The Luxembourgish act and song was chosen on January 27tth during the selection show "Luxembourg Song Contest". There were two rounds of voting. In the first round, the ranking of an international jury was combined equally with that of a national televote to create a top 3. The vote was then reset - the juries and televote reopened with the scores combined to find a winner. Going to Malmö is Tali performing the song "Fighter".
Tali Goldergant was born to an Israeli mother and Peruvian father and Spanish was the language she spoke most at home. At the age of 7 her family settled down in Luxembourg where young Tali learnt French and English. From a young age she was interested in songwriting, acting and playing the piano. She went to school in the International School of Luxembourg then went on to study musical theatre at Marymount Manhattan College in the city of New York and now lives there. She has also been touring her home borough with her band called Blue Stripes. She has been releasing music onto streaming sites since 2020.
Tali is joined on stage 6 dancers - 4 male, 2 female - and they are all dressed in a kind of strappy leatherette/mesh clothing. The visual look is a little distant from the song's meaning but is at least a cohesive look. The song starts with a close up of Tali's face which is being manipulated cleverly by her dancers' hands. The song is mainly sung in French with part of the chorus and a small bridge at the end in English. The English part gives the song a memorable earworm while the French parts have a nice rhythm and uses some familiar French word endings/rhymes. This is a mid-tempo song with a slight Mediterranean feel without feeling too much like it should come from a certain country or culture.
The stage was very simple with a long video screen runway. Throughout her song, the screens showed various pulsing geometric shapes varying in shades of colours. I feel like the inconspicuousness of this makes one focus on is what is happening on the stage. The dancers frame Tali, who moves well but does not do a lot of the group choreography. I don't think this matters too much as the sweeping camera shots gives the visual more depth and movement, The visuals will need some tightening up. They will need to drop a dancer and ensure the choreo is purposeful throughout. Personally I'd like to see the dancers used to create levels i.e. standing on them like a staircase or being lifted up in the air. Tali needs to keep the focus on her vocal. During the fast part of the chorus you could hear her struggle to catch up and catch her breath.; if she cannot do this part properly then an alternative solution needs to be found. Overall this comes from a good starting point but needs to have laser-focused direction in a contest that is already looking to be a diverse one.
The Irish act and song was revealed on January 26th during a special Eurosong edition of "The Late Late Show". The scoring of a national jury, an international jury and nationwide televote (all with equal weighting) were converted into points and added together to produce a winner. The Irish song for Malmö is "Doomsday Blue" sung by Bambie Thug.
Cuntry Ray Robinson, AKA Bambie Thug, was born in County Cork in 1994. They initially showed promise as a ballet dancer and moved to London for a scholarship. However they sustained an injury causing them to change the focus for their studies to Musical Theatre. They have been releasing music since 2021 under the moniker of Bambie Thug with many of their first releases on the themes feminism, queerness and witchcraft. They created the term "ouija-pop" to describe their music; encompassing goth sensibilities, electro instrumentation and lyrical hexes. Bambie also mentioned in a previous interview that they were friends with last year's successful Serbian act, Luke Black.
Bambie is on stage with two dancers dressed in black catsuits with symbols written down the sides. These dancers also have protruding ears and elongated fingers like the Frank character in Donnie Darko. Bambie is wearing a gothic strapless dress with netting and frills, a white painted face and two different coloured eyes. The look is strange but not unfamiliar. The background screen fluctuates between gothic lettering, scribbled sigils, moody forests and fairytale castles. The song is composed of three main parts, each with its own feel and make up. The verses are chanted/rapped over a macro beat backing track. The bridge is more electro and juddering in the instrumentation whereas Bambie's vocal is repetitive, demanding and high pitched which increases the urgency. Finally the chorus is very melodic, shows off Bambie's rather distinctive singing tone as well as adding a touch of flair with the Spanish guitar earworm. The song ends with some cathartic shouting and metal-esque low growls.
This set up for the Irish NF has never been the best - although this edition had had a slight glow up - but the stage show of the winning act could easily be moved straight to Malmö. I would hope, however, that the choreography is made even bigger with double the amount of dancers on stage. I was quite impressed how Bambie took control of the performance with the lighting and camera angles. Personally this was not my pre-contest favourite however the live performance - as low tech as it is compared to other NFs - absolutely usurped the recorded version. I was impressed that the vocal was so doable live and the visual was well considered. This is not everybody's cup of tea - but it will bring people to the contest, and hopefully vote in the contest, who normally would not. This package will get people talking and watching and this will never be a bad thing. I don't actually think it matters if this qualifies or not. The fact is the Irish choices over the past few years, nay decades, have been safe and almost rooted in past glories. This is in-your-face, confident and shows a side of modern Irish culture and society Europe has never seen before.
ARTIST - Bambie Thug SONG - Doomsday Blues WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Olivia Cassy Brooking, Sam Matlock, Cuntry Ray Robinson, Tylr Rydr
The Slovenian song was premiered on January 20th during a special show called "Misija Malmö" then the official video being available online. A month previously, RTVSLO revealed that they had chosen their singer and song internally. The Slovenian song for Malmö is "Veronika" sung by Raiven.
Raiven (aka Sara Briški Cirman) has an extremely well rounded arts background. She has studied (to degree level) classical, opera and jazz music as well as being an award winning harpist. She has performed in many festivals, orchestral collaborations as well as performing operas by Humperdink, Rossini, Handel, Bizet and Bernstein just to name a few. Raiven's debut album "Magenta" came out in 2017 followed by the EP "REM" which were both released to critical acclaim. In 2020 she performed with her own composition "Ti" with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra at the Ljubljana Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet. In 2022 she premiered an electro-opera-pop project "Doloroso" However, she is probably most known for her many entries to the Slovenian "EMA" - the former mechanism to chose the Slovenian Eurovision song and act. She placed second in 2016, third in 2017 and second once more in 2019.
The song - written in the Slovenian language - has a moody, dark electro quality and is very dramatic. In interviews prior to the song's release, Raiven talked the inspiration of the song - the legend of Veronika Deseniška. She was the wife of Frederick II who was was accused of witchcraft. After a trial she was found not guilty, but was drowned anyway. The song has a primal quality, a good chanting outro and an instrumental balance between electro and folk. The first part of the song is slightly understated and starts quite low in the register. Verse two completely changes tune and starts to become vocally stronger for Raiven. The ending is a little unexpected and doesn't quite reach the frenzied or vexed ending one might expect. This being the official video, the song feels very produced, and very intertwined in the mix, and certain parts could sound much more chilling and urgent when sung live.
The music video is very cinematic; full of camera changes, sweeping shots and use of light and dark. The visual embraces the four elements - earth, fire, water and air - and uses these in different ways but nearly always feeling like trapping forces. She also has the support of some dancers who keep very close to her. I feel that the music video, as evocative as it is, almost overshadows the song. At times, I feel like the song stayed in my brain more when I turned away and didn't watch the video. The inspiration of the song is so strong and I want to be able to feel that emotion and sense of urgency through the camera. Right now this feels like a very slick and well made video but more needs to be made on stage. The live performance needs to really sell the character of Veronika as a mythical/historical figure or as a metaphor for feminine strength and power. I hope that Raiven has an effective and eye-catching staging idea - I feel like the stage being almost in the round could be used to her strength.
ARTIST - Raiven
SONG - Veronika
WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Sara Briški Cirman, Bojan Cvjetićanin, Klavdija Kopina
The Albanian act and song was announced on December 22nd 2023 at the conclusion of the 62th "Festivali i Këngës". Although the winner of the festival was decided by the in-house jury, a separate phone vote was responsible for the act and song sent to Eurovision. Going to Malmö is Besa Kokëdhima with the song "Zemrën n'dorë" (Heart in hand)
Although born in the Albanian city of Fier, Besa spent some of her teen years in the United Kingdom. She released her first song in 2003 - a collaboration with the band Produkt 28 - and her debut self-titled album was released in 2006. As well as participating in many of the song festivals in Albania and the Balkans, Besa became a mentor on The Voice of Albania in 2016. In 2022, Besa released a song in French "En Equilibre" with a French language album potentially in the pipeline. This is not her first foray at Eurovision as Besa appeared in the 2009 edition of Selecţia Naţională in Romania reaching the semi-finals.
This composition is wholly in Albanian, had live accompaniment from the orchestra and extra vocal support from the off stage backing singers. The visual background had a fairy tale/space theme that doesn't 100% concur with the lyrics but does fit a loose lost and found narrative therein. Besa is alone on stage and is engaging to watch. This is a mid-tempo catchy pop song with some r&b qualities. Besa’s voice sounds very strong and clear throughout. The structure of the song is a little predictable at first but the staccato rhythms of the second verse keeps you on your toes. There is however a lot of dead air/long bridges which could be cut down or utilised more effectively. In particular the chorus has a great tune and is really very memorable. Repeating this more would be of benefit to the listener than instrumental breaks.
