So first rehearsals kicked off today and Twitter was just about exploding with the biggest load of drama queens. I have decided not to watch any rehearsals this year, in order to keep giving fair song reviews and to saviour how special it is watching the performances for the first time. I couldn't help but watch a 15-sec snippet of Slavko though, and I just can't wait for his semi-final performance! The song might be a joke and the talent might be somewhat missing, but this only exacerbates my anticipation for what will be slavtacular.
Anyway, ORIGO! I'm keeping this short because I've got a big essay due tomorrow. When I first listened to it, I fell in love, was already going to put it in my top 3 and couldn't fathom those who didn't see it as a favourite. It's original, ethno, not sung in English... this list could go on! BUT then WHY, OH WHY the rapping!?!???!?!?!? I like rap as a genre, I like rap as a bridge... admittedly, I rarely like rap on the Eurovision stage... but this does not suit the song at all, and the rap isn't actually that good I don't think. It's not got the edge that Jala had last year for example, or even the fluency of Euro Neuro. If you're going to rap, do something like Love City Groove for the UK in 1995 (never understood the distaste for this!). Rap at Eurovision is rarely successful, and I can't see that changing for Origo - but then again Hungary have qualified every year since they had a break, including 2 impressive top-10 finishes. That's why I'm probably an idiot for predicting they wont qualify this year, but I think Origo is potentially the hardest to judge...
RATING:
My initial score; 6 (out of 12)
My current score: 5
My semi-final prediction: 12th
(will score higher in the TELEVOTE - one of the hardest to call though; could lap up easy jury points, but then Hungary always do alright with the televote...)
My prediction for the final if qualifying: 21st-26th
Hungary have a habit for knocking around the 20th position, and I think whether they break out the top 5 would come down to the draw.
Sunday, 30 April 2017
Friday, 28 April 2017
Eurovision 2017 Song Review: ALBANIA
World might be my least favourite "song" in this year's contest, but Lindita has a wonderful voice, a great personality, and is entirely carrying the Albanian entry this year in my opinion. If World was being sung by a lesser talented artist I would have no problem ranking World 42 out of 42.
There's an all too familiar opening structure, which we know is going to get bigger and louder and become an epic power ballad. So on the first foot I'm already a little switched off, because to say it, "I've heard this power ballad in Eurovision before". That's no way to make a criticism though, because the same could perhaps be said of many of my favourites this year. No, the reason I'm turned off by the song is because without even being half way through, I haven't heard the "hook" that will stay with me, I haven't heard the chorus which will continue to play in my head later on, and I've had to endure some rather negligible wailing. If Lindita perhaps saved her wailing for a bit later, I might enjoy it a bit more. And as I've previously said, if it wasn't Lindita herself wailing then this would easily slide down to the bottom of my ranking.
I will be completely honest and say that I'm not one for learning the lyrics to songs as they are meant to be. I learn the lyrics as I hear them and if I go several years singing something wrong then I'm not that fussed. I usually find it highly comical to hear how wrong I've been over lyrics. Nonetheless, Lindita does lack a diction but because I don't enjoy the song overly much, I will never bother to learn what is being sung, and therefore, I don't really have a clue what the song is about.
By the time we have the bridge in the song we get a snippet of Lindita's beautiful voice again, and then we are treated to an incredibly long and powerful note ruined by an overwhelming, yet pointless, use of backing vocals and musicality. The note is the best bit in the entire song, and is drowned out. This note could have gone down as memorable as Sanna Nielsen in Undo, or even countryman-like such as Rona Nishliu with Suus. Instead, people hearing this for the first time will be completely unaware of what Lindita has even achieved!
The revamp seems to have so many good elements, but there's just tooo much going on in this song meaning all those good elements are lost. I wish Good Luck to the stunning Lindita and I wish Albania all the best, but it's not a favourite of mine this year.
RATING:
My initial score: 1
My current score: 3
My semi-final prediction: 12th
(will score higher with the JURY)
My final prediction if qualifying: 22nd-26th (bottom 5)
There's an all too familiar opening structure, which we know is going to get bigger and louder and become an epic power ballad. So on the first foot I'm already a little switched off, because to say it, "I've heard this power ballad in Eurovision before". That's no way to make a criticism though, because the same could perhaps be said of many of my favourites this year. No, the reason I'm turned off by the song is because without even being half way through, I haven't heard the "hook" that will stay with me, I haven't heard the chorus which will continue to play in my head later on, and I've had to endure some rather negligible wailing. If Lindita perhaps saved her wailing for a bit later, I might enjoy it a bit more. And as I've previously said, if it wasn't Lindita herself wailing then this would easily slide down to the bottom of my ranking.
I will be completely honest and say that I'm not one for learning the lyrics to songs as they are meant to be. I learn the lyrics as I hear them and if I go several years singing something wrong then I'm not that fussed. I usually find it highly comical to hear how wrong I've been over lyrics. Nonetheless, Lindita does lack a diction but because I don't enjoy the song overly much, I will never bother to learn what is being sung, and therefore, I don't really have a clue what the song is about.
By the time we have the bridge in the song we get a snippet of Lindita's beautiful voice again, and then we are treated to an incredibly long and powerful note ruined by an overwhelming, yet pointless, use of backing vocals and musicality. The note is the best bit in the entire song, and is drowned out. This note could have gone down as memorable as Sanna Nielsen in Undo, or even countryman-like such as Rona Nishliu with Suus. Instead, people hearing this for the first time will be completely unaware of what Lindita has even achieved!
The revamp seems to have so many good elements, but there's just tooo much going on in this song meaning all those good elements are lost. I wish Good Luck to the stunning Lindita and I wish Albania all the best, but it's not a favourite of mine this year.
RATING:
My initial score: 1
My current score: 3
My semi-final prediction: 12th
(will score higher with the JURY)
My final prediction if qualifying: 22nd-26th (bottom 5)
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Eurovision 2017 Song Review: AUSTRIA
My #1 for 2017: RUNNING ON AIR
Running on Air was one of my favourite songs on first listen, and since then just keeps going up up up to the top of my rank for this year. And then finding out that Nathan Trent is amazing and easily the best contestant this year just makes Running on Air that even bit better!
Running on Air is not in your face, it's just a sweet, cleverly written song. The melody is cool, the vocal is relaxed, and while not the strongest, compliments the song so well. The song has a simplicity to it, which following an all too familiar structure, potentially means it is forgettable especially performing just 2nd in the running order. Nathan may have an infectiously cute personality, but there are bigger songs with bigger performances to come in bloodbath SF2 and I fear Nathan will be lost amongst the divas.
I can't quite understand why the fandom don't care much for Running on Air. Genuinely after first listen I thought that Austria would be vying for victory and become one of the pre-contest favourites. To then see it so low on everyone's ranks was quite a shock and I just kept trying to find negatives with the song. I failed. Therefore I say you're all wrong and stupid ;)
Hahahahaha
RATING:
My initial score: 10 (out of 12)
My current score: 12
My semi-final prediction: 9th (very optimistic!)
My final prediction: 23rd (should they qualify!)
I think Running on Air will score marginally higher with the JURIES, but its difficult to call for this one!
Eurovision 2017 Song Review: UNITED KINGDOM
I think this is our 2nd best entry of the decade, behind Children of the Universe, and despite the hype for Molly in 2014, 17th was our final result. That was a shame really, but in all fairness, was everyone so excited because the BBC were finally doing something different in choosing an unsigned artist? They were tapping into that talent pool and while everyone wanted CotU to do well because of the song and because Molly was freaking awesome, I think everyone wanted to see the Beeb continue to tap into that unheard talent pool...
Welcome the return of the national final, and welcome Lucie Jones! I will confess that after having heard the six songs that were vying for the chance to represent us, I couldn't help but remember posting something on Twitter a while back asking for Ace Wilder to represent the UK. Ace actually liked that tweet and it got me all excited, which is a lot more to be said than the potential songs we were sending...
However, Lucie's performance at the NF was incredible. In fact it was better than that, it was literally insane. Her vocal is so powerful, strong and the emotional connection and the whole lot was just the shiiiiiiittttt..... Lucie wave my UK flag with all my pride...
Coming from the West End, Lucie does have the potential to bring a very powerful performance to the final stage at Eurovision this year. One could almost say a jury-sponge performance! While televoters will perhaps not be a thoroughly willing and entertained by Lucie, I think it would be sacrilege to see the UK finish bottom 5 again this year. In all honesty, I just don't want to finish in the bottom 5 so I hope it's not fruitless optimism. The revamp definitely revitalised for the 26-song show, and while I perhaps wish we were sending the amazing 7th Heaven Club Mix, I am so proud of Lucie and wish her all the best at Eurovision this year!
RATING:
My initial score: 7 (out of 12)
My current score: 8
My final prediction: 19th (will score higher with the JURY)
Welcome the return of the national final, and welcome Lucie Jones! I will confess that after having heard the six songs that were vying for the chance to represent us, I couldn't help but remember posting something on Twitter a while back asking for Ace Wilder to represent the UK. Ace actually liked that tweet and it got me all excited, which is a lot more to be said than the potential songs we were sending...
However, Lucie's performance at the NF was incredible. In fact it was better than that, it was literally insane. Her vocal is so powerful, strong and the emotional connection and the whole lot was just the shiiiiiiittttt..... Lucie wave my UK flag with all my pride...
Coming from the West End, Lucie does have the potential to bring a very powerful performance to the final stage at Eurovision this year. One could almost say a jury-sponge performance! While televoters will perhaps not be a thoroughly willing and entertained by Lucie, I think it would be sacrilege to see the UK finish bottom 5 again this year. In all honesty, I just don't want to finish in the bottom 5 so I hope it's not fruitless optimism. The revamp definitely revitalised for the 26-song show, and while I perhaps wish we were sending the amazing 7th Heaven Club Mix, I am so proud of Lucie and wish her all the best at Eurovision this year!
RATING:
My initial score: 7 (out of 12)
My current score: 8
My final prediction: 19th (will score higher with the JURY)
Eurovision 2017 Song Review: POLAND
Kasia Mos is such a lovely girl! She is stunning, has an incredibly powerful and interesting voice, and will bring a really great performance if the music video is anything to go by.
Flashlight though, borders on painfully dull and forgettable after just one listen. There was a time a while back when I really got into how dark the song was and how amazing this was going to be, and then I remembered that every other song of the same genre and qualities is doing Flashlight better. The biggest problem with this song is that it lacks a hook. I know that Kasia will bring it on the stage, and I have a feeling the staging will look amazing, but that should not quantify such a weak song.
I guess Poland are the real unknown quantity once again this year. Finishing last with the juries and third in the televote last year was perhaps one of my favourite things to happen in the 2016 season, and while I can totally see why that was the case, it would be foolish to think it could happen again. But seriously, is that going to happen again? 2014 was similar, but while the Polish diaspora will definitely vote this enough into the final, I can't see the juries qualifying Flashlight at all. Since their return to the contest Poland have been unprecedented automatic qualifiers. It would take a brave man to predict they won't qualify, and that brave man definitely isn't me...
RATING:
My initial score: 3 (out of 12)
My current score: 3
My semi-final prediction: 6th
My final prediction: 20th
(will score higher in the TELEVOTE)
Flashlight though, borders on painfully dull and forgettable after just one listen. There was a time a while back when I really got into how dark the song was and how amazing this was going to be, and then I remembered that every other song of the same genre and qualities is doing Flashlight better. The biggest problem with this song is that it lacks a hook. I know that Kasia will bring it on the stage, and I have a feeling the staging will look amazing, but that should not quantify such a weak song.
I guess Poland are the real unknown quantity once again this year. Finishing last with the juries and third in the televote last year was perhaps one of my favourite things to happen in the 2016 season, and while I can totally see why that was the case, it would be foolish to think it could happen again. But seriously, is that going to happen again? 2014 was similar, but while the Polish diaspora will definitely vote this enough into the final, I can't see the juries qualifying Flashlight at all. Since their return to the contest Poland have been unprecedented automatic qualifiers. It would take a brave man to predict they won't qualify, and that brave man definitely isn't me...
RATING:
My initial score: 3 (out of 12)
My current score: 3
My semi-final prediction: 6th
My final prediction: 20th
(will score higher in the TELEVOTE)
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