Oslo 2010 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Norway
Slogan: “Share the Moment”
Participants: 39
Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined)
Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 4 + host
General Overview:The 2010s decade of Eurovision opens in Oslo; which means a return of Nordic humour! The three presenters are Erik Solbakken, Haddy N'jie and Nadia Hasnaoui, who interject some comedic comments throughout the night. They're also professional in their approach. This trio seems likeable so far.
In contrast to previous years, there are no opening acts in the semi finals in 2010. The show begins with a brief video montage and the hosts welcoming the audience, but otherwise we jump right into it! One of the intermission segments involves numerous crowds screaming at cameras, which got annoying and went on too long. The main interval act (“Human Sounds”) is odd and quirky, however. It's basically a series of clips showcasing people creating sounds with their bodies. It concludes with an opera singer shattering an audience member's wine glass lol.
The 2010 contest sees Andorra, Czechia, Hungary and Montenegro depart, while Austria and San Marino extend their absences. The only returning country is Georgia following last year's suspension. As a consequence, the number of participating countries is reduced to 39; the lowest since 2006. This was partly due to the global financial crisis of the time. Andorra has yet to return (as of 2020), while the rest will reappear sometime this decade.
Starting in 2010, the 50/50 system is implemented for the semi-finals, and not just the Grand Final. Subsequently, this year the juries prevented Finland, Lithuania and (ironically) Sweden from qualifying. Bosnia, Israel and Ireland took their places. The are a few notable disparities between the televote and the jury vote in SF1. For example, the jury-heavy songs include Portugal and Bosnia, while the televote-heavy songs include Greece, Iceland and Russia. Belgium also won the overall jury vote by a wide margin. On the flip side, both metrics ranked Latvia in last place.
Another important rule change occurred in 2010. For the first time ever, the viewers could vote
during the performances, with the phone lines opening at the start of the show. This will be the case in 2011 as well, until the EBU reverts to the standard 15-minute window in 2012. I assume this change was intended to alleviate the disadvantage of the early running order slots.
Quality-wise, this is a remarkably weak semi-final. It's filled with bland and bizarre entries. Indeed, my 9th and 10th qualifiers were chosen by default. Interestingly, nothing from SF1 lands in the eventual top 5, and only two of them are in the top 10. Still, this semi has some classics and fan-favourites.
The Entries:✓ Moldova: SunStroke Project and Olia Tira - Run Away So the first Eurovision performance of the 2010s is... an Internet meme! (it features “Epic Sax Guy”). Considering that meme culture will largely define this decade, it's a perfect introduction. “Run Away” is campiness done right, without being cringe or pretentious. Mostly because the artists deliver the appropriate energy on stage. Moreover, the performance is immediately eye-catching, thanks to the clothing choices, the excessive eye make-up, the spinning dude with a neon violin, and of course the hip-thrusting saxophonist. The visuals also establish a party night aesthetic. As for the song, “Run Away” utilizes a wonky chorus structure that involves abrupt pauses and blast-offs, supported by a jittery violin and a pulsating motorized synth. It's turbulent but catchy. It's also an escape/release of the anxious claustrophobia expressed in the lyrics. The song breathes melodrama and panic. Elsewhere, the sax riff adds another quirky component to the mix, and the dance/club production is very 2010. In conclusion, “Run Away” is what a novelty entry should be. Strangely, it only finished at 22nd, although SunStroke Project will get a top 3 placing later...
✓ Russia: Peter Nalitch and Friends - Lost and Forgotten “Lost and Forgotten” is a satirical parody of depressing and mopey break-up ballads. Accordingly, the arrangement exaggerates its dreary nature, as the narrator feels ignored by his love interest. The mood is completed by falling snow on stage, and by the band wearing winter clothes. But the pivotal joke happens after the “I'm looking at your photo” line. The lead singer literally pulls out a hand-drawn sketch of his ex. He stares at the photo heartbroken, while a band mate tells him to burn it. It's soooo stupid that it's ironically amusing. Otherwise the melody drags too much and the “wooooo”'s are silly, but the chorus is passable. The folk genre makes it sound better.
× Estonia: Malcolm Lincoln - Siren Is this three joke entries in a row? The Baltic countries love to send these eccentric/trolling entries, but most of the time I do not understand the appeal, and “Siren” is no exception. The staging is beyond bizarre. The pianist is so extra, the spinning camera makes me nauseous, and the dorky dance moves aren't endearing. One of the backing singers collapses at the end too. It just seems “try-hard” to me. Furthermore, the song is extremely dull. The piano-lead verses are too minimalist. The pacing does pick up in the chorus, but that chorus goes absolutely nowhere. It perks up, then resorts to a monotonous rut. Which does capture the theme of feeling stuck in life. But it's aurally unsatisfying.
× Slovakia: Kristina - Horehronie How is this a DNQ? “Horehronie” is easily Slovakia's best Eurovision entry, although that's not saying much. The wood-clanging percussion beat is both inventive and addictive. The stomping rhythm really drives the song and keeps the energy afloat. And it illustrates the sounds of the Slovakian forests (which cover 40% of the country, apparently). The title “Horehronie” refers to a popular tourist region there. Kristina views this place as her sanctuary, where she finds peace by connecting with nature. The lyrics, the wooden beat, and the plant-based outfits combine to create that nature imagery. I like the green aesthetic. The pan flutes and the chanting lady are nice additions too. That said, the song becomes monotonous before it's over.
× Finland: Kuunkuiskaajat - Työlki ellää Another Ethnic-influenced entry that should have qualified. Finland even reached 6th place in the televote, but the juries tanked it. “Työlki ellää” is just so innocent and jubilant. The song is a folk music jamboree with a bouncy melody, and it encompasses the accordion, the fiddle, and well-timed hand claps. There's also a whirlwind of tempo shifts. The decelerations and accelerations are gimmicky, though, and they're my least favourite aspect. Still, “Työlki ellää” is a fun song. The ensemble delivers radiant energy on stage and spry dance moves. The luminous white outfits complement the vibe. And it feels nostalgic in a way. Lyrically, the song analyzes the songwriting process, the origins of inspiration, and how playing music is a livelihood.
× Latvia: Aisha - What For? Latvia's list of existential frustrations finishes in dead last. Likewise, Finland 2005 and Cyprus 2006 also DNQ'ed when they attempted this theme. My theory is that Eurovision is a form of escapism and viewers aren't interested in facing such heavy subject matter. Indeed, “What For?” conveys a weighty, gut-wrenching tone, where Aisha is despondent by the lack of answers to life's deep questions. For example: what is the purpose of death and suffering. But some of the words are too shallow (ie. “Why are the skies so blue and mountains high?”) or too silly (“But [God's] phone today is out of range”). Oh, and Aisha's vocals are unpleasantly tone deaf in the verses. Yikes. On the positive side, the chorus is salvageable thanks to the sloshing production and the escalations of the “what for”s.
✓ Serbia: Milan Stanković - Ovo je Balkan Bop! “Ovo je Balkan” is so catchy and upbeat. The song involves an addictive beat, a perky bounce, and a flurry of horns that sound characteristically Balkan. It also utilizes repetition and stutters cleverly. Namely the “heeeee-e-e-e-ey” bit, the numerous “Ljubica”s, and the “Balkan Balkan Balkan / hop hop hop” section. The latter is also distorted like a radio broadcast. Milan meanwhile supplies flirtatious charm and a bright smile. He has natural charisma. As for the staging, it fulfills the requirements to be visually complete. For example: the circular walled platforms, the “robotic” female dancers, and Milan's uninhibitedly giddy dance moves. Not sure what I think about the outfits though. All in all, “Ovo je Balkan” is an obvious qualifier.
✓ Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vukašin Brajić - Thunder and Lightning (It's getting exciting). So “Thunder and Lighting” projects a relentlessly, overpowering, “epic”-sounding atmosphere thanks to a dramatic guitar line. It replicates the intensity of a thunderstorm as Vukašin encourages reconciliation with his estranged lover. But there's something underwhelming and basic about this song. I expected more. The structure sticks to a generic template, the instrumentation isn't that dynamic, and the lyrics are cliche. The stage utilizes the smoke machine and flashing lights, though. The dark aesthetic of the 2010 contest suits this one. But overall “Thunder and Lightning” isn't qualification-worthy to me. Ultimately it did qualify, but it was Bosnia's worst result since the relegation era.
× Poland: Marcin Mroziński - Legenda What... the... actual... f**k... This is disturbing. Poland obviously went for the shock factor with this staging. The atmosphere is bone-chilling too. The backing singers are creepy, between the shrieking, the apple-biting, the haunting harmonies, and the intense facial expressions. And the performance concludes with Marcin “strangling” one of the girls as her shirt gets torn off. To give some context, the song is subverting the common fairy tale tropes, where the princess doesn't want to be “rescued” by the knight. This changes our perspective of the knight's intentions – he is no longer a hero but a predator. While I appreciate the creativity, the visual representation is unsettling. The screaming is annoying. And the song is excessively intense. Still, the chorus employs a “marching through the forest” rhythm that's enjoyable (ie. the “forever ever and ever” bit).
✓ Belgium: Tom Dice - Me and My Guitar “Me and My Guitar” was the huge jury favourite of 2010. It was enough for Belgium to win in SF1, and to be 2 points shy of winning the jury vote at the Grand Final. But the televoters ranked it 14th. The song foreshadows a 2010s trend: the acoustic male ballad. It's the template that Ed Sheeran, Passenger, James Bay, etc. will soon exploit. While this genre is generally not my thing, Tom delivers a heartfelt, honest, and personal performance here. In the song, he describes the lengthy struggle to break into the music industry and feeling pressured to abandon his dream. Appropriately, the only things on stage are Tom and his guitar. The backing track adds some unobtrusive support though. The minimalist approach allows Tom to express fragile vulnerability. He sounds passionate and driven about his goal. And he's a capable live performer. But, the melody is too dull and plain. Although the “maybe I should get a nine to five” hook is alright. Ultimately “Me and My Guitar” broke Belgium's 5-year DNQ streak, and it became their first top 10 since “Sanomi” in 2003. Considering their last three entries were terrible, this is refreshing by comparison.
× Malta: Thea Garrett - My Dream Was Chiara not available? This sounds exactly like one of her ballads, minus the compelling vocal climaxes. Oh wait, “My Dream” was written by the same team that wrote Chiara's 1998 entry, no wonder. This is such a bland, indistinct and uninteresting ballad. The only thing of note is when the angel wings appear behind Thea. And even that doesn't excite me. Otherwise, the song tries to be inspirational but it just isn't. The message is written with generic lyrics and the arrangement is ordinary AF. There's just... nothing to care about here.
✓ Albania: Juliana Pasha - It's All About You Well, this sounds noticeably similar to Christina Aguilera's “Keeps Gettin' Better”, but it's a bop nonetheless. The fizzy electro beat channels the “loud” dance-pop hits of the time. There's a fierceness to the buzzing synths, while the jogging rhythm drives the song. Furthermore, the chorus is an adrenaline rush that expresses Juliana's smitten devotion. She even wants to get engaged? (ie. “make a deal and seal it”). The chorus is easily catchy too, thanks to the well-timed echoes from the backing singers. Elsewhere, the flashing purple lights match the energy. The “we've been down...” hook is decent. And the “cool-down” in the bridge sets up the finale. There's also an electric violin solo; which is kind of random. Still, I feel like other entries have more to offer.
✓ Greece: Giorgos Alkaios and Friends - OPA! I understand how some would find this irritating, but I think it's brilliant. “OPA!” is an insanely catchy song that specializes in the call-and-response format. The “hey!” and “opa!” cheers are the obvious hooks. Specifically in how the two sections contrast – the “hey!” lines stop early to allow an instrumental response (which signifies the rising flames mentioned in the lyrics), while the “opa!” lines are more complete. The chorus then concludes on a bounce rhythm. The song's structure is dynamic in other ways too. The vocals intensify midway through the verses as an escalation tactic. There's growls, the four isolated clangs, and the bridge introduces a traditional stringed instrument, followed by a record scratch. Moreover, the instrumentation blends a marching drum rhythm with Greek elements and 2010-era synths that emanate like smoke. There's a lot going on, but it's cohesive. Giorgos also delivers some commanding/intimidating stage presence. Incidentally “OPA!” is the televote winner of SF1, and it extended Greece's top 10 streak.
