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 Sadly, they only add to the overall out-of-date whiff of stale cheese.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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A Matter of Time / Sennek / Belgium | Review

Is it only A Matter of Time for another Belgian victory?

A Matter of Time is an impressive illustration of a Eurovision song which, for the listener, combines a couple of irresistible ingredients. The Belgian singer Sennek (Laura Groeseneken) is a rather engaging performer who presents an entry containing a bluesy, retro melody which wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack of a James Bond movie.

As we have come to expect of recent offerings from Belgium, it's a well-produced track which could easily have been released by a contemporary female singer such as Adele, for instance.  Somehow, the track just sounds right.

A song like A Matter of Time requires an evocative, if not nostalgic, vocal style which Sennek manages to provide - on the studio recording at least. There may be a question over her live vocal – she can sing - but she can she deliver the nuances this song demands live in Lisbon?

Her pre-Eurovision performances suggest that her vocals are solid enough - a plus, then - although Belgium have been drawn early in the first half of their semi-final: not an ideal draw. This is a very likable entry, but qualification may not be the foregone conclusion that many have predicted.

Image by Adrivaliente [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Belgium 

Artist: Sennek

Song: A Matter of Time 

Semi-Final 1 | First Half

Eurovision 1978: And The UK's 12 Points Go to...Belgium!

Eurovision 1978: Jean Vallée sings for Belgium

"And our twelve points go to..."

With the victory of L'oiseau et l'enfant by Marie Myriam at the 1977 competition, the Eurovision Song Contest travelled to Paris in 1978 - specifically the Palais des congrès.

It was there where we learned that it would be Israel's year, winning the coveted crown for the first time since her début in 1973. In fact, it was the Middle Eastern nation which pocketed the most maximum scores on the night, with six countries awarding Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta's A-Ba-Ni-Bi their twelve points.

However, that song was not everyone's favourite. Five nations much preferred the entry which had been performed tenth out of that year's field of twenty: L'amour, ça fait chanter la vie, Belgium's effort sung by crooner Jean Vallée.

The United Kingdom was among that quintet, which included Ireland, Greece, Monaco and France.

Jean Vallée in 1970

In fact, Vallée was no stranger to the Eurovision stage. In 1970, he had previously competed for Belgium with the song Viens, l'oublier (Come, Forget Him), but in a year which was dominated by both Ireland and the UK, his song was only able to accumulate five points and finish joint eighth.

1978 would be different, though. At the point when the UK awarded Belgium its maximum score, the Belgian song had already received two sets of twelve marks and only two points separated it from the consistently high scoring Israeli entry.

However, although Vallée would be awarded the top score two more times, it was following the British vote when A-Ba-Ni-Bi really began to motor. Israel was immediately gifted a collection of five consecutive twelve points and the writing was on the wall for L'amour, ça fait chanter la vie. By the time the voting was completed, Belgium had to be content with a very worthy second place - albeit 32 points behind the Israeli winner.

A-Ba-Ni-Bi seemed as if it should have been the natural recipient of the the UK's twelve points; a song crafted in the style of several of the then-recent British entries - very bouncy and very catchy. So, it was something of a surprise when Belgium bagged our top score.

Nevertheless, there's no doubting that the late-lamented Jean Vallée was a gifted performer and a superb singer, but his vocal style was very much a throwback to a bygone era - even for the late 1970s. L'amour, ça fait chanter la vie sounded as if it was straight out of the Jacques Brel songbook and Vallée's dramatic vocals and story-telling quality echoed his countryman at his best.

In retrospect, Israel's entry was perhaps the more logical winner as it reflected one of several popular music genres of the era: the disco craze. However, the Belgian song - while an excellent example of its type - appeared to be completely out of step with the times.

The UK's Top 3 in 1978

Belgium: Jean Vallée: L'amour, ça fait chanter la vie - 12 points
Monaco: Caline and Olivier Toussaint: Les jardins de Monaco - 10 points
France: Joël Prévost: Il y aura toujours des violons - 8 points

B&W image by Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 - negatiefstroken zwart/wit, nummer toegang 2.24.01.05, bestanddeelnummer 923-3710 (Nationaal Archief) [CC BY-SA 3.0 nl], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2016: Review: Belgium: Laura Tesoro - What's the Pressure?

Laura Tesoro sings for Belgium

Over recent years, Belgium has had to endure a roller-coaster ride of Eurovision results. Only three times in the last decade has the country managed to book a place in the Grand Final. This year, Laura Tesoro is hoping that she can follow in Loïc Nottet's impressive fourth-placed footsteps with her song What's the Pressure?

The Belgian national final was a strong reminder of how the UK used to choose its entry: a somewhat cut-price television show containing under par songs by singers that virtually no-one has ever heard of.

What's the Pressure? was the best of this so-so bunch, but nevertheless reflects what has been popular on global charts over the past year or so. It possesses an incessant club beat along with an obvious brass backing which gives one the impression that it was birthed out of the same mould as Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk in a mashup with Fleur East's Sax.

On the face of it, this should be the ideal combination for Eurovision. High energy dance tunes generally do well, but it feels as if a vital component is lacking which is likely to see the song ultimately fail. After several listens, it becomes obvious that it is Laura's vocals.

No-one is about to accuse her of a bad voice, she just has the wrong voice for What's the Pressure? What it needs is a ballsier execution, a vocal weapon that Laura does not have in her armoury. A shame really as a funkier interpretation could have seen this song do pretty well.

Having just been handed a second half berth in the second semi-final, this is likely to boost its chances of qualifying - particularly if it is surrounded by a glut of ballads. Other than that, it's doubtful that What's the Pressure? will trouble the left hand side of the scoreboard.

What do you think?

Review: Belgium: Eurovision 2015 | Loïc Nottet

Loïc Nottet promises rhythm on the Eurovision stage in Vienna

It has been known for some time that former contestant on 'The Voice Belgique', Loïc Nottet, would represent Belgium in the 60th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Last night, it was revealed by the French language national Belgian broadcaster that the 18-year-old will perform the song Rhythm Inside in Vienna.

The lyrics are by Beverly Jo Scott, Loïc Nottet's former coach on the TV talent show, while the music is composed by the singer himself.  Nottet has said that Rhythm Inside is intended to remind everyone that "the direction one wants in life is dictated by one's choices". Not a new message then, but the pair seem to have resolutely deviated from the norms of the Eurovision soundscape in creating a contemporary pop song flavoured with a fusion of electro and hip-hop sounds.

The influence on Rhythm Inside is starkly obvious, though: the track is undoubtedly a page ripped from the Lorde songbook. In 2014, Teo's Cheesecake borrowed heavily from Blurred Lines; this year the rhythm inside the melody of the Belgian entry plunders the elements that made Royals so popular. Even the near carbon copy vocal intonation is difficult to deny.

In most respects, it's not complicated to understand why. Amongst Nottet's well-respected team is Stuart Hawkes, one of the producers involved with this song and who has also been behind the mixing controls for Lorde (and Amy Winehouse and Sam Smith, among others). A coincidence? Perhaps, perhaps not.

Regardless, some of the highest production values for a Eurovision song are involved here and these should have a positive influence on Rhythm Inside's chances of success - notwithstanding it's modern, upbeat sound. It's just a shame that, in some respects, the comparisons will fuel suspicions of plagiarism in some quarters.

Nevertheless, it's a slick, appealing tune and I understand that Loïc is involved with the choreography, styling and visual effects in Vienna. It's likely to be something very different from what we usually see on the Eurovision stage: a simple theme of black and white, including robotics and the obligatory glitter.

If the Belgian team can pull all of this together on the night(s), there's a distinct possibility that Eurovision could come to Brussels in 2016. Deservedly so.

Eurovision 2014: Belgium: Mother

Axel Hirsoux: Courtesy YouTube

In the end, it was a convincing win for the song Mother, sung by Axel Hirsoux, at the 2014 Eurovision Belgian national final last weekend.

Held in Antwerp, the culmination of several weeks of knock-out rounds was a change in the way the entry from Belgium had been selected over the last few years.

We had become used to an internal selection, but a change in format saw an international jury and public telephone votes select what was probably the best of the six songs up for scrutiny. In fact, it was a runaway victory for the portly Hirsoux, whose closest rival trailed him by more than 140 points.

In many ways, its victory is not surprising. Mother is a simple ballad with a powerful and touching lyric that crosses international boundaries. Hirsoux's clear, soaring voice helps the song to fly effortlessly from quiet beginning, to glide at the crescendo of the chorus, then return smoothly to a tranquil conclusion.

Some might say it's mawkish and cliché ridden, which it probably is. However, it's going to appeal to a certain demographic and will no doubt tug at some heartstrings. With a strong vocal and uncomplicated presentation, this one should sail through its semi and cause some trouble at the top of the final scoreboard.

Eurovision 2013: Belgium: Love Kills

 

Roberto Bellarosa: Love Kills

Belgium have not qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest final since 2010, when the representative song was Me and My Guitar. This year the country is hoping for better things with the selection of Love Kills sung by 18-year-old Roberto Bellarosa.

Like Tom Dice, Bellarosa is a product of a TV reality show. In the case of the latter, it was as the winner of The Voice Belgique that brought him to public attention. On the back of this success, he has since released an album, Ma Voie, which took him into the Belgian Top 20. This prompted his choice as singer of the Belgian entry which has been written by Iain Farquharson and Jukka Immonen.

Having read comments from other Eurovision fans it seems that I am in a minority for liking Love Kills. Yes, it does sound like something you might hear from a substandard boy band, but it does have a strong hook and this is necessary when we're talking about this competition. It will no doubt have the audience up on their feet dancing along to its electronic back beat, which can only help its chances of qualifying.

Bellarosa will perform the song in 15th position of the first semi-final on May 14.

What do you think of his chances on advancing to the Final?