kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Jun 4, 2021 17:19:12 GMT -5
I say this very very rarely but THANK GAWD for the jury
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Jun 4, 2021 17:23:07 GMT -5
"Madness of Love" is one of the most overrated runner-ups and italian entries ever. IS NOT THAT GOOD. Ew. "Running Scared" is basically a watered down swedish song, cute, bland and innofensive yet still works. I found it quite overhated. "Taken By A Stranger" deserved better, the dancing condoms are top notch.
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Jun 4, 2021 20:20:36 GMT -5
I wonder if "Running Scared" won because it kind of sounds like midtempo songs from 2011 (I once saw someone compare it to "Secrets" by OneRepublic). But easily the worst winner since at least the 1980s.
Yay for "Taken by a Stranger" love. That song was so ahead of its time and prepped the public for more experimental electronic songs in the years to come.
Didn't people once say this year was great? I watched Graham Norton's coverage of the 2011 voting, and he specifically said 2011 was a strong year.
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Post by ry4n on Oct 17, 2021 22:39:40 GMT -5
Baku 2012 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Azerbaijan Slogan: “Light Your Fire!” Participants: 42 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 General Overview:2012 sees Eurovision return to Eastern Europe! But there was one major issue with Azerbaijan hosting – they did not have a venue large enough to facilitate the contest. So the government funded the construction of building one – the Baku Crystal Hall. Also, there was all kinds of human rights violations and political tensions in the lead-up to this contest, because of course there was. The presenters this year are Leyla Aliyeva, Eldar Gasimov (the “Ell” of Ell & Nikki) and Nargiz Birk-Petersen. And oh boy, this is one dry and awkwardly unfunny scripted hosting team. This year sees the return of Montenegro after a 2-year absence, while Poland takes a break. Armenia also skips this one for obvious reasons. The 2010 and 2011 contests experimented with allowing televoting during the performances, but this year the voting window reverts back to its “normal” slot. Albania won the jury vote in this semi-final, while Russia dominated the televote, which was enough to win SF1 overall. In other news, the juries stopped Switzerland from qualifying, and we get Hungary instead. The interval act stars the Natig Rhythm Group. It's a showcase of Azerbaijani cultural music and dancing, featuring lots of high speed hand drumming. There's also some cuts to the artists dancing in the Green Room. During the results reveal, the hosts carry a golden ticket to the stage to reveal the final qualifier for some reason (which was Ireland). This lead to Jedward cartwheeling their way to the main stage. The Entries: × Montenegro: Rambo Amadeus - Euro Neuro Yeah... file this one under the long list of “try-hard” joke entries I don't find amusing. I've heard that “Euro Neuro” drawing first is why the EBU ditched randomized running orders after 2012. I can see why because this is not a good opener. An eccentric, politically-charged novelty entry with horrific rapping isn't going to hook an audience in. The performance begins with Rambo acting as a cloaked, dark wizard casting a spell. Then the song becomes an anti-conservatism rant, where Rambo talks in a drunk voice and completely disregards following the beat. Seriously there's no coherent melody or flow to this. It's also accompanied by a tepid funky bassline. The chorus involves some folksy strings and background chants, but it's not that effectively catchy. The staging is also weird. There's a Trojan horse and a bunch of slogans written on banners, which are eventually used to mummify a band member. The song's message, meanwhile, advocates for a more altruistic government agenda. The lyrics contain some funny wordplay, where Rambo shoehorns the most awkward rhyming choices (“analphabetic” “dialectic”, “bicyclism” and “reumatism” in particular). The “always stay cool like a swimming pool” line is pretty ridiculous too. But musically speaking, “Euro Neuro” is a clumsy mess. Even if that's the intention, I have little reason to seek it out. ✓ Iceland: Greta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget Jónsi returns from 2004, as he teams up with Greta Salome, who will reappear in 2016! “Never Forget” is a melodramatic entry. The song's atmosphere is ominous and chilling, kind of like a ghost story. The booming percussion in the verses is like a thunderstorm striking or waves crashing. It's tense and turbulent. While the pre-chorus builds nicely to the climactic “free-eee-eee-ee” hook. The violin solo is another highlight, where Greta gets quite into it. And the dark blue aesthetic, as well as Jónsi serious looks into the camera, completes the haunting vibe. The chorus, meanwhile, is powered by the duet's firm harmonies. It's somewhat theatrical though, which undercuts the dark atmosphere. But Greta and Jonsi's contrasting vocals blend well together. He's more solemn, while she's more wistful. And the song is still emotionally intense overall. The lyrics tell the story of a separated couple, both of whom are dwelling on memories at night, as they await to reunite at dawn. It's a powerful performance and a polished arrangement... and it's my winner of SF1! I wish it did better at the GF. ✓ Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac The song that broke Greece's top 10 streak (which started in 2004), although it did finish 9th in the televote. Perhaps “Aphrodisiac” sounded too dated and unoriginal. It encompasses an early 2000s Euro-dance rhythm, with a bouzouki thrown in for good measure. Which basically describes Helena's entries. I also get J Lo vibes at certain points. But what truly brings this down for me is how Eleftheria sounds like she's suppressing a giggle when she says the word “aphrodisiac”. It makes the song seem immature. The lyrics are pretty lazy as well. That all said, “Aphrodisiac” does deliver some dominant and irresistibly catchy hooks (thanks to the Swedish songwriters involved). Namely the thumping build-up of “over and over I'm falling”, the “oh oh oh... oh” refrain, and the bouzouki riff itself. A bop is a bop! Moreover, the song follows a highly energetic pace, as the imposing dance-pop production steamrolls by. It never becomes annoying or monotonous though. And the choreography is serviceable, with all those hair flips. The staging also goes for a beach theme, with the oyster shell in the background and the dress colours. × Latvia: Anmary - Beautiful Song This just seems so amateur. Like....what are these lyrics? The song describes Anmary's aspirations to become a famous musician. She mentions Johnny Logan's name and proclaims she'll be the next ESC winner. And that her song will be heard everywhere... yeah, so about that. I assume “Beautiful Song” is referring to itself in a meta way. The second verse is even more of a "WTF", where she says she's can't take Mick Jagger's phone call because she's too busy writing songs for Paul McCartney. It's such a hilariously bizarre lyric. She's setting the bar high for herself. But the delivery is too earnest for it to be a joke. Also... what is this staging? The backing singers just walk around aimlessly with hammy reaction shots, as if they each had a glass of wine beforehand. Anyways, “Beautiful Song” contains an easygoing, inoffensive, unmissable melody. But in an annoyingly, nursery rhyme way. The instrumental is rather plain too, but I do like the victorious synth after the “make this a worldwide hit” part. The vocal performance is alright though. This is an obvious NQ, but it gets a laugh from me. ✓ Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus This is Albania's best result to date (5th). It's the big moment for the most underappreciated country in the contest. “Suus” is such a unique entry. Rona delivers a stunning, emotionally raw and sincere vocal performance. Her long, explosive belting notes and her high-pitched screams are polarizing for sure; and while this is a difficult song to put on repeat, I do think she delivers a highly compelling performance. Just the way her voice rises and sharply cuts. It holds my undivided attention. The piano and the strings move at a depressing, methodical pace, allowing Rona to focus on every single painful word as she feels each present moment pass by. She's on the verge of tears, sounding broken and devastated. The bridge is a great climax too – with the descending piano notes, the swelling orchestra, and her whistle note. Lyrically, “Suus” sees Rona mentally process her heartbreak. The words are bleak and hopeless, and she concludes that crying is the only response she knows. And she does just that by yelling “LET ME CRY” over and over. Rona also keeps her eyes closed a lot, while standing hunched over, displaying weakness and vulnerability. Her dress, the hair bun and the hair strand snaking onto her chest is a memorable look too. “Suus” isn't the most melodic song, but there's so much emotional depth to it. ✓ Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah I'm sorry, but this song is too cluttered and boisterous for me to fully enjoy. That “Za-la-la-la-la-lee everything everybody” hook (which I always misheard as “sudden-en-en-enly”) gets on my nerves. While the instrumentation is on the rambunctious side. There's marching band drums, bagpipes, and an accordion all moving to an antsy rhythm. And all three are noisy instruments in their own right. I also want to note that this entry came in the wake of a series of Romanian dance-pop hits sweeping across Europe at the time. Namely “Stereo Love”, “Mr Saxobeat”, and those Inna songs. “Zaleilah” is in a similar vein, with the summery vibes, the foot-shuffling rhythm, and the accordions. Although this one has Latin American music influences (including Spanish lyrics), and it sounds more like a World Cup anthem. It's like a party song performed in the streets. Still, the instrumentation is pretty dynamic. I like the drum section during the bridge and the accordion riff is hook-y. The choreo is well-executed too, where the instrumentalists provide joyful energy. There's lots of pyro on this one too lol. × Switzerland: Sinplus - Unbreakable Why does the lead singer sing like this? It's like he's channelling Alex Band of The Calling or Scott Stapp of Creed (without the brash early 00s rock instrumentation thankfully). I'm not sure if it's his accent or if he's making this funny gargling voice on purpose. Either way, it's distracting. So the song is about inspiring someone to not be their own barrier in achieving their goals. It's basically a supportive statement of “you got this”. The words themselves are pretty cliche, but the frantic chorus exudes some uplifting, invigorating energy. The rapidity of the “swim against the stream” line and the repetition of “following your wildest dream, your wildest dream” makes for passable hooks. Staging-wise, the guitarist on the right is a bit, but not in a cringey way. And there's lots of flashing lights. Ultimately, “Unbreakable” isn't the most remarkable rock song but it's endearing enough. × Belgium: Iris - Would You? BORRRRRRRRING. “Would You?” tells the story of how Iris has packed up, left her lover behind, and moved to someplace secret. And now she's wondering if he'll even care to go looking for her. Which, just sounds like she's playing mind games. She later claims it's a “two-way street”, and resigns to finding him instead. I dunno, maybe she should just accept he's not that into her? Some of the lyrics are grammatically awkward too. Beyond that, the arrangement falls flat. It's just a lukewarm piano ballad with a slight hint of country texture. It tries to build into that final chorus (with that “still I wonder...” bit), and Iris tries to make that “any other guy would do” hook land. But it all feels so underwhelming. Her performance presents a personable approach, but her vocals are too unrefined to solidify the emotion or the melody. I'd prefer something more bitter instead of this blandness. She seems shy as well? × Finland: Pernilla Karlsson - När jag blundar I can understand how this entry was overlooked, since “När jag blundar” eschews modern ESC music styles. But the song has such a peaceful, romantic and heartwarming texture to it. It's like a cozy embrace by the fireplace. The staging correspondingly involves a fire red colour scheme, as the cello and the twinkling bells set the mood. The melody (and the Swedish phonetic sounds) flow in an effortlessly pleasant way. Incidentally, I believe this is the only ESC entry of the 21st century to be in the Swedish language. The verses are more gentle and sporadic, while the chorus floats in a more continuous melody. The lack of a bridge allows that final chorus to grow, and to end on a subdued note. And the song takes me back to the older era of Eurovision. Lyrically, “När” involves Pernilla articulating what her relationship means to her via some metaphors of things that complete each other. It's a sweet sentiment, and it's a well-composed song that sounds pretty. × Israel: Izabo - Time So Israel dropped a “WTF” entry on us this year. “Time” is a psychedelic rock song that channels a bygone era. Both the song and performance feel like a slurred, hazy hallucination that warps your perception of time. In particular: the strings; the eerie chorus harmony; and the drawn-out “zmaaaaaan” hook which gives a sinking feeling. There's also a trippy visual effect where the background zooms in and out whenever the camera cuts to the dancing couple. And the LED screens feature some Salvador Dalí-esque liquid clocks. This quirky staging is completed by a lackadaisical keyboardist, an animated guitarist, and water drumming. Lyrically though... “Time” is a bit disturbing. The singer asks for more time as things are happening too soon. Between the “you're the man in my playground” line, the “I will obey” and “why are you pressuring me” comments, and the second verse suggesting he's being used.... the implications seem very dark. The singer's voice also sounds demented. Otherwise, the song has a consistently moving forward pace, and it's kinda catchy. × San Marino: Valentina Monetta - The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh)The birth of PC music? Lol. This song's production is filled with scratchy, digitized computer sounds to seem less human. The studio version also uses excessive auto-tune. The lyrics, meanwhile, address modern-day Internet addiction and how it's changed our communication habits; among other issues. The track was composed by Ralph Siegel, but the execution is too campy to render this as an “old man doesn't understand youth” situation. Instead, it's a harmless joke entry and Valentina has fun with it. She literally types on a laptop on stage (LOL). And the computer references are laughable, like “do you wanna play cybersex again?” or “click me with your mouse” or “you're loggin' in...”. The backing members are also dressed in random costumes from cheerleader to doctor to airplane captain. And then there's the camera and phone props, and floating profile pictures on the LED screen. The song itself has a bubblegum-pop flair to it as well, namely in the “uh oh” hook. It's one of the better joke entries this year. We will see Valentina three more times after this, including the next two contests.... a true sign that San Marino has limited options. ✓ Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love The production on “La La Love” is as 2012 as it gets. It sounds like something RedOne would've given to J Lo around this time. Although I should note that it was co-written by Alex P (along with some other Swedish songwriters), who was working closely with RedOne back then. But yeah, this type of commanding, robust dance-pop was a guaranteed recipe for a banger in 2012. From the squeaky beat in the verses, to the percussion claps that build anticipation in the pre-chorus, to the bustling, water-sloshing beat in the chorus... this song's arrangement is pretty standard. The drum breakdown in the bridge is a nice touch though. And there's no shortage of hooks here. From the “i-i-i” stutters; to the perk-ups of “in the air / take it there”; to the “oh-OH-oh” bit in the pre-chorus. And of course the titular “la la la la la”s... which there are plenty of. The choreography involves Ivi swaying on a bench made of books. But the dance moves during the bridge is the best moment. She has confident stage presence too. ✓ Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better “Should've Known Better” is like a homage to late-90s soft rock/adult pop. It's sonically reminiscent of Paula Cole or Jewel or Lisa Loeb or something. Plus the “like Sahara misses rain” lyric seems oddly similar to that line from “Missing” by Everything But The Girl. Anyways, the melody flows smoothly. The backing vocalists add a sense of comfort, while making the melody sound richer. And the song exudes a bittersweet tone. Lyrically, “Should've Known Better” offers an introspective and mature perspective, where Soluna is sad her relationship is over but she accepts that it can't work anymore. Her lover is living aimlessly and lacking in stability, which leaves her feeling neglected and stranded. It's too one-sided to be healthy. The “Sometimes we have to lose a part of us to find the truth” line sticks out to me. The staging is weird on this one though. Soluna is dressed like a sea captain mixed with a Marshall? The cellist is casually wearing a purple hoodie. And the drummer overdoes it with her fake playing, although her enthusiasm kinda sells it. It's another entry I wish did better in the final, but the staging probably ruined its chances. ✓ Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody After 3 years of middling results, Russia is back in the top 2! They also match “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” as the highest that a novelty entry has placed in Eurovision. It's easy to see why though. “Party For Everybody” is so memorable and adorable. It involves six Russian grannies dressed in traditional attire, lightly dancing to a modern dance-pop beat, while looking forward to a visit from their children, as a giant oven spins in the background. It's just so wholesome yet absurd. Their harmonies aren't the cleanest, but the “amateur” vocal adds charm, and they're having the time of their lives on stage anyway. Including some banter in the bridge. Although it bothers me when the one granny grabs the cookie tray without wearing oven mitts. Musically, “Party” begins as a Russian folk song, but then it abruptly switches to that heavy dance-pop production. It's such a stark contrast to the traditional vibes of everything else, but that's kind of why it works? Because it's unexpected. Although there is Russian instrumentation present still, most noticeably during the bridge. The beat is a little too abrasive and eager for my liking (particularly those cutting transitions into the chorus). It's arguably overproduced. But the chorus is effective, thanks to the pauses that follow “come on and dance”, and the “boom boom”s. And the verses use repetition well, culminating in that “žon žon žon” hook. ✓ Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts Looks like we're in the dubstep era of pop music now. For a genre that can sound very harsh and unpleasant at times, I generally prefer when it's used in a more subtle, unobtrusive, brooding way like it is here, or on Muse's “Madness” to reference a non-ESC example. The background dub creates a dark atmosphere for “Sound of Our Hearts”, matched by some black outfits on stage. The beat moves at a firm and taut pace, with the production peaking in the second verse. The keyboard notes, the stadium rock chorus, and the “oh oh” climax are some other highlights on this track. It's almost like a Coldplay single. But the overall song is lacking something. It comes off a bit... uneventful? The melody doesn't really build to an anthemic moment until that aforementioned “oh oh” ending. And lyrically, “Sound of Our Hearts” is a cliche message about peace, unity, and the power of love. The modernized production prevents it from seeming corny or contrived, though. And the singer does deliver that “zeal” mentioned in the chorus. × Austria: Tracks**ttaz - Woki mit deim Popo This is so trashy. I'm not surprised Austria placed last in the semi-final. The song involves two dudes rapping in a German dialect, as they walk into a strip club and get horny over the ladies shaking their “popos” (bums). They're more presumptuous than flirtatious though. And the lyrics are too... unabashed and objectifying to be sexy. The amount of hubris and self-importance is something else. They really think they're the s**t. The name “Noodle Soup Gang” will stick in my mind though. Also the staging is a bit shocking. There's three ladies pole dancing and twerking, while the ballcap guy gets distracted by them. It also goes for a night club aesthetic, including some glowing light strips on everyone's clothing. As for the music, “Woki” incorporates a “jittery motor” dance-pop production, similar to the Klaas remix of “Infinity 2008”, alongside some squeaky synths in the verses. More notably, the audience gets to shout along “OOH OOH” during the chorus, alongside a double percussion clash. Everything about this entry – the production, the rapping, the staging – is so aggressively in-your-face. But I don't entirely hate it? ✓ Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar Moldova delivers a zany and engaging choreo routine here. Between the robotic marionette limb movements, the fist shaking, the slithering like a worm on the floor, and the mini-tantrums... the backing dancers are hilarious to watch. They supply the appropriate campy energy. Their lampshade-shaped dresses stand out too. As for the song, “Lăutar” channels a carnival entertainer theme in its instrumentation and lyrics. Pasha is a trumpeter who's entranced by fiddler girl he met a wedding (the song's title literally translates to “fiddler”). The lyrics imply that there's a significant class/wealth division between the two, but his trumpet playing charms her anyway. The instrumental correspondingly includes a trumpet riff, as well as a fiddle moment in the bridge. Moreover, the “YOU... HAVE NEVER... BEEN TO MY SHOW” hook is pretty instant, with that stop/start trick. And the chorus employs a bouncy rhythm. Otherwise, the line “...how looks the trumpet” is another example of awkward English grammar tonight. But yeah this entry is lighthearted in the best ways. ✓ Ireland: Jedward - Waterline So Jedward closes out another semi-final. Last year the twins finished in 8th place, but this time they will fall 11 spots lower than that – which is a sign of diminishing returns. I mean, the boys just repeat the exact same gimmick from 2011. They energetically jump around the stage as if on a sugar high while wearing the gaudiest outfits imaginable (this time it's silver and gold plated armour) and subject us to their limited vocal skills. Except this year there's a water fountain on stage to represent a lyrical metaphor (there a bunch of water metaphors in this one). But also, “Waterline” is simply a weaker song than “Lipstick”. The latter became a guilty pleasure bop because of its heavy, intimidating synths making a strong presence. But the melody on “Waterline” is so bland and flat. And the chorus ends on an anticlimactic hook (ie. the “down as the big one” part, which lacks emphasis). The rapid, jogging dance-pop beat maintains some energy, but it's not enough to compensate for Jedward's vocal flaws. They were never THAT funny of a joke act to begin with though. My Ranking:01. Iceland: Greta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget ✓02. Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus ✓03. Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better ✓04. Finland: Pernilla Karlsson - När jag blundar 05. Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love ✓06. Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar ✓07. Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody ✓08. Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac ✓09. Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts ✓10. Switzerland: Sinplus - Unbreakable 11. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh) 12. Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah ✓13. Austria: Tracks**ttaz - Woki mit deim Popo 14. Israel: Izabo - Time 15. Latvia: Anmary - Beautiful Song 16. Ireland: Jedward - Waterline ✓17. Belgium: Iris - Would You? 18. Montenegro: Rambo Amadeus - Euro Neuro The 10 qualifiers all make sense though. 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 Oct 17, 2021 22:49:21 GMT -5
Iceland, Albania, Russia, Cyprus, Romania, Denmark and Moldova my favorites on this semi.
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Post by born on Oct 18, 2021 2:04:56 GMT -5
Finland and Switzerland are the two SF1 countries I wish had qualified but didn’t. Great write-ups❤️
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Oct 18, 2021 3:57:49 GMT -5
this would likely be my ranking I think (as far as I can remember the songs lol):
01. Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love ✓ 02. Finland: Pernilla Karlsson - När jag blundar — SO CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED! 03. Iceland: Greta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget ✓ 04. Belgium: Iris - Would You? 05. Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah ✓ 06. Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus ✓ 07. Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac ✓ 08. Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better ✓ 09. Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts ✓ 10. Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody ✓
11. Switzerland: Sinplus - Unbreakable 12. Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar ✓ 13. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh) 14. Austria: Tracks**ttaz - Woki mit deim Popo 15. Ireland: Jedward - Waterline ✓ 16. Israel: Izabo - Time 17. Latvia: Anmary - Beautiful Song 18. Montenegro: Rambo Amadeus - Euro Neuro
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Post by ry4n on Oct 28, 2021 18:40:01 GMT -5
Baku 2012 – Semi-Final 2 Host: Azerbaijan Slogan: “Light Your Fire!” Participants: 42 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 General Overview:This semi-final feels like a send-off for a few countries. 2012 is the last year we'll see Turkey and Slovakia participate, and the penultimate time for Bosnia. They don't come back until 2016 where they don't even qualify, so this effectively feels like the end for Bosnia too. SF2 is also heavy on the Balkan ballads – there's 4 of them! Including Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. North Macedonia starts off as one as well. Not to mention Estonia delivers one of the biggest ballads of the contest. So I guess it's not surprising that Slovenia and Croatia couldn't qualify. There sure are some discrepancies between the two voting methods here. The juries were not fans of Turkey (13th) or Norway (dead last), while the televoters felt cold towards Ukraine (17th) and less enthused about Malta (11th). The two countries missing out from the televote top 10 are Bulgaria (oof) and the Netherlands (sure?). And from the jury top 10 it's Croatia and Georgia (how????). Also of note, Croatia would've qualified over Norway under the 2016+ voting system. The one thing the jurors and televoters did agree on was putting Sweden at #1, unsurprisingly. The interval act stars the 5 most recent Eurovision winners singing a medley of their respective winning entrants, set to traditional Azerbaijani instruments. With the exception of Ell & Nikki leading a chorus of “Waterloo” – I guess they were saving “Running Scared” for the Grand Final. And of course Dima Bilan oversings “Believe”. The hosts do this golden ticket thing again to reveal the 10th and final qualifier. The Entries: ✓ Serbia: Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar This is Željko's 4th Eurovision entry including his writing credits, and all of them have placed in the top 6 so far; with this one reaching 3rd. He also co-hosted the 2008 contest, so he's basically ESC royalty at this point. His previous songs were all breathtaking and otherworldly in their own ways. The stage setting really sold “Lejla” as well. “Nije ljubav stvar” is another majestic Balkan ballad from him, but it doesn't do anything new. The structure is kinda expected in how it progresses. Still, Željko gives a classy professional performance here. He includes rich traditional instrumentation as always. And the two halves of the song contrast each other well. So the song opens with a piano and violin focus. Then the first half of “Nije” is a delicately textured piano ballad, where Željko sings about his lover leaving him. He takes a mature and understanding approach in letting go. The instrumentalists also walk slowly and solemnly in the background during this. Then the drums and the woodwind enter to pick up the pace, as two violinists duel for space on the stage. This transitions into the intense, climactic, unrestrained second half. The percussion and the harmonies strike as an oncoming storm, as Željko sounds more emotional about the situation. Still, while this entry is skillfully crafted, it doesn't move me as much as I'd like. ✓ F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Crno i belo Speaking of songs with contrasting halves. “Crno i belo” changes from a soft piano ballad into an angsty rock song. But the genre switch is unexpectedly effective. The first minute is melancholic and wistful, where Kaliopi stands in the spotlight against a dark backdrop, as she yearns for the hesitant subject to embrace a romantic partnership with her. She feels it's obvious (“everything is black and white”) and they're denying their feelings (“I choose happiness, you choose sorrow”). Suddenly, the electric guitars send staggered jolts of electricity into the air, while the background illuminates, and Kaliopi commands “look into my eyes now”. It's where the song's tone switches to ardent determination. Then the tempo accelerates to let the anxiety release. The chorus inserts some jabbing violins to increase tension. The bridge adds a guitar solo, followed by Kaliopi unleashing a scream. Finally, the song ends by returning to the start. Overall, this entry is pretty kick-ass haha. Kaliopi's classical vocal style is suited for the piano ballad portion. So I love how she also leads the rock portion with such fierceness. Incidentally, “Crno i belo” is North Macedonia's only qualifier between 2008 and 2018. But it gave Kaliopi redemption after her 1996 NQ. × Netherlands: Joan Franka - You and Me The final chapter of the Netherlands's 8-year NQ streak. “You and Me” is probably best known for Joan wearing a Native American headdress on stage. She doesn't appear to have Native American ancestry, so it's really just cultural appropriation, and it was only 9 years ago. As for the song, “You and Me” is an acoustic guitar-lead campfire singalong. There's even a series of burning fire pits on stage to convey that image. When the first chorus hits, the indie folk instrumentation enters as the camera cuts to the musicians on the side of the stage. There's a fiddle, a banjo, an accordion, and a foot-stomping percussion beat. They eventually walk over to join Joan on the last chorus. In the lyrics, she reminisces over a childhood crush she had at age 5, and she reflects how they've grown distant over the years despite still living on the same street. It's a sentimental look back on how things have changed. The song has a clear melody, but it feels somewhat amateur? And I'm really not a fan of Joan's unrefined vocal style in this. It's especially noticeable in the quieted bridge. ✓ Malta: Kurt Calleja - This Is the Night Yeah, I don't think this needed to qualify. Was the foot dancing really THAT impressive? The routine involves Kurt and the guitarists shuffling their feet from side to side, and stamping their right foot down, all to the rhythm of that stuttered “ey – ey – ey – ey-yea” hook. It's a memorable gimmick, sure, and that hook is catchy, but it's so corny and “lame”. As for the song, “This Is the Night” is an early 2010s club banger. The verses follow a ball-bouncing synth. The chorus employs a “Marry The Night”-esque buzzing saw. And the bridge introduces a revving dubstep breakdown. There's also silhouettes of club-goers on the LED screen and the DJ on stage is rather excitable. I also like how the female backing vocalist waits until the bridge to make her appearance. But overall “This Is the Night” feels so bland and characterless and average. The lyrics aren't anything special – Kurt is gonna seize a second chance opportunity to win over his crush. His charisma doesn't win me over. There is a hopeful tone, but I just don't connect to it. And his falsetto shriek is unnecessary. × Belarus: Litesound - We Are the Heroes Yet again, there was controversy surrounding the Belarusian selection. The national televote was deemed fraudulent, so the original winner (“All My Life” by Alyona Lanskaya) was overturned. Litesound were chosen instead, with their song being re-vamped by Dimitris Kontopoulos. Despite all that, “We Are The Heroes” is still one of the most empty entries of 2012. The melody is mundane, the chorus lyric is cliche, and this quivery pulsing dance-pop production is generic. The song actually begins with a stately sound set against a royal blue backdrop. But it doesn't last. The message is about not getting discouraged by the world around you. The singer offers support in facing adversity. He labels us as “winners” and “heroes” as he pumps his fist in the air. And the performance ends with a pyro blast. But ultimately, it's too cheesy to land. It's not the anthem it's trying to be. And the song is the opposite of edgy for their rock band image – ie. the hair, the chain-link shirt, the spine-curved mic stands. It's somehow both earnest and unconvincing. Also, that moment where the guitarists lean horizontally during the “lose faith in gravity” lyric doesn't quite work either. × Portugal: Filipa Sousa - Vida minha Another underrated Portuguese entry. “Vida minha” was composed by the same team responsible for “Senhora Do Mar” (2008), so that would be why. It's stylistically similar. The song progressively escalates in intensity, and embraces a rich, colourful texture of traditional Portuguese instrumentation. In “Vida minha”, the accordion and the plucking strings drift in and out of the mix. They paint a vivid, romantic image of the Iberian seaside. But it's the percussion that really powers and sets the pace of this song. It's so persistent. It moves like heavy footsteps, as it reverberates and slams the surface. The song begins with a dreamy tone, as Filipa walks through the downtown of her city. But once her thoughts drift towards yearning to be with her lover, the atmosphere intensifies. The percussion becomes louder, the backing choir becomes ominous, and Filipa's vocal is powerful as her desires overwhelm her. The song then takes a necessary breather in the bridge, before transitioning into a very haunting final chorus. It's a very intense arrangement, but it never feels too dreary or overdone or too serious. It takes a compelling journey. ✓ Ukraine: Gaitana - Be My Guest This is... borderline annoying. The trumpets sound like elephants (or mountain alphorns) and Gaitana oversings it, in particular those “la la la”s. Or that big note in the bridge. Her vocal style reminds me of Anastacia. The production is kind of abrasive too, between the sprinkler-spurting synth and the wobbly dubstep second verse. “Be My Guest” is trying to sound HUGE, and that can be overbearing. Still, the song is bursting with inviting energy. The lyrics are about offering friendship and welcoming everybody in. Her big vocals sells the enthusiastic, celebratory nature of that. As does the thumping chorus and the trumpets. While the dubstep section keeps things fresh. The staging is well-executed too. The performance begins with the 4 LED screen blocks sliding open, alongside some regal strings and drums, as a way to announce Gaitana's entrance. The screens will also display a flash mob at the end. Also, the trumpet players are lively in the background. And her flower headband is a memorable look. In the end, “Be My Guest” finished in 15th, which is one of Ukraine's lowest placements ever. Random side note: this always makes me think of that song from the The Beauty And The Beast. × Bulgaria: Sofi Marinova - Love Unlimited Speaking of those Romanian crossover hits. This is basically just Inna's “Hot” mixed with “Mr Saxobeat”. But I mean that as praise. Dance club beats were everywhere in 2012, and this eastern Balkan style was a refreshing take. “Love Unlimited” opens with a distorted chant (which returns in the bridge). The verses then introduce the predominant rapid, pipping dance beat. The first half of the chorus drops down and builds anticipation (I love this part btw), allowing the second half to effectively release. Like, that chorus is hectic and claustrophobic. But Sofi keeps up with it. The way she lists off the phrase “I love you” in 10 different languages is fierce. It emphasizes the song's message about love and pain being universal regardless of societal divisions. Not the most original message, but the multiple languages aspect makes it unique. The “Za teb... za men... ZA TJAKH” hook is a strong one too. But... where was the budget for Bulgaria's staging this year? (Aside from the pyrotechnics). It looks so empty with Sofi alone on stage as she steps back and forth. It doesn't suit the song either. Ultimately, this lost out on qualifying due to a tie-breaker with Norway. × Slovenia: Eva Boto - Verjamem Slovenia's Balkan ballad isn't anything new, so I can understand why it was overlooked. Moreover, the staging conveys a story but it's a bit creepy? It involves a bunch of wedding dresses and very serious facial expressions. The performance begins with one of the backing singers chanting a hymn, while stalking Eva from behind. The first half of the song is a pensive moment, backed by harps and a growing orchestra, where Eva yearns to reunite with her ex. And she has faith it'll happen. This section concludes with the drums intensifying to a peak. Following this, the tense marching band rhythm starts, as the chanting lady ditches her veil and walks over to touch and stare at Eva again. Eva doesn't acknowledge her presence however. The next chorus sees the full backing join to give an ominous harmony. Finally, the outro, has the backing chant the phrase “Because I don't give up until the end”. This is where Eva declares her unyielding determination. Structurally speaking, this song is rather similar to “Molitva” (I stole that observation from a YouTube comment). But it never quite reaches the same impact. Still, this is a formula that usually works on me. × Croatia: Nina Badrić - Nebo Okay slotting Slovenia and Croatia back to back was just cruel. How was either going to stand out? They're both emotionally tense Balkan ballads that build to a powerful climax. “Nebo” begins as an acoustic guitar ballad, with Nina looking upset in a black funeral dress against a dark backdrop. Then the deep cello enters, followed by the grim church bells. Meanwhile, two backing dancers sway on either side of Nina. The song then undergoes a significant tempo shift after the second chorus. The drum speed up, Nina releases some vocal yelps, and the backing vocalists make a bigger presence. All while a giant bedsheet floats in the background. That bridge is a decent transition though. As for the lyrics, Nina doesn't think it's fair that her lover has moved on while she's still heartbroken. She warns that heaven will eventually punish him for it. It's a little too serious for my liking. Otherwise, the song is dramatic, and Nina injects some passion, but honestly I just find this entry pretty forgettable. ✓ Sweden: Loreen - Euphoria (winner review in Grand Final post) × Georgia: Anri Jokhadze - I'm a Joker The f**k is this mess? And why did the juries rank it in their TOP TEN? It's like a tacky, talentless Las Vegas show... featuring a jumbled, incoherent backing track. Seriously, this song indecisively jumps all over the place. And the transitions are so poorly sequenced. Weirdly, the song opens as an orchestral operatic number, with Anri standing in a red cloak. But then he ditches the cloak, as the production abruptly switches to this staggered set of blasts. Following this, there's a drum breakdown. Then the chorus ramps up the pace, where the jogging dance rhythm speeds on by... only for the momentum to slam to a halt. Then rinse and repeat. Later the song gets a bit funky(?). Anri also hops over to the drum and the grand piano like he can't stand still. The lyrics, meanwhile, are self-absorbed, where Anri makes a long list of his personality traits to sell himself to his ex. He makes it all about HIS needs. He just comes off as arrogant and unlikable. It feels forced. His singing is TERRIBLE. The “I'm just a womanizer / Let me be your supervisor” line is cringey. And there's no humour or fun or charm to any of this. The only part I kinda like is the “don't (don't) let me go (let me go)” hook. ✓ Turkey: Can Bonomo - Love Me Back Turkey's last appearance as of 2021, and what a weird entry to leave on. “Love Me Back” is a pirate sea shanty, where the backing dancers use their capes to collectively form the shape of a boat. *rolls eyes*. The Ottoman Empire had a history with piracy, so historically it fits. The opening instrumentation (which reappears in the bridge) sends an ominous signal of an approaching ship, thanks to guitar strings (which I believe is the Turkish baglama) and the drums. It's my favourite part of the song. Following this, the jubilant woodwind riff lightens the mood. The chorus uses the same melody. The verses, meanwhile, employ a boot-stomping percussion beat. It allows for some commanding stage presence. There's some cape choreography going on too. Anyways, the “oh... hey hey” hook, and the slow-down on “But you don't care” are effective. But what ruins this entry is Can's bleating vocal style. He sounds either pretentious or demented, especially in the bridge. The latter fits the “lonely drunken sailor” theme of the lyrics – “Love Me Back” is a story of unrequited love, where Can drowns in his sorrows, somewhere between desperation and denial. But his delivery comes off kinda snobbish. And of course there's the campy element. In the end, this was very much buoyed by the televoters; enough to place it at 7th overall. ✓ Estonia: Ott Lepland - Kuula Estonia's big vocal ballad finishes in 6th place, the same position as “Rändajad”. If “Suus” didn't exist, I'd say this was the dark horse of 2012. Ott Lepland won the 2009 edition of Estonia's version of the Idol franchise. So it's not surprising that “Kuula” is structured like a TV singing competition ballad. It's a slow piano ballad that puts Ott's vocals at the centre focus, as he stands against the dark backdrop, while the orchestra builds in the background. He finishes every stanza (aside from the first one) with a very grandiose and very elongated note. Meanwhile, most of the lines begin with the word “kuula” (“listen”), or something that loosely rhymes with it. The bridge deviates from this pattern, where the melody is less spread out. When the final stanza hits, the stage lights up and the drums take over. In the song, Ott advises observing your surroundings in the present moment, almost like meditation. But by the end, the message shifts: he's the one who wants to be heard. All in all, Ott's vocal climaxes are impressive, and his performance seems personable and confident enough, but the song is too slow and predictable. It was built to showcase vocals, and that's what it does. But vocals aren't my #1 priority. × Slovakia: Max Jason Mai - Don't Close Your Eyes And here's Slovakia's last appearance to date. I'm guessing they felt discouraged after placing last in this semi-final. I mean, sending a hair metal song was always going to be divisive. I'm usually a sucker for the rock entries, but this one is too hostile for me. The song literally opens with a screamo shriek... talk about an instant turn-off. It returns during the bridge as well. Moreover, the instrumentation is too harsh. The electric guitars in the verses are like an automatic rifle firing off. And the lead singer's voice is piercing and screechy. There's a lot of flashing lights too. The chorus melody offers a contrast to the harsher elements, but there's no hook. Instead this song is just a bunch of “noise”. Lyrically, “Don't Close Your Eyes” sees the narrator asking us to pray for humanity's spiritual salvation instead of turning a blind eye to the sins happening around us. I have no idea what the context of that is, but it sounds alarming, especially with a heavy metal/screamo texture. ✓ Norway: Tooji - Stay I was shocked when Norway came last place at the Grand Final. And not just cuz I stan “twink-pop”. Dance-pop club bangers were on trend for the time, and yes the 2012 contest is packed with that genre, but “Stay” is one of the catchier ones. The shout-outs of “SHOUT OUT” and “LOUDER” are strong hooks. The chorus melody sticks. But the most effective hook is the instrumental one – that bit with the three consecutive strings, where the third one squiggles off-course. It opens the song and closes the choruses. And it gives the song an identifying quirk. “Stay” was produced by Peter Boström – the same person behind “Popular” and “Euphoria”. The verses use a buzzing/farting synth, where Tooji confidently walks onto the scene. He heads downtown, succumbs to the loud music, and meets his crush. The chorus, meanwhile, injects frostier, split-up synths, as his anxious desires hit him. It's an engulfing Euro-dance production, and it captures that adrenalized club atmosphere of the lyrics. There's also a drum breakdown and pyro climax in the bridge. Just to switch things up. But the biggest criticism is Tooji's performance. He comes off as overconfident, and maybe not the best vocalist. But the choreography seems tight. And I gotta love those legs-wide-open hip movements. ✓ Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maya Sar - Korake ti znam Bosnia's penultimate appearance, and their most recent qualifier. It's also my favourite Balkan ballad of SF2. The atmosphere is simply gorgeous. It conveys a mood of fragility, and an image of springtime meadows, thanks to the gentle instrumentation and Maya's soothing vocal. She pours her fragile heart into this. “Korake ti znam” is an introspective song about a toxic divorce. The title translates to “I know your moves”; basically, she knows her spouse's habits by now. They're being secretive and distant, and they're blaming Maya for having issues with it. She's made to feel selfish for wanting more time together, and she's had to defend herself. The situation is left unresolved, however. I'd say the lyrics are well-written. On the musicality side, the opening few notes are a good intro. The first portion of the song is a piano ballad, where Maya sits at a piano, which establishes a personal feeling. The first chorus builds a bit of tension towards the soaring strings. This is where Maya begins to assert herself (“Don't ruin my day”). Following this, the bridge segues to a dreamy woodwind solo, as she departs the piano. Finally, the instrumental climaxes in the final chorus. I just love the mood on this entry. ✓ Lithuania Donny Montell - Love Is Blind This entry is probably best known for Donny taking the titular metaphor literally by wearing a damn (glittery) blindfold for half the song. It's not that subtle. Otherwise, this is yet another song that begins as a slow piano ballad; but the light touches of brass gives a lonely night lounge atmosphere. Then the first chorus teases a switch-up is coming. The tempo increases, Donny discards the blindfold, and the ticking percussion powers the rest of the song, alongside a disco-y backing. There's also tiny harmonica(?) nudges throughout, which helps the melody stick in my mind. This song has a throwback vibe to it; which is completed by Donny's tuxedo. He also shows off his dance moves and vocal capabilities here, without being extra about it. His cartwheeling and air guitar moments are cute. And his vocal tricks in the “I can't believe you're gone” part stands out. The LED screen, meanwhile, depicts silhouettes lightly dancing next to (stripper?) poles. In the song, Donny desperately wants his ex back, and he reveals in the second verse he cheated on her. But the phrase “love is blind” suggests this is a bad idea. His 2016 song is more energized, but the smoothness of “Love Is Blind” works too. Although the uptempo portion feels too short. My Ranking:01. Sweden: Loreen - Euphoria ✓02. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Crno i belo ✓03. Portugal: Filipa Sousa - Vida minha 04. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maya Sar - Korake ti znam ✓05. Bulgaria: Sofi Marinova - Love Unlimited 06. Serbia: Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar ✓07. Norway: Tooji - Stay ✓08. Lithuania: Donny Montell - Love Is Blind ✓09. Slovenia: Eva Boto - Verjamem 10. Estonia: Ott Lepland - Kuula ✓11. Ukraine: Gaitana - Be My Guest ✓12. Turkey: Can Bonomo - Love Me Back ✓13. Croatia: Nina Badrić - Nebo 14. Netherlands: Joan Franka - You and Me 15. Malta: Kurt Calleja - This Is the Night ✓16. Belarus: Litesound - We Are the Heroes 17. Slovakia: Max Jason Mai - Don't Close Your Eyes 18. Georgia: Anri Jokhadze - I'm a Joker 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 Oct 28, 2021 20:23:56 GMT -5
The stronger semifinal, the best songs are Euphoria, Crno I Belo, Korake, Kuula and in a lower tier could be Vida minha, Love Unlimited, Love is Blind and Be My Guest.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Nov 4, 2021 22:09:12 GMT -5
Baku 2012 – Grand Final Host: Azerbaijan Slogan: “Light Your Fire!” Participants: 42 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: Loreen - Euphoria Country: Sweden Points: 372 (75.6% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:With the change to the “Big Five”, that means the number of entries in the Grand Final is now standardized at 26 from here on out (aside from 2015 and probably 2022 as well). Incidentally, that matches the record from the 2003 final. The postcards begin by showing the artists greeting the camera in the audience, just like last year. Then it cuts to a fire animation with the country name/flag, followed by various footage showcasing the country's culture and scenery, alongside some traditional music. This portion is more-or-less aimed at attracting tourism lol. The sequence concludes with a seaside distance shot of the arena, where the wall lights depict the respective country's flag colours. Then, every performance begins with the lights dimming. The stage is shaped like a diamond, with a panhandle in the back, and two narrow walkways connected at the front that intersect the audience. At least one of which leads directly to the Green Room. Behind the stage are some asymmetrical LED screens. I remember this year's stage design for the odd shapes lol. The lighting effects are the visual highlight of this show though. The opening sequence introduces Alim Qasimov, a famous mugham (Azerbaijani folk genre) musician. He sits on a carpet and cushions, and he will later feature on the host entry. This segues into a modern dance music portion. There's glowing white outfits and people floating midair on strings. The next segment features traditional music and clothing, including a flurry of hand drums. This eventually leads into Ell & Nikki reprising “Running Scared”. Like I said before, the hosting team is very scripted this year. Also, Lys Assia is honoured yet again. The interval act involves a variety of traditional instruments, a violin section, and some emphatic drum duelling. It's pretty dynamic though. Singer Emin Arazovich then descends from the ceiling via wires and performs his song “Never Enough”. I liked the bass percussion and the arena-filling chorus on it. As for the vote reveal, the producers saved most of Sweden's 12s for as late as possible to create suspense... but it was a runaway victory regardless. Below the #1 spot, Serbia held #2 for a bit, Estonia started from behind, and it was worrying seeing Turkey in the top 3 initially. Also, the other 3 Nordics were stuck 0 points for so long (rip). As for the spokespersons, Mr Lordi was as extra as always and “Lynda Woodruff” gave us a teaser for what next year's hosting will be like. 2012 was a good year for the auto-qualifiers, with 4 of them landing in the top 10. While stylistically, this was the year of dance-pop bops and big ballads. The Entries: United Kingdom: Engelbert Humperdinck - Love Will Set You Free Yeah this was a baffling selection. Just like their 2008 and 2010 entries, the UK are dated and out of touch with modern Eurovision. I guess they thought another familiar name would replicate Blue's success, but this flopped. Engelbert's mushy crooner ballads offered a stark contrast to the psychedelic rock era of 1967, where he topped the UK charts with “Release Me” and “The Last Waltz”, the former even reached #4 in the US. “Love” is another mid-20th century crooner ballad, just without the dreary backing vocalists from that time period. In the song, he wishes his ex to be happy with her new lover, choosing her needs over his own pride. While musically, the pace is driven by a solitary acoustic guitar, supported by orchestral strings. It's like a slow dance lullaby in the moonlight. The stage features a guitarist on the left and two Ballroom dancers on the right. The performers are spotlighted against a dark backdrop. The song concludes with a “big” final chorus, accompanied by some fire rain and sparklers. Engelbert is a career performer and the song has a nice sentiment, but the whole thing is so tedious and listless to me. The pace is sluggish, the song is basic, the final chorus underwhelms, and the pyrotechnics are out of place. Engelbert's pointing to the audience is extra too. Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus Albania and their poor running order slots... Lithuania: Donny Montell - Love Is Blind His vocal seemed better in the semi-final. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maya Sar - Korake ti znam Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody Kinda glad Russia was early in the running order to ensure they didn't win. Iceland: Greta Salóme and Jónsi - Never Forget Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love France: Anggun - Echo (You and I) These bloody whistles. So, the pop music scene of 2011 witnessed a short-lived whistle trend (ie. “I Wanna Go”, “Pumped Up Kicks”, “Moves Like Jagger”). Subsequently, “Echo” employs an inescapable whistle hook that dominates the intro, the pre-chorus, the bridge breakdown, and the outro. It's overused in an annoying way, and yet it's the most memorable aspect of this song? Seriously, this melody is so flat and bland. It keeps circling back to this sterile, robotic, shimmery, high-speed dance-pop production. Still, there are two welcomed divergences: the post-chorus pull-back (the “J'entends l'écho...” part) and the intro. The latter involves a slow-clapping beat, guitars, an explosive synth acceleration, and a dancer cartwheeling down the ramp in sync to it. There's also a carnival keyboard in some parts, and a clapping rhythm in others. The former matches the acrobatic backing dancers on stage. And Anggun's dress flows wildly in that wind machine lol. But overall, this entry feels aimless and lacking in personality. The lyrics are about two people being on different wavelengths, hoping to reunite someday. The delivery misses that mood. Ultimately, France got ZERO points from the televote, which began a 4-year stretch of bottom 5 placements for them. Italy: Nina Zilli - L'amore è femmina (Out of Love) This is basically an Amy Winehouse tribute. Nina's hairdo is remarkably similar, and “L'amore” is a retro 1960s jazzy number. It wasn't even a full year after her passing, but I wouldn't call this entry tasteless either. Nina exudes comfortable and effortless stage presence here, as exhibited in her casual arm movements lol. The song is a sassy kiss-off, and she delivers the necessary “don't mess with me” attitude for it. She stands up for herself after being devalued by her lover, and in spite of his attempts to charm her into staying. She is over it. The lyrics contain a few biting remarks such as “You're great, but not impressive” and “You're an independent grown man after all”. While the chorus translates to the advice “love is female; if you don't receive, you don't give”– basically, don't put effort into a relationship if the other person isn't doing the same. The bridge, meanwhile, takes a dark turn where Nina threatens a “gun shot” (she even gestures one with her hand). But the atmosphere is too breezy to be taken serious. The sax, the snapping percussion line, and the dramatic “Boom boom boom”s keep the song active. As does the prevailing call-and-response routine, which is also a great hook. The chorus melody and its fuller production are effective too. Interestingly, Emma Marrone actually won Sanremo this year, while Nina came in 7th... with a different song. Emma will appear soon though. Estonia: Ott Lepland - Kuula It seems to have a softer ending this time. Norway: Tooji - Stay Azerbaijan: Sabina Babayeva - When the Music Dies Better than the song they won with. On paper, “When the Music Dies” is a standard live show ballad. The first verse is lead by a piano, the drums enter in the second, and there's a climactic build into the final chorus. But there are traditional elements here, as exhibited by Alim Qasimov's feature and the Balaban woodwind. Moreover, Sabina truly brings this melody to life. She begins pensively in the lower register, as she pleads her lover to stay. She's emotionally wrecked, and desperate to salvage a relationship that's clearly over. The choruses, meanwhile, showcase Sabina's clean, clear, professional vocals, as her dress looks stunning in the changing pastel colours via lighting effects. There aren't many words to this chorus (or the verses for that matter), but her careful delivery makes it impactful. From the “IIIIIIIII” shout, to the staggered “cold, cold, cold” hook, to the ensuing “now every second...” escalation. The chorus ends by receding to sorrow, followed by Alim inserting a Mugham vocal chant to fill the quiet space. It's the dreaded moment “when the music dies”, or when she accepts it's over. Incidentally, this is the best performing host entry of the decade (4th place). Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac Sweden: Loreen - Euphoria (winner review below) Turkey: Can Bonomo - Love Me Back Spain: Pastora Soler - Quédate conmigo “Euphoria” wasn't the only thing Thomas G:son was up to this year – he also co-wrote Spain's entry. 2012 has no shortage of big vocal/piano ballads, and this is the most bombastic one. The first verse is guided by piano and swelling orchestral strings. The second verse is powered by tension-building drums. Pastora then unleashes a huge note to transition through the bridge, as the instrumental dramatically pauses for full effect. Finally, the grandiose final chorus introduces the backing vocalists and the outpouring instrumentation. The song does a good job of holding tension in the first half, and releasing it in the second. It progresses from vulnerability to distraught, tormented anguish. Usually I overlook these types of ballads, but “Quédate conmigo” is a true showstopper. Pastora supplies the powerhouse Celine Dion-esque vocals. She delivers a heartfelt performance too – her facial expressions during the first verse are strikingly empathetic. She also pleads the title phrase “stay with me” with emphatic passion. The lyrics describe someone who is on their knees begging for forgiveness. It's a song of regret and desperation. The “si no supe amarte, amor” part is a grabbing hook as well. In the end, this became Spain's best placement in 8 years. Germany: Roman Lob - Standing Still Germany's first offering in a post-Lena world finishes in 8th place, so they were still riding that momentum, although it won't last beyond 2012. “Standing Still” is basically just “How To Save A Life” by the Fray. Well, in regards to the soft rock ballad instrumentation and Roman's vocal tone anyway; the subject matter is completely different. This one is about accepting when a relationship has gone cold, and just letting it passively come to its dissolution. Roman realizes there's no reason to salvage it, so he's just “standing still”, frozen in one place. It's almost like he's surprised by his own inaction. He surmises “this ain't giving up, it's knowing where to stop”. It seems all of the auto-qualifiers are about break-ups this year, with a varying degree of responses. Anyways, the bittersweet atmosphere works well here. The mood is nostalgic yet numb yet reassured. The arrangement is smooth and built for HAC radio, while Roman has a warm voice, although it's a bit rough live. The leading piano notes help set the mood as well. Malta: Kurt Calleja - This Is the Night He goes for the ad libs this time. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Crno i belo Ireland: Jedward - Waterline Serbia: Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar I keep second-guessing my rank for this. I want to like it more than I do. Ukraine: Gaitana - Be My Guest Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar The Winner:Sweden achieves their 5th victory, becoming the fifth country to do so. This isn't just any winner though... no this is a behemoth. Firstly, “Euphoria” annihilated the competition this year, earning a whopping 372 points (which was only 15 shy of the “Fairytale”'s record) and continued an era of landslide winners. It received “douze points” from 18 different countries. It became a massive commercial success by hitting #1 in 17 European countries, and even #3 in the UK where ESC songs rarely chart that high anymore. It has 174m streams on Spotify. And it was the first purely Eurodance song to win the contest. But above all else, “Euphoria” is usually rated as one of, if not THE, best Eurovision entry of all time. It's an immensely popular winner, and one that seemingly everybody likes... ...Which begs the question: does it live up to its legendary status? Well, first of all “Euphoria” has to be one of the best staged entries of all time. Like, visually this is work of art – the lighting effects, the silhouette effect on Loreen, the snowfall, the calculated camera shots. It gives an illusion that this performance is happening in a completely different venue (“we're all alone in our own universe” indeed). Furthermore, Loreen's choreography is entrancing in how she flails her arms like she's swimming underwater, while her baggy cloak flows in the wind machine. I also like how she collapses to her knees when the song sinks, when she jerks her arms upwards during the “up up up”part, and when the backing dancer physically lifts her for the final chorus. Also, performing barefoot adds that delicate touch. The visuals complement the lyrical themes too. The song is a mental tug of a war between embracing the present moment vs. the insecurity and doubt over whether it'll last. The production correspondingly rises and sinks, as it oscillates between the brooding verses/bridge and the icy, sweeping synths of the chorus. The euphoric moments end so suddenly too, where the production snaps shut at the end of the chorus (just like how negative thoughts will instantly intrude). Loreen expresses both feelings pretty well, although I used to think her live vocal was “shouty”. Otherwise, the song literally begins with a foghorn and a swirl of flashing lights to immediately grab your attention. The dance-pop production itself is very clean, intricate, cohesive and atmospheric. It's actually aged pretty well. And the “UP UP UP UP UHHH-UP” hook is memorable. The song was written by Thomas G:son, becoming his crowning moment in the contest, and his third Melfest winner as well; alongside Peter Boström, who also produced the Melfest runner-up that year – “Amazing” by Danny Saucedo. Loreen and Danny really towered over everything else in the Final. Verdict: It rightfully belongs in the “S” Tier. My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Sweden: Loreen - Euphoria 02. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Crno i belo 03. Iceland: Greta Salóme and Jónsi - Never Forget 04. Spain: Pastora Soler - Quédate conmigo 05. Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus 06. Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better 07. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maya Sar - Korake ti znam 08. Italy: Nina Zilli - L'amore è femmina (Out of Love) 09. Serbia: Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar 10. Germany: Roman Lob - Standing Still 11. Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love 12. Azerbaijan: Sabina Babayeva - When the Music Dies 13. Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar 14. Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody 15. Norway: Tooji - Stay 16. Lithuania: Donny Montell - Love Is Blind 17. Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac 18. Estonia: Ott Lepland - Kuula 19. Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts 20. Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah 21. Ukraine: Gaitana - Be My Guest 22. Turkey: Can Bonomo - Love Me Back 23. France: Anggun - Echo (You and I) 24. Ireland: Jedward - Waterline 25. United Kingdom: Engelbert Humperdinck - Love Will Set You Free 26. Malta: Kurt Calleja - This Is the Night Full Ranking: 01. Sweden: Loreen - Euphoria 02. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Kaliopi - Crno i belo 03. Iceland: Greta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget 04. Spain: Pastora Soler - Quédate conmigo 05. Albania: Rona Nishliu - Suus 06. Denmark: Soluna Samay - Should've Known Better 07. Portugal: Filipa Sousa - Vida minha 08. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Maya Sar - Korake ti znam 09. Italy: Nina Zilli - L'amore è femmina (Out of Love) 10. Bulgaria: Sofi Marinova - Love Unlimited 11. Serbia: Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar 12. Finland: Pernilla Karlsson - När jag blundar 13. Germany: Roman Lob - Standing Still 14. Cyprus: Ivi Adamou - La La Love 15. Azerbaijan: Sabina Babayeva - When the Music Dies 16. Moldova: Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar 17. Russia: Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for Everybody 18. Norway: Tooji - Stay 19. Lithuania: Donny Montell - Love Is Blind 20. Greece: Eleftheria Eleftheriou - Aphrodisiac 21. Slovenia: Eva Boto - Verjamem 22. Estonia: Ott Lepland - Kuula 23. Hungary: Compact Disco - Sound of Our Hearts 24. Switzerland: Sinplus - Unbreakable 25. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - The Social Network Song (Oh Oh – Uh - Oh Oh) 26. Romania: Mandinga - Zaleilah 27. Ukraine: Gaitana - Be My Guest 28. Austria: Tracks**ttaz - Woki mit deim Popo 29. Israel: Izabo - Time 30. Latvia: Anmary - Beautiful Song 31. Turkey: Can Bonomo - Love Me Back 32. Croatia: Nina Badrić - Nebo 33. France: Anggun - Echo (You and I) 34. Ireland: Jedward - Waterline 35. Netherlands: Joan Franka - You and Me 36. United Kingdom: Engelbert Humperdinck - Love Will Set You Free 37. Malta: Kurt Calleja - This Is the Night 38. Belarus: Litesound - We Are the Heroes 39. Belgium: Iris - Would You? 40. Slovakia: Max Jason Mai - Don't Close Your Eyes 41. Montenegro: Rambo Amadeus - Euro Neuro 42. Georgia: Anri Jokhadze - I'm a JokerIt's been over a year since I started this, and I really want to reassess the older contests, but I'm satisfied with my 1999-2012 Tiermaker ranks (aka the post-live orchestra era). “S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Wild Dances”, “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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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Nov 4, 2021 22:30:06 GMT -5
Ahh Euphoria. This one have a special place in my heart because it was through this song that I've met and become close to some of my favorite people in the world. It's a toss-up for me between this and Fairytale for my favorite Eurovision winner.
Also Running Scared is probably the only 2010s winner that I don't like.
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Nov 4, 2021 23:02:08 GMT -5
"When the Music Dies" is absolutely gorgeous! One of my favorite entries from Azerbaijan. "Quédate Conmigo" is just exceptional too, Pastora delivered VOCALS! "Euphoria": I totally love this and deserved the ICON status it gets everytime. This is 10 years old, wow, incredible, still fresh. "Standing Still": Rob is so cute and good looking, and the song is really cute too. Is a shame it's geoblocked so I can't hear it. "Echo" is horrendous, sorry but I used to at least enjoy but now it justs seems like every annoying thing is mashed on this song. "L'amore è femmina": I think Nina has used the Amy style before her passing. Amazing song and should've been one of the top 3 best Italian results. "La La Love": A bop. "Crno I Belo": her note is everything. Where's my wig? "Suus": Among Us Albania at their best, glad the awful running order didn't kill this.
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Post by ry4n on Nov 13, 2021 3:12:01 GMT -5
Malmö 2013 – Semi-Final 1 Host: Sweden Slogan: “We Are One” Participants: 39 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:The first semi-final begins with a montage of cultural footage from various European countries. This is followed by a nighttime view of Malmö, which leads to a 68-member children's choir performing “Euphoria” on the arena bridge, whilst doing sign language. Loreen joins them soon after. It's actually kind of a magical opener. This sequence finishes with Petra Mede raising from beneath the stage floor. Petra presents the show all by herself, which is unusual in the modern era, but she's more than capable of it. She brings a healthy dosage of Nordic humour to the contest. Including her narration of the ESC history segment. The character of “Lynda Woodruff” also appears in a skit, where she explores the snowy countryside of the country, mispronouncing names along the way. There's also a filler segment about Australia being Eurovision fans... ahh the foreshadowing! The interval act highlights the northern lights, with music provided by Kleerup, who is probably best known for producing Robyn's “With Every Heartbeat”. I liked the ambient atmosphere of it. The choreography routine involves dancing on a fluffy snow-filled floor. This year sees Armenia return (not in this semi), while Bosnia, Portugal, Slovakia and Turkey all depart, reducing the number of participants to 39 – the same as 2010. This is also the year when the producers start deciding the running order themselves instead of leaving it up to a random draw. I won't go into details with the jury/televote split this time because the EBU never released the point distribution for 2013. Instead, they only provided the average placements, which is useless because only the top 10 matters for the scoreboard. But I will note that the two metrics were in agreement with Denmark at #1 and Russia at #2 for this semi-final. While out of the non-qualifiers, Montenegro had the most televote support and Austria had the most jury support. Lastly, the editing team really loves the visual effects this year. The Entries: × Austria: Natália Kelly - Shine Austria weren't doing so hot in the years preceding Conchita huh? Although they did impress the juries back in 2011... the televoters less so. So “Shine” is a pop-rock song, that's guided by a restless strumming pattern. The intro is akin to Adele's “Rolling in the Deep” or something. It suggests an atmosphere of building up courage or going on a mission. The grittiness helps the cliché lyrical message sound more sincere though. The backing singers also supplement the melody nicely, in particular their “OH-oh”s in the verse. The song promotes a positive outlook for the future, where Natalia believes this person is capable of overcoming their troubles (“I see the light in your eyes”). But the overall execution feels underdeveloped. It aims to be an uplifting reassurance, but it lacks that “punch” or that power or that emphasis. The instrumental is too mild and the chorus melody never fully takes off. The staging is mostly uneventful too. It features a line of backing singers standing behind Natalia amongst an array of hanging glowing crystals. She has lovely stage presence though. ✓ Estonia: Birgit - Et uus saaks alguse I'm pleasantly surprised this qualified, since Finland's foreign language nostalgic ballad couldn't do it last year; although the juries saved this one. “Et uus” reminds me of older Eurovision, but in a good way. The performance even begins in black-and-white to reinforce a nostalgic sentiment, while Birgit stands on the audience platform amidst some faded shots, which are a bit much. The visual switches to colour upon the first chorus as she walks to the main stage. The song, meanwhile, exudes a gorgeous, delicate, dreamy texture. The atmosphere is sweet and heartwarming, like the dawn of a new day. In the lyrics, Birgit uses nature metaphors to describe how things are cyclical (“Every end is just a new beginning”). She views change as a positive thing instead of dwelling on what used to be. But above all else, this melody has such a dynamic progression to it, especially in the chorus. Like the way the “VEEEEL” part radiates, and how the rest raises and lowers is really effective. The “Ja ma tean, ma tean” pre-chorus is a solid transition as well. As is the bridge, which involves a surging guitar and a big note. The song feels organic and Birgit has warm stage presence too. × Slovenia: Hannah - Straight Into Love The last placed entry of SF1. Between the poor running order slot, the aggressive EDM production, and Hannah's thin live vocal... I'm not surprised. The intro literally disrupts the scene with a raucous, Skrillex-style explosion of dubstep. I prefer the dark and brooding type of dubstep, not this harsh and ugly bass distortion, which sounds like my speaker is being chewed through a blender. That said, the sound is modern for 2013, and it isn't used as a novelty either. The production really overpowers this entry though. It represents the overwhelming force of two lovers coming together. The verses are more drawn back with the sparkly synths. While the chorus strikes with a pulsating/grinding motor. And the bridge contains a euphoric ascension. But it's so industrial that it actually sounds emotionally sterile. Plus Hannah's vocal is drowned-out and it deflates the melody. The “straight into looooove” hook flat-lines for me. The lyrics aren't that imaginative either. Still, the choreography of the three welder mask guys is engaging. × Croatia: Klapa s Mora - Mižerja Croatia's 4th consecutive non-qualifier, which leads to them skipping the next two contests. I loved so many of their '90s and '00s entries, but this is a nadir. “Mižerja” is a pure classical song in the Klapa genre, featuring 2 tenors, 2 baritones, and 2 bass all from 5 different established Klapa groups. The 6 singers are dressed in traditional robes too. It reminds me of Latvia's 2007 entry, but without the roses to communicate the emotion better. The song is from the point of view of a poor person who still gives what they can. There's soaring strings, valiant percussion starting in the second verse, and an atmosphere of wonderment in the bridge. As well as collective harmonizing during the chorus, which occupies most of the song. And it's those parts where all 6 of them harmonize that is so tedious to me. It just drones on, and it's so dull. That melody doesn't really go anywhere. Moreover, the genre doesn't cater to my tastes. It's too stuffy. But there is some chemistry between the performers I suppose. ✓ Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops (winner review in the Grand Final post) ✓ Russia: Dina Garipova - What If I just get cynical about Russia promoting a message of peace and unity. It seems hypocritical. The fact that they annexed Crimea a year later is not lost on me. I question the intentions since the song was internally selected and Dina didn't write it. But maybe I'm being unfair to her – she certainly conveys earnest innocence on stage. She's here to share her dream and to lead a movement (“What if we all bury our guns!”). Otherwise, Russia goes for style points here. “What If” is one grandiose inspirational ballad. The beginning is lead by the piano, where Dina speaks directly to the audience. She's alone on stage surrounded by an array of illuminated balloons that look like street lamps. The triumphant drums enter in the second verse. The backing vocalists bolster the second chorus, as they stand in a line to imply unity. There's a big key change. Balloons are thrown into the audience. And finally, the last chorus is an otherworldly, “lighters in the air”, singalong anthem, where the camera cuts to the audience swaying along, and the backing singers hold hands. It's a powerful performance for sure. Plus the “what if we ALL / opened our ARMS” part is catchy enough. I like the “If I...If I” bit as well. But the melody is tiresome and unoriginal. “What If” was accused of plagiarizing multiple songs, but Daughtry's “What About Now” is the one I hear. ✓ Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity Ukraine returns to the top 3! Last year was just a fluke haha. “Gravity”'s staging is notable for the “giant” who carries Zlata at the start. There's even a shaky camera effect during his footsteps, which is funny, alongside some distressing strings. The song captures a fairytale-esque atmosphere right from the start. It goes for the “damsel in distress” theme, where Zlata is skeptical about “dreams” and “love”, but she still entertains letting go of her “pride”. However, her “gravity” brings her back down. The first verse sticks to delicate vocals and harps, until the “thunder” part switches things up. The rest of the song is driven by this dominant, recurring nudging sound. It's like a force pushing Zlata to keep her levitated, as if she'd tumble without it. There's also ricocheting percussion and chanting vocals in the background. The latter establishes forest imagery. Moreover, I love how the chorus melody progressively elevates tension. Although the “my gravity...” conclusion is a little plain. Still, it's a stormy and fantastical song. The backing vocalists are used well (ie. “it's stronger than me”). And Zlata performs confidently on that rock. Fun fact: she went on to become a Ukrainian member of parliament after this. ✓ Netherlands: Anouk - Birds The streak is broken!!! Not only is this the first Dutch qualifier since 2004, it's their first top 10 since 1999! And they'll continue to perform well for the rest of the decade. “Birds” has such a unique and captivating soundscape, thanks to Anouk's low, granular vocal style and the misty orchestra, which has a vintage cinematic quality to it. It follows a steady pace, and the atmosphere is like a tragic fairytale. It paints a grey-scale image of overcast skies filled with an ominous flock of birds overhead. The song definitely sets itself apart from the other ballads. The first verse is tranquil with the harps and bowls(?), while the strings in the chorus soar. The second verse introduces the soft drums, and the bridge introduces a teary backing choir. The lyrical metaphor, meanwhile, compares birds losing their ability to fly to Anouk's inability to resume a “normal” life. Her “hopes [have] turned into fear”. On stage, she performs entirely on the centre audience platform. There's some nice camera shots with the flag-waving audience surrounding her. She comes off as a professional performer too – I mean she had released 7 studio albums by this point. × Montenegro: Who See - Igranka The fact that this was a televote favourite is notable alright. “Igranka” involves some bizarre staging. There's two dudes in astronaut suits rapping about partying as a distraction from life. It also features Nina Žižić, who provides the choruses amidst an unapologetic explosion of dubstep. She ascends from underneath the stage in a robotic outfit, and she's easily the best part of this entry. She serves badass energy. And her sharp, biting vocal style commands over the dubstep parts. That chorus production is a harsh and wobbly broken machine that consumes the arena. But it works in this instance because Nina's attitude complements it. The verse production, by contrast, is usual dance-pop fair. It moves from a strut to a sprint, and ends with quick-fire bangs. There's also a door-banging beat that opens the song. While the stage displays yellow-green neon lights and an overabundance of smoke puffs. Ultimately though, this entry is so trashy, and the rapping parts are too aggressive. ✓ Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something What a random qualifier. Is this a joke entry? Because it's not that amusing. Andrius spends the first verse teasing a secret he needs to get off his chest. He drags it out to test our patience. Then in the chorus, he uses a nonsense metaphor about his shoes to explain his inconsistent feelings – “One is called Love, the other is Pain”!... Right! Meanwhile on stage, he exhibits some goofy expressions to imply that the song isn't serious. He also uses a talking voice and awkwardly pauses several times. The chorus is admittedly catchy though, namely in how the backing vocalists emphasize the second half of each line. As well as the “way too long” hook in the first verse, and the responses in the second verse. Otherwise, the adult alternative instrumentation carries an anxious, “grabbing everything and running away” mood here, while the chorus transition is a pent-up release. But as the song flows downstream, Andrius just stands idly by. There's just an awkwardness to this entry. Oh and the visual effects are back! – this time a smudge filter. ✓ Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh Another year, another sloppy Belarusian selection process. After being disqualified over vote rigging last year, Alyona won the national final again in 2013, but with a different song called “Rhythm of Love”. It was later switched to “Solayoh”. The new song recalls the “Ethnic pop” era of Eurovision, featuring traditional strings in the intro and bridge, while being driven by a robust, Earth-shaking percussion beat reminiscent of “Wild Dances”. Except Alyona doesn't reach Ruslana's charisma... although that is a high bar. She makes a grand entrance by stepping out of a giant disco ball. But her approach seems mismatched? The choreo from the two guys next to her is decent though. Otherwise, “Solayoh” is a percussion-dominant song, with most lines ending in a series of addictive, emphatic stomps (ie. “GONNA. GET. YA.”). And there's even a drum breakdown in the bridge. The pre-chorus is decent hook too. The lyrics are about the power of music itself. The song's tone borders on being campy however, and I probably would've enjoyed this more in 2005, but I'd say this is Belarus's best entry since “Work Your Magic”. ✓ Moldova: Aliona Moon - O mie Probably my favourite Moldovan entry. As much as I appreciate their outlandish ones, the dramatic theatrical nature of “O mie”, alongside Aliona's pristine vocal, and the majestic melody won me over. The chorus is remarkable in how it swiftly ascends, then freely descends. As is the bridge escalation in how it intensifies to the verge of bursting. This is where the instrumental breaks and restarts towards the climax, while Aliona grows taller inside her expanding dress. That dress displays pastel colours until the bridge. After which it blends in with the LED screen behind her, copying the lightning and fire imagery. Elsewhere, the backing dancers exhibit graceful choreo in their angel white outfits against a smoke-filled floor. The bellowing orchestral strings are a highlight. And the lyrics use hyperbolic quantities of 1000 of everything to signify the long-term passage of time. It's a heartbreak song where she wants to move on but can't. Also, this entry witnesses a role reversal from last year, where Aliona was a backing singer on “Lăutar”. This time she's the main artist, while Pasha plays the piano on stage. He also wrote the song. ✓ Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives The last placed entry of the Grand Final with a whopping 5 points, which I believe is the lowest a semi-final qualifier has ever attained. But considering Ireland's average televote rank was 14th, I'm guessing this fell victim to middling rankings. Anyways, the song announces an impending apocalypse, but Ryan assures that love will survive it and the final night will be a dance party. Sure. The verses are filled with a flurry of vigorous, pattering tribal drums. They provide a celebratory mood, while Ryan brings a light tone and some charm on stage. He's joined by three shirtless drummers in body paint who deliver great infectious energy. But then the pre-chorus ushers in a generic dance-pop production. It does that thing where the beat progressively accelerates to hyper-speed to transition into the chorus drop. The chorus then follows a clasping/slapping rhythm. Also the second pre-chorus turns dubstepp-y. The dance-pop production is a consuming force, but the bigger issue is the chorus melody – that “So be love / just be love” part – falls completely flat. Without the drumming and the staging, this would be a rather bland (and cheesy) entry. × Cyprus: Despina Olympiou - An me thimasai Yawn. Cyprus's personal ballad didn't do much this year. So Despina performs the song solo on stage. She begins a cappella, but the acoustic guitar joins soon after, followed by a woodsy, snapping / crashing drum line that dominates from the second verse on. Its inclusion feels random. Although the second chorus drags when it disappears. There's also an overuse of overlayed split-screens during this performance. Otherwise, the song lacks an accessible hook, and the melody is sluggish. Despite the “dawn of a new day” atmosphere, Despina's delicate vocal, and her intimate stage presence... it all ends up sounding drab and lifeless instead. In the song, she doesn't regret or apologize for her feelings while yearning to reunite with her ex. She's skeptical that they even remember her, but she desperately and endlessly waits for them anyways. It's just so dreary. ✓ Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills It's nice to see Belgium back in it again. Outside of Tom Dice in 2010, they were doing just as badly as the Netherlands since the expansion into semi-finals. “Love Kills” placed 12th, which isn't too shabby. The power of a killer chorus I suppose! It's so instantly catchy, from the “waiting for...” set-up to the doomed exclamation of “LOVE KILLS... OVER AND OVER” that follows. Especially when paired with the immense, arena-consuming synth-pop production. The keyboard heightens the dramatics too. The first chorus creates anticipation, while the second one unleashes the energy. The main hook is kinda repetitive, but that just makes it more effective. The dubstep breakdown in the bridge comes out of nowhere though. It's a speed bump in an otherwise smooth road that interrupts the momentum for no reason. The lyrics, meanwhile, tell a tragic story of a destructive couple; concluding that love always leads to pain, which is a “bitter pill” to swallow. On stage, Roberto wears a formal suit, while two backing members dance beside him, all against dark blue lighting. It almost gives a spy thriller image. × Serbia: Moje 3 - Ljubav je svuda The unlucky 11th placer of SF1. Sad because this entry has a fun concept! It involves a 3-member girl group, where the middle one receives conflicting relationship advice from her two sisters on either side. The sibling on her right plays the “Angel”, who encourages her to date this guy; stating it's a dream come true and “He will make you coffee”! While the sibling on her left plays the “Devil”, who warns that he'll cheat, he'll lie and he'll disappear at night. The two sisters also have contrasting vocal styles – the “Angel” sounds sweet, while the “Devil” acts mischievous and bratty. The verse production likewise contrasts their sections, with the former being dreamy, and latter using a punching transition. However, Serbia ruined this entry with a misguided outfit change. The national final performance incorporated angel and devil outfits to communicate the concept. But they switched to ugly children's clothing for the Eurovision stage for some reason. Still, the interactions between the 3 girls are hilarious in how they bicker and compete for the protagonist's attention. It's silly but it works. They also trade lines smoothly. And the chorus is irresistibly catchy, from the “JAAAAAAAAAA k'o da sam LUDAAA“ exclamation to the rapid up/down melody that follows, alongside the jogging dance-pop beat. My Ranking:01. Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops ✓02. Moldova: Aliona Moon - O mie ✓03. Netherlands: Anouk - Birds ✓04. Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity ✓05. Estonia: Birgit - Et uus saaks alguse ✓06. Serbia: Moje 3 - Ljubav je svuda 07. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills ✓08. Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh ✓09. Austria: Natália Kelly - Shine 10. Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives ✓11. Russia: Dina Garipova - What If ✓12. Montenegro: Who See - Igranka 13. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something ✓14. Slovenia: Hannah - Straight Into Love 15. Cyprus: Despina Olympiou - An me thimasai 16. Croatia: Klapa s Mora - Mižerja Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Post by born on Nov 13, 2021 5:49:17 GMT -5
In my dreams, Serbia qualified over Ukraine.
and I definitely wasn't too upset about getting to see Andrius Pojavis and his tiny t-shirt in the GF
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Post by Leo ✔ on Nov 13, 2021 7:42:43 GMT -5
I can't explain how much I love Birds. What a gorgeous song. Anouk was amazing . O Mie is another magical song, loved the performance Solayoh is one of the best Belaarussian entries, the bar is really low, tho. Gravity is amazing. I like What If but yeah is so hypocrital seeing a Russian song about peace. Ingraka is a mess.
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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Nov 13, 2021 14:30:42 GMT -5
A solid batch of songs, though after 2012 with Euphoria, this year feels a little uneventful
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Post by mrmike855 on Nov 13, 2021 16:29:00 GMT -5
2013 is the worst year of Eurovision since I've started following it (starting in 2012).
Most of these songs are mediocre at best and terrible at worst. Montenegro would be great if it was just Nina preforming, Austria is decent. But the rest of the non-qualifiers aren't very good.
Same goes for the qualifiers, outside of your top 3 (which I personally really like), there isn't much to say. Except Ukraine, Zlata can sing amazingly well, but Gravity is just so cheesy, just the way the backing singers and her sing the chorus and certain lines like "Now I have no feaaaar" is just annoying.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Mar 19, 2022 15:34:41 GMT -5
Malmö 2013 – Semi-Final 2 Host: Sweden Slogan: “We Are One” Participants: 39 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview:This has to be one of the worst semi-finals I've ever sat through. The qualifiers are unpredictable, and the quality level is questionable. There's like 4 entries competing for my last place of the entire contest in this semi alone. The jury and televote splits are beyond weird for this one too. The best average for the juries is Malta, and for the viewers it's.... Romania of all things. Seriously, “It's My Life” has to be the most random televote “winner” ever. Although it should be noted that these countries may not have necessarily accumulated the most points in the respective metrics, but I guess that's something we'll never know. In other news, the highest rated misses from the televote top 10 are Switzerland and Bulgaria. On the jury side, it appears to be Israel and San Marino. The overall winner of this semi is Azerbaijan. The show opens with an act called “Urban Orchestra”. The first half features an ensemble of dancers stood on individual platforms, starting off musically sparse with them dancing in sync with the conductor. The orchestra is modern mixed with classical. The second half transforms the stage into a skateboard ramp, with bicyclists and rollerskaters doing tricks. The music becomes Swedish House Mafia-esque and dubstepp-y. The stage eventually transforms into displaying a laptop keyboard and monitor, with a music-maker app opened. Then Petra Mede greets the viewers in a black and gold dress. She later has a tea chat with Lys Assia, and narrates the next ESC history instalment. “Lynda Woodruff” has another skit, this time visiting Malmo, but accidentally goes to Copenhagen at first. The Interval stars Swedish pop singers Darin and Agnes. Darin's first song is a dance-pop banger (“Nobody Knows”), while Agnes brings a power ballad (“One Last Time”). She finishes with her signature song “Release Me”. The Entries: × Latvia: PeR - Here We Go Fun fact: Latvia has finished dead last in the semis five times as of 2021; and this is one of those instances. Which is hardly surprising since “Here We Go” is a super cringe entry. It involves two dudes eagerly jumping around the stage in some silver glitter outfits, trying so hard to pump the audience up. Sometimes there's a such thing as too much energy. They come off like a kid's entertainment act. The tone is just so corny and juvenile that it's difficult to take seriously, including the “white boy” rapping, the slow-motion steps during the space age-y dubstep breakdown, and the stage dive. Not to mention them shouting things like “let's all feel like we're in a live festival!”, “the first stage dive in Eurovision history!” and “may the force be with you”... like WTF? The lyrics are pretty cliché too, where the song urges breaking out of a negative mindset. And sure, the mood is bright and sunny, with some pastel colour stage lighting. But the viewpoint is too simplistic and easy. The “HERE WE GOOOO” shouts and the “BUT NO” responses are admittedly decent hooks though, which saves it from last in my ranks. But yeah, this is just too extra. × San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Crisalide (Vola) Valentina's best entry, and the 11th place robbery of this semi-final. This is also Ralph Siegel's latest contribution to the contest. He actually worked on all 4 of Valentina's entries. So “Vola” institutes a genre switch at the midpoint, which corresponds to the song's lyrical metaphor. It's the moment when the butterfly leaves behind their chrysalis, as a symbol for personal growth. The first half begins as a cold, isolating, pensive ballad driven by a beat that moves like heavy footsteps, while Valentine sits on the stage floor hugging a glowing ball like it's her precious newborn baby. The two backing members are also sprawled on the floor. She feels empty, unsure of herself, and her depression holds her back. Once the guitars enter, she sets down the ball and stands up. The trio opens their arms to reveal cloaks that resemble wings. Then the pacing quickens into an upbeat, triumphant, thumping Schlager number, as Valentina undergoes a costume change to a bright red outfit. The stage lighting also changes from dark black to red. The wind machine takes over too. At this point, the song becomes a confident march, where Valentina leaves behind her old self and escapes her loneliness. The song just has an “epic” atmosphere. × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Esma & Lozano - Pred da se razdeni 2013 begins a 6-year NQ streak for North Macedonia (so until “Proud”). This year's entry pairs classical singer Lozano, who is wearing a suit, alongside Esma, AKA “the Queen of the Gypsies”, who is in traditional attire. It's two contrasting styles coming together. In the song, Lozano is in sorrow, wanting to reunite and restart the past, while Esma announces her presence, proclaiming to warm hearts and telling the gypsies to shake their hips. But the execution is a mess. Lozano's parts are admittedly smooth, and feature some broody dubstep. However Esma's vocal is so out of tune and grating. The dubstep is also stretched out at the start of her sections (before speeding up later in the chorus), which makes her arrival seem like an intruding nightmare. The ensuing “Khelen sarinen ushten, Romalen” response from the backing choir is off sync too. Credit to Esma's impressive throaty chanting though, as she gets quite into it. And the part where the two singers embrace on stage is pretty wholesome. They look happy to be there. Like Lozano is honouring Esma; treating her as a national treasure. She had been releasing music since the 1960s after all. But the two vocal styles don't mix well, and the modernized production doesn't match either. ✓ Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me The winner of SF2, and the runner-up overall. Based off of this staging, Azerbaijan were trying hard to win again huh? This was the year where they were accused of buying votes by the way... funny how their top 5 streak breaks after that was exposed. Anyways, the stage concept involves a mysterious man inside of a claustrophobic glass box, who mirrors Farid's exact movements. He even stands upside down when Farid is on top of it. Later on, a lady in a red dress enters the scene, while rose petals flood the box, as the glass box dude is trapped between the other two performers. I'm guessing there's symbolism to all this. Either way, the visuals are great. Farid is emotive on the live stage as well. The song, meanwhile, is very melodramatic, both in atmosphere and lyrics. The chorus strikes like a hurricane thanks to the crashing guitars, and the main hook being screamed out loud (“HOLD ME... JUST UNFOLD ME”). The key change elevates the song too, as does Farid being less restrained in the bridge. There's also a vigorous instrumental bit after the first chorus. The verse production is mistier by contrast. The lyrics are also emotionally hysterical. Farid's feelings are one-sided in this relationship – his partner has moved on, but he's desperate for affection, practically begging for it. The overall intensity and the hooks are undeniable here, but at the same time, this entry feels calculated. ✓ Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me Well, this is camp as hell. The song sees Krista impatiently push for a proposal from her lover. On stage, she marches to the beat in a wedding dress, while holding a bouquet. Later on, a long flowing veil is attached to her, as the backing dancers change costumes from masquerade masks to bridesmaids outfits. The performance is also notable for the same-sex kiss at the end. Meanwhile, Krista delivers peppy and cheerful enthusiasm. She's overeager about what she wants. But she also comes off too strong. Some of the lyrics are funny, like “I don't think that I know ladies who will give you cuter babies”, while others are clingy like “If you run away, I'm gonna find you anyhow”. There's an obvious catchy melody though, mostly in the call-and-response routine, and the “for you, for you, for you” hook. The “oh oh oh ding dong” hook feels too forced, however. And the church bells are too much. Musically, “Marry Me” is a buoyant, bouncing-up-and-down, pop-rock thing. The production encompasses excited guitars in the verse, some icy, skating dance-pop synths in the chorus, and a punchy “WHAT YOU WAITING FOR” moment in the bridge. Ultimately though, this just feels like an annoying novelty entry. ✓ Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow Malta's first top 10 since 2005. “Tomorrow” is a carefree, story-telling song with a down-to-Earth approach, lead by a beach-side ukulele. The lyrics are even posted on screen to emphasize their meaning. The narrative follows a shy IT worker named Jeremy, who's reserved, plays it safe, and likes routine. That is until he meets a girl who is the opposite of that. She's spontaneous, free-spirited, and she changes his life. Gianluca assures that things will work out okay though, as he eases any doubts. The song revolves around this metaphor of “tomorrow”, to symbolize the day for him to seize the opportunity. The backing vocalists are there to add comfort. And the 6 musicians on stage maintain smiles throughout the performance. It concludes with all 6 of them chilling on a bench, showing inclusiveness. But it's all too smarmy for me. Something about this entry turns me off. It's the cringey type of happiness. The song doesn't have the most memorable melody either – the “Jere-MY” / “eye-TEE” emphasis rhymes are the most effective I guess. × Bulgaria: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Samo shampioni The last entry of Bulgaria's flop era. They skipped the 2014 and 2015 contests, so the next time we see them, they'll be in the top 5. This year however, Bulgaria brought back Elitsa and Stoyan from 2007, since that was the only time they had qualified. But the duo saw diminishing returns instead. I mean, “Samo shampioni” is essentially the same song as “Water” but with bagpipes, a dubstep breakdown, and even more drumming. Some vigorous drumming at that. This one is a celebration for the champions I suppose? I can respect “Water”'s creativity and atmosphere, but the vocals were annoying and the structure felt stuck in the same groove... like there was no destination. And “Samo” has the same issues. Sure the pace is energetic, the duo's drumming interactions are delightful, and there's cultural elements here. The “grindy” beat interludes add another layer as well. And I like the part when the song descends into the dubstep and Elitsa collapses to the ground. But I don't know, the execution feels messy. Her vocals are still not my cup of tea. This song just feels directionless. And why does the camera keep cutting to that bagpipe guy walking? ✓ Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég á líf “Ég á líf” is the type of formulaic ballad I usually can't stand. The progression is predictable – from the opening piano notes to the more serene, solo early verses to the drums entering in the second chorus to the key change to the backing choir joining in the final chorus. The melody is also sung like a nursery rhyme singalong – or rather a self-affirming anthem, with how many times the title phrase is repeated (23 times to be exact). Eythor keeps saying “I've got a life” as if it's a statement that's very important for him to say over and over again. But it's a triumphant chorus and Eythor sings it from the heart. In the song, he had cut himself off from his emotions, thinking that being in love wasn't his thing. That is until he meant someone that opened his mind. It's a song about self-growth. The orchestral climax in the bridge, concluding on his big note, is a highlight. And the quaint Icelandic houses on the LED screen are a nice touch. There's also some traditional Norse music elements in the instrumental. The song has like a frigid outdoor atmosphere. It's still a bit tedious though. ✓ Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free The end of an era where Greece would almost always be in the top 10 with ease. “Alcohol Is Free” is one ridiculous entry. Just utter insanity. The song begins as a sluggish walk, like a regretful hangover by the Mediterranean seaside. But soon the pacing becomes quite frantic and hectic, amongst a flurry of horns, bouzouki, and accordion. The energy is pretty rambunctious. It peaks in the chorus with this drunken, collective pub chant of “ALCOHOL IS FREE”. The choreo is just as lively, where 4 of the musicians are goofy and amped up, as they kick dance and sway their instruments around. Meanwhile Greek folk singer Agathonas Iakovidis just stands in the center doing his own thing LOL. The lyrics are also nonsensical. They describe a warped perception of one's surroundings, as alcohol usually does. The band is unsure if they're in a car or a sailboat, for instance. There's plenty of Greek references too. Musically, the pullbacks during the verses, and the stop/start breakdown in the bridge break-up the consistency in a way that makes the song catchier. And the energy is really infectious, without taking itself too seriously or becoming pretentious. It's an enjoyable joke entry. × Israel: Moran Mazor - Rak Bishvilo “Rak Bishvilo” is a passionate ballad, and Moran's firm vocal projects a sense of endurance through her devastation. Structurally, it's nothing new from Israel. The staging isn't super memorable either, although her big glasses stand out to me for some reason. Still, “Rak Bishvilo” is an underrated ballad. In the lyrics, Moran has been trying to get this guy's attention, but he's been silent and distant. She pushes past the pain, and reiterates the title phrase “Only for him”. She sings the lyrics like she's building up her willpower. Musically, the song moves like heavy footsteps. It opens with pounding piano notes. The drums, somber bells, and backing choir arrive later on to intensify things. The atmosphere becomes quite haunting towards the end. Moran sings the song with conviction and sincerity, and provides a sophisticated texture. I like how the beat kinda swirls too. I really don't get how this didn't qualify. ✓ Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet This just seems like a case of Armenia qualifying because they're Armenia. The gritty rock vocals are unpleasant here – I particularly hate the way he sings the chorus. The melody is bland. The instrumentation sounds unfinished – and that's despite the song being composed by the lead guitarist of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi. Lyrically, “Lonely Planet” spends its first half questioning who has the authority over what happens to our planet, and the chorus wonders who can save it. In the final chorus, the singer answers his own questions by saying that “WE” can save it! But for a motivational message song, it really lacks an anthemic or inspirational atmosphere. The arrangement is so empty and falls flat. It lacks a passionate punch. That guitar solo and the accompanying fire blasts feel unearned. ✓ Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) This is Hungary's third time in the top 10 since their debut – their track record isn't exactly the best. But “Kedvesem” sounds sweet, and it's understated in the right ways. The song has a personal approach, with a gentle and fragile texture. It's like floating on a cloud as Alex daydreams about his “sweetheart”. He's happy to see her do her own thing, feeling secure in their relationship. Which is a basis for a healthy couple. He sounds like he's in love, and the way he describes her is down-to-Earth. The tranquil instrumental provides a heartwarming mood too. “Kedvesem” has a deep house / tropical house glossing, which is a genre that's about to dominate Europe in the mid-2010s, so it's modern as well. The minimalist acoustic guitar notes are the backbone of the song. The pace is driven by an audience clap-along rhythm, featuring some casual yet alien whistles throughout. The melody, meanwhile, is pleasing in the way the chorus loops around, even if the song title is said 23 times in total. The way each chorus line repeats itself is an effective hook. The guitarist bopping along on stage is kinda cringe though, and Alex's vocal is kinda rough and monotone, but it's chill. ✓ Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love I love that they had to put Denmark and Norway in separate semi-finals so the arena wouldn't been overwhelmed by their respective neighbours. “I Feed You My Love” is, unsurprisingly, my “winner” of 2013. The unusual production is a large part of that. The verses are engulfed by this wobbly, fuzzy bass line that's distorted to the maximum. It's like when an audio file is amplified too much. The song even opens with it, as the lights flash against a dark blue background, which really grabs attention from the start. It's like a sea of troublesome danger enclosing Margaret's body with no escape. But the drums barge through in the second half and push back against this force. While the chorus offers a reprieve, as the song succumbs to ominous, jabbing strings. The bridge, meanwhile, descends into just the strings and synths. The song has a steady pace in how the lines are spread apart. In the lyrics, Margaret's loved one pushes her towards taking control over her life. She compares facing her fears to a damn knife threat, but that is what anxiety feels like in the moment. And in return, she “feeds” this person her love, which is a curious word choice. Moreover, the atmosphere is cold and somewhat fantastical. Like an image of snowy wilderness. Margaret has a sweet voice and confidence too. × Albania: Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko - Identitet I... don't hate this? Obviously Albania were out of touch by sending it. Bledar's raspy throat whispering isn't the most appealing thing. He talks instead of sings, and the way he looks into the camera is like he's telling a joke. But the pauses and “E” rhymes in the chorus are an effective hook (“Vrapove ti... gjete lirinë!”). The “hey hey” chants and the drum speed-up thing create hype too. While the string interludes add another diversion. Plus, the vocal is fine once Adrian takes over. He has more of an “operatic” style. His verses have this prideful marching forward groove to them. Moreover, Adrian gets quite into his guitar solo, as he shoots pyro from the neck of his instrument. So at least this song and performance bring some excitable energy. All of this head-banging and pyro lol. The song itself mixes 1980s rock with folk elements, including tupan drums and çifteli guitar. The lyrics are about understanding your heritage, and being connected to your homeland even after leaving it to follow other ambitions... at least I think that's what it's saying. ✓ Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall “Waterfall” is one boring and sterile ballad that lacks an identity. It feels like Thomas G:son was trying to recreate the magic of “Quédate conmigo”... but as a duet! He even recycled the line “IN A MOMENT LIKE THIS” from one of his other compositions. But boy are these lyrics cliché. There's no conflict or introspection, it's just a bunch of lazy, surface level metaphors. The song starts as a piano ballad. Then the strings and drums enter to suspend anticipation right up until the final chorus. This song is all about that anticipation. The bridge sees the beat pause, the duets hold a note, and the fire rain showering down from the ceiling. Which I guess signifies a waterfall. But the chorus is anti-climactic. It concludes with the line “you're my waterfall”, but it just sounds meaningless. The performance itself starts with Nodi and Sophie socially distanced and looking away from each other. They then walk towards the middle to hold hands. Their interactions appear too forced, however. The song tries to be dramatic... but it's just “blah”. × Switzerland: Takasa - You and Me While Belgium and Netherlands are finally finding their way out of the semi-finals, Switzerland will have to wait. In 2013, they sent a sextet of Swiss Salvation Army members, all dressed in uniform. The group includes a poor 94-year old playing the big bass violin who seems a bit confused on stage. Putting aside my reservations about that particular organization, I'll admit this is one aggressively catchy song. That damn “AHHH AHHHH AHH AHHHH” hook gets effortlessly lodged in my brain every time. That chorus harmony erupts like bellowing out loud towards the open ocean. The song also follows this bouncy rhythm pattern. The guitar riff + “hey” thing that starts each verse is effective as well. On stage, the main two vocalists bring some joyfulness and chemistry, but the band's approach is maybe too wholesome. Lyrically, the song is a deceleration of dedication, and not letting “jealousy and hate” tear the couple apart. The song's atmosphere projects that sense of love's overwhelming undeniable force. ✓ Romania: Cezar - It's My Life Just... why? What is this mess? I'm tempted to write the word “no” for this review and leave it at that. But anyways, “It's My Life” combines Cezar's operatic falsetto vocals against a modern, heavy dance beat. It also includes an all-out, extend dubstep breakdown in the middle. And these elements do not match whatsoever. They are not in sync with each other. And the production feels directionless. I also don't like Cezar's deep, intense singing at the start. It's cringe. The lyrics aren't anything groundbreaking either. At least the staging stands out? It involves some interpretive dancers waving around a giant red cloth, as Cezar stands in an tall elevated costume. There's a noticeable red colour scheme going on. The hanging crystals are back too. But this is a textbook bad Eurovision entry, and not in the “so bad it's good” way, it's just... really confusing? Like, I don't understand the purpose of what's happening. And I can't get past this annoying vocal. My Ranking:01. Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love ✓02. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Crisalide (Vola) 03. Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me ✓04. Israel: Moran Mazor - Rak Bishvilo 05. Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free ✓06. Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) ✓07. Switzerland: Takasa - You and Me 08. Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég á líf ✓09. Albania: Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko - Identitet 10. Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me ✓11. Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow ✓12. Bulgaria: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Samo shampioni 13. Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall ✓14. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Esma & Lozano - Pred da se razdeni 15. Latvia: PeR - Here We Go 16. Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet ✓17. Romania: Cezar - It's My Life ✓This semi-final is so bad. Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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Post by kimberly on Mar 19, 2022 15:48:40 GMT -5
Valentina was truly ROBBED here, would be my #2 (behind Norway also). that's 9 whole songs that qualified before "Vola" that I don't think should have.
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Post by Leo ✔ on Mar 19, 2022 17:14:24 GMT -5
"Tomorrow" is such an annoying song and that guy smiling all the time I just want to punch his face. So fake! Valentina deserved to qualify but at least she will made it! I like Romania, is a banger. I also like Norway and Azerbaijan but I feel like they both have aged terribly. Alcohol Is Free is a major bop! Israel also deserved to qualify.
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Post by ry4n on Mar 23, 2022 16:59:12 GMT -5
Malmö 2013 – Grand Final Host: Sweden Slogan: “We Are One” Participants: 39 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host Winner: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops Country: Denmark Points: 281 (61.6% of highest score possible) Language: English YouTube | Spotify | LyricsGeneral Overview:So this year's arena layout incorporates a bridge that crosses over the audience. It represents the Øresund Bridge, which connects Copenhagen, Denmark to Malmö, Sweden. Funny how next year's contest will be hosted on the other side of that bridge. It's almost like Denmark were destined to win this one. The stage, meanwhile, looks enclosed due to the archway, but it isn't really. There's also a platform that extends into the audience. The background LED screens have a jagged configuration, like the edge of an iceberg. The Grand Final itself begins by following a green caterpillar travel across Europe. It eventually reaches the Øresund Bridge, where it turns into the synonymous 2013 butterfly logo. This segment cuts to the live arena, where a choir sings “We Write the Story”, as written by Björn and Benny of ABBA, as well as a dance beat provided by Avicii (R.I.P.) The song is the soundtrack of the very first Parade of Nations seen in Eurovision history! The 26 artists walk across the arena bridge in running order. The postcards begin and end with the fluttering butterfly logo depicting the respective country flag colours on its wings. In between, there's footage of the respective artists doing various activities. Finally, a “Euphoria” style foghorn booms just before each performance. As previously mentioned, Petra Mede presents the 2013 contest all on her own. Although Eric Saade later shows up to handle the Green Room. She provides plenty of Swedish humour, and a few costume changes as well. There's another “Lynda Woodruff” skit too. This time she tours Stockholm. The interval contains many segments this year. The first is Loreen performing a medley of 3 songs - “We Got the Power” (while her face haunts the LED screen), “My Heart Is Refusing Me” (featuring trapeze artists) and of course “Euphoria” (where she goes “up up up” on the elevated platform, and wears a long cloak). Next is Petra leading a “Swedish Smorgasbord” musical number. The song encompasses a multitude of self-deprecating jokes about Swedish culture and stereotypes. It also includes a gay marriage kiss and Carola being knocked over by a wind machine. After that, it's another Eurovision History segment. Then finally, Sarah Dawn Finer sings a cover of “The Winner Takes It All”, which just feels like filler. As for the voting, Denmark got an early lead. Soon after, Azerbaijan and Ukraine became worrying close. The top 3 was pretty tight around the 2/3 mark, but Denmark pulled a decisive lead in the last third. So decisive that, for the first time ever, the host declared the winner before the voting was even completed. They do this again in 2014 and 2015, and I've never liked it. It just makes the rest of the voting feel pointless and rushed. I guess this was to speed up Emmelie's walk to the stage. And it is a nice moment when she walks across the bridge during her coronation. Other notable moments include Lena mixing up Norway and Denmark. And Petra's wide dress displaying Denmark's flag colours when she announces the winner. The betting odds were bang-on with Denmark this year. They had most of the top 5/top 10 correct as well, although Cascada were over hyped. The most underestimated country was probably Hungary. The Entries: France: Amandine Bourgeois - L'enfer et moi 2013 wasn't the kindest year to the “big 5” outside of Italy. France ain't bad though. The song is driven by a bluesy guitar and a pounding drum beat. The verses emit these stray sharp guitar notes, like a nagging itch. The drums, meanwhile, intensify in the chorus into this demanding “DUN. DUN. DUN. DUN.” march. Like someone is banging on the front door, or like a showdown is about to happen. This march actually persists from the second chorus until the very end of the song. It's rather menacing. Amandine also becomes very unrestrained towards the end, as the backing choir joins in. In the song, she declares multiple times “I'm gonna give you hell”. It's not just a threat, it's a promise. And she supplies a threatening, vengeful attitude. “L'enfer” is a story of a toxic relationship, but the thing is, she actually craves it? She later gives an ultimatum that she'll back down if they end together. So it's also a song of dangerous passion. On stage, she presents a casual appearance, while giving some animated, uncontrollable movement. The song has a gritty, “rough around the edges” charm that works well. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something Moldova: Aliona Moon - O mie Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me She's so intense lol. Spain: ESDM - Contigo hasta el final Spain sends a fusion of pop-rock and Celtic instrumentation. The intro has a mystical atmosphere, where the bagpipes announce the dawn of a new morning against a dark blue misty stage and some airy vocals. It encapsulates the opening line “A blue sky overtakes the storm...” The rest of the song is a carefree soft rock number, but the pipes remain in the background. The tempo also shifts multiple times. The first verse is serene and guided by a gentle guitar. Then the drums quicken the pace in the second verse. While the following chorus sees the electric guitars impact for moment before things speed up again, which is a punchy hook. The bridge returns to peacefulness, as lead singer Raquel del Rosario pushes a glowing polyhedron thingy upwards at the centre platform. The arena is actually full of them. The final chorus releases into a jogging pace, while Raquel likewise runs back to the main stage. These contrasting tempos flip between dreamy and excited tones. Lyrically, the song describes how Raquel's lover makes her whole world feel at ease. And she shows a warm smile. But the melody doesn't leave enough of an impression on me. Neither does the staging, really. Overall, this entry ends up being too forgettable. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills Estonia: Birgit - Et uus saaks alguse Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow Russia: Dina Garipova - What If Germany: Cascada - Glorious This year Germany selects Eurodance superstars Cascada, who are best known for the international hits “Everytime We Touch” and “Evacuate the Dancefloor”. Trusting in a recognizable name didn't repeat Lena and Roman's successes however, as Germany went right back to the bottom 6. It probably didn't help that “Glorious” was accused of plagiarizing the previous winner “Euphoria”. But aside from it being another euphoric EDM banger, I don't get the criticism? If anything, this song just shows how unimaginative Cascada's discography is. The bigger issue is Natalie Horler's shaky live vocals and the basic staging. She mostly dances alone on a staircase. Still, the production does land hard, even if it is generic. The dance beat is hi-energy and full of huge synths, but there's subdued moments to build into it. At the start, there's an angelic whisper of “glorious” before the thumping beat enters. Likewise, the first chorus relaxes before growing into an arena-consuming Swedish House Mafia-style drop. Whereas the second chorus dives right into it. The bridge also retreats before escalating into the muffled “we are glo-oh-oh-oh” bit. There's also some slap/pauses in the chorus, and some frosty synths in the verse. It's dynamic enough. Moreover, Natalie's bright vocal matches the lyrics, where she inspires us to capture the moment. Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet Netherlands: Anouk - Birds Great camera work. Romania: Cezar - It's My Life United Kingdom: Bonnie Tyler - Believe in Me The third year in a row where the UK relies on sending a nostalgia act to Eurovision. And much like Engelbert, the result was underwhelming. This country keeps fumbling to get it right. Bonnie Tyler is probably best known for the 80s hits “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Holding Out for a Hero”, but my personal favourite is “It's A Heartache”. She also has a signature raspy vocal style, which added a sense of endurance to those melodramatic songs. But that's lacking from “Believe in Me”. Instead, it's a peaceful and embracing assurance. The soft rock instrumental creates a gentle pacing and a cozy environment. Like sitting by the fireplace. There seems to be a hazy filter too. In the song, Bonnie's lover doesn't believe in faith or love, so she offers herself as something to believe in. But the lyrics are clumsily worded, and the composition is just... bland? I do like how the chorus leaps out, with the “...the way I look at you” part. This is where she begs harder, saying there's no reason to doubt her. But overall, this entry is too underdeveloped. Bonnie finishes the song on the raised center platform above the audience. But the climax isn't big enough to warrant it. Sweden: Robin Stjernberg - You Sweden sends a male pop singer who performs significantly better with the juries (3rd) than the televoters (18th)... not the last time I'll say that. “You” was written by Linnea Deb and Joy Deb, the same team who will eventually give us “Heroes” and “Voices”. It's also the only instance (so far) of an Andra Chansen song winning Melfest. Yohio would've been an interesting selection though. Anyways. This song has one annoying hook: “It's all because of YOUuUuUuUuUuAGHHH”. That chorus is so shouty and overwhelming. But the verses set up the explosive release well. Plus the ensuing “I know that if the sky would fall..” hook is much better. The first verse sticks to the guitar, while the pre-chorus introduces some pounding drums, which brings in a suspenseful atmosphere. Once the chorus hits, Robin unleashes that “YOUUUU” shout, the production radiates in all directions, and the flashing lights take over. Later on, the final chorus transition involves some strings, fire rain, and a big note from Robin. In the song, he reminisces over cute moments from a past relationship, and he credits all his current happiness and success to this person. He declares it from the rooftops in that chorus. The staging is also well-choreographed with the fluid movement. Robin has confident stage presence too. The intensity makes things more powerful, but “You” is one loud song. 2013 was one of the worst Melfest finals. I would’ve preferred Yohio’s “Heartbreak Hotel” to win, which actually won the televote. Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops (winner review below) Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég á líf Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me How long is her dress? lol Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity Italy: Marco Mengoni - L'essenziale Hot take but I find this entry is overrated. Sure, the performance is classy and the lyrics are introspective, but musically speaking, this is a dry song. The melody and hooks are lacking. It starts as a piano ballad. Then the drums enter in the second verse, while the guitars join at the bridge. But there's no drama or build or climax. It's not that type of Eurovision ballad. Instead, “L'essenziale” basks in the present moment. It's more of a romantic vibe with a sense of finality. The lyrics describe an important turning point in Marco's life, where he's reassessed his goals, decisions, and values. He returns to what's “essential”, which is his relationships. He vows to give them proper attention and to change his habits. It's a mature perspective. But the atmosphere isn't dynamic or striking enough to hold my attention. It's too stagnant. Otherwise, Marco's performance is professional and formal. He sings completely solo on stage, without the need of any backing singers. Which allows for a more personal and intimate approach. He looks comfortable and sincere too. Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili and Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives The Winner:From one side of the Øresund Bridge to the other, 2013 witness Denmark win on Swedish territory once again. This is Denmark's third victory, following 1963 and 2000, meaning that all 3 Scandinavian countries have won in the past 4 years. It's also the first Eurovision song to debut on my personal chart. I overlooked “Euphoria” at the time, and I didn't start watching the contest until 2014. “Only Teardrops” just sounds like a winner. It maintains this victorious atmosphere. The melody is obvious, robust, and addictively catchy. The folk elements, namely the flute and drums, add a cultural touch. Those instruments also create a unique and somewhat whimsical sound. The arrangement is clean as well. And Emmelie delivers such organic stage presence. She brings all the appropriate and natural facial expressions. Side note: she's another winner that performs barefoot! Also that flute riff is instantly ear-catching. It's the most memorable aspect of the song, much like the violin solos on “Fairytale”. They're the backbone of the verses, which are more pensive, and express a feeling of being “on the edge tonight”. The pre-chorus, meanwhile, sees the percussion arrive and the lyric lines become less staggered. Then the emphatic drumming drive the chorus, which follows this marching band rhythm. This is where Emmelie implores her lover to try again. The “How many times...” lead-offs are fairly catchy too. In the song, Emmelie wants to put all their arguments behind them, believing they can be happy again. She surmises that they're “ only teardrops”. In other words, the fights weren't a big deal. Many of the song's lines end in a rhetorical question too, which is a classic persuasion tactic. Furthermore, the staging is expertly planned. The performance begins with Emmelie knelt down on the floor at her most vulnerable. The golden lighting reflects off her hair to resemble sunlight. The overall aesthetic follows a red-yellow colour scheme, which illustrates the opening line “The sky is red tonight...” The camera also fades several times during the intro. In the second verse, Emmelie looks directly into the flutist's eyes when she says the line “So come and face me now”. Also, whenever the chorus begins, Emmelie walks forward as the camera zooms out. It makes the chorus feel impactful. Especially the final one, where the fire rain and confetti descend from the ceiling, as the music bursts open. Denmark are already celebrating their win before it's happened, which is bold. Seriously, this song has one of the best final chorus transitions. The stage is completed by two marching band drummers, alongside a couple of larger drums used in the bridge. “Only Teardrops” checks off like every single box required to win the contest. It finds the right balance of everything. It's never too much or too little in any category. Verdict: “A” Tier. My Ranking:Grand Final: 01. Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love 02. Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops 03. Moldova: Aliona Moon - O mie 04. Netherlands: Anouk - Birds 05. Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity 06. Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me 07. Estonia: Birgit - Et uus saaks alguse 08. France: Amandine Bourgeois - L'enfer et moi 09. Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free 10. Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) 11. Germany: Cascada - Glorious 12. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills 13. Italy: Marco Mengoni - L'essenziale 14. Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég á líf 15. Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh 16. Sweden: Robin Stjernberg - You 17. Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives 18. United Kingdom: Bonnie Tyler - Believe in Me 19. Russia: Dina Garipova - What If 20. Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me 21. Spain: ESDM - Contigo hasta el final 22. Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow 23. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something 24. Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili and Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall 25. Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet 26. Romania: Cezar - It's My Life Full Ranking: 01. Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love 02. Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops 03. Moldova: Aliona Moon - O mie 04. Netherlands: Anouk - Birds 05. Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity 06. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Crisalide (Vola) 07. Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me 08. Estonia: Birgit - Et uus saaks alguse 09. Israel: Moran Mazor - Rak Bishvilo 10. France: Amandine Bourgeois - L'enfer et moi 11. Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free 12. Serbia: Moje 3 - Ljubav je svuda 13. Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix) 14. Germany: Cascada - Glorious 15. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills 16. Switzerland: Takasa - You and Me 17. Italy: Marco Mengoni - L'essenziale 18. Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég á líf 19. Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh 20. Sweden: Robin Stjernberg - You 21. Austria: Natália Kelly - Shine 22. Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives 23. United Kingdom: Bonnie Tyler - Believe in Me 24. Albania: Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko - Identitet 25. Russia: Dina Garipova - What If 26. Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me 27. Montenegro: Who See - Igranka 28. Spain: ESDM - Contigo hasta el final 29. Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow 30. Bulgaria: Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankoulov - Samo shampioni 31. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something 32. Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall 33. Slovenia: Hannah - Straight Into Love 34. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Esma & Lozano - Pred da se razdeni 35. Cyprus: Despina Olympiou - An me thimasai 36. Latvia: PeR - Here We Go 37. Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet 38. Croatia: Klapa s Mora - Mižerja 39. Romania: Cezar - It's My Life “S” Tier: “Euphoria”, “Fairytale”, “My Number One” “A” Tier: “Every Way That I Can”, “Only Teardrops”, “Wild Dances”, “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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Future Captain
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Post by Future Captain on Mar 23, 2022 19:00:26 GMT -5
Only Teardrops is amazing. Personally one of my favorite moment from the song's performance (or the year's Eurovision as a whole really) is when Emmelie came face to face with the flute player during "face me now" part. There's just something magical in thay moment
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Mar 23, 2022 21:14:28 GMT -5
"Only Teardrops" is magical. It always puts a smile on me. "L'essenziale" is an amazing song and not overrated ¬_¬ "L'enfer et moi" holds a special place in my heart since it was the first performance I watched live on tv.
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Mar 31, 2022 19:13:39 GMT -5
Copenhagen 2014 – Semi-Final 1 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 General Overview:The 2014 contest sees the return of Poland and Portugal; while Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Serbia are all OUT. I don't know why so many countries declined this time, but it brings the number of participants down to 37, which is the lowest since 2006. And, as of 2022, it's still the lowest of the past 16 years. The show begins with a series of highlights taken from last year's Grand Final. Afterwards, the camera follows Emmelie's backside as she wanders the city. Then, a bunch of Skype video calls pop-up from each country, as each person hums “Only Teardrops” together. It culminates in the slogan “Join Us”. Finally, we see Emmelie perform her winning song on the live stage alongside a large choir. This version of the song is driven by “tribal” drums, which also create a grand entrance for her. The filler segments mostly consist of “Eurovision Record Book” achievements. Tonight's awards are the Highest Hair, the Most Silver, and the Biggest Shoulder Pads. Two of these were won by Jedward by the way. There's plenty of nostalgia clips here from past contests. The interval act is called the Ugly Duckling. It's a dance sequence that tells a story. It's centered around this one dude in a ball cap, who's rejected for his clumsy dance moves. The part where he collapses to the floor is cool. Then, before the results, Lise hangs out in Ola’s booth for a cringe selfie. Otherwise, this is a top-heavy semi-final, since 6 of the eventual top 7 comes from it. The one exception being the winner (Austria). This allows the Netherlands to be the winner of SF1, as they topped both the jury and televote. As for the other qualifiers, the televoters saved Russia and San Marino, in exchange for Albania and Estonia. While the jurors saved Azerbaijan in exchange for Portugal. Portugal would've actually qualified under 2016+ rules (ROBBED). Also, San Marino and Montenegro qualified for the first time! The Entries: ✓ Armenia: Aram Mp3 - Not Alone Armenia reaches 4th place again, equaling their best placement from 2008. So the dubstep trend had infiltrated Eurovision during the early 2010s, and “Not Alone” was the peak of it. Indeed, this might be the best usage of a dubstep breakdown from this era. The build-up is smooth and suspenseful. The song takes a journey from shyness to angst. The first half is restrained, including Aram's vocals. It starts as a soft, sombre, lonely piano ballad; which encapsulates the feeling of isolation and rejection. Aram then reassures that not all hope is lost. He repeats the phrase “you're not alone” several times, as the orchestra progressively swells and intensifies, while the soaring strings add tension. The build-up is soooo drawn out, but effective because of it. Finally, the atmosphere undergoes a total transformation – the motorized dubstep drops, Aram's voice becomes huskier, and the pyro erupts. He suggests “What if it's all in one kiss” that could change everything. I like how the strings remain for this part. The song finishes by returning to the sombre beginning. Aram, meanwhile, performs alone on stage in a jacket and boots. He also said some anti-LGBT+ s**t about Conchita. :Rolling_Eyes: × Latvia: Aarzemnieki - Cake to Bake Another year, another oddball Latvian entry (Aminata can't come soon enough). This is actually their 6th non-qualifier in a row. In “Cake to Bake”, the narrator lists off a bunch of highly impossible and hyperbolic feats that he's accomplished, but there's one simple task he's a clueless about – and that's how to bake a cake! So he asks his mother for help. The band are clearly in on the joke, based on their lighthearted approach on stage. But this premise is beyond dumb and it's not even that funny. Moreover, the “piece of cake” responses are jarring, and the “Mix some dough, add some love, let it bake” bridge is pretty corny. And the music just seems amateur? The folk band consists of two acoustic guitarists, a fiddler, and... what looks like a dumbbell shaker. But the instrumentation is empty, the melody is like improvised singing in the kitchen, and the vocals are unpolished. Also, that recurring scatting “Cep cep cep cep cep kuuku kuuku cep cep cep” hook is silly. × Estonia: Tanja - Amazing Cool staging, mediocre song. Estonia's performance showcases intricate dance moves from Tanja and her male counterpart. The stage even resemble a dance studio with tall windows. The choreography begins with the pair laying on the floor holding hands. Then he lifts and spins Tanja many times. He also helps her lean over sideways during the “we were weightless” line in the bridge. The routine finishes with Tanja jumping into this arms. The choreo looks intimate, comfortable and well-rehearsed. But the song's melody is underwhelming. The “don't don't / want want” stutters and the “do you hear me screaming?” responses are the main hooks, but they're weak ones. And the chorus falls a bit flat. The thumping dance-pop beat is pretty generic and tame too. Other than that, the first chorus stops for a second, and the bridge quiets to a heartbeat. But it's still missing something. “I want you to be amazing lie” is awkwardly worded too. In the song, Tanja reminisces over her ex. She needs them back, even if they're an “amazing lie”. ✓ Sweden: Sanna Nielsen - Undo This was my #1 when I watched the 2014 contest 8 years ago, and it even topped my personal chart. “Undo” is an immense power ballad. It's explosive, emotional, and it's also musically similar to Miley Cyrus's “Wrecking Ball”. The song opens with sharp, icy piano notes, leading to a quiet and delicate first verse/chorus. While the second verse introduces some thudding footsteps as Sanna's voice increases. Then the second chorus EXPLODES like a ton of dynamite, featuring a spurting synth between the stretched out drum beats. The bridge is reduced to a heartbeat sound before the song launches into the final chorus with the key change. The pacing remains steady throughout. In the song, Sanna is unable to hold things in. She declares she will be heard, and begs her ex to “undo [her] sad” (which is grammatically awkward). I guess she wants closure? This is her moment to stand up for how she was treated. The music escalates just as Sanna's emotional outburst unleashes. Moreover, the melody is super strong and un-ignorable here. She SCREAMS that chorus. The “I know I am over you...” part also sounds like sobbing in the rain. And the repetition in the verses works too (ie. “Silent, I can't wait here silent”). Sanna, meanwhile, stands inside a cone of light beams with a starry night sky behind her. The simple staging is the right choice. This was probably one of the strongest Melfest finals in recent memory. Ace Wilder (“Busy Doin' Nothin'”), Alcazar (“Blame It on the Disco”) and Helena Paparizou (“Survivor”) all delivered huge songs. But in the end, Sanna won by just two points, on her 7th time competing in the contest. ✓ Iceland: Pollapönk - No Prejudice I hate how catchy this is, because it's so cringe and annoying. The band's name translates to “punk for little kids”, which says it all. This is very much a punk / garage rock tune, but the bright tone seems aimed at children. Also each member is dressed in a separate, bold colour on stage. The lyrics, meanwhile, lack insight for such an important message. The band makes the solution sound too easy. Lines such as “it’s not trigonometry” are corny. Same with the “taller / smaller / thinner / dinner” bit, including the accompanying hand motions. The singer specifically mentions being discriminated against for his stutter. To showcase this, the song includes several high-speed “bububububub...” stutters. The one during the (first) bridge is so monotone that it seems like a joke, especially when the band member raise their arms one by one. It's a weird moment. Otherwise, the song opens with booming drums and a “la la la la la” singalong. The verses end on a pause. The chorus is leisurely in contrast to the verses. And the song includes TWO bridges. The first one is lead by a funky guitar, while the second brings back the “la la la”'s and a drum breakdown. Just when I thought the song was over we get ANOHTER chorus. × Albania: Hersi - One Night's Anger This is just bland and forgettable. But at least the lyrics are pragmatic, and Hersi brings a unique vocal style. Although not the most agreeable one. The song is a piece of advice, where she cautions against giving into anger because we'll later regret our words and actions. Those heated feelings will calm down tomorrow. Which is solid advice, but the melody fumbles. Hersi's vocal is an obstacle more than anything else. And the instrumentation is dull. The intro has a pretty texture of harps(?), but once the soft rock production arrives, it becomes nondescript. The bridge doesn't elevate things much either, despite the electric guitar solo and the reprieve towards a light ticking percussion sound. Otherwise, the backing vocalists make a noticeable appearance towards the end. And the electric guitar carries the last chorus. The atmosphere balances the calm and angry moments. But the song doesn't go anywhere interesting. ✓ Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine I've been debating on how to move forward with Russia's (and Belarus's) entries. But Eurovision is based on the principle of putting politics aside to focus on the music. So I'll stick by that. Plus, I can't find anything about the sister's politics anyways (Polina will be a different story). The 2014 contest was held in the aftermath of the Crimean invasion, leading to the twins getting booed when they qualified (and again during the Grand Final). Russia probably should've been banned back then... The identical twins graduate to adult Eurovision after winning JESC 2006. Their staging showcases this twin factor, where they stand back-to-back with their ponytails intertwined while holding two glass tubes. The twins then mirror each other's movements while balancing on a seesaw contraption. The stage also changes from dark blue to a “shining” yellow at the end, along with a yellow fan to represent the sun (eye roll). The song was composed by Kontopoulos and Kirkorov (the latter of whom is definitely problematic). It's also the fourth Eurovision entry titled “Shine” in the past 5 years. The verses are wistful, and follow a melodic triplet pattern, featuring some guitar(?) buzzes. While the chorus offers a haunting, bellowing harmony and an ominous, heavy atmosphere, like a funeral. It finishes on a “no one's gonna bring me down.. bring me down” defiance. In the song, the girls want to restart a relationship. They feel hopeful about it as they plead to be rescued. The melodrama is there, but the impact could be stronger, the staging is kind of lame, and there's no bridge. Otherwise, the sisters are decent performers, and their body movements are well-timed. ✓ Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire And Azerbaijan's top 5 streak is broken. “Start a Fire” lacks the big hooks of their previous entries, but it still exudes a graceful and delicate texture. The piano notes paint an atmosphere of ordinary life, while the balaban woodwind adds a cultural touch, and Dilara supplies a raspy vocal. The lyrics describe a vivid image of people doing everyday mundane things. But there's a hidden sadness beneath it all. She gives an inspiring comment: “But may the slightest light start a fire”... in other words, the smallest motivation can snowball into something bigger. The second verse also alludes to a “soldier” fighting a “forgotten mess”. Otherwise, the orchestral flourishes and the accompanying blinding white lights add some moments of tension. The song continually expands and contracts, much like a flame. There's also a trapeze artist on stage, dancing against tall structures on screen. But having said all that, this is one slooooow song. It drags on sometimes. ✓ Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock Another easy top 10 for Ukraine. “Tick-Tock” is probably best known for the man in the giant hamster wheel on stage. Which is the type of novelty typical to Eurovision. But I enjoy Mariya's interactions with him. He looks concerned when she approaches. Then he moves her to the top of the wheel, where they can't quite reach each other. It's almost like a mind game. Afterwards, she spins him around again. The song is about Mariya being patient for this person to admit their love. She's confident it'll naturally work out. There's plenty of “tick tock” clock references to match this waiting game, and cheesy metaphors (“you wind it with your love!”). The phrase “tick tock” is thrown around in such a corny way too, but she sells it. The song itself is pop-rock with a wonky structure and a bunch of quirky sounds thrown in. The verses include jittery tapping (like tap shoes), guitar pokes, and a background “ooh ooh... ooh-ooh ooh ooh” hook. It's haphazard at times, but the chorus is neater. It has a robust melody, and this ribbit sound as well. Overall, the song is buoyant and lively, and Mariya is a fierce performer. × Belgium: Axel Hirsoux - Mother Well, at least Belgium's entries improve massively after this. “Mother” is about Axel returning home to his mother for strength and support. He's broken and helpless, and unable to cope without her. She's all he has. He even mentions that she's “more than a soulmate”, which is a really weird line. On the surface, it's a sweet dedication to his mother. But, he just sounds like a needy mess? Moreover, the music is so overdone, overdramatic and over-sung. It starts as a piano ballad and becomes more intense as it goes, before returning to sombreness at the end. The instrumentation is tedious, and Axel's over-the-top vocals are excessive and forced. He's trying WAAYYY too hard to sound emotionally devastated. The performance finishes with the older female dancer walking behind Axel, trying to reach out to him (she symbolizes his mother I assume?), and it feels more creepy than tragic. The song thinks it's this powerful tear-jerker but it's just not. × Moldova: Cristina Scarlat - Wild Soul The last placed entry of this semi-final. “Wild Soul” employs a heavy and consistent dubstep production, alongside some piano and strings. It's a robotic and harsh style of dubstep that stumbles in broken, dense beats. The melody fits the erratic rhythm though. Elsewhere, the chorus aims to be this intense moment, where a blinding white light shines upon the word “mercy” (and again on “patience” / “indifference”) as the motor roars. Cristina also yanks her ponytail off during the final chorus transition. But the staging is kind of a misfire. She's also dressed in a historical, yet noble-looking, blue and gold robe. Otherwise, “Wild Soul” is a cynical and jaded song, where Cristina questions if she's human because of her indifference and lack of empathy. She has “no feelings of mercy”, as she observes how she reacts less emotionally than others. The song has an assertive and cold mood. But I can see how the execution fell flat. ✓ San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe Third time's the charm for Valentina. It's also San Marino's first qualifier. She performs this one inside a giant clam shell, while wearing a white dress to symbolize herself as a pearl. This corresponds to the opening line “Maybe there's a pearl in the shell”. Yeah, it's camp. The stage incorporates aqua blue colours at first, and beach beige later. Ralph Siegel also plays piano nearby. The song is a musical theatre number with a dreamy atmosphere of wonderment. Valentina's vocal style sounds like musical theatre too, and she even gives an aside at one point. Many of the lines begin with the word “maybe”, followed by a pause. It's said in this contemplative way, as she suggests what could be real. The song is somewhat existential, but it mostly explores the possibility of a relationship. It carries an optimistic tone throughout. The first verse moves to the pace of a heartbeat (why is there so many heartbeats this year?) Then the orchestra creeps in from the pre-chorus. While the second verse diverges to a quicker thumping beat. Ultimately though, “Maybe” is a fairly bland song, especially compared to her 2012 and 2013 entries. I'm disappointed by it. × Portugal: Suzy - Quero ser tua The only SF1 non-qualifier I'm upset about. It's shocking that the biggest bop of the night did not advance, but the juries tanked it. Suzy was close though. So the song rotates between two infectious hooks – the “WAH-WAH-WAY WAH-WAY” interlude and the “OH... OH-OH-OH OH” bit in the chorus. The latter is particularly effective in how the first line ascends and the following one descends. It welcomes the audience to sing along too. The song projects an effortlessly fun, bright, and cheerful vibe. The title phrase “I want to be yours” is repeated a lot, as Suzy is giddy and excited about her love interest. The percussion rhythm is invigorating and dance-able. There's also plenty of accordion. And a key change! The stage, meanwhile, includes two big drums that light up when hit. And the LED screen embraces the Portuguese flag colours. The song just lets loose. The only drawback is that it's repetitive, and Suzy's stage presence is kinda off. ✓ Netherlands: The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm The winner of SF1, the runner-up overall, and the Netherlands' best placement in nearly 40 years. What a turnaround after that long stretch of non-qualifiers. Who knew sending an understated country duet would be so refreshing? “Calm After the Storm” has a warm and tender atmosphere. It captures the feeling of being at peace. In the song, the narrator drives alone on a highway in the aftermath of a break-up to process it. The lyrics are self-aware and humble, but leaves things open ended. The instrumentation stays minimal to match this mood. It follows a strumming bass-line with slight steel guitar. There's a guitar solo later on, but it blends in well. Meanwhile, the “ooh” hook is like a cathartic exhale. And the rising / falling melody in the verses is effective. Otherwise, Ilse and Waylon sing every line in unison, as if they're sharing the same experience. Their contrasting voices boost the harmonies. They also maintains eye contact for the entire performance. The stage floor resembles a road, where a broken white line crosses between the two singers. There's also a vintage dark colour aesthetic as well. The nighttime scene on the LED screen looks artistic. All in all, “Calm After the Storm” knows how to not overdo anything. ✓ Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković - Moj svijet It took a while, but Montenegro finally qualified... by sending a Željko Joksimović soundalike. Next year, they'll select an actual Željko composition! But yeah, Sergej's voice sounds eerily similar, and “Moj svijet” is a structurally similar Balkan ballad. Mostly in how the atmosphere gradually builds and rises as the song progresses. Only this time there's a figure skater circling around the stage. The song opens with majestic, woodsy, Medieval pan flutes. The first verse is an isolated piano ballad with Sergej singing alone. Soon an acoustic guitar arrives. Then comes an instrumental break featuring escalating fiddles and percussion. Then the backing vocalists join to emphasize the melody. There's another bridge after this, dominated by an “OH OH OH” chant. The song ends on a united verse, as he he stands together with the backing. The lyrics are about him feeling lost and hopeless, where he pleads for his ex to “find him”. But it's more of a waiting and dreaming atmosphere. Otherwise, Sergej seems like a classy and smooth performer, but this isn't the most original Balkan ballad. I tend to forget about this entry, but I still like it. ✓ Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders - Running Hungary's second best placement ever (5th), only surpassed by their 1994 debut. “Running” notably includes a drum'n'bass production; a modern trend from the mid-2010s. Especially in the UK with artists like Rudimental and Sigma. The song is a cry for a help, where András tells the story of a girl who hides from an abusive father. She begs him “why why why”. But no one responds to her “calls for help”, not even her mother, so she runs away. On stage, András is deeply sympathetic in his tone and facial expressions. He pours a lot of emotion into this performance. The first verse is lead by heavy, ominous piano notes. The stage shows a nighttime blue with a city skyline, while András sits on a wooden chair. Just before the chorus hits, he shoves the chair aside, as a racing heartbeat sounds, and he runs towards the stage extension. Then, a flurry of drum'n'bass drops to represent the feeling of running away. The lights also turn blood red. The second chorus goes in a different direction, and delays the d'n'b drop for the finale. Instead, this part descends into sharp piano notes and a thunderclap, as two dancers are shown. The song progresses into the drop well. But the “running running running” hook isn't the strongest. The chair is unnecessary too. My Ranking:01. Netherlands: The Common Linnets - Calm After the Storm ✓02. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen - Undo ✓03. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders - Running ✓04. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk - Tick-Tock ✓05. Portugal: Suzy - Quero ser tua 06. Armenia: Aram Mp3 - Not Alone ✓07. Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković - Moj svijet ✓08. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine ✓09. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova - Start a Fire ✓10. Moldova: Cristina Scarlat - Wild Soul 11. Estonia: Tanja - Amazing 12. San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe ✓13. Albania: Hersi - One Night's Anger 14. Iceland: Pollapönk - No Prejudice ✓15. Latvia: Aarzemnieki - Cake to Bake 16. Belgium: Axel Hirsoux - Mother Leo ✔ Soundcl🕤ck born fearlessarrow kimberly Mylo13 💜 Future Captain mrmike855 yuh yuh
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mrmike855
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Post by mrmike855 on Mar 31, 2022 19:51:50 GMT -5
My first year watching Eurovision (though not live). It seems to be a pretty solid year with quite a few good songs.
Funny how Armenia was the peak of Eurovision's love of dubstep, and after that it basically went away, pretty decent song.
Hot take: Estonia was the only non-qualifier this year that deserved to qualify. Sure it's kind of basic, but that dancing and pretty decent singing absolutely deserved to qualify over a certain song I'll get to later.
Hey, Iceland has a good instrumental and, regardless of trite lyrics, I can appreciate that in (semi) joke songs.
Belgium is creepy, really really creepy. Axel Hirsoux is too old to sing a song like that, even for a JESC song, those lyrics are too clingy, let alone for a fully grown man.
I hate San Marino, it's such a monotonous listen, so slow, but not being pretty and having a slog of a melody, I hate it, Estonia should've qualified over this.
While Portugal is overly chipper, repetitive and kind of corny sounding. Sorry, but I've never gotten into this.
The Netherlands is my favorite song this year, it's so touching and well-produced, I'm awed every time I listen, I don't get how people found it boring.
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Leo ✔
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Post by Leo ✔ on Mar 31, 2022 23:30:33 GMT -5
Quero Ser Tua iconic bop deserved top 10
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Apr 1, 2022 15:36:58 GMT -5
✓ San Marino: Valentina Monetta - Maybe Ultimately though, “Maybe” is a fairly bland song, especially compared to her 2012 and 2013 entries. I'm disappointed by it. it's hard to top this classic
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ry4n
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Post by ry4n on Apr 12, 2022 15:32:57 GMT -5
Copenhagen 2014 – Semi-Final 2 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 General Overview:The second semi-final begins with a montage recapping the first one. Then the scene follows a little girl riding in the backseat of a car, as a bunch of illuminated CGI shapes float along the street. A crowd arrives at her destination. After this, the show cuts to the live stage, where a fiddler and two dancers are situated “inside” three miniature boxes, as shown via special effects. The opening act is called “Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane”. It's a dance sequence set to a mix of fiddles and dubstep. Despite there being only 15 songs allocated to SF2, the run time remains 2 hours as usual... so there's lots of filler here. The “Eurovision Record Book” segments continue, this time awarding the Most Claps, the Most Licks, and the Longest Note. The interval act, meanwhile, is inspired by Australia's desire to enter the contest. There's a bunch of Aussies stereotypes displayed on stage, eventually culminating in Jessica Mauboy performing “Sea of Flags” - she will, of course, represent the country herself in 4 years time. The song works for a live crowd. Later on, there's another interval showcasing a sequence of dancers who become progressively older. Austria wins SF2, as well as the jury vote, and the televote! The televoters saved Poland (which was #2!! in their ranks), in exchange for FYROM. While the juries saved Malta (as they always do) in exchange for Ireland. The Entries: ✓ Malta: Firelight - Coming Home This reminds me of “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons. “Coming Home” is an indie folk jamboree, powered by an uplifting, excited atmosphere. The first verse is driven by a journeying acoustic guitar to invigorate things. Then there's a brief pause before the Appalachian dulcimer enters the scene. The instrumental also includes the piano, harmonica and double bass. The percussion, meanwhile, grows as the song progresses – it has this floorboard-thumping effect, as the backing singers add a deep echo underneath it. The female singer (Michelle Mifsud) takes over the bridge, which culminates in an “oh-oh-III” build-up. Meanwhile, the stage screens display some nostalgic black-and-white childhood photos. As for the lyrics, the song is about “coming home” to invite a love interest to join alongside the narrator's life journey. It aims for a freeing vibe of seeking your dreams. There's an optimistic tone here, but the “I'm coming home” chorus/climax falls a little flat, and Michelle's solo seems out of place. × Israel: Mei Finegold - Same Heart “I'm skinning you out, no longer a part...” this contest is filled with odd phrases. It's a gruesome visual to represent Mei removing her lover from her life. As such, “Same Heart” is an empowerment anthem of leaving behind a toxic relationship (or “poisoned love”). Mei is done with the infinite cries and lies. Their hearts no longer beat as one, so she summons the strength to free herself. Her blood is throbbing. She is ready for this. The song starts off subdued, contrasted by a restless guitar. Then the percussion kicks things up a notch by accelerating towards an Avicii-like drop against an array of flashing lights. The later choruses, however, cut straight to the consuming production. The second verse/chorus then switches to Hebrew lyrics. I prefer Mei's vocal style during the Hebrew section... her husky tone is uneven in the English parts (although it sounds better in studio form). Also, the transition into the final chorus is jarring. Still, the chorus is both fierce and catchy. And the song projects a vibe of becoming stronger than ever. Mei brings that self-confidence in her vocal and choreography. ✓ Norway: Carl Espen - Silent Storm “Silent Storm” is a sparsely-paced piano ballad, where the arrangement intensifies in the second half. But the dramatic mood abruptly stops before the song can reach a bridge or third chorus. Sometimes 3 minutes isn't enough! The lyrics are about hidden depression, where Carl feels empty inside, despite his physical body being whole. The “bruises” (or abuse?) prevent him from openly showing love. He feels alone; like an outcast who doesn't belong anywhere. But he'll wait “forever and a lifetime” for someone to treat him like he does belong. He hasn't given up hope in “someday I'll be calm”. Even if it's a long process. On stage, Carl gives an empathetic and sensitive performance – he seems like someone who needs a hug. The song starts off tender, with a lonely piano and Carl's fragile vocal. The verse lines are slowly spread out too. In the second half, his voice grows desperate as the forceful piano notes emphasize each syllable, and the violin section ups the intensity. I like how the piano leads things here. And the flourish on the “I'll wait forever...” part is a highlight too. The pacing and minimal instrumental can seem boring, but this is an emotion-driven entry. Carl's down-to-Earth-ness and honest vulnerability gets to me. × Georgia: The Shin and Mariko - Three Minutes to Earth And I thought “I'm A Joker” (their 2012 entry) was an incoherent mess. “Three Minutes to Earth” is confusing in many aspects. The performance begins with a vocal chant that goes on too long, making me wonder if there will be actual lyrics. While a lady sways backwards in a green dress (she eventually turns around), and a dude in a parachute slams on a drum. Needless to say, this is a really weird first impression. The actual lyrics do arrive eventually, but they make zero sense. The metaphors seem like random words thrown together. The song is about skydiving back to Earth... whatever that means. Moreover, the composition is like really bad improvisation. The timing is off and it doesn't sound right. It's like the band doesn't understand which chord progressions are pleasing to hear. The entire song sounds like it's out of sync. Otherwise, “Three Minutes” is an acoustic folk song that includes several spontaneous guitar moments – the guitarist on the left gets quite into it. While the slamming drums resound like sonic booms. The whole experience just feels like a psychedelic drug trip. ✓ Poland: Donatan and Cleo - My Słowianie – We Are Slavic Poland marks their return to the contest by sending a super polarizing entry. The staging is best known for the two women performing archaic chores on the side-ramps in sexually suggestive movements – ie. washing laundry and churning butter. They bring seductive energy and the lyrics brag about Polish women's bodies. According to Wikipedia, the song aims to mock conservative views within Poland, and outsider stereotypes as well. So Cleo's approach is meant to be ironic. She supplies a biting tone and a commanding presence. While the chorus employs the sharp “white voice” singing style that's signature to Slavic music (Poland 2019 and Go_A use it too). It creates a sneering tone here. The song is further driven by a persistent clapping rhythm. And there's an accordion break midway through. The cultural aspect is completed by traditional outfits, the patterns on screen, and some Polish flags. This entry is easy to dismiss as shock value (or appealing to horny dudes). But Cleo grabs attention, and the percussion rhythm works. The staging is just not my thing though. ✓ Austria: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix (winner review in the Grand Final post) × Lithuania: Vilija - Attention All 3 Baltic countries were shut out this year. Lithuania serves some in-your-face attitude, but Vilija comes off too strong. Especially that part where she winks and blows a kiss. Her tone seems bratty as well. She screams “ATTENTION!” at you from the start. Moreover, the stuttering hooks (ie. “down da da down” and “love love love”) are like nagging nudges or a machine malfunction. Plus the electro production is harsh and robotic. Otherwise, the song is driven by a rubber band-like beat. It holds off during the pre-chorus, where Vilija shakes her knees for the “on your knees” line. On stage, she wears a black catsuit and tutu (which won her the Barbara Dex award), as she interacts with the male dancer. The choreo is tight, and the outfits match the robotic theme. There's plenty of flashing lights and smoke puffs too. In the song, Vilija gets hit on at a bar, but she isn't interested in being used for sex. So she sets the terms before this relationship can happen. Her top requirement is... attention. She's uncompromising about it. But, her approach is too hostile to be enjoyable. ✓ Finland: Softengine - Something Better Finland's best placement since Lordi (11th). Naturally, it's with another rock entry, except “Something Better” is a more modern stadium rock anthem instead. The abundance of flashing lights makes sense here. The lyrics are enigmatic and lacking context at first glance... that is until the revelation in the bridge: “Before she passed away”. It's about how the death of a partner changed the narrator's perspective on life. He realizes that the relationship was more meaningful than the misguided priorities of his youth. It's reflective and bittersweet. The conclusive phrases “while knowing nothing at all” and “we found something better” are reiterated throughout. The song starts muted with an antsy piano. Soon, the jumpy guitar enters; the drums introduce the chorus; and the chorus explodes. There's a quick keyboard riff after that. Then the second verse keeps the energy going. Later the “OH AH OH” hook fills the arena, while the tension builds during the “all these words” part, culminating on the stop/start chant. The vocal also gets scratchy at the end. The song has an adrenalized atmosphere throughout. It also conveys a sense of triumph. It's like he's bottled up his grief, and now he's proclaiming from the rooftops. The song's progression is effective, and it sounds “anthemic”. × Ireland: Can-linn feat. Kasey Smith - Heartbeat Thus begins a 4-year NQ streak for Ireland. A shame since “Heartbeat” is my favourite Irish entry since the 90s. Sure, the lyrics aren't anything special. But the chorus melody is effortlessly catchy, and the Celtic fiddle riff is addictive. The way it repeats in short cycles is like a tease. The drum beat also works well. It sort of fidgets and floats around in one spot, while releasing some double clacks in the chorus. The song itself is a mix of pop and traditional. It opens with a faint alarm buzzer sound before that percussion kicks in. Then a heartbeat effect leads into the chorus. While the chorus pounds along. On stage, there's two male dancers in kilts prancing around. They're pretty fun to watch. The screens also depict orange patterns, with storm clouds lingering in the background. The scene ends with post-storm green seas and orange sky. “Heartbeat” is a reassuring song, where Kasey urges the subject to keep on going despite the adversity, because she'll be there with love and support. The tone is encouraging against facing tough challenges. ✓ Belarus: Teo - Cheesecake #StandWithUkraine A silly yet slick entry gives this country one of their best placements (16th). Teo brings huge charisma to that Eurovision stage. His dance moves are charming and confident, despite claiming he's “not Patrick Swayzee”. Like when he dusts his shoulder and pops his collar when the beat pauses. Or the wiggle walk. Or when he gives a kiss and “kicks” the camera at the end. All while wearing a classy suit. It's like he's emulating Justin Timberlake. The song itself is meant to be comical. Teo gets put off by being called “my sweet cheesecake”. I would too – that's so corny. But he doesn't want anything serious, so he tries to run away. The tone is fairly lighthearted. Musically, “Cheesecake” has a breezy pace, and the production is filled with little quirks. There's some record scratches, a light guitar, and a clasping clicking percussion beat; among other things. It gives the vibe of casually strutting down the street. The stage even vaguely resembles city skyscrapers at night. Elsewhere, the “I don't wanna...” lead-ins are catchy enough, thanks to the backing emphasizing it. But yeah, this song is a bit silly. × F.Y.R. Macedonia: Tijana - To the Sky Well, this is certainly a song that exists, yup. “To the Sky” is an uplifting, disco-y, dance-pop number. But Tijana's tone is too lukewarm for someone who wants to “go loud” about her new relationship. She sounds content rather than enthusiastic. And the lyrics are bland. Tijana keeps asking “where do we go now?” over and over again. She answers herself by saying: “to the sky!”. And at the end, everyone points and looks upwards. Which is a lame moment. As for the production, the chorus releases some disco strings. While the “ooh ooh ooh” post-chorus sees the beat rev up. But it's pretty insipid until the bridge arrives, which is the best part of the song. This is where the “jittery” drums enter. Then the lights flash and the camera cuts during the “I can't stop it” bit. Finally, the beat blasts off like a rocket at the climax. The staging, meanwhile, goes for a black and white aesthetic. Tijana stands in a black business suit, as a dancer circles around her in a white hoodie. The floor also displays a white spotlight underneath. But yeah, “To the Sky” is one of those entries where I zone out halfway through. The song feels aimless and camp. ✓ Switzerland: Sebalter - Hunter of Stars Switzerland are back in the Grand Final for a brief moment. Maybe it was the whistles. I mean, that whistle hook is memorable, catchy and quirky. It immediately jumps out at you. The song even opens with it to do just that. Also, Malta weren't the only ones to submit an indie folk song this year, as “Hunter of Stars” throws in a banjo and a vigorous violin solo. But I'd say this one is stronger than “Coming Home”. The execution is smoother and more relaxed. And that's despite the hurried pacing. The lyrics are bizarre too. Sebalter is at a bar, but he lacks the confidence to approach anyone. He realizes he's not a player. So he runs back to his mate; standing desperately at their doorstep all wet and dirty, but they won't believe his story. The jovial, goofball tone gives a self-deprecating angle to it. It's like Sebalter is laughing at his own pathetic-ness. The hunter/prey metaphor is kinda creepy too. Otherwise, the stage uses a fire colour aesthetic. There's some pyro and fire rain. The final chorus pauses for a clap-along moment. And the song ends on a stop/start trick. Overall, the banjo rhythm keeps things running. The repetition of “want me to go / want me to go” is catchy. And that violin solo is a highlight. ✓ Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd - Rise Up Greece has now entered their flop era. From 2004 to 2013, they missed the top 10 only once. But from 2014 to 2019, they won't even come close. Anyways, “Rise Up” is one repetitive party song. The lyrics literally say the word “rise” 41 times and the word “up” 37 times. And everything in between feels like mindless filler. But the hyper, commanding dance-pop production really pumps up the energy. It reminds me of Joel Fletcher or something. The song opens with RiskyKidd rapping, alongside some 1920s brass like an old movie, followed by marching drums. Like a call to duty. He has a second verse later on. His rhymes are alright. This transitions to the high energy dance atmosphere, although the brass lingers. The way the beat accelerates (or “rises up”) on the “rise rise rise” pre-chorus is effective. It sounds like a siren. There's also lightning fast camera cuts between the duo during one of them. But my favourite moment is the slow motion shot of that dude jumping in midair, right when the song stops completely. And then the two artists bounce on a damn trampoline afterwards. “Rise Up” is a boisterous and trashy song, but these guys have so much fun on stage. ✓ Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač - Round and Round Slovenia's more intriguing entries tend to under-perform. 25th seems low for this. “Round and Round” has an excellent usage of backing singers. The chorus melody easily jumps out because of that “WHAT ARE WE DOING!” response. Same with the pre-chorus, where each line escalates via the “I'm gonna...” lead-ins. The camera cuts to them at the right times, and they seem like a cool group of friends. Moreover, the instrumental provides a dreamy, brooding atmosphere. Obviously there's the woodsy flute solos (Tinkara even brings one on stage). But there's also metallic strings, percussion beats stamping back-and-forth, and a tongue-clicking sound. The intro is alluring too, thanks to the distorted synth that wobbles outwards. The mixing is smooth and the pace remains steady. In the song, Tinkara offers direction and stability to someone who feels lost and clueless. She seems tired of the situation. The words switch to Slovene in the final chorus, where the future looks promising. The stage embodies a blue aesthetic, as the floor graphics swirl “round and round” Tinkara; until the screens change to bright orange at the end. And Tinkara offers another hook in the post-chorus - the “we go-ah-oh” bit. ✓ Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi - Miracle Paula and Ovi return from 2010. More often than not, whenever my faves reappear, their new song is nowhere near as good. And “Miracle” is no exception. The lyrics are generic and cheesy. The dance-pop production is sterile; sounding like any radio hit circa 2012. And the song has a cheap and gaudy quality to it. Also the part where the beat skips (ie. “All. The. Things. I. See.”) is annoying, like a scratched CD or a stream buffering. Otherwise, the verses are awestruck. Whereas the chorus bombards with high speed synths and a pulsating grinding beat, as the duo scream “IT'S A MIRACLEEEEE”. Paula and Ovi exchange lines throughout the song. They describe each of their perspectives – Ovi is unsure yet hopeful about his newfound feelings, while Paula is ready to dive in. The staging is notable for Ovi's circular keyboard and the vanishing hologram of Paula. Overall, this entry leaves me feeling cold, but the duo's embrace at the end is sweet. And Paula delivers some proficient vocals, especially that big note in the bridge. My Ranking:01. Austria: Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix ✓02. Finland: Softengine - Something Better ✓03. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač - Round and Round ✓04. Norway: Carl Espen - Silent Storm ✓05. Ireland: Can-linn feat. Kasey Smith - Heartbeat 06. Israel: Mei Finegold - Same Heart 07. Switzerland: Sebalter - Hunter of Stars ✓08. Malta: Firelight - Coming Home ✓09. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd - Rise Up ✓10. Belarus: Teo - Cheesecake ✓11. Poland: Donatan and Cleo - My Słowianie – We Are Slavic ✓12. Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi - Miracle ✓13. F.Y.R. Macedonia: Tijana - To the Sky 14. Lithuania: Vilija - Attention 15. Georgia: The Shin and Mariko - Three Minutes to Earth 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 Apr 12, 2022 15:46:48 GMT -5
I will never forget watching the semi final and being sure that Ireland and Israel would qualify. I thought Slovenia and either Malta or Belarus wouldn't make it.
EDIT: Also, regarding "Undo" from SF1, it was also my favorite in 2014 and it topped my personal chart for 7 weeks... but I, too, have changed my mind since then and now prefer "Calm After The Storm" (which I would go so far as to say that it's my favorite ESC entry ever, or at least in my top 3).
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Apr 12, 2022 15:49:13 GMT -5
Ireland was robbed
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