Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final 1: How They Stack Up

Let's take a look at ten of the first semi-finalists for the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest and some personal thoughts on what might and might not qualify for the Grand Final on May 22.

1. Lithuania: The Roop - Discoteque

Like many of the artists this year, The Roop return and this, their 2021 effort, was one of the early favourites but has recently faded in the face of more supposedly-popular entries.

The whole concept showcases the quirkiness that the modern day Contest demands: crazy choreography and staging, bright costumes and a song that worms its way into your head whether you want it to or not!

Consequently, I can see this qualifying for the final with ease. Once there, it's the type of presentation and song that is likely to stick in the memory of the casual viewer. It should do well and a Top 10 place is not out of the question.

2. Slovenia: Ana Soklič - Amen

Ana is back in the competition too and has, unfortunately, been hidden away in position two by the producers - the notoriously difficult Eurovision starting place. 

Ana is no slouch in the vocal department though and sings Amen - a big, ballsy ballad - with great aplomb. The backing track emits some distinct gospel vibes throughout and Ana takes us and the song to church! 

However, although she is probably the one of the most accomplished vocalists in the competition, she is going to need some divine intervention to help her through to the final. This semi-final looks tough and I feel Ana will be one of its casualties.

3. Russia: Manizha - Russian Woman

Manizha replaces Little Big as Russia's Eurovision representative with an empowering anthem aggrandizing the development of the Russian Woman.

Even after hearing the song several times, it's still not one which has climbed my personal ranking very far. At first, I didn't care for it at all but once it reaches its 'Fiddler on the Roof' style refrain, it becomes a little more tolerable. 

Whether Europe will tolerate it enough to push it through to the final is debatable. Personally, I wouldn't miss it at all but Russia is one of those countries which somehow gets through to the final come what may. A borderline finalist.

4. Sweden: Tusse - Voices

Another production line entry from Sweden as young Congolese/Swedish singer Tusse confidently brings Voices to the Eurovision stage.

He is a product of the Idol factory, winning the country's version back in 2019 and has since successfully woven his way through the Melodifestivalen minefield.

Now, there's a lot to be said for Sweden's Eurovision selection process as the country's recent successes can attest. However, now and again, the technique can throw up something so formulaic it could have been written by a robot. Voices has that quality about it.

No surprises here from Sweden (even the obligatory key change), but with their track record, I've no doubt it will qualify and feature in the overall Top 10.

5. Australia: Montaigne - Technicolour

See the main page review here.

6.  North Macedonia: Vasil - Here I Stand

Vasil is another survivor from the 2020 contest and this time around he is singing Here I Stand, a song which he has also written for the event.

Now, there's no denying that Vasil can sing. He is a classically trained baritone which is more than evident from this somewhat overblown ballad. To be honest, you would more likely hear this on a Disney movie soundtrack or as part of a West End musical rather than on the Eurovision stage.

There is nothing wrong with it, per say. It's just likely to be forgotten among more striking up-tempo entries in what has become a tough semi-final. A non qualifier, I feel.  

7. Ireland: Lesley Roy - Maps

Ireland offers up Maps this year as its entry and the returning Lesley Roy should be heading in the direction to the final if her live vocals hold up.

It's a perky bop of a song which should get you strutting your stuff around the kitchen, even if you don't know what the heck Lesley is going on about.

Her diction isn't so great - or it might just be my aging ears - so it's tough to make out where her maps are taking her.

A berth in the final should be her final destination, but this is one of those entries that could just as easily be left at the starting gate.

8. Cyprus: Elena Tsagrinou - El diablo

Cyprus has decided to go with a bop-by-numbers composition called El diablo sung by Greek singer, Elena Tsagrinou - so expect 12 points from Greece!

The track ran into trouble early on when the Church of Cyprus and many members of the Cypriot public objected to the lyrics concerning love of "el diablo". Nothing came of it, but what's more surprising is that Lady Gaga hasn't had something to say about the song, as you would be forgiven for thinking that - in part - you're listening to Bad Romance.

Nevertheless, it's well executed and has become one of the favourites to raise the Eurovision trophy. A definite qualifier and a Top 5 pick.

9. Norway: TIX - Fallen Angel

TIX's win at this year's Melodi Grandi Prix upset all the KEiiNO fans but, hey, Fallen Angel (Ut av mørket) is the better song.

Written by the phenomenally successful TIX, the track is somewhat autobiographical, as it deals with his depression caused by childhood bullying over his affliction from Tourette Syndrome.

That said, the song is an impressive composition in its own right; a soaring ballad with a memorable chorus and impactful presentation. It's the sort of package that Eurovision is all about, helped by the relatable back story which is very much an in focus topic.

The staging is a little overblown for my liking but I hope this entry does very well. A qualifier that deserves a Top 10 ranking at the least. 

10. Croatia: Albina - Tick-Tock

Having won Dora 2021, the Croatian preselection process, Albina's Tick-Tock faces off against its "banger" competitors in this semi-final.

In that quest, it could do really well as Croatia is presenting one of its strongest entries in years, courtesy of the attractive Albina. This anthemic dance track contains a very catchy chorus and feels like a radio hit, which I mean as a compliment. 

Croatia has not done well for several years, but if Tick-Tock progresses to the final – undoubtedly! – it could be on track to its strongest placing in more than a decade. Yeah, qualifier.

Lack of time has prevented any further reviews this year, but currently the bookies favour two of the Big Five countries to raise the winner's trophy: Italy or France. Could it be either of them or will we be heading to Valetta in Malta for the 2022 contest. All will be revealed on May 22!

Eurovision 2018: Norway / Sweden / Russia / Georgia

No time for reviews for these four semi-finalists taking part in Semi-Final 2. Which, if any, is your favourite? Which do you think will qualify? 

Here's Norway, Sweden, Russia and Georgia:

Norway: Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write A Song

Sweden:  Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off

Russia: Julia Samoylova - I Won't Break

Georgia: Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao - For You

Eurovision 2016: Review: Sweden: Frans: If I Were Sorry

Frans: Another Swedish winner?

And finally, for this year at least, our attention turns to host nation Sweden and their entry If I Were Sorry, a song which is co-written and performed by 17-year-old Frans.

Coming from someone so young, it's not surprising that the track is probably the most contemporary in the competition. An almost spoken narrative dominates the song and this in itself is conspicuous by an accent which sounds like a mixture of Eastenders combined with ABBA.

However, unlike Sweden's winner from last year, If I Were Sorry is a much more understated affair, backed by hip-hop dance rhythms in a style which unifies Ed Sheeran's pop/folk with Justin Bieber's electronic R&B. As such, it reflects all that is current about pop radio.

It has already sold well across some parts of Europe - unusually for a Eurovision song it has entered the UK Top 200 before a single vote has even been given. Whether this pre-Contest success will be enough to send Sweden to the top of the scoreboard for a second year in a row is questionable. The song is distinctive enough for it to score well, but whether the average Eurovision audience is ready to vote for it en masse is debatable.

With the news that no other Nordic country has made it through to the Final, it can expect some high points from its Scandinavian neighbours, no doubt helping it to settle somewhere within the Top 10.

What do you think?

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

Avicii Opens Up About Sweden's 2015 Eurovision Winner

Avicii

Sweden's 2015 Eurovision winner Heroes has been, for some months now, the centre of voracious controversy concerning its similarity to the David Guetta track, Lovers on the Sun.

Avicii, the Swedish DJ, record producer and co-writer/co-producer of Guetta's song has finally chosen to comment - albeit briefly - about the plagiarism claims in a recent interview with the Associated Press.

 

“I think it was a worse version of David Guetta’s song”, he said in the interview, seemingly not too concerned about all the fuss stirred up by some sections of Eurovision fandom.

While, clearly, many believe there is a problem with the victorious Eurovision song this year, Avicii is seemingly more mellow about it all, happier to see Sweden bathing in a positive limelight once again rather than dwell too much on the copycat debate. In fact neither SVT, the Swedish public broadcaster, nor the EBU have felt it necessary to pursue the matter further and there is no inkling from Avicii in this interview that legal proceedings are imminent.

Nevertheless, Heroes victory continues to be overshadowed not only by these plagiarism claims but also by allegations of presentation appropriation in respect of the animated figures used.

If all this was not bad enough, the song's triumph has also received criticism due to its third place ranking by the public - helped into the top spot only through the votes of various national juries.

What are your thoughts about all of this?

(Review of Heroes sung by Måns Zelmerlöw)

   

Lead image by The Perfect World Foundation [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Review: Sweden: Eurovision 2015 | Måns Zelmerlöw

Måns Zelmerlöw is a favourite for the Eurovision title

Måns Zelmerlöw may have battled through and won what seemed like an exhausting Melodifestivalen 2015, but it does make you wonder whether David Guetta and/or Avicii are about to contact their respective lawyers. The winning song, Heroes, has more than just a hint of both Lovers on the Sun and The Nights about it.

Alleged plagiarism aside, Sweden's entry is less about a quasi-EDM anthem and more about the clever hologram graphics which accompany it. It's a canny trick, that may or may not sidestep the 'six person maximum on stage' rule, but which the Eurovision organisers strictly enforce nevertheless. Only time will tell whether the powers-that-be consider fist-pumping cartoon gnomes as "people", but it would seem overly fussy if the effect was not allowed.

What appears much more certain is Sweden's increasingly enviable position of grabbing the Eurovision Song Contest by the balls and squeezing it into submission. It achieves this through a fortuitous knack of producing current tunes that regularly appeal to a wide cross-section of television viewers. It has turned the country into a Eurovision powerhouse and 2015 looks as if it will be no different.

Of course the Swedes, unlike some others, take their Eurovision participation very seriously and in doing so can generally separate the wheat from the chaff. They've done so again this year with what has rapidly become a fan-favourite.

Although originality may not be its friend, there's no denying that barely anything else like Heroes is present in the competition. It actually possesses the freshness of a track that one could easily hear on the music charts across Europe and in the dance clubs of Ibiza.

While some may find that a less than favourable recommendation, nevertheless it's the kind that wins competitions like Eurovision nowadays. Sweden may not excel in rugby or football for instance, but its composers have demonstrated that they know how to write a catchy and contemporary pop song. Heroes is another of them.

As solid as it is though, it might have some strong competition from the likes of Italy, Estonia or Spain, but rest assured, this song will be vying for the trophy (even if the whole package needs tweaking and tailoring for the Eurovision stage).

Another Top 3 finish seems guaranteed. Do you agree?

Eurovision 2014: Sweden: Undo

Sweden: Sanna Nielsen

Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national Eurovision event, usually creates a buzz of anticipation and this year it was no different.

In a tough final battle with Ace Wilder and her (now) hit song, Busy Doin' Nothin', seven-time participant Sanna Nielsen finally took the crown by a slim two points and will represent Sweden in Copenhagen with Undo.

It's a testament to Sweden's commitment to Eurovision that (at least) two quality songs were in the running for the event. In the end, the ballad beat out the pop dance tune, but either could easily have been contenders at this year's event.

Rightly, Undo has become one of the favourites to win the competition, already topping the poll undertaken by OGAE, a network of 40 Eurovision Song Contest fan clubs. While this is organised by a group of committed fans, it can quite often become the barometer for the public vote.

So, it's all sounding good for Sanna Nielsen whose amazing voice pushes this superior ballad to places very few other ballads go this year. It's power is in its heartbreaking lyrics which, although tinged with sadness, give the impression that no-one should mess with Sanna.

Because of this, I anticipate a commanding performance from the Swedish singer. Finally, she has the perfect song to match her talent as an exceptional chanteuse. I have no doubt it will bring the house down in the B&W Hallerna.

Will she get votes, though? Of course. It will quite easily qualify from the first semi-final and there will be something very wrong if the public don't send this to the left hand side of the scoreboard on May 10.

Don't be surprised to see Sanna Nielsen in the Top 3 - or indeed enjoying another win for Sweden.

Eurovision 2010: Serbia and Sweden Song Entries

Last night saw both Serbia and Sweden select the entries that will represent them at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Serbia chose the song Ovo je Balkans (This is the Balkans) which will be performed by Milan Stanković.

Sweden decided on the song This is My Life sung by vocalist Anna Bergendahl.

So, what do you think of the Serbian and Swedish Eurovision songs?