Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Apr 12, 2022 18:20:11 GMT -5
Ireland were robbed it hurts
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Apr 12, 2022 20:15:32 GMT -5
As someone who loved indie pop/folk in 2014, I was all over Malta and Switzerland's song. Malta's doesn't do much for me anymore, but Switzerland's is so much fun still.
Slovenia was very robbed, it's one of my favorites from this year.
I loved Finland back in 2014, and finding out what it's about has made it even better now.
2014 and 2013 were the years of the "meh" songs that don't get much of a reaction from me, and Ireland and Israel are some of the biggest examples (other than North Macedonia). I really wanted to like Ireland, with its Celtic elements, but the instrumental never gets going and her singing performance was much of the same.
Israel was much of the same, the only part that works for me is the drop, again the instrumental otherwise is too underwhelming and the camera angles making one of the smallest stages look like a football stadium didn't help.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Apr 18, 2022 12:40:46 GMT -5
Copenhagen 2014 – Grand Final Host: Denmark Slogan: “#JoinUs” Participants: 37 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host Winner: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix Country: Austria Points: 290 (67.1% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:Here it is, the first Eurovision contest I ever watched (live or otherwise). It's all coming full circle now. The 2014 Grand Final begins with another montage recapping Malmö 2013, including Emmelie's winning moment. The next scene shows her placing the trophy on the Copenhagen stage, allowing it to eject a light beam towards the sky. This summons several people to speed towards the arena via various means, set to “Dansevise”, Denmark's original winner. After that we cut to the live stage, where there's an actual sea of flags and people jumping. Next, fireworks explode to the tune of “Woo Hoo” by the 5.6.7.8's (did we really need this?) Finally, the Parade of Nations proceeds. This was around the time that Eurovision became bloated with filler. The interval starts with the hosts honouring the commentators. Then, several singers climb to the top of upright ladders to spread a message to the tune of “Ode to Joy”. This segment is a weird one. Next, the three hosts perform a comedic song called “Douze Points”, which feels like an SNL sketch. Then the most recent JESC winner (Malta's Gaia Cauchi) appears. After that, Pilou tours a Eurovision History Museum. Then Lise hands out favourite foods in the Green Room. And FINALLY we get to Emmelie De Forrest's performance. She starts with “Only Teardrops”, featuring some tree branch outfits and drummers hitting the floor. This is followed by “Rainmaker”, which even includes the lyrics “join us”! The “WAY OH WAY OH WAY YA” chant brings the crowd together, while an ensemble plays in the stage moat. All 26 finalists come out for the final chorus as well. The Eurovision Record Book continues tonight too, focusing on the Highest Note and the Most La's. The presenters are Lise Rønne, Nikolaj Koppel, and Pilou Asbæk. They extend the Nordic humour from last year, but nowhere near as funny as Petra. They handle the questionable spokesperson moments during the voting professionally though. Also, Pilou keeps inserting Chinese into everything, which is quite cringe and gets old quickly. The Postcards are creative and personal; where the respective artists construct their flags from a wide variety of materials, and then take a snapshot of them. The sequence ends with the stage lights dimming as a Windows shutdown sound effect plays. The stage consists of two walls of scaffolding converging on a corner. It's one of the more memorable designs. There's a wide LED screen behind this structure, and one on the floor. But the scaffolding boxes display images too, despite them being transparent. Multiple performances take advantage of this, as well as the scoreboard later on. The stage further includes two side ramps and a “moat” of water at the base. The Green Room, meanwhile, forms a V-shape located in the audience. The betting odds were wild this year. Austria and the Netherlands weren't even in contention until the semi-finals aired. Instead, Armenia was the initial top favourite, with Sweden next in line. The UK were overestimated too. Austria held a narrow lead against the Netherlands for much of the voting. Even after the 30th country submitted, it was only a 13-point gap. But it wasn't long until the hosts declared Austria the winner prematurely, making the rest of the voting feel rushed again. Elsewhere, the Lithuanian spokesperson made a “time to shave” comment that was in poor taste. Russia were booed every time they received points. And Schlager queen Helene Fischer appeared for Germany! The Entries: Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock I've seen weirder staging. Belarus: Teo - Cheesecake He doesn't pop his collar this time! Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire I have to be in the right mood for this. Iceland: Pollapönk - No Prejudice Norway: Carl Espen - Silent Storm Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi - Miracle Armenia: Aram Mp3 - Not Alone Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković - Moj svijet Poland: Donatan and Cleo - My Słowianie – We Are Slavic Iconic. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd - Rise Up The song is made for jumping! Austria: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix (winner review below) Germany: Elaiza - Is It Right Following Austria in the running order is tough. But it's nice to see Germany incorporate traditional instrumentation. The verses rock back-and-forth to these twitches of accordion and double bass. While the chorus cascades and sways between booming percussion beats and clacks. The song's rhythm remains gradually paced throughout. It's like a leisurely dance at a folk festival. This seesaw production exemplifies the indecisiveness of the lyrics. The song is about not knowing the right decisions to make. The narrator observes one person with writers block, and another who's stuck in a loveless relationship. Elaiza aren't here to give advice, but they urge for an answer (“you can't hide”). Lead singer Ela gives corresponding gestures on stage. She concludes the song by showing off her vocals a cappella style. The chorus melody is catchy (“if you say yes... OR EVEN NO”) and the muffled “is it ri-i-i-ight” opening doesn't bother me either. Overall, there's nothing egregiously wrong with this entry, but it is quite "basic". The stage is simple too - those streamers don't do much. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen - Undo France: Twin Twin - Moustache France straight-up trolled Eurovision this year, just like 2007 and 2008. And in return, they finished dead last for the first time. Not surprising considering the campy staging and subject matter. Although Moldova usually gets away with it. It's an odd visual between the puffy Mohawk and the clothing choices. There's also mustaches on the screens, wipe effects, and the lead singer takes a snapshot at one point. It's clear that Twin Twin aren't taking things seriously. In the song, the narrator obtains everything he could ask for – a penthouse, a luxury car, muscles – but he's unsatisfied because he doesn't have a mustache! Yeah, it's a silly premise. Plus the band's mocking tone makes it feel like a parody. Having said that, “Moustache” is an energetic song. The verses are lead by a beach-y guitar; before the sardonic “ba da ba ba ba” bit builds into the drop. The chorus then sees the banging dance-pop beat barrel through, alongside a rolling vocal distortion. Moreover, the “Je veux CI je veux ÇA” hook is catchy – and the way the band struts across the stage and jumps during it is effective. The two guitarists bop along throughout too. The song is kinda annoying though, and it does seem like Twin Twin are mocking their own song. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine Just noticed the “shining” spotlights. Italy: Emma - La mia città This is Italy's worst result since their return. Perhaps Emma's intense stage presence was too much. She looks terrifying when she slithers across the ramp. She also pushes two band members aside, she collapses at the end, and her face is creepily displayed across the LED screen. Plus there's her hand motions, including the searching gesture and the pointing. Still, “La mia città” is a hectic rock song with an adrenalized chorus. The lyrics seem noncommittal. Emma spends the first verse disliking city life, against a floating guitar groove and a “clap-clap... clap” drum rhythm. The vibe is like she's gearing up for something. The chorus, meanwhile, turns into a rushing/jogging instrumental as she runs back and forth from the city. It captures the atmosphere of indulging in the hook-up. Also, the “E corro corro” bit, and how the melody spikes around “...ho un freno” are good hooks. The chorus ends with a “voglio te” (I want you) repetition and an intrusive, lurching guitar. The second verse sees Emma change her mind – she now loves meeting up in the city. On stage, there's white and gold clothing and crowns, which I guess is a Roman motif. Overall, it's angst-y song and Emma brings a menacing attitude. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač - Round and Round Finland: Softengine - Something Better Spain: Ruth Lorenzo - Dancing in the Rain Once again, a female vocal ballad puts Spain at 10th place. Ruth previously came 5th in the X Factor UK 2008 (the one with Alexandra Burke and JLS). She now brings those powerhouse vocals to Eurovision... to the point of unpleasant screaming. Her unleashing shouts of “THE RAIN THE RAIN” are headache-inducing. That said, the song does begin as a graceful piano ballad. There's even a rain sound effect in the mix, Ruth's hair looks wet, and the stage visually depicts raindrops falling pretty realistically. Spain made sure to embrace this titular metaphor. The chorus, meanwhile, moves like a slow dance (“danc..ing.. in.. the.. RAAAAIN!”). The second verse then introduces the forceful percussion claps while some strings poke in between. The song is about making the best out of a bad situation. It has an open atmosphere with a tone of hope and triumph. The instrumental stays firm, while Ruth projects with crazy intensity. When the final chorus hits, she leans back for the big note. The backing also adds support to the bridge. Ruth is a confident performer, and the stage is cool, but I've never been a fan of over-singing like this just to show off. Switzerland: Sebalter - Hunter of Stars Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders - Running Malta: Firelight - Coming Home Denmark: Basim - Cliche Love Song Denmark sure are channeling Bruno Mars with this one. Basim gleefully indulges in the 1970s, as the stage is filled with tuxedos, an afro and beige lighting. The performers exhibit some joyous energy and savvy choreography here. But all these “scooba dooba...”'s, whistles, and “boom boom boom”'s become annoying quickly. The song is constantly grabbing my attention. Although the “boom”'s get a pass thanks to the emphatic percussion bangs (which reappear on the “IT FEELS LIKE” transition); and the bright light effect. The instrumental follows a prominent drum rhythm, accompanied by snaps and a rapid tinkling piano. It only rests during the bridge, where Basim gives a heartfelt plea directly to the camera. The song describes Basim's one-sided feelings over a girl that's hard to get. There's even a Katy Perry reference! The lyrics are meta by admitting their own cliches; meaning that the song is deriding the very thing it's paying homage to. Basim also seems a bit smarmy. And I rolled my eyes at that “Love” banner. Still, it's a bright and eager song, with a breezy pace, and a chorus that gets stuck in my head. The backing dancers elevate it too with their charming energy and ad libs. Netherlands: The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe United Kingdom: Molly - Children of the Universe This is refreshing after the UK kept sending legacy artists every year, but the song is still "mid". The verse/chorus contrast stands out. The former is driven by a forceful, protesting, marching drum beat; centered around this “POWER TO THE PEOPLE!” chant that commands fist pumping. The pre-chorus sees the drums vanish, as the strings glide then jab. The chorus, meanwhile, switches to a relaxed pop-dub beat, as the backing vocalists add comforting “ohhhhh”'s. These disparate sections balance anxiety and embrace; although the chorus melody is kinda "blah". Otherwise, the song starts with a fairy-tale piano slide. And the final chorus inserts a brief pause and a fire curtain. It's an inspirational peace song. The title is a reference to the poem “Desiderata”, which promotes inner peace by validating our purpose to exist. Molly addresses drug addiction in the first verse, and “passive violence” in the second. She urges rising against all that. On stage, the backing members wear feathery shoulder pads, while Molly displays arm/palm tattoos. I guess it's an environmental aesthetic. Molly's raspy voice adds character as well. I like certain parts of this song, but it isn't powerful or cohesive enough. It lacks that special/impressive/"wow" factor to win, and it's too "basic" to win, despite what the odds said. The Winner:So Austria places themselves in that Eurovision Record Book by achieving the longest gap between wins at 48 years. The only active country that could break that record right now is Spain (and France in 2026). This was also Austria's first top 10 since 2003... which was a novelty entry. Since then, they've submitted a series of flops, skipped 4 contests, and did okay with jury bait in 2011. They were probably one the least expected countries to win. In the process, Austria also proved that it was still possible to win from the first half, which hadn't happened since 2004. Much of that comes down to Conchita, who seems like SUCH a lovely person in the Green Room. The conservative backlash was ridiculous. But the fact that millions of voters validated a drag queen with a beard was wonderful. This contest is about inclusiveness after all. But it wasn't just about sending a giant middle finger to the anti-LGBT – “Rise Like A Phoenix” is an epic song in its own right, and Conchita delivers a showstopping live performance. Watching her in the second semi-final instantly screamed “WINNER”. The song is akin to a James Bond theme; not too dissimilar from Adele's “Skyfall” (to pull an example from the time). It opens with a blast of brass (and strings) to grab attention, much like “Eurphoria”'s foghorn. The first verse is a subdued, isolating piano ballad, where Conchita awakens in the aftermath of the damage. She sounds like she's adjusting to her surroundings. This experience has changed her so much that she no longer recognizes herself. The screen, meanwhile, depicts raindrops of fire. The song then intensifies during the “from the fading light I fly” transition, which is also a powerful hook. The orchestra swells in the ensuing chorus, as Conchita affirms her self-growth rather than seeking “vengeance” or “retribution”. She sounds courageous; like she's defending her own self-worth. The titular metaphor “Rise Like A Phoenix” is a straightforward one – phoenixes die in a burst of flames and are reborn from the ashes. The chorus ends with the line “But you're my flame”; ie. this person was the catalyst for her transformation. In the second verse, Conchita scoffs at the unfairness of how the other person resumes their life unaffected. She sounds bitter about it. The strings become heavier in the second chorus, while flame wings appear behind Conchita. The bridge then sees the instrumental pause upon “you threw me down”, before it holds suspense through the decelerating drums. She screams “I'M GONNA FLY” as the screen bursts into flames. This is SUCH an epic final chorus transition by the way. The song ends with bang – another horn blast and a pyro eruption. “Rise Like a Phoenix” is an empowering song. The chorus reaches maximum impact and Conchita's vocals are massive. It's bombastic but never annoyingly so. Her theatrical style allows the melodrama to flourish as well. She sounds like a fighter who has endured and overcome. Whether the lyrics are about a hurtful ex or LGBT discrimination, it works in both contexts. She also appears self-confident in an elegant dress. The red stage aesthetic works too. Verdict: “A” Tier. 2009-2014 was a such strong stretch of winners (if you ignore 2011). My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Netherlands: The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm 02. Austria: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix 03. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen - Undo 04. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders - Running 05. Finland: Softengine - Something Better 06. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač - Round and Round 07. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock 08. Norway: Carl Espen - Silent Storm 09. Switzerland: Sebalter - Hunter of Stars 10. Armenia: Aram Mp3 - Not Alone 11. Italy: Emma - La mia città 12. Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković - Moj svijet 13. Denmark: Basim - Cliche Love Song 14. Malta: Firelight - Coming Home 15. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd - Rise Up 16. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine 17. Spain: Ruth Lorenzo - Dancing in the Rain 18. United Kingdom: Molly - Children of the Universe 19. Belarus: Teo - Cheesecake 20. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire 21. Germany: Elaiza - Is It Right 22. Poland: Donatan and Cleo - My Słowianie – We Are Slavic 23. France: Twin Twin - Moustache 24. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe 25. Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi - Miracle 26. Iceland: Pollapönk - No Prejudice Full Ranking: 01. Netherlands: The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm 02. Austria: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix 03. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen - Undo 04. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders - Running 05. Finland: Softengine - Something Better 06. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač - Round and Round 07. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock 08. Norway: Carl Espen - Silent Storm 09. Ireland: Can-linn feat. Kasey Smith - Heartbeat 10. Portugal: Suzy - Quero ser tua 11. Israel: Mei Finegold - Same Heart 12. Switzerland: Sebalter - Hunter of Stars 13. Armenia: Aram Mp3 - Not Alone 14. Italy: Emma - La mia città 15. Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković - Moj svijet 16. Denmark: Basim - Cliche Love Song 17. Malta: Firelight - Coming Home 18. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd - Rise Up 19. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine 20. Spain: Ruth Lorenzo - Dancing in the Rain 21. United Kingdom: Molly - Children of the Universe 22. Belarus: Teo - Cheesecake 23. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire 24. Moldova: Cristina Scarlat - Wild Soul 25. Germany: Elaiza - Is It Right 26. Poland: Donatan and Cleo - My Słowianie – We Are Slavic 27. Estonia: Tanja - Amazing 28. France: Twin Twin - Moustache 29. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe 30. Albania: Hersi - One Night's Anger 31. Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi - Miracle 32. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Tijana - To the Sky 33. Iceland: Pollapönk - No Prejudice 34. Lithuania: Vilija - Attention 35. Latvia: Aarzemnieki - Cake to Bake 36. Georgia: The Shin and Mariko - Three Minutes to Earth 37. Belgium: Axel Hirsoux - Mother“S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “Rise Like a Phoenix”, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, “Satellite” “B” Tier: “Molitva” “C” Tier: “Fly On The Wings Of Love”, “I Wanna”, “Take Me To Your Heaven” “D” Tier: “Everybody”, “Believe”, “Running Scared” “F” Tier: none! Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Apr 18, 2022 12:55:26 GMT -5
Spain was so good this year I'm glad Ruth was able to finish in a top 10 placement. UK deserved so much better. Italy was kinda camp but a bop. I hated Denmark this year, such an annoying song.
Also Sebalter my beloved ♥
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Apr 19, 2022 22:09:28 GMT -5
Armenia and Norway were so overrated this year and Italy and UK deserved better.
The Netherlands would be my winner as well.
and my guilty pleasure was Lithuania, I thought it was a great example of "so bad it becomes kinda good" phenomenon. I'd put it around #20-25.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on May 5, 2022 13:34:31 GMT -5
Vienna 2015 – Semi Final 1 Host: Austria Slogan: “Building Bridges” Participants: 40 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host + AUSTRALIA General Overview:The show's opening sequence begins with some rainbow-coloured blotches arranged in the shapes of city infrastructure; followed by a montage recapping Conchita's win from Copenhagen. After that, the stage opens up to reveal an orchestra playing “Rise Like A Phoenix”. Austria are known for birthing classical composers after all. And seeing an orchestra reappear in Eurovision feels nostalgic. Conchita then steps out to sing the lyrics. She cuts through the aisleway in the audience, and leads the Parade of Nations. There's even a flash mob during this! After her performance, Conchita sticks around to host the Green Room all 3 nights. I love how prominent she is. 2015 sees Cyprus, Czechia and Serbia all return; however Bulgaria and Croatia are still out. Incidentally, this is the first time Czechia has participated in 6 years. Australia also debuts as an auto-qualifier (extending the Grand Final record to 27 entries). While Ukraine had to withdraw, partly due to the Crimea situation. Russia were still allowed to compete however... which is messed up. Speaking of Russia, they are the winner of this semi-final, topping both the jury and televote in the process. Otherwise, the juries saved Hungary at the expense of Finland. While the televoters saved Armenia and Serbia at the expense of the the Netherlands and Belarus. However, there was a 21-point gap between #10 and #11, so the SF1 qualifiers were pretty safe. The interval act is called “Pets in Vienna”, where the hosts attach a camera to their respective pets, and send them off to roam the city. It follows their antics while various ESC songs play in the background. It's a little silly. Later on, there's a different segment honouring the achievements of Austrians, by comparing them to past ESC artists. This one was nice. Otherwise, the qualifier announcing lacked some suspense lol. The Entries: × Moldova: Eduard Romanyuta - I Want Your Love We start with Moldova's annual supply of memorable staging. This year, the backing dancers are dressed in police uniforms, which is a bit campy. One of them acts as Eduard's love interest, so she wears a sexually revealing one. She also shakes her butt, puts her leg in the air, and yanks his shirt off at one point. Her interactions seem seductive though. And the choreography is well-designed – much of it happens on this steel structure on stage. The floor also resembles a helipad (for a police chopper?) As for the song, “I Want Your Love” is driven by a thick dance-pop beat. It's kind of like wading through sludge. The production revs and grinds; alongside slight whistles. The intro and the chorus give a commanding presence, while the verses follow a strutting rhythm. The synths also drop out during the pre-chorus (“The future that you’re painting”), where the backing vocals fill the void. It's an effective transition. The chorus also kicks off with a pyro blast. The bridge later adds some falling strings. The lyrics, meanwhile, are typical infatuation stuff. Overall, “I Want Your Love” is a fun entry, but the “what I want, what I want...” hook is repetitive in a clumsy way, which deflates the chorus. And Eduard's smirks are too much. The production is kinda generic too. ✓ Armenia: Genealogy - Face the Shadow So to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Genealogy came together to address the deniers of it. Needless to say, Turkey and Azerbaijan weren't pleased. The group consists of 5 artists from 5 continents to demonstrate the country's diaspora; plus Inga (from the 2009 contest) to represent Armenia itself. At one point, the 6 of them “migrate” across a world map on stage. The lyrics urge facing the inconvenient truth (ie. “Face every shadow you deny”). It mentions things like cowardice, lying to oneself, and how the truth is freeing. It's a guilt trip and the 6 singers convey solemnity on stage. They're spreading an important message about a horrifying injustice that lacks awareness... but the musicality is a tedious mess. The arrangement struggles to cohesively balance these 6 different vocal styles. The harmonies and the production/tempo shifts feel off. Such as the staggering beat in the later choruses, and the deceleration around the song title. The song rotates through piano ballad, graceful opera, metallic(?) guitar, church bells, and angsty rock. There's also a quivering instrumental break that veers off course. The atmosphere intensifies towards the end, with the shrieking pleas of “DOOOON'T DEEEEENY!!!”, but that part is overbearing instead of haunting. The “time is ticking” part is nice though. ✓ Belgium: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside It was only a matter of time until Lorde's influence found its way to Eurovision. Here, Loïc brings his brand of quirky minimalist indie-electro-pop to the contest. As well as some peculiar choreography – the backing members march stiffly, jerk their necks around, and point upwards; all while wearing anonymous white clothing. It's very robotic. Loïc, meanwhile, shows some intense expressions. He also lays under someone's foot and “yanks” his head at certain points. The stage is futuristic in a sterile, colourless way. Especially with the bright white light. The song itself is existential. The lyrics allude to heaven and hell, the choices we make, and how we treat each other. Loïc proclaims he's “gonna get that rhythm back” (ie. change his path). The music includes a “ra-pa-pab” hook, finger snaps, and virtual boops that sound like a machine tone. It has an assembly line rhythm to it. The verses further contain a breathing bass-line and eerie “ohhhh”s from the backing. While the chorus sees that bass-line swell up through a dull synth; as it launches with an ominous exclamation of “And if we die tomorrow!” Loïc gives the song a troubled and distressed tone. Overall, it's a dystoptian yet resolute song. × Netherlands: Trijntje Oosterhuis - Walk Along The one hiccup during the Netherlands' recent revival. Which is understandable since “WHY-Y-Y” has to be the most irritating hook of 2015. The song is relentless with it too, especially towards the end. It becomes the most dominant aspect of this entry. Moreover, “Walk Along” is such a whiny song, both vocally and lyrically. The production is monotonous as well. It's hard to believe this was written by Anouk. In the song, Trijntje cries and pleads to not be friend-zoned. She tries everything but they still don't notice her. Her voice is filled with frustration and desperation. She looks tearful on stage, she cries her heart out, and she provides a scratchy voice. But that voice is grating. The performance begins with a close-up shot of Trijntje's eyes in a black veil, which is out of focus at first. She then rips the veil off. Later on, a glow-in-the-dark setting reveals the letters “LOVE” written on her fingers. The staging is a misfire though. Musically, the first verse and the bridge stick to the acoustic guitar. While the rest of the song follows a “clacking” percussion. The chorus sort of throbs and releases. But the instrumental mostly repeats in the same circle. × Finland: Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina mun pitää The last placed entry of this semi-final, despite reaching 10th in the televote. But that's because the juries gave it one point. This year, Finland sends a punk rock band consisting of adults with either Down Syndrome or autism. In the song, the narrator lists his daily obligations, and what he's not allowed to do. He sounds like someone who is over-supervised and wishes for more freedom. I appreciate the band's perspective and I'm glad that Eurovision is open to everyone to participate. But this is not a melodic song, nor a dynamic one. “Aina” maintains the same guitar groove from beginning to end, without much of a verse-chorus structure. It lacks variation or progression. It's like a consistent noise. There's some grunts and screams sprinkled in, and a rebellious tone, but the singer's growling vocal is difficult to listen to. Even if that style matches instrumentation. Also of note, “Aina” is the shortest song in Eurovision history at 1:27. ✓ Greece: Maria Elena Kyriakou - One Last Breath Maria's intense Celine Dion ballad didn't regain Greece's top 10 status, but maybe the atmosphere is a little excessive. “One Last Breath” is a very melodramatic song in all aspects – the lyrics, the vocal delivery, and the instrumentation. Maria is left feeling insignificant, defenceless, and betrayed from this “fake love”. She sounds floored, bitter, and anguished. She begs them to come back, but not in a pathetic way. She uses hyperbolic language (ie. “You killed me and I’m done, without a gun” and “take me out of this fiery hell”), culminating in the “ONE LAST BREATH” exclamation, to convey the severity. The song begins as a sombre piano ballad. Then the thunder rolls; while the chorus piano trickles like raindrops. The second verse sort of drifts to the pace of gradual footsteps. But then, the song suddenly switches instrumental and tempo, as the electric guitars downpour. The atmosphere becomes SO intense during this part, especially with the dramatic pauses. The song basically transforms into hurricane strength, while Maria's huge vocal withstands it. The last chorus then gets surrounded by the oncoming flood. The staging is pretty simplistic though. She stands against a wind machine and blue lighting. But something about this feels bland and stiff. ✓ Estonia: Elina Born and Stig Rästa - Goodbye to Yesterday It's funny how Estonia reaches the top 10 every 3 contests. This time, it's with an interactive duet that offers both sides of the story. In “Goodbye to Yesterday”, Stig walks out on Elina while she's asleep, believing he isn't good enough. But Elina chimes in to basically say “WTF”. She asks to put the fight behind them and reassures he's overreacting. It's a mature perspective with down-to-Earth lyrics and a levelheaded approach. They're just trying to reason with each other. The way Stig describes his morning (like smiling at the dog), and Elina's “lying here naked and staring at the phone” line are relatable. Moreover, the staging is brilliant; particularly the camera work and lighting. The performance starts with Stig standing in a dark room illuminated by an open doorway. Elina then opens another door to join him, but he avoids her glance. After walking forward, they finally make eye-contact via titled camera angles. He looks somber and she looks annoyed. They have great chemistry and their vocal styles match. And I love how Stig visually disappears at the end, just like he does in the lyrics. The song itself is downbeat, bluesy and melancholic. The instrumentation holds a consistent rhythm, but features occasional horns, booming drums, and bass guitar to keep things fresh. It also goes quiet at one point to allow an emotional exchange. × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Daniel Kajmakoski - Autumn Leaves This is a fairly innocuous non-qualifier, but I have soft spot for it. “Autumn Leaves” is a nostalgic song about a childhood crush. Daniel reflects on the simpler, carefree times. But things have changed and he's struggling to adjust. He expresses this through the “autumn leaves” metaphor – like the changing colours and seasons, and how a leaf loses grip from a tree branch. The song starts as a smooth and wistful piano ballad. Then the pre-chorus brings in a squeaky beat and some backing singers to give a comforting texture. Those 3 backing singers are members of Blackstreet by the way (which is a random appearance). They sway about in their sunglasses and give Daniel a nodding approval at the end. The chorus, meanwhile, builds tension through anticipatory percussion and the “Every moment will hurt...” and “My heart is beating...” parts leaping out. It's like he's forcefully holding on to that branch. But instead of exploding at the climax, the song sinks back to the squeaky beat. It's as if Daniel finally lets go and lets nature take its course. Meanwhile the screen depicts columns and... autumn leaves. Overall, it's a nice song, but somewhat deflating. ✓ Serbia: Bojana Stamenov - Beauty Never Lies Serbia's empowering body positivity anthem puts them in the top 10. Bojana sings with pride, as she declares her self-love and self-acceptance, and shares her journey of discovering her beauty. The performance also has a super effective costume/instrumental change in the middle of it. It starts with Bojana alone in the spotlight, sounding reserved against some subtle sounds. Then 4 dramatic bangs upon “Now... I know... the truth!” introduce the chorus. The ensuing chorus is a valiant fist-pump, alongside some background “ohhhhhh”s to add tension. There's also sign language during the second one. Meanwhile, the backing dancers are concealed by white robes and masks. But suddenly, the song jumps into a speedy, early-2010s-style, dance-club production; while the backing ditches those concealments to reveal bright outfits and faces. The beat excitedly skids around as Bojana screams with confidence. This switch-up represents the transformation in the song where Bojana used to have low self-esteem, but has since grown to love herself. And she's ready to show off to the world! The song basically goes from introvert to extrovert. It's a confident affirmation, and the “finally I can say” bit is a good hook too. ✓ Hungary: Boggie - Wars for Nothing 2015 has no shortage of serious message songs. Hungary's message resonated with me back then, and still does now, but I wouldn't listen to this out of choice. It's too heavy. The title says it all – Boggie is emotionally distraught by all the needless death and destruction that plagues our planet. She mentions how we all deserve a chance at life, how the First World usually ignores it, how the innocent get dragged into it, and how the reasons are unjustifiable. The lyrics are pretty blunt. And there's plenty of anger and disgust in Boggie's voice. She wants the listener to hear her, even if it's an uncomfortable topic. The music, meanwhile, is an acoustic guitar folk song the entire way through. The instrumental is stripped down, which keeps the focus on the message and allows for direct communication. The growing and shrinking harmonies power things instead. The tension peaks at the “Do you know how many innocents” part. There's a clear melody as well, especially in the ending lines (such as “All the wars / for nothing / It neee.. ver.. ends”). So despite being a weighty song, it isn't a tedious one. The swirling guns and the gun tree on screen are a little obvious though. × Belarus: Uzari and Maimuna - Time #StandWithUkraine Well, the “time is like thunder hah-hah” hook stands out; as does the spinning camera around the violinist. But this entry lacks something. That violinist (Maimuna) looks frightened and uncertain too. The song starts as a soft piano ballad, like a sober confession. While a cardiogram line shaped as love hearts crosses the screen behind Uzari. He ponders about feeling lost and finding his way. Soon enough, the production switches to upbeat dance-pop, where the chorus bounces along. In the second verse, the synths are kind of broody and Uzari talks about how time is of the essence. He also interacts with Maimuna on stage. The bridge then throws in thunderclap slams and a violin solo. And later, the beat drops out for a clappy build into the final chorus. That all said, this song isn't as “epic” as it wants to be. Maybe the melodrama is too weak, or maybe that “hah-hah” hook is too awkward. I don't know, the execution is underwhelming to me. The lyrics don't really say anything interesting either. And the strings on screen look like toilet paper. ✓ Russia: [REDACTED] - A Million Voices #StandWithUkraine So... Polina recently sang at a pro-war rally, and for that reason I have disqualified “A Million Voices” from my ranking. It would've been in my top 5 before February as well. It even reached #2 on my personal chart back in 2015. From a pure musicality standpoint, this was THE power ballad anthem of the year. She gives a convincing performance too. It was one of the few times where I felt Russia actually deserved their placement. But to have her spread a message of peace and unity immediately after Russia invaded Crimea was in poor taste. And now she looks like a complete hypocrite. Was this song just propaganda? I can't stomach listening to it right now. × Denmark: Anti Social Media - The Way You Are From hosting to not even qualifying. Although this does sound like an obvious non-qualifier. This year Denmark selects a 1960s-style garage rock band with goofy stage presence. But it comes off cringy – like the multiple cuts to the drummer making sour lips, or the lead singer's annoying smiles. The eager guitarists are less bothersome though. Furthermore, the song is incredibly basic. It's about the positive affect the narrator's crush has on him. He later promises devotion in the bridge. The mood is established with light and breezy instrumentation. But the chorus is so empty, unoriginal and anti-climactic. That “it's just the way you are!” lyric is such lazy writing. Sure, there is a stomping build into that chorus. Plus the backing singers add some sweet-toned ad libs. The instrumental drops out to start the last chorus. And there's a “Because it’s all about you” outro. But I don't know... it's all very generic and indistinct. I don't like lead singer's voice either. Otherwise, the stage lighting resembles vertical blinds opening and closing. ✓ Albania: Elhaida Dani - I'm Alive One of the many times Albania finishes in 16th or 17th. This one is an honest emotion ballad. The mood is driven by Elhaida's voice losing control as the song progresses. She shakily shoves her way through the chorus, like she needs this tortuous pain to end now, while the drums sweep and pound to convey restless determination. That chorus has an instability to it. It's like Elhaida is holding on with a tight grip, especially when her voice gets scream-y later on. The song also begins and ends with a cozy acoustic guitar and warm backing vocals (ie. those “hey yeah yeah”s). Which allows her anguished moments to be surrounded with an embrace. It's a gentle opening and a cathartic ending. The backing further adds a “Baby, please come back” part. In the song, Elhaida opens up about how she was afraid to let this person in, and then they hurt her anyways. However, she's “blinded by this love” and still needs them. She “just can't help it”. She screams for them to come back. Maybe she's dependent, but she's aware of it. She also has personable stage presence. Interestingly, this wasn't the song Elhaida won FiK with – that was “Diell”. But the songwriters requested it to be withdrawn. ✓ Romania: Voltaj - De la capăt And here's another serious message song. This one is dedicated to the children whose parents have to work abroad, which is a prevalent reality in Romania. The lyrics seem to be from the perspective of the parent. The song explores themes of determination, not focusing on regrets, and their child being their inspiration to carry on. Meanwhile, the LED screen depicts images of sad children alongside stacks of shipping containers. There's also suitcases on stage. It aims to tug at the heartstrings. The song itself has a sweet and reassuring tone, rather than an anguished one, of missing someone. It begins as a piano ballad, but soon shifts to soft rock, and changes to English lyrics midway through. The chorus melody makes an effort, and there's some “wah-oh”s at the end. But overall... “De la capăt” is such a boring song. It moves at an innocuous pace. The verses are forgettable. And the instrumental is too mild and it doesn't build to anything. I think there's a hint of traditional pipes though? ✓ Georgia: Nina Sublatti - Warrior And here's the latest Thomas G:son offering... which is another sociopolitical song from 2015. “Warrior” is a response to the 2008 Russian occupation of Georgia. It's also the only time I've heard the word “oximiated” in song lyrics (it's a chemical term by the way). Anyways, the song is an empowerment anthem, where Nina stands firm and prepared; she's never backing down from the fight. She also gives a fierce performance that commands bravery. The verses are delivered in pairs of concise phrases, followed by a declaration (such as “World gonna get up and see”). While the instrumental is driven by intense, bellowing, persistent “tribal” drums that envelop the arena. It's a dark and ominous atmosphere that gives a sense of fearlessness. Nina's black clothing and hair complement this. The “ooooh” hooks and the drop down before the second chorus are highlights as well. But the biggest issue is that the chorus becomes repetitive towards the end. Nina literally says the same stanza 6 times in a row (and 8 times overall). Otherwise, Georgia makes great use of the LED screen here – the thunderclouds, the lightning flashes, the wings, the silver tears. Plus the blinding white light behind Nina. And of course there's the smokescreen, which is functional for now. My Ranking:01. Estonia: Elina Born and Stig Rästa - Goodbye to Yesterday ✓02. Belgium: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside ✓03. Albania: Elhaida Dani - I'm Alive ✓04. Georgia: Nina Sublatti - Warrior ✓05. Serbia: Bojana Stamenov - Beauty Never Lies ✓06. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Daniel Kajmakoski - Autumn Leaves 07. Moldova: Eduard Romanyuta - I Want Your Love 08. Hungary: Boggie - Wars for Nothing ✓09. Belarus: Uzari and Maimuna - Time 10. Greece: Maria Elena Kyriakou - One Last Breath ✓11. Romania: Voltaj - De la capăt ✓12. Denmark: Anti Social Media - The Way You Are 13. Netherlands: Trijntje Oosterhuis - Walk Along 14. Armenia: Genealogy - Face the Shadow ✓15. Finland: Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina mun pitää Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on May 5, 2022 18:28:28 GMT -5
Polina was right when she sang "we are the worst people"
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on May 30, 2022 16:42:35 GMT -5
Vienna 2015 – Semi Final 2 Host: Austria Slogan: “Building Bridges” Participants: 40 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host + AUSTRALIA General Overview:It's official; I have now heard every Eurovision non-qualifier at least once in my lifetime. It was actually one of the reasons why I started this project in the first place. 2016 was the year I became a dedicated Eurofan. I spent that spring binge watching all the previous Grand Finals. But I had skipped over the semi-finals, and I hadn't revisited the entries that weren't my immediate favourites until now. Those favourites have definitely shifted 6 years later. So I'm glad I'm familiarizing myself with the ones I overlooked. Anyways, the second semi-final of 2015 begins similarly to the first one. The opening sequence includes the rainbow-blobbed infrastructure; followed by a montage recapping SF1, the Parade of Nations, and another flash mob. Adding the Parade of Nations to the semi-finals seems unnecessary though. There is no artist performance in the opening, as the show cuts straight to the hosts. Sweden is the winner of this semi-final; topping both the jury and televote in the process. Not only that, “Heroes” is actually the biggest semi-final winner in ESC history – with 90.4% of maximum possible points. Only 6 countries didn't give Måns a “douze points”. Elsewhere, the juries saved Azerbaijan in exchange for Czechia. Ironic since Azerbaijan is usually a televote favourite. Meanwhile, the televote saved Montenegro and Poland – the latter of which ranked 16th with the juries. Malta and Ireland were in the jury top 10 instead. Also of note, Malta would've qualified under 2016 rules. The interval segment honours notable Austrian people again, by showcasing how their achievements impacted Eurovision. Later, there's another segment covering the mishaps and funny moments from the voting sequences of past contests. The theme of SF1 was serious message songs, and the theme of SF2 is mixed gender duets! The Entries: ✓ Lithuania: Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila - This Time “This Time” is textbook Eurovision camp. But of the fun and cute variety, not the cringe kind. The live performance makes a splash: the duo closes their eyes and holds hands during the “every time I close my eyes” line. They spin each other around during the “round and round” part. They separate to join their respective friend groups. They exchange a kiss after the “ONE KISS” shout, while the song halts for dramatic effect. They pull each other's hand across stage. And they get intimately close during the bridge. Moreover, Monika and Vaidas have great (although hammy) chemistry, and they sound excited. The LED screen, meanwhile, depicts rotating sunbeam shapes with bright colours. The song itself channels the folk-pop trend of the mid 2010s, a la Mumford & Sons. It begins with a jumpy, ejecting acoustic guitar. Then the chorus becomes a jamboree, featuring forceful percussion bangs. The second verse then unleashes an eager banjo. While the final chorus transition uses twinkle bells and a “HEY” shout. There's some “wah ah oh”'s and hand claps sprinkled throughout as well. Overall, the song has an excitable, “can't sit still” rhythm to it. With a smitten, feelgood, innocent, joyous vibe. Also, the “IM FEEEEELING LOOOVE” hook is easily catchy. × Ireland: Molly Sterling - Playing with Numbers It's funny how I started rating Ireland higher once they stopped qualifying. “Playing with Numbers” is a piano-led confession ballad. In the song, Molly takes ownership for why the relationship failed. She started with the best intentions, but ended up telling “white lies” and “playing the victim”. She hid away when the truth was exposed. And now she feels “a debt to be paid”. The “playing with numbers” metaphor surmises the situation – which I assume means that she recklessly gambled and risked everything. Molly then claims she was unaware at the time, but has since gained perspective. I suppose admitting it is the first step to growing. It's a reflective and guilt-ridden song. And Molly gives a heartfelt performance. On stage, she sits at an upright piano, next to backing singers that look sad. There's autumnal, sunset orange colours and a hazy camera filter used as well. It creates a calm and cozy setting. The instrumental, meanwhile, has a soft texture. While the melody is enhanced by echoes from the backing, particularly on the “And I made...” and the “give a little love...” parts. The verses have a reflective atmosphere that kind of floats in the breeze. And the chorus inserts some swelling orchestral booms. × San Marino: Anita Simoncini and Michele Perniola - Chain of Lights Uh... bring back Valentina please. This is so messy. The instrumental goes in confusing directions, and the vocal melody is completely mismatched. As is the lyrical theme. I'm shocked Ralph Siegel composed it. The vocals are mediocre as well. The song starts with Michele greeting the audience with a “no!” While the first verse is filled with sawing strings, alongside inserts of a drum machine and piano pings. A heartbeat also pounds when Anita arrives. The second verse later introduces a trip-hop beat that seems out of place. And then it feels like a different song when the chorus lyrics alter. The chorus attempts to be an encompassing, inspirational anthem. However, the troubled atmosphere isn't suited for the positive approach. The production undercuts any power it could have. The bridge then dials back to allow a clap-along breakdown while Anita responds in a talking voice. It's all so incoherent. Moreover, the chorus is cheesy and meaningless. The song is a call for togetherness to illuminate the world in a “chain of light” of candles. The stage even illuminates during that line. The duo believes in making world peace a reality, but the message falls flat. They're all smiles on stage, but it feels forced. And the globe on screen has been done before. ✓ Montenegro: Knez - Adio Željko Joksimović helps Montenegro attain their best placement to date at 13th. It's also the most recent time this country has qualified (as of 2022). “Adio” is a Balkan ballad that builds in intensity. The intro establishes an outdoorsy feel; via a harp and a violin tracing the song's melody, followed by pattering hand drums. Meanwhile the backing singers are frozen in place; kneeling on a floor that resembles water. The first verse remains graceful, as the accordion sneaks in. Then the first chorus restrains itself. The atmosphere becomes fuller in the second verse, as the lights turn from blue to red. Then the second chorus adds the forceful, sloshing, bouncing percussion stomps midway through. They persist for the rest of the song; only pausing for the transition. It's a commanding drum beat. The bridge holds the tension with the “oh oh oh” chant and everyone spinning with their arms spread apart. Finally, the backing vocalists intensify the last chorus. They look rather serious too. In the lyrics, Knez's lover asks him to let go, but he can't move on. Even though he didn't do them wrong (assuming that's what “mists of the mountains” and “depths of the waters” refers to). Certain lyrics use repetition well too. And Knez is a confident performer. The song isn't anything new, but Željko has perfected the Balkan ballad formula with “epic” build-ups. The melody gets stuck in my head too. × Malta: Amber - Warrior The other “Warrior” from 2015. And the unlucky 11th placer of this semi-final. The juries tried though! The song is a piece of advice that aims to inspire courage. It's directed towards those who choose to suffer in silence; since fear of failure holds them back. Amber refutes this way of thinking, however. She promises that being a “warrior” is a more rewarding path. You have to fail to succeed. She presents this message in a reasonable and encouraging manner. She's on our side. Musically, the song begins muted and shy. The second verse recoils as well. But the rest is mainly driven by a dense, stumbling, dubstep-ish drum beat. They convey a sense of standing strong. While the orchestral strings expand the soundscape. The song actually has a moody and misty atmosphere. And the ending is an affirmation. Towards the end, there's pyro eruptions that match the flames on screen, which is a neat visual. Amber is a good vocalist too – the “break” and “create” exclamations power the chorus. Although that chorus is too clunky to be catchy. The melody isn't memorable enough. And inevitably, I can't help comparing Malta's “Warrior” to Georgia's “Warrior”, and this is the weaker one. ✓ Norway: Mørland and Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me Norway matches their 8th place finish from last year. This time it's with a personal duet ballad. The song starts with Mørland opening up and confessing to a dark secret – he did something terrible when he was a kid, although he never mentions what that transgression is. It's so bad it's unspeakable! So he decides to end the relationship, believing it's the right thing to do. He isn't the idealized “prince” he lead to her to believe. He sounds ashamed of himself and undeserving of her love, even using the term “monster”. Debrah then chimes in with a mournful voice. She pulled the truth out of him and she's in shock. I doesn't sound forgiving though. As for the instrumental, it's pretty bare at the start. The song is guided by a sparse piano, alongside strings and frequent orchestral swells. The bridge later adds some unsettled humming. While the final chorus bursts open in a climactic moment, as the drums and big vocals take over. Overall, the song moves at a slow and careful pace. Normally I would find this dull. But it's a beautiful song. And the pace accentuates the heartbreaking, fragile, vulnerable, sensitive performance from the two singers. Their body language shows emotion too. As does the “I better let you go” line. Plus the camera work is decent. The simple staging makes sense. × Portugal: Leonor Andrade - Há um mar que nos separa Yeah... this is pretty forgettable. The background “HEY AHH OOH”s are nice though. They're repeated after each chorus line. Plus the production has some quirky moments. The first verse inserts a light electric guitar and a springy synth. While the second verse contains a buzzing guitar and a synth that bounces like a ping-pong ball. It also slows down on the last line with a fuzzy shimmering sound. The song also has a clappy rhythm. Otherwise, Leonor is quite animated on stage. She stands against a wind machine and grips that mic stand by the end. Her hairstyle and long black cloak reminds me of Loreen. Lyrically, the song is about how Leonor's longing and yearning will vanquish the “sea that separates” her from this person. The tone isn't depressing, however; it's actually more pleasant, hopeful and assured. That said, the melody passively floats along too much, even with the key change. Despite her elongating the start of the chorus lines, that chorus goes nowhere. And the pop-rock instrumentation is pretty mild throughout. It's a nice enough song, but it doesn't leave enough of an impression. × Czech Republic: Marta Jandová and Václav Noid Bárta - Hope Never DiesIt's another interactive duet! Czechia returns after an extended break, but they haven't found their footing just yet. Maybe Václav's raspy voice was off-putting. Or maybe the song is too intense and over dramatic. Indeed, the vocals become shout-y by the end of it. And the song is tedious at times. But the melody is strong – the back-and-forth exchange helps it stick. The “IN YOUR EYES...I CAN SEE...” part is a great hook too. In the song, Václav asks Marta to wait for her, but the “ravens” (which are bad omen) are taking her away. On stage, the pair stands distanced from each other, with Marta avoiding eye contact. The break-up is implied to be inevitable and deterministic. That is until Marta changes her mind. She declares “Or we can rise and fight”, as she tosses her high heels across the stage, which is camp. They then hold each other at the end. They also bring expressive body language, as the camera cuts between them often. While the screen depicts rows of spinning vertical mirrors. The atmosphere is pretty bleak, grim and hopeless throughout. Like they're singing from the darkest depths. The harpsichord(?) on the first chorus adds to that. As does Václav's raspy voice. The song is a mainly a piano ballad, with the orchestral backing arriving later. The instrumental is a bit old-fashioned though. ✓ Israel: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy Israel breaks a 4-year NQ streak with a bang! The song begins as a guitar ballad, where Nadav cries to his “mama” about his broken heart. But the tempo soon jumps into an “Ethno-pop” party song. He goes out dancing to forget her. He also personifies male bravado; calling himself a “golden boy” in a mocking tone. He acts like a show-off that can charm the ladies. It's a ridiculous and cringy, entry; but it doesn't take itself too seriously. Nadav even wears golden shoes on stage. Also, the “gotta go three minutes” sign-off (referring to the ESC time limit) and the snapshot is a camp ending. Otherwise, the song is incredibly catchy (“let me show you Tel Aviv!”). The verses zigzag and strut around (“take. me. out.”) And the second one further breaks down for a drink-pouring sound effect and a trap-y beat. The pre-chorus then escalates things, culminating in the “3-2-1 [pyro blast] HEY” countdown. Plus a squiggly sound. The chorus, meanwhile, unleashes the traditional instrumentation and the rattling drums. It's a dance-able rhythm. Those drums hold through the bridge, which leads to some bangs and a key change. The ending involves sparklers and a “dance dance dance” bit. It's a dynamic song and it injects energy into the arena. The choreography is lively as well – with the jumping, hip thrusting, and the leaning/wiggling move. Israel really threw everything at this entry. But there's maybe too much going on here. ✓ Latvia: Aminata - Love Injected My winner of 2015, as predictable as that is. And a contender for Latvia's best entry. Forget “Not Alone”, this is the best dubstep entry. Although “Love Injected” is the brooding variety of that genre, not the menacing kind. Anyways, this song is all about the verse/chorus contrast. They have differing vocal styles and production. The former is more subtle – Aminata uses a high-pitched coo; alongside some clinks, claps and quivers. They're all light sounds and it's a very mystical atmosphere. On the flip side, the chorus strikes hard – she projects her voice across the arena (“YOUR LOVE...”), as the bass-line grinds, revs and shivers. There's a sturdiness to it. The backing and the stretched percussion boosts it as well. This part is when the injection kicks in; when she's overcome with the intensity of love. The bridge then sees the dubstep warp, alongside raindrop-like drums and a different quiver. While the outro contains a series of goosebumps-inducing “OH-OH OHHHH OH”s. The lyrics seem straightforward – they describe the power that this person's love has over Aminata. She feels secure in this connection. On stage, she stands still in a red dress, while the screen flashes between windows and some red and white spikes “growing” from her body. It's a cool aesthetic. She is a natural performer as well. ✓ Azerbaijan: Elnur Hüseynov - Hour of the Wolf Elnur returns from 2008; where he was a part of Azerbaijan's screaming debut entry. He still showcases his classical vocals here, even sounding operatic at times. But it's much less polarizing than “Day After Day” was. Both songs are thematic too, with this one embracing a “wolf” metaphor. It refers to Elnur declaring his undying determination to fight; and thereby quit wallowing in hurt. He mentions being anxious for tomorrow, and the ravenous nature of wolves. The title itself signifies his moment to strike. Elnur also howls at the start. Plus there's a moon and a dark forest on screen. And there's two interpretive dancers on “all fours”. They also “physically attack” each other, while Elnur mediates in the middle. He seems like an actor on that stage. Otherwise, the song starts as a piano ballad; followed by strings and faint marching drums. The verses have a windy woods atmosphere, while the chorus becomes more theatrical. The melody gets stretched out, as it's set to the pace of courageous orchestral stomps. It has a “summoning strength” vibe. Elnur's vocals amplify as well (ie. “NO I... WON'T SLEEP... TONIGHT”). And he becomes more bombastic on the second (and final) chorus, which also involves a key change. But this entry is “mid tier” for me. × Iceland: Maria Olafs - Unbroken Thus begins a 4-year NQ streak for Iceland. Maria's shaky live vocals probably didn't help. But the song is also way too repetitive. The melody just follows the same 3-line structure over and over again. It's basically one long never-ending chorus. The lyrics offer little variety as well, as they flip between the same 2 stanzas. Each one starts with the phrase “one step at a time”... which is said 15 times in total. The elongated “Unbroooooken” hooks are the only reprieve. The words are a generalized message of letting go and heading towards a new and better path. That said, Maria delivers it with an innocent and likable charm. There's a pure and wholesome positive atmosphere to this. And her ballerina dress matches that. She brings confident stage presence in her smiles and dance moves. The studio version sounds better as well. Other staging moments include the footsteps on the floor; Maria shoving the camera away; and the glitter release. Also, the production has more structure. It's a percussion-dominant song. The “verses” patter, the “pre-chorus” tugs, the “chorus” bops along, and the “bridge” gets amped up. The chorus also ends with dramatic bangs, matched with camera cuts and light flashes. But this is one of those songs I want to like more than I actually do. ✓ Sweden: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes (winner review in Grand Final post) × Switzerland: Mélanie René - Time to Shine This is an odd choice for last place. The message isn't the most original, but Mélanie communicates it in a convincing way. And the production has an ominous atmosphere, which stops it from sounding cheesy. In the song, Mélanie decides to not hide herself anymore. She once felt afraid and alone with low self-esteem. But now it's her “time to shine”! For her to stand up. And her life is better because of it. She represents this transformation by removing her black cloak (which she wears whilst detailing her dark times) to reveal a white dress. This happens right when the first chorus hits... and again for the final chorus. Otherwise, the verses have a woodsy vibe; featuring claps (accompanied by lightning flashes), a wooden instrument, and an ominous bass-line. The dark blue stage and the forest imagery on screen complement this vibe. The chorus is more crowded and strong-willed, as it's boosted by guitars, emphatic drums and prominent backing vocalists. The backing also strikes those drums on stage dramatically. There's an electric guitar moment later on as well. And the final chorus sees Mélanie go for the ad libs amongst some smoke puffs. The atmosphere captures the “rising from the darkness” theme. ✓ Cyprus: John Karayiannis - One Thing I Should Have Done And this is an odd choice for a qualifier. The chorus melody reminds me of “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams. The song itself is a minimalist, acoustic, coffeehouse ballad with a modest approach. The performance also begins with a vintage black-and-white filter. The lyrics start as a typical sad break-up song. John claims he “always did everything for you”. But then he later corrects himself to say he failed at that. He repeats the line “I should have been there for you” four times, as the guitar pauses for tension. The orchestra swells and the strings quiver each time he says that line. He wasn't there in their “hour of need”, and that's why it ended. All it took was one blunder. There's some twinkles leading into the final chorus as well; and the orchestra remains. John performs this with a calm voice for the most part. But he sounds too “matter of fact”. Moreover, the instrumental is too bare, the song is basically a lullaby, and the lyrical concept is uninteresting to me. The song is kind of basic. ✓ Slovenia: Maraaya - Here for You Once again I am a sucker for Slovenia. Firstly, the bizarre staging is both novel and oddly charming. Marjetka wears headphones and the backing dancer does the air violin (as opposed to air guitar). She moves her “bow” quite exaggeratedly too. The camera cuts to her and the pianist often. But besides that, “Here for You” has a very entrancing production. The song begins and ends as a daydream-y piano ballad. The beat kicks in after that intro. The verses are driven by these intrusively pounding drums, like a ball being slammed at the floor. This part is more confrontational with a suspended atmosphere. There's also stray violin moments throughout the song. Following this, a series of rouge, meandering piano notes transition to the chorus. Said chorus sees the drums ease as Marjetka offers a reassurance. The second verse adds a bonus “Everybody else sees in black and white...” part. The lyrics describe the imbalance in her relationship – when they first met, her lover helped open her heart. But now the roles are reversed, and they're closing themselves off from her. Marjetka isn't annoyed or anything though. Instead, she offers support, which is a mature stance. She sings with a sweet and reassuring voice too. Also, the “When you're down, down low” hook is pretty catchy. And the piano and violin bits get lodged in my head pretty easily. ✓ Poland: Monika Kuszyńska - In the Name of Love Forget about Cyprus, this might be the snooze-fest of 2015. The melody is as flat as a pancake and I always forget how it goes. Monika seems compassionate, but the chorus is too lifeless to really carry the mood. And the way the contest's slogan is inserted into the lyrics feels too deliberate (ie. “let's build the bridge”). The song does pick up during the bridge though, where the instrumental builds up. And there's a loveliness and prettiness to the verses. They sound poetic. And they're like taking a deep breath or reaching a point of acceptance. The way the piano “tickles” every now and again is nice too. In the song, Monika lifts someone up who is feeling despondent. And she pushes for building a bridge of connections. The stage, meanwhile, has a pink setting – including the piano and the tree blossoms on screen. While Monika wears a glowing white dress, as she extends her arm outwards with the train attached to her finger. I guess this symbolizes openness. The side screens also show black-and-white videos of Monika before she was paralyzed. But yeah, this is a pretty dry ballad. My Ranking:01. Latvia: Aminata - Love Injected ✓02. Slovenia: Maraaya - Here for You ✓03. Norway: Mørland and Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me ✓04. Montenegro: Knez - Adio ✓05. Ireland: Molly Sterling - Playing with Numbers 06. Sweden: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes ✓07. Switzerland: Mélanie René - Time to Shine 08. Azerbaijan: Elnur Hüseynov - Hour of the Wolf ✓09. Czech Republic: Marta Jandová and Václav Noid Bárta - Hope Never Dies 10. Lithuania: Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila - This Time ✓11. Israel: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy ✓12. Malta: Amber - Warrior 13. Iceland: Maria Olafs - Unbroken 14. Portugal: Leonor Andrade - Há um mar que nos separa 15. Poland: Monika Kuszyńska - In the Name of Love ✓16. Cyprus: John Karayiannis - One Thing I Should Have Done ✓17. San Marino: Anita Simoncini and Michele Perniola - Chain of Lights This is actually a pretty strong semi-final. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on May 30, 2022 20:08:42 GMT -5
Playing with Numbers deserved to qualify, such a beautiful song. My favorites of this semi are Latvia and Norway.
