Eurovision 2014: The Final Review

Winner: Austria: Conchita Wurst: Rise Like A Phoenix

I was hoping that Rise Like A Phoenix would not win this year's Eurovision Song Contest. That hope had nothing to do with beards, drag acts or equality, but more to do with a desire to see the Contest progress musically.

With Eurovision, my passion for change has always been an uphill struggle. After all, apart from its reputation for disposable plastic pop, it has now become even more of a tele-visual (and social media) event than ever before: its 21st-century incarnation seemingly relying more heavily than ever on catching one's eye as well as one's ear. The songs are still important of course, because well, it is a song contest. The problem for me is that it has become - this year particularly - a triumph of presentation above everything else.

For instance, if the UK telephone vote is the British barometer of quality music, then we would be celebrating the Polish version of Carry On Eurovision as the winner. Admittedly, there's a large Polish expatriate population here, but all the performance really needed was to have Sid James and Kenneth Williams lasciviously ogling those mildly lewd and very buxom Slavic girls. Oh yes, a triumph for progress!

Equally, it was not the song that won the title for Austria. Strip away the drag act, and particularly the beard, and all you have left is a composition that would not have been out of place on a Shirley Bassey album 45 years ago. The most daring thing about the whole package was the "bearded lady" headline and that is what most of the world's press concentrated on. Outside of the tabloid histrionics all that remains is an average ballad, hyped on stage by a stimulating light display.

Lest anyone forget, David Bowie and others were experimenting with sexual identity through popular music around the time Dame Shirley was recording Diamonds Are Forever. It's no wonder I have the feeling that Conchita has set Eurovision back four decades, rather than add credibility to the whole event and contribute to it advancing musically.

There was a glimmer of hope on Saturday, though. The Netherlands have decided to try harder after years out in the Eurovision wilderness. Anouk and her Birds led the way in 2013, while those other songbirds The Common Linnets rose like a phoenix out of Dutch despair and very nearly captured Eurovision glory after 39 years.



Thankfully, their runners-up position was due to a reliability on musical substance rather than glittering visuals. While the song Calm After the Storm is not necessarily cutting edge, it does reflect a professional attempt to present something that you might hear outside of the bubble of the Contest. For Eurovision, that's more powerful than any kind of "message" that an individual might want to send to other parts of the world.

That's the kind of progress this competition needs. While equality in all spheres of life is desirable, The Eurovision Song Contest should be about the music. Both Anouk and The Common Linnets have proved that this can be done without the flashy gimmicks.

The Slavic Girls may have titillated British viewers to spend money on votes, but as I write, the Polish entry is nowhere to be seen on the real-time iTunes charts. Conchita Wurst is struggling to make her point at Number 18, but there is a small victory for music as Calm After the Storm currently ranks at Number 5.

Forty years ago, ABBA managed to top the charts across Europe and in the process changed perceptions and attitudes. For a while, Eurovision was cool and a musical career was a possibility because of it. The Swedes demonstrated there was a life after the Contest. While The Common Linnets may not make such an impressive impact, I believe that this will not be the last that we'll hear from them.

I suspect a different outcome for Conchita. As much as I enjoy indulging in my passion for music from my youth, I wish that Ms. Wurst had not dragged me and Eurovision back into the past. She has only helped to strengthen the argument among naysayers that it continues to be irrelevant and banal. For that, I cannot thank her.

Winners: Composer and Artistic Award: The Common Linnets

Photos courtesy of EBU Eurovision

Eurovision Semi Final 2: Cheers and Tears

Greece; Malta; Belarus; Finland; Austria

If Eurovision semi-final one was somewhat bland and dreary, things changed last night as semi-final two brought us most everything that you would expect from the competition.

Cheers for Conchita Wurst who, predictably, stole the show. This was mostly due to her drama queen stance, rather than the drag queen one that we have all become accustomed to over the past couple of months. Singing in the middle of the pack of fifteen did not seem to faze her, giving what was the best vocal of the evening in her rendition of a mediocre Bond-style theme. The crowd lapped it all up and gave her a resounding cheer as she pouted her thanks to the mainly gay contingent in the crowd.

The drama was not over though. After a delayed announcement of the qualifiers for Saturday, the "random" reading of the countries was left to just one of the final six. Austria was one of them and, as I shouted Israel at the TV, Conchita was announced as the tenth qualifier. There was much Miss Piggy-style hand gesturing and hair flicking from the Austrian as the audience erupted in a wave of self-satisfied relief.

Well done, Conchita. But what of the rest? As I implied, tears for Israel. Mei Finegold put on a wonderful performance of her song, but it was obviously not quirky or showy enough for the voters. It was definitely one of the best songs on the night and outshone the likes of Greece, whose rap-influenced party song had been sung much, much better on previous occasions.

No real surprises as far as Georgia, Latvia and Macedonia were concerned. Georgia just baffled everyone and Latvia's act looked and sounded like a couple of reject aliens from the 1980s Dr. Who era. Macedonia's Tijana was more entertaining when she spoke to Scott Mills on Tuesday than she was on stage. Some tears for Ireland, though. Kasey Smith could not replicate with her frock what the Slavic girls did for Poland. A shame really because Ireland's song was better, even if the vocals were a tad weak and off key.

Unlike Slovenia's performance, which turned out to be one of the best of the evening. I may be a little bias here because Round and Round is a particular favourite of mine and I was willing it through to the final. Tinkara may be your perception of the evil queen in Snow White, but she knows how to handle a flute and a killer chorus. She's also bagged a peachy place in the Final (17th - see the Grand Final running order here), so that will do her chances no harm.

Most of the other qualifiers were as expected although Belarus and, to some extent, Switzerland were a surprise. Having some of your near neighbours in your half of the draw can help, as we know.

And so to the Final, where Malta, Belarus, Norway, Poland, Austria, Finland, Switzerland, Greece, Slovenia and Romania join the 10 qualifiers from Tuesday.

Who will win? One of these four: The Netherlands, Austria, The UK or Sweden.

Romania; Poland; Switzerland; Norway; Slovenia

Photos courtesy of Eurovision EBU

Eurovision 2014: A Personal Top 10

Over the past few months, I have been among many voices expressing an opinion about the various songs that have been brought to this year's 59th Eurovision Song Contest. It's been a long and busy ride for this one man band, only finishing and publishing my last review this past weekend.

Thirty-seven songs later, I thought I would gather my thoughts together and construct a countdown of my own favourite tracks from among them. I always find it difficult to create these kind of lists, so to make my life easier, I have decided upon just a Top 10. I would never be able to choose who I think should be placed at, for example, Number 28 and Number 29. That just seems a pointless exercise.

The only criteria I have allowed myself is: Which songs do I like enough to make me part with my hard-earned cash?

So, with the first semi-final just hours away, here's my own personal Top 10 of 2014.

1. United Kingdom: Children of the Universe: Molly
2. Hungary: Running: András Kállay-Saunders
3. Slovenia: Spet (Round and Round): Tinkara Kovač
4. Sweden: Undo: Sanna Nielsen
5. Greece: Rise Up: Freaky Fortune ft. RiskyKidd
6. Israel: Same Heart: Mei Finegold
7. Italy: La mia città: Emma Marrone
8. Ireland: Heartbeat: Can-Linn ft. Kasey Smith
9. Netherlands: Calm After the Storm: The Common Linnets
10. Denmark: Cliché Love Song: Basim

This is a very fluid list, but none of the selected countries would change. Of course, under normal circumstances, as a Brit I would not be able to vote for the United Kingdom. So, my substitute would be: Norway.

It will be interesting to see how these songs fare over the next five days and to discover just how bad my skills are at predicting the rankings at The Eurovision Song Contest! Good luck, Molly!

How about you? Do you have your favourite songs?

Eurovision 2014: Sweden: Undo

Sweden: Sanna Nielsen

Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national Eurovision event, usually creates a buzz of anticipation and this year it was no different.

In a tough final battle with Ace Wilder and her (now) hit song, Busy Doin' Nothin', seven-time participant Sanna Nielsen finally took the crown by a slim two points and will represent Sweden in Copenhagen with Undo.

It's a testament to Sweden's commitment to Eurovision that (at least) two quality songs were in the running for the event. In the end, the ballad beat out the pop dance tune, but either could easily have been contenders at this year's event.

Rightly, Undo has become one of the favourites to win the competition, already topping the poll undertaken by OGAE, a network of 40 Eurovision Song Contest fan clubs. While this is organised by a group of committed fans, it can quite often become the barometer for the public vote.

So, it's all sounding good for Sanna Nielsen whose amazing voice pushes this superior ballad to places very few other ballads go this year. It's power is in its heartbreaking lyrics which, although tinged with sadness, give the impression that no-one should mess with Sanna.

Because of this, I anticipate a commanding performance from the Swedish singer. Finally, she has the perfect song to match her talent as an exceptional chanteuse. I have no doubt it will bring the house down in the B&W Hallerna.

Will she get votes, though? Of course. It will quite easily qualify from the first semi-final and there will be something very wrong if the public don't send this to the left hand side of the scoreboard on May 10.

Don't be surprised to see Sanna Nielsen in the Top 3 - or indeed enjoying another win for Sweden.

Eurovision 2014: Slovenia: Spet/Round & Round

Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač

Since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, Slovenia has not had a great record in qualifying for the main event. However, Tinkara Kovač hopes to change all that with her Eurovision entry Round and Round.

Tinkara is no stranger to the contest, having tried to represent her country on three other occasions - finishing second in the national final of 1999. This year she was up against six other competitors, winning out in a Super Final versus a delightfully named group called Muff. She was aided in her win with a song that is partly composed by Eurovision veteran and last year's Slovenian entrant, Hannah Mancini.

I think she's given Tinkara a winning tune. Not winning in the sense that it will top the scoreboard on May 10, but one that has become something of a personal addiction. There's always one or two songs each year that become my guilty pleasure(s), but which are seemingly overlooked by the majority of Eurovision fans. Last year, it was Hungary. This year, it's Slovenia.

Round and Round is a proper pop song. By that, I mean it is among only a few tracks included in this year's Contest that you are likely to hear on the radio because it deserves to be there. It's not an overwrought ballad or an overly familiar Eurodance track which Eurovision tends to produce ad nauseum.

It's contemporary, yet ethnic in its stance, blending Slovenian and English lyrics with ease. Its impact may not be immediate, but after a couple of listens, the song's chorus hooks you and drags you in. Tinkara's vocals help it along nicely too and what a treat to see the return of the flute centre stage.

Will it win votes, though? It's got my head in a spin and you can probably tell that I hope it will do the same for others. Given great staging and the best of performances on the night, I would imagine that we will see Slovenia in the final for the first time since 2011. It also benefits from a plum position in the semis: the penultimate performance in the second half of the second semi-final.

It's not the winner, but it's good enough to be Top 12.


Image by Andraž Blaznik (email) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: San Marino: Maybe (Forse)

San Marino: Valentina Monetta

We've known since last June that Valentina Monetta would be returning to represent San Marino at Eurovision.

What we didn't know, until last March, was that the song which she will take to Copenhagen will be a track that's included on her latest album: Maybe (Forse).

You have to hand it to Valentina, taking on Eurovision three years in a row is no mean feat. Many other singers would have given up after the first attempt, so she must be made of stern stuff.

Perhaps there's a little determination in the decision too. Not only is this her third attempt, but it's her third attempt at trying to qualify.

In fact, ever since its first participation in 2008, San Marino has failed to qualify for the Grand Final. Last year, it only just lost out when Crisalide (Vola) finished eleventh in its semi-final.

For this reason, I was expecting something spectacular from Valentina this year. A song powerful and memorable enough to allow her to qualify. Unfortunately, I am totally underwhelmed with Maybe.

Some have said that it's another James Bond styled movie theme, but that's not what I'm hearing. It does not have that depth or drama. Admittedly, you can't deny that it's sung exceptionally well, even if Valentina's accent is more obvious than in the past.

What she is singing about is a matter for debate. The lyrics seem to make no real sense. Is this a love song or is there a hidden statement trying to escape? Talk of oysters and pearls and dreams and peace produce no real synergy and leave the whole experience meaningless.

But, will viewers vote for it? I'd really like to think the song will garner enough interest to at least push it through to the Final. That would be a vindication of Valentina's efforts, if nothing else. That's what my heart tells me.

My head tells me that it's unlikely to happen, though. The song is just too bland and does not have a memorable enough hook to draw people in. A good stage presentation may make a difference, but with six songs failing to make the cut in San Marino's semi-final, I've a feeling that Maybe will be one of them.

Eurovision 2014: Russia: Shine

Russia: The Tolmachevy Sisters

For one reason or another, Russia has managed to reach the Grand Final of The Eurovision Song Contest since 2000, but with all of its current political decisions uppermost in people's minds, will it manage to repeat the feat in 2014? If The Tolmachevy Sisters have any influence over the result, then it's quite possible it will.

The two girls are once again involved with the Contest following their Junior win in 2006 and an appearance in one of the semis in 2009. This time the pair are singing Shine, a multi-national composition that will make its appearance midway through Semi-Final 1.

It's a mid-tempo tune, which I must admit I have totally ignored since it was first unleashed on the world. I've now heard it several times and it has become something of an earworm. If it is having that effect on me, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this.

However, it's presentation (in the video, at least) is very Disney-esque, seemingly allowing Russia to put on a front for the rest of the world which, in the current climate, is altogether less than honest. The song's lyrics (Sending out a message out above, Telling all the world to show some love) enhance this uneasiness and moves the composition into a dangerously ironic place.

Politics aside, Shine does drive along nicely and the twin's voices give the song some extra power. I've heard it said that it's overly bland and safe, but Russia may have struck common ground for many viewers. Pretty young female singers who sing well often do well in the competition. Will this be enough, though?

More than any other year, a different kind of political voting may decide the fate of The Tolmachevy Sisters. While I'd like to think they are dependent on the quality of the song, Russia's Grand Final ambitions will likely rest with the response of voters to the country's political stance.

Eurovision 2014: Romania: Miracle

Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi

Has it really been almost two months since Paula Seling and Ovi won the 2014 crown at the Romanian national final with their song, Miracle? Apparently so.

I mention the time element because back on March 1st when the pair won, there was so much initial excitement about them returning to Eurovision. Now, there's virtually no mention of their song at all.

In some respects, it's not surprising. Over the last couple of months many more songs have been announced, and you have to say, that a lot of them are so much better than Miracle.

Capturing third place in 2010 with Playing With Fire, I think we were all expecting something on a par with that fan favourite - or possibly something even better. Unfortunately, for the most part, Paula and Ovi have not delivered.

This year, Romania walks the well-trodden path into Euro disco with a generic dance track that holds very little in the way of surprises. It starts off well enough with Ovi's solo vocal, but then descends into a sub par Avicii-style track with all the highly recognisable pre-recorded instrumentation one would expect.

As it progresses, Paula's vocal skills are predominant. One cannot deny that she has a fine set of lungs on her, but what she has to sing is banal and, quite frankly, makes little sense.

There is a little nod in this year's presentation to their past glory, though. If you saw their 2010 appearance, you'll remember the transparent double grand piano. The pair's performance in the national final used this gimmick once again to good effect. Although they were not seated at it, it was center stage and a neat reminder for those who have seen them perform together before.

The important question is whether viewers will vote for it? As it's the last song on stage in the second semi-final, it does appear to have something of a shoe-in to the Grand Final. It also has the benefit of some audience familiarity with the singers, and of course, it will have the advantage of a large Romanian diaspora in Europe.

Because of this, I see it qualifying. However, I predict an ultimate placing somewhere between 10th and 15th.

Eurovision 2014: Portugal: Quero Ser Tua

Portugal: Suzy

Amid accusations of cheating, fraud, an online petition and even death threats, Portugal has decided to send Suzy to Copenhagen to perform Quero Ser Tua in the first semi-final of Eurovision.

The controversy was sparked by Suzy's competitors at the 50th anniversary of Festival da Canção, the Portuguese national contest to find the country's Eurovision song. Catarina Pereira (2nd) and Rui Andrade (3rd) accused the winning composer of allegedly distorting the public telephone vote.

Further, Carlos Coelho, the lyricist of the second placed entry, thought it strange that a song that ranked fifth in the semi-final (when voters could only use one vote) should suddenly come first when voting was unlimited.

Even an online petition was created requesting the disqualification of Quero Ser Tua due to 'irregularities' in the voting.

None of this has made any difference to the outcome of the national final, as Suzy will still make her way to Denmark in May.

What she will perform there is an upbeat Latin number reminiscent of the Lambada. While it is fun, catchy and puts you in a party mood, it is nevertheless wholly unremarkable.

In general, I enjoy native language entries, but this one is so repetitive it becomes an annoyance during its first minute - much like a wasp that suddenly appears at a picnic as soon as you sit down. You just want to swat it away.

Suzy's live vocals are equally mediocre, becoming ever more erratic as the number progresses. If she and the song want to survive in the competition, there needs to be a drastic improvement in that department.

