THE NETHERLANDS 2021

The Dutch song was released on March 4th, with a live performance on youtube followed by a press conference and Q&A session. Jeangu Macrooy who had been internally selected to represent The Netherlands last year was reselected again for 2021 edition. The song he will sing is "Birth of a new age".

Although the reveal was done using a live band and choir, I will also use the video performance to judge the song's potential. In the live show Jeangu is front and centre wearing uniquely cut white and silver suit and his hair tried back. Behind him are a band, and behind them a line of backing singers. Behind them is a video screen which comes up with some of the lyrics they are singing. The staging is generally dark and blueish in tone but as the song nears the end the backdrop and light show is injected with all colours of the spectrum. The video version takes place in what looks like a marble palace and is really a celebration of his home culture, with symbols of water, fire and some great dancing. It also uses an injection of colour during the final part of the song to mirror the change in backing track.

The verses are rather meaty and create a steady build up to the euphoric chorus. The verse is uniquely crafted with Jeangu singing s line then the "your rhythm is rebellion" chant as a kind of call and response. This then ends with Jeangu putting a full stop at the end of the part with the name of the song. The backing track softens to just a single repetitive piano note while the choir and Jeangu sing the chorus which is in Sranantongo - an English based creole language from Suriname. The beat comes back in and the rhythm of the verses begins again but instead of going into another chorus a carnival type percussion starts up as Jeangu sings the bridge. In the final rendition of the chorus the beat stays in and is much more full and optimistic than the first time round.

Jeangu is originally from Suriname, came to live in the Netherlands in 2014 and has had a recording career since 2016. Although not the most high profile singer in terms of sales, he regularly played the club scene in The Netherlands and was a supporting artist to singers on tours abroad, However he was probably more famous in his adopted lasnd as a regular contributor to the recently wound-up Dutch show "De Wereld Draait Door" which saw him showcasing his own music along with covers. Also, his twin bother, is in his backing band!

First of all this song shows off a different part of Jeangu's style compared to "Grow" from last year although I must admit his 2020 entry was a much 'easier' listen than this. The song is obviously inspired by Jeangu's home country and culture as well as touching on themes of colonialism and the Black Lives Matter movement. Eurovision fans always embrace a brand new language to the contest! I have to be honest and say I was slightly bewildered if not taken aback by the the live performance. There was A LOT going on and felt like a lot to take in. Afterwards I did not feel at all positive about how this would be perceived. However the studio version is much more polished and sonically full. Putting both parts of these two performance - the live vocals and the studio based backing track - there is no doubt this is going to be a moment of the night. That said, I think this song may churn up quite the debate (before and during the contest) about how political a song it is. This is going to be a strong performance on the night and the host country will be pulling out all the available stops to sell this. Not sure if this is a winner but it is a solid and individual host entry. 

ARTIST - Jeangu Macrooy
SONG -Birth of a new age
WRITING CREDITS - Jeangu Macrooy, Pieter Perquin 

ROMANIA 2021

The Romanian song was released on March 4th, via the Eurovision youtube channel. Roxen, who had been internally selected to represent Romania last year was reselected after the cancellation of Eurovision 2020. Unlike last year, where her song was chosen in a national final, this year's entry was internally selected. Her song is called "Amnesia"

The video takes place in a theatre although I don't think this particularly adds anything to the song or performance but does feel quite apt at a time where performances like this just aren't allowed. Roxen has long back hair and is wearing a dark green hoodie and black & grey trousers. Later in in the performance she changes into a slightly more intricate black jacket and trousers but if you are not paying attention you can easily miss the change! She is on stage with a number of dancers in a kind of grey/beige colour who really accentuate the rhythm and meaning of the song.

After a very minimal intro, Roxen joins in. After a very brief verse the build up to chorus begins. There is then a pre-chorus before the chorus. Unfortunately this part is highly processed with very obvious auto tuning which doesn't fill you with utmost confidence in either her or the song. We then have another cycle of verse/pre-chorus/chorus before a bridge focussing on the 'self love' part of the song before a final rendition of the chorus. The backing track is rather atmospheric and ethereal and only really the beat changes in the different parts of the song. Also, from looking at the lyrics sheet, it starts to feel like the verses are a little bit of an after thought as they take up so little of the running time and the chorus build up and finish lasts 45 seconds on it's own - and takes up almost 2 minutes of the song on its own.

Roxen is a relative newcomer to the music business but has already had three top 3 songs in her homeland, with two of those being in Romanian rather than English. Most of her songs have been in the genre of deep house although she has sung a range of different tempos. Possibly due to her age, she has also been compared to Billie Eilish, and her 2020 entry definitely backed that ideal up. However last last year she duetted with Alexander Rybak on the song "Wonderland".

As much as Roxen's 2020 entry was lyrically poor it did at least have flow, rise & fall and character ,this to me feels very one note. The use of autotune makes no sense whatsoever as it won't be used when live plus the production style and quick lyrics in the chorus almost make it unintelligible. As much as the song is about mental health and self worth, it starts to com across as moody and wallowing in the feelings rather than having any optimism or hope. That said I do enjoy the video and as much as I would adore Roxen to do something like this at Eurovision I don't think her voice would stand such a physical pounding. For a song called "Amnesia", it certainly leaves your head rather quickly....

ARTIST - Roxen
SONG - Amnesia
WRITING CREDITS - Victor Bourosu, Adelina Stinga

BELGIUM 2021

The Belgian song was released on March 4th, with its first play on MNM a Belgian radio station, followed by releases on online sites. Hooverphonic, who had been internally selected to represent Belgium last year were confirmed to be the representatives in 2021 just after the cancellation of the 2020 edition. Their new song is called "The Wrong Place"

The video is rather dramatic if not quite scary. We see Geike, the lead singer, out with her lover but then seemingly unhappy and showing contrition for her actions andthe man involved. Suddenly the view of her turns into something like a Miss Havisham character in a rather spooky candlelit house and dressed as a bride. She is later seen waving guns around then next thing his decapitated head is seen singing along with the song.

It starts with a steady beat and doesnt take long for the lyrics to come in. The tune is very repetitive and slightly monotonous which works as a short part of the whole song. Geike's vocals are low, almost spoken, and feels a little bit angry. The bridge leading up to the chorus is much lighter in tone and really helps bring the verses and chorus together. The chorus is also repetitive and monotone but seems a little more upbeat until the last line about the 'Johnny Cash t-shirt'. The title of the song is then repeated a few times before reverting back to the verse. After another slightly different pre-chorus, we end with a final chorus but this time the name of the song is repeated several times before suddenly ending on the Johnny Cash line again.

Hooverphonic have been stalwarts of the Flemish music scene since the mid nineties with songs ranging from trip hop, electronica and indie pop. When they came to Eurovision last year, it was with their new lead singer Luka, however they rubbed a few fans the wrong way when they seemingly refused to take part in any of the "Europe shine a light" programming. Then a few months later, it was revealed that Luka had been re placed as lead singer by previous frontwoman Geike Arnaert which also took many fans by surprise.

Compared with their 2020 song this has a little more character. Although the song has a lot of repetition and maybe lacks the tunefulness of other entries, it is very memorable. The song on paper reminds me of  the mundane lyrics of Brit pop era songs and I also think the tune could easily hark back to that era or even remixed to reflect this. The main sticking point I have with the song is whether it is a song people will actively go and vote for. I don't have that call to arms or sense of  'support me!' that other entries have. Personally I was hoping for something a little bit more individual and upbeat - which they can do. I feel this will be a relatively easy song to perform live and am intrigued to see what ideas they have up their sleeves when it comes to stagecraft.

ARTIST - Hooverphonic
SONG - the Wrong Place
WRITING CREDITS - Alex Callier, Charlotte Foret

SLOVENIA 2021

The Slovenian song was released on February 27th, hosted by Lea Sirk and Nejc Šmit via a special edition of EMA. The act selected to represent Slovenia in 2020, Ana Soklič, was reselected way back in May and preparations were made to internally select a song for her. The song she will sing is "Amen" 

Ana sings the song in a studio. The stage is dark apart from horizonal lines of changing colour that accentuates the space of the room, Ana is stood alone in a creamy white outfit with a kind of side-shoulder cape going on. Her eye make up is quite dark and her hair is down with a sort of slicked back wet look going on. Near the end of the song flames appear from the floor and the stage turns from a dark blue of a red glow. The camera is doing most of the movement as Ana stays pretty much rooted to the spot.

