Eurovision Leadup 2016 – Continuing with another Oh Crap This is SO Last Minute Semi-Final 2 Super Post

Yeah, yeah. I’m bad at this. Let’s get straight into it…

19. Latvia: Justs – ‘Heartbeat’

This contemporary pop song starts abysmally but thanks to Justs finally cutting loose in the final third of this music video and displaying his actual (and surprisingly considerable) talent, it actually works.

Maybe Doom will succeed this year? We’ll see. Justs will have to nail the live show twice.

20. Poland: Michal Szpak – ‘Colour of Your life’

I’ll admit, Michal Szpak hhas the kind of hair that is just begging for the wind machine to get cranked up.

Unfortunately, the song itself is a bit too soft on the soft rock side for me. I doubt this will progress.

21. Switzerland: Rykka – ‘The Last of Our Kind’

Ah. The Nordic Ice Queen entrant for this year’s contest. Made even more surprising because Rykka hails from Canadian.

This is a surprisingly sweet song that may make it to the final depending on the quality of the surrounding entrants.

22. Israel: Hovi Star – ‘Made of Stars’

A rare ballad for this year’s contest. “Made of Stars” is actually a good song made all the better by Israeli singer Hovi Star’s excellent voice.

This is good enough to be a lock for the final, and I’d suggest a Top 10 position in that. However, given a homophobic incident against him in Moscow during a promotional tour for Eurovision, I suspect some Bloc Voting will help as well.

23. Belarus: Ivan – ‘Help You Fly’

Another werewolf entrant. Huh. Guess that’s becoming a thing at Eurovision. Well, someone has to challenge the vampires…

Belarusian Ivan apparently plans to perform this song naked with two wolves on stage, which is a violation of at least two Song Contest rules. Or it could be a publicity stunt. Either way, it’s grabbed attention.

I suspect it’s a ruse, but the song is good enough not to need it. Ivan is a contender for the final with this.

24. Serbia: Snja Vučić ZAA – ‘Goodbye (Shelter)’

So this is interesting. Ms Vučić’s clear talent is overshadowing the fact that the song is a kinda samey power ballad. But her stage presence is kinda distracting in this music video as well.

If she nails the stage performance, she’s a lock for the Final, but she’s got a few detriments against her.

25. Ireland: Nicky Byrne – ‘Sunlight’

Former Westlife boy band member Nicky Byrne can clearly sing, but he’s another male soloist in a contest glutted with them this year.

Unless others fumble spectacularly, I don’t see him making the Final.

26. Macedonia: Kaliopi – ‘Dona’ (Дона)

Kaliopi was a finalist in the 2012 contest in Baku and she kicked ass with her Chrissy Amphlett stylings. I expect her to achieve a final slot again this contest.

27. Lithuania: Donny Montell – ‘I’ve Been Waiting for This Night’

Another 2012 contest alumni. Huh. I remember calling this kid Tuxedo Mask back then…

He’s good. The song isn’t. Maybe he’ll carry it, but it’ll be a near thing. Next.

28. Australia: Dami Im – ‘Sound of Silence’

My response when my friends excitedly told me that Dami Im was Australia’s Eurovision Entrant for 2016 was a baffled “Who?”

I don’t watch The X Factor, okay?

Despite being on the back foot here, she can clearly belt out a song, and “Sound of Silence” is actually pretty good too. I reckon that combination is good enough to get her to the final. How she’ll fair there, I don’t know. But I wish her the best of luck.

29. Slovenia: ManuElla – “Blue and Red’

Another kinda pop-country song hybrid. I’m liking that more that I would’ve thought,

ManuElla seems like the beautiful love child of Taylor Swift and LeAnne Rimes. I reckon she’ll make the final.

30. Bulgaria: Poli Genova – ‘If Love Was a Crime’

Ms Genova has competed previously in 2011 (though I can’t recall her performance) and was the host of last year’s Junior Eurovision, so she’s got some serious pedigree for this year’s comp.

“If Love Was a Crime” is catchy, so I reckon this will do well in the final, easily.

31. Denmark: Lighthouse X – ‘Soldiers of Love’

Denmark seems to have gone with the thinking that why send one hunk when they could overwhelm the contest with three.

Pretty? Yes. But ultimately bland, I don’t think this will make it past this semi.

32. Ukraine: Jamala – ‘1944’

Well this is surprising. Given the strict rules against political messages in Eurovision entries, I’m amazed this got it. It skirts the line hard. The fact it’s the first entry in the Crimean Tartar language is also kinda telling.

Jamala can sing. I reckon this plus sympathy for Ukraine after last year’s absence will carry it to the final.

33. Norway: Agnete – ‘Icebreaker’

Nordic Ice Queen by way of fem punk rocker? I am so down with this.

“Icebreaker” is a weird song; feels like they almost mashed two together between the mainline and the chorus. But it works surprisingly well, and with the proper stage presence, could easily do well in the final.

34. Georgia: Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz – ‘Midnight Gold’

A Georgian indie rock outfit that reminds me how much of Eurovision is stuck in the ‘80s, to my eternal enjoyment.

This smacks of early ‘80s Split Endz/Mental As Anything, so I’m inclined to love it. I doubt the audience will though, sadly.

35. Albania: Eneda Tarifa – ‘Fairytale’

I suspect Ms Tarifa will know how to make an entrance on the night, given her presence in the music video. Beyond that, I don’t think this song is enough to get to the final, but I’ve been wrong plenty of times before.

36. Belgium: Laura Tesoro – ‘What’s the Pressure’

Hey, a pseudo funk entry! We don’t see enough funk at Eurovision…at least from a genre perspective.

This is fun and I hope the audience feels the same way. I reckon this could surprise a lot of folks and do some serious damage to the voting expectations in the final.

Okay. I suspect another last minute post before the final, but maybe I’ll get enough sleep and finish it earlier than that.

Yeah, I don’t think so either.

Be seeing you.

Eurovision Leadup 2015 – Semi-Final 2 AKA Bringin’ It Home…

We’re in the home stretch now with bare hours to go before the first semifinal is shown live here in Australia for the first time.

You cannot conceive how much coffee I’m going to mainline once I’m done here. Anyway:

23. Lithuania

The opening act for the second semi is cute and preppy, and while Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila clearly work well together, “This Time” has an awkwardness about it that detracts from the overall experience. I don’t see this going beyond the night.

24. Ireland

Ireland has stripped it right back to basics with their entry “Playing With Numbers”, which can be a surprisingly effective choice. And while its within the style of what she’s attempting to do, Molly Sterling (great name) seems to be all over the place with her vocals. But, if she sticks it on the night, she could be in with a chance.

25. San Marino

San Marino has been steadily improving with their entries over the last few years, getting into the final in 2014, This year, they’ve sent the youngest duo in the contest’s history; 16 year olds Anita Simoncini and Michele Perniola.

“Chain of Lights” is not a bad song by any stretch; not a lot of baroque pop these days after all. But I think it will be lost in the songs around it.

26. Montenegro

Given they got to the final with a similar strategy last year, Knez’s “Adio” (“Goodbye”) is very much a case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I get the feeling that Knez will be able to own the stage on the night, and should be a lock for the final.

27. Malta

Wait, wasn’t there already a song called “Warrior” on the docket??

Well. This could get awkward. Has this ever happened before?

Well Amber puts in an excellent effort, I don’t see this beating out the other song with the same title. Then again, it could be fun if both got in…

28. Norway

Huh.

A surprisingly dark ballad from Norway with “A Monster Like Me”. Eurovision needs more Villain Songs, and this one is a great contender.

Of all the duets this contest (and good lord, there are a lot of them this year) Mørland & Debrah Scarlett are the pair that have impressed me the most so far. I’m looking forward to this.

29. Portugal

Leonor Andrade looks angry in this film clip, and “Há um mar que nos separa” (“There’s a sea that separates us”. Great title.) feels like it should be a much angrier rock song. The problem here isn’t Andrade’s singing; the musical arrangement is failing her, making this feel bland overall. It’s a pity, but this won’t go further.