Even if that were to happen, this is one of the songs this year which I cannot see progressing to the final. While it is among only a handful of uptempo numbers, for me, it does not stand out from the crowd.

Not the best of comebacks for Portugal, but welcome back nevertheless and a Happy 50th Anniversary!

Eurovision 2014: Netherlands: Calm After the Storm

The Netherlands: The Common Linnets

This year The Netherlands follows up Anouk's stunning Birds with the country flavour of Calm After the Storm by Dutch "super group", The Common Linnets.

Once again, there was no national final in Holland, so the combination of singers Ilse DeLange and Waylon was selected as its representatives by the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS. The two have joined forces as The Common Linnets, both for The Eurovision Song Contest and as a side project to their very successful solo careers, in an attempt to bring home the trophy for the first time in 39 years.

Calm After the Storm is no Ding-A-Dong, though. It is very much rooted in the modern country music currently created in studios such as those based in Nashville, Tennessee. If you are aware of, or listen to groups such as Lady Antebellum, then you will have an idea of the styling of the song.

In interviews, the pair have stated that the track deals with the possible breakdown of a relationship. The restrained, even haunting, simplicity of just their voices and guitars gives the track an emotional depth needed for such subject matter. It makes it a beautiful stand out from most of the songs in the competition this year.

However, if there is any problem with Calm After the Storm, it's that it may just be too sleepy and laid back for some. It's not the type of song that one would readily associate with Eurovision. Of course, many songs have been written about break-ups, but is the overall tone and presentation just too serious for the competition? Only time will tell.

More importantly, will it get votes? The difficulty with country music on this side of the Atlantic is that it's not overly popular. It's a huge industry in the US, but in Europe we tend to ignore it. This puts the song in a very grey area. Yes, it's well produced and presented, but voters may be drawn to songs which are more accessible and instantly memorable.

I'm not a great lover of country music myself, but I do hope this makes the Grand Final just to counterbalance some of the power ballads and more uptempo songs that are bound to be featured on May 10.

What are your thoughts?

Eurovision 2014: Montenegro: Moj svijet (Мој свијет)

Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković

As an independent nation, Montenegro has been sending songs to Eurovision since 2007, but has yet to progress to the final stages. So, will Sergej Ćetković singing Moj svijet bring the country any more luck?

I hope so. Although there is an English version (My Love), the track is one of very few this year that will be sung in a native language at the competition. In my opinion, Sergej deserves massive props for making this decision.

It's a very different affair to last year's contemporary rap-influenced dance track from Montenegro. Sergej has been around the block a few times in his career and knows how to deliver this kind of a ballad. It's a plea from the heart, a love song of loss and the need for reconciliation.

It fits nicely into a style that Sergej has made his own since his solo career began in 1998. Over the intervening sixteen years, he has become very popular across the Balkans, releasing five successful CDs since the turn of the century.

Obviously, Eurovision presents him with an opportunity to widen his appeal and this song should accomplish that. With great production values, reminders of Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up and ethnic orchestration,  the song soars which, if there is any justice, it should do in the competition.

But will people vote for it? Native language songs tend to fare less well, unless they have a strong melodic hook. Along with its Celtic flavourings, Moj svijet has that in abundance, so I am very confident that we will see Montenegro in the final on May 10.

What do you think?


Image by Al3k5aNd4R (Promotion of new CD) [CC-BY-3.0, GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Moldova: Wild Soul

Moldova: Cristina Scarlat

Ever since Moldova chose its Eurovision song last month, it has been one of those countries that has been largely ignored. No compelling arguments about its chances either way have been put forth and consequently it has fallen under, or virtually off, the radar.

Cristina Scarlat was chosen to sing Wild Soul, a song with text by her niece Lidia Scarlat. Cristina is an accomplished singer and it shows during this fraught power ballad.

It very much has the feel of a James Bond theme: dramatic, dark and with lyrics to match.

Unfortunately, despite the excellent singing skills, Cristina does not quite pull it all together. There are some dreadful diction problems with her English, which begs the question: Why not perform it in her native language?

Perhaps an English version was thought to have more of a chance with voters, but to be honest, her pronunciation is doing the song no favours at all.