The song starts off with Ana singing low and gently over a piano backing Her voice is quite different and much sassier than her ballad from last year. There is then a brief pause at the backing gathers together into a kind of atmospheric white noise which some backing singers in the background. we then go back to the verses but this time with piano and a very unusual beat. The backing singers also join in the end of here which leads a little more seamlessly into another chorus where the choir continues to sing. The bridge starts off small but the choir helps build up the song into another final chorus with a rather awkward key change. In this last chorus the choir is very prominent as is the drum beat which gives it quite the gospel feel which given some of the religious lyrics is not incongruitous. The backing then kind of gets sucked away so only the piano is left and we have a reprise of the opening line to end.

Ana began her musical career as part of the outfit Diona Dimm and had a number of unsuccessful attempt to enter Eurovision. There was some hope that she may be able to make her career lift of with a move to Sweden but it did not work out. She made a bit of a comeback in 2012 by entering Slovenian X Factor. After Eurovision was cancelled in 2021 RTV Slovenija quickly re-installed her as their representative in 2021.

For me the verses are the star of this song. I quite like the slightly lower register tone of Ana's voice which with the piano backing gives the song a more jazzy feel. The chorus feels too much of a contrast, I almost want the song to get bigger through each step rather than alternating between styles. In particular I find the key change from the bridge into  final chorus a bit of an assault on the senses and is almost too much . Also the title of the song is hidden right at the end of the verses in her lower register and is easily missed. In Eurovision terms there is a reason why the title 'Hallelujah' might be slightly frowned upon but here are several other potential titles they could have had, such as "Hey Child" Personally I much preferred her song from last year to this. I loved the Slovenian language in that song and I like the understated way she sang it. "Voda" grew on you whilst "Amen" wanes very quickly. It starts to come across as a bit affected as I she's trying to put too much into a song that really isn't that good.

ARTIST - Ana Soklič
SONG - Amen
WRITING CREDITS - Charlie Mason, Žiga Pirnat, Ana Soklič, Bojan Simončič

IRELAND 2021

The Irish song was revealed on February 26h, via its premier play on the radio channel 2FM and then its first performance on The Late Late Show later that evening. Back in December RTE revealed that their 2020 representative, Lesley Roy, had been selected again for 2021. Her song is called "Maps" 

Lesley's video is all filmed outside. Through different parts of the song she is running through forests and scrubland and singing in clearings. There are plenty of action shots but also lots of views, especially from the air. Being the Irish countryside, it's not all bright cloudless skies, sunlit shadows and long shots of the horizon - this is much more gritty. Although the colour palette is muted, it still shows a charm and strength which kind of goes arm in arm with the heart of the song. It ends with Lesley looking out onto a windswept beach. 

This song follows a much more conventional song structure compared to some of the songs I have already reviewed this Eurovision. There is a short string led intro which sets up up for the really full backing track about to hit us. We have a verse/prechorus/chorus repeated twice which takes us easily to just before the 2 minute mark. The verses have a steady beat accentuated by the odd sprinkling of strings, as the prechorus comes in the galloping drum beat gathers pace and volume and song starts to fill out. During the chorus the backing track feels like a wall of noise and accentuates the optimistic and positive outlook of the song. At the end of the song we have a bridge which helps lower the pace, change the rhythm before one last chorus.

Lesley has been in the business since 2008 when she released her solo album "Unbeautiful" with some success in America. However from here she changed tack and focused more on song writing for other artists, including a song on Adam Lambert's "Trespassing" album. Lesley's song for Eurovision 2020 had many fans, having had a Katy Perry-esque vibe to it. After the contest was cancelled she kept up her online profile with the Eurovision community and many were relieved to see that she had been reselected again.

I am pleased to see that Lesley has gone in a slightly different direction from last year and this song seems a lot more emotional and positive in a kinder but unconventional way. "Story of my life" was not one of my personal favourites and so the bar was low in order to better it this time round. The galloping drum beats during the chorus is a really simple and effective way to make the song stand out as well as giving it a real primal urge. I also hope that the sights of Ireland from the video are used somehow in the backdrop as it ties in really well with the song. Obviously we have not seen her sing the song live yet - and her first public performance of her 2020 did not go very well - but I think she will be less nervous this time around and she will know that a lot of people around the world are supporting her this time round.