Besa performed her song twice during the festival - once in the semi final and once in the final. Her attire was extremely different both times and both memorable for very different reasons. Personally I liked the semi final outfit better as this really made a statement on stage. I liked the slicked back hair and the silver breastplate - one might even say this was a sexier take on Blanca Paloma last year. In terms of performance style, I feel Besa will need to connect much more down the camera and possibly not slip up on her dress during the performance! I don’t think this needs any more people on stage, apart from maybe some backing singers at the side. There has been some talk about a language change on the song as there is an English/Albanian demo of this song. Personally I feel like the song works as it is. Dual language versions can sometimes feel shoo-ed in and, as languages do not always structure the same, the tunes and hooks are lessened.
ARTIST - Besa
SONG - Zemrën n'dorë
WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Kledi Bahiti, Besa Kokëdhima, Rozana Radi
The Czech act and song was revealed on December 13th 2023 although the selection show "ESCZ" was broadcast on December 4th. There were two strands to the online vote: 70% International online voting and 30% Czech online voting. Going to Malmö is Aiko performing the song "Pedestal".
Aiko, the stage name of Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova, was born in Moscow but moved to Czechia as a child where she took singing lessons and started to play the guitar. She took part in the 2015 series of "Česko Slovenská SuperStar" where she made it to the semi-finals. In 2022 she won the 10th edition of the Radio Wave Czeching competition. She has performed in multiple festivals and has supported Alice Morton on tour. Aiko has also released 3 solo albums. She currently resides in Brighton on the south coast of the United Kingdom.
"Pedestal" is a pop-rock song focusing on themes of self-esteem and toxic relationships. Aiko is on stage with two instrumentalists and two female dancers all dressed in different black outfits - Aiko's cutaway catsuit is particularly memorable! The song has a good driving beat and a very shoutable chorus which gets the crowd going. Aiko and her dancers writhe and jump about the stage with a lot of attack which mirrors the immediacy of the backing track. The instrumental is also highlighted by thin red lights strobing in time with the music at the back of the platform. The stage at ESCZ was very small and basic and the fact they were able to do so much with such tight parameters might hint towards a heightened and more free performance on a bigger stage.
Aiko's win was not a big surprise as the song had gone down with fans when the songs were first released but the live show did raise some questions with the fandom. The performance on the ESCZ stage was a little chaotic: a full on dance routine with backing dancers, the encouragement of the crowd and the nerves and adrenalin of live tv all conspired to make her vocals rather shouty and breathy. A larger stage may also open the door to a much fuller stage show - including more dancers. More dancers or not, I feel Aiko's choreo could be made more gestural/positional. This would not only open the way to some memorable camera shots and silhouettes but also, more importantly, to save her voice. This entry has a lot of potential and, thanks to the early running of this national final, the team has plenty time to hone this into something stronger. Plans have already been laid out to improve the song - including making the song longer (it's currently 30-ish seconds short of 3 minutes) and making the song more impactful. I hope they do not interfere too much with the essence of the song as it does have a good core and a memorable spirit.
ARTIST - Aiko
SONG - Pedestal
WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Steven Ansell, Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova
The French act and song was revealed on November 8th 2023 - first via posts on social media, then with the première of the song during the France 2 news bulletin show "20h". The first song selected for Malmö is "Mon Amour" (My Love) sung by Slimane.
Slimane Nebchi is no newcomer to singing competitions: Nouvelle Star in 2009, X Factor in 2011 and Encore Une Chance in 2012 and season 2 of Je Veux Signer Chez AZ. In 2016 he won The Voice: la plus belle voix as part of Team Lorent Pagny. His discography includes multiple single releases as a solo or featured artist and 4 albums - all of which reached the top 10 in France, Wallonia and Switzerland. Days after his announcement as the 2024 French representative, Slimane won the NRJ award for best French-speaking male artist.
The song is a slow growing ballad sung entirely in French. During the premiere performance, Slimane is alone on a small pedestal amidst a slightly larger space. He is wearing a black outfit with a mirrored vest over the top. This is used to good effect later in the song as it creates swirling and swooshing effect against the lights as the song builds. Slimane's vocal is almost faultless and there us a lot of emotion behind the voice. Verse one begins in a soft voice with piano backing and by the final chorus there is a full orchestra and real power and urgency behind Slimane's vocals. In a short amount of time we get to hear the whole gamut of Slimane's range and vocal dexterity. The ending is, however, slightly unexpected and a slight let down given the how well the song has built up. This said, during his New Year Eve performance in front of a huge crowd in Paris, the song's construction was slightly different - including a longer intro and ending on a more powerful note. One of the benefits of declaring early is one can 'test out' versions of the song before declaring the specific version on March.
The video production is simple but effective and has a less frenetic "Voila" energy about it. There was a good balance between Slimane looking directly down the camera and performing outwardly to the hall. The sweeping shots made the song intimate and I can imagine the shots sweeping 360° so that the audience is also in view. This measured and commanding show proves that a good song and performer is absolutely enough to make a mark - something of quality needs very little extra to shine. On the other hand, the production could be made more memorable visually with an more honed stage or light show. I hope the objective of the song is not lost in any visual revamp but it may need more direction, especially taking into account the vastness of the Malmö stage and the fact that this entry is a one-man show.
ARTIST - Slimane
SONG - Mon Amour
WRITING/PRODUCTION CREDITS - Slimane Nebchi, Meïr Salah, Yaacov Salah
Many of you may know that I had my almost annual catch up with Steve Yabsley the day of the Eurovision Grand Final. The chat was great as the buzz of being at a home contest gave an extra dimension to the talk.
As you will hear there were some ideas we got spot on (Loreen v Käärijä) and some we were wildly wrong about (who *was* the special guest??!?!)
It was also a little sad as this was likely to be our last chat in the current format due to the BBC local radio cuts...
Rehearsals start this weekend, so it's time to get my ranking list out!
Many thanks to Mr Gerbear's ranking tool - https://esc.gerbear.com/sorter2023.htm - I've been able to judge all of the songs to put all the songs in order from best to worst (or in my case the other way round!) This is MY list and my reasons for liking/disliking songs is very personal. It is also not a prediction of what will do well - I gave up predicting LOOOOOONNNNGGGG AGO !!!!
37 SWITZERLAND Remo Forrer - Watergun
An interesting intro and a voice you don't expect from a lad like this BUT the lyrics are just cringe. Entering an anti-war song is a good idea (I agree) but one that repeats the words blood, guns, soldier and army is insensitive - especially to Ukrainians who may be watching ESC to get away from the horrors on their doorstep.. Plus the fact this song has been around for 3 years feels like a trite move. Yuk.
36 POLAND Blanka - Solo
The less we say about the validity of the national final that this won, the better. This song is not for the likes of me and I am sure all the top people online are busy tik tok-ing to this as I speak. Yeah... nothing says 'Poland' more than a a pretty white girl singing faux reggae. It also wouldn't be anywhere near so bad if she could actually sing live. The diaspora though may well be out in force to support this.
35 ARMENIA Brunette - Future lover
Another song that isn't designed for me. The lyrics are literally (and yes, I do actually mean literally) from tumblr and pintrest quotes and the rap in the middle seems rather out of place. The ending in Armenian is honestly the best bit. The video was thought up in a panic, hence the half-made clothes and I hope she can produce more than the one facial expression that she does in the video.
34 CYPRUS Christopher Lambrou - Break a broken heart
He is a nice enough singer, if you like your hunky leather-clad Australian men whingy and moody with hobbies such as singing in derelict buildings, swimming and having arguments with girlfriends. The falsetto bit goes on quite a bit and it does start to sound very moany very quickly. The song is OK but in the run of everything totally unforgettable. Greek/Aussie diaspora will be out in support.
33 GREECE Victor Vernicos - What they say
Victor is a young lad who seems to be very talented in his singer-songwriter/Ed Sheeran genre role but the video to this instils me with no confidence whatsoever that his personality will shine through. I think the song is actually quite pleasant, as is his voice, but this performance is too small and insular (unless they make this its selling point on stage) Nice, maybe too nice, for Eurovision this year.
32 ALBANIA Albina & familija Kelmendi - Duje
A nice ethnic ditty that unfortunately disappoints me every time I hear it because it always seems to be at a much slower tempo than I feel it should be. I love the idea of the song but needs a lot of work on the stage craft. Apart from the Albanian/Kosovan diaspora I have no idea who will like or get this. Am thinking this is what Albanian call centres play down the phone at you while you are waiting.
31 ISRAEL Noa Kirel - Unicorn
Another song that is not for me but can imagine the young things doing the rather unfortunate hand to head gesture on tiktok. Still don't know what 'powers' unicorns actually possess. A collection of bits - some that go together, some that don't - and a video where Noa looks like a millennial version of Imelda the Grange Hill bully if the show was remade today. Shoehorned Chanel rip-off dance break.
30 IRELAND Wild Youth - We are one
Many have been waiting for this band to do Eurovision but they have done so with one of the most nondescript songs of the whole contest. They have plenty of experience on stage and have a good idea of self image and could get the crowd on their side which will lift the song. Although I say nondescript, it is the kind of thing people expect from the contest so may get many middle-of-the-road votes.
29 CROATIA Let 3 - Mama ŠČ!
I feel sad this is so far down because I like this song! The outfits are outrageous and learning about their standing in the Ex-Yu music scene has been a hoot. They pull no punches (it is an anti-R*ssia song wrapped in an allegory) and will be a show to behold. The song is catchy, memorable and has an accompanying dance routine! My fear is it's too odd and too bizarre that people may misunderstand the concept.
28 AZERBAIJAN TuralTuranX - Tell me more
When I first heard this I was well unimpressed but over time its slightly naïve and quiet charm has come through. The tinges of Beatles/Britpop in the music makes it rather familiar even if the lyrics are not always 100% legible. The sounds they make are very nice, especially in those harmony parts. I am a little afraid this might go off-piste vocally and be a little timid performatively. Not expecting much from this.
27 ROMANIA Theodor Andrei - D.G.T (off and on)
I was a supporter of this song when revealed as a contender in its National Final. Theodor has a great voice and shows great showmanship in all of this performances - as well as having a identifiable style with the glasses and long hair. I did however have many issues with his NF performance which was over-sexualised and had lots of random props and dancers. I wish he could just sing and not faff about.
26 NETHERLANDS Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper - Burning Daylight
Really not sure where to start on this. When the song was released it got an ok reception but when it was discovered neither singer could sing this live, it went south. Then literally days before the contest, the song was changed into another key and given new instrumentation. The delegation and team behind this debacle should hang their heads in shame. Absolute shambles. Arcade has a lot to answer for.
25 DENMARK Reiley - Breaking my heart
The first minute of this song is not that bad, although I am not so fond of the falsetto stuff. The stop-start nature of the chorus, on first listen, really pricks your ears up but when the same presentation repeats on *every* chorus with no deviation it starts to feel very boring very quickly. I am also not that confident as to how this will be staged or how good, or how loud, his vocals will be compared to the backing track
24 SAN MARINO Piqued Jacks - Like an animal
This song and band has garnered a lot of unnecessary flack over the last few months and I am not so sure why. The start is quite bombastic, the chorus is memorable and the leads singers voice is really strong and can hit some quite epic notes. The lyrics go down the simile rabbit hole a little too deeply and do come across a bit cringe. Won't trouble the scoreboard but I hope they feel proud of their work.
23 LITHUANIA Monika Linkyte - Stay
I will never forgive them for not choosing Rūta MUR because it had ESC WINNER written all over it. Anyways, this song is a vocal masterclass, if not a little on the shouty side. Monika has a great tone and this songs shows off its many facets. The ending part is just a little too much and seems at odds with the very heartfelt "čiūto tūto" refrain with repeats throughout. Less is sometimes more.
22 SWEDEN Loreen - Tattoo
Yes. Very controversial. Almost definitely a top 5, if not winner of the whole thing. There is no doubt in Loreen's vocal ability and engagement with the song and the audience. The staging during Melfest was ground-breaking but for me the singer and staging were covering up the cracks in the songwriting. This is no "Euphoria", it's not even half of "Statements" and that is not good enough not this year or any year.
21 ITALY Marco Mengoni - Due Vite
Finally, a song that wins Sanremo that gets cut down to 3 minutes and actually works! Marco is a great singer and conveys this song with such emotion that juries and televoters will lap this up. My concern might be lack of engagement down the camera and going vocally OTT. For me it is a little bit too shouty near the end and I much prefer the bits with light and shade. PS: Madame was blatantly robbed .
20 SPAIN Blanca Paloma - EAEA
I am on a run of controversy. I am one of the biggest advocates for Spain's 1983 song of which this is its more appreciated cousin. This is unequivocally Spanish and Blanca's voice and stage presence is mesmerising and enchanting. However it is almost so artistic, so creative and so accomplished it is almost feels impenetrable and you almost start to feel indifferent and frrosy about the actual song.
19 PORTUGAL Mimicat - Ai coração
This is a lively, personality driven ditty with possibly the tightest group of dancers you'll see on the Eurovision stage this year. The whole thing has a relentless galloping rhythm which makes me want to clap along. Her voice, and the quickness of the lyrics, is a little off putting at times, keeping you on the back foot and I can also understand why many people think this is a chaotic, hot mess.
18 LATVIA Sudden Lights - Aijā
I am a sucker for 5/4... This is one of many songs this year that has a lot of chops and changes. The verses are in 5/4 time and have a lowkey trip hop vibe while the chorus has a waltz feel and and has a slower pace. To top it all off they start singing in Latvian. Unlike other arty entries, this feels accessible. As much as this really appeals to me, I am not expecting this to be troubling the scoreboard.
17 GERMANY Lord of the Lost - Blood & glitter
For once, Germany are sending something synonymous with their music scene, or at least the scene Germany are known for worldwide. In addition this style of music is welcomed and has a history at Eurovision. The song has peaks and troughs, light and shade and the singer's voice is versatile. This has life, personality and will stand out a mile. Nice to listen to but singing along might be a health risk.
16 NORWAY Alessandra - Queen of Kings
There was a time that this was in my top 5 but over time it has slowly slid down. This song has a real power and strength and Alessandra's vocal moves from the shouty bits to the whistle tone effortlessly. The staging and costuming in the national final was very well put together, but the dancers need to throw out the light up sticks asap. Maybe I've heard and seen this so much I'm getting to used to its force.
15 ICELAND Diljá - Power
This is a great little song that has a fun p-p-p-party vibe to it. Diljá seems like a very fun person and her voice has a very unusual tone to it - I don't think many people could sing this song the way she does. She also follows the 'less is more' staging etiquette and the way she moves around the stage is really unique and feels really authentic to herself and the song. I just hope she can fill a really big stage in May.
14 FRANCE La Zarra - Évidemment
To my ears this feels French in a nostalgic way. Although Dua Lipa-esque, this song takes notes from the French dance scene of the 90s & 00s with the low key background and string-filled orchestration but also nods towards the original European 70s disco bangers. La Zarra has a slightly aloof stage presence which suits the song but could come across as a bit snooty by people who do not get her schtick.
13 GEORGIA Iru - Echo
As fans, this song has been dissected beyond belief and yes the lyrics are absolute nonsense and poppycock. However, the once a year crowd won't care and will just see that this girl can dominate the stage, sing with power and has the confidence of a strutting peacock. Moreover, being in the category of "Weird Georgia" I am expecting a staging masterclass in "over the top-ness". I have my popcorn ready.
12 UKRAINE Tvorchi - Heart of steel
Ukraine could have re-entered the fray with a copycat of last year's winner or some kind of war/peace ballad, but they didn't. Instead they are defending their title with an R&B banger with a thumping baseline and lyrics extolling the power of people, whoever and wherever they may be. Jeffrey's voice is so cool and emotional while the staging at the NF was innovative albeit inside a metro station.
11 UNITED KINGDOM Mae Muller - I wrote a song
This song has been a bit of a grower - a bit like Mae's confidence through the pre-parties! The chorus is extremely earwormy and catchy and automatically makes you sing along. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much energy she has on stage and this song really makes her personality shine through. I just hope the nerves and adrenaline are kept in check when she comes on last in the final!
10 ESTONIA Alika - Bridges
There are not many out-and-out simple ballads this year and for this reason this just stands out for me. Not normally the style of song I would go for but Alika has an engaging stage presence, clear diction and a strong vocal. I am also glad she is bringing the self playing piano with her! Unfortunately, I fear that the personality of this song may get forgotten in the semifinal and may not proceed.
09 CZECHIA Vesna - My sister's crown
Wasn't my fave in the NF but its message was clear to see and hear. The fact this is a girl group automatically makes it stands out and the use of multiple languages will engage a wide audience. Their performances in the pre-parties improved over time and I hope they've been working on their stage show. It is nerve wracking as Czechia has a terrible televote history. This is too good not to qualify.
08 AUSTRALIA Voyager - Promise
This has probably been the biggest grower for me this year. When I first heard it I was overwhelmed/confused by the genre(s), sections and characters in the band. However what you cannot deny is that this group have such confidence and sense of self as well as great technical playing the writing ability that it is just uplifting, catchy song. Honestly, the 40-somethings are coming for the crown!
07 MOLDOVA Pasha Parfeni - Soarele și luna
Following on from the success of GO_A in 2020/2021, this lovely ditty takes folk and ethnic sensibilities, adds a pulsating dance beat and a catchy as hell flute break.. The addition of 100% Romanian lyrics adds to its power and mysticism and I am hoping the staging from the NF can be added upon but not changed too much. Less of a crazy entry but very much idiosyncratic. This needs votes!
06 SLOVENIA Joker Out - Carpe Diem
These boys spotted a trick by releasing their Slovenian pop-rock song so early on in the Eurovision calendar. The group garnered a lot of support (and free publicity) when there was very little else around. It is a catchy number with guitar earworms, a memorable tune a tight band and a singer who always sings this song well. Again, I have concerns as to who will vote for this to get into Saturday's final.
05 SERBIA Luke Black - Samo mi se spava
After last year's distinctive effort, this number follows on and reeks of style and identity as well as being almost nostalgic of that closed-off, isolating, lockdown sentiment. The odd industrial sounds in the backing track are eerie and disturbing which totally chimes with the zombie computer characters sharing the stage with Luke. I hope the staging stays the same and he can bust his moves with precision.
04 BELGIUM Gustaph - Because of you
For those of us who experienced the 90's dance scene, this feels uber nostagic and comes from a place of experience, comfort and positivity. Gustaph's win in the NF was a shock for some (it really should not have been) and even if this song isn't a favourite you cannot help but want to move to this track. Gustaph knows what he is doing and will be a master of the stage with his friends on stage backing him.
03 AUSTRIA Teya & Salena - Who the hell is Edgar?
Oh, the confusion when parts of this song were leaked to the fandom. But this song proves you should not judge a book by its cover. This reaction also reinforced the song's message about the inequalities of being a musician, especially a female one. This expertly balances biting statements about the music industry with the status of a bona fide bop. If you get it, it works - if you don't, it still works. Bravo ladies!
02 MALTA The Busker - Dance (our own party)
Moldova meets Iceland meets Georgia in the most unlikely of places. When you see or hear a song that talk to you, you cannot help but feel part of the song. I really do feel better in my sweater... Not only is the chorus catchy, it has a dance routine and the staging is frenetic which reflects that panicky sense one might have in an uncomfortable social setting (i.e. most of life). Nice 8-bit animation and on screen title cards!
01 FINLAND Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha
This fuses so much that should not go together: industrial wooden pallets, an Incredible Hulk bolero jacket, monotonous verse, shouty chorus, the change to a schalger song half way though, pink ballroom dancers and what I call the 'northern crab' dance. Granted, this song relies A LOT on backing vocals (this is a performance NOT a vocal masterclass) and audience participation and reaction but when it ends you just want MOAR!
Now you know how I feel do you want to hear them all for yourself?
Here is the official complication clip video - let me know what your faves are!
Welcome one and all to this year's batch of "Shite or Alright" podcast reviews with Andy and Ann!!!
Scroll down to the bottom of this post to find our podcasts - we are hoping to add a podcast to the list every 3 days-ish so come back soon if the next episode has not yet 'dropped'.
In preparation for this year's contest I thought I would write a longer foreword regarding the set up and make up of this year's contest. See this a 'laying of the land' when it comes to the technical bits of the show as well as planting some seeds for you casual watchers out there - especially in the UK - to take notice of this year's show and maybe have someone to support!
This year, Eurovision is rocking up in Ann's home town of Liverpool after the UK were asked to host the contest on behalf of last year's winners Ukraine. Unlike many of the bidding cities, Liverpool has a twin city in Ukraine - Odessa to be precise. Liverpool is an underdog city, a city with an independent attitude, a city that has had to rise from the ashes several times, plus we know how to party! Liverpool is quite literally a city of culture (having held the European title in 2008) but is also the unofficial home of pop music. Many fans will be touring the city to find some of the famous sights and sounds of its musical heritage such as the Cavern, Eric's, The Jacaranda, LIPA and the numerous statues around the city heralding its musical alumni.
Although Scousers and Merseysiders were welcoming about their city hosting many Eurofans had reservations about the choice of venue. The Liverpool Arena was one of the smaller stadia on the provisional list and, when you factor in the stage size and the situation of the green room in the arena, many were not happy at the reduced capacity the hall could hold - resulting reduced ticket numbers available for the live shows. That, twinned with the extravagant price of the tickets and the equally extravagant price of accommodation and/or transport, meant many seasoned Eurovision visitors were left empty handed; facing the fact that going to a contest in their own country was just not a viable option. In a positive move, reminding all that this is Ukraine's party being held in our house, a portion of the tickets for all 9 live shows, were set aside especially for displaced Ukrainians.
There is a slightly reduced number of entries in this year's contest - 37 to be precise - partly down to the ejection of R*ssia and B*larus from the EBU over the war in Ukraine, and funding deficits for the delegations of Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Maybe they will come back again soon...? In other background news, there has been a concerted effort to get Andorra back into the fold although RTVA still cite 'financial difficulties' as a barrier for coming back. Monaco has also had a renewed interest due to the start up of a new TV channel in the principality "Monte-Carlo Riviera TV" which may (or may not) lend itself to broadcasting the contest. There are always stories and rumours about Luxembourg, Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey returning, although the recent rule change concerning voting in the semi-finals may well be a 'virtue signal' to the latter as voting concerns led to them exiting after the 2012 contest. News of a number of voting changes to come later!!!
As for the make up of this year's contest, it is really quite an interesting mix, with an increased proportion of groups taking to the contest. This could reflect the wins of Måneskin and Kalush Orchestra over the past 2 years but could also be an interesting side glance at the rules regarding backing vocals on tape. Although extra dancers have been "the norm" for many years to bump up stage numbers, many viewers see value in band members singing or dancing - or neither - but are interacting authentically on stage. It will also be interesting to see how certain delegations use the stage. Will they stay on the full stage further back from the audience taking advantage of the LED screen OR will they use the large island right next to the fans OR will delegations make use of both, using the catwalk between the two?
We have a number of returnees to this year's show: the most famous and most anticipated contestant we have is 2012 winner Loreen who will be once again representing Sweden. Also from that year, Pasha Parfeni is once again singing for Moldova. Italy's Marco Mengoni was their singer in 2013 and Monika Linkytė was half of Lithuania's act in 2015. Gustaph, the Belgian singer, was twice a 'hidden' backing singer in 2018 and 2021 and Georgia's Iru was a member of the group Candy who won jESC in 2011. Although he will not be visible on stage, Duncan Laurence, who won ESC in 2019, was partially responsible for putting together the 2023 Dutch act and co-wrote their entry.
When it comes to languages at this year's contest, English is still the primary focus. 9 songs this year are wholly performed in a language other than English and an additional 5 with a mixture of English and other(s). I find this a little odd considering that 3 of the last 6 Eurovision winning songs have not been in English and one other winner had a chorus not in English. When it comes to genres, there is a glut of rock inspired songs - many of which come from the groups category. There is is also plenty of ethnic & folksy sounds, radio-friendly tunes, fun numbers, and a handful of songs that look fairly innocuous from the outside but on further inspection pack a hefty political punch.
Finally there are some small, yet significant, changes to the voting procedures. Now that we have got used to the full jury and full televote scores being announced separately in the final there are some changes to the voting in the two semi-finals. For the last few years the voting the the SF has been worked out the same as the final but this year the semi finals will be televote scores ONLY! Although I suspect this has been done to ensure that more viewer-friendly songs/acts get through to the final, I can also see a situation where an act landslides the semi but is then held back almost by a more tepid jury vote (or even vice versa).
The other change to the scoring is, for many watchers of Eurovision, a nod to the fact that the show is truly a worldwide event. Over the last few years during Junior Eurovision, technology has been available to enable people from anywhere in the world to cast votes online. For the first time EVER those viewers watching the final from a non-participating country can now have a say. There will be a 38th televote score added into the mix - a 'rest of the world' vote - which will be amalgamated with the other 37 participating countries televote scores and distributed at the end of the show. You never know, these extra 58 points may well be the difference between a delegation winning or losing!
Well, that's my introduction done and dusted - now all that's left to do is review some of the actual songs and acts !!!!
EPISODE ONE: Jon Ola Sand's SQUID GAME
Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Latvia, Sweden and Ukraine!
EPISODE TWO: A life bowl Austria, Cyprus, Iceland,
Romania, Serbia and Spain! Does she keep the same phone number for every
show? They were going to eat him alive Part of a longer musical I never want to see Bluey characters appearing at Eurovision Look at me – I can swim!!! Feels like a sketch by Ellie & Natasia I'd like it a little more Loïc
