Review: Bulgaria | Intelligent Music Project | Intention

 

Bulgaria

Artist: Intelligent Music Project

Song: Intention

Bulgaria managed to beat Albania to the punch this year by becoming the first nation to announce its entry for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. The Intelligent Music Project will perform the song Intention in the hope that it will return the country to the Top Five for the first time since 2017.  

If last year's winner is anything to go by, to excel at Eurovision you need to stand out from the crowd through either sound or visuals, but ideally both. Måneskin had each in spades, along with a kind of undefinable charisma and passion. Bulgaria's supergroup follows the Italians' rock path although they veer off in a more conventional direction with a perfectly acceptable slice of classic rock that wouldn't sound out of place circa 1981.   

Intention is constructed very much in a way one might have expected a single release from Rainbow or Whitesnake back in the day. Some crashing guitars, thumping drums and a raspy lead singer, this time in the form of the seasoned Ronnie Romero who has enjoyed time with the aforementioned Rainbow. 

While one can't fault the professionalism and undoubted experience of the group, in many ways the track sounds out of place for a Eurovision song, although many could have said the same thing about Måneskin's offering. By comparison, though, it doesn't feel as if it ticks all of the required contemporary/modern boxes, instead appealing to the more mature "Dad" vote.

 

While the power of Zitti e buoni felt like a metaphorical fist to the stomach, Intention feels more of a stern slap on the wrist. Not as edgy nor as gritty. Intelligent Music Project has proven skills, both musically and vocally, but it's fair to say that this entry may struggle to gain universal appeal.

What do you think?

Bones / Equinox / Bulgaria | Review

Bulgaria has selected a supergroup of Bulgarian and American singers, forming the quintet known as Equinox. They will sing the Bulgarian selection Bones in the hope of returning the nation to the Eurovision Top 5 for the third consecutive time - or could it be a possible winner?

To excel at Eurovision with this type of downbeat song, it has to feel as if it radiates a certain amount of faith and passion. Honestly, Bones doesn’t enjoy too much of either. For this reason, it's fair to say that the entry has struggled to gain universal appeal.

While it's very stylish, in some ways it sounds too sombre for a Eurovision song, lacking a distinct (and some might say, obligatory) message. Nevertheless, it does have a very memorable chorus which is somewhat reminiscent of Rag'n'Bone Man's recent output. In that respect, it ticks all of the contemporary/modern boxes.

The same could be said about the styling of the group. In fact, contemporary is about now - their look is highly avant-garde, appearing as if they have just stepped out of a scene from a sci-fi film. Their vocals shine, though. Having heard a couple of live performances, the group sounds as if it is a unit of solid singers. So that should not be a concern come the night of their performance.

UPDATE: Bulgaria was one of the ten nations to qualify to the Grand Final on May 12.

Bulgaria 

Artist: Equinox

Song: Bones 

Semi-Final 1 | First Half

Eurovision 2016: Spotlight on Lithuania; Serbia; Bulgaria

Lithuania: Donny Montell with I've Been Waiting For This Night

Making a welcome return to the Eurovision stage is Lithuanian singer Donny Montell who first appeared at the Contest in 2012, blindfolded and singing Love is Blind.

On that occasion, he finished in 14th place performing an updated disco-style dancefloor track and now, four years later, I've Been Waiting For This Night seems to be his natural musical progression. In fact, the song is probably more contemporary 'Eurovision' than most featured in the competition. \

It ticks many of the required boxes: it's a somewhat overwrought clubland-style anthem building to a big chorus, but proves to be more animated than his last effort. It's snappy and should have enough popular appeal to make it through to the Final.

It's possibly a little too  generic to make significant headway on the scoreboard, but equalling his 2012 ranking shouldn't prove too much of a problem.

Appearance: Semi-Final 2, performing 9th.

Serbia: Sanja Vučić ZAA with Goodbye (Shelter)

Serbia is bidding to regain the Eurovision title using the talents of local singer Sanja Vučić - vocalist with the domestic band ZAA - performing the entry Goodbye (Shelter).

She brings something of an Amy Winehouse vibe to the competition, if her official video is anything to go by. She possesses a melodramatic performance style which gives this bluesy ballad a heightened sense of potency and intensity.

Hopefully, her team will take advantage of this and stage her presentation appropriately. Goodbye (Shelter) is blessed with a captivating melody and a classy hook, the abundance of which may take some by surprise.

If there's any justice, this should qualify and quickly climb the left-hand side of the Final's scoreboard.

Appearance: Semi-Final 2, performing 6th.

Bulgaria: Poli Genova with If Love Was A Crime

It's not only Donny Montell who is making a reappearance this year as 2011 veteran Poli Genova returns to the fray (as does her country, Bulgaria).

The Bulgarians record at Eurovision has been rocky (to say the least) since their début in 2005. With only one appearance in the Final, courtesy of Elitsa and Stoyan in 2007, Poli looks set to change her country's fortunes with the very catchy If Love Was A Crime.

Not surprisingly, the song is already established as one of the favourites for the title - and rightly so. It's a catchy, lively pop number with a memorable chorus and some contemporary effects, making it one of the most radio-friendly entries in the competition.

Expect to eventually see this in the Top 3 of its semi-final - something it could quite easily repeat in the Final.

Appearance: Semi-Final 2, performing 12th.

What are your thoughts about these entries?


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

Eurovision 2013: Bulgaria: Samo Shampioni

Elitsa and Stoyan to represent Bulgaria

Elitsa and Stoyan make a return to Eurovision for Bulgaria following their 2007 appearance where they secured fifth place with the song Water (Voda). 2013 sees them performing Samo Shampioni (Only Champions).

This was not the song that originally won the Bulgarian national final. At that time, two songs tied for first place with Kismet securing the win due to the weighting of the televoting over the jury result. However, it was later announced by the Bulgarian broadcaster that Samo Shampioni would instead represent the nation due to copyright issues with the song Kismet.

Sung in Bulgarian, the song is a frenetic mix of drums and percussion layered over a backing of ethnic instrumentation. Written by Elitsa together with Kristian Talev, the vocals have a very hypnotic Eastern feel to them, although halfway through the song the lyrics dry up completely.

While both Elitsa and Stoyan are very adept with a pair of drumsticks, this will have a tough time qualifying for the final. 6/10.

Bulgaria perform in seventh place in the second semi-final on May 16.

Image by Indrek Galetin [see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons