Smile, get a little flag of the country you like the most and wave it. It’s already at the Eurovision Song Contest. This year from Liverpool, the city where the greatest group in the history of popular music was born: the Beatles. After two semi-finals (last Tuesday and Thursday), the final will take place this Saturday, May 13, from 21:00 on La 1. We listened to the songs of the 26 finalists and this is our verdict.
– Germany: Lord Of The Lost, “Blood & Glitter”
There’s no complete Eurovision finale without a heavy metal group pounding. One would have to wonder why they are always so painterly and over the top if they are not portrayed directly as monsters. It’s not heavy metal: You can also play it with jeans and a t-shirt. But that’s a different world. What to say about Lord Of The Lost and his Blood & Glitter? Well, visually they aren’t scary and the song is a pastiche of the weaker version of Marilyn Manson.
– France: La Zarra, “Évidemment”
It starts out like a ballad, but just a minute later the mirror ball comes out and the dance floor fills up to dance to a disco song reminiscent of the late 70’s or early 80’s. Disco music is in: Ask Bruno Mars or Dua Lipa. La Zarra exudes a good voice and character and the song is elegant, danceable and catchy.
– Italy: Marco Mengoni, “Due Vite”
Marco Mengoni represented his country in 2013 and now he returns with a ballad in Italian sung full of emotion. It would be better to be more reserved and quieter when screaming.
– UK: Mae Muller, “I Wrote a Song”
A supposedly epic prelude, a danceable sound, a Spice Girl refrain, a tatatatai, a final rap… In other words: a puzzle with everything that works on digital music platforms. And of course it works, but it absolutely lacks originality.
– Ukraine: Tvorchi, “Heart of Steel”
This time the Ukraine is not relying on the folkloric touch that brought them victory last year with the Kalush Orchestra. The song by Tvorchi (a duo consisting of Nigerian singer Jeffery Kenny and Ukrainian producer Andrew Hutsuliak) is commercial pop, a new sample of algorithmic pastiche with a good singer and a slightly motley production.
– Sweden: Loreen, “Tattoo”
The bets put it as a big favorite from minute one, and that’s going to be the song’s biggest stumbling block: since a lot of people will already be voting for it, I’m betting on another. Let’s recall that Loreen has already participated and won Eurovision 2012 with Euphoria. Although the two songs are not the same, they breathe the same atmosphere: a leisurely start, only to let off steam and exploit Loreen’s vocal power. Yes, she’s a good (and obvious) contender for victory.
– Norway: Alessandra, “Queen of Kings”
A “Laralaio” party song with a slightly folkloric structure. It sounds good and makes you want to go drinking and dancing. Alessandra is only 20 years old and has a very personal voice.
– Serbia: Luke Black, “Samo Mi Se Spava”
It’s credit that Luke Black got into the finals with such a limited voice, especially in a competition where they’re so fond of lung power. When the song purports to be a Depeche Mode homage, the failure is glaring. And if you strive for originality, then you are too.
– Portugal: Mimicat: “Ai Coração”
A bit of red feathers à la Moulin Rouge for a fun song. No longer. We still remember Salvador Sobral very much.
– Croatia: Let 3, “Mama sc!”
Ok, we can buy the idea that this is a critique of dictatorships and wars targeting Putin. But nothing else. Grotesque, embarrassing and musically untenable. The worst thing is that it’s not funny. At least our Chikilicuatre made you smile.
– Switzerland: Remo Forrer, “Watergun”
A modern-day classic pop ballad, à la Ed Sheeran. Remo Forrer, 22, started his performance in the semifinals a little stiffly to gain confidence midway through the performance. All in all, a somewhat surprising song.
– Israel: Noa Kirel, “Unicorn”
If last year Billie Eilish’s intense pop was an obvious inspiration for several participants, this year Dua Lipa’s disco style triumphs. Young (21 years old) Noa Kirel walks around with a powerful voice and aggressive dancing. The song? Catchy and well played. It can stay up.
– Moldova: Pasha Parfeni, “Soarele si luna”
Surely you have noticed: there are plenty of folk songs that have been arranged with current means. Moldova’s bid for this edition follows that wave. The problem? When tools eat tradition. That’s what happens with this song, which ends up drowning in vulgar machine noises.
– Czech Republic: Vesna, “My Sister’s Crown”
The chorus has a pass. The rest sounds low as if they wouldn’t believe it. The trio points to folklore-pop where everything seems to have its validity.
– Finland: Käärijä, “Cha Cha Cha”
Here we have one of the favourites: the second of the bets after Sweden. It’s two songs in one: the first part sounds like the little kids of the Rammstein members started a band, and the second part (that festive “Cha Cha Cha”) already sounds like Cantajuegos. But he still wins and stuff.
– Albania: Albina & Familja Kelmendi, “Duje”
Ethnic rhythms and thick dance. Got the idea? The ethnochundachunda is here to stay. We just have to be patient.
– Cyprus: Andrew Lambrou, “Break a Broken Heart”
Fire, smoke, rain, a voice almost smashing the glass of wine the audience is holding in their hands, and a ballad. Why do we want more? This is Eurovision at its finest. A song for the Imagine Dragons that won’t evoke rejection.
– Estonian: Alika, “bridges”
Estonian friends, one question: Who came up with the idea of putting a piano in the middle of the huge stage where you can see the keys moving but no one is playing? Now we all know that the music is recorded here, but the effect of the smart piano does not imply anything. Otherwise, Alika’s ballad, which has good lungs, lacks penetrating power and a lot of cooing.
– Belgium: Gustavh, “Because of You”
A party song to ‘celebrate that life is very short’, a disco song with good vocal work from Gustaph and some interesting soulful choruses.
– Poland: Blanka, “Alone”
Poland’s contribution is simple and innocent. There’s a little reggae sound in the background… We’d better remove the latter out of respect for Bob Marley.
– Slovenia: Joker Out, “Carpe Diem”
A piece that can be reminiscent of the Killers or Franz Ferdinand. Indie festival music that sounds good. What throws him back is the attitude of these guys, trapped in their special spine. Is it necessary to make such forced faces and practice these absurd movements? It seems that in this regard yes.
– Austria: Teya and Selena, “Who the Hell Is Edgar”
Do you see that Eurovision is an exciting adventure? Here’s a tribute to none other than Edgar Allan Poe. It is sung by these two singers who say they were possessed by the spirit of the writer. “There’s a spirit living in my body, and it’s a writer. / It’s Edgar Allan Poe and I think he can’t resist. / Yes, his brain is in my hand and he moves very fast.” Musically, it is a composition that runs at the same pace as TikTok: fast, moving hands a lot and after a few seconds moving on to the next video.
– Australia: Voyager, “Promise”
Attention: a guitar solo. A rock band? He pretends to do it, but since everything in this competition is covered in a unified mass of sound, we conclude this isn’t rock. As an I-don’t-know-which-style theme, it doesn’t actually attract much either. Australia has been here since 2015, by the way, “because of the huge following that the competition has there.” Don’t tell me it’s not a strong argument…
– Lithuania: Monika Linkyté, “Stay”
With so much colour, it is pleasant to attend a performance without fireworks. We’re talking about Lithuania, which offers a pleasant mid-paced pop that would work very well as a soundtrack to a Disney film with a nature plot. A “The Lion King” or something like that.
– Armenian: brunette, “future lover”
It starts off a bit drowsy and increases with a powerful phase. It’s very early in the 2000s, but it doesn’t deliver.
– Spain: Blanca Paloma, ‘Eaea’
The artist from Elche is vocally overwhelming: as well as power, depth and feeling. And unlike other folklore updating proposals already commented on in this analysis, traditional here is not a selling point. There is respect and modern means do not deter flamenco. Since the Benidorn Fest, Eaea, who has a lot to do with a Christmas carol, has grown and his version of the rehearsals (he didn’t compete in the semi-finals because he had already secured a ticket for the final) is hopeful.
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