✓ Portugal: Filipa Azevedo - Há dias assim This is Portugal's last qualification until Salvador. On first impression, “Há dias assim” seemed like a slow and boring ballad that benefited from weak competition, but it placed 4th in the semi-final. That said, the song definitely improves in the second half, when the instrumentation expands beyond the initial piano-ballad structure. The dramatic transitions and the vocal climaxes are the highlights. More specifically, it's the shifts that lead into the later choruses. Filipia also delivers a warm and personable performance. The lyrics, meanwhile, touch on the themes of loneliness and separation. It's not my favourite entry, but it's amongst the 10 best songs of SF1.
× F.Y.R. Macedonia: Gjoko Taneski - Jas ja imam silata Yeah, this is the most forgettable entry of SF1. The heavy guitar line and the chorus melody are both agreeable and inoffensive, but “Jas ja imam silata” doesn't leave much of an impression. It's an obvious DNQ. The song channels 1980s rock music though, which is difficult to dislike. There's even an electric guitar solo! In the song, Gjoko basically declares “I'm better off without you”. He serves some attitude as he invalidates the significance of the relationship. He's already moved on. But otherwise, the guest rapper doesn't add much. And the seductive female dancers on stage don't match the theme. I guess that's one way to attract votes.
✓ Belarus: 3+2 feat. Robert Wells - Butterflies “Butterflies” is a strong contender for my least favourite ESC entry of all time. I despise everything about it. Firstly, it's one of the dullest songs in existence. The vocals are so toneless and lethargic – it's excruciating to listen to. Moreover, the melody moves at such a sluggish pace that it's sleep inducing. The song sounds 50-years out of date; completed by a formal stage aesthetic that includes tuxedos, theatre curtains and a grand piano. The main metaphor (“we're like butterflies flying to the sun”) is lame. The song is about opening up and letting love in, but the emotion doesn't take hold. And then the cherry on top: the butterfly wing reveal! Which is one of the cringiest things I've witnessed in this contest. The drums FINALLY enter during this section, but it's too little too late to salvage the song.
✓ Iceland: Hera Björk - Je ne sais quoi The other Icelandic Björk. So “Je ne sais quoi” is this year's fan-favourite flop (there's usually one every year). Despite reaching
third in SF1, Iceland floundered at 19th place at the Grand Final. Maybe the staging was too bland, since Hera and the backing singers are mostly stationary throughout the performance. The camera work and the background lights compensate somewhat, though. That said, Germany also had basic staging, so I don't know. As for the song, “Je ne sais quoi” is an encompassing, 2010-style, dance-pop banger. It sounds like a European chart hit from the time, and not too dissimilar from Iceland's 2008 entry, which Hera was actually a backing singer for. The first verse builds up anticipation nicely; whereas the second verse indulges in the motorized synths. The chorus, meanwhile, is an explosion of “brash” euphoric synths that overtakes the arena. It's a killer chorus. Namely in how Hera belts the song title and the ensuing “oh!”s. She's a talented vocalist and a confident performer. But.... I find that Hera's delivery lacks emotion. It makes this entry seem a little “generic”, even if the production and the melodic structure are slick.
My Ranking:01. Greece: Giorgos Alkaios and Friends - OPA!
✓02. Serbia: Milan Stanković - Ovo je Balkan
✓03. Moldova: SunStroke Project and Olia Tira - Run Away
✓04. Iceland: Hera Björk - Je ne sais quoi
✓05. Slovakia: Kristina - Horehronie
06. Finland: Kuunkuiskaajat - Työlki ellää
07. Albania: Juliana Pasha - It's All About You
✓08. Belgium: Tom Dice - Me and My Guitar
✓09. Russia: Peter Nalitch and Friends - Lost and Forgotten
✓10. Portugal: Filipa Azevedo - Há dias assim
✓11. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Gjoko Taneski - Jas ja imam silata
12. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vukašin Brajić - Thunder and Lightning
✓13. Poland: Marcin Mroziński - Legenda
14. Latvia: Aisha - What For?
15. Malta: Thea Garrett - My Dream
16. Estonia: Malcolm Lincoln - Siren
17. Belarus: 3+2 feat. Robert Wells - Butterflies
✓What a weak semi-final.
Leo ✔ 𝐒 𝐨 𝐮 𝐧 𝐝 𝐜 𝐥 🕤 𝐜 𝐤 born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 blinding yuhs
