The Norwegian Final was held on February 15th at the Spektrum in Trondheim, hosted by Ingrid Gjessing Linhave, Ronny Brede Aase & Kåre Magnus Bergh. Five songs were preselected for the final and were joined by the 5 semi-final winners. The overall winner was due to be chosen in 3 rounds of online voting but the first online vote failed and the backup jury was used instead to select the top 4. The online vote successfully selected the top 2 then a final vote to select the winner. Going to Rotterdam is Ulrikke Brandstorp with "Attention"
The colour palette for this song is black and gold. Ulrikke is in a figure hugging gold dress as her dark hair cascades behind her. The backdrop starts of black with flashes of gold randomly appear on the beat.Later on the backdrop turns into long oblongs highlighting lighting rigs. As the song goes on, the stage lights up slowly ending with a pryro curtain behind her. Either side of Ulrikke are a cellist and violinist and the floor begins as intertwined squares. The crowd in the arena are also holding their lights up which makes the camera view from behind her very similar to the views of the backdrop.
The song starts with a short melodic intro with the strings. This suddenly cuts off to a very minimalist beat. Ulrikke has a very piercing tone to her voice and the haunting bass line really shows this off. It also means that if she is a moment off timing or ever so slightly out of tune, you'll know about it. The first round of verse/chorus takes well over a minute but the next section is truncated and only lasts 45 seconds. This leads into a small bridge which sets up the big notes and the build up to the end after the last chorus the backing track cuts out to end how it began.
As I have already said her voice has a very distinctive quality and the production of the song really emphasises this. The repetition of the word throughout the song, especially at the end of phrases keeps the songs meaning in your head which is also a very clever technique. This song is all about the build and visually and vocally this does with really well. The choice of colour palette screams 'winner' with the amount of gold used throughout. Apart from a brief walk during the second verse there is very little movement.
Visually I think this needs little done to it but will need some thinking when it comes to backing singers and whether or not the instrumentalists are needed either side of her. This song carries on the recent Norwegian theme of choosing something rather random and slightly austere and maudlin to Eurovision. This song is co written by Kjetil Mørland who wrote and co-performed the wonderful "A monster like me" a few years ago. I feel that the song not only demands your attention but also keeps it. I would say that the verses are a little stronger than the chorus if only because I find this part a little bit too shouty compared to the quite timid and intimate start to proceedings.
Amazingly this is the first proper ballad we have in English right now and this does stand out and I could see this song as an early contender to semi 2 closer. Although the voting issues during the national final may have cast some shadow over the validity of this result, in the end I think the right result was gained at the end.
Artist - Ulrikke Brandstorp
Song - Attention
Composers - Ulrikke Brandstorp, Christian Ingebrigtsen, Kjetil Mørland
Lyricists - Ulrikke Brandstorp, Christian Ingebrigtsen, Kjetil Mørland
The Lithuanian Final was held on February 15th at the Žalgiris Arena in Kaunas, hosted by Gabriele Martirosian & Giedrius Masalskis. Before the final there were three quarter finals and two semifinals to get the list of 36 songs and acts down to just 8.The winner, chosen by 50/50 split of televoting and jury, was The Roop with "On Fire".
The three piece band are joined on stage by two dancers. The whole setup of the show is very similar to the music video. which in itself is a very clever idea. The singer is dressed in a tight white top and baggy black trousers whilst the dancers are dressed identical to how they appear in the music video. Behind them, the backdrop starts off dark blue-black with beams of light flickering intermittently. During the song, outlines of red appear behind them and during the dance breakdown near the end the whole background turns red to show all the participants in shadow.
The song starts off quietly but bit by bit a different part of the instrumentation comes in. This, along with the muted setting, really makes you take in Vaidotas' vocal style and physical presence which is very compelling but also very marmite. The verse and chorus works as one and flow into each other seamlessly. There is then a small instrumental followed by another verse/chorus but this one is followed by the earwormy synth instrumental where the singer and his dancers do the memorable dance routine. After the 3rd verse there is some la-la-la-ing before going back to the synth. There is then a final repeat of the chorus but with a slightly different backing and finishes with one more flourish of the dance. However complicated the structure might seem, it actually flows together really very well.
Although The Roop is a three piece band, the main singer, Vaidotas, gets most of the airtime but the other two (one playing a guitar, the other an electronic drum set) join in some of the backing singing and the choreography. The two dancers also use magnifying glasses at different parts of the song with sometimes quite comical results! The camera work changes from close head shots of the singer to swooping shots of the stage to long wide shots. It feels like the performance works as an arena performance and as a piece of TV craft.
This is a very individual and striking entry - and whether you love it or hate it you will KNOW if you love or hate it and you ain't going to forget it! The song itself is very simplistic with the much overused higher, fire, desire, rhyme scheme in the chorus but unless you study it carefully you miss it because there is so much else to concentrate on. Some may find it bewildering, some may find it slightly off kilter and some may feel it's a bit out of the box, but to me it has just the amount of humour and musicality to cut through across the continent. If there is any justice this will qualify and been a meme for many a future Eurovision song. If I had any critique if would be to end the song on the second line of the chorus not the first (they have time in hand to do this) and to make sure they get shots of the stadium doing the dance routine (which everybody *will* be doing).
The Lithuanian national final was an utter joy to follow because of the wide variety of acts and song but also because the songs involved were hits, songs written for albums, ready to be released NOT prescribed ' made for Eurovision' 3 minute wonders. The final was an amazing show and any of the finalists would have made a worthy winner. The fact that this won the jury and the national vote (with almost 60% of the total televote) cannot be ignored. It's got everything a Eurovision song and act should have. Whatever the result I hope of more of this same from Lithuania. One day you WILL win!
Artist - The Roop
Song - On fire
Composers - Mantas Banišauskas, Robertas Baranauskas, Vaidotas Valiukevičius
The Armenian Final was held on February 15th. The winner was chosen by a mix of Armenian Jury, international jury and televoting. The winner was Athena Manoukian with the song "Chains on you".
Athena is joined on stage by 4 male dancers all of which are wearing jacket tops and trousers - no shirt - with odd black eye make up. Across their chests are some golden chains to tie in with the song. Athena herself is wearing thigh high boots and a spangly leotard number which has long sleeves and puffed out shoulders. Centre stage is a large golden throne which Athena uses throughout the song. The backdrop is mostly blue/back with diamonds spinning and falling behind her. There are also a lot of blue striped lights and an ample amount of dry ice at the start.
The instrumentation of the song is rather one dimensional and barely changes throughout the song. This means the changes in dynamic, tone and volume has to be done by Athena herself rather than using the backing track to cue the audience up. It begins with a very sparse Eastern melody which finds itself on repeat non-stop from beginning to end. When Athena first starts is it more of a singing/spoken rap style which takes you by surprise somewhat and it actually quite difficult to interpret. Once she gets into the main singing parts of the song her voice is much clearer. After the rather random "fake chorus/more verse/actual chorus" structure she goes back to more rapping and the cycle repeats again. After 2 repetitions of the chorus proper she repeats the diamond refrain which is rather odd as I would have thought it best to end on the title of the song.
Athena is very active on stage and she has a full on routine involving her dancers. Although I say full on, it's rather more strutty and gestural rather than cardiovascular. As there is a lot of action on stage it gives the impression that she is doing more than she actually does which is a rather clever tactic. Luckily her throne prop means she has points where she can sit and her stage act can vary in flow to match the different parts of the song. The stage show is rather contained and could be replicated easily for Eurovision although I would go against making the space she uses too much bigger as this might point out how little she's moving around. If she does start moving more I am afraid this might affect her vocals.
This is a rather modern entry and something I think as a studio version would go down well on many radio stations. Although the Eastern instrumentation is rather old hat it still gives the whole thing a great hook to hang all the other bits on. Unfortunately the 'other bits' are in excess and non-descript. It takes numerous listens to work out the structure and by that time you've lost interest. Athena has a good strong singing voice but the rap bits are badly done (maybe something can be done in production?) and changes will need to be made for Eurovision to add in a few backing singers which she will need to pump up the richness of sound in places.
This is not really my cup of tea at all but it the Armenian diaspora can get behind it, as well as capturing the imagination of the younger viewers, this could get some votes. The make up of past juries might suggest this might not go down well with them - unless one of the categories for voting is to err more to the side of modern, contemporary chart music. It might do well, but I'll be skipping this track on the cd.
The Italian Final was held on February 8th at the Ariston Theatre, Sanremo with the main host being the artistic director of the festival, Amadeus. Over 5 nights of the festival the songs and artists were voted on my different analytical polls. On the final night the overall winner of the festival was determined by 33% demographic jury, 33% press vote and 34% televote. Before the festival was held each act had to tell the Italian broadcaster, RAI, if they were willing to go to Eurovision as the winner would have first refusal. The winner of the festival, and going to Eurovision, is Diodato with the song "Fai rumore" (Make noise)
The setting of the Sanremo festival is always rather minimalistic. Although there is a backdrop of sort is is nothing like as big or encompassing as anything at Eurovision. The stage is also smaller, mainly to fit in the orchestra which is a integral part of the festival as a whole. Although dressed differently during the different nights of the festival he was generally dressed simply in a dark coloured suit, or long coat, sometimes with highlights on the collar, cuffs or lapels. He stands alone with a microphone stand with little support from the backing singers hidden off stage. Behind him the stage has a blue tinge to it and doesn't really add anything to the song.
The song starts almost straight away with Diodato singing with initially just piano accompaniment. As the chorus kicks in the orchestra starts to join in although again not at full pelt. After 1.15 the second verse comes around but this time only with piano and single drum beat backing. Here, Diodato removes the microphone from the stand and moves about a little bit around the stage, moreemoting that any gestural choreography. During the chorus the orchestra really joins in fully and the dimensions of this song are totally brought to the fore. There is a 25 second instrumental which leads into a final and slightly elongated chorus. Here the song winds down gently to the point where Diodato is gently singing.
Diodato stands centre stage with a microphone stands and does very little apart from singing. There are lots of long lingering shots and swooping angles from the camera and to be honest it needs very little else. With this song, simplicity is key, mainly so that Diodato's voice can power through the meaning and feeling of the song. The tune is very simple and the fast that the title of the song is not overly complicated means it can be recognised and joined in with rather easily. The song does feel very familiar and has some rather rousing chord sequences.
This is a very typical Italian ballad and has that lovely mix of elongated notes and the syllybalistic runs that show off the Italian language to its best. The song as it stands is about 40 seconds too long. Now there could be a slight change to the ending (which would be a shame because I quite like it!) , possibly the removal of half of the second verse, which would remove 15 or so seconds or the middle instrumental could be halved which would cut it down by 20 seconds. Until the final version is released, we will have to guess what will be omitted. One thing we can say, with relief, is that it looks like the song will be staying in Italian.
Although this was not the favourite from the public vote (Francesco Gabbani won that easily) he was the overall favourite of the critics and press. Although the Sanremo festival is not primarily a Eurovision national final, I have to say that out of the three finalists at the end this was the most Eurovisiony and possibly the safest bet to go to the contest. I feel this song has great presence and passion and harks back to the French and Loganesque power ballads from times before. Being in the big 5, it doesn't have to worry about qualifying (and if it did it would go through with total ease) and this has to be a early front runner. *clap clap*
The Latvian Final was held on February 8th, hosted by Toms Grevinš and Ketija Šenberga. The winner, chosen by televoting & internet voting, was Samanta Tīna with the song "Still breathing"
Samanta is joined on stage by 3 female backing singers to her right. They are dressed in black leotards with what seems like blue visors. Samanta is in a red tasselled jumpsuit, not dissimilar to the one Salome wore in 1969. Samanta is animated and shows a lot of personality whilst she is singing but doesn't move about unnecessarily. During the instrumental parts she is much more active. These levels of activity are also reflected in the backdrop. Most of the time there are slowly strobing horizontal lines behind them, usually red and white but the in the instrumental breakdown the strobing is blockier, faster and more random. Samanta's voice is very strong and powerful and demands attention. The power seems to eminiate throughout her range and even in the higher,longer notes she is able to maintain tone. One thing she may have to work on is her pronunciation, especially of the title which she sometimes doesn't quite get right.
The structure of this song on first listen sounds rather regular but there are some subtle complexities that make this different. It starts with the repetitive chant by the 3 backing singers, something with anchors the song within all its different parts. This is another song where the verse/chorus line is very much blurred - made more muddled by what seems like the verse containing the title of the song, something usually done in the chorus! After a short burst of singing the backing singers refrain comes in again. At this point the music changes as does the tune and the song reaches a high point before the ten second breakdown. This pattern repeats again but this time instead of going into an instrumental, Samanta does a bit of rapping before the refrain comes in again. There is then one last instrumental before ending with the refrain once more.
The show is one that very much works in the hall as a stage show but I think needs a few more tweaks as a television performance. During the main singing parts Samanta's dancing is quite controlled, with shades of flamenco in her stance. But once into the breakdown, Samanta's dancing becomes very frantic and the backing singers sway rhythmically from side to side. This pattern repeats again but this time instead of going into an instrumental, Samanta does a bit of rapping and at this point the backing singers unleash their secret weapons - bottles of cleaning fluid (or at least that's what it looks like!) I think the concept of the show is a good one but one that needs work. It feels odd that the backing singers are dressed as they are yet barely any light shines on thento seen the intricacies of the costumes. Similarly, Samanta's dancing can barely be seen because the flashing takes you eyes away from her and costume absorbs the light and this part feels rather like an opportunity or moment has been wasted. Maybe a Poli-esque light up number is required?
Samanta is well known to the Eurovision watching public as she has been competing for the ticket to Eurovision in Latvia and Lithuania for a decade - and finally she's won! In addition, Samanta wrote the song with help for former Latvian Eurovision start, Aminata, which will also make this song a firm fave in the Eurovision fandom. Although this isn't my kind of music, it certainly grabs your attention and the backing singers refrain will be in your head for weeks! I certainly appreciate that this song is being very insistent and positive on making an impression rather than sending something good but forgettable.
I guess that younger viewers who are into this kind of music will vote for this as will her long tem fans. I don't honestly know how this will fare in Eurovision because so much depends if anything similar also gets chosen. For many casual watchers of Eurovision this may well be a bit too much but conversely might also remind people that we are well into the 21st century!
The Australian Final was held on February 8th at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, hosted by Myf Warhurst & Joel Creasey. The winner was chosen via a 50/50 mix of televoting and jury votes. The winner was Montaigne with "Don't break me"
The national final performance is very television friendly, not so much one for those watching in the hall - but hey it is a television show, right...? Monatine is joined on stage by 5 female dancers and all 6 of them participate in quite an involved routine seen through the eyes of a steadycam. One might say it was more like a theatre arts piece or an interlude from an avant-garde musical theatre show. They are all dressed in dark tops and leggings but Montaine is embellished by her light blue hair. large, blue layered neck ruff and topped off with some 'Una Stubbs as Aunt Sally' facial make up. The staging is rather simplistic with rather generic colours and flashes on the backdrop . I get the feeling that so much is happening on stage that an involved backdrop would make the space too busy as well as being missed by the television viewers.