ARTIST - Lesley Roy
SONG - Maps
WRITING CREDITS - Emelie Eriksson, Lukas Hällgren, Lesley Roy, Philip Strand

GERMANY 2021

The German song was revealed on February 25h, via is premier play on the main channel Das Erste. Earlier this month it was revealed that Jendrik Sigwart had been internally selected to be their representative. The song he will be singing is called "I don't feel hate"

The video centres around Jendrik and his friends in different situations and the reactions to the different predicaments. The clip is very colourful and full of jumpily edited clips, slo-mo or sped up sequences and zooming in & out. Jendrik and his pals are in a launderette and the clip recreates their friends' past situations. Even though they may be in a caravan or night club or café, the washing machines are a clear reminder that they are all really still in the laundrette.

The song begins with the chorus aided only by the ukulele and a slight beat. After such a quiet starts in comes the big brassy postchorus instrumental which is very brash and in your face. We then have another chorus, this time with slightly more instruments in the backing track and smashes right into the brassy instrumental. This is followed by verse 2 which is slightly longer than the first but keeps the same happy carefree vibe. Then follows a rather lengthy instrumental break including a lull in the backing track so you can hear his tap dancing (but will that be in the actual performance though...?) This leads up to a longer version of the chorus with a little bit of Jendrik free styling and being a bit more free with the tune and lyrics. This then leads into one last brassy instrumental to a truncated brassy part to finish.

Although Jendrik has studied and performed music since he was young, this song is his first major foray in the music business. He studied musicals at university and performed in many musicals during this time. However it was his foray into youtube that got him a following and the opportunity to write and publish his own work there. This experience has also help him gain a following and hone his craft.

This song is VERY divisive - but this is no bad thing. It is hellishly memorable and gets in your ear whether you love it or hate it. The whole production is rather non-stop. You can tell he has had experience in making internet clips as the constantly changing sound and visuals keep you on your toes and is definitely geared to a younger demographic. I find this song VERY hard to call and my opinion of it changes on a daily basis. Just as I get used to one part of the song I find that the shift to the next part too jarring. I also worry that his stage show is going to be so active and OTT that his vocals - which are already very fast - will suffer. This all said and done his interaction and video content throughout this process has been really enjoyable and his participation in this year's contest will inject some much needed light relief.

ARTIST - Jendrik Sigwart
SONG - I don't feel hate
WRITING CREDITS - Christoph Oswald, Jendrik Sigwart

CYPRUS 2021

The Cypriot song was revealed on February 24h, via is premier play on CyBC’s show “Happy Hour”. Back in November, CyBC announced that they would not be reselecting their 2020 artist and Elena Tsagrinou would be representing Cyprus. Her song is called "El diablo" (The Devil)

During the video clip Eleni is  in a very simple black room which is very dimly lit. There is a fair bit of strobing and spotlights but nothing too obvious. She is wearing a long-sleeved silver top and a kind of spangly loin cloth. She sings along with the track while doing a very full on and intense dance routine. During the last minute she is joined by some body painted men who join in their Elena's routine as well as lifting her up at the end. There are also some shots of her in a flesh coloured outfit but appears to be trapped inside some cling film as well as some crudely inserted advertising spots.

The song starts very serene and flat with a very subdued shortened chorus. The backing track starts pulsating and becomes more electronic through the verse. The tune here is very monotone, almost spoken apart from one line in the middle. The prechorus is almost acappella and has melodic and quiet feel before the track bursts in with the power of the chorus where the tune is very simple and repetitive. This pattern is then repeated which gets to 3/4 of the way through the song. Next we have a short bridge which is a choir of children singing "I love el diablo" which turns the mood of the song a little bit sinister and then we have one more turn of the chorus before the name of the song is whispered at the very end.

Elena first came into the public eye as a contestant on the Greek "Got Talent" show as a teenager. She started her music career as the singer with the group OtherView before she went solo in 2016.  Most of her back catalogue is Greek language music however she has had some English material. She has also balanced her music career with TV presenting and coaching with "The two of us" and "The Voice Greece".

It is very obvious that Cyprus has found a bit of a groove concerning Greek female performers singing Latino inspired bangers. But sometimes that groove can feel more like a trench and at some point you are not going to get out of it. Although the song is not as identical as the Fuego/Replay comparison you certainly feel some kind of similarity - possibly to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance". On a positive note the fact that this has become a bit of the "Cyprus at Eurovision" identity now, this might make it more memorable- not to mention standing out compared to some of the more synthy songs out there. What concerns me is that the song sounds highly processed and that a live version may sound rather weak. That said I am sure they will be using the pre-recorded vocals to their advantage and balancing the dance routine a little more. Personally I am not quite sure what this brings to the table as I think I am ready for Cyprus to do something different. I need them to surprise me now.

ARTIST - Elena Tsagrinou
SONG - El Diablo (The devel)
WRITING CREDITS - Laurell Barker, OXA, Thomas Stengaard, Jimmy "Joker" Thornfeldt

SPAIN 2021

The Spanish Final (Destino Eurovisión 2021) was held on February 20th, hosted by Tony Aguilar & Julia Varela. The act selected to represent Spain in 2020, Blas Cantó, sang both songs and the winner was chosen by televoting & online voting which started on February 10th. The winning song was "Voy a quedarme" (I am going to stay)

Blas is alone on stage, dressed in black with his famous quiff. The stage starts off dark and smoke filled. An eclipse is captured on the video screen and as the song progresses we see the moon  which then becomes very bright. Below him lights come through this video floor possible mirroring the eclipse feature or maybe even to replicate the starry sky surrounding the moon. If anything a little bit more light on his face would be good and/or more longer close-ups.

The song unusually starts off acapella. This is an audacious way to start off the song as it could easily go awry with nerves or maybe even ear piece issues. However Blas shows great control and confidence and paves the way for the rest of the song. The backing track comes as the pre chorus commences although the backing in the chorus is still rather minimal and string led. At the end of the first chorus there is a shuddering moment where the beat, although slow, comes in under the song During the second prechorus/chorus backing vocalist become more prominent - and also rather annoying. Their constant ba-ba-ba-ing continues through the bridge and the last rendition of the chorus. The songs culmination ends just before the end of the chorus and concludes with Blas singing the last line in a similar way to how he began.

He has had a varied and successful career in his homeland. In his early days he even auditioned for Junior Eurovision, losing out to the eventual winner of the contest, Maria Isobel. He then had hits as part of the boyband Auryn and then has had a pretty successful solo career since they disbanded. His solo career has included some notable duets and collaborations as well as music in English as well as Spanish. He has appeared on my TV shows as a guest or as a participant and seems to be well thought of by those in the industry.

This is a really sweet ballad and Blas sings this sweetly and with real belief - even for those not able to understand a word of Spanish. The simplistic set up of the show suits the song although as we know the Spanish delegation have a bad habit of ruining perfectly good staging ideas. This is one they need to leave well well alone! In terms of the song, I would personally lose or quieten the backing singers as their monotonous ba-ba-ba-ing is extremely annoying and doesn't fit with the tone of the song, I might even be tempted to make a version even more string led and possibly hush the beat a little until the bridge. Compared to his 2020 entry this is a total step up. It has a great melody that you remember and recall straight away and suits Blas' voice to a tee without being too yodel-tastic. The song feels much more authentic and less faux-dramatic that "Universo" and I actually think this could cut through the chaos and busy-ness and be a nice oasis of calm in the final. 

ARTIST - Blas Cantó
SONG - Voy a quedarme (I am going to stay)
WRITING CREDITS - Blas Cantó, Dan Hammond, Dangelo Ortega, Leroy Sanchez

NORWAY 2021

The Norwegian Final (Melodi Grand Prix) was held on February 20th at the H3 Arena in Fornebu, Bærum, hosted by Silje Nordnes, Ronny Brede Aase & Kåre Magnus Bergh. 12 songs contested the final - the 5 semi final winners, 1 wild card and 6 preselected finalists, The winner, chosen by online and app in a number of different rounds, was TIX with the song "Fallen Angel" .

TIX is centre stage on a small circular plinth. He is dressed in gold urban clothing, gold jewellery, sunglasses, his customary TIX headband and a pair of wings (hence the title). He is joined on stage by 6 dancers who are also wearing wings but with horn type headdresses.  The dancers and TIX are connected by gold chains which are used in the choreography. The stage is mainly dark with a changing blue sky on the video screens and has the addition of some pryos near the end.

After a short intro, TIX starts with verse one which is very short and simplistic. Unusually the beat kicks in half way through the verse which makes your ears prick up a little. The beat then stops again for the build up to the chorus. This stop/start/stop motif continues on through the song, although annoying, does maintain your interest as you are never quite sure what is going to happen next. We then have verse two followed by an extended version of the chorus. We are then treated to a bridge, which repeats the name of the song and then we have another longer chorus preceded by a key change! The song then fades out just the way it faded in with the intro.

TIX is the alter ego of  Andreas Haukeland, and has been rather big in his homeland for the past 5 years. He has had numerous hits in Norway including two number one songs in 2020, however the majority of this success has been in the Norwegian language. In fact, in his premier performance of the song during the competition he sang this song in it's Norwegian form but changed it to the English version for the final. Internationally, he has also had a hand in writing prominent songs for Flo Rida and Ava Max. His styling is rather OTT and harks back to a kind of boyband over-confidence of the late 90s/early 2000s and seem very lavish and slightly up himself. This is is direct contrast to Andreas who has himself been open about his Tourettes and his mental heath.

The thing about this whole entry is, that on the face of it, it quite a tired - almost clichéd - type of song and singing style... and I'm not even talking about in Eurovision terms either! The whole visual production of the song makes it feel like it is a pastiche or a mickey take of this genre of  song. Taking it a step further it then also feels like it is parodying the contest itself. This all said and done, the song is not bad and is actually quite easy to get in your head. To that matter I feel that if this was a radio contest this would do very well. Once again I feel like this is very over produced and most of the time I couldn't tell where his voice was in the mix as the level of backing vocals was so high. As much as I would implore the team on this entry to rethink the staging and just tone it down a touch, I have a feeling this won't be happening. 

ARTIST - TIX
SONG - Fallen Angel
WRITING CREDITS - Andreas Haukeland, Mathias Haukeland, Emelie Hollow

FINLAND 2021

The Finnish Final (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) was held on February 20th at Mediapolis in Tampere, hosted by Antti Tuisku. The winner was chosen by telephone/app voting (75%) & an international jury (25%). The overwhelming victor was "Dark side" sung by the alternative rock band Blind Channel.

The staging for this is dark, shadowy and full of flashing lights. The band are dispersed about the stage - the drummer and keyboard player at the back, two guitarists at the sides and the main vocalists moving about the the front. They are all wearing different sorts of black outfits  and sporting a range of different hair styles and lengths. Behind on the video screen are close ups of the band members but they are all upside down (and it is PROPERLY upside down, not just the film being turned 180 - you can tell by their hair!) This is a very simple but effective of keeping the mind bending and unsettling feeling of the song through to the viewer.

The song starts off with a sinister pulsing beat and then bursts in with a strong guitar-led wall of sound with what is a shortened version of the chorus/post-chorus. The verse is more akin to a kind of Linkin Park-esque rap with a strong rock background with a lot of rise and fall in the background music. We return rather quickly to the chorus but this time a slightly longer version which doesn't seem quite as punchy as before. There is then another verse and another chorus in prety much similar style as before. At about 2 mins in we have a brief lull in proceedings with a sort of bridge which is delivered quite low and whispery and leads into a final full chorus and ends with a long screamy note to finish.

The band Blind Channel has been going for over 7 years having released several singles and albums, but it is only this song that has gained them any chart success in their homeland. As we all know, rock songs are something we have come to expect from Finland, being the basis of several of their entries this millennium. So, although this style of music is rarely heard at Eurovision, the fact it comes from Finland may make it slightly more palatable to the once a year viewer. Also, this song may also being going against the grain of the polished, overchoreographed 80's numbers and actually convey something a bit more 'real' or emotional. That said the lyrics are rather negative and somewhat violent and may not go down well with the public at large.

No matter if this you're style of music or not , this song makes an impact. There's probably not going to be anything else like this in the contest and so any rock fans will support this entry - see also Lordi and AWS. I also feel this will get support from other Nordic countries and Central European countries that also appreciate this genre of music. For many listeners, this will be a bit of a wake up call - wanted or unwanted - and could either signify an renewed interest OR a toilet break. On a different point this seemed a bit too polished. I am not convinced that some of the live vocals were as high up in the mix as they should have been. I personally feel that having a more gruff and less polished feel so a song like this gives it more life and emotion and this didn't give me that. So maybe if they can turn down the pre-recorded vocals(without making it too shouty and incomprehensible) and focus on the connection between the singers and the audience at home, this could do better than you think...

ARTIST - Blind Channel

SONG - Dark Side

WRITING CREDITS - Joel Hokka, Aleksi Kaunisvesi, Olli Matela, Niko Moilanen, Joonas Porko