And then there is the question of the staging. A song like this really needs no added distraction. Please dispose of the male dancers - one of which looks very precarious as he comes on stage. The tin foil needs to go as well when it's performed in Copenhagen. It just looks way too cheesy and adds nothing to the performance of the song. Change the dress too, Cristina.

Will Wild Soul make it to the final, though? The simple answer is: unlikely. It's included in the much more competitive semi-final one and is up against some of the powerhouse entries this year. Despite Moldova's great showing at Eurovisions past, this year the country could easily fall at the first hurdle.

What do you think?


Image by Viorica Atanasov [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Lithuania: Attention

Lithuania: Vilija Matačiūnaitė

I'd like to believe after a twelve-week elimination process that Lithuania would have found the ideal song to represent the country at Eurovision 2014. Unfortunately, it hasn't.

Attention is the song's name and Vilija Matačiūnaitė is both the singer and composer. Unlike the pretty Vilija, her offering gets my attention for all the wrong reasons.

It's very much a shout fest of the title and, in fact, would probably make the ideal ringtone or alarm call for anybody who likes to be shocked into action.

Amongst all the shouting, there is just a little competent singing. Why she chose to scream her way through most of the song is anyone's guess though, because Vilija has ranked highly in vocal (and dance) competitions around Eastern Europe, either as runner-up or winner. In fact, this is not the first time she has tried her hand at Eurovision, ranking seventh in the Lithuanian national final nine years ago.

Unfortunately, unlike Lithuania's 2013 entry, the song is just not quirky enough and comes across as a bad attempt at some Eighties power pop. But will viewers vote for it?

I have a feeling that they won't. There is not enough of a hook to draw them in and the shouting, repetitive nature of the track will surely put a lot of people off. And what on Earth is the tutu and the guy dancing around her all about?

While semi-final two looks to be less competitive than the first, my head is telling me that Attention will almost certainly lack the attention it needs to qualify and is likely doomed to be heard only the once.

Image by Fotodiena [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons 

Eurovision 2014: Israel: Same Heart

Israel: Mei Feingold

There are several songs in this year's Eurovision that could be hits without the benefit of the competition and Same Heart by Israel's Mei Feingold is one of them. 

Up until now, Miss Feingold's claim to fame has been her third place finish in Kokhav Nolad, Israel's version of Pop Idol. She has also successfully ventured into musical theatre, gathering a couple of respectable awards along the way.

However, Mei's voice lends itself to the soft rock genre and this is probably why she has found fame in her homeland as lead singer with the rock band, Limozina Express. But is there any hope that the good people watching and listening to the Eurovision Song Contest this year will vote for this rock chick? If there is any justice, they should. 

It's been a long time coming, but Israel look to have produced a song in Same Heart that is deserving of the win.

It manages to combine all that is good in rock, pop and dance music, stretching the singer's stunning voice better than almost all among the contestants this year.

The lyrics move swiftly between English and Hebrew (language changes have been something of a problem previously in determining Eurovision winners) but Ms Feingold's vocals seem to give just as much meaning whichever language she chooses to sing in. 

But will she match the power of the studio version live in Copenhagen? Having seen a couple of her Pop Idol performances on video, I can't imagine she will have a problem at all.

My belief is that there will be no surprises with Israel this year and that Mei's rocker sensibilities will see her through to the final.  

Same Heart is my dark horse of 2014 and the song and Mei Feingold's performance should wow audiences in the grand final.

Image by: רותם ברנר [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Ireland: Heartbeat

Ireland: Can-Linn ft. Kasey Smith

If the general public was able to register its votes for the most entertaining Eurovision national final, it's highly probable the one broadcast from Ireland this year would be a strong contender for the win.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the performance of the songs, but rather the egos of a panellist and one of the mentors. An epic argument ensued between Eurovision veteran Linda Martin and Aslan's Billy McGuinness, but in the end it was Can-Linn featuring Kasey Smith that won the ticket to Copenhagen.

Heartbeat is the song which won a relatively close battle over the runner-up, The Movie Song. Probably the strongest of the five contenders, it is one that has the potential to do well in Denmark.

It has many of the elements that have helped Ireland to its seven previous wins: the Celtic instrumentation and flavouring that is a feature throughout the song. The obligatory fiddler is evident and near the beginning of the track, the traditional Irish bhodran can be heard drumming out the beat. It also benefits from a catchy chorus, which will do it no harm in collecting votes from across Europe. That's all good, but this upbeat offering is very much a reminder of last year's winner. That just may be its downfall.

What it also needs is better presentation than what was seen at the national final. Firstly, do away with the extraneous Irish dancers - they're cringeworthy and we have all the evidence we need in order to know that it's a song representing Ireland. Secondly, make sure the staging places more emphasis on the instrumentation. After all, those elements are an important part of the song. Lastly, and this could be the most challenging, make sure Kasey Smith's live vocals are more powerful than what was heard at the end of February when performing it on The Late, Late Show.

That said, all in all, it's a very good effort which should see Ireland qualify from its semi-final on May 8. It's not the 2014 winner, but it has the potential to score well enough to register on the left-hand side of the scoreboard.

Eurovision 2014: Greece: Rise Up

Greece: Freaky Fortune

For a while, it seemed as if Greece would not be able to celebrate its fortieth year in Eurovision. Financial crises and failing broadcasters were working against the country returning to the competition, but there was a reprieve in November in the shape of NEPIT (the newly-formed Greek public station).

Consequently, Rise Up appears to be a wholly appropriate title as the Greek entry for 2014. Winner of a four act national final in mid-March, Freaky Fortune ft. Riskykidd offer one of the year's more contemporary songs.

It's essentially a dance club effort, combining elements in its mix from a few genres. Beginning with some rap (never a good thing in Eurovision), it progresses to a pure pop number with both Latin and Balkan flavours, such as that incessant trumpet riff.

It will, no doubt, appeal to young "Urban" voters as it could easily be a reminder of long, hot club nights in Ibiza or Ayia Napa. It's certainly very catchy, if overly repetitive of the title. On the other hand, is it likely to appeal to Eurovision's core audience, which tends to be older and more traditional? Probably not. But that hasn't stopped some unlikely winners before.

That's not to say that Greece are likely to be victorious this year. I'm not convinced by its live rendition and there are other better constructed songs in the competition. But it is infectious, features three handsome young guys and, at the time of writing, leads the second semi-final poll by quite some margin.

This should make it an easy qualifier and, because of the plethora of ballads this year and the ever faithful Greek diaspora, this memorably catchy entry is likely to see a Top 10 finish.



Image by Freaky.fortune (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons


Rise Up [feat. RiskyKidd] - Freaky Fortune

Eurovision 2014: Germany: Is It Right?

Elaiza: Germany

Something of a surprise in mid-March at Unser Song für Dänemark, the German Eurovision national final, when a group of three relatively unknown young women won the right to represent their country in Copenhagen.

Elaiza was previously the victor of a wildcard round that was introduced to find new talent interested in competing in Eurovision. Demolition of the opposing competitors came very easily, as the group gathered almost a quarter of the tele-vote and trounced the second placed contender by over 6%.

As the knock-out rounds continued, the competition was whittled down to a straight choice between two: Elaiza and the more recognisable rock of Unheilig. In the end, the German public chose Is It Right?, a bouncy little number that seems to have disappeared under many people's radars over recent weeks.

Is this because the song is not very good or because it's easily forgettable. Neither really. It tries to blend traditional instrumentation (accordion, double bass) with a modern arrangement and the mixture succeeds. And once the chorus kicks in, it's very hummable and soon gets your foot tapping.

My only disappointment with it is that Germany seems to be relying on the Lena factor at the moment. Lead singer Elżbieta "Ela" Steinmetz's stylized vocals are very reminiscent of those by the 2010 winner. Is It Right? could quite easily be a track included on a forthcoming album from Lena.

As a consequence, my feeling is that Eurovision viewers are likely to demonstrate voter malaise with this one. Although the song really doesn't deserve it, a "we've heard it all before" reaction may well greet it.

That would be a shame. With a glut of ballads this year, a mid to uptempo track merits a reasonable total on the scoreboard. But will it be this one?

Image by Krd (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Georgia: Three Minutes to Earth

For the most part, Georgia has had a reasonably successful run in its short time at the Eurovision Song Contest. In six outings, the country has participated in five finals and finished in the Top 15 each time.

I've a very strong feeling that The Shin and Mariko's Three Minutes to Earth is not going to emulate its predecessors. It has received a very bad press among Eurovision fans and figures towards the bottom of many of their rankings of this year's songs.

In many ways, this reaction is not totally fair. After all, one of Eurovision's tenets has always been that every song presented should reflect a particular nation's cultural music. Over the years each Contest has strayed further from that principle, so when a track such as this comes along it's often universally derided.

The Shin is essentially a jazz band which fuses other musical genres into its output. Three Minutes to Earth is rich with this fusion, introducing elements of traditional Georgian styles and instrumentation. Unfortunately, because so much is crammed into its three minutes, on a first listening it comes across as totally inaccessible.

Some might say it's an unholy mess, but that would be taking criticism to an extreme. Mariko's vocals are spot on, even if a lot of what she is singing sounds like nonsense - "sky diver's space jump"?

With this sound and lyrics such as those, the whole package has an air of late Sixties psychedelic folk about it. But those experimental sounds tended to last a lot longer than three minutes. Maybe this song needs a couple more to explain itself.

Voters will not give it that chance, though. This will be one of the entries dumped from semi-final two and sent into oblivion.

Eurovision 2014: France: Moustache

As someone who has been a lover of all things francophone for a long time (I don't have a French degree for nothing, I guess), I always look forward to hearing what France will be gifting to Eurovision each year.

For the most part, I'm not usually disappointed. The last five entries have all been highly enjoyable and, in my opinion, vastly underrated on the scoreboard. Missing out on a Top 20 placing in 2012 and 2013 appeared to be extremely unlucky.

It may just be that the songs performed by Anggun and Amandine Bourgeois were just too good for the competition and that's why France's choice in 2014 appears cheap and amateurish by comparison.

Twin Twin and their Moustache are the product of a French national final (of sorts), the first the country has organised in seven years. The band's rivals were a cookie-cutter boy band and, perhaps, a more meaningful entry from a solo female act (in which France normally specializes). Instead we have three guys - Twin Twin is not a clue here - frenetically yearning after more facial hair.

To be honest, they all look as if they are hirsute enough, but apparently what sounds like a trivial and disposable tune has a deeper meaning. A quick look at the lyrics, and with some help from the group's members, the mustache here represents yet another accessory in our consumerist society. They have everything else they could ever need etc...Yes, there is some humour involved here somewhere.

 

Accusations of plagiarism have surrounded Moustache, with apparent similarities to Stromae's Papaoutai. The intro does indeed sound as if it has been lifted but, according to the group, the song was written a year ahead of the Belgian's composition.

Either way, I can't see France raising the winner's trophy with this. The melody is certainly catchy and its light hip-hop styling will certainly have the audience in Copenhagen on its feet. That may garner it a few extra votes - enough to see France placed higher up the scoreboard than in recent years, perhaps. Just not far enough, though.

Eurovision 2014: Estonia: Amazing

Estonia: Tanja looking Amazing

A month on and some are still surprised that Amazing sung by Tanja will represent Estonia in Copenhagen. A few believe the winner of the national final should have been either the Super Hot Cosmos Blues Band or Sandra Nurmsalu, depending on where their allegiances lie. It proved to be neither, as the public favoured Tanja, together with her dance partner, in a tightly fought tele-vote.

However, Tanja is no stranger to the world of Eurovision having competed in both 2002 and 2003 as one half of the pair, Nightlight Duo. Described as a techno band, it's a style not far removed from the sound of Amazing.

And therein lies the song's problem. While Tanja delivers a wonderful live vocal - seemingly during a wild display of gymnastics - there is too much of a similarity to Loreen's Euphoria. While it is not a direct copy, the overall package may be too close to Sweden's winner of 2012. This was the accusation levelled at Cascada last year and we all know what happened to Germany's entry. Admittedly, Natalie Horler's vocal let her down, which I can't see being a problem for Tanja. So, in a year where sleepy ballads rule, a well-sung, uptempo track at least stands out from the crowd.

This is not unusual for Estonia. It has produced a couple of entries I've really enjoyed over the years: Ott Lepland and Urban Symphony to name just two. While I wouldn't go as far as to make comparisons to the success of those songs, I will stick my neck out and predict Amazing as a qualifier for the Final, at best.

The odds makers currently place Estonia in the middle of the pack. While the bookies are only a barometer, I have to agree with them at this point. My feeling is that it won't be an 'amazing' finish for Tanja.

[If Estonia is your favourite entry, don't forget to vote for it in the poll at top left].

Image by Indrek Galetin (http://nagi.ee/photos/sAgApO/120877/in-set/2971) [see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons