So we had an awful dream last night about Ukraine not being part of Eurovision. Then we woke up and realized this actually did happened in Vienna last year. Talk about living nightmare. Luckily Jamala is here to save us all in Stockholm!
Some might argue that Jamala and her song 1944 is a nightmare in its own right. She’s downright bothersome to a number of different people for a number of reasons. Take your pick.
Now, we don’t admit our faults and shortcomings all too often in here, but here’s an exception: We just don’t know how to praise the Swedish entries. We lack experience in that field altogether. But we’ll try anyway. For the sake of Frans:
Every year there are bound to be a few statement songs and in Stockholm, Serbia will provide one of those. As long as it’s not Russia with yet another peace anthem, which in any case is always intolerable, we’re usually cautiously overbearing. As shown by Romania last year it can be quite clever to use the opportunity to reach a potential audience of some 130 million people to transmit a message of real concern and importance.
Here’s what we think Lithuania needs to suceed in this competition:
Italy has two eras in Eurovision: Before and after Marco Mengoni. Before Marco there were royal highnesses such as Toto Cotugno, Alice & Battiato and Gigliola Cinquetti, after there has been Il Volo. All showing us what a great nation Italy is and always has been. With few exceptions.
Judging by the last couple of Eurovision entries we gather Estonia must be the smugness capital of Europe. This bolstering self-confidence strikes us a wee bit unwarranted for a tiny, insignificant country tucked away on the outskirts of Europe, but we must admit we find it kind of sexy too. Maybe it’s just an act for all we know, and if so well played.
We can only assume that all the artists competing in this year’s Unser Lied für Stockholm understood the part about winning would actually imply getting on a plane and performing in Globen in May. And we gather the broadcaster NDR vetted them all very carefully to make sure no one had as much as a parking ticket since they obviously forgot to do just that when they initially selected Xavier Naidoo. Who knew Germany could create so much drama? Pass us the popcorn!
There are a lot of things we simply don’t get about UK’s participation in Eurovision over the past few years. Like how the BBC insists on sending the LEAST experienced artists they could possibly manage to pick up from a pool of talent show rejects. Or alternatively, some random geriatric hasbeen they almost have to wheelchair on stage. Finding some sort of middle ground here would probably been perfectly acceptable, and could not by any means have done any worse.
There’s something about Australia. No matter what they try to make it all ends up a little too plastic fantastic.
As we all know, this the second time Australia participates in Eurovision, and that is so highly welcomed as a tradition by us, aye? But sadly it is also the second time we end up thinking “Well, that was nice, mate. Next, please!”. It’s not like the song is bad or anything. And both artists have been equally great performers. The song just doesn’t stick with us. We keep wondering if Australia is capable of making anything genuine besides kangaroos, shiraz and Hugh Jackman, and we keep landing on ‘no’.
Ring, ring! Who’s calling Greta? That’s a question that’s been on our minds ever since she won the Söngvakeppnin final back in February. And since we’re serious journalists, we have of course embarked on a mission in getting to the bottom of this. Here’s what we found out: Continue reading