30. Czech Republic

It’s been six years since the Czech Republic fielded an entrant to Eurovision; I don’t think I was examining the songs back then. The country’s track record has also been pretty dismal. However, Marta Jandová and Václav Noid Bárta put in a solid effort with “Hope Never Dies” and hopefully will retain some lost honour.

31. Israel

Well, “Golden Boy” is surprisingly catchy. French-Israeli singer Nadav Guedj is the youngest entrant this year, with a surprisingly mature voice. But while he can sing, I found his charisma and stage presence lacking in this clip. We’ll see how well he manages to work the stage on the night, as that will make a huge difference. The end is cute though.

32. Latvia

From the land of Doctor Doom, possibly their most striking entrant in some time. Aminata is belting it out during the chorus of “Love Injected”, making a fascinating contrast to the minimalism of the song proper. This will be one to watch out for.

33. Azerbaijan

“Hour of the wolf”, huh? Well I love the title at least.

And it’s not just a good name either; singer Elnur Huseynov brings it with this ballad. Azerbaijan is no stranger to the final at Eurovision, and I reckon this song is a lock.

34. Iceland

Icelandic singer Maria Olafs has an impressive voice, and the song “Unbroken” benefits from her powerful performance. I expect this will probably make it to the final at least.

35. Sweden

It initially doesn’t sound like this song should work; there’s a strange undercurrent to the sound initially, but Måns Zelmerlöw blows all doubt away in the chorus of “Heroes” with powerful vocals and great presence. This will do very well on both nights.

36. Switzerland

This oddly feels like a bit of a mess. Mélanie René has got a good voice, and  “Time to Shine” suits her well. But it seems to lose itself as it goes along. This will probably make the middle of the hunt.

37. Cyprus

I have a soft spot for guitar ballads at Eurovision, and “One Thing I Should Have Done” is a good entry for that. John Karayiannis displays some incredible levels of talent here, and for that alone I hope he advances.

38. Slovenia

Oh, what does this remind me of? Regardless, it’s good. Duo Maraaya have fronted up an excellent song with “Here For You”, and I expect this to do very well.

39. Poland

Oh thank Buddha, this is a huge improvement over Poland’s entry from last year.

Monika Kuszyńska sings an impressive ballad with “In The Name Of Love”, and it’s a great way to finish the second semi. 

And done, with mere hours to spare. I’ll be live tweeting all the Eurovision broadcasts this year, follow my inane sleep deprived commentary via @Darcrider. And as always, thanks for indulging me.

Be seeing you…

Eurovision Lead Up 2014 – Magical Mystery Acid Trip

So having managed to get the look at the first Semi-Final before time, I might as well keep going with part two of my almost annual lead up look. And yes, I realise the title is somewhat redundant:

17. Malta

Folk songs always have a presence at Eurovision, but given the varied cultures on display, “folk” can have very different interpretations than what audiences such as myself are used to. But this is one I can easily understand though, and Firelight’s “Coming Home” is a solid effort. It also seems to have the benefit of being a World War One Centenary tribute song. How much that will help or hinder Malta politically I have no idea, but I for one appreciate the sentiment.

18. Israel

I’m not sure what to make of this. Rock and dance elements intertwined usually do nothing for me, but Mei Finegold’s voice has a surprising amount of power, and she clearly has a lot of presence. However, “Same Heart” feels awkward in its lyrical structure, which I can just put down to linguistic issues of combining English and Hebrew in the same song. Still, her force of presence may put her over the line.

19. Norway

Another moody ballad. Not that that’s a bad thing, though. Carl Espen does compelling work here with ‘”Silent Storm”, so I hope it’ll place.

20. Georgia

Georgia is one of those countries where in recent years I feel the politics overshadow the quality of the performance their entrant brings each year. But with focus for the time being elsewhere in the former Soviet states, maybe they’ll get a good showing.

That being said, The Shin & Mariko’s “Three Minutes to Earth” is a distracting fusion of jazz, rock and folk elements with seeming broken time or rhythm. I can’t say I don’t like it, but it feels unconventional for this contest, which is saying something.

21. Poland

Oh-kaaay…

Well there’s got to be one every year; an entrant I genuinely dislike. Crass and wrong-footed for what they’re trying to achieve.

That being said, if the music video is any indication, I guarantee the stage performance will get a lot of attention from the heterosexual male audience members and judges on the night…

22. Austria

After that last entry Austria’s performance throws me into a sense of sharp relief, and here we have perhaps the first genuinely controversial entrant for this year’s Eurovision.

But it’s not as controversial as I first thought; Conchita Wurst is a drag act born out of the discrimination and prejudice Tom Neuwirth experienced as a teenager. As a juxtaposition it works brilliantly. But I worry I’m laughing for the wrong reasons…

The controversy comes from petitions in Belarus and Russia to their respective state broadcasters  to edit Wurst’s performance out of the Eurovision broadcast. According to the information I dug up, the petitions claimed that the performance would turn Eurovision, “into a hotbed of sodomy.”

Oh dear. Umm…HAVE YOU PEOPLE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION FOR THE PAST 50 ODD YEARS?!?

*ahem*

Okay, that may be the worst generalisation about camp since the mix-up involving the Spanish Ambassador and the Earl of Doncaster, but hopefully you see my point. Let’s ignore that stupidity and focus on the song.

“Rise Like A Phoenix” is fabulous; almost a Bond Theme song in its composition and performance. I hope this makes it to the Top 5 of the Final.

23. Lithuania

Well that was a mess. Vilija Matačiūnaitė clearly can sing, but “Attention” is not a good showcase for her talents.

24. Finland

Ah, a bit of alt rock eases the pain.

Softengine are an all teenage band out of Seinäjoki. They’re also known as “The Finnish Bon Jovi”, but the song “Something Better” doesn’t really show that off.

Clearly talented despite their relative youth, and a genuinely good song, I hope these lads do well.

25. Ireland

Oh Ireland. You always wonder what they’re going to do any given year.

All I can say is, “Thank Goodness it’s not Jedward!” To which the follow up is, “We still don’t know what a Jedward is!”

Kasey Smith and Can-Linn’s “Heartbeat” seems very by the numbers; pop rock with some Celtic sounds in the chorus and bridge. I don’t expect much of this, but Ireland does seem to get a lot of traction whomever they send.

Well, except for the puppet…

26. Belarus

Oh great, Belarus sent their version of Robin Thicke to Eurovision…

Well that was off-putting. I was hoping it was a parody or would have some sting in the tail, but nope; pretty much what you see is what you get.

And it’ll probably do well on the night, too. Moving on…

27. Macedonia

Well I kinda have to respect anyone who had a hit song about Marshal Tito, and that’s apparently what we have here with Tijana Dapčević.

“To the Sky” is a fun sounding number. Middle of the hunt, probably.

28. Switzerland

“Hunter of Stars” is a much cooler title than this song probably deserves. Sebalter’s pop folk sensibilities serve him well here; this is a fun, quirky, though somewhat subdued song. Though I have no idea how well this one will do.

29. Greece

“Rise Up” almost feels like Greece are playing it safe this year, with none of the counter-culture or blatantly traditional elements that have been present in previous years. Not a criticism on Riskykidd or Freaky Fortune; they are doing what they do well here, but this is a little disappointing.

30.  Slovenia

A professor of flute playing in Trieste, Tinkara Kovač has finally gotten to Eurovision after three previous attempts. And finally, this contest gives a ballad with some power behind it!

I like “Round and Round”, but I think this is ultimately going to come down to stage presence to tip it over the line into the final.

31. Romania

Paula Seling & Ovi very nearly destroyed the venue with their smoldering chemistry in the 2010 contest, so it’s a treat to see them back performing together again.

“Miracle” is not as good as “Playing With Fire” was four years ago, but I expect these two to do amazing stuff on stage that will guarantee them a place in the final, probably even the Top 10…

And Semi Final Two down with time to spare. I’ll be getting into the Big Five Plus One before the Final in a few days time.

Be seeing you…