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Post by born on May 31, 2022 4:09:04 GMT -5
11. Malta: Amber - Warrior
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Jun 7, 2022 11:28:58 GMT -5
Vienna 2015 – Grand Final Host: Austria Slogan: “Building Bridges” Participants: 40 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host + AUSTRALIA Winner: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes Country: Sweden Points: 365 (78.0% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:It's the 60th edition of Eurovision! Which marks the end of an era – the last contest to use the old points system (ie. where each country's jury and televote points were combined into a single aggregate score). It's also the longest Grand Final up to this point, with a run time of almost exactly 4 hours. The preceding years were roughly 30 minutes shorter. And it's remained around the 4-hour mark to this day. Needless to say, I'm pretty worn out by the end of it. Indeed, this is a long opening sequence. It starts with the Vienna Philharmonic in an outdoor venue; culminating in a group of people holding torches in a circle. Then, the rainbow blobbed infrastructure reappears. Followed by an edit of Conchita's winning moment and a long montage of various local activities. After all that, we transition to the live stage, where a violinist leads Austria's two winning songs. The wall opens up to reveal an orchestra, just like in the semi-final. Soon after, Conchita emerges from the floor, looking like a giant. She performs the theme song “Building Bridges”, where the 3 hosts arrive to “sing” along. As well as a children's choir and rapper Left Boy. The song changes to a hip-hop beat for the latter. Finally, the hosts lead the Parade of Nations. But wait, there's still a montage of people “transferring” objects or people between split screens, set to the soundtrack of “What If” (Russia 2013). That has not aged well. The presenters are Arabella Kiesbauer, Mirjam Weichselbraun and Alice Tumler. The dialogue is very scripted, but they're a likeable trio. The stage consists of the usual circular platform with an LED screen behind it. But with an additional archway constructed from numerous horizontal light tubes. There's also a collection of orbs hanging from the ceiling that move up and down in wave patterns. The Green Room is a raised platform in the back, with a walkway cutting through the audience that connects it to the stage. The postcards start with the artists greeting the camera, while a heartbeat pounds. This is followed by footage of the artists receiving a package in their home countries. They look at the gift, then look upwards to see someone greeting them and suddenly they're in Austria. They then partake in a local activity. The sequence concludes with the artists displayed on a billboard. The interval act is the Percussive Planet Ensemble, which (unsurprisingly) features a wide variety of percussion. During which, the artists make heart shapes in the Green Room. There's also people holding art pieces on their heads and a classical choir joining in. Later on, Conchita performs the inspirational ballad “You Are Unstopped” and the piano house number “Firestorm”. She is a superstar! There's also a montage of winner reaction moments. The results are very top-heavy this year. Going by percentages, 2015 has the strongest top 3 of the “12-point era”. And 10th place only received 53 points. I'm guessing the Grand Final suffered from ballad fatigue. The entire 2nd half is basically slower tempo songs. The voting graphics show a nighttime globe that “builds bridges” to Vienna; with Vienna written in that country's language (although not the country name itself). The voting procedure is a messy one. Austria lost connection to three countries (Portugal, Estonia and Georgia), who were called back at the end. But what's truly surreal to re-watch in 2022 is... how Russia was leading for so long. It honestly looked like they had won it. And the audience was NOT here for it, despite the “anti-booing technology”. Conchita was even defending Polina in the Green Room. The crowd went NUTS when Sweden finally overtook on country #27. And the Russian spokesperson jokingly giving 12 points to his own country did not go over well. Also of note: the winner was announced early again. The Entries: Slovenia: Maraaya - Here for You France: Lisa Angell - N'oubliez pas Another serious message song from 2015. “N'oubliez pas” commemorates the 100th anniversary of WWI, which resulted in nearly 2 million French people losing their lives. In the song, Lisa describes what it must've felt like at the time. To have your entire sense of security and peaceful lifestyle uprooted. She narrates about a village that was “erased from the maps and memories”. It was once a welcoming place with “children laughing” and “harvest celebrations”. But then the invading forces arrived with large numbers and weapons. The “words of hatred” line could apply to WWII as well. Lisa's message is “don't forget” about history. In the chorus, she declares “I am there” to show perseverance. They will rebuild. The instrumental starts very faint, with the guitar, piano and strings. It's a grieving and disheartening mood; as if standing in the rubble aftermath, too numb to speak. While the screen displays destroyed buildings and white doves. The piano emerges more in the first chorus. While the drums join in the second verse. And Lisa's vocals intensify from the second chorus. She sounds very passionate and emotional; particularly during the invading forces stanza. The strings become more pronounced too. For the final stanza, four marching band drummers come on stage (with plenty more on screen as the village rebirths). It's such a dreary song though, and the melody isn't that instant. Israel: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy This needed to be 2nd half lol. Estonia: Elina Born and Stig Rästa - Goodbye to Yesterday United Kingdom: Electro Velvet - Still in Love with You And another mixed gender duet from 2015. Boy was this a low point for the UK. A campy entry that feels cynical, outdated and out of touch. The song combines 1920s Vaudeville with a rave. There's swinging violins, with a glitchy, techno soup beat attached that doesn't really belong. While the old-timey stage design switches to neon lights at times. There's also break dancing and commands for us to dance. In the song, the duo exchanges dialogue. Alex warns Bianca about her vacation and she responds to calm his worries. He cautions about wrong trains, old plains, and nasty diseases; while she tells him to take his medication. Alex is also worried of other suitors. She assures she'll be faithful. He tells her to not stay out late or drink too much. She says he needs to trust her. And she flicks her finger at him when saying the song title (to put him in his place?) This guy sounds very insecure and controlling. He blames it on her being “gorgeous” (eye roll). Bianca doesn't sound annoyed by it, as the song goes for a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek tone. But it seems toxic. Otherwise, the song has a bouncy rhythm and the lyrics rhyme a lot. Especially that “-ize” stanza. Which is a bit silly. But the violins and the scatting are annoying. As are the “d-d-dance” / “everybody dance” / “oh yes” bits. Moreover, this entry seems like a parody or a joke. The smiles are too much. Armenia: Genealogy - Face the Shadow Lithuania: Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila - This Time The kiss went on too long and they missed their cue. And that part is used in the recap... Serbia: Bojana Stamenov - Beauty Never Lies Norway: Mørland and Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me Sweden: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes (winner review below) Cyprus: John Karayiannis - One Thing I Should Have Done RIP with this running order slot. Australia: Guy Sebastian - Tonight Again The top 5 placement seems driven by the hype of their debut. And by being an energetic song amongst the ballads. So Australia selects one of their biggest acts – Guy won the inaugural season of Australian Idol and he's topped the ARIA charts 6 times. “Tonight Again” is also a brass-heavy song right when “Uptown Funk” was everywhere. It starts with a moderately paced piano, as Guy suggests leaving behind your problems for tonight. The pre-chorus then escalates via the “do what you what you what you want” x3 build up + the horn yanks. While the chorus confidently struts forward in a free-flowing manner. It halts on the “forget tomorrow” bit; followed by an “oh ah oh” post-chorus from the backing. In the second verse, Guy mentions people judging this lifestyle. The title implies this avoidance is a cycle. But he's happy. For the bridge, the beat disappears then expands, as the pyro goes off and Guy ad libs. The performance ends with fireworks. On stage, there's a series of street lamps, while the screen shows a city street at night. It's like they're walking down it. The choreo is fluid too, with fist pumps, pointing, and Guy shuffling his legs. He's a professional performer who shows off his vigorous vocals. Which helps him sound eager. Overall, it's a slick entry with a catchy pre-chorus, and the horns keep things afloat. But it's kinda lacking in substance. Belgium: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside Austria: The Makemakes - I Am Yours The first host entry to receive 0 points. Many of the upcoming ones will be towards the bottom of the scoreboard as well. Perhaps “I Am Yours” was too eccentric. The big gimmick is when singer Dodo lights the grand piano on fire midway through. Which could represent his burning passion. The song sounds like a 1970s rock ballad, similar to Elton John or Paul McCartney. The performance begins with a dark, shadowy stage. The verses are piano-driven, with a wistful and lonely atmosphere. The guitars and drums enter during the first chorus as the stage lights up. Said chorus has a rocking back-and-forth or fist-pounding rhythm, which conveys persistence. Dodo also changes to falsetto on the closing line. He gets scream-y towards the end too. In the song, Dodo says that if this person is willing to give him a second chance, he'll drop everything to be with them again. He's ready, willing, and able. The ball is in their court now. Each stanza also ends with the offer “anytime, any place, I’m yours”; as if it needs to be repeated. Otherwise, the “you're the one I belong to” hook is okay, and Dodo sounds sweet and committed. But this entry doesn't really stand out enough. The “oooooh” bridge is flat too. Greece: Maria Elena Kyriakou - One Last Breath Montenegro: Knez - Adio Germany: Ann Sophie - Black Smoke Germany started the 2010s with Lena and ended it with a bunch of bottom 2 placements. Including “nul points” this year. Although Ann Sophie didn't win the national final. That was Andreas Kümmert with “Heart of Stone” (he declined). Anyways, “Black Smoke” is a retro jazzy number filled with snapping percussion flicks, and a tickling piano riff. After the muffled intro, the instrumental stays pretty consistent. The drum rhythm is breezy for a break-up song. The bridge, meanwhile, is carried by the warm backing, followed by the song shying away and Ann releasing a big note. “Black Smoke” is about a relationship that should end. Ann notices her lover has changed. She tries to convince herself things are fine. But it's not worth forcing it. They can't even say the three words (“I love you”) anymore. The chorus surmises the situation by saying the “flame is running out” and all that's left is “black smoke”. It can't be rekindled. The lyrics are reasonable and the tone feels assured with her decision. Although the chorus sounds like a plea. The staging involves spotlights behind the singers and smoke puffs on screen. They also wear black outfits and Ann sings the first verse standing backwards for some reason. She has some sensual movements too. But the staging is kinda “meh” and the melody is so plain (“you said you'd never let me go”). Fun fact: Ella Eyre co-wrote this. Poland: Monika Kuszyńska - In the Name of Love Latvia: Aminata - Love Injected Romania: Voltaj - De la capăt Spain: Edurne - Amanecer Spain selects a... female ballad composed by Thomas G:son. But unlike 2012 and 2014, “Amanecer” fell short of the top 10. It probably suffered from ballad fatigue in the 2nd half. Still, the atmosphere is super melodramatic. The forlorn strings create an expansive soundscape. It's like a desolate desert or being consumed by sadness. The orchestra begins low-key and distressed. While the verse melody hangs on each line. The stage is a dark setting, featuring raindrops and water ripples on the floor. Edurne is concealed by a red cloak; sitting next to a passed out man. The drums and strings take over from the first chorus. And the drums punch hard from the second verse on like an unrelenting desire. Or endurance. Meanwhile, Edurne's long train flows in the wind. She also sheds a tear. Her train gets yanked off when the second chorus hits to reveal a sparkling white dress. She also holds her hands out (as if conjuring a spell) when singing the main hook. And there's an elaborate duo's dance routine during the instrumental break. The final chorus further adds thunderclaps. In the song, Edurne's lover left without knowing she loved them. And she feels very intense about wanting him to return. To “restore the dawn”. Overall, the staging is great, and the song is very atmospheric. But that “E-yeah E-YEAHHHH oh” hook, while instantly catchy, dominates things to the point of monotony. Hungary: Boggie - Wars for Nothing Georgia: Nina Sublatti - Warrior The infamous smoke machine malfunction. You can't even see her in the wide shots! Azerbaijan: Elnur Hüseynov - Hour of the Wolf Russia: Polina Gagarina - A Million Voices Albania: Elhaida Dani - I'm Alive The most underrated entry of 2015? Italy: Il Volo - Grande amore The song that held the televote record until 2022. If the juries had been more favourable towards Italy, they would've won. I didn't understand the massive hype 7 years ago, since classical opera has never been my thing. But the chorus is immensely powerful. It represents the “Great Love” you want to shout to the whole world. It's a glorious and overwhelming feeling. The song is about letting go of one's fears and reservations in confessing your feelings. The narrator has doubts; asking this person for reassurance that they'll never leave and only choose them. The build into the chorus is the biggest highlight though. The song begins more restrained. There's just a piano and a rising verse melody, set against a dark stage. The pre-chorus intensifies (the “Dimmi perché...” x3 bit) with the quick, jabbing percussion booms that approach and close in. While Piero unleashes an operatic vocal. The trio then yells “GRANDE AMORE” as the chorus explodes. The vocals bellow (“DIMMI CHE MAI”), as the drums steady the pace and the stage brightens up. It releases tension. The chorus ends with heavy strings. In the second pre-chorus, the trio rotates lines, with each one walking into the camera frame. Overall, II Volo are top class performers and vocalists. There's also Roman sculptures on screen. Fun fact: this song took 12 years to be picked up by any artist. The Winner:Sweden achieves their 6th victory; putting them one step away from Ireland's record. I imagine it's only a matter of time until they match or surpass it. “Heroes” is also the biggest winner of the 2010s, going by percentage of possible points. Although that's largely because of the juries. It had a 114-point lead(!!) over the runner-up in the jury vote (which was Latvia). Incidentally, this is the first time that the televote winner did not win the contest. The song redefines the term “hero” for the modern age (ie. “of our time”). Where we have personal “demons in our minds”, but we do our best. Which turns this into an anthem for the anti-heroes. Måns starts by explaining that he screwed up and he's avoiding punishment. That heroes are being eradicated. And he relays his father's advice about not dwelling on things. In the second verse, he says that modern heroes are greeted with crickets. That he inspires people (“I make worms turn into butterflies”). And he mentions his father's undying support. The song is an inspirational message directed to the listener. But the lyrics are so awkwardly phrased and trying too hard to sound deep. The “Sing it like a hummingbird” line doesn't make sense either, since I don't associate exclaiming an anthemic chorus with hummingbirds. Plus, Måns's words come off as self-important. The “What if I'm the only hero left” and the “butterflies” lines in particular. Like it's his duty to lead this message. The musicality is better than the lyrics though. The song was written by Joy Deb and Linnea Deb, who also composed “You” (Sweden 2013), “Monsters” (Finland 2018), “Adrenalina” (San Marino 2021) and “Voices” (Sweden 2021). It begins with a sawing guitar that's reminiscent of a Western film. It's been compared to David Guetta's “Lovers On The Sun” (which unofficially featured Avicii) – a huge hit in Europe the previous year. It signals an oncoming showdown; a scene of antiquated movie heroes. The first verse is also like a confession. The song then slowly builds into the chorus. Måns exclaims out loud with extended pauses, as the synths simmer below the surface. Soon enough, the drums escalate things, and the grinding synth swells leading to the drop. Finally, the main chorus envelops the arena. The second verse returns to the guitar, but this time the drums and the string pokes ease the pacing. While the second chorus jumps straight into the drop instead. Following this, there's a short (but effective) bridge. The backing repeats it underneath the final chorus to add an extra hook. The chorus sounds like a big anthem where the whole world could join in. And that “Hero-oh-ohs / oh-oh-ohs” hook is catchy. But... the way it stretches out one word makes it feel empty too. Otherwise, the staging is creative and innovative. It's a showcase of modern technology, where Måns interacts with a projection board as he “manipulates” the images. The stage is kept dark black for the illusion. He starts by siting on a bench. He then snaps his finger and a chalk outline kid appears. He slides over to make room on the bench, as the kid copies his movements. Following this, Måns conjures up a misty swirl that turns into a 3D rainfall effect. In the second verse, he motions that rainfall into a comet-like thing that he captures. He releases it; and it turns into butterfly wings behind him (matching the “butterfly” lyric). He then rotates the dots in a 3D motion during the “turn this world around” line. Afterwards, a school of chalk-outline kids appear on screen. They tilt in unison with Måns. He gives a fist-bump. And his heart glows red. The bridge also shows a chalk outline of Måns's face that morphs into his actual face. During the chorus, the stage lights flash in a frenzy, while he energetically bounces in the center. Måns brings insane charisma and star power to this performance. But it's to the point of self-indulgence with those smug smiles. Which is why I've never been able to love this entry. “Heroes” is not a bad winner at all - but it's not one I get that excited by. It's too calculated. It's not on the same level as “Euphoria” either. And the fact that Måns keeps reappearing at Eurovision year after year doesn't help. As for Melfest 2015, “Heroes” was very much a landslide winner there. The final also featured the first appearances of Jon Henrik Fjällgren and Mariette, who both placed top 3. Guilty pleasure icons Samir & Viktor also made their debut. Verdict: The very bottom of “B” Tier. My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Latvia: Aminata - Love Injected 02. Estonia: Elina Born and Stig Rästa - Goodbye to Yesterday 03. Belgium: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside 04. Slovenia: Maraaya - Here for You 05. Norway: Mørland and Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me 06. Montenegro: Knez - Adio 07. Italy: Il Volo - Grande amore 08. Albania: Elhaida Dani - I'm Alive 09. Australia: Guy Sebastian - Tonight Again 10. Georgia: Nina Sublatti - Warrior 11. Sweden: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes 12. Spain: Edurne - Amanecer 13. Serbia: Bojana Stamenov - Beauty Never Lies 14. Azerbaijan: Elnur Hüseynov - Hour of the Wolf 15. Germany: Ann Sophie - Black Smoke 16. Lithuania: Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila - This Time 17. Israel: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy 18. Hungary: Boggie - Wars for Nothing 19. Greece: Maria Elena Kyriakou - One Last Breath 20. France: Lisa Angell - N'oubliez pas 21. Austria: The Makemakes - I Am Yours 22. Romania: Voltaj - De la capăt 23. Poland: Monika Kuszyńska - In the Name of Love 24. Cyprus: John Karayiannis - One Thing I Should Have Done 25. Armenia: Genealogy - Face the Shadow 26. United Kingdom: Electro Velvet - Still in Love with You Full Ranking: 01. Latvia: Aminata - Love Injected 02. Estonia: Elina Born and Stig Rästa - Goodbye to Yesterday 03. Belgium: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside 04. Slovenia: Maraaya - Here for You 05. Norway: Mørland and Debrah Scarlett - A Monster Like Me 06. Montenegro: Knez - Adio 07. Italy: Il Volo - Grande amore 08. Albania: Elhaida Dani - I'm Alive 09. Ireland: Molly Sterling - Playing with Numbers 10. Australia: Guy Sebastian - Tonight Again 11. Georgia: Nina Sublatti - Warrior 12. Sweden: Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes 13. Spain: Edurne - Amanecer 14. Switzerland: Mélanie René - Time to Shine 15. Serbia: Bojana Stamenov - Beauty Never Lies 16. Azerbaijan: Elnur Hüseynov - Hour of the Wolf 17. Germany: Ann Sophie - Black Smoke 18. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Daniel Kajmakoski - Autumn Leaves 19. Czech Republic: Marta Jandová and Václav Noid Bárta - Hope Never Dies 20. Lithuania: Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila - This Time 21. Israel: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy 22. Moldova: Eduard Romanyuta - I Want Your Love 23. Hungary: Boggie - Wars for Nothing 24. Belarus: Uzari and Maimuna - Time 25. Greece: Maria Elena Kyriakou - One Last Breath 26. Malta: Amber - Warrior 27. France: Lisa Angell - N'oubliez pas 28. Austria: The Makemakes - I Am Yours 29. Iceland: Maria Olafs - Unbroken 30. Portugal: Leonor Andrade - Há um mar que nos separa 31. Romania: Voltaj - De la capăt 32. Poland: Monika Kuszyńska - In the Name of Love 33. Cyprus: John Karayiannis - One Thing I Should Have Done 34. Denmark: Anti Social Media - The Way You Are 35. Netherlands: Trijntje Oosterhuis - Walk Along 36. Armenia: Genealogy - Face the Shadow 37. United Kingdom: Electro Velvet - Still in Love with You 38. San Marino: Anita Simoncini and Michele Perniola - Chain of Lights 39. Finland: Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina mun pitää“S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “Rise Like a Phoenix”, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, “Satellite” “B” Tier: “Molitva”, “Heroes” “C” Tier: “Fly On The Wings Of Love”, “I Wanna”, “Take Me To Your Heaven” “D” Tier: “Everybody”, “Believe”, “Running Scared” “F” Tier: none! Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Post by ry4n on Jun 25, 2022 14:26:13 GMT -5
Stockholm 2016 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Sweden Slogan: “Come Together” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:2016 was the year I switched from a casual Eurovision fan to an avid one – it was the first time I watched the semi-finals, and the first time I listened to the songs before the contest. I even watched a few national finals! I also spent that spring catching up on all the older Grand Finals. The show opens by slowly zooming towards the Globe Arena (aka the former home of the Melfest final), while an edit of Måns's win cuts in and out. Next, Måns performs a slow orchestral rendition of “Heroes” on stage; this time with a real life kid imitating the projection board animations. The kid even floats in the air with a balloon. Later, a children's choir joins in – I was about say in my “Heroes” review that the song was totally built for a children's choir. After this, there's a montage of various activities with the dandelion symbol floating around. This leads to the Globe Arena transforming into the contest's logo. Petra and Måns provide plenty of Swedish humour here. The Europe “The Final Countdown” joke being a highlight. There's also a filler segment where they drive taxi cars and surprise Eurofans. Verka makes a cameo during this as well. The interval involves a comical story about the origins of ABBA's “Waterloo”. And an interpretive dance sequence about the refugee crisis of the time called The Grey People. They're covered in grey, like debris dust. It's set to some slow BPM dance beats. At the end, they rinse their faces and walk into the audience; symbolizing their new home. This year sees Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Ukraine return after their respective breaks. While Portugal withdrew and Romania were disqualified 10 days before the rehearsals began for not paying their debts. They were scheduled to perform in SF2 with “Moment of Silence” by Ovidiu Anton (I probably wouldn't have ranked it that high, but I feel bad for the artist). I was excited to see Bosnia return though. But then they broke their qualification record and haven't participated since. Also, Australia are (thankfully) not a permanent auto-qualifier. Russia wins yet another semi-final, and the SF1 televote as well. While Malta (of all things) tops the jury vote. Otherwise, the public saved Austria (which they ranked 2nd!!) in exchange for Montenegro. Yeah I don't know what the juries were thinking there. On the flip side, the juries saved Croatia at the expense of Bosnia. One of the format changes in 2016 is how the auto-qualifiers were previewed in the semi-finals. Previously, the producers would show music video clips of all of them at once, and repeat it in SF2. But starting this year, we now see live rehearsal clips for whichever countries are voting in that semi-final. The Entries: × Finland: Sandhja - Sing It Away We kick off 2016 with a feelgood entry from Sandhja. Where she spreads a straightforward piece of advice – when life gets you down (ie. when you're overwhelmed, stressed, discouraged), try singing your troubles away. She'll even help us do it! It isn't the most profound message, but she sounds compassionate. The song starts with languid piano notes. But the first verse doesn't wait long to amp up the energy, as the drums arrive and the piano awakens. The backing singers then walk onto the stage from the rear entrance when the first chorus hits. I can see why this is the opener. They sound friendly and inviting with their “ohhhhhh YEAH”s. The chorus also adds some mini horn blasts. It has a relaxed vibe compared to the verses, and Sandhja sings it enthusiastically. The second verse builds similarly to the first, but with heart-beating drums. While the bridge switches to tenser pattering drums. Her voice also sounds like Kiesza during that part. The backing is quite distracting on stage however; between their “can't sit still” dance moves, the mic stand leaning, and them crowding around Sandhja. Although I like when they walk in unison towards the end. And Everybody seems to be having fun. But this entry is a little too “plain”. Her “bruh bruh bruh” shouts get annoying too. She's a little intense. × Greece: Argo - Utopian Land Greece finally breaks their qualification record. And I can see why. The song starts promising – there's a shot of a lyra player to establish a traditional element. Followed by vocal chanting and some forceful booming drums entering the scene. The ensuing English chorus is a catchy jingle to welcome us. But then the Greek rapping comes in and yeah... there isn't much rhythm to it. Although the two rappers display major goofball energy on stage. One of them takes his shirt off and twirls around at the end. But that lyra sounds like a dying sheep from the bridge onward, and I believe the drums change time signature. It's a nauseating, drunken nightmare. It breaks for a moment when the pounding drums return, but still. Lyrically, the first verse references the recent migrant crisis, as Greece was a major entry point to the EU. It uses words like enduring and fleeing, as the narrator seeks a “Utopian Land”. And the “rising sun” alludes to a new beginning. There's even a depiction of a sun on screen. At one point the chorus switches to “fight with us...” as they hold hands in the air. The second verse, meanwhile, mentions vodka, “Grandma's frying fish”, and dancing on a plane; which is a lighthearted celebration of their new home. Overall though, this is a messy entry, and the chorus doesn't salvage it much. × Moldova: Lidia Isac - Falling Stars For a country that's known for making a big splash each year... “Falling Stars” might be the most forgettable entry of 2016. Sure there's a dancing astronaut on stage, but that's nothing wild. Plus the melody doesn't stand out enough. The chorus makes an attempt with the “The SKY is... TUM-bling; it's coming down... coming down” bit, but it feels weak. Lidia is not the best vocalist either – particularly during that big note. Otherwise, the song contrasts a low-key verse with an EDM drop in the chorus. The opening combines rapid, restless plucking with more gradual piano notes. It creates a lonely nighttime atmosphere. Lidia, meanwhile, looks sideways in a dark shadow. Then suddenly, a 2011-style Euro-dance beat surges in, as the camera zooms out. The chorus synths are thick, splashing clasps that crash down like a heavy meteor shower. The song later ends with some dramatic clangs. On stage, Lidia emotes and interactions with the astronaut; who arrives in the second verse. He takes his helmet off while facing her, then dances around her. She also watches him depart during the bridge. The lyrics involve space metaphors, where Lidia pines for her ex and proclaims they could be the “brightest falling stars”. The sky is tumbling down and the love has turned to dust. Their love is so strong it's apocalyptic! Or the pain is. I'm not sure. All in all, the beat is the best aspect of this entry. ✓ Hungary: Freddie - Pioneer I wasn't a fan of Freddie's gravelly vocals at first, but they suit the song's theme of internalized self-hatred. He sings from the darkest depths within. He sounds troubled; like someone who has suffered. The song's message is directed towards victims of emotional neglect, bullying or mistreatment. For those who aren't accepted for who they are. In the chorus, Freddie proclaims: be proud of your real self. Be a “pioneer” (ie. the first person to do something). While the “million lies in a million temples” line calls out religion. In the bridge, he says “Approval is found within” - only you can change yourself. It's reasonable advice, and Freddie has a caring tone and emotes on stage. Musically, after the piano intro, the song is dominated by earthquake-like drums throughout, while a man strikes an upright drum on stage. The floor also displays a cracked surface. The pre-chorus sees those drums vanish, as the camera cuts to the backing singers whistling. It retreats like someone shying away. It also lets the chorus drums impact harder, where Freddie shouts “A MILLION HEARTS...” The backing also adds some “oh ah oh”s as they teeter and clap their hands in the air. The bridge later escalates a bit, leading to a big note transition. The grave piano notes remain throughout the song though. It's an intense instrumental. The chorus is catchy too, and I'd say the backing elevates it. ✓ Croatia: Nina Kraljić - Lighthouse Now here's a jarring vocal style I can't get past. Although the lyrics are adorable and Nina gives a quirky performance. The song goes all in with its metaphorical imagery and vivid descriptions. Basically: a lighthouse guides Nina to shore when her ship capsizes in stormy seas. That lighthouse represents a person who shines through the darkness. They're the reason she remains hopeful. They're reliable, permanent and provide safety. Moreover, Nina wears some memorable outfits here. She starts with an oversized cloth with a tree branch design. And then drops it to reveal a white dress