unseasonal weather, call Heart a naughty name and name check a certain Mr Don Wessell!

This week's songs come from Belarus, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, San Marino, Turkey and Yugoslavia.

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ESCfaves 3

The 3rd of five retro-views!

This week proves a bit of a challenge as I love  SO MANY of the songs on offer tonight I do go a bit OTT with the stories and superlatives....
I offer a small anecdote about my time on "Pointless" and share a conversation that was left on the editors floor and share with you which country I feel is the best in the world! (generally, not just in Eurovision terms!) However I must warn you that I do rant about one country which I have since discovered has NO songs I really like *shock horror*

This week's selection is taken from Albania, Belgium, France, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Romania, Slovenia and United Kingdom.


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ESCfaves 2

Part 2 of my mammoth task of choosing some favourites.

As you will find out, this episode was a tricky one as many resulted in some less than happy decisions from my point of view -although as you will hear quite a range of genres and decades involved!

This week I choose my faves from, in alphabetical order: Armenia, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Moldova, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Switzerland

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ESCfaves - 1

A change to the podcast for the next couple of weeks.

Each week I am going to run down my favourite songs from almost every Eurovision country. The task has proved pretty difficult as I keep on changing my mind on a day to day basis! I will try to explain my choices although I am sure most you you will disagree with most of them anyway!

This week I choose my faves from, in alphabetical order: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine

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You can download or listen to it here https://archive.org/details/Escfaves-1

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