2020: United Kingdom: My Last Breath: James Newman

United Kingdom

Artist: James Newman

Song: My Last Breath

Automatic Finalist

These days the announcement of the United Kingdom's Eurovision songs comes with a large serving of trepidation and so it was with mixed feelings that I awaited the arrival of 2020's offering, James Newman's My Last Breath.

To find this year's hopeful, the British public was bypassed in favour of a collaboration between the BBC and a major record label. This change was a concerted effort to prise the UK out of the bottom five and lift the nation onto the left hand side of the scoreboard. The task was taken on by BMG which approached award-winning songwriter James Newman - the brother of successful vocalist John - who decided to accept what must seem like a daunting prospect. Having collaborated with some of the biggest names in recent music business history, he now steps into the spotlight as a featured vocalist.

As we all know, it has been in excess of twenty years since the Brits have stood on the winner's podium and various (sloppy) explanations have been given as to why - ranging from Iraq to neighbourly voting to, more recently, Brexit. In truth, it's been because the songs have just not been good enough. So, can James  change the UK's fortunes in 2020?

The simple answer is probably not. But that comes with a caveat: it was always going to take something astounding to bring the Brits back to the top of the scoreboard - although not astounding, My Last Breath feels like a huge leap in the right direction.

The song feels very current - a blend of what has been popular over the past few years: elements of Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi are woven into the structure of this mid-tempo, drum pounding ballad. There's a clever (hesitant) hook in the chorus which, after a couple of plays, sticks in the memory - so repeated promotion is going to be vital to draw interest.

However, that could be part of the problem with My Last Breath. Does it possess sufficient impact for first time listeners in May to remember it enough to vote for it? Fantastic staging and a credible live performance should enhance its chances greatly.

If that's achieved, it could mean the UK hands the wooden spoon to someone else in May. That said, it's also highly unlikely to be the winner.

What do you think?

2019: Latvia | Carousel | That Night

One night in Tel Aviv: Carousel travel to Israel

As one of the Contest's most incessantly under performing countries, Latvia's Eurovision entries are prone to fluctuate between pleasantly dodgy and thoroughly awkward. In essence, the Latvian's have been accountable for some enjoyable entries but, over the last few years, the votes have not come their way. Their last final was in 2016 when Justs managed a lowly 15th place, hot on the heels of one one their best entries, Animata's 6th placed Love Injected.

It's natural when nations experience an unusually bad run of results that urgent deliberations about withdrawing from the competition surface, but no such discussions among the Latvians appear to have taken place this year. Even so, there has possibly been some added pressure on them to get their 2019 entry just right and it is evident from That Night - a laid-back, bluesy type of song - that the direction of travel is the right one.

Out of the forty one songs taking part this year, it’s very probably not the first of them to immediately come to mind, but I have to concede a canny soft spot for this song. Where many entries emit a calculated stratagem, Carousel's That Night possesses an undeniably straightforward relaxing appeal. It’s also quite annoyingly catchy, drawing in the listener with a strange intensity.

There's scant support for this one, but as a stylish composition it may well be given a lift by the juries. My heart feels that it should qualify but my head says that Latvia will probably be overlooked once again.

Latvia

Artist: Carousel

Song: That Night

Semi-Final 2: First Half

Image: Courtesy Carousel Facebook page

2019: Estonia | Victor Crone | Storm

Victor Crone brings a different Storm to Israel

Estonia is a nation which really seems to understand Eurovision. You don't always find them on the left hand side of the scoreboard but their appreciation and undeniable passion for the competition usually promises a slick production.

This year they have gone all Swedish as the charismatic Victor Crone will be flying the flag for the country with his rather captivating entry, Storm. It has absolutely nothing to do with the UK's 2018 entry, only that it is pure pop with a strong build and chorus.

This is one of a few outright pop tunes in the first semi-final, and Victor is a more than capable vocalist who possesses bucket loads of charm. His performance at Eesti Laul was thoroughly captivating and juries are inclined to appreciate this type of catchy, well performed entry. Not only juries, but the voting public, too.

Estonia may benefit from performing in the second half of their semi-final - people tend to remember the later performing entries. What may spoil their prospects are the songs from countries such as Australia, Iceland and Portugal - all possessing a quirkiness which may pull votes away from Victor. Faced with that, could it be the type of song that a great deal of viewers will appreciate, but only a handful will be especially motivated to vote for?

This feels a strong enough entry to qualify - particularly as it possesses a Swedish connection. A really impressive performance should garner it plenty of support, even if there is some stiff competition in its semi. My inkling is that a place in the Grand Final beckons.

Estonia

Artist: Victor Crone

Song: Storm

Semi-Final 1: Second Half

2019: Italy | Mahmood | Soldi

Mahmood will perform Soldi in Tel Aviv

Over the years, particularly since their return to the Contest in 2011, it has been Italy’s undaunted attitude in sending entries which feel as if they refuse to cater to a Eurovision audience which has been the country's strength. It has also helped that they have delivered respected, proven acts with a genuine ability to perform live; big shoes newcomer Mahmood will have to fill when he takes to the stage in Tel Aviv.

He'll be performing Soldi (Money), a song which has already proved popular on streaming services such as Spotify and iTunes, and which has become a favourite among many of Eurovision's core fans.

Up until now, Mahmood's CV has consisted of appearances on Italy's version of The X-Factor in 2012, from which he was eliminated relatively early on. His victory at Sanremo was a surprise too, seemingly having been shunned by the public vote in the opening show. Even his final night votes came mainly from the press and jury rather than the public, leading to questions about his song's appeal to a wider Eurovision crowd.

Mahmood has said that Soldi is a very personal track which he relates to his father's departure from his life when he was a young child and how money can affect family ties. Compared to the majority of 2019's entries, it's probably the most contemporary, relevant and radio-friendly.

It's hip-hop without much hop, sounds as if it's a rap song - but isn't. Creatively, it suggests a poetic beginning moulded seamlessly to a backing track; Mahmood's vocal monotone in nature, imbued with emotive inflections.

Soldi could be one of those songs which is not only very dependent on the running order, but also on its promised Eurovision revamp. Picked to perform at the sweet spot or nearby and Mahmood could do very well. Ultimately, it probably isn’t the winner, but I think if he brings a convincing vocal and stage performance it will win through and maintain Italy’s sequence of creditable results.

Picture: Bart Ryker [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Italy

Artist: Mahmood

Song: Soldi

Big 5 Finalist

2019: Montenegro | D-Moll | Heaven

D-Moll: Heaven or hell for Montenegro in Tel Aviv?

In early February, Montenegro chose its latest Eurovision participants through a televised national final, Montevizija. The selection, which had five songs in the running, saw D-Moll win both voting rounds with their entry Heaven - ultimately winning with a 24% televote difference over the second placed act.

Like San Marino, Montenegro enjoyed their first Eurovision finals as an independent country five years ago and they have generally proven over succeeding contests that it wasn’t by accident. With the choice of Heaven, that observation may well now be up for debate.

As Balkan entries go, this is quite underwhelming in terms of its capacity to appeal to a wide cross-section of  Eurovision voters. Although it has a perky and upbeat personality, the whole production feels depressing, drab and dated. It's as if the song has been plucked from an earlier decade and awkwardly recycled for a 2019 audience.

For sure, there is a melody for Eurovision viewers to grasp, while the arrangement is quite inoffensive on the ears. However, the lyrically repetitive nature of the chorus adds little but a feeling of annoyance and a desire for it to finish as soon as possible.

Harsh words, yes. But a possible promised revamp by the Montenegrins may change minds about the likelihood of it qualifying in Semi Final 1. 

While it’s not impossible for D-Moll to reach the final with some improved staging and vocals, at the moment - based solely on the entry - I predict the group will be on an early flight home.

Montenegro

Artist: D-Moll

Song: Heaven

Semi-Final 1: First Half

2019: Australia | Kate Miller-Heidke | Zero Gravity

Kate Miller-Heidke: Tel Aviv bound

Kate Miller-Heidke topped the scoreboard at Australia's first Eurovision national final with the pop-opera song Zero Gravity.

Quite frankly, the whole thing is a shambles. Juries are likely to shun it and, from a Eurovision perspective, it is likely to follow in the footsteps of Sweden's 2009 effort or Romania's entry from 2013, rather than the more successful path enjoyed by Estonia 2018 (whose presentation Miller-Heidke looks to be emulating). Both of the former entries ended up outside of the Top 10 and, quite honestly, each of those countries can claim a lot more friends than Australia.

The public's response to the entire package may turn out more favourably as, for example, Romania’s Cezar (2013) found when he finished within the Top 10 in the televote, but flopped with the juries. So, while this genre of song may gain the goodwill of the public in May, it is likely to be a non-starter elsewhere - especially if other songs in Australia's semi gather more credible traction. Of course, this all depends on whether viewers will be sufficiently engaged with the song. Personally, about halfway through, I just wanted it all to stop. To be fair, I stayed with it, but towards the end it all got extremely monotonous. Consequently, this may well have grave implications for Australia’s televote, given that any interest in their highly camp presentation swiftly evaporates.

At the time of writing, only a few of the songs in Australia's semi-final have been announced. Their competition could be tough though, as the first semi-final contains several Eastern/Balkan nations. The Aussies could find themselves in a fight for points. 

Those points could be more forthcoming if they can revamp the production so that more surprises are provided as Zero Gravity unfolds. Then, a place in the Grand Final may not be in question.

What do you think?

Australia

Artist: Kate Miller-Heidke

Song: Zero Gravity

Semi-Final 1: Second Half

Photo: Eva Rinaldi [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons 

2019: United Kingdom | Michael Rice | Bigger Than Us

Big talent: Michael Rice to represent the United Kingdom

The BBC granted the UK another Eurovision national final this year, once again under the banner Eurovision: You Decide. The process was a little different this time, but it was Michael Rice with Bigger Than Us which topped the public vote and who will fly the British flag in Tel Aviv.

Six acts presenting three songs was the twist this year; each song nominated to be sung in two different styles by each of two singers. The "expert" panel, having eliminated three of the singers in the first round, left it to the public to choose between Kerrie-Anne's dated dance track Sweet Lies,  Jordan Clarke's nursery rhyme Freaks, and Michael's gospel-tinged offering.

Admittedly, none of the options was overly inspiring, but I feel Michael Rice pulled off the selection solely because of his outstanding vocals - lifting what could have been an unremarkable song to a whole different level.

21-year-old Rice is no stranger to the competitive talent show circuit, though, having appeared on The X-Factor in 2014 and winning the debut series of the BBC's All Together Now singing competition. His strong voice was evident there on songs such as Hallelujah and Proud Mary.

Bigger Than Us is constructed for Rice's style of vocalisation: a power ballad which grows to a mighty conclusion - possessing a well-placed key change and all held together with the help of a gospel choir backing. Think Austria 2018 and you may well notice some similarity.

Despite his lack of big-stadium experience, You Decide suggested Rice is an assured performer with good stage presence - albeit he does need to tone down the incessant arm waving before May. Nevertheless, there’s a real buzz building around this entry and I’m reasonably confident that we could be in for our first top ten placing in a decade. I can’t tell you how great it feels to be able to type those words.

United Kingdom

Artist: Michael Rice

Song: Bigger Than Us

Big 5 Finalist

2019: Czech Republic | Lake Malawi | Friend of A Friend

Getting friendly: Lake Malawi to represent the Czech Republic

Following a combined online public and international jury vote, the group Lake Malawi has won the right to represent  the Czech Republic at Eurovision 2019 with their song, Friend of a Friend. The four-piece band faced stern competition from pre-vote favourites Jakub Ondra with Space Sushi and Barbora Mochowa with True Colors, but managed to top the final poll after a close fought battle.

Comprised of Albert Cerný, Jeroným Šubrt, Antonín Hrabal and Pavel Palát, Lake Malawi is a recognised act in their homeland, having released their debut single, Always June, in 2014. This was a minor hit on the local music charts, but it was the follow-up, Chinese Trees, which brought the lads to greater public attention. Since then, they’ve released several other singles, an EP titled We Are Making Love Again, as well as their first album called Surrounded By Light.

Now comes Friend of a Friend which has a certain early-Eighties electronic vibe to it, although it comes across as a rather lightweight Howard Jones-style B-side. Moreover, it just does not have the dynamism and contemporary spirit of 2018’s Czech song from Mikolas Josef.

Against Lie to Me it sounds rather second rate which is a disappointment considering the group's other indie output. Conversely, there is something charming about the song: It does possess a memorable chorus which at least gives it some capacity to pinch a few points from both the juries and the public and possibly scrape through its semi-final.

It's not exactly my pick, but I think there’s sufficient here for it to become a potential qualifier. However, the Final will be more of a concern. It could easily be the kind of song that is overlooked in a bigger, tougher field.

So, can the Czech Republic make the Final twice in a row? The track is catchy, but is that enough?

Czech Republic 

Artist: Lake Malawi

Song:  Friend of a Friend

Semi-Final: 1 | First Half

2019: France | Bilal Hassani | Roi

Bilal Hassani

Bilal Hassani expectedly won the right to represent France in Tel Aviv with the song Roi, although it was not as smooth a passage to the Eurovision final as some might have forecast.

Once again, decided by way of the French national final Destination Eurovision, Hassani had to endure a vote of indifference from most of the international judges selected to award fifty percent of the points. It was only a landslide of public votes which saved the 19-year-old from a loss to second placed Seemone with Tous les deux: the favourite with the judges.

Whether either song possesses the power to break France's 42 year run of losses is highly speculative, but the feeling here is that it is distinctly unlikely that Roi will break into the Top 10.

Alas, the lineup at DE 2019 was fairly dull, so it was really no surprise that Hassani's more vibrant and personal performance would stand out against the competition. Unfortunately, the song (co-written with France's 2018 contestants, Madame Monsieur) sounds like a substandard protest, full of hackneyed phrases aimed at the now generation of youngsters seemingly so consumed with their identity.

It was mainly due to this set of fans that Hassani crossed the finish line in first place. However, the wider Eurovision audience is unlikely to be so adoringly fervent about Roi, particularly if Hassani turns in a similarly substandard vocal in Israel.

There has been a strong case that France needed to move forward with their Eurovision choices. Over more recent years, one can argue that they have really tried. While this song fits in nicely with 2019 sensibilities, it nevertheless feels as if it is a step backwards and, consequently, unlikely to do any major damage in May.

Roi is not necessarily bad, it's just that Bilal Hassani does not provide it with the irresistibly fascinating performance that some might think he does.

What are your thoughts?

France 

Artist: Bilal Hassani

Song:  Roi

Big 5

2019: Spain | Miki | La Venda

Unlike Spain's 2016 effort by Barei (remember Say Yay?), the country's latest Eurovision entry is unlikely to become that sort of radio friendly hit which stormed up the iTunes chart well in advance of the national final - or indeed the Grand Final in May.

Miki's La Venda (Blindfold) does, however, follow the current musical fad for Latin based rhythms and it would have been a sin had Spain not latched on to this trend - it is a Spanish entry, after all!

Over the past few years, the country has produced what should have been some genuinely competitive entries – among them Edurne, Barei and last year's ballad from Amaia and Alfred - only to see them wind up near the bottom of the scoreboard.

However, what might go in their favour this year is a positive return to the unique Iberian style that Spain can generally be expected to supply. La Venda is catchy and uptempo - the sort of thing one would normally expect from the Spanish.

As Eurovision entries go though, the song is fairly innocuous and Miki will have to improve the quality of his presentation skills if he is to garner enough votes to make much of an impression. A competent, compelling performance is what is required.

One thing that was apparent from the national final was that Miki's vocals need to improve dramatically if this entry is going to be a contender. He sounded out of tune for much of the three minutes. And while the Latin beat and football-style chanting demand a party atmosphere, Miki's stage presence nevertheless comes across as somewhat clumsy and lacking in poise. This makes him look more of an exuberant amateur than a potential global pop star.

Still, these are all problems which can be rectified with the help of a more slick and competent presentation – something the Spanish team will hopefully try to put together between now and May.

Nevertheless, juries will probably hate the song. So the whole package will have to be memorable, energetic and entertaining enough for the viewing public to rush to vote. I can't see that happening at this point, so Spain looks likely to suffer yet another disappointing year.

What do you think?

Spain 

Artist: Miki

Song:  La Venda

Big 5

2019: Albania | Jonida Maliqi | Ktheju Tokës

Jonida Maliqi to represent Albania in Tel Aviv

The Eurovision season has officially kicked off with Albania providing the first of the competition's 42 entries for 2019 courtesy of the country's annual songfest, Festivali i Këngës.

FiK saw some changes to its evergreen setup this year with the lucky semi-finalists presenting their songs on the second night in a more Eurovision-friendly format, having otherwise performed with the traditional orchestra.

For a nation with a rather modest Eurovision track record, Albania has had an admirable run of dynamic songs - albeit voters do not consistently rate them. Whether this year's winner will find favour is up for debate but Jonida Maliqi will take her entry Ktheju Tokës to Israel with high hopes.

Jonida is something of a FiK pro, having taken part in the festival at an early age on several occasions during the 1990s. Her previous best result came in 1999, placing second with Do jetoj pa ty (I'll Live Without You). Her influences seem to be folk-inspired pop, though with ethnic flourishes and the usual wailing over a prominent back beat.

In some ways, Albania feels as if it has taken a step backwards with this entry. After the more contemporary rock offering from Eugent Bushpepa earlier in the year, the nation has reverted to type by delivering yet another anguished solo female singer as its representative.

That's not to say that all is grim in the Albanian camp. Jonida has an obviously imposing stage presence - particularly in the presentation of this song - along with an impressive vocal ability.

The problem is that Ktheju Tokës is unlikely to have wide appeal outside of its target audience i.e. the Balkan region. It is reported that the song will not be given an English makeover (good thing), so the impact of its lyrical content about emigration and the difficulties with leaving one's homeland will presumably be lost to most listeners. 

It remains to be seen whether Ktheju Tokës will receive a (usual) revamp into a more accessible arrangement for Eurovision. Whatever happens, Jonida will have to rely on the strength of the melody - as well as the staging which looks to be based on a contemporary dance routine. For me, there's just a little too much angst and howling in its present form.

Consequently, its capacity for success is difficult to really judge – it is early days and the song could well sound somewhat different by the time it reaches Tel Aviv. While it’s a provocative composition, I suspect it does not possess that killer hook to attract a broad spectrum of voters. However, it will surely stand out against the host of dance tunes and more predictable ballads contending for the title in May.

As much as it would be great to see Albania win the crown at some point, my hunch is that 2019 is unlikely to be their year.

Can Albania qualify again?

Albania 

Artist: Jonida Maliqi

Song:  Ktheju Tokës

Semi-Final: 2 | Second Half

Eurovision 1980: And The UK's 12 Points Go to...Ireland!

Johnny Logan celebrates his 1980 Eurovision win

Single: Johnny Logan - What's Anther Year?

Having won the Contest in 1979, it was expected that Israel would host Eurovision in 1980. However, the cost of hosting two consecutive major productions proved prohibitive for the Israelis who eventually passed the baton to the Dutch; the Spanish and the British reportedly having already refused to do the honours.

So, the Contest returned to the Nederlands Congresgebouw (now the World Forum) in The Hague - the venue for the 1976 competition. Sadly, Israel did not participate due to April 19 being the country's Day of Remembrance.

It was here that Ireland registered its second win (following Dana's victory in The Netherlands in 1970) with Johnny Logan singing What's Another Year? The song scored remarkably consistently, eventually securing seven sets of top marks - including 12 points from The United Kingdom.

In fact, this wasn't the first time that Logan had attempted to represent Ireland. He had tried in 1979 with the song Angie, but could only manage third place at the Irish National Final. Actually, he wasn't even the first choice to sing What's Another Year? That honour had fallen to Irish showband singer Glen Curtin who had declined to do it. Nevertheless, having won his national vote, Logan travelled to The Hague and drew to perform seventeenth (out of 19) on the night.

Once the voting began, his entry had secured its first set of 12 points from the Greeks - the third nation to announce its scores. However, at this point, it looked as if the host nation may run away with the victory. When Luxembourg, the fourth nation to reveal its points, gave their top marks to the Netherlands, Maggie MacNeal's Amsterdam had now received three sets of top marks.

Johnny Logan in 1980

Still, it wasn't to last. MacNeal's popularity waned while Logan began to secure points from all dozen or so of the remaining nations to vote beginning with Denmark (12 points) and ending with Belgium (12 points). In fact, the UK's top marks for Ireland came off the back of two previous maximum scores for Logan - those from Norway and Germany.

At this point in the proceedings, only Germany appeared to be scoring consistently enough to possibly catch him. However, not even Katja Ebstein's Theater could narrow the gap sufficiently, leaving Logan to secure 143 points for the win - a clear fifteen points ahead of Germany.

As a close neighbour of Ireland, it was probably unsurprising that What's Another Year? would benefit from a high UK score. What was possibly more surprising was its commercial success in the UK, given that the British Number 1 spot had become an infrequent home for Eurovision winners.

Proving that assumption incorrect, Logan spent two weeks at the top of the UK charts as well as enjoying great chart success with the song across Western Europe.

The UK's Top 3 in 1980

• Ireland: What's Another Year? - Johnny Logan (12 pts)
• Germany: Theater - Katja Ebstein (10 pts)
• Luxembourg: Papa Pingouin - Sophie and Magaly (8 pts)

Images by Hans van Dijk / Anefo [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

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

Lost and Found / Eye Cue / North Macedonia | Review

Eye Cue: will they lose or find a place in the finals?

Over the years, North Macedonia has suffered a 'crossover' problem at Eurovision: much of their output has been lapped up by their Balkan neighbours but those voters further afield have been much less willing to award their entries many points.

Consequently, since 2008, they have only managed to progress to the Grand Final on one occasion when Kaliopi rose to 13th place with Crno i belo. It doesn't mean that their entire Eurovision back catalogue is dross as many of their songs have been reasonably acceptable. It's just that a lot of their entries sound 'foreign' to those listening outside of the Balkans.

Performed in English, co-written and produced by celebrated North Macedonian songwriter Darko Dimitrov, Eye Cue's Lost and Found appears to be an effort to focus on this predicament.

There’s much to enjoy about this song even if it sounds somewhat confusing. Eye Cue deliver a contemporary performance and the entry is a much more international production that’s only somewhat impaired by the fact that it sounds as if they have welded two or three different songs together. It moves from reggae to dubstep to dance to rock/pop without too much effort but it does sound rather clunky. Even so, it’s modern and is certainly a lot more accessible than many previous North Macedonian entries.

There is a concern, though, that in attempting to attract a wider audience, North Macedonia may have now caused themselves to become too inconspicuous. In a way, it's a no-win situation for the country. However, this style of song could be a much easier sell than an ethnic foreign language track like 2013's Pred da se razdeni, but it looks as if it's going to encounter a lot of opposition this year.

It would be a pity if North Macedonia missed out on the Grand Final once more, as there is a lot to like about this. At the moment, it’s an entry that is a borderline qualifier – and Semi-Final 1 seems to have many of those.

Image: Andres Putting Eurovision.tv

North Macedonia 

Artist: Eye Cue

Song: Lost and Found 

Semi-Final 1 | Second Half

When We're Old / Ieva Zasimauskaitė / Lithuania | Review

Ieva Zasimauskaitė

Thus far, Lithuania has only managed two Top 10 finishes out of eighteen attempts, so it’s easy to make light of their chances amid the hoopla of Eurovision selections. Of course, it would be bonkers to reject them out of hand as they have a tendency to edge their way into the Grand Final at the expense of some other highly favoured entries. Their odds are pretty lengthy this time around as well, but can Ieva Zasimauskaitė's When We're Old continue the country's sequence of qualifiers?

A few Eurovision experts attribute Lithuania’s regular appearance in the Grand Final as a consequence of diaspora voting. This is certainly undeniable – they constantly chalk up a respectable points tally from the UK and Ireland where there is quite a sizable Lithuanian presence.

The UK and Ireland will vote in Lithuania’s semi-final once again this year - so no change there - but I wonder if When We're Old will have enough clout to really make an impression? It's not that it is a weak song; it's a quite moving ballad with some emotionally charged lyrics and proposed staging. Ieva's vocals cope very well but the song itself is inescapably low-key. So I ask myself if many - having watched the full lineup of songs - will feel that it justifies their vote?

For that reason, I consider Lithuania's effort to be either a borderline qualifier or to end up somewhere in the last quarter of the finals board.

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

Lithuania 

Artist: Ieva Zasimauskaitė

Song: When We're Old 

Semi-Final 1 | First Half

Toy / Netta / Israel | Review

Netta: Toy-ing with the competition?

If ever a Eurovision entry shouted ‘fan favourite’ then this year it’s Israel's Toy performed by reality show champ Netta Barzilai. The production has an overlay of several musical genres and it possesses the mood and mighty chorus that has made it the holy grail of entries among the type of die-hards for whom the Contest is beyond an annual distraction. The fans, however, hardly ever select the winner, which makes one speculate whether Israel might be in for another disappointment.

Having said that, there has been nothing quite like this at Eurovision before and for many observers the song has come out of left field and punched them between the eyes. While it might be loved by the hardcore fans, it has really become a 'take it or leave it' entry, polarising opinion among those who have had the chance to hear it.

Following the chicken clucks at the intro (yeah, really!), Toy becomes a current, memorable creation. Netta has a potent, offbeat voice while her reality experience should equate to a solid television performance.

What perhaps cannot be underestimated is the lyrical content. It appears to have been picked up by the #MeToo movement which is currently riding the crest of a wave. Add to that Netta's (sometimes outrageous) appearance and anything is possible once a wider voting audience has seen the entire production.

Ultimately, Israel's position seems quite precarious. Netta's vocal looper is gone; the instrument that helped get her to Lisbon has had to be discarded on the orders of the EBU. As a result, backing singers provide that vocalisation, sterilising the overall impact of the song. Rehearsals so far seem pretty underwhelming, so I wouldn't say that Jerusalem 2019 is necessarily a foregone conclusion.

However, as much as I dislike Toy, it's obviously got a lot of support and will definitely be in the mix on May 12.

Israel 

Artist: Netta

Song: Toy 

Semi-Final 1 | First Half

Together / Ryan O’Shaughnessy / Ireland | Review

Ryan O'Shaughnessy

Back in early March, ex-Britain's Got Talent competitor Ryan O'Shaughnessy finally released his Eurovision entry, a guitar-led song called Together.

Self-penned as part of a team of  writers called The Nucleus, it is a somewhat sugary ballad which on first listening comes across as rather ordinary and uninteresting.

In musical terms, it is undoubtedly a song which conforms to the ‘conventional Irish ballad’ benchmark that we have come to expect from Ireland over recent years. Unfortunately, while it wanders along in a pleasant manner, it lacks any genuine 'wow factor' and demonstrates little evidence of real progression.

Shaughnessy’s vocals have a gentle quality that remind me of a watered down version of Ed Sheerhan - sadly, too much folk but not enough commercial appeal. A pity, as he’s obviously gifted but, as a Eurovision entry, this really isn’t going to raise Ireland's qualification prospects.

Ireland 

Artist: Ryan O'Shaughnessy

Song: Together 

Semi-Final 1 | Second Half

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