The song has a very easy to follow structure with a verse-chorus-verse-chorus flow which gets us to the 2.10 mark there is then a mini bridge leading to a final chorus. Throughout the song there are several moments when the song ramps up in power and back down again. This is quite a clever technique as it allows her to repeat the tune and words in many cases but just changes the tone and energy that it is performed with which makes it sound familiar and new at the same time. Her voice is quite distinctive, with a nice earthy quality to it, and for the most part her diction is quite clear. Her voice also emits a lot of emotion and although this means she is not 100% pitch perfect, you get the feeling that she very invested in the song and performance and kind of adds to the power of the song.
The show itself is quite involved. In some ways is is reminiscent of Loreen's stage show for 'Euphoria' or fellow Australian Sia's music videos with Maddie Ziegler. Montaigne is stood on stage with the dancers sat down around her feet by the time the first chorus some they are now at the edges of the stage dancing around her. There is a lot of toing and froing and she uses the dancers to create a lot of movement which works really well when you have the intimacy of the steadicam. At one point the dancers pick Montaigne which she does not seem to like at all! I feel that the dancers also keep the audience in the hall entertained whilst the singer is emoting to the camera which sometimes requires her to have her back to the audience.When Montaigne sings the last chorus which stats off very quietly she is alone on stage only to rejoin when the last drop comes in.
The team behind this entry has form, as DNA wrote the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Australian entries. In some ways it does have a similar feel to Dami Im's "Sound of silence" but this much more visual and personal than that. The song is very much fits into the slightly angsty Eurovision sound that has been popular as well as having a very repetitive structure that lends itself to the competition. I think the show overall could be replicated quite easily on the Eurovision stage although with it being bigger it might make the staging look quite sparse. On this point it must also be noted that the song relies quite heavily on backing vocals Either she will need to get rid of some/all her backing dancers OR find some backing singers who can dance as well. Also her stage outfit could be misconstrued as quite jokey and gimmicky and personally I could do without the OTT make-up.
Overall I think this is quite a safe entry and I feel that unlike some entries we've already had this does have the reach to compel people to vote for it. It's not the greatest song and she's not the best singer but it there will be numerous viewers that this will connect with. Although it won the jury vote and came second in the public vote, the amount of votes it got from each was pretty similar so I think support will come from all angles.
Artist - Montaigne
Song - Don't break me
Composers - Jessica Cerro, Anthony Egizii, David Musumeci
Lyricists - Jessica Cerro, Anthony Egizii, David Musumeci
The Czech result was announced on 3rd February via the Česká Televize facebook page. Between January 20th-February 2nd, people could vote for their favourite song on the Ceská Televize website or via the Eurovision app. The winner was chosen by 50/50 televoting and international jury. Representing the Czech republic will be Benny Christo with the song "Kemama".
The video is very youthful, following Benny and his chums aas they make their way to a house party or secret rave of sorts. There is a lot of smoke as well as a lot of odd lighting which creates a lot of atmosphere and embellishes the movements. Much of the video is done with rather odd angles, in particular a lot of twisting and circular shots as well as far away and close up shots. Also also of the action has been filmed in slow motion which really accentuates the movement which goes with the rather scarce music. Benny also spends some of his time with no top on which will be very pleasing to may of the viewers.
The song has a very odd structure which breaks the 'normal' and expected verse/chorus/bridge format. It definitely takes its cue from Afrobeat music as well as minimalist RnB music and has quite the flow to it. Although there are parts that can be recognised and verses and choruses, their structure, tone and flow is almost indistinguishable and everything ends up mushing into each other. Although this makes the piece as a whole very together, the hooks and earworms aren't as strong as they could be. After a brief keyboard intro Benny starts rapping/chanting criss crossing the bars and beats throughout. Just after a minute the 'chorus' comes into effect and then comes in again 30 seconds later and then a final bast in the final 30 seconds. The repeating keyboard bassline is very catchy and more could be made of this by adding more beat and volume in certain parts and possibly backing vocals to give it more ooomph.
The music video is very well produced but does mask his ability as a live singer. Luckily he produced a stripped back live version of this song during the Czech selection process and the result is a rather different side of the song. His voice shows quite a bit of power and varies the volume of this voice quite easily. If I had one main criticisms of his voice it would be that he doesn't open his mouth very much as the verses tent to mumble out rather than have power and pronunciation. I'd also like to see African imagery on screen or on stage it really emphasise the rhythms of the song and also give it a very ethnic and memorable twist. I think the fact that a artist of colour is representing this nation a very powerful symbol and one they need to push forward.
I am slightly biased about this song because when it came to voting for my favourite of the bunch -this was it - so I am of course quite pleased that it won! That said it still has its faults and there are many things to be worked out before gracing the stage in May. The structure of the song means that it is hard to follow along and put together with Benny's rather nonchalant style it could be quite confusing for the casual viewer but also rather interesting for the younger r&b audience. But with some tweaks to the backing track which may give the song more ebb and flow and ramp up the beat at the main parts - it could just work. The Czech Republic have had some great staging over the last few years and I get the feeling this won't disappoint. I do wonder what the juries will make of this. Possibly those younger and with a more 'urban' and possibly jazz background may like this more than those more of the stereotypical pop background. This is a bold choice and could get a bold result - which could easily go either way.
Artist - Benny Christo
Song - Kemama
Composers - Ben Cristovao, Rudy Ray Charles Sarpong, Osama Verse-Atile
Lyricists - Ben Cristovao, Rudy Ray Charles Sarpong, Osama Verse-Atile
The Spanish entry was released on January 30th online,
firstly via rtve.es then via other online audio visual platforms. Back in
October 2019, the Spanish broadcaster RTVE announced that Blas Cantó had been
internally selected as the singer. The song he will be singing is “Universo"
(Universe)
The video is very cinematic in its direction and gives us
very few clues as to how they could present it on the Eurovision stage. For
some of the video he is flanked by a couple of dancers who are covered head to
toe in dark glitter which kind of mirrors the starry/universe theme. Some of
the outdoor parts were filmed on the Canary Islands and looks much more rocky
and rugged - almost moon like - than the studio based excerpts. Here he is
joined by a number of extras all dressed in what seems like 99p shop plastic
raincoats and full face muzzles – like
the Handmaid’s Tale remade by Channel 5. Blas Cantó does quite a lot of emoting
and there is a lot of looking at hands, praying motions, looking above at the
skies which, although tying in with the songs title, lacks personality and
makes him look quite generic. The song has a good amount of backing singers on
it too, and these are not featured at all but these will be need accounting for
when staging in May.
The song starts with what turns out to be the chorus but in
a much more subdued voice and tone. There is a mid-tempo latino/dancehall
syncopated rhythm in the background that keeps the song chugging along in the
short verses which even in such a short form comprises of two different tunes!
Only 20 seconds after the introduction, we get our first chorus proper although
it does feel more like an elongated bridge due to the chopping and changing of
the melodies and this then ends with a oh-oh-oh earworm with repetitions of
‘universo’ on top which could also be interpreted as a hours but feel more like
an afterthought.. This process repeats again and this gets up to the 2 minute
mark. There is then a repetition of part the verses before a crescendo to a
final blast of the chorus with an elongated high note. It then ends with a
final ‘oh-oh-oh’ rather than the word in the title.
Being a music video I can get a good idea of his voice but
not how good it is live on this song. His voice sounds quite breathy and gentle
in the verses and his pronunciation is very clear. The choruses however use
much more of his range is used in the chorus including some parts suing
falsetto. Although this part of his voice is also nice to listen to the
juggling to and fro from head voice to chest voice and back again sounds odd to
the ear. I suppose the only plus point about this oddness of melody is that it
makes it stand out and slightly more memorable which is a plus point is you
don’t speak or understand any Spanish. The possible drawback of this will be if
he is able to perform these parts live and to a good enough standard.
My first reaction to this is that it is actually quite hard
to get into and not the easiest to crack into and absorb into your head. After
a few listens it embeds itself quite well – but do you need something more
instantaneous at Eurovision? My main criticism of the song is I find the structure
very stop start and made up of too many short bits. I almost want the song to
flow a bit more and maybe have a longer amount of time in the first verse and
less time setting up the ending, which is much of a muchness. The language
gives away that the song is the Spanish entry but the rhythm of the song tends
to this way which gives it a good grounding and could easily be heard on the
radio. Overall, there are too many question marks over the presentation of the
entry to be overly confident of its chances but I just don’t think this is
instant enough to worry the top of the scoreboard mainly because I don’t think
this compels anybody to vote for it.
Artist - Blas Cantó
Song - Universo (Universe)
Composers - Blas Cantó, Dan Hammond, Ashley Hicklin, Dangelo
Ortega, Maciej Mikolaj Trybulec
Lyricists - Blas Cantó, Dan Hammond, Ashley Hicklin, Dangelo
Ortega, Maciej Mikolaj Trybulec
The Albanian Final was held on December 22nd at the Palace of Congress in Tirana, hosted by Alketa Vejsiu. Before the final there were 2 semi-finals and only 10 songs qualified to the final. The winner was chosen by an "expert" jury and was announced as Arilena Ara singing "Shaj" (Curse).
Arilena is alone on stage although there is more than generous use of the Festivali i Këngës backing singers, situated within the live orchestra aside the main stage. She is wearing an all-encompassing black catsuit with added details on the top which look like feathers and spikes depending on the angle, belt chain detailing around her waist, black boots, black gloves and her hair is simply scooped back into a ponytail. The staging is black with effective use of white lights above her and surrounding her. The different camera angles from the side and above accentuates their effect. Near the end the background brings up the image of a violin which promptly shatters as the instrumental starts to wind up.
This ballad starts with a short instrumental then Arilena goes straight into the first verse which is in Arilena's lower register. The chorus is much more vocally impressive and uses a lot of repetition and scales in its make up. The song quickly runs into the second verse and chorus which get us up to about 2 minutes in. Here the song breaks down a little bit and loses its way slightly. The structure is much more free form, taking cues from the backing singers and has longer instrumental parts. After a reprise of the chorus the song ends with a rather odd false finish which concludes with some premature clapping, if not just a couple of seconds too early.
Arilena has a very strong and clear voice which works well in both her upper and lower register and she really shines in the first part of the song. She also has great stage presence and takes command of such a big stage with ease. Most of the 'action' is done in the camera work as Arilena barely moves from the spot. She is, however, very good at looking down the camera making good eye contact. She looks genuinely connected with the song, but must ensure she doesn't come across as being too angry or aggressive straight down the camera. I also think the backing singers help give the song extra layers and depth especially in the chorus where they create a link between the singing or Arilena and the tune of the string section.
This entry has a lot of promise. The tune has a familiarity about it as well being in a key that already pulls at your emotions. The tune is simplistic but also dramatic, like an Eastern European Bond theme. Unlike many FiK songs it already in the 3 minute range so won't need much trimming. I do feel, however, that the last minute needs to be given a better structure, with more repetitions of the chorus, and have mucher better orchestration in the dynamics of the false ending. It was also revealed at the time of the national final that that song was originally written in English and the Albanian lyrics were written in order for it to participate in the festival. It will therefore be quite interesting to see which language (or mix of) it is decided on for the contest itself. I think this is a strong starting point and this entry has a lot of early promise and plenty of time to be perfected.
Artist - Ariela Ara
Song - Shaj (Curse)
Composers - Darko Dimitrov, Lazar Cvetkovski
Lyricist - Lindon Berisha
But the question is.... does 2020 signal the end of a decade, or not?
To be honest I'm not really bothered but the significant change of a digit means it's a good enough excuse to have an extended look back over the past decade, in terms of Eurovision.
The main parameter that has affected Eurovision has been..... MONEY.
Several broadcasters ruled out participating in Eurovision due to costs, some of the acts had to fund themselves to the contest rather than by the delegation and some countries have even been banned due to financial irregularities of one sort of another. The cost of hosting has also been visible with venues, technology and stage design fluctuating greatly from year to year. But also the off-stage fan experiences in the host cities have varied wildly.
The other thing that has changed, with some effect on the actual results, has been the constant tweaking of the voting system. Right now we seem to have come up with a suitable compromise with the jury vote and televote scores being given in full rather than being combined, more 100%+100% rather than 50% each. There is still some debate about the credentials and independence of the jurors on each country's panel and that these 5 people have a disproportionate effect on the result. Most importantly though it is shocking that some of the people scoring *still* don't seem to be able to order them correctly (how hard is it to know that you put your first place song at place 1 and your second place song in place 2????). The only thing that really needs looking into is the order in which the televote scores are given out at the end - and for this there is no real right answer because either way people will be singled out for doing badly or not getting the true credit when they do well.
In term of song choices and song direction, the contest is more diverse than ever. Since the relaxation of the language rule at the turn of the century the popularity of non-english songs (partly or wholly) has slowly increased in popularity and in success. This in turn seems to have also turned the tide of the direction Eurovision is heading. In the first half of the 2010s songs tended towards being populist, radio friendly, slickly presented and fitted in with the norm. In the latter half we have seen more songs of diverse genre, with more a local or nationalistic feel/story, emotion-led and being 'outside the box' without being instantly labelled as 'gimmicky' or 'the joke entry'. One notable part of the Eurovision selection process has been the seemingly inevitable "song revamp" or in some cases 'de-vamp'. This was taken to new heights when one certain San Marinese song was entered as a ballad but the popularity of a disco remix soon made them change versions!
I'm glad to see greater diversity on the stage too. A number of different ethnicities, nationalities and ages have come to the stage as well as a significant number of performers (main, backing and interval acts) with physical and mental challenges, all of which have inspired many others to do the same but also pushed the boundaries of those who thought it might not (or should not) be possible. In addition the fan base and the fan community now has the internet to spill their beans and interact directly with broadcasters and artists as well as galvanising favourites fellow fans who agree (and throwing shade to those who don't)
So here it goes - these are my fave songs
from each country that has taken part 3 times or more this decade. As well as being a 'fave' of mine I have also taken into account staging, genre, performer(s) ability and the song's commercial
success/publicity for Eurovision. I've also thought about those of you who are newcomers to Eurovision and that this list may lead you toward some singers and songs you might want to look into further.
ALBANIA - Mall by Eugent Bushpepa (2018)
Festivali i Këngës (the Albanian song festival used to select their Eurovision song) has been rather effective at selling the Albanian idea of 'song' throughout Europe and at times has been able to pull together its diaspora to vote! That said the songs at FiK sometimes need a total reworking, and can feel the pressure of needing to change into English) and they can lose their spark and flow by the time they get to May. Honourable mentions go to their 2010 song for being a diva bop and 2014's showcase of individuality and insane vocal ability but for me there was only one choice. Clearly the best singer of the 2018 with rock realness, fantastic showmanship, effective staging & camerawork and a song that broke through the language barrier.
ARMENIA - Not alone by Aram MP3 (2014)
I know this is a controversial choice but I have my reasons. Armenian entries have a tendency to be over-produced and be more style than substance. In some cases their idea of 'a song' greatly differs to that of the one in my dictionary. Armenia may need to go back to the drawing board as they have failed to qualify for the past 2 years and their formula is no longer washing with the voters and their diaspora vote has gone astray. Honourable mentions go to their armography filled 2017 song and their understated 2018 entry, the only one ever fully sung in Armenian. Although this is one is not a great favourite of mine, Aram performed this very simply and with great emotion during his 3 minutes and the build up of the song is not rushed and keeps you intrigued.
AUSTRALIA - Zero gravity by Kate Miller-Heidke (2019)
Their 'one time only' final appearance has now turned into 5 and to be honest I don't think ESC would be the same without them. Although the quality of their singers has not always been great, for the first 4 internally selected entries they had a formula and it seemed to work. However last year the formula went out of the window as they had a national final for the first time ever. It was a triumph of Aussie culture and talent and served a taste of what *could* happen if they ever won. A mention must go to their runner up in 2016 and a side mention to the runner up in the 2019 national final which must be seen. But the ability of this woman to sing and swing 10 foot in the air is a wonder... and she never did drop that mic...
AUSTRIA - Rise like a phoenix by Conchita Wurst (2014)
The 2010s has been kind to Austria. During the early part of the 21st century they were in a bit of a strop as they put a stop to participating in 5 years due to bad results and non qualifications from the semis. They finally found their groove and remembered they had a secret weapon - a bearded drag queen whose real name is Tom. Having came a gallant second in the Austrian national final in 2012 (with a total anthem) ORF internally selected her two years later and the rest is history and has gone down in history too. Other mentions need to go to Trackshittaz (although their NF song in 2011 is much better than their actual ESC song in 2013) and their 2018 song which won the jury part of the voting and is a classy r'n'b gospel anthem.
AZERBAIJAN - Truth by Chingiz (2019)
Although their only win came in 2011 it is possibly one of the most divisive winners ever and is a great example of an accidental winner. Their songs are by in large internally selected and they have used a lot of Swedish songwriters, backing singers and stage directors which has given them some slick and seamless entries but can come across as inauthentic. I feel I have to mention their 2017 entry which has the most abstract staging ever as well as the touching ballad they sent in 2014. Last year's entry had a great beat from the very start, had a great mix of contemporary staging with some simple motifs throughout and a singer who normally produces work in the genre of Turkic folk and lends this in parts to the song.
BELARUS - Learn to fly by IVAN (2016 - DNQ)
The 2010s has been a bit of a mixed bag results wise however they have kept us all perennially amused with their random national finals (which may or may not be rigged and the final result may or may not be overturned by the President) but have given us plenty of memes with their web streamed auditions (which mayor may not contain Daz Sampson) I think that they've been quite unlucky in qualification but many of their songs have been too middle of the road to get noticed. A big shout out goes to the only song to be wholly in Belarusian (2016) as well as the cheesiest costume reveal ever in 2010. Although the entry I like the most DNQ'd I think this was mainly due to the overloud backing singers and random staging (and being upstaged by the holograms) as the song is very catchy and has a great structure.
BELGIUM - City lights by Blanche (2017)
It is fair to say that the past decade has produced some of Belgium's finest Eurovision songs to date - but it hasn't always gone their way. Even though the language broadcasters take it in turn to choose the entries, they have a 50/50 qualification rate in this decade although I think some of their failure has been more down to bad staging (or lack of) rather than poor vocal performances. Huge props need to go to their 2010 entry which actually won their semi final, plus the choreography of their 2013, 2015 and 2016 songs are all totally epic and fundamental to their success and longevity. That all said and done this song I've chosen is simple, effective and is a low key bop. They said she couldn't do it but she absolutely smashed it...
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA - Love in rewind by Dino Merlin (2011)
This Balkan state has done just enough to get on my "best of" list having appeared just 4 times in the past 10 years. With only one DNQ in its history, the Bosnian broadcaster has found itself in financial trouble and in debt to the EBU so a return in the next few years is looking unlikely which is a shame as neighbourly voting usually does enough to get them through. This appearance at Eurovision was Dino's second having come a brilliant 7th in a duet with French singer Beatrice 1999. The fun happy staging and Dino's accented voice made for a very sweet entry. It also did super well coming 5th overall having been selected the death slot of performing second in the final. You'll all be doing the foot-stomping hand-waving dance this time next week...
BULGARIA - If love was a crime by Poli Genova (2016)
I think it is fair to say that Bulgaria took a very long time to get into their stride. In fact their first 5 songs of this decade all failed to qualify into the Saturday night final. This wasn't through lack of trying as many of these entries were well thought of by the fans - in particular their 2012 with missed out on the final by just one position. The song I've chosen was the song that found Bulgaria their route to success with a partnership with the Symphonx writing group which also wrote the next 2 songs. Poli DNQd in 2011 with a fan fave and came back with this banger on a tune. Most people would have rocked up in this light up cut out dress looking like they had been mugged by a Dalek but not our Poli...
CROATIA - Mižerja by Klapa s Mora (2013 DNQ)
This past decade has not been good to Croatia. The decade began with a run of 5 straight DNQs followed by 2 years of non participation citing poor results and financial difficulties. Things were looking up with 2016's Barbara Dex winning entry (that's the fan award for worst outfit!) and 2017's duet sung by one man but things soon went south again and the decade ended with another two DNQs. For me the standout song of the era is this piece of ethic balladry. I love the outfits, I love the harmonies and I love how the language sounds so pretty in the song. It probably never had a chance of qualifying but it is always nice to see something so true and meaningful to a culture. I can sing this one off by heart...
CYPRUS - Fuego by Eleni Fouriera (2018)
The island's fate in Eurovision has taken an upward turn totalling 7 qualifications out of 9 with one year not participating. Their 2015 selection show "Eurovision Song Project" kick started their current form and also uncovered the artists they would internally select for the following two years. Their entry in 2015 is a lovely sweet ballad which probably punched well outside its weight to get into the final and their 2012 entry (although not exactly pleasant to the ears in live form) proved that ladies singing bops was probably the way to go. As for Eleni, she shocked us all with her finely honed singing and dancing number and has cemented her place as a Eurovision icon. My car is even named "Fyffe" in honour of the music video... (it has the letters CYP in the reg!)
CZECH REPUBLIC - Lie to me by Mikolas Josef (2018)
After a hiatus in the first half of the decade this central European nation has made its mark. Their recent use of the internet to influence the selection their song and entrant, rather than a televised nation final, has chosen some contemporary entries with some really good staging. All of their last 5 entries have showcased a wide range of genre from a small and lesser known nation. Their 2016 ballad was treated appallingly in the final gaining 0 televotes (there are no words) and although the lyrics of their 2019 song are slightly dodgy it is impossible not to dance to. But Mikolas's fun-filled, 80's-riddled number has earworms and plenty and a few days before leading up Eurovision he was in hospital having landed the somersault wrongly. What a trooper... and what *is* in that bag...?
DENMARK - Higher ground by Rasmussen (2018)
Not a bad record in the last 10 years having DNQ'd just twice and having five top 10 finishes including one winner to their name. Danish entries have a tendency to be highly stylised and have a certain type of sheen to them which really puts me off. There is a stereotypical Danish type of song and act that just rubs me up the wrong way - and it's one the Danes seem intent on mostly sending! I will give an honourable mention to their 2012 ditty which was probably only let down by some odd costume choices but the song is amazing and it would be amiss of me not to mention their 2013 winner which was a shoo in fro the very start. My favourite song of this decade is of no surprise. Full of character and exuding Nordic prowess, the staging of this even feels like it is from the frozen North.
ESTONIA - Siren by Malcolm Lincoln & Manpower 4 (2010 DNQ)
Ooof, this is a controversial choice! Over the last 10 years Estonia have failed to qualify 4 times but conversely coming top 10 in the final three times. Possibly the most famous choice Estonia made during the decade was the decision *NOT* to send Winny Puhh in 2013, something I think they will rue for a long time! Famed mostly for their ballads and slower tempo numbers, they have sometimes lacked stage presence and not been memorable enough. Many people's stand out track will be the 2012 but I only started liking it years after it was at Eurovision. My choice is one of Estonia's oddest and least Eurovisiony. I love the camera work during the chorus, which is also very catchy, and the whole thing is sung clearly and strongly. People may have been put off by the random dancing but not me !
FINLAND - När jag blundar by Pernilla Karlsson (2012 DNQ)
Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (or UMK for short) has been a bit of a fan favourite when it comes to national finals but the downside is that the Finns have a tendency to choose the wrong thing! Finland have participated every year of the decade but only qualified 4 times - three of those ended in the bottom 5 of the final. Maybe they need to sing in Finnish or Swedish or return to their rock roots. There also needs to be an honourable mention for their 2017 song which was a shock non-qualifier for the final having been highly thought of beforehand. The song I've chosen is a gentle ballad sung very sweetly in Swedish. In a time where faves seemed to be uptempo numbers in English there is little surprise this did badly. I wonder what happened to the bottom of her dress...?
FRANCE - Allez Ola Olé by Jessy Matador (2010)
Being a 'Big 5' country, France automatically qualify for the final which is possibly a good thing as their track record nf the final has not been stellar with only top 10 placing and four bottom 5 placings. There has been a mixture of internal selections and national finals, with "Destination Eurovision"becoming a hotbed of French talent but like the Finns the right song doesn't always win. It must be said that the standard of the entries and singers is generally high but singing in French has not always been to their advantage. Honourable mentions go to the bop that is 2014 (last place my a**e!) and the heartfelt storytelling of 2018. My choice is the afrobeat dance classic which was underrated by the juries - shame on them. I even persuaded my Fitsteps teacher to do a cha-cha to this !
GEORGIA - Midnight gold by Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz (2016)
A tale of two halves: 5 DNQs, 5 finals. Many of the songs have had a Swedish hand to them - and can't you bleeding tell. However when 'weeee-uuuurd' Georgia turn up, you are going to have 3 minutes wondering 'did that actually just happen?!?!' sometimes it even turning into a final position. I feel that the idea and opportunity to showcase their song culture and language means more to them than doing well. Where else do you get time to advertise what your country's culture? The recent use of Georgian Idol to choose the singer has proved interesting with 2018's ethno-folk-rock entry and I cannot wait for this year's 'weeee-uuuuurdness' !!!!! But for me nothing can beat the genre mashing, eye-swirling, lighting-crazy 2015 entry which gained 12 points from the UK jury - hurrah !
GERMANY - Taken by a stranger by Lena (2011)
The decade couldn't have started off better by having the first win of the decade but since then results have been rather inconsistent. The 'wildcard' element of theri national finals seemed to to skew results in their favour and the less we talk about the debacle of the 2015 final the better. In terms of national selection they have shown great coverage in terms of genre and performer but the disparity between jury score and televote has always seemed very polarising which makes for controversial choices. Honourable mention must go to the beautiful ballad in 2018 which did much better than expected, possibly due to the background. For me, when Lena won in 2010 it gave hope to the big 5 that they *could* actually win and props to her and the German delegation for allowing her to defend her title with a mysterious low key bop.
GREECE - Rise up by Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd (2014)
The past decade has seen the declining fortunes of this once unstoppable song machine. Although we've seen 4 top 10 placings, they were all in the first half of the decade whilst the second half saw 2 DNQs. Part of this decline has been due to money, concerning internal political complications with the broadcaster and then the selection process was effectively outsourced to a number of different record companies. They seem to have lost their knack of finding songs with the balance of sounding modern AND sounding Greek, as well as finding performers who can sing. My choice however is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. Although not sounding terribly Greek, and not great live, it is a very contemporary number with the best use of trampoline ever !
HUNGARY - Origo by Joci Pápai (2016)
With 9 appearances in the 2010's their only non-qualification was in 2019. The list of their entries during those years is a cornucopia of acts and songs as well as bringing forward a number of socially conscious entries. With this track record the future should be looking bright but the apparent politically motivated withdrawal for next year's contest may see another extended break for the country. Special mention needs to go to the banger of 2011, the low key bop of 2014 and the post-hardcore rock of 2018. For me the choice of this decade is simple. Hungarian rap surprise enveloped in an ethically sensitive folk bop garnished with a fiddler and a story enhancing dancer by his the side. Perfect combination.
ICELAND - Coming home by Sjonni's Friends (2011)
The most northerly nation of Eurovision is still awaiting its first win and nothing has come near in recent times. They had 4 consecutive DNQs and even those that did qualify all but one remained in the bottom half. Söngvakeppnin, their Eurovision selection process, continues to bring variety to the fore but some poor staging, language choices and the slightly odd rules of the final show have stifled their chances. Special mention goes to their multicoloured 2014 entry the overlooked 2016 entry as well as the leather clad lads and lasses from 2019. But my fave has such a sad a touching back story, one far too long to state here,and out of such tragedy came a special camaraderie in order to make sure this song got to Eurovision.
IRELAND - Lipstick by Jedward (2011)
With 5 qualifications and 5 non-qualifications, the past 10 years has been quite the mixed bag. Of late, entries have been internally selected, possibly due to lack of funds and/or interest of a national final) but this has created some entries that have felt half finished and with corners cut. Their back to basics ballad in 2010 and Irish-tinged dance floor banger of 2014 are also of note. But the reason I have chosen the divisive Jedward as my pick is simple. Not the best vocally but are a duo of flair, confidence, energy and (at the time) youth. Their name being associated with Eurovision brought a new youth audience to the contest, gave the UK press something else to write about and shook off that rustic celtic image of Irish entries. There *is* no such thing as bad publicity.
ISRAEL - Golden boy by Nadav Guedj (2015)
Getting a win during this decade can surely mean that it has been a success. Unusually their string of internally selected entries failed to meet the mark (four of them did not qualify for the final) and so "HaKokhav HaBa" an already established Israeli contest was rejigged to become a selection show for Eurovision. Since this new combination came into effect Israel have qualified every year, so the Israeli public seem to know what they are doing ! Their 2010 ballad is a great song as is the funk tinged indie song of 2012. But the first winner of the national final brought us a song, act, dance routine, lyrics and shoes which are to this day fondly remembered and mostly parodied.Three minutes.... bye bye !
ITALY - Soldi by Mahmood (2019)
After 12 years away, Italy returned to the fold of Eurovision and made the big 4 into the big 5. Boy, have they made an impact. Every single song and performance has made a mark,with 7 top ten finishes. The role of San Remo has not only had an impact on the song choices but has also made the Italian selection a mush watch for the fans. Songs and performances are unashamedly Italian and it is surprising how Eurovision success has come to hen relatively easy. Their re-entry to eurovision in 2011 is a triumph of jazz and class and the 2017 entry with dancing gorilla will be a meme for a long time to come. But Italy came amazingly close in 2019 with a song so raw and powerful you understand every word.
LATVIA - Heartbeat by Justs (2016)
With only 2 final appearances this decade it is fair to say that Latvia has a lot to do to change its fortunes. Although their national final shows "Eirodziesma" and "Supernova" have created fan buzz it hasn't always chosen a song that is quite right for Eurovision. In fact, many of its entries have seemed quite gimmicky and ratherodd.It is something that the best thing about Latvia is Riga beaver... Notable mentions got to their 2011 song (less so the lyrics) and 2017 entry which had mazing staging but less than impressive vocals. But Latvia's 2 successes come down to Aminata who wrote and performed the 2015 song and wrote my fave entry. Although Justs is on his own, the ever changing set design fills the stage just as much as his voice does.
LITHUANIA - Eastern European funk by InCulto (2010)
Although success at the actual contest has been lacking (only 1 top ten finish in a final), the national selection show "Eurovizijos" which has been running for most of the decade has been quite the ratings success in Lithuania and has a similar the following online. Their entries have been quite diverse and eagle eyed viewers will have noticed the recycling of some of the contestants year on year, especially those moving from backing singer to main singer. Their 2013 song is akin to a Killers b-side and their 2014 entry is full of sass. But my fave is fun, has a tongue in cheek message, has the best use of foam instruments ever AND a costume reveal. Just a shame there are no melons involved (love you Lolita Zero!!!!)
MALTA - One life by Glen Vella (2011 DNQ)
In a similar vein to Lithuania. Malta's Eurovision success has been non-existent with only one top 10 final finish this decade. Their national final is constantly filled with a mix of new names and constant returning stalwarts - come on, on an island that size surely everyone has been on this show now?!?!? Their road this year has been paved with some pedestrian and badly staged ballads as well as some under & over performed uptempo numbers. I will give a special mention to their 2014 mention which has a very unique bluegrass feel but also performed by a family group. My fave song was a non-qualifier and criminally overlooked. A song with a great positive message, fabulous backing singers and a great sassy vibe.
MOLDOVA - Hey mamma! by Sunstroke Project (2017)
For a small and new country with no discernable music legacy, Moldova is definitely punching above its weight. Their national finals are usually very random and low tech - which means things can only get better on the lead up to May! For me, Moldova is all about staging, and when they get it right the result is special and memorable and when they get it wrong is usually results in a non-qualification. Not even the police force, a bad wig and a spaceman can save you sometimes! An honourable mention needs to been made to their 2011 and the unicycling woman, the amazing projection dress from 2013 but also to the end of the pier silliness that was 2018. But for me you can't go wrong with the return of Epic Sax guy and a one footed dance routine !
MONTENEGRO - Igranka –by Who See ft Nina Žižić (2013 DNQ)
One of the weaker Balkan nations, they have only appeared in the final twice in their entire Eurovision history. The majority of their entries have been internally selected although the re-introduction of "Montevizija" did little to invigorate the country's fortunes. In fact Montenegro have already ruled out showing up in 2020 due to poor results and financial restrictions. Their insane entry of 2012 must be oddest opening song ever whilst their sweet ballad of 2014 deservedly gave them their first final qualification ever. My fave though was this dance/rap/drum and bass epic which was possibly the most modern thing ever seen on the stage. But maybe the lack of lyrics in English and the obstructive costumes put people off.
NETHERLANDS - Birds by Anouk (2013)
Talk about zero to hero! After a disastrous start to the decade the Dutch broadcaster and delegation took a good hard look at themselves and began to take the whole thing much more seriously. In came well-known names in the Dutch music scene and they moved from 'typical Eurovision fayre' and more towards singer-songwriters - and how it has paid off! Props also go to their 2017 ballad which was beautifully sung - and also proved that acts that to Junior can also belt it out in May and a small mention also has to go to 2010 which is a schlager classic - spoilt by the ridiculously OTT staging. My fave is the song that started the roll back to greater things. I've loved Anouk for a long time and this song is a beautiful haunting ballad really shows of her rich voice.
NORTH MACEDONIA/FYROM - Autumn leaves by Daniel Kajmakoski (2015 DNQ)
What's in a name? When it comes to this country it seems it brings new fortunes! With only one qualification this decade under its old name, they came back with a vengeance in 2019 and had its best result ever. Perennial underachievers, it is fair to say FYROM always seemed to choose songs good enough to do well but then ruin all its chances by using kitchen sink staging and awful costumes. 2013 brought some Romani realness and of course returning contestant Tamara finally brought home the goods last year with great vocals and fitting staging. My fave is a heartfelt ballad with beautiful lyrics. If there had been a little more cohesion in the staging it could have made it to the final.
NORWAY - A monster like me by Mørland & Debrah Scarlett (2015)
The past decade has been quite a yo-yo for the Nordic nation having romped to victory in 2009 and hosting the first Eurovision of the decade but also having 2 DNQs to their name. Their "Melodi Grand Prix" selection always turns up some rather odd selections with a smattering of top home homegrown stars and has a huge turnout in the stadium. Huge mentions must go to 2011 which was a shock non-qualifier at the time (and the only instance of Swahili at Eurovision) the electro-country of 2017 and of course the perfect marriage of pop and Sami in 2019. My fave though is this heart wrenching duet that is dark and mysterious like a Scandi Noir... and I still don't know what he did in his early youth....
POLAND - Jestem by Magdalena Tul (2011 DNQ)
A odd decade signified by DNQs at the start and end of the decade, 2 years non-participation and four final appearances in the middle. Their entries have been a mish mash of ethnic fayre, dramatic ballads and dance-pop but they have yet to find the formula where they get enough support from their diaspora AND the jury to get them anywhere near a win. There needs to be a passing mention of their 2014 entry which is possibly the most memed entry yet (never had cheese making looked so tempting) and their 2016 entry the ultimate 'mother song' which was nowhere after the jury vote but came 6th in the televote. My favourite is a total bop that sounds great in native language although Magdalena could have done with a much better outfit.
PORTUGAL - Amar pelos dois by Salvador Sobral (2017)
A rather drab decade punctuated by one stunning highlight. Their run of DNQs was only stopped by a number of self inflicted withdrawals - maybe they were just taking more time to hatch out their takeover plan...? Selling the Portuguese language, and moreover selling the Portuguese idea of Eurovision, has been a rather hard sell which is reflected in their results. Although RTP has used "Festival da Canção" throughout, its recent reboot with modern acts, songwriters and more avant-garde entries has made it a must watch national final. Props to their over-looked 2014 bop, their emotionally touching 2017 song and to the culture clash of 2019 which is a banger forever. But how can you look any further than Salvador and the song written by his sister Luisa...?
ROMANIA - Playing with fire by Ovi & Paula Seling (2010)
After a great start to the decade, the energy petered out. They've ended with 2 DNQs but they were even chucked out of the contest in 2016, even though they had a song and act ready to go, due to financial irregularities. Their "Selecția Națională" has gone through a number of changes but nothing drastic enough to reverse the tide. Romania could do with looking to its neighbours in Moldova and think about creating great visual shows and something that really shows off their culture. My notable mentions go to their only Romanian language song of the decade in 2015 and to the best counter-tenor in the business in 2013. To me nothing tops their best placing duet that led us to believe they were up for the win... a win we are still waiting for...
RUSSIA - Scream by Sergey Lazarev (2019)
I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of Russian entries. A small part of me finds some of their songs slightly incongruous when put into context with some of their political stances. But you cannot fault them when it comes to the internal selection of some of their best and most famous singers. It would be remiss of me though not to mention their withdrawal/block from 2017 and their subsequent DNQ the year after. On a personal note I absolutely adore the madness that is 2010 and the bop from 2011 (less so the live performance and shoes!) But their final entry of the decade by their biggest star showed an emotional side, with a small hint of the Slav about it which shows a great balance of power and emotion.
SAN MARINO Crisilade by Valentina Monetta (2013 DNQ)
If there was ever a fitting Eurovision synonym for the word underdog - surely it should be San Marino. The tiny microstate, although rather unsuccessful in the competition, does its best to make a mark on the contest and will always have its supporters. In the 9 years they have participated 4 have contained Valentina Monetta, 2 have been by Serhat and each have gained a final place Their partnership with Ralph Siegel promised much but tended to create dated and quite dated and bland entries that might have gone down well in his heyday, but not know. Notable mentions to 2019 for be a total surprise of a qualifier and to their meme-tastic 2012 which is soooooooo bad it's good. My fave is one of Valentina's DNQs but was definitely her best entry.
SERBIA - Ljubav je svuda by Moje 3 (2013 DNQ)
One of the more successful ex-Yugo countries, Serbia has amassed 7 final appearances this decade, although only one of those gained them a top 10 placing. Most entries have been selected internally although their recent revival of "Beovizija" has had a lot of fans watching online. Serbia seem to tread a fine line between ethic beats, Balkan ballads and modern contemporary sounds and sometimes I feel like their identity becomes muddled and to coin a phrase then need to 'go the whole pineapple'. Honorable mentions go to their Balkan brass bop of 2010 and the eltho-trance beats of 2018. Although my fave was one of the 2 songs that didn't qualify, this is wholly down to the stupid costumes and over- complicated staging. Look away and it is amazing !
SLOVAKIA - Horehronie by Kristína Peláková (2012 DNQ)
This central European country just sneaks into my round up with 3 entries all at the start of the decade.Their last entry was in 2012 and even though their neighbours in Czechia have shown that good results are possible a return has not been mooted. It is believed, however, tat it is not just bad results that have permitted their return but also the costs of participation. The thee songs of this decade are pretty diverse and I would guess that many people have different favourites dependent on their style of music you like. 2012 is a brilliant rock number which Eurovision probably wasn't quite ready for and 2011 a nice well paced pop ballad but possibly a bit too 'nice' My fave is the ethic banger for 2010 which is a huge fan favourite and still leaves us wondering how is didn't qualify...
SLOVENIA - Here for you by Maraaya (2015)
With the 10 entries they've sent, half have DNQ'd, half made the final but none of those finalists got into the top 10, so I think it is fair to say that that the Balkan nation have done okay. I guess it would depend on what their parameters of 'success' are. The EMA national final show has been rather controversial, with the weighting and pathway to winning the show changing year on year and notions that the juries on the show are biased for/against certain act/genres. I feel I need to give a special mention to their macrobeat trance 2019 number and to the sassy bop of 2018 - both in Slovene! My fave though takes me back to then I watched this NF heavily pregnant and fast forwarding to watching the contest in May with a tiny bairn. I am here for you buhb x
SPAIN - Say yay! by Barei (2016)
I get the feeling that if Spain had to qualify, most years they would struggle. RTVE have chopped and changed their selection process so many times that their flow of entries is confused and don't seem to be keeping up with modern trends. They are also stuck between being over-Spanish to not being Spanish in anyway, both of which seems to have alienated the voters. And then there are the quite overbearing Spanish fans who will let you know their feeling very clearly! Special mentions go to last year's energetic entry that somehow flopped and the ballad of 2014 that proved they can balance NOT singing in Spanish And doing well. My fave is this bop, with dance routine, and a great positive message - shame about the mid-flow stop which was totally unnecessary and as fake as hell.
SWEDEN - Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw (2016)
The kings of modern Eurovision - if not the kings of modern music production - hasn't always had it it's own way. Starting with a shock DNQ, their only one to date, things could only get better. Melodifestivalen fought back with bigger and bolder production and soon the results started to flood in. With a mix of new and heritage acts and songwriters, Europe couldn't get enough of that Swedish sound. But part of me wonders if after some rather disparate jury/televote scores if Europe is now after something different, more personal and individual? Obviously one cannot go further without mentioning Loreen in 2012 and the surprise M-fest winner of 2013 but to me the best is their second winner of the decade and the clever projection show.
SWITZERLAND - Hunter of stars by Sebalter (2014)
It's not been the best of decades for a founder country of Eurovision but things could be on the up. Out of the 10 songs they've brought forward 7 have failed to reach the final, which is a rather dismal record - it is more a surprise they didn't withdraw. For most of the decade they used "Die Große Entscheidungsshow" where the different language broadcasters chose songs but also songs from anywhere in the world could be uploaded to their online portal and included in the selection. The idea created quite a buzz but rarely resulted in success. Passing mentions need to go to their 2012 entry which came very close to qualifying and to their 2019 entry with finally got them into the top 5 - first time since 1993. However, their 2014 entry mixed pop and folk with a smattering of fiddle, clapping and whistling!
TURKEY - Live it up by Yüksek Sadakat (2011 DNQ)
Another country that has just scraped through into being in this review. Once one of the darlings of Eurovision, they turned up in 2012 and have not been seen since. Their broadcaster, TRT cited 'the rules of the contest' which insinuated some unhappiness with the reinstatement of the juries after a run of years with 100% televote and, possibly, the prominence of LGBTQ acts. Turkish entries rarely ended up being in my good books as I always found them over-hyped and style over substance. All 3 of their entries this century were internally selected and all had widely different results. The one I find least annoying is ironically their first, and currently one and only, DNQ. It has a good rock dance vibe but let down by rather flat and disconnected staging.
UKRAINE - Under the ladder by Mélovin (2018)
If anybody's Eurovision story was to the represented by a rollercoaster, THIS would be the country. Despite 2 withdrawals, all 8 songs they've submitted have qualified - and this has included 5 top ten finishes with one being a win! Their non-participation in 2019 was done after their song and singer had be selected and that probably would have won too, but it was not to be. Their national selection shows have given us many highlights and lowlights to the point where some national finals were re-run! Special mentions go to their haunting ballad of 2010 and their emotional winner of 2016. But my favourite ditty of the decade goes to this 80s tinged pop number with more of a hint of the goth around it. I have a sneaking suspicion that the piano doesn't really work...
UNITED KINGDOM - Never give up on you by Lucie Jones (2017)
Like fellow big 5 country Spain, if they had to qualify through the semi-finals there would be quite a few (if not all) DNQs. The decade has been bookended by two last places and not one top 10 finish to their name The BBC's internal selection phase was punctuated with the choice of heritage stars singing songs that suited them but not something anyone would vote for. Their national finals also seemed to be rooted in the past, with middle of the road acts singing inoffensive songs that no longer cut the mustard. Special mentions to Blue who brought back some respectability in 2011 and to the songs of 2012 and 2014 (but not the stage shows). The best of the decade in my eyes was this dramatic - if not over-dramatic - ballad which showed great vocal ability as well as brilliant use of a mirror - plus I was there at the national final!!!!