with long frilly things hanging from her arms. The song also opens with a nautical flute and the verses are whimsical in sound – they feature water dripping effects and a quivering background instrument. They also follow a 3-syllable pattern. The driving force is the valiantly thumping drums though. They keep pushing forwards, like a boat hitting oncoming waves. And they fortify in the chorus, although the first one waits a moment to do so. Later, there's a key change, as the stage changes from watery blue to red skies, and the backing singers (who are concealed by black cloaks) add an intense “OHHHHHH”. Which I find overbearing. Side note: This is Croatia's first qualification since 2009! ✓ Netherlands: Douwe Bob - Slow Down The Netherlands regain their momentum by... sending another country song. Although this one resembles an Eagles hit from the 1970s. There's a retro and nostalgic vibe here. In the song, Douwe feels worn out from speeding through life aimlessly and from his daily routine. So he desperately seeks advice, and what he's told is extremely simple – to “slow down”. The descending chorus melody provides his desired tension relief via the “slow down brother” refrain. It concludes with a guitar nudge. The chorus looks repetitive on paper, but it doesn't feel that way. The backing boosts the melody too. Elsewhere, the “MISTER CAN YOU HELP ME” hook jumps out. And the guitar solo is nice. But that fake ending where the song pauses for 11 whole seconds is beyond awkward. It lasts way too long and it comes off as a mishap. I get it, you're “slowing down”. Also, the ticking clock at the start is too obvious; as is the stage floor resembling an analogue clock. And Douwe's facial expressions are off-putting. Otherwise, the instrumental stays relatively consistent. It remains smooth and calm. The acoustic guitar slides in after that clock intro, followed by the drums and piano. And the song ends on a quieter note, with Douwe standing among the audience. ✓ Armenia: Iveta Mukuchyan - LoveWave This has to be the most dramatic production in Eurovision history. The song begins with a subdued and brooding atmosphere, where Iveta privately whispers an aside (“hey it's me...”). This represents the “calm before the storm” mentioned in the lyric. The stage, meanwhile, is dark and misty; featuring NUMEROUS camera cuts and various angles focusing on her hand movements. Plus a close-up of her mouth. Iveta trails off by saying “beat, beat, beat...” Then, an air raid siren approaches like the old THX sound effect and the pyro erupts. At the climax, Iveta shouts “IT'S TAKING OVER ME” as the hyperbolic, earthquake drums take over in dramatic fashion. They create a “LoveWave”. It's an otherworldly atmosphere that holds in a singular moment in time. The impact of those drums is unrelenting, with some flicking sounds in between. The chorus further adds an elongated “YOUUUUUU” hook, and ends with her talking in gibberish. There's also a chilly violin solo, featuring multiple translucent copies of Iveta. The camera work is kinda abstract here. The song then finishes on a dramatic bang. The lyrics describe the titular “LoveWave” consuming Iveta. It woke her up, she feels indestructible, it saved her from a downward spiral, it hit without a warning, and now she craves for more. It's the most powerful feeling imaginable! She gives a fierce performance too, and provides a distinct squawky vocal. × San Marino: Serhat - I Didn't Know Well... at least “Say Na Na” has a fun hook. But this one is like a creepy man breathing down your neck. Serhat doesn't sing either, instead he uses this raspy, monotone, “seductive” voice. Which means the backing singers have to carry the melody for him. Moreover, the disco instrumental is generic. It sounds like it was made in the 1970s. Anyways, the song starts softly, like a slow dance at the cabaret. The backing hums “oooooh” as Serhat makes a plea to get together. His tone comes off as stalker-ish though and the lyrics seem presumptuous (ie. “I got to be inside your mind”, “You have to see this love is real”, “I want to slip upon your skin”). After that, the disco instrumental emerges to liven the mood. The chorus has a sing-along melody, a bouncy beat and hand claps. And it concludes with stretched-out cymbals/melody. In this part, Serhat says he “didn't know” about his feelings until now. The song further adds two breakdowns in the middle. The first sees the backing pump their fists in the air and say a bunch of “oh oh”s. They have some enjoyable choreo during this part. The second one reduces the song to a beating drum and finger snaps, as Serhat interacts with the dancers around him. The backing stays grouped together throughout. This is an eccentric entry for sure, but it still turns me off. ✓ Russia: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One #StandWithUkraine Sergey made an anti-war post on Instagram, so I'll review his entries! The televote winner of 2016. The staging is too inspired by “Heroes”, and the production isn't something you'd hear outside of Eurovision. Kirkorov / Kontopoulos basically revamped “Shine” here. But the OTT spectacle mostly works. Sergey starts by standing in the dark as a church bell rings. The song has a graveyard-like atmosphere to it. Following this, the synths brood underneath and a ticking clock leads to the pre-chorus. Upon which, the drums take over, including some impactful twitches, and Sergey amplifies things. He also begins to interact with a projection board. It shows bird wings sprouting from his arms. The ensuing chorus strikes like a hurricane – there's a singsong melody on “Thun-DER and Light-NING” and a desperation tone on the title phrase. While the drums steadily clack back-and-forth and the strings create a sinking feeling. Sergey also leads a synchronized dance routine. The second verse onward gets crazy – the screen shows outlines of his poses, he walks up the structure via floating blocks, the board spins and he “falls” into a starry abyss, he uses a meteor to climb to the top, and a trail of blood oozes from his torso. Finally, after a key change, Sergey stands on top of the board and gives a less restrained final chorus. He brings huge charisma to this. In the song, he's utterly determined to reconcile the relationship and affirms they're the “only one”. He seems pretty intense about it and the chorus is cheesy. But the song is still a bop. ✓ Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand Czechia qualifies for the first time ever! And then they flop at the Grand Final. Sobs. They get there by sending a big power ballad. The melody is what drives this one. The verses have a graceful flow, where Gabriela mentions her mental health struggles. She hit a wall and she made mistakes. But this person is her rock through it all. In the chorus, she exclaims “I-UH-I; I-UH-I STAAAAAND” repeatedly to conjure up inner strength. While the subsequent “I AM STANDING HERE...” part leaps out very effectively (as does the additional pre-chorus). She sings it like she's holding on for dear life. The emotion pours out. The second verse then reveals her newfound positive outlook on life. Musically, the song is a piano ballad that moves at a methodical pace. It has a serious and depressing atmosphere. It begins and ends with a gunshot bang. The percussion is like heavy footsteps. And there's a grave bell at one point. The instrumental also sees the strings grow as the song progresses. There's recurring cymbal shimmers. And things quiet before the final chorus hits. Otherwise, Gabriela performs the song completely alone on stage, which matches the lyrical theme. While the screen displays a “G” logo at the start, then some pink triangles appear everywhere, and finally flowers rain down. ✓ Cyprus: Minus One - Alter Ego Thomas G:son contributes two rock entries to 2016, and this is the better one. Although the constant flashes of the grey filter and the wolves are sensory overload. The lyrics are weird too. The metaphor compares the singer's heartache with turning into a werewolf (which is his “alter ego”). He even howls throughout the song, which is a bit much. In the lyrics, his heart feels locked in a jail; explaining why the band members perform inside cages. He remarks that he failed in the relationship and he rejects time healing wounds. He later claims he'll cross any distance to reunite. The chorus describes it as a twilight phase. The song kicks off with some forceful punches against a dark stage. From there, the drums tap before the guitar groove comes in. The verses also contain a “you know, you know, you know” repetition hook. The chorus then speedily jogs through as if nothing is impeding it. It uses a bouncy, sloshing percussion rhythm against some flashing lights. It's a chorus that “rocks” too! This is followed by a “take it on, take it on...” repetition that offers a relief afterwards. There's also a guitar solo later on. And the song finishes with more punches. The hard rock instrumental is bursting with energy, and it takes me back to my 2006 rock phase. But the animalistic theme can be intimidating. ✓ Austria: Zoë - Loin d'ici Austria challenges Croatia for the cutest entry of 2016. “Loin d'ici” has a very fanciful and innocent atmosphere. After the muffled intro, the first verse is driven by playful string plucking, while the second verse brings in an equally playful violin. Both of which scurry and scamper around joyfully like a bunny rabbit. There's also some cleverly placed finger snaps throughout. The chorus, meanwhile, does this thing where it relaxes before taking off. The latter half uses a jogging beat that runs a mile a minute. The transition happens via a crashing drum, which is pretty effective. The bridge then extends the chorus tension, where Zoë mentions “drunken recklessness”. After that, the instrumental quiets completely before heading into the final chorus. Zoë then becomes more anxious with the “On chante, on chante, on danse, on danse” bit. And the song finishes on an unravelling note. These constant tempo switches are seamless though. Otherwise, the lyrics are fairly simple – Zoë dreams of a paradise that's “far from here”. A place to sing and dance with her lover. To enjoy time together. It's cute. The stage floor, meanwhile, displays a pathway. The screen shows butterflies, poppies, colourful trees, and what looks like Candyland. And Zoë is all smiles. She has a sweet voice too. × Estonia: Jüri Pootsmann - Play The last placer of SF1. This was a grower for me, due to Jüri's deep vocal and the dreary atmosphere. The song uses a casino metaphor (ie. hitting “play”) for pursuing a relationship. Jüri says that you have to take a risk by showing your feelings and being vulnerable. You can't be passive about it. The thing is, his crush hasn't shown an interest. He's fine with keeping things “undecided” for now. So hopefully he isn't pushy about it. Otherwise, the stage incorporates casino lights along the outlines while the screens display card suit symbols. Jüri also does a magic card trick at one point (and laughs during it). He brings charm to his performance, and his blue suit is appropriate for a casino. Musically, the song opens with melancholic piano and strings, as Jüri stands sideways. From there, the piano drips down in this dull, monotone way. That is until the restless, foot-stomping beat livens things up in the pre-chorus. That rhythm continues into the chorus, which adds some slot machine dings and a nice “we're falling, we're falling” hook. And a diving guitar riff afterwards. While the second verse becomes more mellow, with the sweet-toned backing giving a “not for me” response. The verses are like sitting alone in sorrow at the casino, while the chorus is like walking to her hotel room. ✓ Azerbaijan: Samra - Miracle Not to be confused with the German rapper. This production is very 2016 – a year where Major Lazer's influence had reached pop music. There's a vocal squeal at the start and the verses use fragmented, tinny kick-drums. They also include a “Here Comes the Hotstepper”-esque cawing effect, plunging echos, and background piano and strings. They're pretty dynamic in sound. Those kick-drums also fortify midway through into this rhythm that kicks against the walls. Meanwhile, the pyro ignites during the “burning fire” lyric, and then extinguishes upon “now it's gone”; which is cool. The chorus, by contrast, explodes with the “GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE” hook, as the atmosphere showers down alongside dense, thumping drums. But... this is where Samra's voice gets swamped. And the chorus lacks the dynamism and the attitude of the verses. It's a let down for me. The “Baby I. Won't. Stay Another. Night” hook is effective though. I also like when the camera cuts to the backing members turning one at a time. Otherwise, there's a “Mira-mira-miracle” hook added in later. And the performance ends with some fire rain. Lyrically, the song is an “in-your-face” rejection, where Samra wants nothing to do with this boy anymore. She shows no hesitations or doubts about it. Only a miracle could salvage things. × Montenegro: Highway - The Real Thing 2016 has a trio of rock entries, and this is the worst one. The chorus just drags on in this lazy way – the husky vocals, the slow-motion guitar groove, and the elongated “REAAAAAL THIIIIIING” hook that goes nowhere. Moreover, the dubstep breakdown is intrusive and menacing. And the staging focuses on this random girl standing ferociously against a wind machine. The visuals are dizzying here: with the flashing lights, smoke puffs, and distorted graphics; all filmed in a letterboxed aspect ratio. It's trying so hard to be artsy. The lyrics are stalker-ish too. The singer pursues someone who seems to be running away (which explains the wind machine girl - she even holds hands with him at the end). He promises he's the “real thing”, but he sings it in this demented, disturbed and unattractive way. And the “inside you” line is creepy. Otherwise, the song opens with a peculiar intro before the hard rock guitar groove barges through. That groove holds off for the verses, which employ a ticking beat set to a marching rhythm instead. The guitars then return in the chorus in a noisy way. I don't really “get” this entry and it seems self-indulgent. The “gonna run...” escalation is alright though. × Iceland: Greta Salóme - Hear Them Calling This was voted as the best non-qualifier by the #EurovisionAgain audience, and it's certainly up there. Sure the lyrics are repetitive and vague – like who is “them”? Why are they calling her? Why are we running away? – but this mysteriousness draws me in. As does the frequent shifts between calm and intense atmospheres. It represents the freeze and the flight of an anxiety rush. Also, the projection board images match the energy really well. Even if that concept copies “Heroes”. The song begins with a gentle acoustic guitar and twinkle bells, as Greta is shown in a dark shadow. Things go quiet during the “We shiver as we step into...” part. Then, the anxiously pounding drums arrive to signal the approaching danger as Greta collapses to the floor, which displays a blue explosion. This leads to the indie-folk instrumentation rushing through, while silhouettes appear behind her and she shouts an “oh oh oh” hook. This part feels like you're being chased and running away. It's similar to Of Monsters And Men as well. The second verse then adds a fiddle. Followed by heartbeat thumps, as Greta “crumbles” into pieces and walks back into frame. She then fights off giant hands in the second chorus. Smoke billows from her chest during the next instrumental break. A flock of crows swarms after that. And she collapses again when a dramatic bang hits. Finally, a few drum slams lead to the final chorus. The song has a chilly night vibe to it. And the backing vocalists add to the eeriness. × Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dalal and Deen feat. Ana Rucner and Jala - Ljubav jeDeen returns from 2004, but this is nothing like “In The Disco”. “Ljubav je” is the type of Balkan ballad that's right up my alley, but rapper Jala almost ruins it. His appearance is too abrupt. Still, the instrumental is sublime and the chorus melody is intense. The song opens with some booming bass drums that persist through the first verse (and make the ground vibrate) as Ana gives an infectious cello riff. She gets quite into her performance, while wearing a shiny gold cape. The chorus then uses a lingering electric guitar. And the drums change to regular rock band ones for the remainder. The song has a smooth flow until Jala interrupts it. His part switches to a stop/start rhythm instead. Lyrically, “Ljubav je” is about the importance of forgiveness in a relationship. Deen feels empty when they part. Dalal has “nowhere to go back to”, so she swears to pay her debts. The song surmises that “love is a magic circle” - ie. nobody is perfect and both parties will mess up. So forgiveness is fair. The duo then swaps roles in the second verse. Whereas Jala's rap verse details his poor life choices and how he's tormented by his crush not wanting a serious relationship. The lyrics seem mature and reasonable. I also like the barbed wire fence that physically separates Dalal and Deen. They try to touch each other but can't. They also emote and harmonize well. ✓ Malta: Ira Losco - Walk on Water Ira returns from 2002. This seems like a random semi-final jury winner. Although the production is very 2016 [2] and she is a confident vocalist. It's just that the production overshadows things. The song grabs attention from the start – with a dramatic slam and a cawing distortion effect. There's also moody strings and humming. Following this, Ira's face is displayed on the stage floor to sing the first stanza (which is rather tacky). She opens up about her self-destructive low self-esteem. She was trying to be and please someone. The production is subdued for this first verse; until another slam starts the pre-chorus, where Ira accepts not being perfect. She sings in a “coming to terms” tone as well. Then another slam starts the chorus, which includes finger snaps and heavy piano notes, and Ira shouts “I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE”. This builds towards the “drop” - the quirky rolling effect and the drum n bass beat that follows. While Ira declares how this person's love makes her feel like she can walk on water. Basically it's powerful enough to defy physics. A dancer moves around her as well. The drum n bass then continues for the second verse. And the bridge adds a soulful backing. The atmosphere is like splashing in icy cold water here. But the arrangement does feel mechanical. My Ranking:01. Iceland: Greta Salóme - Hear Them Calling 02. Armenia: Iveta Mukuchyan - LoveWave ✓03. Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand ✓04. Austria: Zoë - Loin d'ici ✓05. Hungary: Freddie - Pioneer ✓06. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One ✓07. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dalal and Deen feat. Ana Rucner and Jala - Ljubav je 08. Estonia: Jüri Pootsmann - Play 09. Cyprus: Minus One - Alter Ego ✓10. Malta: Ira Losco - Walk on Water ✓11. Netherlands: Douwe Bob - Slow Down ✓12. Azerbaijan: Samra - Miracle ✓13. Moldova: Lidia Isac - Falling Stars 14. Finland: Sandhja - Sing It Away 15. Croatia: Nina Kraljić - Lighthouse ✓16. Greece: Argo - Utopian Land 17. San Marino: Serhat - I Didn't Know 18. Montenegro: Highway - The Real Thing A hard semi-final to choose 10 qualifiers from. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Jun 25, 2022 14:37:20 GMT -5
This was a great semifinal but Samra did not deserve to qualify, but #Azerbaijan... I'd switch it with Iceland, of course.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Jun 25, 2022 15:09:16 GMT -5
This was a great semifinal but Samra did not deserve to qualify, but #Azerbaijan... I'd switch it with Iceland, of course. "Miracle" is a BOP Iceland is so overrated by eurofans. I would have put it in my Top 10 but it's definitely not all that people make it out to be. their stage show concept was a rehash of the previous year's winner, and the song is ok at best, very sonically messy and lyrically nonsensical. I might kick out Cyprus for it but that's about it. Armenia was my favorite here—I exclusively support "yes queen, slay girlboss" entries. what about it? Freddie can get it, btw.
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Jun 25, 2022 22:24:16 GMT -5
Despite what you said, during the leadup to 2016, the fandom thought this was the stronger semi, even calling it the "semi of death" before semi 1 in 2018.
Croatia was the first time a performance ripped my heart out with how bad it was. The studio version is still one of the most beautiful Eurovision songs ever, but not only did Nina get sick, impacting her vocals, but supposedly, she had to fund her performance without the broadcaster's help, resulting in the ugly mess we saw, such a waste for a song the fans thought could win at one point.
In contrast, Armenia shows exactly how you stage a song that's somewhat divisive. Such an amazing live performance, Iveta is hypnotizing on stage, so many amazing camera shots, and the holograms are perfect. I remember being unsure what to make of the studio version, but the live makes me wish the song was 5 minutes long.
I've never liked Russia's song. You said it yourself, the staging is a wannabe Heroes (and has nothing to do with the song concept, so its just to distract people), this production isn't really used outside of Eurovision, it doesn't have a strong melody or hook and the lyrics are nonsensical and contradictory. Cheesy, meaningless crap that, if it would've won, would've erased about 7 years of an improved reputation.
As someone who loved Of Monsters and Men's debut album, I was in love with Hear Them Calling, and, of course, think it's one of the most robbed songs ever. Though, part its failure to qualify had to do with the shadow effects looking cheaper at Eurovision than at Iceland's national final, and the cameraman feeling obligated to show audience shots, thus breaking the immersion Greta was trying to create. Glad to see it's almost unanimously regarded as underrated.
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Post by ry4n on Jul 4, 2022 2:49:47 GMT -5
Stockholm 2016 – Semi-Final 2 Host: Sweden Slogan: “Come Together” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:The second semi-final starts by rerunning the montage of various activities shown in SF1, which again culminates in the Globe Arena transforming into the contest's logo. Following this, Petra and Måns break into song (called “That's Eurovision”), where they comically explain what the contest is all about. It's basically a prequel to “Love Love Peace Peace”. It includes a tribute to “Riverdance”, as Petra jokes about how interval acts can't live up to it – ironic since this year's interval actually DOES live up to it. The pair also rapidly lists off every language to appear in the contest, which I found funny. Elsewhere, Petra and Måns do another taxicab driving segment; this time with a cameo from Lordi. But my favourite joke tonight is when Måns walks out naked with a wolf plushy after Belarus's performance. The ABBA mockumentary from SF1 continues into SF2; this time recounting Sweden's search for their successors, leading to Herreys. There's also a “Man vs Machine” sequence on stage, where computerized versions of famous pop songs are played, while 3 dancers and 3 robot arms imitate the respective dance routines. And later there's a filler segment about Eurovision numbers. Australia wins the second semi-final, as well as the jury vote; while Ukraine tops the televote. The televoters saved Poland in exchange for Slovenia. While the juries saved Israel and Georgia in exchange for North Macedonia and Belarus. Interestingly, Sweden is the only Nordic country to make the Grand Final this year. The Entries: ✓ Latvia: Justs - Heartbeat Latvia has only qualified twice since 2008, and both songs were written by Aminata. In “Heartbeat”, she supplies a dark electronic production that reminded me of Adam Lambert's “Ghost Town” at the time. While Justs provides a gritty vocal to complement the internalized, agonizing, tormented atmosphere. He sings sensitively at first, as the backing lightly repeats certain words. He states how this other person's feelings were one-sided, so he he acted carelessly and this person moved on. But now he realizes he took them for granted and needs them back. His voice becomes raspier, more desperate and unrestrained as the song progresses. The yearning and the regret consumes him. Particularly on the “you're my desire and my pain” line. His dance moves are intense and animated towards the end as well. Musically, the song is filled with whoop effects and knocking synths. The bass line slides in from the start. Then the first chorus recedes by sticking to just the knocks. While the second and final choruses add a denser, fuzzier synth production. The 3 white lines on the stage floor turn fuzzy during this part too. Later, the bridge takes a rest with faint broken metal ticks, as the floor graphics crumble. This culminates in Justs shouting “I WANT YOU TO STAY”. The melody sticks with me. The “THAT'S WHAT I WANT” part sticks out too. ✓ Poland: Michał Szpak - Color of Your Life The most shocking result of 2016 was Poland receiving 222 televote points. And I've yet to understand why. “Color of Your Life” is a tedious inspiration ballad. Michał's message is directed towards those who are feeling down about life's changes. He says that pain and fear are a part of it. And he advises pursuing your true self. But the whole “Tell me black or white / What color is your life” question sounds corny and trivial to me. Like what does assigning a colour to my life even mean? And that question is the central focus of the song. The LED screen even displays those chorus lyrics! Although, I will say the chorus melody and the bellowing “OH OH OH”s are admittedly catchy. The song aims for an anthemic atmosphere, while Michał uses a tearful, pleading tone to implore this advice to us. But he over-sings and over-emotes in this performance. It's a little too melodramatic. He sounds especially intense on the final line. Moreover, the pounding percussion rhythm that runs through most of the song is tedious. It's like punching a wall out of frustration. But the beats are too blunt and the pacing drags. Otherwise, the song opens with some peaceful strings. The bridge recedes to the piano. And Michał appears to be wearing a historical red army coat. × Switzerland: Rykka - The Last of Our Kind The last placer of SF2. Unsurprising since “The Last of Our Kind” is a forgettable song and Rykka's vocals are noticeably flat. They sound unenthusiastic. They also look uncomfortable when they bend their knees to the rhythm of the chorus. Moreover, the melody is lifeless and difficult to get into. The song starts with a tranquil vibe; featuring light percussion beats and synth droplets, as smoke billows from Rykka's body. The production is too tame though. They ask this “soldier” to show their vulnerability. The melody picks up during the “Here we are at the end of the movie” line. Then the chorus brings in the stronger percussion; where the piano pushes down and the drums are like a squash ball hitting a wall. The final chorus sees the fire rain down on stage. But the song is lacking an anthemic atmosphere to warrant it. There's also an annoying beeping sound that's most noticeable in the second verse and bridge. The lyrics are about how modern day couples don't stick together through hard times anymore. But Rykka won't give up on this relationship; making their the “last of our kind”. The words have too many bland metaphors though. Overall, this entry is pretty uneventful and I wish it was more triumphant. ✓ Israel: Hovi Star - Made of Stars Sure, this seems like a boring and typical piano ballad, but Hovi is a decent singer and he gives a sensitive and compassionate performance. He offers support, reassurance and friendship to someone who is different; someone that feels oppressed. He begs them to not escape, trailing off with “no more, no more, no more...” He wants them to be proud instead. And he explains what he loves about this person. The first 2 minutes of the song are driven by the piano. This part is slow but graceful; while the strings become more noticeable in the second verse. The chorus puts things into perspective by stating a cosmological fact – that the elements in our bodies are made from stars. This chorus extends across the universe in an anthemic way. Hovi's voice has a sense of wonderment too. But this song is all about the bridge escalation – where the sawing strings, the quicker melody, and the “WE ARE (WE ARE)” shouts build tension. After which, the fire rain pours down, and the drums carry the final chorus. The stage has a starry night setting, with lights flickering across the arena. Hovi's glittery black outfit adds to this aesthetic. While a constellation of his face appears on the floor to whisper the line “you hypnotize me”. There's also two acrobats spinning in a hula hoop together. Hovi finishes the performance by shivering, looking like he needs to be consoled. × Belarus: Ivan - Help You Fly #StandWithUkraine Yeah, Ivan's vocals are sloppy, which leaves the backing to carry things at times, but any performance that begins with a naked man howling with a wolf is going to be memorable. And then he tells the wolf he'll help him learn how to fly! Something tells me that won't work. The holograms don't stop there though – next there's 3 wolves surrounding him; which transforms into a drummer; which transform into a guitarist. And there's an image of a walking toddler at the very end. Other than that, there's wolves on screen. The stage floor shows ice crumbling beneath him at one point. And the bridge uses a rainfall setting. As for the song itself, the verses contain 1980s synths and drums; with distant whimpers in the middle. While the chorus employs a pulsating, revving, grinding beat. It's like turning a knob back and forth. It's one of those choruses that's shouted out loud too. Otherwise, the intro establishes a wilderness vibe. And the bridge has the beat disappear, as Ivan goes for a falsetto scream. Lyrically, the song is addressed to anyone who feels unsure about themselves as they get older. To those who think they're the problem; to those who are the “hunted”. Ivan wants to help us be free from this. And he delivers his appeal with a smirk. The staging is ridiculous but the chorus is effective. ✓ Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter) This reminds me of Slovenia 2011, but in the best way. “Goodbye (Shelter)” is a female empowerment ballad that builds in intensity. The song is about domestic abuse, where the “shelter” lyric likely refers to women's shelters. In the song, Sanja feels helpless. She fell for this man's lies countless times. She thought love was supposed to hurt. And every time she tries to leave, he reels her back in. Which is a cycle in abusive relationships. The chorus exemplifies this cycle by simply repeating itself – it's as if Sanja tries harder and harder to escape each time the chorus hits. But she projects a defiant attitude, showing that she's not trapped anymore. The last chorus also switches the “couldn't fight..” line to “I will fight”. Musically, the song begins with resentful piano notes, while female faces appear on the LED screen. The female backing looks dismayed as well. And the stage floor displays flower petals made of blades. There's a woodwind instrument after the first chorus. And the second verse brings in the drums. Meanwhile, a male dancer rushes in and Sanja fights off his advances. The backing then turns the later choruses into a haunting experience, with their “OH OH”s and their “find a shelter from the pain” responses. The bridge adds more “OH OH OH”s. While the final chorus sees the 5 women stand together in solidarity. The song becomes an unbreakable resistance by the end; with the harmonies, drums, strings and bells. × Ireland: Nicky Byrne - Sunlight This year, Ireland selects a former member of Westlife; as well as the Irish spokesperson the past 3 contests. I've never been into Westlife's music though. “Sunlight” is a pleasant and feelgood song that's well-suited for radio. And Nicky is a fine performer. But it's not that interesting or ambitious. There is a discernible melody here – like that whole “touch who you wanna / kiss who you gotta” part; as well as the “SUN...light!”hook. But the composition is bland and the lyrics are “meh”. In the song, Nicky promotes having a positive outlook on life. The “sunlight” title symbolizes undisturbed happiness. He offers his support and affection. And he lists off a bunch of examples of living in the moment in that “touch who you wanna...” post-chorus. It's an impulsive message. The chorus has a bouncy, soft rock drum and guitar rhythm. While the opening verse uses a twinkling keyboard to establish a sunny afternoon mood. The second verse keeps the drums, however, and adds an “oh oh oh oh oh” backing response. Nicky also releases the camera during the bridge, which doesn't really work. Afterwards, the song quiets and the stage darkens, before a drum rush transitions to the final post-chorus; where cymbal crashes are added for emphasis, and Nicky touches hands in the audience. × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Dona The 11th placer of SF2. “DONADONADONADONADONA” has to be the most ridiculous and the most annoying hook of 2016. Kaliopi (who returns from 2012) sings that chorus in such an uncontrollable way, as if she's screaming in Dona's face and violently shaking her to grab her attention. Like she can't get through to Dona. It's quite hysterical. She brings cheerful smiles and confidence. And she adds an operatic vibrato to it, while the backing harmonies sound like a church choir. But that's my other issue with this song – it's too “church-y” for me. I'm almost certain the lyrics have a religious meaning. In the song, Kaliopi describes a person who is always there, someone she is grateful for, and someone that makes her feel strong. The “small clouds” and “pearl stairs” in the second verse could refer to heaven as well. The verses are more gentle, in an angelic way; as she stands in the spotlight. While the electric guitars drive the chorus; where her vocals go nuts, she extends her arms outwards, and the drums enter. There's a string break that follows the first chorus too. She later leans back for a big note. And at the end, she unleashes an ear-splitting shriek, as she once did in “Crno I Belo”. This is one hilariously OTT vocal performance. ✓ Lithuania: Donny Montell - I've Been Waiting for This Night Donny also returns from 2012; this time without the blindfold, and with insane amounts of stage charisma. This entry is essentially an improved version of Sweden 2013. The song starts with the piano to contrast the loud and immense chorus that surges in after. The former is more at ease; while the latter consumes Donny's entire surroundings – that's how powerful his feelings are in this moment. It's where the drums eagerly slam down with full force, the screen graphics and lights are in a frenzy, and Donny screams the song title from the rooftops. There's also a muffled “ooh ooh ooh” response. The chorus is a huge release of energy where the whole world shakes. He's overcome by his dreams coming true after all this waiting. He's taking in the moment, but he also wants it to last forever. He uses hyperbole too (“thousand years / million tears”). Otherwise, the second verse implements a snapping, tongue-clicking rhythm. The bridge is elevated by some “WAH AH OH”s; followed by a clappy build-up. And the song ends where it began. On stage, Donny displays confident choreography throughout. He twirls, his body briefly glows white, the camera focuses on his arm/hand movements, he stands with his legs spread apart, and the floor glows under his footsteps. But the big moment is when he does a front flip after taking off his coat. All in all, it's a very impactful entry. I'm so glad that “We Are the Winners” isn't Lithuania's only top 10 anymore. ✓ Australia: Dami Im - Sound of Silence The jury winner of 2016 and the runner-up overall. Australia started off so strong. Their second entry was produced by DNA Songs; who have worked with The Veronicas, Delta Goodrem, Samantha Jade, and Jessica Mauboy. And they'll compose more Aussie entries after this. While Dami Im is the winner of Australian X Factor 2013. She delivers THE vocal performance of 2016 here. She sings the verses restrained (aside from “MAKES SENSE”) and shouts the chorus in a powerful way. She also unleashes two big notes. The verses are a lonely moment of reflection; driven by an audible, tense heartbeat. It's so silent that's all she can hear. The song is about the difficulties of a long distance relationship; hence the “Facetime” lyric. Dami can't ignore the reality that this person isn't here and she keeps calling them (on the phone). She sounds a bit stressed too. A few drum strikes transition to the chorus, which is explosive by contrast. It's where the percussion pounds and splashes at a methodical pace; alongside yelp effects. It has a ground-shaking impact. It's also where the silence overwhelms Dami – that title phrase is inescapable. It's an addictive chorus, but it says “Sound of Silence” too many times... which limits the song's power. In the bridge, Dami reminds herself that she can do this. While on stage, she sits on a tall box, as city skyscrapers are shown behind her (representing “this crazy fast life”). She also swipes through holograms during the second verse; as profile pictures appear as well. × Slovenia: ManuElla - Blue and Red “Cause blue is blue and red is red”... that line is too easy to make fun of. This couldn't be more of a Taylor Swift copycat if it tried. ManuElla even looks like her. And the song is basically just “Red”, right down to the banjo intro. We're in Taylor's country era. Moreover, Manu's voice-cracking screams of “Ali-i-ive” during the intro, and before each chorus, are annoying. She closes her eyes and prays each time she does it. I guess she feels spiritually awakened? In the song, Manu doesn't like how this person tried to fix her. But she has since moved on; she's cast them aside, and she doesn't think about them anymore. But I don't get the “blue and red” metaphor. It represents how the two of them are complete opposites that don't mix together but... blue and red do mix together: THEY MAKE PURPLE. Otherwise, the song begins with a gunshot bang. Then the banjo and the foot-tapping drums give the verses some energy. The pre-chorus lyrics pause a couple times for mild banjo responses. Then the beat disappears before the first chorus hits. Said chorus hastily rushes through, like she's packing her things as fast as she can. The backing vocalists bolster it too. The bridge, meanwhile, contains a drum breakdown; followed by the pyro going off. There's also a dancer spinning around on a pole for some reason. This entry has some life and bite to it, but it comes off unoriginal. ✓ Bulgaria: Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime Bulgaria returns better than ever! “Water” is no longer their only qualifier and Poli gets redemption for 2011. The production is very 2016 [3], thanks to the vocal squeals and broken beats. The song is also relentlessly catchy. It begins with a high-pitched squeal and piano; alongside a close-up shot of Poli's face. The verses are driven by a finger-snapping beat and synths, plus a cooing effect. This part has a hopeful and blissful vibe. The pre-chorus glides in with the title phrase, before building up with the broken percussion ticks. Then the song pauses before Poli defiantly shouts “THEY WILL NEVER BREAK US DOWN”. In the ensuing chorus, she repeats the Bulgarian phrase “Day mi lyubovta” (“give me love”), with yelp effects in between, while dancing. She brings such likeable stage presence to this. She also sings with a sweet, comforting and triumphant tone. The squeals reappear after the chorus. While the final chorus transition involves her breathing and a horn snippet; as the light strips on her clothes turn on (“when it's dark we illuminate” indeed.) At the end, the backing enters the stage to add an extra “TOGETHER WE'RE UNTOUCHABLE” hook and raise their fists. The chorus fills the environment and it's like a rallying cry – the song is about fearlessly loving someone despite what anyone says about it. Poli stands up with pride. She doesn't sound concerned at all that her love is a crime. Which it is in some countries, sadly. × Denmark: Lighthouse X - Soldiers of Love MGP chose this bland boy band song instead of Anja Nissen's “Never Alone”, which I would've rated higher. The melody and instrumental aren't anything remarkable here. Although the trio certainly enjoys their time on stage, with their carefree smiles, enthusiasm, and camaraderie. In the song, the group asks why do people give up on love so easily. Why do we stick to the unhappy status quo. They decide to go against this. Instead of waiting on someone else to fix things, they are going to take action – they make an appeal to make a new start. But the easygoing atmosphere is too neutral. The song doesn't make me feel enough. It begins with a piano riff. Then the mundane drum rhythm carries things. There's some yelp effects throughout. And the chorus hook (“take. my. HAND and never let GO”) is pretty catchy. But the concluding “And let's be soldiers of love!” part is anti-climactic. The bridge switches the drum pattern for a moment. And the song quiets before the last chorus, setting up an unwarranted pyro blast. ✓ Ukraine: Jamala - 1944 (winner review in Grand Final post) × Norway: Agnete - Icebreaker Norway's only non-qualifier between 2012-2024. I blame the abrupt production switches between the verses and chorus - the transition isn't very smooth or cohesive. It's like they glued two different songs together. Or someone keeps flipping the radio station back and forth. The lyrics are caring and heartfelt though. In the song, Agnete promises to save this person's life when they call for help. She struggles to get through to them, since they're in deep depression. The “We're too young to say goodbye” line is a poignant one. But she's not giving up. The song begins with some trickling, icy Eurodance synths, featuring double drum slamming adjustments that light up the stage. The stage has a dark and misty setting, featuring a dancer on a platform next to Agnete. The pre-chorus has a clapping-like build-up. Then the song holds for a second before the chorus introduces the slower and bulkier drum pattern to release the tension, alongside smoke puffs. There's a vibrating sound too. The verses have a tingling sensation, whereas the chorus is more like an avalanche. Or like a crack that's splitting the ice apart. An “Icebreaker” is a ship that literally breaks ice. The “Northern light” reference adds to this imagery. I think Agnete gives a decent performance too. She sounds serious. ✓ Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz - Midnight Gold As of 2022, this is the last time Georgia has qualified. It's also the other Thomas G:son rock song from this year. “Midnight Gold” gives Oasis and Britpop vibes - Nika even has a convincing accent. But it has this lazy and sleazy atmosphere that doesn't appeal to me. There's no hook or catchy melody either. The song just wanders and stumbles around to this lingering guitar groove; with multiple guitar breaks throughout. It conveys the experience of waking up hungover, both musically and lyrically. Nika can't remember the previous night, but notices his hook-up partner in his bed. About halfway through, the instrumental switches to this hectic, garbled, oozing, William Orbit-like techno beat that lasts a while, against excessive flashing lights that give me a headache. Here, Nika recalls “stains of blood” on this person's skin. Which... sounds disturbing. The song ends by returning to its original guitar groove and it repeats the opening stanza; implying this is a cycle. Meanwhile, the visual effects involve mirrored split screens and flashes of a black-and-white filter. The camera spins upside down at one point too. The first half of the song captures the hazy morning after atmosphere, and the middle exhibits the slurred, drunken night before. I'm often into the Eurovision rock entries, but I'm lukewarm on this one. × Albania: Eneda Tarifa - Fairytale I've seen comments complaining about the English revamp of “Fairytale”. The vocals on the Albanian version (called “Përrallë”) are smoother and I prefer the swollen chorus instrumentation. This version tones all that down. Instead, Edena's English vocal tone is more straightforward. The “oh oh oh” breakdown feels a little misplaced. And the chorus does this thing where it stops and waits a few times to accentuate the melody. But the chorus hook still leaps out effectively – “AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE YOU!” And Eneda projects a desperation tone to the ensuing “And I'd fight for you, give my life for you” interjection. The song is about the realities of finding true love; of a fairytale romance. It may take a lifetime and you have to endure heartbreak to get there. In the chorus, she expresses complete devotion because she's not willing to let go of it. The second verse is weird though: she talks about a day when love isn't enough and you have to make peace with it. Musically, the verses follow a “Wild West”-ish guitar; alongside metal bowl ticking sounds and popping sounds. While the pre-chorus switches to the drums and strings. Then the drum pattern pushes the chorus along. She also screams “EE YEAH YAY” before the last chorus. The staging is pretty forgettable though. ✓ Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure This is serving “Uptown Funk” meets “Another One Bites The Dust”, but Laura and the backing dancers kinda steal the show with this performance. They bring such energetic and joyful choreography. They don't rest for a single second. This is what “Sing It Away” should've been. The song starts with the ensemble strutting onto the stage, as the funky bass-line also struts in. Laura is handed a microphone; the group rolls their arms; they slap hands; they line-up sideways. And they make airplane gestures during the pre-chorus, which unfortunately removes the background “ow! ow!” sound effects from the studio version. The bass-line eases off during this part too, with the funky guitar appearing. The strutting rhythm persists though. The chorus, meanwhile, adds some breezy horns and concludes with a brassy riff, as the group leans from side-to-side and points. The bridge then diverges into this panicked sinking feeling, leading to a “WOO” release. Following this, the song rests before bringing the beat back. And the performance concludes with one last dance sequence. The lyrical message is positive vibes only. Laura mentions how life gets people down, and how society tries to impose their rules, but there's no need to pressure yourself. Just live your best life and get out of your head. It's a simple message. The atmosphere is a burst of energy. The song is catchy. And the squirmy choreo routine makes it fun. My Ranking:01. Bulgaria: Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime ✓02. Ukraine: Jamala - 1944 ✓03. Latvia: Justs - Heartbeat ✓04. Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter) ✓05. Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure ✓06. Australia: Dami Im - Sound of Silence ✓07. Lithuania: Donny Montell - I've Been Waiting for This Night ✓08. Israel: Hovi Star - Made of Stars ✓09. Belarus: Ivan - Help You Fly 10. Albania: Eneda Tarifa - Fairytale 11. Norway: Agnete - Icebreaker 12. Slovenia: ManuElla - Blue and Red 13. Denmark: Lighthouse X - Soldiers of Love 14. Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz - Midnight Gold ✓15. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Dona 16. Ireland: Nicky Byrne - Sunlight 17. Poland: Michał Szpak - Color of Your Life ✓18. Switzerland: Rykka - The Last of Our Kind SF2 has more of the heavy-hitters, but it also contains more bland entries than SF1. Almost every song in SF1 had personality, for better or worse. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Jul 4, 2022 6:39:41 GMT -5
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Post by ry4n on Jul 9, 2022 13:03:40 GMT -5
Stockholm 2016 – Grand Final Host: Sweden Slogan: “Come Together” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host Winner: Jamala - 1944 Country: Ukraine Points: 534 (54.3% of highest score possible) Language: English, Crimean Tatar YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:2016 is usually regarded as the best Eurovision contest ever. I'd probably rate the 2012 songs slightly higher, but the hosting is outstanding. It's Swedish humour at its finest and the jokes don't feel forced. It's a 4-hour show, so we need entertaining filler segments. The presenters are, of course, Petra Mede (who also hosted 2013) and last year's winner Måns Zelmerlöw. They play off each other well. The Grand Final opening sequence isn't bloated like 2015 was. It starts with the artists preparing back stage. Then the Parade of Nations happens immediately, while a medley of Swedish House Mafia and Avicii songs are played. And that's it. We go straight to the host introductions after. The postcards begin and end with the dandelion logo. In between, the artists partake in various activities, as per usual. While the camera slowly zooms in on them as they pose looking serious. The country names are in a big, luminous white font. And then the camera looks down from the arena ceiling before each performance starts; alongside a whoosh/slam sound. The stage floor is shaped like the top half of a cross, featuring another platform in the audience. There's an entrance in the back that splits the LED screens into two piles of slanted, overlapping, horizontal ones on either side. The Green Room is in the audience as well. The interval is bloated though. First, there's a cool montage celebrating Swedish music from over the decades; including all 6 of their Eurovision winners. This country knows how to craft a catchy melody. Next, Justin Timberlake performs “Rocky Your Body” and “Can't Stop The Feeling!” But it feels weird to see a well-known American singer in Eurovision. It's never happened before (unless you count Celine Dion). At least the latter song was produced by Swedes (Max Martin and Shellback). But I'd rather see a Swedish artist perform. After that, we see a young Destiny Chukunyere as the most recent JESC winner. She will represent Malta in the adult version in 2020/21. Then it's the main event: “Love Love Peace Peace”! Where Petra and Måns disclose the formula to winning Eurovision. It includes several references to past entries, including a cameo from Alexander Rybak. It's a funny parody for sure. But that's not all! Lynda Woodruff returns from 2013 to mispronounce things again. The mockumentary from the semi-finals continues, showing how Sweden is obsessed with ESC. And Måns performs AGAIN. He sings “Fire in the Rain”, where they all roam on hoverboards, and a reprise of “Heroes” (with regular production this time). By this point I'm ready for the results. 2016 introduced a major change to the scoring: the jury and televote points are now calculated separately instead of combined. Which doubles the amount of available points. Sweden copied this format from Melodifestivalen. The new system generally favours countries that have imbalanced results in the two metrics. Previously, ranking 1st and 26th (which has happened) would net 0 points, but now that equates to 12 points. Which means everything is more spread out. Although the televote tends to be top-heavy. The biggest issue though, is how the EBU creates a fake score if a country can't produce a valid jury or televote. But it's all worth it for the increased suspense. I hated how they kept announcing the winners early in 2013-15. The finality feeling during the satellite calls is gone now. So how it works is: the spokespersons provide the jury result first, then the hosts reveal the televote afterwards. To reduce time, only the 12 points are said (instead of 8/10/12 previously). But it's clear that the EBU were new to this, since the hosts read off the #26-#11 televote points way too quickly. They also go in order of lowest to highest televote scores, when starting with the lowest jury vote is better. The progress bar during the jury scoring moves in the wrong direction too. Ultimately, Australia ran away with the jury vote, but the public preferred Ukraine. Otherwise, only THREE songs this year don't have any English lyrics at all. The Entries: Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure The EBU sure loves to open the Grand Final with the SF2 closer. In fact, they're about to do it 3 years in a row. Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand They did this so dirty by putting it 2nd in the running order. 0 televote points?! Netherlands: Douwe Bob - Slow Down Azerbaijan: Samra - Miracle Hungary: Freddie - Pioneer Italy: Francesca Michielin - No Degree of Separation As of 2022, this and “La Mia Città” are the only Italian entries to miss the top 10 after their return. I blame the props. The staging looks tacky and the ripply visual effects are distracting. It goes for a garden paradise aesthetic, where Francesca stands next to a bunch of balloons and flowers... and 3D glasses. While the LED screen shows a tree and the floor resembles a pond. She also randomly grabs a fruit at the end. As for the song, it plays with the “6 degrees of separation” idea, by saying there's “0 degrees of separation” between Francesca and her lover. In other words, there's nothing standing between them. She explains how she was closed off, distant and cautious; how her mind overruled her heart. But she changed when she found love and didn't push it away. The instrumental starts minimal, where it sort of quivers and taps. The song's mood is like she's looking forward to her new life. The pre-chorus then swells up, as the percussion plops like raindrops, before the chorus fills the surroundings. The latter pushes in this choppy pattern like waves. The drums remain for the second verse, where her tone sounds like she's finished with her old self. She also switches to English for the second chorus. It's a nice melody, but the song isn't interesting enough to me, and I don't like the English switch. Side note: Stadio won Sanremo this year, but they declined, so the runner-up was selected instead. Israel: Hovi Star - Made of Stars Bulgaria: Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime Sweden: Frans - If I Were Sorry Sweden brings tropical house to Eurovision; which was a ubiquitous trend at the time thanks to artists like Kygo. The genre is based on establishing a chill mood. But “If I Were Sorry” is a watered down version of it. The song incorporates a series of minimal sounds, like holding bass notes, finger snaps, cracking echos, and tambourine bells. There's a lazy guitar that runs through it too. Meanwhile, the first pre-chorus and bridge break the energy, so the chorus can bring it back. The instrumental takes focus before the last chorus. And the song title is repeated frequently to maximize the hook-iness. Frans hesitates on the words “dance” and “enough” as well. But the song is kinda bland. What's worse is how Frans sings this with such a defensive and “holier than thou” attitude. He lists a bunch of extreme feats he'd do if he were sorry. He'd even do them again. But, as he states in the final line, he's not sorry. So he's saying this to prove a point: that he's a stand-up guy and his ex is at fault. The bridge turns spiteful too, where he calls out his ex's mistakes and lies. This bitterness turns me off. The chill production implies a celebratory and satisfied vibe as well, in the aftermath of this break-up. The staging is simple. Frans stands in front of an array of yellow lights that sometimes spell outs words. He also wears a smug smile and dances a little bit. This is the worst Swedish entry of the 2010s. This was the first Melfest final I watched live. Robin Bengtsson and Molly Sandén brought some bad pun titles, while Samir & Viktor's got shirtless. The runner-up, Oscar Zia's “Human”, would've made a better winner. Although my fave was Lisa Ajax's “My Heart Wants Me Dead”. Germany: Jamie-Lee - Ghost Another last place for Germany. Was it because of her outfit? The melody doesn't really go anywhere either. Sure, the “tell me who's scared now!” chorus hook leaps out. The backing highlights the “We don't need a lifetime...” part. And there's a “can we get an alternate ending” post-chorus. But these pieces don't do enough. The arrangement feels flat. Once the dense, ground-shaking, “boom-clap” drums take over, the instrumental remains stagnant. It only holds off for the transitions; like the synths before the chorus. The production is unfortunately similar to “Sound of Silence” as well. That said, the first verse establishes an eerie woods atmosphere. Then the pre-chorus adds some snaps and a ticking clock. There's an ominous, wispy wind throughout the song. In the lyrics, Jamie-Lee wants to start fresh with her ex; for them to rewrite their story and have an alternate ending. She feels there's no reason to wait. But the whole “this is the ghost of you / haunting the ghost of me” wording seems clunky. The performance begins with her standing as a silhouette against a full moon. While the stage incorporates a bunch of trees that beam green lasers for some reason. She also seems shy. Fun fact: this was actually Jamie-Lee's winner's single on The Voice in late 2015. France: Amir - J'ai cherché After four consecutive bottom 5 placements, France is back in the top 10! For the first time since 2009 too. No wonder, since that “YOU OU OU OU OU” hook that dominates the song is super catchy. Plus Amir brings an infectious smile, confidence, and personable stage presence. In the song, he reflects on his journey of looking for a meaning to life; through his trials and tribulations, failed relationships and drinking. He eventfully found it with his current lover. And he compares this arduous search to the difficulties of finding a perfect melody. In the bridge, he says that you won't find love if you give up. Musically, the song channels the pop-folk trend of the time. The verses follow an acoustic guitar, alongside sporadic, impatient piano slams. Then the pre-chorus introduces the clacking/clapping rhythm that rapidly bounces and bobs up-and-down. Which continues into the chorus, where the strings relax the tension. It's an energetic and excitable chorus. The second verse adds some tapping. While the second chorus drops down for a moment. Otherwise, the verses are in French and the chorus is in English. And the staging is simplistic. Amir performs alone, while celestial objects fly past on the screens. The floor also shows a galaxy of stars zooming beneath him at one point, and a moon later on. France is on the right track with this, but it's still missing something. Poland: Michał Szpak - Color of Your Life Australia: Dami Im - Sound of Silence The very last spot of the 1st half both times lol. Cyprus: Minus One - Alter Ego Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter) Lithuania: Donny Montell - I've Been Waiting for This Night Croatia: Nina Kraljić - Lighthouse Yeah, this is kinda annoying. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One Spain: Barei - Say Yay! Robbed. The “death drop” works much better here than the awkward silence in “Slow Down”. That's when Barei collapses as the music and lights turn off, then she breathes and gets back up. The next verse says to keep going in life even when it knocks you down, so it fits the message. The song is basically a pep talk. Barei wears a silver sports jersey. She greets us with a “hello hello”. She says the future is long and uncertain, so live for today. And she resists the urge to run away through the repetition of “running, running, running”. She also runs on the spot. The song opens with an intense piano note as the camera flies in. The first verse sticks to that serious piano, as Barei raises her voice. Then there's an extended build-up across two pre-choruses. She pumps herself up in the first one, and pumps us up in the second. The former is the “I FEEL ALIVE” + backing responses + finger snapping part. While the latter sees the piano jump out of its seat, eager to dance. And it's further elevated by disco strings. The song peaks in the dance breakdown that follows, featuring some “HURRAY” and “SAY YAY YAY YAY” shouts, as Barei shakes her knees. The second verse then uses lively piano and drums. And there's a mirrored split screen at the end. It's an energizing, dance-able, hook-filled song. It uses an effective escalation. And Barei gives a empathetic and caring tone. She wants us to be happy. My one complaint is that this is the only Spanish entry to not have any Spanish lyrics. Latvia: Justs - Heartbeat Back in 2016, this was the song that grew on me the most after the Grand Final. Ukraine: Jamala - 1944 (winner review below) Malta: Ira Losco - Walk on Water Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz - Midnight Gold Austria: Zoë - Loin d'ici United Kingdom: Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone Another flop for the UK. Although I'm glad they steered away from internal selections this time. So Joe and Jake competed on the same season of The Voice UK and became a duo afterwards. The song sounds like something from One Direction's earlier albums. In the song, the duo offers themselves up as an ideal boyfriend, because this person makes them come alive. Which sounds selfish but there's an endearing quality to this. They say it in a way that sounds sweet and well-intentioned. They promise to be there for this person. To make them feel less alone. Meanwhile, the LED screen shows an array of faces to exemplifying a message of togetherness. Those faces jump along to the beat towards the end too. The song opens with some piano pings, but the instrumental is mainly pop-rock, with guitars and staggering drums. Those drums pull back during the first chorus, and return midway through it. While the bridge offers a soft moment. The composition and lyricism seems amateur though. And the “Know oh uh oh” and “I, I, I” hooks feel deliberately shoehorned in. But the duo's friendly stage presence and smiles make it better. The staging lighting is decent too. Armenia: Iveta Mukuchyan - LoveWave This doesn't really work as a closer. The Winner:Ukraine achieves their second victory, with a gap of just 23 points. Which is the closest top 2 since... Ukraine won the first time in 2004. Furthermore, “1944” is the first winner since “Molitva” in 2007 to include lyrics that aren't in English, albeit partially. So it's nice to see the recent trend of landslides and 100% English language champions be broken here. This felt like an underdog victory too. Ukraine were #3 in the final odds, and lower before that. They didn't win the jury or the televote... or the semi-final for that matter. But they still found a way to the top. Apparently Australia would've won under the 2013-2015 rules too. I didn't see it coming at the time either but I was pleasantly surprised when it happened. The song is about the 1944 deportation and genocide of the Crimean Tatars under the Stalin regime during WWII. It was inspired by Jamala's great-grandmother. There's probably a subtext of how the Russian occupation of 2014 brought back this trauma too. And it's only become more poignant in 2022. The opening verse sets the scene: imagine strangers invading your house, killing those you love, and then claiming they're justified in doing so. It sounds horrifying. Jamala, meanwhile, looks terrified to walk forward on stage and on the verge of tears. But she's being courageous at the same time. She doesn't beat around the bush with this – she confronts the injustice directly, using phrases like: “but everyone dies”. She also holds rosary beads during the performance; praying for this to end. The chorus is the section of the song not in English. It's from a Crimean Tatar folk song, about how she couldn't spend her youth there because the land was taken away. She repeats the same two lines in a self-meditative way. Or like an echo across the peninsula. Jamala sways around when she sings it too. In the second verse, she sounds more outraged, as she yearns for a free future. While the second “but everyone dies” line is said with derision, as the backing reinforces it. Jamala gives a very emotionally real performance here. She embodies exactly what this type of suffering feels like. It all reaches a breaking point just before the final chorus; which is the best part of this song – it's where Jamala looks up to heaven and lets out a scream that sends shivers down my spine, as a tree made of fire sprouts from her feet and onto the screen behind her. She lets out another shriek at the end too. The staging is perfect. “1944” doesn't need anything extravagant. The dark setting, the water cube at the start, the emanating fire patterns, the red cracks and flickering light beams in the second verse, and the aforementioned fire tree are enough. Musically, the song is dark and ominous. It opens with the traditional duduk instrument. After that, there's distressing, radiating bass notes, wooden clacking, and this scratching shaker sound. While the main percussion rhythm starts in the first chorus. There's a whimper after “our time”. The chorus includes faint wobbles. And the beat pauses before the big scream, allowing the pain to overwhelm her in solitude. While the final chorus is elevated by orchestral strings. It's a unique and intriguing production that captures the plight of the Crimean Tatars. It has a bleak atmosphere, but still shows signs of life. It paints the image of a displaced, homeless group of people crowded together. Verdict: “A” Tier. It's underrated, even by me at times. My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Bulgaria: Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime 02. Ukraine: Jamala - 1944 03. Armenia: Iveta Mukuchyan - LoveWave 04. Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand 05. Latvia: Justs - Heartbeat 06. Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter) 07. Spain: Barei - Say Yay! 08. Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure 09. Australia: Dami Im - Sound of Silence 10. Austria: Zoë - Loin d'ici 11. Hungary: Freddie - Pioneer 12. Lithuania: Donny Montell - I've Been Waiting for This Night 13. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One 14. France: Amir - J'ai cherché 15. Cyprus: Minus One - Alter Ego 16. Malta: Ira Losco - Walk on Water 17. Israel: Hovi Star - Made of Stars 18. Netherlands: Douwe Bob - Slow Down 19. Azerbaijan: Samra - Miracle 20. United Kingdom: Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone 21. Italy: Francesca Michielin - No Degree of Separation 22. Germany: Jamie-Lee - Ghost 23. Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz - Midnight Gold 24. Croatia: Nina Kraljić - Lighthouse 25. Sweden: Frans - If I Were Sorry 26. Poland: Michał Szpak - Color of Your Life Full Ranking: 01. Bulgaria: Poli Genova - If Love Was a Crime 02. Ukraine: Jamala - 1944 03. Iceland: Greta Salóme - Hear Them Calling 04. Armenia: Iveta Mukuchyan - LoveWave 05. Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková - I Stand 06. Latvia: Justs - Heartbeat 07. Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter) 08. Spain: Barei - Say Yay! 09. Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure 10. Australia: Dami Im - Sound of Silence 11. Austria: Zoë - Loin d'ici 12. Hungary: Freddie - Pioneer 13. Lithuania: Donny Montell - I've Been Waiting for This Night 14. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - You Are the Only One 15. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Dalal and Deen feat. Ana Rucner and Jala - Ljubav je 16. France: Amir - J'ai cherché 17. Estonia: Jüri Pootsmann - Play 18. Cyprus: Minus One - Alter Ego 19. Malta: Ira Losco - Walk on Water 20. Israel: Hovi Star - Made of Stars 21. Belarus: Ivan - Help You Fly 22. Albania: Eneda Tarifa - Fairytale 23. Netherlands: Douwe Bob - Slow Down 24. Azerbaijan: Samra - Miracle 25. Norway: Agnete - Icebreaker 26. United Kingdom: Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone 27. Moldova: Lidia Isac - Falling Stars 28. Italy: Francesca Michielin - No Degree of Separation 29. Finland: Sandhja - Sing It Away 30. Germany: Jamie-Lee - Ghost 31. Slovenia: ManuElla - Blue and Red 32. Denmark: Lighthouse X - Soldiers of Love 33. Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz - Midnight Gold 34. Croatia: Nina Kraljić - Lighthouse 35. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Dona 36. Sweden: Frans - If I Were Sorry 37. Ireland: Nicky Byrne - Sunlight 38. Greece: Argo - Utopian Land 39. Poland: Michał Szpak - Color of Your Life 40. San Marino: Serhat - I Didn't Know 41. Switzerland: Rykka - The Last of Our Kind 42. Montenegro: Highway - The Real Thing
“S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “Rise Like a Phoenix”, “1944”, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”, “Satellite” “B” Tier: “Molitva”, “Heroes” “C” Tier: “Fly On The Wings Of Love”, “I Wanna” “D” Tier: “Everybody”, “Believe”, “Running Scared” “F” Tier: none! Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Jul 20, 2022 16:51:14 GMT -5
Kyiv 2017 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Ukraine Slogan: “Celebrate Diversity” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:We go from one of the best Eurovision contests (2016) to one of the worst (2017). Of course, whoever followed Petra and Måns was going to disappoint. That's a high bar to live up to. Indeed, this year's hosting team is a return to the forced, overly scripted dialogue and badly delivered jokes. They really went with the slogan “Celebrate Diversity” and then chose 3 white guys to host the show (Oleksandr Skichko, Volodymyr Ostapchuk and Timur Miroshnychenko). Moreover, the song quality is also a downgrade from 2016. Most of the first semi-final entries are mediocre. It's like every song is missing something to make them properly click. There's just something “off” about this year. Portugal and Romania both return for 2017. Which means it's two years in a row where the winning country didn't participate in the previous contest. Meanwhile, Bosnia is out indefinitely. And Russia withdrew after Julia Samoylova wasn't legally allowed to enter Ukraine. Which seems like deliberate provocation by Russia. She was originally set to perform in the second semi-final. The show opens with a collection of Ukrainian women displaying their traditional clothing. Then we go to the live stage where Monatik performs “Spinning”. There's woodwind nudges and some fun choreo. The interval, meanwhile, includes two performances from Jamala. The first is “1944”, but with an orchestra added to the original production to make it more intense. The second is “Zamanyly”, which involves another intriguing instrumental and string dolls on screen. I added it to my playlist! There's also a filler segment starring Verka. Portugal tops both the jury and the televote in SF1. The juries saved Australia (which they ranked 2nd) at the expense of Finland. While the public saved Belgium and Poland at the expense of Georgia and Czechia (which they ranked last). Yeah, I agree with the televoters in all of those cases. Imagine “Keep the Faith” qualifying over “City Lights”. The Entries: ✓ Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On We kick off 2017 with last year's host country! Which gives Sweden another top 5 placement. This is an obvious choice for the opener with how the scene begins backstage. The camera shows Robin walking forwards, as the squirmy synth-line, mixed with snaps and clasps, slides in. Then a random hand holds his mic. Then, once the beat kicks in, the camera zooms out to show the backing where they all strut forward, and look sideways during the “ohh” hooks. Following this, the pre-chorus diminishes to a murmur, allowing the chorus to shove its way through. The ensemble, now on the main stage, walks on treadmills to that chorus rhythm and give “okay” hand signals. The chorus also includes synth responses and muffled “ah ah”s. In the second verse, the group slides back-and-forth and opens their jackets one at a time. While in the bridge they shuffle their feet. The stage also goes dark before the second chorus for no reason. Meanwhile the LED screen displays 1980s synthwave imagery. Sweden went for slick, stylish and confident staging here. But this is a “style over substance” entry. It lacks heart. The song, which was co-written by 2013 Robin, is about Robin B wanting to bang this girl because she looks so “freakin' beautiful”. She has a spell over him. The “wanna go OHHH” hook even sounds like an orgasm. But the “freakin'”s are unnecessary (he said the actual F-bomb in Melfest). And the chorus underwhelms to an extent – maybe the lyrics are too short. Still, the song is super catchy and it always gets stuck in my head. 2017 remains my favourite Melfest that I've followed. “Wild Child”, “En värld full av strider”, “A Million Years”, “Hold On”, “As I Lay Me Down”, and the robbed “Statements” from Loreen are all great. Even Anton’s “Stitches” rip-off is catchy. Robin wasn't my preferred winner though. × Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep the Faith Georgia is the unlucky 11th placer of SF1, with this over-dramatic orchestral ballad. The song title says it all – Tamara wants to urge and encourage us to “keep the faith” alive. To not let anyone push you around or steal your dreams. She offers her support in this. And she repeats the phrase “KEEP THE FAIIIIIIIIIIITH” like she's holding on for dear life. But the tone is way too serious. And her hand gestures are distracting. She does a shooing motion when she demands “GET OUT”, she wags her finger during “don't you let them”, and she extends her hand on “hold my hand”. She also release a smoke puff. And she takes her cape off in a pointless costume change. The song, meanwhile, begins with an unsettled, grim piano. Then the strings expand as things progress. The second verse also adds the drums, where Tamara refutes the assumption that she's had it easy, even sounding annoyed about that perception. While the bridge introduces the distressing, invasive backing vocalists (“WOAH, WOAH”). Followed by Tamara unleashing a big note as the pyro erupts. But the orchestra becomes SO tense by the end of it. And along with Tamara's big vocals and the backing, there's just too much going on. It's basically an overwrought, unfriendly, wall of noise. And the pyro only adds to this overloaded feeling. The red and white stage aesthetic works for Georgia though. ✓ Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy 171 jury points and 2 televote points. What a drastic difference in opinion. So once again, Australia hires DNA Songs to write their entry. And once again, the artist is a TV talent show winner – Isaiah won the final season of the X Factor Australia. The song can be best summed up as: good lyrics, boring melody. "Don't Come Easy" is about Isaiah's partner wanting to advance things from casual to serious, but he's hesitant to rush into things again because of his past experiences. He says a relationship isn't easy and it has a cost. But he clarifies that he isn't heartless – he's just taking a mature, sensible and self-aware approach. The instrumental is too bare and insipid at times though. It kinda reminds me of “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. The song starts with faint piano notes, as Isaiah turns around on a pitch black stage and then walks sideways. The staging also involves a bunch of images of himself sprawled across the LED screen... which never works. The second verse, meanwhile, introduces finger snaps and this jolting effect that creates cracks in the surface. The jolts add a unique quirk to the song at least. The percussion also crashes harder in each chorus. The final chorus even brings out the fire rain. All in all, Isaiah gives a heartfelt performance here, but it's not that catchy of a song. It's too mild. × Albania: Lindita - World Another ballad! “World” is a Eurovision peace song, where Lindita is bewildered and disheartened by all the wars and needless death. So she makes a call for love to unite us all. It isn't a cheesy or an overly-serious peace song. The lyrics are general and don't refer to any specific conflict. But that message is so overused in this contest. Her vocals sound “off” in the beginning as well... but thankfully they improve after that. Like when she unleashes that super long note later on, which is actually the main highlight of this entry. Otherwise, the song opens with some agonized piano slams against a misty stage. The chorus has a nice “WHAT'S THE FINAL CALL” ascent. The second verse adds the hollow drum clicks. The second and third choruses are fuller than the first and are somewhat angst-y, thanks to the drums, vocals, and the backing “ohhhh”. The bridge, meanwhile, adds some strings, followed by the stage lights turning on to the rhythm of a horn descent, and a tenser drum rumble. On stage, Lindita stands in a wedding dress (for some reason) and makes love hearts with her hands. The screen shows clocks and floating cities. ✓ Belgium: Blanche - City Lights Belgium was on a hot streak. I didn't understand the appeal of Blanche's nervous performance at first. It's like she's about to cry from stage fright. Her husky vocals sound shy and hesitant. And it's like she's out of step with the production. But the song is about feeling scared and powerless over the future of this relationship, so it fits. She's meant to sound fragile and uncertain. Like how she keeps asking “are we going to lose it all?” for reassurance. In the song, Blanche offers her hand to her partner, who's secluded themselves. She tried to resolve their issues before but has since learned to accept them. The lyrics switch from “bright eyes” to “dark eyes” to signify this too. While the titular “City Lights” represents the couple's surrounding environment. Moreover, the “All alone in the danger zone” hook is memorable, and the production is entrancing. The song opens with slow piano notes, like taking a deep breath. Followed by finger snaps, where Blanche raises her arms to each snap. The verses then employ this tangled phone-ringing sound; alongside drum snaps and a slight bass-line. While the chorus follows spread-out piano notes, featuring submerged synths at first and city night synths later on. Later, the song reduces to just the piano and finger snaps to set up a stronger-sounding finale. The stage, meanwhile, uses a blue and white aesthetic, spotlights and moving lines on screen. × Montenegro: Slavko Kalezić - Space Yeah, this isn't my cup of tea. The spinning ponytail is a fun moment I guess, but that's the only positive thing I can say about this. It's a pretty campy sex song with all the space metaphors, like how Slavko's “spaceship” is ready to blow. The sensation will send them to the stars. There's no need to worry because he has his spacesuit on. Yeah, these lyrics are dumb. Especially that whole “Our body language / Rocket to the starts!” part. Moreover, Slavko uses a talking voice during the first verse, which I'm never into. His vocals are unappealing even outside of that. Plus the “we're taking off!” outro goes on too long. And the production sounds cheap. Otherwise, the song begins with a slam and rigid dripping synths before the clappy beat comes in. Then the disco instrumental takes over the chorus. As for the performance, Slavko moves all around the stage, with plenty of arm and hip movements, while wearing a tight see-through shirt. He rips off his skirt at one point. And he spends the second verse laid down on the floor. He entertains the audience all by himself. And he doesn't take anything seriously here, especially with this eccentric vocal tone. But this is the kind of un-serious entry that doesn't work for me. × Finland: Norma John - Blackbird The soundscape is beautiful, but the pacing is pretty slow. “Blackbird” establishes a dreamy atmosphere, complemented by Leena's angelic vocals, particularly on the “YOUUUUU”s. (Note: Norma John is a duo, not a person. The pianist, Lasse, is the other member). The instrumental paints the image of looking out the open bedroom window, as the sounds and sights of nature drift in. It's guided by a careful, delicate, gradually-paced piano. It's like time has slowed down, and you notice the long intervals between heartbeats. It's as if Leena is sitting alone in thought, stuck in this one moment of time, unable to move. There's also a scratchy distortion effect in the mix. And there's a nice piano solo during the instrumental break, where the strings make their presence. As for the lyrics, they're straightforward – Leena wishes that the blackbird below her window won't sing because it conjures up sweet memories of her past relationship, which makes her miss it. The song is written like amateur poetry, but she sounds torn up about it. The stage, meanwhile, involves a smoking piano, blue watery swirls on screen, and a misty floor, which adds to the atmosphere. ✓ Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons Hmm, I think Azerbaijan is trying too hard with the artistic staging. It starts in this chalkboard room that resembles a TV show set, while Diana shakes in torment on a bench. It's as if she's in locked in detention. The lyrics are written on the chalkboard too. The camera then pans upward to show a horsehead guy on a stepladder. Soon after, the chalkboard is dismantled, and Diana marks an “X” on the backs of the backing members. There's also a hand movement accompanying the “drum drum drum bring down the guns” hook. Which has to be the most awkward hook of 2017. And it's not the only unusual lyric - there's also “we're like alchemy” and “have my skeletons”. The song is about Diana unexpectedly falling for a bad boy, and how it changes her interests. She's ready to give him everything... but the backing chant of “I can only trick you once, bad boy” indicates that he won't keep interest. And the “bring down your guns” bit suggests hostile behaviour. As for the production, the song is powered by thumping, ground-shaking percussion slams throughout; which are heavier in the chorus. While the verses further use a brewing bass-line, trickling synths and a slight cowbell? Diana's voice is softer and higher in the verses as well. The second verse also adds a clasping sound. Despite everything, the song is catchy and different, and I appreciate the effort. Diana acts the part on stage. She's always doing something. ✓ Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois (winner review in Grand Final post) ✓ Greece: Demy - This Is Love More like this is generic 2012 dance-pop. Not only does "This Is Love" sound dated by 2017 trends, but Demy doesn't give any passion or excitement to the song. The track opens with an orchestral warm-up, followed by the piano, as Demy comes to the conclusion that it's best to end this relationship. But then, once the skidding beat enters, she suddenly changes her mind. There's an “echo in her head” that she's making a mistake, even though it could be self-destructive. The pre-chorus has this easy melody to it. Then the “forever and ever and ever and ever” bit sets up the drop, where the synths hyper-accelerate, the industrial-sized dance beat takes over and Demy exclaims “THIS IS LOOOOVE”. The production switches just like her mind does. But the chorus just flat-lines. It's meant to express euphoria, but it just comes off generic, both musically and lyrically. Still, the second verse ends with a short marching drum bit and a nice melody on “Watch the sun set in the sky”, followed by constant tapping in the pre-chorus build. On stage, there's two shirtless guys splashing in the water. There's raindrops on screen. And there's a rainfall filter used before the instrumental bridge, where the strings come out and an underwater person is shown. Overall though, this doesn't do much for me. ✓ Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight “FIRE... like a burning DESIRE”. Well that's an overused rhyme, but I don't care. This is melodramatic in the right way. The song tells a story of forbidden love, where Kasia and her partner sneak around at night while being hunted down. I assume the “flashlight” and the “dogs” refer to the police. The couple acts fearless and daring; defying what is acceptable. They're able to escape though, which gives the song a hopeful message. She can hypnotize those dogs! The atmosphere captures this feeling of being chased too. It paints the image of them hopping over fences, crossing train tracks, and heading to the dockyard. The song opens with some scuttling footsteps, as the production swells into a bang, followed by that serious “smoking gun” lyric. The first verse production is more restrained and sorrowful, before the forceful, slamming, hollow percussion emerges in the chorus. There's a violin that runs through the track too. Later in the outro, the drums and strings become louder and approaching, with some added bells; as if they're being cornered. Kasia then finishes on a big note. She brings a very strong-willed, fighting tone to the entire song. There's a sense of determination here. On stage, the screens depict ghostly animal figures and birds scattering. It finishes with the word “Freedom” spelled out before it turns into other languages and more birds. ✓ Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma WTF at this finishing in 3rd place. “Run Away” was better and that didn't even make top 20. Although I can understand how “Hey Mamma” was a breath of fresh air in this line-up. The song has a laid-back and uncomplicated atmosphere, and the band provides another fun stage performance. It involves a simple dance routine – ie. the single foot-tapping and turning sideways bit; as well as the marching on the spot moments. They also interact with 3 brides who sing into their bouquet-microphones (in typical weird Moldovan staging). The brides throw the bouquets into the audience at the end, which is cute. The screens are also used well, by showing a hall of mirrors illusion. "Hey Mamma" marks the return of the “Epic Sax Guy” meme from 2010. He delivers another catchy sax riff that's repeated throughout... but it's such an irritating sax riff. Musically, the verses are driven by these consistent, rigidly dripping clacks, that move into focus in the intro. While chorus adds the fiddle and a percussion build-up. The latter leads to an instrumental pause on “She'll be back home till sunrise” before the sax breakdown swoops in, which is back by this repressed, squirmy synth. The lyrics have a lighthearted tone, where singer Sergei reassures “mamma” that this girl will be safe with him tonight. But the word “mamma” is repeated too much towards the end. × Iceland: Svala - Paper I've seen criticisms over the English translation. Sure the "paper" metaphor is weird, but I think the lyrics sound absolutely fine? The only flaw to me is the forgettable staging. Svala mostly moves her arms around and points in her white cape thing – I assume this is because paper is white. And the green strobe light doesn't do much. Anyways, the song is about Svala dating someone who keeps pushing her away and dragging her down, which makes her feel like “paper”. The chorus expands on this metaphor, since “cut”, “glue”, “drawing”, “color”, “thousand words” are all associated with paper. Basically, paper is a material that's easily affected, just like she is. But she cares too much about him to give up. It sounds like he's facing mental health issues. Svala gives an empathetic tone as well. Plus the 1980s synth-pop production is right up my alley. The verses move to a rotating pattern of hollow wood sounds, repeated taps, and solitary claps. While the chorus radiates and bubbles, alongside drum slams and sparkly synth responses. The production later cools off before the last chorus. The frequent “PAAAAAAPER” shouts and the “Drawing every bit of my truth” bits are catchy as well. × Czech Republic: Martina Bárta - My Turn Czechia is back to flopping for now, although the juries were into it. There's a nostalgic, reminiscing vibe in “My Turn”; like sitting on the front doorstep on a calm night. But it's a pretty boring song overall. The singsong melody during “now that you are falling...” and “heaven knows that I'll be...” is annoying in how it bobs up and down. I don't really like how Martina sings this. And she isn't given much to do on stage. She sits down at the start to give a personal approach. And follows a yellow line on the floor. While the screen shows the music video, where a crowd of sad-looking people wander around in their underwear. The song is mainly a piano ballad, with cymbal shimmers sprinkled throughout, and tambourine(?) bell clicks from the second verse. The strings appear later, as do the drums towards the end. But it moves at this nonchalant pace. The lyrics contain a sweet message though. Martina explains how her partner was there for her doing her bad times, so now she wants to return the favour. The chorus concludes by saying “now it's my turn”. But it feels a little too sentimental, in an unnecessary way. The “baby it's you”s are an okay hook though. ✓ Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity The third year in a row where Cyprus receives basically the same placement (21st/22nd). “Gravity” is also the only Thomas G:son offering of 2017. The song is driven by this relentless pushing down rhythm. It's an imposing production that includes strong claps, nosediving ruptures, short screeches, bass notes, and click-clacks. It reminds me of “Human” by Rag'n'Bone Man, but it's an addictive sound. Both songs make me think of jangling chains. There's also a drum bit before each chorus. And a brief pause after the bridge. The LED screen matches the beat by displaying this white wall that routinely breaks into cubes and then resets itself. While on stage, Hovig and the backing walk across “balance beams” drawn on the floor to showcase the “Gravity” concept. They also hold their legs in the air, punch the floor, and toss Hovig back and forth in silhouette lighting. It's a little corny, but he kinda sells it. Hovig later lays on the floor as the graphics crumble into a nebula beneath him. In the song, Hovig offers himself up to this person, promising to be supportive of them. He basically lists everything he could be for this person – a hero, fantasy, remedy, company, someone to lean on, someone to catch them, their wings. The song is a bop though; the commanding chorus is instantly catchy and flows nicely. ✓ Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me I completely overlooked this in 2017, but it's an alluring song. Much like Armenia's 2014 entry, “Fly with Me” doesn't follow a conventional structure. Instead the song progressively builds for a while until the finale. It starts with a soft piano prologue, where Artsvik introduces this mysterious “girl with history”, while the stage is filled with red light. The mystical atmosphere drifts in after this; first with the bass-stringed instrument that nudges things along, plus some whispers. Then the two backing members spring into view. Then the camera violently shakes upon the distortion sound (Armenia kept the dizzying camera work from the last year!) Following this, there's an “EEEEE” chant where the hand drums appear. Those hand drums will return for the first “chorus”. Meanwhile, the backing members make hand movements around Artsvik, including a cool moment where their arms poke into the frame. At the climax, a different stringed instrument comes in, the pyro erupts, the drums heighten, and Artsvik's voice soars for the finale. The lyrics are written like a vague dream. They describe a girl who observes her surroundings and flies high from love; holding on to her belief in it. The music likewise flies high over mountains. I'm able to get lost in this imaginative place during the song. × Slovenia: Omar Naber - On My Way Oh boy. I enjoyed Omar's 2005 entry “Stop”, but this one is tedious, emotionally detached melodrama that doesn't justify the grandiosity. Omar sounds closed off singing this. He doesn't connect to the words at all. The melody is stiff. And there's no decent hooks. The “ON MY WAAAAY” shouts are tiresome. The song is about Omar leaving his hometown for good. The residents have been “very kind” to him, but he needs to spread his wings. Even though he isolates himself afterwards. He lets destiny guide him. The sentiment doesn't resonate with me though. He never explains why he's leaving and he's too serious about it. He can't trust anybody! He's never coming back! He's not gonna cry! It sounds like he's only doing this because he thinks it's what he's supposed to do. Moreover, the orchestra is as flavourless as chewing on cardboard. The song is mainly driven by the string section, but in a dry way. It feels overly full by the end too, including Omar's final big note. There's also a sputtering sound in the intro and broken metal ticks in the chorus, creating a mix of old fashioned and modern that doesn't really work. On stage, he's surrounded by this circular contraption of screens. This is a contender for worst the Eurovision entry of the 2010s. Zero redeemable qualities. × Latvia: Triana Park - Line We close out SF1 with the last placed entry of it. There's an indie-pop earworm built in the foundation of “Line”, but lead singer Agnese's quirky vocal style gets in the way. She mutters the chorus hook (“where.we.draw.the.line.”) in a low voice and delivers the “ALL. I. SEE. IS. YOU.” bit in this robotic, monosyllabic way. Her arm movements during the instrumental break are intense as well. The staging is memorable too, between the neon colours on the artwork panels and screens, the drummer's expressions, the guitarist's silver coat, and Agnese's oddball presence. In the song, her ex told her to move on, but she's leaving the door open for him, hoping he'll come back one day. She repeatedly asks where the boundary line is. It sounds like she's already crossed it, but she's unsure. Musically, the production and vocals tiptoe around for the first half of the song. "Line" opens with a vocal distortion, like being in a tunnel. Then the first verse subtly and constantly pokes before the chorus brings in the steel drum pings and finger snaps. After that, the second verse starts to move things along, before the beat stops for the “All I see is you” part. Finally, the rigid skidding dance-pop synths and guitars take over and Agnese stops using the low voice. This energy then breaks for the heartbroken bridge before building into the dance-pop again. My Ranking:01. Iceland: Svala - Paper 02. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me ✓03. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights ✓04. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight ✓05. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity ✓06. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons ✓07. Finland: Norma John - Blackbird 08. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On ✓09. Albania: Lindita - World 10. Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma ✓11. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy ✓12. Latvia: Triana Park - Line 13. Czech Republic: Martina Bárta - My Turn 14. Greece: Demy - This Is Love ✓15. Montenegro: Slavko Kalezić - Space 16. Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep the Faith 17. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois ✓18. Slovenia: Omar Naber - On My Way Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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born
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Post by born on Jul 20, 2022 17:04:52 GMT -5
This semi final has both one of my favorite Eurovision songs of all time (City Lights) and one of my most hated songs (Keep The Faith).
I would’ve put “Blackbird”, “Paper” & “Line” through if I had the power.
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Jul 20, 2022 20:17:07 GMT -5
This is love is generic garbage and she sang like shit. Blackbird deserved
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Jul 20, 2022 21:13:48 GMT -5
Wow, 2017 is kind of worse than I give it credit for. The bulk of the songs are either boring, lame, or poorly performed (and I'm including City Lights in the latter category, if you think her uncomfortable nerves make the song better, you should see a live performance of the song in the last 5 years).
It's baffling that a song like Blackbird failed to qualify in a weak lineup like this (especially when the juries didn't vote for it).
Skeletons is far and away the best. It's so great to see Azerbaijan trying something a bit unique, and not just sending a cliche Swedish production (though it is still written by a Swede).
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Aug 4, 2022 0:31:21 GMT -5
Kyiv 2017 – Semi-Final 2 Host: Ukraine Slogan: “Celebrate Diversity” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:For whatever reason, the 2nd semi-final of 2017 isn't accessible on the Eurovision YouTube channel. I know that all of the 2016-2019 contests are Geo-blocked in the US and Canada, but this one doesn't seem to be available in any region. So I'm having to piece it together through clips. The show starts with a recap of the 10 qualifiers from SF1. Then, after the usual host introductions, Oleksandr and Volodymyr bring out a sopilka and an accordion to play Eurovision hits; while a traditionally-dressed group of musicians and choir join in to help them. The interval act stars Apache Crew, which involves a troupe of kids dancing around a school playground, with hopscotch squares on the floor, and playground equipment on screen. The music goes from an eerie chant to a modern beat to drumming to “Wild Dances”-style horns. Bulgaria wins this semi-final and it's not even close. They have a 1.7x lead over Hungary. And with 84% of the maximum possible score, “Beautiful Mess” is the second biggest semi-final winner ever after “Heroes”. Although to be fair, the rest of this year's top 5 were all in SF1. Needless to say, Bulgaria tops both the jury and the televote here. In other news, the juries saved Austria and Denmark at the expense of Switzerland and Estonia. While the public saved Romania and Croatia (ie. the more campy entries) in exchange for Serbia and Malta. The televoters actually gave Malta 0 points! The Entries: × Serbia: Tijana Bogićević - In Too Deep The unlucky 11th placer of SF2, missing out by just 3 points. Maybe “In Too Deep” was too underrated to be noticed. It's one of my qualifiers though. The chorus is catchy, the production has its quirks, and Tijana sounds like she's been tragically swept off her feet; particularly in the chorus. The lyrics describe how she fell so hard for someone that she's panicking about it. She didn't realize it was happening. She feels defenseless. She has no control over it. There's no escape. Musically, the verses move in a tugging motion by repeating this cawing effect, alongside wood clinks, as well as finger snaps midway through. It's like hitting the left arrow key over and over. The beat stops in the pre-chorus, allowing the chorus to launch off with a “WON'T SOMEBODY SAVE ME TONIGHT” hook, as a soft drum 'n' bass production flows in. The chorus has a sinking in water feeling. Later, the bridge switches to dramatic slams, backed by rattling percussion and some “whoa-oh”s from the backing; as a dancer appears next to Tijana. There's also a sad violin moment before the final chorus. The stage, meanwhile, starts with dark lighting and a letterboxed aspect ratio until the first chorus. Then the screens display water bubbles and people submerged (in love). While the floor shows water splashes. ✓ Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air A big jury favourite that received 0 televote points at the Grand Final. I'm siding with the public on this one. “Running on Air” is a carefree, laid back song, where Nathan brings an unflappable attitude, but it gets under my skin. There's a smug, self-satisfied vibe running through this. The implied “ass” bleep is cringe too. And the song doesn't “Run on Air” at all. Instead, it moves at a casual pace and remains in a chill mood. The instrumental starts minimal with just an acoustic guitar and finger snaps. Then the chorus introduces a series of percussion stomps; culminating in a “dun dun.. dun.. dun” sequence after the “I don't care” line. Then the second verse inserts a pause to let the “You can try to put me in a box” stand out. While the percussion becomes more defined in the second chorus. After the bridge, the production quiets to set up the finale, with some “oh-whoa”s towards the end. In the lyrics, Nathan explains how he needed some time to grow and meet the right people. Now he feels motivated, resilient, and unconcerned about the future. He also advises people to get off their (ass). As I said, it sounds smug. As for the stage, there's a giant crescent moon prop and misty clouds, since he's "on air". × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Jana Burčeska - Dance Alone That's 5 non-qualifiers in a row for North Macedonia. This one gives me Kylie Minogue vibes. Jana sings the verses in a similar seductive tone, but her live vocals sound processed, which throws me off. Mostly because the chorus vocal is different, although the backing overrules that part. Jana's seductive choreography doesn't quite connect either. Anyways, the song is about... dancing alone. Or more specifically, enjoying the freedom of being alone. Where Jana can ditch her hair and makeup. Until the bridge, where she asks someone to take her out. Which suggests she dances alone because her partner is unwilling. Musically, the song opens by moving through a tunnel, leading to a slam. Then the chorus comes first, as Jana's silhouette is shown. Following this, the light turns on and the gargling, glitchy dance synths take over, alongside some '80s drums. Jana also pauses after each verse line, so that “HEY” responses or finger snaps can fill the space. The chorus then gets the energy moving. It inserts a double tap thing after she says “I'm lost in the sound”, while the backing shouts “GO GO” ad libs. Later on, there's an additional “I let it go, I-I-I let it go, wild” post-chorus, where the beat sort of rolls over. And the bridge turns quiet so Jana can speak personally. The song is a harmless bop. On stage, the LED screen shows city skyscrapers, and the panel screens reappear. × Malta: Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly The juries will support Malta no matter what huh? Malta was a “jury qualifier” every single year before 2022. But I don't think 2017 needed to continue that streak. The song's message rubs me the wrong way. Claudia is basically saying that she's letting her partner “win” the fight just to make this relationship work. She calls it a “game”. She waits at their doorstep for the “storm” (argument) to begin, feeling tired, cold and breathless from the walk. But it reads like a lack of self-respect. And she's putting too much effort into this (an “acrobat for love”). She seems confident it'll work though. Maybe it is her fault, the context isn't given. Regardless, the song is still pretty boring. It begins as a slow-moving piano ballad, featuring a couple of whistle sounds. Then the strings emerge in the chorus alongside soft footsteps. While the second verse adds the drums to liven things up. But the first half of the song is so sluggish and the second half doesn't lead to anything worthwhile. The melody is plain too. The backing vocalists don't elevate it much. And there's just not much going on here. The LED screen, meanwhile, shows a blue image of Claudia's face singing along. ✓ Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! “Yodel It!” walks that fine line between catchy and annoying. I'd say it does a better job than the other novelty entries this year. The pair brings fun, friendly, uplifting energy and they have great chemistry. Alex even jumps on top of cannon at one point. The staging is based on the “make love not war” slogan. The song likewise begins with marching band drums and toy soldiers on screen, as Alex hypes up the crowd. The intro then finishes on a splash sound. Whereas a casual drum beat carries the verses, as Alex raps in a flow similar to “Hall of Fame” by the Script. Here, he encourages people to show their true selves. Ilinca also interjects with her goat vocal to inspire positivity, and to add a “bring it on, bring it on” hook. Somehow these two styles work together. The chorus then switches to a stronger, propelling drum beat, as Ilinca unleashes her yodels and Alex ad libs in between. It's done in a very catchy way. They also bounce on the spot during it. The yodelling is camp but it represents acting freely. The bridge then stops the beat, where Ilinca loses the goat voice and feels turmoil over her 9-5 desk job. The stress escalates right after – the strings grow, the percussion blasts like cannons, and the guitars jab. Throughout the song, there's colourful images on screen; like clouds, butterflies, crumbled paper, and the song title. Fun fact: this song was originally offered to Timebelle as the Swiss entry. ✓ Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows The Netherlands take a break from the country genre and recruit JESC 2007 alum and The Voice of Holland 2014 winners O'G3NE. The trio of sisters provide impressive harmonies here, right from the a capella opening of “cry.. no more CRY NO MORE”. As well as their verse responses (ie. “Here in the shadow”), their vocal runs (“walk that road”; “shadooOOWS”; “you'll be FREEEE”), and the “WHY YOUUUUUU” transition. Moreover, the lyrics are meaningful. The song is directed towards someone experiencing depression. The line “You are so much more to me than the one who carries all the burden” gets to me. The girls sound empathetic and caring, but they're also resolute about facing it. They want to make a change. So they decree to not cry anymore. While in the bridge, they find it unfair how such a good person is so unhappy with themselves. The “Lights and Shadows” metaphor is about how light can't illuminate every space. The instrumental is a little plain, but it creates enough impact. The first verse contains a hint of guitar and inconsistent percussion steps. Then the chorus drum pattern punches along, ending on a short rise-and-fall thing. While the second verse further adds wood-clanging. There's also an electric guitar release leading into the second chorus. And the last chorus changes to a crashing drum breakdown for a moment. The staging, meanwhile, is simple. The screen displays holding hands and lyrics. And the floor shows a person's figure during the “angel” lyric. ✓ Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo “Origo” describes Joci's personal experiences of being a Romani person (who are pejoratively known as “gypsies”). They often have a negative stereotype associated with them. In the intro, Joci states that he needs this person to love who he truly is because he's suffered enough. Then he demands they leave for being prejudiced (he also raises his hand during this), and curses them forever. While in the rap verse, he explains how he can only rely on God; that people were afraid of him as a child.; and that his music represents many other people's struggles. This rap section lets him properly vent. Moreover, I love the smooth traditional instrumentation. The song starts quiet, with a few folk guitar pings as the bass-line sneaks in. Then the fiddle solo gets the song moving, as Joci plays a Cegléd water jug, and the clappy beat enters. The camera also cuts to the fiddler on the audience platform during this. The next verses use trickling hand drums. While the later choruses add a more modern synth underneath. The final chorus also returns the clappy beat. It's a catchy chorus in how it repeats the Romani chant “Jálomá lommá”. Joci's interactions with the dancer on stage are compelling too. They dance together as the pyro encircles them. She kneels before him looking upset and then he helps her up. And she wraps her hands around him at the end. ✓ Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am Denmark's first qualification since they hosted. And Anja's redemption after finishing second in DMGP 2016. She also won the Voice Australia in 2014. In fact, Australia was the only country to give this televote points in the final. I mean, the composition is pretty mundane, but I think the hook is effective (“Laying down my armour, Laying down my gun!”) and Anja is a qualified vocalist. She even delivers a big note in the last chorus as the fire rains down. The song is about her wanting to remove the walls she's put up around her partner. She knew it wasn't right, but it's tough to overcome. She's making an effort though. She feels ready because this person remained in her life despite her being closed off. And they've opened up before (“I know who you are”). The line “Don't know why I do it because we're together” makes a valid point. The song starts with the backing choir exclaiming the main hook, as Anja's face comes into focus. Then the verse production uses snaps and cool-air synths, finishing with a scuttling beat that leads into the chorus, where the drums take over and the vocals intensify. It's like she's screaming this resolution out loud. It's not the most remarkable production, but it's fine. The staging is simple, where Anja performs alone, but not in an awkward way. × Ireland: Brendan Murray - Dying to Try 2017 sure has a lot of boring songs. In this one, Brendan offers a heartfelt appeal with a sensitive vocal, but the pacing is so slow. There's such long (nervous) pauses between each phrase. The song doesn't even leave room for a second verse. And once the backing choir comes in, the audio becomes too dense. The song transitions from delicate to overdone. The lyrics are fine though. In the song, Brendan suggests trying out a relationship. He reassures that he's also scared. And he recognizes that this could either succeed or fail, but he's willing to take that risk. He'll do his best, but he can't promise it'll work out. He's being realistic. On stage, Brendan stands inside of a hot air balloon, because of the “learn how to fly” lyric. I wish the balloon was floating, but I don't know if that was feasible. There's also multiple fades to black. Musically, the song begins restrained with ghostly hoots and stretched-out piano notes; followed by heartbeat pounds and a few jabs. It takes a bit for the percussion to get going. Then around the 2/3 mark, the backing overtakes the scene and the drums strengthen. Then the song returns to softness at the end. In the end, this became the 4th consecutive non-qualifier for Ireland. × San Marino: Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson - Spirit of the Night 1 whole point for Valentina's 4th appearance, and for Ralph Siegel's most recent composition. This was an obvious flop. The song isn't very dynamic – it's quite repetitive by the end of it. The title phrase is said too many times. The disco production is generic. And the back-and-forth dialogue is so cheesy. I love how the website indicates who speaks which line lol, since they do trade lines frequently. Basically, Jimmie wonders if Valentina is right for him and she replies to reassure him. He has doubts and trust issues from previous relationships. But they're done with waiting, so they decide to enjoy the night together. On stage, the pair brings some squirmy, antsy dance moves as they sing to each other with big smiles. But Valentina's dancing is quite... spontaneous. Their chemistry is too hammy to be cute. And the laughing in the bridge is too much. Otherwise, the song opens with a string roll-up. Then the verses are more intimate with heartbeat percussion. While the pre-chorus brings in the jogging disco beat to ignite the energy, featuring minor jackpot sounds, squiggles and guitar. Then the beat drops out for a clappy breakdown (not in the second chorus though). And there's multiple key changes! But the pre-chorus feels rushed and the chorus is “one note”. This is more “meh” than bad though. The “we (we) can (can)” hook is alright. ✓ Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend No. It pains me that this is Croatia's best placement of the 2010s and their highest since 2006. It's also the last time they qualify until 2023. The whole concept is ridiculous. Jacques spends the song switching back and forth between English adult contemporary and Italian opera. The camera usually changes every time he switches too. He flips between these voices seamlessly, but as far as joke entries go... it's not that funny to me. In fact, the song is actually meant to be an inspirational anthem about living life. The theme is duality, since Jacques plays two different characters. In the spoken intro, he reads an Albert Einstein quote about optimism vs pessimism. He then advises seizing daily miracles. He later reveals that the miracle in question is life itself. The lyrics are pretty trite though. And he keeps calling us his friend. Musically, the song starts with violin, cello and piano. Then the clacking percussion comes in. The first verse moves at an easy pace. While the chorus employs clasping drums. Midway through, there's a sudden, vigorous violin/cello breakdown as the stage lighting goes dark. Then the overwrought backing choir intensifies the second verse, where the clasping drums are used dramatically. The chorus melody is kinda catchy, but this song is so annoying by the end of it. The screen, meanwhile, shows sunflowers and a rainbow at the end. ✓ Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment Finally back to the good songs. This one didn't click with me until recently. The verses have a corny rap flow, but the lyrics describe the experiences of anxiety pretty accurately and uniquely. The narrator feels exposed and encroached upon. He needs to punch something. He pretends to act cool. He carries a heavy weight. He feels directionless. And he turns to distractions, which wastes his life away. But he vows to confront it and “Grab the Moment”. The pre-recorded vocal distortion hooks (which Norway was granted an exception to use) and the glitchy visual effects evoke this state of mind. As does the duelling faces animations representing the “voice in my head”. Indeed, anxiety is a voice in your head. So Jowst is the masked DJ on stage, while Aleksander Walmann is the uncredited vocalist. The song uses an electronic production to “get that good vibe going”. It features cawing effects throughout. The verses include snipped guitar notes. The pre-chorus sees the synths zoom in, leading to an distorted “ow-ow-ow” transition. The chorus follows a humming bass-line and a cowbell-like drum machine (where another concealed person hits one on stage). The second verse also adds snaps. And the last chorus skips midway. The production sounds modern and not something I'd associate with Eurovision, and I mean that in the best way. The stage looks cool too. × Switzerland: Timebelle - Apollo This was pretty close to qualifying, and I'm surprised it didn't. “I follow you Apollo” is such a memorable line. And that whole “I will never let you go... It is never easy...” part is so catchy. Maybe "Apollo" isn't the most essential pop song ever, but it doesn't have any bothersome qualities either. It would fit on any playlist. In the song, vocalist Miruna appeals to Apollo in an inviting and persuasive tone that will be hard for him to resist. Currently, their relationship is going through a rough patch, but she vows to not give up. However, she reveals in the bridge that Apollo isn't as willing because it isn't easy to fix things. But she reasons that it's not supposed to be. Musically, the verses use finger snaps, light piano notes, and a tambourine shake; followed by broken metal ticks and boops moving in. The beat stops then when the first chorus starts. The chorus is driven by drums and buzzing synths. While the bridge extends the chorus production, before reducing to just the piano and Miruna's delicate vocal. This helps set up the final chorus. She also faces the pianist during this part. The stage uses a pink and yellow aesthetic (ie. pastel colours). Miruna's yellow dress even matches the colour of the circular staircase she's standing on. ✓ Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life #StandWithUkraine I'm going with the English title, since that's the one shown after the postcard, even though there isn't a single English lyric in this. This Belarusian folk song is somewhat annoying with all that “hey hey haiyayayah yo” shouting, and that bird call at the end, but it's a memorable chant. The song is also bursting with joyous energy. There's a valiant chorus melody. And the duo has nice chemistry. Ksenia's arm movements hype up the audience too. The pair performs on an airboat on stage, while the screen shows buildings moving past and fireworks going off. It symbolizes them journeying together. The lyrics centre on the theme of moving forward through life. The duo sees the days and events that have passed, but they're anticipating what happens next. It's a new beginning. The instrumental, meanwhile, is very active and it wants jump to around for 3 minutes straight. It moves like choppy waves. And it follows a consistent drum and guitar rhythm. The verses are calmer than the chorus though. There's also a pattering drum thing that runs across every so often. I keep forgetting this qualified for some reason. ✓ Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess Yeah, I'm putting Bulgaria at #1 again. “Beautiful Mess” is on another level from everything else this year. It's a beautiful pop ballad and Kristian is a great performer. His vocal contains so much emotional depth – like how he softens during “I don't want nothing more” and “on the wire”. Plus the production is high quality and modern. The “oh-ah-oh” chant is anthemic. And the “AND WE DON'T HAVE A THING TO LOSE” hook stands out. The lyrical meaning is encapsulated by the “Our love is untouchable” line. Kristian sings that chorus like he's fighting for it. He says they will withstand whatever adversities or disruptions are thrown their way, even under extreme strain. They're also unsure how to cope, leaving them in this “Beautiful Mess”. The title is an oxymoron that means loving a flawed situation. The song opens with a muffled effect, like a strained whimper, while the first verse is guided by gradual, careful piano notes. The verses also contains tiny guitar pings. The broken metal tick rattles drop after the first chorus, where the melancholic whimpering returns, and a clacking percussion appears for the remainder of the song. The metal ticks last from the second chorus until the end as well. On stage, Kristian is surrounded by a circular array of panel screens, which go away during the drop. There's also a split-second teleportation effect, white squiggly line animations, and a shower on the LED screen at the end. × Lithuania: Fusedmarc - Rain of Revolution Yet another eccentric Baltic entry that I don't get. Viktorija's shrieking is annoying, especially during that “Yeah Yeah” repetition (and there's a lot of them). She sounds like she's about blow her lid. It's such an unpleasant hook and it doesn't flow with the song. Also, the central phrase “Feel the rain of revolution” just sounds like nonsense. The opening verse uses bad grammar too (“life like roller coaster”). The song is about “making a [new] start” and “breaking irrational fears”. But Viktorija's offbeat vocal style makes it impossible to take the message seriously. She acts as if she's imparting this revolutionary philosophy. But it's like she's playing a character. And her vocal melody is too bumpy. The instrumental isn't that revolutionary either. The song opens with some introductory horns, with plenty more horn releases afterwards. Then the drums push the verses forward, alongside a whirring sound. While the pre-chorus adds some piano notes to it. The chorus then throws in the cymbals, as she sings “Yeah Yeah” over the backing. The first chorus also slows into a heartbeat pound. There's also a “Dance to the rhythm of the soul” breakdown, where the backing members clap and the percussion booms. As for the staging, it has a red aesthetic. The visual effects include the camera spinning upside down during the “upside down” lyric. And a spinning fire effect on the floor. × Estonia: Koit Toome and Laura - Verona Koit returns from 1998, to pair up with Laura, who was a part of Suntribe in 2005. “Verona” is an undeniably catchy song that's committed to its metaphor but the live performance is a mess. The duo spends most of it physically separated. The camera switches between them frequently, sometimes with the other person's face on screen. But whenever it cuts to Koit, he looks too intense. Which is strange since his '98 entry was so genuine. The pair unites towards the end, but the chemistry is awkward. The song is a reference to Romeo & Juliet, which is set in Verona. Here, “Verona” has double meaning (ie. “lost in-” vs. “lost our-”). The former is an unresolved limbo – and the duo's tone sounds like they're helplessly and tragically trapped in one. The latter is the missing spark between them. They were reckless. The “romance turned to drama”. And now neither one will apologize. Musically, the song uses echoing, dramatic production. Laura starts things off (with a mic fail). Her first verse is like a slow, sorrowful walk down an empty hall. It opens with a lute-like flick, followed by echoing snaps and crashes. The beat picks up and begins to push things forward when Koit struts onto the stage. This part is partly driven by a light, restless guitar and a few caw effects. The beat then stops for the “WE ARE LOST” breakdowns, which switches to dramatic slams, leading to more percussion echos. There's lots of hooks here too – like the “Ah-Uh-Ah-Uh-Oh-Oh-Ah-Oh”s, the “we are lost in Verona!” shouts, and the epic “WE ARE LOST” parts. ✓ Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive This is kind of basic. Sure, Israel delivers another smart choreo routine here, the “breaking me to pieces” hook is decent, and the dance-pop production has a darker tone. The “fragile” part sticks in my head too. But the song is lacking personality and the melody is kind of forgettable? Which is a shame since Imri has charismatic stage presence. The song starts with some rigid dripping synths, as the screen graphics throb in sync to it. Next there's the finger snaps. Then the beat stops before the strings emerge and the synths build-up into the drop, while an image of Imri “breaks into pieces” on screen. After the drop, the spraying dance synths take over with some backing “oh oh”s and Imri holds a long “ALIIIIIIIIVE” as the fire erupts. The energy continues through the second verse (with a couple of vocal squeals) and into the next chorus (with more drips). The dancers also appear during the second verse. Then there's a traditional instrument break (which is the best part). The song is about Imri returning home after working abroad to see his lover again. He's been waiting a while for this. It's broken him into pieces. And now he feels alive. He brings a positive tone, which contrasts the more dark instrumental. My Ranking:01. Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess ✓02. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo ✓03. Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows ✓04. Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment ✓05. Serbia: Tijana Bogićević - In Too Deep 06. Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! ✓07. Estonia: Koit Toome and Laura - Verona 08. Switzerland: Timebelle - Apollo 09. Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am ✓10. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Jana Burčeska - Dance Alone 11. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive ✓12. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life ✓13. Ireland: Brendan Murray - Dying to Try 14. San Marino: Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson - Spirit of the Night 15. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air ✓16. Malta: Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly 17. Lithuania: Fusedmarc - Rain of Revolution 18. Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend ✓So many bad songs in this one too. I think part of what drags this year down is the semi-final results. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 4, 2022 0:33:44 GMT -5
justice for main pop girls Serbia and FYR Macedonia!
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Aug 4, 2022 18:17:45 GMT -5
They literally put Jana to Dance Alone in that big stage
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Aug 12, 2022 3:38:45 GMT -5
Kyiv 2017 – Grand Final Host: Ukraine Slogan: “Celebrate Diversity” Participants: 42 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host Winner: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois Country: Portugal Points: 758 (77.0% of highest score possible) Language: Portuguese YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:I can definitively say that 2017 is not one of my favourite years. Part of that is the results, and part of it is the song quality. The Grand Final opens with a video of people looking at bouncing balls, which relates to the contest's beaded necklace logo. Then there's a display of flashing lights on stage to kick off the Parade of Nations, where the flags splash onto the screen. And that's it for the opening sequence! This final feels less bloated than the previous two. But they make up for it by having SO many breaks during the running order, which has become the standard now. Måns even makes a pre-recorded cameo in one of them (because of course he does) to train the hosts. It was cute. The postcards begin with the artists, delegation and press all standing frozen in this generic hallway, until just the artists move. Next it cuts to the usual footage of the respective artists partaking in various activities. Then the sequence finishes by returning to the hallway where everybody else unfreezes. I will forever associate this hallway with 2017. Back in the arena, the bead pattern logo (or are they paper lanterns?) displays the country flag colours. The stage is a spacious, flat circle, with a wide LED screen behind it and an overhanging mushroom-top-like structure extending outwards. It's less versatile than the 2016 stage. The Green Room, meanwhile, is in the back of the audience, where the delegations sit in pods. Ukraine made sure to include as much Verka Serduchka as possible this year. Her and her mom start the voting, and they later lead the audience to dance to “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”. If this wasn't Ukraine hosting, I'd be annoyed about her overexposure. I'll save that for 2019. Otherwise, the interval contains 3 performances, including both of Ukraine's winning acts (up to that point). First, it's Ruslana singing “It's Magical”, featuring a misty forest, plenty of “oh whoa oh”s, drumming, a grinding beat, and a crowd of dancers. Next, there's a Ukrainian folk orchestra mixed with electronic musicians, which includes those long horns and a buhay. I enjoyed the beat. Finally, Jamala performs the uplifting track “I Believe in U”, accompanied by an outline animation of an embracing couple. And a stage invader who moons the audience right next to her... what the actual f**k. I love how she just carried on unfazed. The top 3 countries (Portugal, Bulgaria and Moldova) all achieve their best placements, which is cool. Portugal ran away with the jury vote, and their jury score alone kept them at #1 until the top two televote scores were given... which they also won... so not a suspenseful result. The San Marino spokesperson hid behind a cardboard cutout as a prank. While Israel's Ofer Nachshon commented on the IBA shutting down, implying that Israel was withdrawing... only to win the whole thing next year. And LOL at the Bulgarian jury voting for like none of the contenders. Otherwise, this is a top-heavy televote. They rejected many of the jury favourites like Austria, Australia, UK, Netherlands, and even Norway which I wasn't expecting. The televote top 4 is the actual top 4 too (in that order). Bulgaria was just unlucky here – 615 points is more than what “1944”, “Toy”, “Arcade” and “Zitti e buoni” got. Similar to 2016, only 4 entries have no English lyrics at all. The Entries: Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive From 3rd place in the semi-final to 23rd in the Grand Final. I guess the running order really does matter. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight I read that this is actually about animal cruelty? I liked my interpretation better lol. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life More annoying each time I hear it. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me Netherlands: OG3NE - Lights and Shadows Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma It runs out of steam around the bridge. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma The odds-on favourite to win. All because of a dancing ape on stage. I still don't get what's so amusing about that? I'm very mixed on this one. “Occidentali's Karma” is an undeniably catchy song, but it comes off as snobby and judgemental. The dancing ape is meant to mock too. Francesco spends the song deriding and mocking modern Western culture, saying that we've devolved back to Neolithic times. That intelligence has been replaced by easy answers, “useless dilemmas” and sex appeal. He further mentions the appropriation of Eastern spiritualism, with references to Nirvana and Buddha. While the screen shows a yin yang symbol and Chakras, as Francesco does the gyan mudra pose and the song ends on an “om” chant. Additionally, the lyrics insert English, Sanskrit and Greek phrases to show the prevalence of loan words. It's a sunny production though and the LED screen is colourful. The backing also wear different colour shirts. The song begins with these plucking synths. Then the pre-chrous uses strings and a whirring beat. While the chorus rushes in in a very catchy and dominant way; culminating in an instrumental response after the song title and collective arm swaying (with more arm-swaying figures on screen). There's also frequent backing responses (“ALLEZ!”). And rubbery arm animations on screen. Later, the bridge goes quiet; then the instrumental grows, the whole arena shouts “NAMASTE! ALLEZ!”, and the ape dances to a brief guitar solo. Denmark: Anja - Where I Am Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois (winner review below) Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend They really chose to put this at the end of the 1st half. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy Greece: Demy - This Is Love These vocals are rough. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover Yeah, no surprise this finished in last place. I'm more surprised that it received any points at all. Because absolutely zero effort was put into this. The song aims for a lazy vibe, but it ends up sounding lifeless instead. The instrumental is beyond basic. The chorus lacks energy and it's banally written – it just repeats the title phrase over and over, with a few “clap your hands” thrown in. The “la la la la lover” hook is flat too... like they're filling time. And the lyrical message (of letting your lover be your inspiration to confront things in life) is sung in such an unconvincing way. The Spanish verses aren't that deep either. Also, that part where the two guitarists face each other looks awkward. Moreover, this entry is too wrapped up in the “surfer dude” stereotypes; between the Hawaiian shirts, Manel's long curly hair, the group standing on surfboards animations, and the LED screen showing beaches and a retro van. Musically, the song has a reggae rhythm. It starts with a minimal acoustic guitar and wave sound effects, while the group stands backwards, staring at a nighttime globe that zooms out from Spain. Then a record scratch starts the chorus, where the drums come in. From there, the rest of the song follows a stagnant guitar/drum pattern. And the bridge escalates through the “just do it”'s, which only leads to Manel's infamous voice crack... Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment “Grab the Moment” saving us from a run of bad songs again LOL. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You The best UK entry of the entire 21st century imo. It's also their highest placement since Blue in 2011, even with a paltry 12 televote points. Emmelie de Forest helped write this too. The lyrical message is touching and Lucie sounds like someone who wants to help and will never give up; although her live vocals are shaky. Her words come from a place of love. She rationalizes the subject's negative self-perception and affirms her commitment to supporting them. She says that opening up is a sign of trust not weakness. She points out the progress they've made but can't see. She begs them to not give up on themselves. And the chorus has this desperate pleading tone, where she makes a firm promise at any cost to herself. My favourite line is “You're not defeated, you're in repair” though. Musically, the song begins as a bare piano ballad, letting the vocal melody drive things. The first chorus starts with this sinking down effect. Then the percussion arrives in the second verse, first with taps and echoing clacks. Followed by thumps in the next chorus. And bellowing drums in the finale, where Lucie delivers a big note. It has an atmosphere by the end of it. On stage, she stands in front of this mirror shell thing, while a galaxy of stars radiate across the stage. The opening shot shows her reflection too. Otherwise, the “now you can see...” part is a good hook, but the bridge transitions weirdly in how it continues the last line of the chorus. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! Germany: Levina - Perfect Life Yet another flop for Germany. The lyrics are nice, but the verse production is way too similar to David Guetta's “Titanium” and they couldn't get away with it. The melody is bland and forgettable too. The chorus is plain. And the stage aesthetic is drab. I can see how this was met with apathy. The song is about how Levina has grown and changed her perspective on life. She previously wanted things to go to plan, but now realizes that a “Perfect Life” is actually imperfect. The best things come from the unexpected and from outside her comfort zone. She accepts her flaws (“almost a sinner”). And she's no longer afraid to make mistakes. She says all this with a self-assured tone too; like she believes she'll be alright. But the composition doesn't do much for me. The “Titanium” production is what pushes the song forward via the brisk jabbing hitting from different directions. The percussion beat appears partway through the first verse to match it. While Levina spends that first verse laying on the floor. Then the first chorus follows a series of dramatic slams, leading to some metronome-like ticking. Afterwards, the instrumental eases off for the second verse and chorus. The latter of which ends with more slams and ticking. And the final chorus has a stomping build-up. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time Thus begins a stretch of flop host entries that will last through 2021. It's also Ukraine's worst placement ever. Strange, since this is the only rock entry this year. But the chorus isn't that catchy. The “time to look/time to see/time to find” pre-chorus build-up works better though. I also wish they kept the countdown clocks from the national final. I don't get the giant head with strobe light eyes on the ESC stage. Anyways, the lyrics include a bunch of “time” phrases, resulting in the word “time” being said 27 times in total. It's about focusing on what matters in life. The singer advises seeking a peaceful place, understanding silence, finding truth, and appreciating what you have. The intro exemplifies this theme by resembling tunnel background noise. Then the rock instrumentation starts halfway through the first verse. It's more moderate in the verses, while the harder guitar groove runs through the chorus, giving it an angsty vibe. But it's too sludgy to hook me in. The pre-chorus, meanwhile, builds via the drums and the resulting guitar riff. The second one further adds an echoing quirk. There's also a guitar solo later on. Plus this reverse audio slicing sound sprinkled throughout the track. And the song makes sure to wait after each chorus. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess France: Alma - Requiem Not to be confused with Finnish singer Alma. It's funny how the final ends with my top 2. This peaked at #3 on my personal chart. It has a complex production. And the lyrics explore a difficult topic. The only issue is that the staging is missing something. The dizzying, spinning Paris skyline is a neat visual, but it just reminds me of how the French spokesperson always has the Eiffel Tower behind them. Anyways, the lyrics address the idea of death making life feel meaningless. How it's a cycle over the centuries. That the world will go on without us. And what we think is important will be forgotten. But Alma conquers this fear by implying that love is what gives life meaning (“With you nothing ever dies”). It isn't an original message, but it's probably true. Alma's tone and smiles give it a positive spin too. The music is also like a “Requiem” (ie. a funeral song) with the sombre piano; plus the bells and the tense violin release at the start. The violin keeps resurfacing too. But it's the percussion that elevates this. The first verse adds a stomping beat midway (as does the first pre-chorus, which also transitions with a clap). The chorus involves this alluring castanet-like beat and it concludes with a finality slam. The switch to English is kind of abrupt though. The second verse continues the stomps, leading to some heightened percussion, before it stops on the last line. And the bridge moves from bass strings to stretched-out beats to escalating to removing all tension; which sets up the finale well. The Winner:Portugal finally achieves their first win after a record-breaking 49 attempts. Finland previously held this record with 40 tries in 2006. Not only that, Portugal had never even been in the top 5 before this (their best placement was 6th in 1996). They were truly an underdog in this contest. This means that Cyprus, Iceland, Malta are the only countries left from the Cold War era that have yet to win. Interestingly, all three will be contenders in the next few years. Moreover, as of 2022, “Amar pelos dois” still holds the points record at 758. Which even surpasses the combined jury and televote scores of all the 2009-15 winners. It's also the first entirely non-English winner since “Molitva” 10 years prior. Despite the overwhelming victory, this is actually one of the most polarizing winners within the Eurovision fandom. Most rankings that I've seen either have it in their top 5 or bottom 5 of 2017. And I'm no different; it's in my bottom 5. The song just makes me want to fall sleep. There's no melody, no remarkable instrumental moments, no journey. None at all. Salvador sings it like it's a lullaby. I couldn't hum this from memory. And the arrangement is so slow and boring. Also, his winning speech where he trashed the modern era of the contest turned me off. It seemed like poor sportsmanship. I have no issue with appreciating the past, but you don't have to be condescending and snobbish about how the past is better. Anyways, “Amar pelos dois” is a jazz waltz ballad that hearkens back to the black-and-white era of the contest and to old-school romanticism. It was written by Salvador's sister Luísa Sobral. I'll admit it was cute when she sang with him for the winner's reprisal. And I can see how it stands out against the modern entries. The audience holds up their phone lights during the performance, where Salvador remains at the centre audience platform for the entire thing, which is smart. I noticed that the solo performers got lost on the big stage this year. In the lyrics, Salvador states that his legacy is to love his person. That he merely existed before they met. And he pleads them to return, hoping they will grow to love him back. He even repeats this plea a second time. He surmises that “I know that one can't love alone”, which is true; love is a two-way street. But he later contradicts himself at the end by saying “My heart can love for both of us”. So which is it? The lyrics can also be interpreted as clingy; like he's living in this hopeless fantasy, attached to someone who's not into him. The song itself follows an unusual verse-chorus-chorus-verse structure. It incorporates an old-fashioned instrumental and it has a very delicate texture. It starts with a violin intro, featuring some long pauses. Then a gentle, sleepily-paced piano guides things, as the strings reemerge in the first chorus. There's another violin solo that separates the two choruses. Then the second chorus softens and grows. While the final verse sees the piano fade away, as the instrumental reduces down to just a few violin interjections before the piano comes back. The song ends on another soft moment. Verdict: “F” Tier. I don't get this one, and I don't think I ever will. My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess 02. France: Alma - Requiem 03. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo 04. Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows 05. Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment 06. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You 07. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me 08. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights 09. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight 10. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity 11. Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! 12. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons 13. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On 14. Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am 15. Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma 16. Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma 17. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive 18. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life 19. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy 20. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time 21. Greece: Demy - This Is Love 22. Germany: Levina - Perfect Life 23. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air 24. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois 25. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover 26. Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend Full Ranking: 01. Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov - Beautiful Mess 02. France: Alma - Requiem 03. Iceland: Svala - Paper 04. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Origo 05. Netherlands: O'G3NE - Lights and Shadows 06. Norway: Jowst - Grab the Moment 07. United Kingdom: Lucie Jones - Never Give Up on You 08. Armenia: Artsvik - Fly with Me 09. Belgium: Blanche - City Lights 10. Poland: Kasia Moś - Flashlight 11. Cyprus: Hovig - Gravity 12. Serbia: Tijana Bogićević - In Too Deep 13. Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea - Yodel It! 14. Azerbaijan: Dihaj - Skeletons 15. Estonia: Koit Toome and Laura - Verona 16. Switzerland: Timebelle - Apollo 17. Finland: Norma John - Blackbird 18. Sweden: Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On 19. Albania: Lindita - World 20. Denmark: Anja Nissen - Where I Am 21. Italy: Francesco Gabbani - Occidentali's Karma 22. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Jana Burčeska - Dance Alone 23. Moldova: SunStroke Project - Hey Mamma 24. Israel: Imri - I Feel Alive 25. Belarus: Naviband - Story of My Life 26. Australia: Isaiah - Don't Come Easy 27. Latvia: Triana Park - Line 28. Ukraine: O.Torvald - Time 29. Czech Republic: Martina Bárta - My Turn 30. Greece: Demy - This Is Love 31. Ireland: Brendan Murray - Dying to Try 32. Germany: Levina - Perfect Life 33. San Marino: Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson - Spirit of the Night 34. Montenegro: Slavko Kalezić - Space 35. Austria: Nathan Trent - Running on Air 36. Malta: Claudia Faniello - Breathlessly 37. Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze - Keep the Faith 38. Portugal: Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dois 39. Lithuania: Fusedmarc - Rain of Revolution 40. Spain: Manel Navarro - Do It for Your Lover 41. Croatia: Jacques Houdek - My Friend 42. Slovenia: Omar Naber - On My Way
“S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “Rise Like a Phoenix”, “1944”, “Satellite” “B” Tier: “Molitva”, “Hard Rock Hallelujah”,“Heroes” “C” Tier: “Fly On The Wings Of Love”, “I Wanna” “D” Tier: “Everybody”, “Believe”, “Running Scared” “F” Tier: “Amar pelos dois” *I decided to move Hard Rock Hallelujah below Molitva and into my B-tier Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Aug 12, 2022 5:11:34 GMT -5
below “Everybody”, “Believe” and “Running Scared”? damn. I'm not the biggest fan of the song but the night of the grand final it sorta clicked with me and pulled on my heartstrings.
Belgium, UK & Denmark were the girlies I really wanted to see do well, at least Blanche managed it.
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Aug 12, 2022 8:34:24 GMT -5
The problem with Portugal is that, regardless of Salvador's speech, it just has an air of pretension. Everything about it just screams "I'm a beautiful, meaningful jazz song that is so much meaningful than all of this pop crap", even though it really isn't all that deep of a song, and ironically wasn't even written by the performer. I enjoy it for being pretty charming and calm (far from the worst winner of the 21st century), but I don't like it as much as I did 5 years ago.
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Post by Leo ✔ on Aug 12, 2022 22:56:23 GMT -5
I never liked this and never will. Bulgaria was totally robbed. Also Spain LOL Italy overrated trash. This was one of the worst contest of this decade, if not the worst, with a lot of mediocre songs.
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Post by ry4n on Jul 19, 2023 1:00:07 GMT -5
Lisbon 2018 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Portugal Slogan: “All Aboard!” Participants: 43 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:So... it wasn't my plan to take a year-long break from this project, but that's life. I think I was worn out from pushing myself to write such thorough reviews. Which, looking below, I can't help myself from doing. 💀 But anyways, I won't be satisfied until I fully catch up. Well... at least up until 2021. The newer contests need more time before reflecting.So, for the first time ever, there are 4 hosts. All of whom are female! They are: Sílvia Alberto, Daniela Ruah, Catarina Furtado and Filomena Cautela. It seems Portugal were eager to provide comedy this year, in the aftermath of Petra and Måns's iconic hosting. Tonight we have Daniela's naval references, her paper ballots, the two people frantically answering phones, and the trivia game. But the hosts have with it, and they're an enjoyable bunch. The show's opening sequence begins with underwater footage, followed by a montage showcasing Lisbon's architecture, people and culture. There's no opening performances after that though. Instead we jump straight into the host introductions. I mean, there's 19 songs, we don't have time to waste! The interval doesn't contain live performances either. Instead, it's a series of pre-recorded skits. First, there's multiple 2017 artists singing along to “Amar pelos dois”, culminating in a recap of Salvador's win. Then “David Attenburger” observes Portuguese people as if they're an exotic species... this is very cringe. Finally, a narrator reads the ESC encyclopedia, recapping memorable quirks from past entries. All of the 2017 participants return for 2018, and with Russia not withdrawing this time, the total number of entries matches the all-time record of 43. Which was basically every feasible country at that point. Israel wins Semi-Final 1, and the corresponding jury vote, which is strange since Austria is in this semi-final. Cyprus, meanwhile, wins the televote. Which is also strange because Cyprus loses the public vote to Israel at the grand final. Although I do realize only half the countries vote in each semi-final. In other news, the juries saved Albania (which they ranked 3rd) at the expense of Greece. While the public saved Lithuania and Finland at the expense of Belgium and Switzerland. I would not expect “When We're Old” and “Monsters” to have more televote appeal. So 2018 SF1 is one of the biggest “bloodbaths” in Eurovision history. The qualification results seemed pretty unpredictable; in both semi-finals actually. The final odds got 7/10 and 8/10 correct, respectively. As a consequence of these uneven semi-finals, a lot of my favourites didn't make it through this year. The Entries: × Azerbaijan: Aisel - X My Heart Azerbaijan NQs for the first time, a full decade after their debut. And they still placed 11th. When I saw the title “X My Heart”, I expected something with bite or edge. Instead, this is the most basic / “mid” song that Azerbaijan has ever sent. Sure, the frantic pre-chorus is effective, with how the “HEAVEN KNOWS WE ARE” part leaps out. And the chorus barrels through as this rooftop declaration of the power of love (“I CROSS MY HEARRRRT”). But the melody and production aren't very unique? The “sto-o-o-op” stutters do nothing for me either. The song starts low, with bubbles and faint frosty crashes. Then the snaps and audience claps come in. Then the pre-chorus jumps into broken ticks, as Aisel's vocal startles everyone awake. Then the chorus releases a generic dance beat (I like the subtle clinks though). While the next pre-chorus uses a sputtering synth instead. The lyrics mention the heaven, stars and moon to convey the power of the universe. But some lines are nonsensical, like “Misty moon I'm your loon” or “Tear down the firewalls”. Or corny like “I'm stronger than cannonballs”. Also, the triangular platform staging is whatever. It begins with Aisel laying down alone on a misty stage. Then she runs around. Then she stands on a triangle with outstretched arms to make the chorus seem powerful – the backing members do the same in the later choruses. There's also this snowy globe visual effect during the bridge that looks tacky. × Iceland: Ari Ólafsson - Our Choice The most predictable result of SF1 was Iceland finishing dead last. They even got 0 televote points, becoming their 4th consecutive NQ. “Our Choice” is my least favourite type of Eurovision ballad. The kind where I'm just waiting for it to be over. The song is so tedious. And the instrumental is just a bland, flavourless, overdone, thick stew of nothingness. The first verse/chorus follows piano notes and Ari's snoozy lower vocal. Then the drums enter in the second verse, where he shifts to a whinier vocal style. Then the backing singers join in later. But that drum beat is so “blah”. The bridge also doesn't try hard enough to intensify the drum beat. Moreover, Ari's performance is overly sentimental and cringey. Like when he shoves the mic stand aside, or when he lets out that falsetto scream, or when he tears up and makes heart-hands at the end. His smiles are ugh too. The lyrics are about the choice we make in how we treat each other. While the bridge warns against turning a blind eye because it could be you suffering. But the words aren't very deep and the tone is too sappy, so the message doesn't resonate. It's an uninspiring inspirational song. ✓ Albania: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall As of 2023, this is Albania's third best result at 11th. And I just... don't get it. I blame the juries. The first verse is promising though. It's driven by these excited, booming, fist-pounding drums, alongside an acoustic guitar and a quick clacking sound. It captures the feeling of brave anticipation and journeying onward. But the rest of the song is filled with Eugent's ear-ache-inducing screams, which I cannot get past. I also find the chorus melody quite annoying. During the first chorus, the instrumental pauses for a clapping segment and a few guitar jabs, then it moves into usual rock instrumentation. The stage also changes colours from dark blue in the verses to red in the chorus. The second verse, by contrast, flows with less obstruction, while the second chorus skips the clapping and adds busy strings instead. “Mall” can be best categorized as a folk rock song. Lyrically, it describes what yearning someone feels like. The yearning doesn't know boundaries or distance. It's indescribable. You're living in a dream. It doesn't go away with time. It's painful. The lyrics are solid enough, but the screaming is a deal-breaker. Yeah, the first verse has a vibe, but the chorus does not. × Belgium: Sennek - A Matter of Time And now I blame the public. This was a safe qualifier before rehearsals. But the unmemorable staging and the early running order hurt it. Sennek mostly just shows expressive body language on the audience walkway. But the staging isn't bad. And the opening shot of her blurry arm in a narrow horizontal frame kinda works. The camera focuses and expands itself after, as Sennek opens her eyes The stage is also darkly lit, except for the flashing lights in the chorus. “A Matter of Time” is stylistically similar to “City Lights”, but I don't mind since I loved “City Lights”. Lyrically, the song addresses common avoidance behaviour from people – hiding emotion to avoid conflict; escaping into cheap sensations; trying to retrieve the golden past. And how we run away from our problems. The song opens with sparse, sombre piano notes. Then the light drums come in, with occasional squiggly beeps. This low-key instrumental, along with Sennek's softer vocal, gives the verses an intimate, dark ambient vibe, like meeting in a hotel room with the lights off. Next, the pre-chorus adds smooth strings, leading to a scratchy transition. Then the chorus is more panicked to disrupt the fantasy, where Sennek exclaims “BEFORE IT ALL ECHO-ECHOES”. It even echoes the word “echo”! I used to find that main hook annoying, but it works as a reality check. Sennek concludes it's only “a matter of time” before your problems catch up with you. It's a relatable message. I like how she says “I suppose” too. ✓ Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me As of 2023, this is Czechia's best result (6th). I mean... the track is well-produced. The brass breakdowns are catchy (and reminiscent of mid-2010s hits like “Talk Dirty” or “Problem”). The backing dancers look like they're in a music video every time the camera cuts to them (there's screens behind them and the wide aspect ratio). And Mikolas's suspenders and glasses stands out. He even did that jump after injuring his back in rehearsal (I'm guessing it was originally a flip). But the backpack kid homage and the flossing is so 2018 and so cringe. Not to mention the white boy rapping. The lyrics are amusing though. There's sexual innuendos: “got me making a puddle”, “set my camel in the mood”, “I know you (gibberish) on his wood bamboo”. 💀💀💀 Modern slang: “wannabe couple goals queen”. The mysterious “GGY” acronym. And of course: “wanna eat my spaghetti”. The song is about Mikolas getting turned on by his girlfriend cheating on him. He doesn't care. Everyone seems to know except the other guy... who's his friend. The production has a lot going on too. The song opens with a rattle and pops. Then there's a clappy beat, rings clanging together, and a funky guitar everywhere. Then the pre-chorus adds breathing. And the chorus builds up via brass stomps, followed by an accelerating ticking / popping beat, leading to the brass breakdowns. The backing vocals emphasize certain parts too. The song's rhythm and Mikola's stage presence convey swagger. He uses monotone rapping sometimes too. ✓ Lithuania: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old 12th place makes sense for this. “When We're Old” is an overwhelmingly sentimental ballad with a slow pace, but Ieva's emotional performance gets to me. It's like she's about to cry on stage, especially at the end. Her voice trembles in the verses; finding it hard to speak. She can't even finish the line “And if you leave I would…” (it's a word rhymes that with “goodbye”). The verses also have long pauses after each line. But the melody picks up in the chorus, which peaks with that “OH OH OLD” shout. The instrumental, meanwhile, does everything it can to remain as delicate and restrained as possible. Which establishes a vibe of feeling too fragile to move. The atmosphere is like a pensive stroll down memory lane too. The instrumental is a fairly standard piano ballad. The chorus introduces droplets of guitar and tambourine (or clacks the second time). The second verse also adds bass guitar plucks. But the instruments move one note a time. The lyrics, meanwhile, are straightforward and sweet. Ieva thinks about the past and the future of the relationship. They've been together long enough to be certain. There's no doubts or conflicts. It's just the dream of growing old together. On stage, Ieva sits on the floor for a while, as holograms of various aged couples appear next to her. Then she walks to the bridge, where a guy enters to hold her hand (to match the final lyric). ✓ Israel: Netta - Toy (winner review in Grand Final post) × Belarus: Alekseev - Forever #StandWithUkraine “NO NEED TO WORRY RAIN FALLING DOWN”... that chorus melody progresses in such an undeniably, instantly catchy way. But Alekseev's heartbroken, sobbing vocal/stage presence comes off hammy. And the staging takes itself too seriously. First, the camera shows him looking down at a rose, which he then sings to. Then he sets the rose down, the camera spins around it, and a backing dancer grabs it. Then she uses a bow to shoot the rose back to him. Then animated rose petals explode from his chest. Then he turns around to reveal roses sewn on his back. I'm just rolling my eyes at this point. The backing dancer's choreo is captivating though. Her red dress matches the theme! In the song, Alekseev announces this must be love. He can't stay away. Time hasn't changed anything. His reality breaks when she arrives. He's unfazed by the rain (bad times), and he mentions forever. It's typical love song stuff. But the song doesn't have a joyful atmosphere – it's actually sorrowful, melancholic, and heartbroken. The production starts as a grieving piano ballad. Then by the second verse, the tap-tap-splash drums and strings become prominent. While the second/third choruses have a raining down misery vibe. Then the bridge retreats to solemn piano, followed by an instrumental break. ✓ Estonia: Elina Nechayeva - La forza Funny how Estonia returns to the top 10 every 3-4 contests lately (2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2023). Normally I find opera annoying, but “La forza” is breathtakingly gorgeous. Elina's voice is angelic and the staging is perfect. Since 2018 had no LED screen, her long dress became a quasi LED instead! It depicts swirling colourful patterns in a mesmerizing way. The concept is simple, creative and brilliant. The song is about “the force of destiny”, with Italian lyrics for the pure opera experience. In “La forza”, Elina mentions a star that's important to her. It gives clarity in the path to take. It won't abandon her. She also says destiny brings her to happiness, but questions if it's real. The lyrics seem spiritual. Musically, the verses are comprised of icy piano/strings, with a couple orchestral ocean swells, while Elina's voice sounds mystical. Said verses move in slow and steady footsteps, and paint the image of a cold winter night by a frozen lake in solitude. The chorus contrasts this by switching to operatic vocals and slamming “tribal” drums. This part feels like an external force is levitating Elina to the heavens. There's also this powering down sound used for transitions. And a star-shining ping. The second verse, meanwhile, adds snowy footstep crunches and snowy echoes. I like how this part concludes with cut-up syllables of “per. l'e. tern. i. ta.” and multiple camera cuts. Finally, the song ends with a high note. ✓ Bulgaria: Equinox - Bones Expectations were high for Bulgaria this year – they were #2 in the odds at one point, but ended up 14th. The song feels calculated. The chorus melody (“I love beyond the booones”) is stiff and unsatisfying. Equinox lack chemistry and seem like 5 individuals thrown together (I think this is the only song they ever made). And their live performance looks pretentious. Like how they stand frozen in darkness at the beginning. The editing tricks don't help - the cuts, the split screens, the black smoke, the triple-vision effect. But they're good singers / performers, and the song's dark production is intriguing. There's a wobbly bass-line running through “Bones”. The intro and outro also include some distortions, giving a submerged in dark water vibe. The verses, meanwhile, use kicking percussion, with a couple alert sounds inserted. Then the pre-chorus slides with the light guitar and harmonies. The “what is life...” melody is decent in this part; the moon-howling “BONES” less so. Next, the flow completely stops in the chorus. But the ensuing wavy-sounding drop is my fave part, making the payoff worthwhile. It's an intense song. The slam transitions work too. I don't need Zhana's screams though. The lyrics describe breaking past the limitations Earth imposes on us. And loving beyond the physical body. The verses talk about letting go to “feel it, feel it, feel it”. The phrase “beyond the bones” is awkward though, it makes me think of skeletons. I guess “flesh and bones” had too many syllables. × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Eye Cue - Lost and Found This was my NUMBER ONE before the live shows. It even reached #2 in my personal chart. But I cannot defend this performance. The stage direction looks disorganized. Marija lacks fierceness. Her vocals aren't the best. Her interactions with Bojan are off. The “go deeper”s are kinda awkward. And whenever Marija joins the backing for the chorus, it's so messy and it ruins all power the chorus has. I like when she teleports in front of Bojan at the start though. This is the “Verona” of 2018. It's also North Macedonia's 6th straight NQ! “Lost and Found” is like two different songs stitched together. It opens with guitar flicks, followed by anticipatory drums. But then the song abruptly switches to a reggae beat for the verses, changing the vibe out of nowhere. Then the pre-chorus repeats intro (with snaps added in), except this time it actually builds to something: a guitar driving through a tunnel. Then two guitar notes transition to the chorus, which is a claustrophobic chant of “HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT”, alongside a clappy beat that's like choppy rapids. Said chorus is an ominous warning: They went too far! There's no way back! The song is about Marija inviting her love interest to come along. She wants to experience a “deeper love”, but they're holding back from fear. The verses are flirtatious, while the chorus has a “point of no return” vibe. The disparate genres somehow work together though. It's a fresh idea. Plus the build-up to the chorus is exciting. × Croatia: Franka - Crazy I don't mind this. My biggest issue is Franka's off-putting body language on stage. It's like she's trying too hard to look intense. There isn't much else happening on stage either. There's an opening shot of Franka's outstretched arm, and bright flashing smoke behind her. But that's it. The lyrics are mostly bland infatuation stuff as well: he's like a black-and-white movie. They're like Bonnie & Clyde. She doesn't need diamonds and pearls. There's no reason, no games, no fear, no breaks. Something about “roses and horses in the rain”. There's also a random spoken word section. And the chorus only contains 5 words. BUT the instrumental is what grabs my attention - it continually punches, but not in an intimidating way. There's also distorted “ahh uhh ohh”s and dying animal squeals all over the song. The first verse employs bass vibrations, snaps and a harp(?). Until it's interrupted by a series of rapid heartbeat bangs, to complete the line “you make my heart go...” The rest of the verse includes this circling guitar thing, plus several more bangs. Then the pre-chorus percussion switches to a snare (with an orchestral descent). Then the beat pauses when Franka hesitates during “and I-I-I-I-I-I go... ”, which is very effective, to be completed by a buzz-slam on “...crazy”. Then there's loud brass blasts during “LAH-AH-AH-VE”, and more at the end of the chorus. Next, the second verse and the bridge both dial back, before returning to the heavier beats. The production is complex but uncluttered. ✓ Austria: Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You An obvious jury winner in retrospect. The song is radio-friendly, Cesár's vocals are solid, he's a likeable and confident performer, and he feels the lyrics. “Nobody but You” is a non-religious gospel song. There's a choir, an organ, and the lyrics mention “lord” and “bible”. But he tells the Lord he's getting high lol. It's about wanting someone back. Cesár's mind is set; he's going for it. He can't move on. He doesn't want a new partner. He declares it isn't right to let go, but rhetorically asks if he's wrong. The first verse is minimal, with a few piano notes and distorted wails, as the camera shows darkly lit close-ups of his face. Then the pre-chorus powers up. Then the chorus explodes (“it wouldn't be RIGHT letting you GO”), where the organ and “boom-clap” beat arrive, and Cesár towers above everyone on a platform twice his height. He's larger than life! There's also a god-like translucent image of him at one point. Meanwhile, the production lunges outward during the “ain't nobody” responses, which interrupts in a good way. Next, the beat pauses for some gospel “WHOA-OH”s. While the second verse keeps the percussion. Then the pleading bridge sees the vocals/choir/organ let loose, as Cesár leaves the restrictive platform to move freely near the audience. Which is welcomed, since the rest of the song is so structured. Maybe overly so. Still, the chorus progression is great, the choir elevates the song, and there's an optimistic atmosphere/outlook here. × Greece: Yianna Terzi - Oniro mou So Yianna “won” the national selection because the other 4 entries were disqualified. 💀Still, this >>> “This Is Love”. The instrumental is undeniably Greek. It paints the image of springtime fields at dawn, but with an uneasy calmness. Like feeling reluctance over the status quo. The chorus chants are ominous too. The lyrics are presumably about Greece, in a defensive way. In the chorus, Yianna declares her patriotism: “I'd die for you / I'd give my life for you”, and how she wouldn't strike Greece off the map. While the verses are from the POV of Greece itself as if it could talk. They advocate for appreciation and question the negative changes. Yianna later asks “but why?” in disbelief. Musically, the song opens with a humming bass-line and a flute. But the rest of “Oniro mou” is dominated by forceful, pounding, earthquake drums that consume all attention. They pound twice in the verses. And they only stop during the chorus to enhance its ominousness (except for the second chorus where they march right through). The second verse also contains synth droplets and brings the flute back. While the bridge involves a “tribal” drum breakdown with bagpipes(?), and sparklers and smoke on stage, leading to rising strings. The beat then pauses after the bridge peaks. The staging is empty otherwise. Yianna's hand is painted grey and there's flashing lights behind her. That's about it. The song's melody is a little sleepy, but the mood is nice, and the backing vocals enhance it. ✓ Finland: Saara Aalto - Monsters The “Where I Am” of 2018. Both Anja and Saara competed on foreign singing shows before entering Eurovision. In Saara's case, she came 2nd on UK X Factor 2016. And both songs could be improved. “Monsters” is a basic bop, but I'm fine with it qualifying. The lyrics revert to childhood times of being scared of the monsters under the bed. It's a metaphor for mental health. Saara tried to pretend it didn't exist, but now she's grown to “make friends” with it. So she declares she ain't scared no more - the monsters won't control her life. She sounds brave and ready to take things on. The production is dark and haunting too. It starts with ominous distant voices, a humming bass-line, and a creepy-crawling piano. This leads to a swelling synth transition. Then some repressed boops. Then a clappy / broken tick build-up (with a brief buzzer). Then the “drop” unleashes a xylophone-like breakdown. The child-like “I ain't, I ain't, I ain't scared no more” bit is anticlimactic though. Next, the second verse adds a snappy beat. While the second/final choruses are high energy. With the bridge providing a break from that energy. On stage, Saara is initially attached to a spinning wheel with two dancers next to her. Then during the drop, they walk away together. Then Saara dances a little bit with the backing. Finally, there's a pyro finale, and Saara jumps off the staircase into the dancers' arms. × Armenia: Sevak Khanagyan - Qami I had no recollection of this song existing. But I can call it underrated now! I think the issue with “Qami” is the somewhat jarring switch around the 2/3 mark. The song goes from smooth to angsty. But I think it works. Sevak gives a passionate performance. He stands on a darkly lit misty stage, surrounded by a circular array of pillars, in a wide aspect ratio. The stage eventually lights up when the song switches. Lyrically, “Qami” is a cryptic song about the wind. Like how the winds are deaf when the soul is empty (HUH?) I'm guessing Sevak feels disassociated from his environment. He's disillusioned by love after a heartbreak (“the starts were lying”). The memories were blown away. He wants to fly back to the person. He has a reason to feel wronged and angry. Musically, the song builds step by step to its climax. The first verse is a depressed piano ballad. Then an acoustic guitar elevates the first chorus, which teases something bigger is coming. Said chorus has a dreamy longing vibe. After this, the second verse adds snowy echoes. And by this point, the moody strings are apparent. Then the second chorus instrumental is fuller. Then a few drum pounds signal the switch-over, where Sevak's voice turns hoarse, the backing singers repeat themselves, and the beat turns dubstep-y; followed by electric guitars slicing through everything. × Switzerland: Zibbz - Stones I'm shocked this didn't qualify. Switzerland's 4th consecutive NQ in fact. The chorus is killer (“NO I AIN'T THROWING STONES”). There's catchy “Ahh-UHM!”s everywhere. The horn blasts are like knockout punches, or a barking dog. And the band holds fireworks at the song's climax. What's not to love? The instrumental is combative, but I like the attitude. The live version changes the intro – now there's 3 horn blasts (each light up the stage) before the beat kicks in. We're starting with a bang! The verses then use snap-shut drums and quick guitar flicks, and horns to finish stanzas. There's some “HEY”s thrown in there too. The beat stops in the pre-chorus, until the heavy door knocks. Then the chorus is LOUD. And the bridge builds with heavy foot stomps. The lyrics list various societal issues – jokers on thrones, wrong people holding information, the “NIMBY” mindset, falling behind in advancement, war, ignoring facts, not learning from the past, conformity, body image. But singer Coco Gfeller concludes she “can't do anything about it”, so she “ain't throwing stones”. It's a reference to that idiom about not judging others who have the same faults as you. She's not here to criticize whoever's guilty of these things. It's a refreshing take compared to past political ESC songs. It condemns a holier-than-thou attitude. It's pragmatic. Most of the performance is just Coco walking around the stage though, except for the firework and when she stands on the drum kit at the end. ✓ Ireland: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together Ireland finally returns to the final. But I don't see how “Together” is different from the ballads they usually send? I can't help but feel it's because of the staging. It involves a gay couple. They walk across the bridge holding hands. They dance around a park bench next to a street lamp. And snow falls down on them during the quiet part of the song. It's like a music video. I love seeing LGBT+ representation. The song also has an easy melody that floats like a cloud, but that melody is kind of bland. Ryan's vocals add sensitive vulnerability to the song though. The soft instrumental complements that mood. It's the vibe of a sweet embrace; and a romantic soundtrack for the dancers. The verses contain light piano and acoustic guitar. The second verse also adds in tapping, then switches to snapping. The chorus, meanwhile, uses tambourine clicks to set the pace. The song also goes quiet before the final chorus. And the backing vocals and a louder piano elevate that last chorus. But the lyrical story isn't that interesting? Ryan put work into this relationship. His ex lied that they were fine. He suspects his ex found someone else. Then Ryan spends the chorus wondering why their “til death” promise failed (the bridge implies it's a broken wedding vow). The chorus lyrics are lacking in substance for me too. ✓ Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - Fuego My winner of 2018. Shocking I know. The choreo is just WOW. Every move they make in unison is mesmerizing – the squats, the hair flips, the bend-overs, the back turns, the pointing. The sideways strut is my fave though. Eleni's confidence is insane. Her slow-mo entrance is cool too. There's also red smoke and fire animations, and a pyro finale. Plus the song is jam-packed with hooks – the “high high highs”/ “fly fly flyin'” repetitions, the “CUZ I'M WAY UP” shout, and of course: “AH YEAH AH YEAH AH YEAH!” The instrumental breaks get stuck in my head too (they're like a fire dance). And the production is Major Lazer-esque. The song's atmosphere is a scorching hot inferno. It opens with a plop, followed by a traditional woodwind blowing like smoke, leading to a click-plop. Then the first verse has these little howls. While the pre-chorus brings in the kicking beat, leading to a crash. After which, the chorus retreats into acoustic mode, before the steps escalate. But it's not over – the chorus builds up TWICE! Next, the woodwind steadily emerges (the pauses after “Fuego” are SO good here). Then the woodwind runs wild with percussion pushing along. Also, the second verse uses the first pre-chorus production. And the final chorus ignores the above steps and runs free. Eleni said “Fuego” is about female empowerment. The lyrics don't explicitly say that. But her fierce attitude is empowering. The verses are flirtatious. She has powerful lioness eyes. She's drawn to subtle gestures. She has no ulterior motives. While the chorus describes the effect this person has. “You got me pelican fly fly flyin'” is a funny lyric though. “Fuego” is designed to be catchy not deep. My Ranking:01. Cyprus: Eleni Foureira - Fuego ✓02. Estonia: Elina Nechayeva - La forza ✓03. Switzerland: Zibbz - Stones 04. Austria: Cesár Sampson - Nobody but You ✓05. Belgium: Sennek - A Matter of Time 06. Armenia: Sevak Khanagyan - Qami 07. Lithuania: Ieva Zasimauskaitė - When We're Old ✓08. Czech Republic: Mikolas Josef - Lie to Me ✓09. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Eye Cue - Lost and Found 10. Greece: Yianna Terzi - Oniro mou 11. Finland: Saara Aalto - Monsters ✓12. Croatia: Franka - Crazy 13. Bulgaria: Equinox - Bones ✓14. Belarus: Alekseev - Forever 15. Israel: Netta - Toy ✓16. Azerbaijan: Aisel - X My Heart 17. Ireland: Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together ✓18. Albania: Eugent Bushpepa - Mall ✓19. Iceland: Ari Ólafsson - Our Choice Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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