The results of the North Macedonian selection "Za Evrosong" were revealed on February 4th. The songs were initially presented on January 28th where the voting window then opened. The winner was chosen by an equal split of online voting and an international jury. Going to Turin is Andrea with the song "Circles"
Andrea is a newcomer to the music scene with her first song being released at the end of 2020. At the age of 5 Andrea moved with her family to New York, became interested jazz and rhythm & blues which influenced her to sing and learn the guitar and piano. More recently, she posted short videos on Instagram when producer Aleksandar Masevski stumbled across her posts and they started a collaboration. She was then encouraged to study singing at the Faculty of Music in Skopje Her first song "I Know" has had more than 4 million views on TikTok.
The song follows a very simplistic structure. The first verse and chorus takes us to 1.20 and then Andrea starts to repeat the first verse again but with a slightly different melody and then segues into a slew of choruses until the very end. The backing track starts off rather minimal with just a piano but grows in intensity with a chirruping drum beat. The song sounds very familiar and he tune is a little predictable which is not always a bad thing when you are trying to get people to remember your song.
The lack of a proper live performance is a shame although the video shows she is able to look down the camera and connect with such a perceptive song. During the live but mimed version she keeps he eyes shut a lot which is a little limiting but not a deal breaker. Her voice is very distinctive with that vibrato during the end words and it will be interesting to see if she can replicate this live and keep the intensity of the voice over the whole range of the song. I feel like Andrea is not a dancer - not that this song needs that at all - but she does move and emote a lot when singing and with some concentrated lighting and some directed looks down the camera her style could look effective on stage. In Eurovision terms, this song reminds me of "Beautiful Mess" from Bulgaria a few years ago but would hope for a different visual outlook. I would hazard a guess that the whole package is going to have some Billie Eilish type vibes and will probably we a very pared down, intimate performance. I could possibly image some kind of contemporary dancing at the side and maybe some circle-related animations on the back drop but Andrea needs to be the centre of attention. It's a great contemporary entry and I feel like this could stand out if the staging compliments the song.
ARTIST - Andrea
SONG - Circles
WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Andrea Koevska, Aleksandar Masevski
The Spanish Final was held on January 29th at the Palau Municipal d’Esports l'Illa de Benidorm, hosted by Inés Hernand, Màxim Huerta & Alaska. Before the final of the invigorated "Benidorm Fest" there were two semi-finals with the top 4 in each semi-final qualifying. The qualifiers, and eventual winner, were chosen by a mixture of jury (50%), televote and demoscopic jury (25% each). Going to Turin is Chanel with "SloMo"
This Cuban born singer moved to Spain when she was just 3. From a young age she studied different performance styles and became involved with many different musical productions including The Lion King, Mamma Mia! and Flashdance. She has also helped choreograph routines for many Spanish TV shows but may well be most famous in her homeland for her role in the Spanish comedy series "Gym Tony"
The song starts with the sounds of cameras flashing and photos being taken and a rather basic bassline pumps up behind it. As Chanel starts singing the song beefs up immediately which really perks your ears up. The song follows a rather simplistic structure of verse-pre chorus-chorus which leads to a rather long instrumental where Chanel's epic dance solo fits in. After this is a slew of pre-choruses and choruses until the end. All in all is song is as much to do with the visual presentation and the dance routine than it is about the song..
Many people will rightly comment that this is riding on the coattails of the success Cyprus have had over the last few years with their Latino inspired bangers. This one even has a title ending with the letter O too. It does, however, have a tad more authenticity because this is a Spanish sounding song, sung mainly in Spanish and is the actual Spanish entry. On the negative side the lyrics are rather cringeworthy, especially the mentions of "mami", "daddies", " booty" and "yummy" (other words ending in the *ee* sound are surely available?!?!?). Although this is still a song contest the performance quotient is very much there to sway the televoters and this has bags of character. The dance routine is outstanding and the costuming is simplistic but very effective (her semi outfit I think worked better than the one she wore in the final). In an odd way, the voracity of the dance routine and the prominence it is given almost justifies the use of recorded backing vocals. I feel that Chanel was somewhat lucky to win the national final, especially after the results were revealed, but I think this song would be much more accessible to an international audience than many of the other songs favoured by the internal televote. Chanel has great stage presence and the show as is just works. They would be LOCO to change it - they wouldn't dare... would they....?
The Moldovan Final was held on January 29th at the TRM TV Studios in Chisinau. Initially the this particular date was set to be the 'online audition day' followed by a with a national final proper in March but just a day before the auditions were held it was announced the selection would be wrapped up after the auditions show. The winning act and song, chosen solely by a jury was Zdob și Zdub & Frații Advahov with the song "Trenuletul" (The Train)
Zdob și Zdub are stalwarts of the Moldovan Eurovision experience. They were the nation's first ever act at Eurovision in 2005 coming in an impressive 6th place They then returned in 2012 and came 12th. The band formed almost 30 years ago although the only original member from that formation is singer, Roman. They have a plethora of experience with many concerts and festivals behind them mostly throughout Moldova, Romania and the former Soviet states. Their style or music can mostly be filed under the 'ethno-rock' genre although their music has definite nods towards punk, folk and Balkan sounds. The Advhov Brothers are the founders of a folk orchestra which shares their name and have been bestowed with many Moldovan honors for their contribution and promotion of the Moldovan Folk tradition.
The song starts with a very jolly accordion earworm which dips in and out of the singing. I say singing, it is more like monotone chanting/rapping which actually contrasts quite well with the ever changing backing track. Roman's vocals are very strong and, albeit mostly in Romanian, his diction and intention is very clear. The distinction between the verses and choruses is very marked too especially with the introduction of a very basic dance routine between the two. After two rounds of verse-chorus there is a instrumental break before another round of the chorus. There is then a more frenetic instrumental break an rather more shouty verse concluding with one more roundel of the chorus. They certainly get a lot in for under 3 minutes! The whole atmosphere and relentless nature of the song even sounds like a train - even more so as some of the elongated yelps sound like train whistles.
This is true Balkan style although some might hear some of the ska-like qualities of the fast and repetitive instrumentation. The staging and costuming is very basic due to the rushed nature of the staging set up. The lead singer is joined on stage by 3 of his band mates and the two Advahov Brothers. They all seem to be having a great time and seem rather enthused despite the rather simplistic setup. All this plainness leaves the door open to wonder what the band and delegation could have in store for their Eurovision performance - their last two ESC attempts included a drum-playing grandma and a lady on a unicycle. This song will appeal greatly to the Balkan crowd but I also know that this will be fun and heartwarming to those who are not. This will go down BIG in the hall and will have everybody up and dancing (probably doing some kind of train-related conga). Everyone on stage has been doing this for long enough to know how to perform and how get the votes in.
ARTIST - Zdob și Zdub & Frații Advahov SONG - Trenuletul (The Train) WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Zdob și Zdub & Frații Advahov
The Albanian Final was held on December 29th at the Palace of Congress in Tirana, hosted by Jonida Maliqi, Isli Islami, Xhemi Shehu & Kelvi Kadilli. Before the final of Festivali i Këngës there was a semi-final where 3 of the newcomers were selected to continue on in the competition. The winner, chosen by a jury, was Ronela Hajati with the song "Sekret" (Secret)
Ronela has been an active performer, entering singing and dancing competitions, since she was a child. She scored her first charting single in 2016 and has been almost ever present in the charts since then. As well as a performer she has penned many of her own songs and has written for last year's Albanian representative Anxela Peristeri. Ronela's music is generally in the pop genre but her singing and performance style is extremely varied with influences of R'n'B, Latin, Balkan music and even reggae.
The song starts with what turns out to be a slower and elaborate choral interpretation of the chorus tagline which is then repeated by the backing singers. After 30 seconds the ethnic bassy rhythms come out and the song starts proper. The monotone verse is followed by the melodic chorus which breaks down to a chanted part with a lengthy instrumental and accompanying dance routine. There is then another verse (but bares little or no relation to the first) followed by another chorus and outro dance routine. The song ends with another earwormy outro to the end. This performance is about attitude and feeling more than tune and melody.
Let's get some elephants out of the room straight way. Firstly the song is about 35 seconds over the Eurovision time limit although this is not unknown for competing FiK or Sanremo entries. But as many good songs have been butchered by bad editing as the amount that have been dealt with sympathetically. The edit may be tricky as the song needs to keep its repetition but also leave the instrumental breaks as not to lessen the dance sections. Secondly, the choir of backing vocalists and live orchestra gives the performance a real live feeling and, when the re-recorded version is made, it will be interesting to see if the same kind of magic can be conjured up. Finally, there are way more than 6 people on the stage. The delegation may decide to pare down this staging and keep the overall aesthetic - possibly utilising any LED screens - or they may start again from scratch. With all this to take into account it is rather hard to say how this will go down. However, this was the hot fan favourite before the show began and it is easy to see why. Ronela's voice is shown off perfectly using every single part of her diverse range. The repetitive rhythm and lyrics, albeit mostly in Albanian, is very catchy and even the odd English line did not sound out of place. The on pointe dance routine is striking and copyable. The identical black outfits for the dancers makes them a cohesive unit with Ronela as their captain. My main worry is that the song does feel like a collection of parts and the lack of an extra chorus - or even another verse - at the very end of the song might lessen the impact made at the very start.
ARTIST - Ronela Hajati SONG - Sekret (Secret) WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Ronela Hajati, Marko Polo
The Czech act and song was revealed on 16th December via a streamed press conference held at the ČT Headquarters in Prague. An online selection was held called "Eurovision Song CZ 2022" where the winner was determined by the combination of votes from a twelve-member international jury panel (50%), an international public vote (25%) and a Czech public vote (25%). The winners were the group We Are Domi with the song "Lights Off"
We Are Domi (sometimes also known and stylised as DOMI) formed as a group in 2018 after the trio met while studying at the Leeds Conservatoire. The group consists of Czech singer Dominika and Norwegian musicians Casper and Benjamin. They released with first single in 2019. Their music is described as both electropop and scandipop although their Eurovision song includes more trancey and ethereal themes.
The song begins rather minimalistic and mysterious. Dominika's monotone, almost spoken word, vocal is surrounded by a more melodic underbed. This this then reversed during the bridge when Dominka almost comes across as a little bit country and makes for a transition period towards the rather more memorable chorus ending with a foghorn like 'Where are you now" just in case you hadn't woken up yet. We then have another verse-bridge-chorus roundel followed by a return to a small and monotone middle eight. This leads into the glow up to the last rendition of the chorus ending in a final 'Where are you now".
This song certainly pricks your ears up and has a very engaging and memorable tune. The vocals are varied throughout the song and could come across as a bit frenetic or irrational, especially if any of the parts become out of kilter or worse out of tune/time. Dominika may well be saved or helped by the addition of pre-recorded vocals (BOOOOOOOOO!) One small negative, which may need some clever editing around when if comes to voting recaps, is the fact that the title of the song is rather obscure in the mix unlike the belting out of "WHERE ARE YOU NOW". Although there is no proper video, they did create a performance of the song as part of the results show. For me, this was visually confusing - the choice of Play School-esque outfits whilst surrounded by a dark and ghostly backdrop was rather dissonant. However, the use of a bow to play the electric guitar is a particular highlight. I feel that this needs a very stylised stage show and needs to be visually stunning and could be a glow up with the right stage direction - something some past Czech Eurovision songs have done well. This is already proving to be a fave with the fans and is certainly something that would no sound out of place on the playlists of Europe.
ARTIST - We Are Domi SONG - Lights Off WRITING CREDITS - Dominika Hasek, Casper Hatlestad, Abi F Jones, Einar Eriksen Kvaløy, Benjamin Rekstad
The Bulgarian song and act was revealed on December 5th via an interview & first play on Darik Radio and the release of the music video online. Going to Turin will be the Intelligent Music Project with the song "Intention".
The eponymous "Intelligent Music Project" is named after a music studio bankrolled by businessman Milen Vrabevski who created the centre to support contemporary Bulgarian music and culture. This 'supergroup' has been going for almost a decade and has a veritable revolving door of past and future members from a wide spectrum of past rock royalty. The Eurovision-based line up includes Chilean front man Ronnie Romero as well as two time Bulgarian Eurovision participant Stoyan Yankulov on drums. Their genre of music is mostly described as 'progressive rock' and their Eurovision entry follows this trend.
The song begins with a rather long, but building, guitar intro. This certainly sets the stall out very early and it doesn't waver much from there. The song the follows a pretty standard verse-bridge-chorus verse-bridge-chorus structure and the parts run seamlessly in and out of each other. At the 2 minute mark, the song enters in a laconic middle 8 followed by a frenetic guitar solo ending with a final rendition of the chorus. Although it comes across well as a cohesive unit the tune of the song is rather haphazard - it never quite goes how you want it go and is lacking any memorable hook. In some ways the instrumentation, lyrics and tune don't quite work together as a cohesive 3 minute unit. The video is also very confusing switching between boy playing computer game/blokes rocking out in a blank room/computer game of a woman getting staked... by herself narratives.
Considering some of the canny choices that BNT has made during the last decade this is something of a climbdown. It seems as though the coffers of the broadcaster have run dry and getting 6 rockers et al. to split the bill as being the best way to get Bulgarian representation to Eurovision. They may well get to Eurovision but I don't think they will be there very long... I can only see the group on stage rocking out as a suitable visual production note although live vocals may make it stand out a little more. The band looks and sounds very dated, and although this is trying (and failing) to ride on the coattails of a rock victory in 2021, this is more Blackpool Rock than Rock n Roll.
For the last few years, last year excepted, I have been lucky enough to find myself on the Steve Yabsley Show, on BBC Radio Bristol. Although I was able to chat to Steve again this year, it was unfortunately on the phone. Hopefully you can hear through the dodgy signal and my hearing aids getting in the way!
As always, I get to talk about what I am up to at the moment outside of Eurovision, talk about the history of Eurovision as well as what this year's Eurovision has lined up for us!
You can also find the whole show on the BBC sounds website here or on the app by looking for the Afternoon show on 16th May on the BBC Radio Bristol schedule :) The interview begins about 26 mins in
For the last week, 37.5 of the 39 acts have been in Rotterdam rehearsing for the semi finals and final of this years much awaited contest (for those wondering Australia are not live in Rotterdam due to covid quarantine rules and we still don't know if Mr Flo Rida is actually coming for San Marino). The betting predictions were rather blinkered before rehearsals and over the last seven days the tables have somewhat turned for some of our acts. When short clips of the second rehearsals came out I tweeted a thread about what I saw.
CAVEATS - the clips are just shy of 30 second long and don't always show off the acts' best features/surprises. Also, these are still *rehearsals* so acts may on purposely not sing full out, concentrate more on camera angles/choreography/lighting effects, try out alternative costume ideas or not putting on their full performance face for the camera. Although I didn't watch any of the first rehearsal bits, there are plenty of photo galleries to compare and contrast these with.
SEMI 1
LITHUANIA - had to watch this twice because it looked too slick and polished to be absolutely live, which it is, or maybe it feels *too* good. Visually striking although the clip was mostly the chorus. I hope the verses show more personality of the whole ensemble. Epic opener for the whole week.
SLOVENIA - rather calm and classy after the last song but the whole thing sounded a bit odd. Couldn't really grasp any of the words she was saying, even if the tune was rather complex and shows of a good pair of lungs. Liking her outfit but would like a bit more lightness in the background.
RUSSIA - nice to see little has changed from the national final apart from the epic dress ! I hope the verses give her and her backing singers a chance to get across their personality. Liking the messages on the backdrop that happen during the instrumental. Hoping her message and energy translates.
SWEDEN - I was a fan of Tusse's Melodifestivalen styling but this version with the gloves is not so nice. His voice seems a little drowned out, but he might not be singing fully so I can let that lie. I'd like more smile and charisma into the camera. He also looked very static and awkward in a big space.
AUSTRALIA - we got a sneaky peek at the prerecorded videoclip! Was not expecting the 3-D refraction effect but the rest of the staging felt a bit dark. Her outfit looks nice and contrasts nice with her hair. Hoping she connects down the lens throughout which she will need to do to get the votes in.
NORTH MACEDONIA - okay, was not expecting that performance and I got actual goose bumps. Love the framing and shows confidence and fragility. I think I know that this will change as the song progresses but Vasil looks and sounds so blooming confident ! He wasn't even singing full out either.
IRELAND - from the reports I'd read I was fully expecting a car crash, but was more like a tiny dent. Love the staging (props to Silvàn Areg!) and think it suits the narrative of the lyrics well. You can tell she's thinking about her marks, which may affect her vocals on the night. Surprised in a hopeful way.
CYPRUS - liking the silver and red colour scheme in the outfits. Elena sounds and looks much better than I expected - especially as she looked quite aloof in the video clip. Some of her dance moves were a little awkward and not really on the classy side. A little drowned out in the vocal mix - surprise!
NORWAY - this felt really flat and almost sounded it too. There was little connection to the camera - not just down to the sunglasses. The whole thing felt pedestrian and plodding even with all the madness going on around him. Considering this is basically his NF performance it has gone stale *very* quickly.
CROATIA - this made my face make lots disapproving shapes. The colour scheme makes the stage looks very washed out and one dimensional in the clip. I have no idea what she is wearing (especially the gusset area) or her dancers. More concerning, those backing vocals are *VERY* high in the mix.
BELGIUM - very clear and classy. I like how Geike is the star and her dress looks amazing. Having the band around her closes in the space. Her vocal sounds emotive too although I hope she gets more time to emote down the camera. Less sure about her eyes on the backdrop as it looks a bit too menacing.
ISRAEL - liking the overhead shot, which also proves how accurate and well rehearsed she and her dancers are. The hair is also pretty impressive. The dancers' arm flinging is a bit too much and the costume change is unsurprising. A lot of whistle tone in this recap which I personally don't like.
ROMANIA - another song where they've shrunk the arena to a more intimate space. The choreo and theme is like the video but overall it looks a bit underwhelming, especially as she looks like she's just come from the detention centre. Her vocal has an individual timbre but is evidently pitchy and breathy.
AZERBAIJAN - oh dear. The whole thing looks and sounds disconnected. Last year's staging - this year's song. Like the video, all of the movement, energy and excitement is coming from the backdrop, dancers and cutting of the camera angles. She looks tiny on that stage and feels very dark and seedy.
UKRAINE - had stand in lead singer for this session but this did not matter a jot. The backdrop with the running men is really effective and the use of the white plinth works amazingly with the lighting and the headbanging! Watching the song build will feel really exciting on the night. Get the glow sticks in!
MALTA - Destiny sounds good and has a connection with the camera but I'm distracted by everything going on behind her. Much prefer the original pink dress to the silver one. At times it feels more like a music video than a live interactive performance and is too reminiscent of "Toy" for me to warm to it.
Here's the BBC's video of all the songs in semifinal 1!
Rehearsals for the 1st Semi-Final at #Eurovision are in full swing!🎤
SAN MARINO - not sure what the gold thing is, just glad it's not there for long. Senhit looks great, killing the Crystal Tipps hairstyle and loving the spinning motif from the video. Voice sounds pretty spot on. Hoping there is more movement to come as the song builds. But is Mr Rida coming or not....?
ESTONIA - well, as much as I have a soft spot from this song, in the long run this looks and feels very stayed and frankly boring and will be well forgotten by song 7 never mind 17. His facial expression barely changes and he looks like he really needs a poo. The stage engulfs him and is a total washout.
CZECHIA - a little underwhelmed by this clip. Although the vocals are fine and Benny is connecting with the people on set, it just looks tiny. I expected the facial expressions and chorography choices to be a lot bigger and crazier. Maybe that'll come at another point or he's leaving all of that for Thursday.
GREECE - whoever thought Stefania need to be joined on stage by invisible men styled as Timmy Mallet needs shooting. It looks tacky and not well produced. Her vocals sound ok but you barely notice what she's doing, or how well she's doing, because your eyes are constantly darting away from her.
AUSTRIA - I was concerned this might get overshadowed but this sounds really good and he's coping well with the long and high notes. I'd like to see less of the bopping up and more emoting down the lens. The wide shots are not a good idea though. Wondering if he goes up and down that plinth...?
POLAND - oh dear this actually made me chuckle. I am sure this backing track is slower than normal because the whole thing sounded and looked pedestrian... His vocals didn't sound too bad but the visual production values lack finesse and precision and felt more like a end of term 6th form talent show
MOLDOVA - being Kirkorov's puppet has finally squeezed the life out of Natalia. Why is she on that tiny plinth? What's with the outfit? Why is the backdrop so lazy/boring? The whole of the troupe needs space to go crazy and over the top - not this. The backing vocals are also far too high in the mix.
ICELAND - this clip from the start of the song gives very little away which hopefully means there are surprises to come. The silhouette effect is nice and really stretches the tension to the kick of the beat. Vocals sound ok but hope that when the girls come in on backing that it'll sound much more *live*
SERBIA - sounds better than it looks. Sanja is doing most of the heavy lifting but the dancing suffers.. The costumes are too embellished, needing something smooth and sleek to make the lines stand out - especially when the background ends up dark too. The wide shots emphasise the space not used.
GEORGIA - like how the backdrop mirrors the shimmering opening. His voice sounds pretty close to the studio version. The whole thing looks a bit dark but I hope that as his vocals grow the arena grows bigger and lighter too. I am afraid that his stoic look might not implore people to pick up the phone.
ALBANIA - out of the red/blue pink/turquoise set we've seen this year, this probably looks the best. The detailing on her leotard looks nice and sparkles nicely in the waft of the wind machine. Less keen on the shimmery tights though. Vocals sound clear but there is not really much of a memorable song.
PORTUGAL - I really enjoyed watching this and liked the mix of colours in the backdrop - as well as the use of the side projection as he walks away. Pedro's voice is so distinctive and suits the song. There are a lot of signposts to remember this song by and will help them no end when it comes to the voting.
BULGARIA - What is she siting on? What is she wearing? Where is all the sand going? Who is in the picture? When Victoria sings alone it sounds sincere but with the backing vocals it feels a bit drowned out. Feels a too dark and solitary and I feel that the story they are trying to portray is off the mark
FINLAND - injects a dose of much needed energy and verve. Visually stunning with pyro and the upside down shots. Maybe a bit too red, but thinking of the subject of the song it's kind of on brand. For its genre it does what it needs to. Televoters who like this style will go mad for it, juries less so.
LATVIA - a whole lot of un-needed busyness going on here and looks messy and rather random as a result. I get the feeling that too much has been forwarded from last year's potential staging that DOESN'T go with this song. That coloured dress with that background is a hot mess. Just like the song.
SWITZERLAND - OH MY ACTUAL WORD. I am absolutely gobsmacked by this staging. I was not expecting the costume, energy, poise, props and voice. I have to wonder how/if he can maintain this intensity and emotion for the whole song and if they have anything for the big note at the end...
DENMARK - this is just awful - and now looks doubly amateur after the stylistic choices of the song before it. I still don't know what this is trying to be. The backdrop during the clip is messy and the singer looks like a streaker who's forgotten to take his clothes off. I'd rather not ever see/hear this again.
Here's the BBC's video of all the second semifinalists.!
The UK can vote in the 2nd #Eurovision Semi-Final next Thursday!📱
ITALY - very red and shadowy. Liking the interactions between the members of the group however I hope they project down the camera at other times. The singer's vocal sounds clear and full of oooomph. Their outfits are rather simple but also eye catching. Also noticed their silhouettes on the backdrop too.
GERMANY - my hands covered my face at the end of this. The random noises during the dance part sound awkward and the backing trio needs to be more manic in their instrument playing. Singing and dancing this hard without the quality suffering is impossible. This is why TikToks are not 3 mins.
NETHERLANDS - this sounds blooming amazing. Liking the toned down visuals which will make the more second part stand out. The dancer being the focus during the chorus is bold choice especially as the is is a less notable dance style Jeangu has a great charisma and really looks at home (obvs).
FRANCE - you honestly wouldn't think she was in such a big arena more like a small jazz club in downtown Paris. She looks and sounds amazing. The steadicam gives another layer of realism and grit to very honest and real performance that makes you feel you are there. It is idiotically simple.
UNITED KINGDOM - James looks like he's having a great time! I hope the dancers actually add to the show as it progresses. Verses sound ok, although the word 'embers' sounded a bit of a struggle. More red and blue lighting although it has a ridged/ribbed feel. Dare I even dream what the trumpets do...?
SPAIN - Blas is dressed in black, in front of a black background where the light source is obscured by a massive moon... I hope the pay off is worth it. Blas' voice sounds a little off but it is *only* a rehearsal. I hope he gets more close ups and gets to move and emote more as it feels rather too minimal.
Here is a short compilation of some of those finalists' rehearsal footage !
For those in the Eurovision bubble, one of the toughest things a fan can do is to put all of the songs in order of preference... For this, we have Mr Gerbear's AMAZING Eurovision sorter.
Having put all the songs up against each other here is my list of this year's 39!
Taking these ranking a bit further, these would be my 10 personal qualifiers from each semi - although looking at this list in context I am almost sure this is NOT going to be happening !!!
Looking at semi one, Australia and Ireland are looking the most likely to fall out of the list for very different staging and vocal reasons. Sweden's entry is all fine and dandy but could be seen as too plain and safe and the people at home just forget to dial them a vote. Croatia is most likely to have a chance of muscling themselves into a slot with the right sort of staging and the divisive Norway could go either way depending on whether the public at large 'get it'. Azerbaijan is also missing from this list. A tight and well performed show could get it extra votes but can they muster up enough wallpaper to cover up the fact that they don't have a decent song? In a semi of 16 very different songs, you could literally see ANY combination of 10 getting through.
Although semi two is a little less competitive, it almost makes it harder to compare. Without sounding too sexist, I feel like the men of this semi are in danger of being left behind in their droves. I could easily see Estonia, Austria, Portugal and Poland all NQ because their songs are less 'in your face'. Czechia could miss out just down to their lack of diaspora in the televote, as could San Marino. You have to give chances to Moldova but their earwormy song could be overshadowed by inappropriate staging. There is also Finland whose entry is niche (and lyrics slightly dodgy) but if the nu metal lovers get behind it, it could surprise. The non-English songs of Albania, Serbia and Denmark also have their supporters but a lot will depend on their visual and vocal performative qualities.
A little bit late in the making but we are here nonetheless!
Going to set out the podcasts a little different this year because the podcasts will be coming thick and fast. So, all 6 podcasts will be on this page with a new episode being added every other day in order to get the 6 episodes out in time :)
We hope you enjoy !
EPISODE ONE: Londonbeat on Speed
Albania, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and United Kingdom
If you have enjoyed the podcasts, please get in touch and/or share my stuff :) Follow us on twitter at https://www.twitter.com/ESCarmchair or like our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ESCarmchair to find get the latest information about blogposts and podcasts or even have a look back at our old ones :o)
