Baby Baby - Alan T

uilty Pleasures?

A hard question, because over the years, I've collected way more than 20! But let's set aside my #2 for a moment: Yugoslavia’s iconic entry at Eurovision 1991, "Brazil" performed by Bebi Dol (real name: Dragana Šarić). Droll, dramatic, and undeniably memorable song.

Now onto my #1 guilty pleasure, a true gem that ended up… last! Yes, dead last with 58 points, a song which ended last place, meaning it's the best last place ESC song for me!

The year was 1968, and the artist was Claude Lombard, representing Belgium with a hauntingly beautiful performance. Later, she became a backing vocalist for none other than Nicole & Hugo, the duo originally selected to represent Belgium in 1971 with the bubbly “Goeiemorgen morgen.” Sadly, due to Nicole’s illness, they couldn’t make the trip to Dublin that year.

But fear not, they came back stronger in 1973 with the unforgettable …..”Baby Baby”, my ultimate guilty pleasure. They were trailblazers, the first Eurovision act to truly sing and dance at the same time. And let’s not forget those now iconic flared purple jumpsuits and tightly choreographed moves. Camp, charisma, and colour, what more could you want?

Nicole Josy (real name: Nicole Van Pamel) and Hugo Sigal met in 1970 and married a year later. Their love story lasted more than five decades, until Nicole’s passing on 4 November 2022, at the age of 76.

Their legacy? A joyful reminder that Eurovision isn’t just about winning, sometimes, the heart remembers what the scoreboard forgets.

Bonus info: Nicole & Hugo’s Eurovision journey didn’t end in the '70s. In 2004, a full 29 years after “Baby Baby”, they gave it another shot, entering the Flemish pre-selections for the Eurovision Song Contest with the feel-good track “Love Is All Around.”

They placed second in the first round, a respectable result that showed they still had fans cheering them on. But despite their enduring charm and iconic presence, the jury wasn’t as kind. Their low jury score meant they didn’t advance to the final round. Still, the attempt alone was a testament to their lasting passion for music and performance.

Even decades after their glittery debut, Nicole & Hugo continued to bring joy, sparkle, and a touch of Eurovision magic.

In 2004, they tried again, after 29 years, at the Eurovision Song Contest. They entered the Flemish pre-selections, with "Love is all Around". They placed second in the first round, but scored lowly with the jury, so failed to make it to the final round.

Change - Kent A

As someone who has been following Eurovision for more than 30 years, I have one song above all others that epitomises the fun nature of my annual Eurovision experience … it’s my guilty pleasure … Romania’s 2011 entry Change by Hotel RM.  From the initial piano riff to the hand-clapping sequence towards the end, it is a song that always make me smile, tap my foot and sing along:

“I can’t change, I can’t change the world alone;

I need you all, everybody

Start dreamin’ of it

Take a step that’s gonna make a difference and change your world.”

Change made it through to the final in 2011 and finished a disappointing and undeserved 17th. But, along the way, it did get 12 points from those very canny fans in Italy and Moldova (maybe that’s why I always like the entries from Italy).

It is a great, fun song – with the three-piece Hotel RM capturing its essence with a spirited and energised Eurovision performance. Take a listen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a1Q_hpGLbs .

For many years, Change was my phone ring tone. After writing this short piece, it’s going to be again.

Yodel It - Davis W

My guilty pleasure is "Yodel It" by Ilinca ft. Alex Florea. I mean, honestly, do I need to say anything more than that? It is the perfect Eurovision trainwreck of nonsensical lyrics, trying to blend rap with a more "traditional" style of music, and of course, one of the cringiest kisses the Eurovision stage has ever seen. But somehow it's still a massive banger?

When I first heard it, I, like everyone with a heart, was enamored by the camp factor of it all. But now I'm done pretending like it wasn't an amazing entry. It deserved a top 3 finish and you can fight me if you disagree. 

Telemóveis - Steven L

My guilty pleasure is the 2019 Portuguese entry, “Telemóveis,” by singer-songwriter Conan Osíris. Osíris won the right to represent Portugal in Tel Aviv after winning both the televote and jury vote at the Festival da Canção. It sadly did not qualify, placing 15th in the first semifinal. Despite the result, “Telemóveis” highlights Portugal's openness to take risks, push boundaries, and send entries that no one can say is generic or “basic.”

Telemóveis translates to “mobile phones.” When literally interpreting the lyrics, one may become confused about using a mobile phone to contact the dead. But there is a deeper meaning to that. The song appears to be a commentary on the overdependence of mobile phones replacing meaningful connections – essentially using them to connect with people is almost like trying to reach the dead. It’s rather poetic, cryptic, and artistic.

The song is not mainstream Eurovision. It does not conform to Western music theory, from the song structure to the chords. There are electronic and even hip-hop elements combined with Arabic, African, and Asian influences. It’s avant garde. It’s out there. It's not meant to be easy listening. The morbid and mysterious feeling accentuates the song’s message.

In the final analysis, “Telemóveis” became too inaccessible to a mostly Western mainstream audience. But I will forever appreciate the Portuguese people and Conan for challenging Eurovision's norms with this beautiful, artistic, and unique entry.

Story of my Life - John B

One of my Eurovision guilty pleasures is Lesley Roy’s “Story of My Life”—a pop anthem that deserved so much more than the fate it got. Originally Ireland’s entry for Eurovision 2020, it never got the chance to shine on the main stage due to the COVID-19 cancellation. And, I think a lot of 2020 songs have been unfairly undervalued and forgotten because of that. “Story of My Life” is a bright, upbeat, empowering track that captures the spirit of personal growth and unapologetic self-ownership. It has a kind of joyful, reckless energy that just makes you want to jump around, dance like no one’s watching, and smile like you mean it, something that was desperately needed during the peak of 2020 Lesley’s vocals are full of passion and optimism, and the production makes it impossible to sit still.

There’s something so infectious about how she delivers each line like a personal declaration, turning vulnerability into strength. It’s the kind of song you blast when you’re shaking off doubt and stepping fully into who you are. Sure, it never made it onto the Grand Stage, and if it did, it may not have been the bookies’ favorite, but it’s a constant reminder of what Eurovision could have been in 2020: bold, fun, and a little rebellious.

Nuku pommiin - Tarrant F

n 1983, West German band Nena took the world by storm with the song 99 Luftballons, a synth-driven pop-rock tune with lyrics exploring cold war helplessness and futility amidst the shadow threat of nuclear war and mutually assured destruction.

They must surely have been inspired by Nuku pommiin by Kojo, Finland's ESC entry just one year earlier in 1982, which was likewise a synth-driven pop-rock song with cold war overtones – and which came dead last with nul points.

Its consignment to the ESC basement was assured by its bleak and none-to-poetic take on the subject (the word "nuclear poo" appears inside the first line), frequent questionable musical pauses for bass drum thuds and squeaking trumpet licks (presumably intended to sound like dropping bombs), an out of place guitar solo, and Kojo's gaudy vinyl red suit.

But despite its objective failings, I've always found this stand-out catchy, brash, notably different and a microcosm of its time, and is one of my top Eurovision guilty pleasures.

Jedward - Michele A

Jedward is totally my Eurovision guilty pleasure and I’m not even sorry about it. Hahaha

There’s just something about their chaotic energy, over the top outfits and those iconic standy-uppy hairdos that makes them impossible to ignore and kind of amazing! Lipstick and Waterline are absolute bangers in the most unhinged, over-the-top way.

I love that they are still trotting out those songs and popping up at Eurovision and getting into it.

They didn’t just perform, they attacked the stage. Jumping around, running through fountains, doing weird synchronized moves — it is all so ‘extra’ and I love every second of it.

It’s not exactly high art, but my goodness – it’s such fun. They go all-in and don’t take themselves too seriously.

Every time I watch their performances, I’m smiling the whole way through — partly because it’s ridiculous, but mostly because it’s just pure joy. They absolutely LOVE what they do!

I wouldn't necessarily tell people that Jedward is on my playlist... but if Lipstick comes on I’m not skipping it. I’m probably dancing.

Honestly, Eurovision wouldn’t be the same without acts like Jedward. They are chaotic, glittery, and completely unforgettable.

Of course, like any true fan, I do love the serious side of Eurovision – but I also love this side and the madness that is Jedward.

Lasha Tumbai - Mykola H

Let’s be honest no Eurovision list is complete without a chaotic, glitter-drenched entry that makes zero sense and yet every kind of sense. Enter: Verka Serduchka and her iconic 2007 performance of “Lasha Tumbai.” Wrapped in metallic foil, Verka didn’t just perform, she commandeered the stage in a whirlwind of disco beats, military-chic silver costumes, and sheer comedic genius.

Is the song a satire? A protest anthem? A Euro-pop fever dream? Probably all three. But that’s what makes it a guilty pleasure: you can’t quite explain why you love it, but you absolutely do. From the moment Verka shouts “Lasha tumbai”, you’re locked in for a wild ride of accordion riffs, nonsensical lyrics, and unfiltered camp brilliance.

What really seals it, though, is how unashamedly extra it is. Verka is Eurovision at its most outrageous, sparkling, playful, and proudly Ukrainian. It’s the kind of performance that makes you laugh, dance, and then hum the chorus for the next 10 years.

Guilty pleasure? Maybe. Timeless banger? Absolutely