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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 Sadly, they only add to the overall out-of-date whiff of stale cheese.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.

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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.

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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.

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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!)

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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.

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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!

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X My Heart / AISEL / Azerbaijan | Review

AISEL: the representative for Azerbaijan

Whatever is said about Azerbaijan, it's difficult to dispute that the country knows how to go about conceiving a fiercely compelling Eurovision product. Whatever their selection process, they tend to come up with a similar outcome: a sharp, contemporary composition paired with impressive stagecraft. Their 2018 entry, X My Heart performed by local beauty AISEL, is no exception - once again relying on Eurovision writers who know how to create songs that are inclined to score well.

Penned by the dream team of Dimitris Kontopoulos, Tim Bran and Sandra Bjurman, X My Heart is quite the recovery of form for Azerbaijan and could turn out to be very competitive in Lisbon. It is a superior pop anthem which is not a million miles from the sound of SuRie's United Kingdom effort - only featuring more intense production values.

This is the type of entry which usually stacks up to be a big fan favourite, but much of Eurovision fandom has been strangely quiet about its chances. The reason may be that there is a characterless dimension to the song, giving it a 'we've-heard-it-all-before' quality. Consequently, this may also hamper its chances with the wider Eurovision audience on the night.

Nevertheless, I feel there's little doubt that this entry will qualify to the Grand Final and that the Azeri team will create an extravagant stage performance around it. Whether it will be memorable enough to push Azerbaijan back into the Top 10 is debatable, but X My Heart has the quality to be knocking on that door.

Azerbaijan 

Artist: AISEL

Song: X My Heart 

Semi-Final 1 | First Half

Eurovision 2016: Spotlight on Czech Republic; Azerbaijan; Malta

Czech Republic: Gabriela Gunčíková with I Stand

It seems the Czech Republic have finally figured out this Eurovision malarky. Last year, they sent a very creditable entry as their comeback song, only to see it founder in the semi-finals.

I Stand, their 2016 effort, is by far the country's most commercially creditable offering - at least, to Western ears - and has every chance of pushing the Czechs through to the Final for the first time. Why? Because it's the kind of towering, pot-boiler of a ballad that the core Eurovision audience loves - and will appeal appreciably to a number of the national juries.

Gabriela also serves up her own brand of visual attraction, ably supplementing the glamour stakes alongside her semi-final competitors Ira Losco, Iveta Mukuchyan and Samra - who also provide similarly dramatic compositions.

Will there be enough support to see them all into the Final, though?  Up until now, the Czech Republic has proved to be the weakest link. Hopefully, this year, I Stand will convince voters otherwise.

Appearance: Semi-Final 1, performing 10th.

Azerbaijan: Samra with Miracle

Despite not performing as well as expected in 2015, when Elnur Hüseynov's Hour of the Wolf ended up languishing in twelfth place, Azerbaijan return to Eurovision with a fierce mid-tempo ballad sung by local beauty, Samra Rahimli.

Miracle is a mighty pop number penned by (surprise, surprise) a trio of Swedes who seem to have a habit of composing entries with contemporary production values and dynamically captivating melodies. Azerbaijan appear to have struck gold with this one because it ticks many of the boxes required to be successful in Stockholm.

The only factor holding this one back could be Samra's inconsistent live vocals, but if she overcomes this obstacle then she should fly through the semi-final and score very well on Final's night. 

Appearance: Semi-Final 1, performing 14th.

Malta: Ira Losco with Walk on Water

 

Not content with the first review, Malta pull off 'a Belarus' and replace (the publicly-voted-for) national final winner, Chameleon, with the more satisfying - and ultimately, competitive - composition, Walk on Water.

While not a universally-supported decision at the time - what was the point of a national final and what about all those phone charges raked in during the public vote? - the Maltese appear to have deflected much of the criticism in coming up with a much more contemporary and exhilarating contribution.

Walk on Water is a bold, in-your-face pop anthem which possesses a naggingly incessant back beat, while its (somewhat) repetitive gospel-style hook manages to reel in the listener by the end of its three minutes. And those 'uh-oh-ohs' are a bit of a tease, too: where have we heard those before?

Of course, Ira is something of a Eurovision veteran herself, so expect a very professional and confident performance when she takes to the stage at the climax to the first semi-final. She should be equally confident of a place in the Final.

Look for Walk on Water to stroll into the Top 10.

Appearance: First Semi-Final, performing 18th.

What do you think of these songs?


All images by Albin Olsson (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Review: Azerbaijan: Eurovision 2015 | Elnur Hüseynov

Elnur Hüseynov returns to the Eurovision stage

The last time we saw Elnur Hüseynov on a Eurovision stage was back in 2008 when, dressed as an angel, he was half of the duo Elnur and Samir which presented Azerbaijan's debut entry, Day After Day. He now returns to the Contest with the song Hour of the Wolf, having been internally selected to represent Azerbaijan once again.

This time, there are no ridiculously excessive operatic elements to contend with, but instead, the ballad is punctuated with powerful gospel sections supplied by rousing choral voices. So much better than its predecessor from Dilara Kazimova; the brooding melody of Hour of the Wolf feels as if it is taking the listener on a journey, each exhilarating chorus building a dramatic sense of anticipation as the climax of the song approaches.

Once the choir combines with Elnur's voice and the rush of the unexpected key change hits, the song suddenly reaches dizzying heights, before the afterglow moment kicks in and everyone needs a cigarette.

If this roller-coaster of emotions can be cleverly re-enacted on stage in Vienna, there's no telling how well this song can score. Juries always oblige great vocals with plenty of points, so Azerbaijan's fate will almost certainly be in the hands of the public. A return to the Eurovision Top 10 is easily achievable with this, though.

What do you think?

Image by Daniel Aragay [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Start A Fire: Azerbaijan

Dilara Kazimova: Courtesy YouTube

In early March, Azerbaijan chose its entry for Eurovision following a long process of auditions and heats to determine the national winner.

In the end, the song Start A Fire sung by the rather beautiful Dilara Kazimova emerged as the victor.

It's not the first time that Dilara has tried her hand at the Eurovision Song Contest. She participated in both the 2008 and 2010 national heats, but as a member of two different bands.

Placing second on both of those occasions, she has now gone one better and sings this somewhat sleepy, if not melancholy, ballad.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Azerbaijan is relying on the tried and trusted Swedish songwriter to bring the competition back to Baku: Stefan Örn. He was involved with country's entries between 2010 and 2012, co-writing their 2011 winner Running Scared.

Unfortunately, in a year when ballads prevail, this one is not particularly conspicuous. It does not carry a discernible hook, but the inclusion of the Azerbaijani musical instrument, the balaban, does give it a haunting quality. Whether this is enough to grab voters' attention remains to be seen.

With just six songs failing to make the cut in the first semi-final, I have a suspicion that Azerbaijan won't be in that group. In fact, the nation's Eurovision history shows that it has secured a Top 10 placing every year since it first entered the competition in 2008 and I can't see that changing. This is just not the winner.

Eurovision 2013: Azerbaijan: Hold Me

Azerbaijan is sending Farid Mammadov to Malmö with the song Hold Me as its Eurovision representative for 2013.

Mammadov is 21-years-old and has released previous singles before his selection for Eurovision. Involved in music for most of his life, this handsome singer became the nation's choice from a field of ten finalists at the Azerbaijani National Final held in mid-March.

The song Hold Me is written by Dimitris Kontopoulos, with lyrics by John Ballard and Ralph Charlie. It's a strong ballad with a very memorable chorus that will have many singing along after just a couple of listens. Mammadov handles the vocals very well and, along with his looks, will no doubt garner a lot of votes. This will easily qualify for the final and could secure a top five placing overall. 8/10.

Azerbaijan will perform in fourth place (out of seventeen) during the second semi-final on May 16.

 

Image: By Sergey Illin (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons