Austria: Victor Bueno | Amen

Austria

Artist: Victor Bueno

Song: Amen

Semi Final 2: First Half

It's been a bumpy few years for Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest since Conchita Wurst's victory in 2014. This year, Victor Bueno has been given a second opportunity to improve the country's fortunes with the song Amen which is a completely different proposition to his 2020 cancelled effort, Alive. 

Where the latter took on a funky Bruno Mars/Justin Timberlake vibe, Amen gives Victor the chance to show off his accomplished vocals on a respectable breakup ballad. The lyrics are fairly repetitive, bog standard, heartbreak clichés but there is a nice progression as the song develops.

As Amen begins, Bueno is in reflective, almost claustrophobic, mood. However, around the halfway mark there is an explosive change of tone and the mood switches as if the singer has finally been been released from the shackles of a doomed relationship.

Victor delivers all of this with the angst one would expect of the material and he has sufficient charisma to attract quite a few votes. He is up against some pretty tough competition in his semi-final though, and the song probably doesn't have enough of a wow factor to push him too far up the scoreboard. 

However, I'm willing it to make the Grand Final as I believe it's good enough to earn a spot. Very much a borderline hope, though.

What are your thoughts?

 

Eurovision 2019: Abbreviated Song Reviews

Armenia  

Srbuk: Walking Out 

Strong chorus, weaker middle section. Srbuk gives a dynamic performance. Likely to be one of the casualties from semi-final 2, though.

Listen here

Austria

Pænda: Limits

Kate Bush meets Ellie Goulding. In any other environment, this would do well - but the Eurovision Song Contest doesn't feel like its natural home. Perhaps too delicate for the competition and another entry that could fail to qualify.

Listen here

Azerbaijan

Chingiz: Truth

Contemporary, catchy and radio-friendly. Combines ethnic flavours with modern Western sounds. Likely to qualify easily and, if there's any justice, climb high on the left-hand side of the scoreboard.

Listen here

Belarus

Zena: Like It

Typical Euro dance-pop delivered by a pretty young singer and which should bring the stadium to life in Tel Aviv. Whether that will translate to enough votes to allow it to qualify is debatable. Generic Eurovision fodder, though. Borderline qualifier.

Listen here

Belgium

Eliot: Wake Up

Another credible entry from Belgium although Eliot's vocal sounds rather laboured. It feels as if the song is about to take off but then suddenly stalls, the chorus somehow not rescuing it. It's good, just not spectacular. Likely to qualify, but could struggle at the Final.

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Croatia

Roko: The Dream

Roko sings The Dream well and the song possesses a stirring chorus. Nevertheless, it sounds like a failed national final entry from the 1980s. Got to hand it to Roko though, he has the balls to wear a pair of ridiculous wings. Sadly, they only add to the overall out-of-date whiff of stale cheese. Non-qualifier.

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Cyprus

Tamta: Replay

Cyprus continue the club theme already offered up by last year's Fuego. In some respects, it is a better example of the genre with its brass riffs and mesmerisingly catchy chorus. This should perform very, very well but it could hinge on the staging and Tamta's live vocal abilities. Easy qualifier and could finish in the Top 5.

Listen here

Denmark

Leonora: Love is Forever

One of the early front runners, Denmark has dipped back in the betting. Not surprising, really. The song is way too twee, formulaic and safe. Leonora is a little difficult to watch as well. Sitting on a oversized chair/platform high above the stage, I'm not sure if her fixed stare is from the fear of falling or the fear of failing. Very borderline.

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Finland

Darude ft Sebastian Rejman: Look Away

House music come to Eurovision courtesy of the highly successful DJ/record producer. If you've heard his Sandstorm then you kinda know what to expect. Unfortunately, this is way too repetitive but could still qualify from a weaker semi-final 1 (or from his credentials, alone). Can't see it doing too well in the Final, though.

Listen here

Georgia

Oto Nemsadze: Keep On Going

Already touted as the entry that will be stuck to the bottom of the scoreboard when all is sung and done. It goes without saying that Oto may have an uphill struggle to garner many votes - particularly from the public. The song is a dark, dramatic ballad sung at full tilt - there's no denying Oto has a set of lungs on him - but the song may suffer from being TOO ethnic as well as TOO difficult to love (and comprehend)! An easy non-qualifier, I feel.

Listen here

Greece

Katerine Duska: Better Love

Compelling voice, compelling vocal and compelling production. Co-written by Fame Academy winner David Sneddon, Better Love feels as if it has a Top 10 finish about it. As long as the ideas behind the video translate well to the Tel Aviv stage then Greece can expect a ton of votes. Compelling (of course!)

Listen here

Hungary

Joci Pápai: Az én apám (My Father)

Joci returns to Eurovision with a mid-tempo ballad that captures elements of Hungarian folk music. Enhanced by his plaintive vocal, the song relates the joy and sadness of his boyhood memories. It's one of the few entries to be sung in a native language, thus could accomplish a reasonable result. Joci achieved ninth in 2017 and this latest effort could do as well or better.

Listen here

Iceland

Hatari: Hatrið mun sigra (Hatred Will Prevail)

One of possibly two entries with its own USP (possibly Portugal as well). BDSM techno/punk comes to Eurovision and it has really divided listeners/viewers. Very much a Marmite song, Hatari try to deliver shock visuals - writhing women in chicken wire together with sex shop rubber gear - alongside snarling shouty vocals over an, admittedly, irresistible backing rhythm. Entries with bizarre USPs tend to do well these days, although how the more conservative voters in Eastern Europe will react is anyone's guess. Could do very, very well or fall flat on its face!

Listen here

Thanks for reading!

Nobody But You / Cesár Sampson / Austria | Review

Could Cesár Sampson bring the Eurovision trophy back to Austria?

The years following Conchita's win for Austria have been interesting ones. Before Rise Like A Phoenix, their history at the more recent Eurovisions was one of the poorest among competing nations – with just one qualifying song between 2005-2013. Then 2015 saw them sink to the bottom of the scoreboard once again while Nathan Trent's 2017 effort was only saved from embarrassment by the votes of the juries. This year Cesár Sampson has thrown his hat into the Austrian ring with the intention of sending the soulful Nobody But You much further up the scoreboard.

The song is produced (and partly composed) by Symphonix International, a collaboration of  producers from Vienna. Those involved include Sebastian Arman, Joacim Persson, Borislav Milanov, and Johan Alkenäs, some of whom were responsible for composing the last two Bulgarian entries. For his part, Cesár is not a newcomer to Eurovision either, serving as a backing singer for those same Bulgarian songs.

So, like the UK's SuRie, Cesár is familiar with the Eurovision landscape and has been involved in the kind of success that a nation with genuine Eurovision aspirations should be seeking. I have to say that Nobody Like You is the ammunition that could satisfy those ambitions. It is a wonderfully produced soul song that would not sound out of place on an album by either Sam Smith or Rag'n'Bone Man. It's full of gospel flavours with quality vocals from Cesár, which he can hopefully bring to the live performance in Lisbon.

As you can possibly discern, I’m a huge fan of this type of song and, in particular, of this entry. Of course, there are a few distinct elements which could frustrate Cesár's efforts. Austria’s pre (and post)-2014 record and the probable scarcity of neighbourly votes are a couple.  Also, no song of this genre has ever scored that well at Eurovision - but, hopefully, current music trends may alter that fact.

So, can Austria possibly win with this? I’d be really happy to see that happen, but in reality a Top 10 berth is much more likely. While it's a very creditable entry, I suppose for some it doesn’t have that touch of emotional tension that usually yields a lot televotes.

However, what it does possess is a very memorable tune together with a sense of sophistication. Of course it is up against some very stiff competition, but I have real confidence in this entry. This is my 2018 winner.

Austria 

Artist: Cesár Sampson

Song: Nobody But You 

Semi-Final 1 | Second Half

Eurovision 2016: Review: Austria: Zoë: Loin d'ici

Zoë to fly the flag for Austria

The evening of February 12th saw the staging of Austria's national final of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. In the end, the Austrian public decided that Zoë Straub and her snappy little tune called Loin d'ici would travel to Stockholm in May.

The selection was something of a surprise, particularly following the jury vote which placed Loin d'ici in fourth place. However, bolstered by the public televote, the song progressed to a superfinal alongside Elly V's I'll Be Around (Bounce) - the favourite with the jury - and the rest is history.

Listening to the song is like taking a trip back to the mid-1980s when Vanessa Paradis was topping the French charts and climbing the UK's equivalent with the ultra catchy Joe Le Taxi.

Its appeal is exactly the same: its simplicity, a melody that you can recall quite easily and a singer who is easy on the eye. Of course, it has the added curiosity of becoming the first Austrian entry to be performed entirely in the French language. Francophones will rejoice and, no doubt, will help swell the number of votes for Austria.

In many respects, its skill is in the way that it is unassuming yet becomes ingrained in your psyche. Remember Kedvesem from ByeAlex, Hungary's entry in 2013? That song had the same kind of uncomplicated appeal in its composition but was written off by many within the Eurovision bubble. The same appears to be happening with Loin d'ici - yet it is a perfect example of what can be achieved to draw in votes, as well as fill three very pleasant minutes of Eurovision.

ByeAlex proved that their song was memorable enough with the wider public to scale the heights of the scoreboard. There's no reason why Zoë shouldn't repeat that feat.

Not a winner - no zero points this year either - but a very respectable placing could be in the offing for Austria.

What do you think?



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

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Review: Austria: Eurovision 2015 | The Makemakes

Thumbs up from The Makemakes who will represent Austria (Image: Facebook)

After last year's Austrian Eurovision victory, you would expect a lot of beards to make an appearance at the country's unnecessarily extensive national final, Wer singt für Österreich? Not many were disappointed, then, when three came courtesy of The Makemakes, the band which will represent Austria with their rock ballad, I Am Yours.

The pop/rock trio powered their way through the nation's selection process, finding themselves in the superfinal up against a similarly-styled four piece group by the name of DAWA. The Austrian public unequivocally preferred I Am Yours in a landslide decision which secured more than three-quarters of the votes.

It wasn't a surprising outcome as the song was one of the strongest in the whole competition. Granted, it's another ballad in a long line of them, but this one feels more authentic and less overproduced than all of the others combined. Think: The Hothouse Flowers meets John Legend in an imaginary supergroup and you will have a broad idea of what makes The Makemakes' smoothly, pensive love song tick.

Dodo Muhrer and his band mates have a genuine, radio-friendly rock quality which, whether this entry wins or not, should see them rising up the music charts across Europe. Even if that doesn't happen, I Am Yours could easily be a contender for a Eurovision Top 10 placing.

What do you think?

(It has been announced that The Makemakes will perform in position 16 of the Final)

Eurovision 2014: Austria: Rise Like A Phoenix

Conchita Wurst

We've known the controversial choice by the Austrian broadcaster ORF to send Conchita Wurst to the Eurovision stage in Copenhagen since last Autumn. However, today the song that this colourful character will sing has been revealed.

It's called Rise Like A Phoenix and is said to be a commentary on Tom Neuwirth's path to his drag persona, Conchita.

It's yet another ballad to feature in this ballad-laden year, but probably among the best of them. Very melodramatic, with the essence of a Bond movie theme, it's however very difficult to take the whole production seriously when one is watching a bearded "woman" perform it.

There has already been disagreement about Austria's choice of representative and now with the announcement of this song to a wider audience, it will only polarize the argument further. Russia's and Belarus' respective broadcasters have hitherto received petitions to edit Wurst out of the broadcast, but that action would contravene EBU rules.

Looking at the wider reaction, my belief is that the average Eurovision viewer is unlikely to vote this through, however good the song may be. It may qualify from its semi-final as, in general, the semis tend to have more "serious" Eurovision fans among its audience. Should it make the final, I think the song will find it tough to attract votes. Alternatively, it could "do" a Dana International and walk away with the whole thing.

Here's the video. What do you think?

  

Image (adapted) by Manfred Werner (Tsui) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Conchita Wurst to Represent Austria at Eurovision 2014

Conchita Wurst: By Manfred Werner (Tsui) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Following the announcements from San Marino and Macedonia of their participants at Eurovision 2014 (Valentina Monetta and Tijana Dapčević), Austria has become the third nation to reveal the artist to perform on its behalf: Conchita Wurst.

Conchita is no stranger to Eurovision, having taken part in Austria's national final in 2012, placing a creditable second with the song That's What I Am. Her internal selection for the 2014 Contest is causing some controversy, however - and that 2012 song title is a big clue to the reason.

Conchita Wurst was born Thomas Neuworth, but as you can see from the above image, 25-year-old Thomas is unsure of his true identity. Billed as a transvestite singer (you don't say!), Wurst first came to Austrian attention as Thomas (or Tom) on a TV talent show called Starmania, followed by a stint in a band called Jetzt Anders!

Eurovision beckoned and rewarded him with that runners-up position, even though his participation was treated as something of a joke. Now, Austria has no choice as Ms Wurst has been forced upon the nation.

So what? You might ask. A transvestite singer performing in Eurovision is nothing new. Remember Birmingham in 1998 and Dana International taking the prize with Diva for Israel or Verka Serduchka (the Dame Edna Everage of the Ukraine) coming second in 2007? I remember and it's probably that 1998 win which started the rot that had been hinted at over the preceding years. 

The Eurovision Song Contest had been criticized for its substandard role in the music world for a couple of decades or more before Dana International came along. With such a diverse range of nations and the need to appeal to an entire continent in a matter of three minutes, the quality of songs was never going to be consistent. In an effort to overcome that quality factor, several nations started sending acts that would divert our attention from the true spirit of the Contest: the best song. Of course, Eurovision is a visual spectacle too and this has led to a national three-minute entertainment package. 

For some inexplicable reason, the majority of those packages have become "novelty" acts or gimmicks. Many of them would not look out of place in the movie Caberet or its current West End incarnation. We can thank Dana International (minus the beard) for that. An act that transcended the gimmick but which, for better or Wurst, gave birth to the likes of Conchita.

I have no problem with diversity or novelty. After all, I'm a Eurovision fan of many years. However, sending an act that is reminiscent of a circus sideshow is not the way forward. In fact, it's a regressive step that will only make the Contest more of a laughing stock than it already is.

What do you think? Has Austria made the right choice? 

Eurovision 2013: Austria: Shine

Austria will be represented at Eurovision 2013 by the song Shine, sung by 18-year-old Natália Kelly.

Ms Kelly is a former child star in her home country and has also appeared on the The Voice in Austria. In February, she was one of five acts competing in the Austrian National Final of Eurovision and romped home as the clear winner.

Co-written by the beautiful Natália, Shine is a mid-tempo, anthemic-style belter that, to be honest, does not light up this writer. Yes, there is an obvious hook in the chorus, but my feeling is that it is not strong enough to reel in the voters of Europe. It stomps along, going nowhere, until the final few seconds when Natália ramps it up with some vocal gymnastics. Sorry Austria, however, I'm not impressed this year.

Shine will be performed first in the first semi-final, which already gives it something of a disadvantage. It may just scrape through to the final, but there are some strong contenders that will feature on the stage in Malmö on May 14th. [6/10].

What are your thoughts about the Austrian entry?

 

  Natália Kelly on iTunes

Eurovision 2012: Austria and Belarus Song Reviews

Over the past week, several nations have chosen their songs for Eurovision 2012, including Austria and Belarus. In fact, it's all change in Belarus as Alena Lanskaya has been thrown aside amid voting controversy. In her place comes the second placed act, Litesound.

However, let's start with Austria. They've chosen the wonderfully named duo Trackshittaz with the song Woki mit deim Popo, translated as Shake Your Ass. Resplendent with three pole dancers, the male duo have a good time shaking their rear ends to a track that sounds like something from The Beastie Boys' back catalogue. Lots of chanting, repetitive lyrics and a hip-hop beat that doesn't give up.

You're either going to love this one or hate it. Personally, I think it's a pile of TrackSHITtaz, but I have a sneaking feeling it will qualify for the final. 4/10.

On to Belarus, who we all thought had already decided upon its song. Originally, we thought it was Alena Lanskaya with All My Life, but her appearance at the semi-finals has been cut amid a row about some crafty voting irregularities. Step up boy band Litesound with the song, We Are the Heroes. Yes, leave it to Belarus to send a song with a title like that!

The song itself sounds a whole lot better than All My Life, but then so would a cat farting into a cup. We Are the Heroes is pretty much a generic power pop track with the drawback of some heavily accented vocals from the lead singer.

Depending on the strength of it competitors in its semi-final, the guitar thrashing, Eastern good looks and a relatively catchy chorus might see Belarus back in the Final. 5/10.