Maybe time to call it quits, San Marino?

Valentina Monetta is making her third consecutive ESC-appearance in Copenhagen, and it doesn’t look like she has outstayed her welcome just yet. At least the fans have adopted her as one of their own and there is indeed something special about an artist showing such passion for the contest and who quite obviously loves it as much as the most dedicated fans. Then again there’s also something a bit off when the only way to tell the difference between the admirers and the admired is the letter on the accreditation badge.

We’ll gladly admit to being taken with Valentina’s bubbly personality and down to earth mentality. We approve of her talent as she can both carry a tune and throw a competent performance. There has been progress to observe in the course of her three appearances as well. We prefer to forget about the vile Facebooksong that marked her debut, but she actually managed to make quite impact last year with a classic schlager ballad turned into a veritable disco stompathon, missing the final by the skin of its teeth. We felt sorry for poor Valentina back then. She seemed to take the defeat with gracious dignity, but there’s no doubt she must have been gutted.

It would have made the perfect Hollywood ending if San Marino’s quest for Eurovisional success could have been crowned with victory with Valentina’s third attempt, and we suspect movie producers were already lining up to secure the filming options. But when the song Maybe was announced we assume they quickly lost interest. Because it simply doesn’t have the qualities needed for Valentina to storm to victory in a cascade of confetti with the roar of the crowd cheering her on.

With the third attempt Valentina has once again managed to reinvent herself, and her Eurovision svengali Ralph Siegel has equipped her with a sober, elegant and classic ballad. Valentina’s veteran experience will surely benefit her and we expect her to give a steady and endearing performance. But regrettably it just won’t cut it. Because the song is old-fashioned and bland. Perhaps a few voters will fall for the retro sound, and think of a 70’s romantic film where the story of a loving couple unravels ever so slowly, with loooong screenshots of deserted beaches and elegant men and women driving around for ages in chic French cars. The rest of us will probably fall asleep half way through.

So the scene is not set for that fairytale ending of Valentina’s Eurovision adventure. Quit while you’re ahead the saying says and it looks like our Sammarinese darling is already way beyond that point. Even the fans struggle to continue to support her as the scoreboard of the ongoing OGAE-voting shows. An early exit on Tuesday and Valentina can enjoy the rest of the ESC week on the sideline with the rest of us.

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