Romania - Belinda Conn

Following two years of failing to qualify for the final, Romania opted for an internal selection for the 2020 entry.

Back in January TVR announced that it was entering into a partnership with Global Records. A jury was formed to review the roster of recording artists that are signed to Global and identify who would make a great Romania representative in Rotterdam. In parallel, a song writing camp was also taking place to select possible songs for the artist to enter. Three artists were shortlisted, namely Cezar Gună, Diana V and Roxen, with Roxen being announced as the country’s representative on February 11.

The format of Selecția Națională was tinkered with to showcase Roxen performing the five songs that were selected from the song writing camp. A traditional 50/50 split between jury and public televote was used to decide which song would be selected. The Five songs were: Alcohol You, Storm, Colours, Cherry Red and Beautiful Disaster. Alcohol You was the favourite of both the Jury and the Romania public and will be presented in Rotterdam.

Roxen, who is 20, is a relative newcomer to the Romanian music scene. She shot to fame in 2019 after she was featured on the track “You Don’t Love Me”. Her Eurovision entry is only the third single she has released commercially.

Whilst the artist behind Romania’s entry is a relative unknown, one of the songwriters behind “Alcohol You” has an impressive resume. American songwriter Breyan Isaac, who co-wrote the track, has had number 1 hits with Flo Rida, Olly Murs and Pitbull.

The song itself is a strong ballad, but Roxen’s lack of experience on a big stage showed throughout the performances of all five song. Cherry Red, an upbeat dance number where she basically played a game of statue for three minutes, was the starkest example of her lack of stage presence. A gimmick with a hologram of Roxen (which saw her turn her back to the audience) during Alcohol You fell flat with me. Likewise, a wardrobe shake up is much needed, with the dress being used for Alcohol You an early contender for the Barbara Dex award should she pack it for Rotterdam.

At the time of writing the bookmakers have her a strong top ten contender, so with some refinement Romania may find themselves returning to the big dance on Saturday 16 May, and not relegated to an early flight home for a third year running.

France - Alper Yurtseven

This year France returned to an internal selection process to find its performer and song for ESC 2020, after having the annual song competition “Destination Eurovision“ two years in a row and Bilal Hassani’s disappointing ranking last year.

In mid-January a 30-year-old singer, actor and comedian Tom Lee was selected by the French public broadcaster as the performer to represent France in ESC 2020.

Tom Leeb is the son of famous French comedian Michel Leeb and apparently quite famous in France. He is supposed to be a jack of all trades in the art scene, with a resume including studies in theatre, cinema, singing and dance. He released his first single “Are We Too Late” in 2018. His first album “Recollection” was released in 2019.

To find the right song the French national broadcaster France 2 had an international approach and in its search included European musicians, who submitted their songs written specifically for the Eurovision Song Contest. An internal committee from the French broadcaster reviewed more than 100 songs to find the right piece.

Eventually the French-English song “The Best In Me” written by Peter Boström, Thomas G:son, John Lundvik (Sweden 2019), Amir Haddad (France 2016), Tom Leeb and Lea Ivanne was chosen by France 2. Note that Peter Boström and Thomas G:son have previously achieved Eurovision success with Loreen's Euphoria in 2012.

Tom Leeb performed the chosen entry on the Eiffel Tower during a broadcast on France 2. The tower’s light show was synchronized to the music and ended with the colors of French flag.

France’s latest attempt to regain its lost glory in the ESC was denounced as unpatriotic by the government for using English lyrics. Franck Riester, the Minister of Culture, told the parliament that “The chorus in English bored my ears off this morning on the radio”, and added “Everyone should set an example to ensure that France is promoted with pride everywhere.”

For some, the song is a Melodifestivalen reject that somehow found its way to France. For some others it is a product of Swedish magic team which can bring long awaited success to France.

It is another average ballad which does not really spark joy. Let’s hope the best for France on May 16 this year in Rotterdam.

You can watch the acoustic version for a change at this link:

Belarus - Michele Acott

Belarus has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 16 times since making its debut in 2004.  In 2007 they qualified for the grand final for the first time with the song "Work Your Magic" performed by Dmitry Koldun who finished sixth - the highest placing that Belarus has ever scored.

In the past, Belarus has used a combination of internal selections and national finals to choose their entry.  This year, live auditions were held with pre-screened applicants.  Following this, a jury panel selected 12 acts to compete in the national final which was held on February 28, 2020.

Unlike the national final in 2019 where the winner was decided by jury vote alone, this year the public was able to vote and the winner was determined by a combination of 50% jury vote and 50% televote.

VAL won the national final and will represent Belarus with the song "Da Vidna" -  contemporary pop tune sung in Belarusian.

VAL is a duo consisting of singer Lera Gribusova and singer and multi-instrumentalist Vlad Pashkevich.  They experiment with genres such as house, R&B, pop and hip-hop, combined with vogue and fashion.

Final votes (in order of appearance) are as follows:

1. NAPOLI - "Don't Let Me Down"  - 5 points

2. Sasha Zaharik - "Rocky Road" - 6 points

3. Anastasiya Malashkevich - "Invisible" - 12 points

4. CHАKRАS - "La-ley-la" - 18 points

5. Nastya Glamozda - "Burning Again" - 2 points

6. Nastasea - "Hello" - 0 points

7. Yan Yarosh - "Fire" - 18 points

8. Angelika Pushnоva - "True Love" - 10 points

9. Darya Khmelnitskaya - "On Fire" - 0 points

10. АURА - "Barani svajo" - 10 points

11. KeySi - "Chili Pepper" - 15 points

12. VАL - "Da Vidna" - 20 points

VAL will perform in Rotterdam in the first half of the first Semi-Final on 12 May.

Estonia #3 - Alan Nachtigal

Welcome readers to the Eesta Laul Final coming live from Saaku Suurhall. Thank you to Wayne and Ronny for the great lead-ins with the semi-final write-ups. Tonight starts with a snappy children’s choir singing Victor Crone’s 2019 entry “Storm.” They are joined on stage by the 12 finalists who sing along. After the song each finalist is introduced while the teenagers dance behind them. We move quickly to the songs.

1.       Inger - ONLY DREAM -

Inger makes an attempt to liven up his mellow song with a hyper speed graphic opening that fades into him slowly strumming guitar. It’s an earnest song and as expected he sings from back of his throat. His yellow turtleneck matches his yellow socks. More on those later…The crowd sways and waves their phone lights. A very earnest, bland performance.

2.       Rasmus Rändvee - YOUNG

The postcard intro shows him walking through Estonia with his cute dog. I love dogs! The song starts with him on a stage out in the crowd. Solid vocals through first chorus. Uninspired staging and quickly forgotten.    

3.       Stefan - BY MY SIDE

The crowd sways as the song starts with their phone lights already out. This performance is basically a staring contest between Stefan and the camera to see who can go longest without blinking. His vocals are on point throughout including the frequent falsetto, but another slow song to start the show. Where is the energy?

4.        Synne Valtri feat. Väliharf - MAJAKAD

Was that a ROCK ACCORDION? We’ve got smoke, we’ve got lighting, we’ve got a sparkling dress. I’m waking up! She sings the first verse; the rock accordion and acoustic guitarist sing the second. The crowd appears to be enjoying this. I can see the live audience enjoying this number in Rotterdam.

5.       Uudo Sepp - I’M SORRY I MESSED UP

…aaaand back to a sleeper with another song full of feels. Not the strongest vocals to start out. The lyrics of the chorus are displayed on the LED screen, to little effect. The final chorus brings backing vocalists and a bit more power from Uudo. But overall still did not leave a strong impression.

6.       Uku Suviste - WHAT LOVE IS

His intro shows him expertly playing his song on piano…who knew he had such skill? And those blue eyes – he’s like a Siberian Husky! The staging starts with him alone on stage, then builds nicely into the first chorus with candlelight below and an array of lights lowering from the ceiling. For the second verse we get smoke effects, more lighting tricks, and continued strong vocals. Though not my personal favorite I understand it being a fan favorite with the catchy chorus and strong delivery.

7.       Shira - OUT IN SPACE

Another dog in the intro! Estonian’s love dogs! The song starts with her at the piano, but she quickly makes her way center stage for the first chorus. A powerful wind machine kicks off in second chorus along with falling rain on the LED screens. She falls a little pitchy on the “whooahh”s but overall brought decent vocals.

8.       Anett x Fredi - WRITE ABOUT ME

Beware - this song has some EXTREME CLOSE UPS of Anett! She’s calm, cool, and has a jazz vocalist feel to her delivery. The song is pleasant, enjoyable. The little horn/saxophone crew is a nice touch on stage. But like many of the prior acts this doesn’t pack a punch. and would make a nice opportunity for a bathroom break in Rotterdam.

9.       Jaagup Tuisk - BEAUTIFUL LIE

Here we have the bookie’s favorite to win, will he live up to the hype? Vocals are solid through the first chorus - and the camera work and lighting maintain interest. The backing vocals hit with a little too much “oomph” and drown him out in the first chorus. The visual effects of the augmented reality rain bring that memorable “moment” that many of the earlier acts lacked.

10.   Traffic - ÜKS KORD VEEL

The intro features them playing their instruments in a town square, picking up some coin donations in the process. So if they don’t win – at least there is that. A piano, singer, and guitarist kick off the song. It has a catchy piano backing, and the pianist has a wicked sleeve tattoo. The split screen and swivel camera work can be a little dizzying. We see Stig Rästa on stage, who is basically Estonian Eurovision royalty. A good song – could this benefit from being the first in Estonian?

11.   Egret Milder - GEORGIA ON MY MIND

The song starts with our singer at a multi-colored upright piano, singing well while playing along. By the second verse he’s standing and interacting with the crowd and camera audience. He looks to be having a genuinely good time, and shows his happiness by jumping up on the piano. The crowd sings along, seems to be into it. Still a bit of a sleeper to me.

12.   Laura - BREAK ME.

Her video intro is in an upside-down house. I want to go to there. The song has an interesting start with Laura all in white, laying on a white backdrop and fighting some shadow hands. Turns out it is all pre-recorded and she appears (live) during the chorus dressed in black. This reminds of Victor Crone and the mix of live and pre-recorded video. I wonder what the limits are on this? Her voice is good throughout and she hits the high notes.

Of the 12, the standouts for me are the ones that brought visual interest and energy: Majakad, What Love Is, Beautiful Lie, and Üks Kord veel. However if I were voting based only on the Estonian dogs seen so far, then it would be Shira’s dog followed by Siberian Husky Uku and finally Rasmus’s dog.

After a news program airs for several minutes we are back and witness a fun electro interval act from Púr Múdd followed by jury votes. It’s tough to see a runaway favorite from the jury as 12 points get awarded to Jaagup Tuisk, Egret Milder, Uku Suviste, Annet x Fredi, Stefan…Once all Jury votes are counted Annet x Fredi are in the lead followed by Jaagup and then Shira. Jury vote totals are translated to the 12 point system.

Ahead of the public vote we get a visit from Koit Toome (Estonia 2017, “Verona”). They play a guessing game to match random items to the finalist they belong to. Inger’s yellow sock proves to be a problematic match. Next the host sings an interval act song and all the finalists dance. It looks fun and I’m sure everyone is as relaxed as they appear.

Now the public vote. Announced in low-to-high order of combined public and jury votes:

0 for Rasmus, 1 for Laura. 0 for Uudo. 4 for Synne. 5 for Inger. 2 for Stefan. 3 for Shira. 6 for Traffic. Four acts remain and together have the top combined points, but only three can continue to the Super Finale. They are:

Jaagup Tuisk.

Annet x Fredi.

Uku Suviste

So goodbye Egret! And hello MORE VOTING! A rock interval act from Tanel Padar passes the time. Then a “name that song” game with the super finalists. And then Anne Veski for one final sparkly, dancy 3-song medley interval act.

FINAL RESULTS! 3rd place to Annet x Fredi. 2nd place to Jaagup.

WINNER IS UKU SUVISTE!

He heads to the stage for his reprise. In the pre-song interview he seems genuinely emotional about the win. Thanks for reading all! All images from etv OTSE.

Portugal #2 - Mario Ciudad

The second semi-final of the pre-selection begins in Portugal, where 8 contenders struggle to be in the final of their country, and To be able to represent Portugal in Rotterdam.

1- DUBIO Feat +351 – “Cegueira”

Being a favorite in this semifinal for many people, it stays half-throated, good staging (all dressed in the color of the skin and made up with a black mask) and correct voice but with nothing more remarkable. I personally didn’t notice you connecting with the audience.

2 – LUIZ CARACOL E GUS LIBERDADE - “Dói-me o país”

Classic style duo with guitars and piano in hand that sings a sweet bossanova that transports you to Brazil, beautiful, their voice accompanies.

3- CUBISMO ENVIESADO – “Judas”

An Attempt to be modern, but passing by, a pity that the only thing that shone was his wardrobe, since his voice was not very accurate

4 – DIZ SÓ – “Kady”

The performance, personally, most remarkable in this semifinal, good image, good scenery and good voice for a song mix of r'n'b and bossanova without pretensions, a classic from Portugal that could rise with the prize to represent his country.

5 – ELISA RODRIGUES – “Nao voltes mais”

Song with African rhythms, correct performance, but it lacks something to get it hooked, maybe the singer’s laps around the stage don’t help you focus too much on the song. 

6 – CLÁUDIO FRANK – Quero-te abraçar

To be a song previously selected through another contest, I don’t want to think that it stood in the way or what the jury thought of it. Vocally not very successful…

7 – TOMÁS LUZÍA – Mais real que o amor

Young boy with Portuguese romantic song, where he just filled the stage and raised a song that most likely would not have stood out had it not been for him. 

8 – JIMMY - Abensonhado

A rapper accompanied by a gospel choir, and a letter dedicated in part to his mother that makes you connect with the performance. Surprise the chorus treble almost at the end of the song, Will we have a rap in Rotterdam?

Finally, after the votes of the jury that was there, as well as of the public, the 4 performances that went to the final were:

·       Jimmy P “Abensonhado”

·       Tomás Luzía “Mais real que o amor”

·       Kady “Diz só”

Croatia - Kyle Woods

I was excited to see Dora back again this year.  Even though Netta cancelled her scheduled special guest performance, the show went on!  The following were the 16 hopefuls who took the stage in Opatija, Croatia on February 29, 2020.  My quick thoughts follow each!

Elis Lovrić – Jušto

Elis was kind of robbed last year, so I was glad to see her return even though she only got the spot after Croatian musical legend Goran Karan withdrew.  Looking at this year’s performance, though, I am a bit confused.  I love her voice, but the performance was strange.  She still reminds me of Eva Maria Marold in tone and style, but this song was far from memorable and far from spectacular.  It almost felt like a combination of interpretive dance and aerobics, but at least it was something unique

Bojan Jambrošić – Više od riječi (More than Words)

Bojan’s number was far more traditional, but in this case, “traditional” feels like a synonym for boring.  The staging and performance were relatively uneventful – Bojan mostly just stood in place and held the microphone.  Very little here to remember.  

Edi Abazi – Coming Home

Following Bojan’s sleepy number, Edi’s song started out sounding kind of the same.  Edi’s accent is a bit of a problem – it took a bit before I recognized he was singing in English and he was often hard to understand, but fortunately he has subtitles behind him on the screen!  Had this been selected, hopefully a native speaker would have been hired to correct the grammar of the song.  I am also not sure Edi opened his eyes once during the performance, so it’s a good thing he just stood in one place. 

Zdenka Kovačiček – Love, Love, Love

Zdenka started her song with a failed attempt at a Kaliopi-esque scream, a trick she repeated a few too many times in the song.  Unfortunately, it sounded like she might have been battling a cold and each try was a failure.  I did like her outfit and the almost bluesy vibes of the song.  The performance, however, was forgettable.  For those who love boardgames, though, the background looks like the cover from Fog of Love.  The performance was upbeat, but as the title says, all the song really amounted to was “love, love, love and nothing more.”

Alen Vitasović & Božidarka Marija-Čerina – Da se ne zatare (Don’t Crumble)

This one felt kind of like the Polish milkmaids from 2014, and then someone’s drunk uncle wandered in.  This was a train wreck from start to finish!

Đana – One

This one felt like it belonged more in Melodifestivalen rather than at Dora.  It wasn’t terrible, but I wouldn’t have minded if Đana had bothered to do her hair before going on stage. This was ultimately fairly trashy!

Aklea Neon – Zovi ju mama (Her mother is calling her)

This one feels like Croatia wanted to try for the Barbara Dex Award again (she is at least competing with Indira).  The song is pretty bad, even worse if you can understand the lyrics (which make about as much sense as Moja Štikla did) – it is basically “mama, hei, zovi mama mama” on repeat with random wolf howls mixed in for effect.  Certainly memorable, but more for being a train wreck from start to finish.

Nikola Marjanović – Let’s Forgive

Need some high fructose corn syrup in your song festival, here you go!  Add in a super boring performance of a bald guy walking two steps forward and then back again, a couple forced rhymes, and throw in a sassy finger wag for effect and you’ve got Let’s Forgive!

Lorenzo, Dino Purić, & Reper iz sobe – Vrati se iz Irske (Come back from Ireland)

This one pretty much speaks for itself.  It features a hipster with a yellow guitar rapping in a Dalmatian accent, with a random “Come Back for Ireland” in English thrown in among all the Croatian for no reason at all.  The lyrics are also kind of ridiculous: “Come back from Ireland, their streets are slippery.  They don’t have sunshine or olive oil there.”

Marin Jurić Čivro – Naivno (Naïve)

This one is also pretty forgettable.  The guy has nice hair, though.  The dancers are random and hard to see until they lie down on the floor and start rolling around.  I didn’t really get anything out of the song.

Lorena Bućan – Drowning

This one’s nice.  Lorena, who sang the fairly mediocre “Tower of Babylon” last year, is back!  She does have a great voice, and the song starts out pretty good.  Unfortunately, once the refrain starts, the song and the performance kind of …um…drowns. 

Indira – You Will Never Break My Heart

This one is at least colorful!  Indira is very pink and noticeable.  The performance kind of feels like it should be sung by a drag queen, though.  Strangely, though, I really like Indira’s deep voice, and although I don’t really understand why she switches to English to shout “You will never break my heart!” I actually liked this one even though I can admit it’s far from a great song or performance.

Jure Brkljača – Hajde nazovi me! (Come on, call me!)

This one is upbeat, and the singer seems much more alive and relatable than most of the night’s other offerings.  While it’s not the kind of song that would ever win Eurovision, I enjoyed it.  Even though Jure just sits on a stool and strums his guitar, the song feels kind quite authentic.  

Colonia – Zidina (Walls)

Colonia was quite popular in the early 2000s when I lived in Croatia.  However, even though 20 years have passed since their prime, the group’s prime, Ivana Lovrić, the new lead singer, is a fantastic addition and has really revitalized the group!  The use of the LED screens to multiply the dancers wasn’t really effective, but otherwise this was easily the best performance of the night and I am kind of surprised it didn’t end up winning.  

Mia Negovetić – When It Comes To You

Although I quite liked Colonia, I LOVED Mia.  Her performance feels authentic and meaningful.  I don’t quite understand her decision to wear only a sports bra on top, but I really loved the song and her energy. 

Damir Kedžo – Divlji vjetre (Wild Winds)

Damir wasn’t bad, but for some reason it looks like the lighting team may have been on a break until about a minute into the song.  Damir’s voice is good, and he sings the song well and with commitment, but the song doesn’t really offer anything interesting.  Since this one ended up winning, I hope HRT will hire a staging consultant, because this is pretty boring to watch.  

As mentioned, the winner is Damir Kedžo,  Will the wild winds carry him into the final at Eurovision?  

On the whole, the entries this year were pretty mediocre.  It’s a pity Goran Karan withdrew, as he is always legendary.  Croatia has lots of great talent, but this year’s lineup was most certainly not my taste.  It looks like HRT has already renewed Dora for next year, though, so here’s hoping for an exciting national selection show in 2021.

Sweden #3 - Jose Luise Abaya

Finally, I get to review one of the deltavlings of Melodifestivalen! I have been requesting Sweden for a while now so, in a way, it is a dream come true! To top it off, I was allotted a deltavling that happened during my birthday weekend! What a way to celebrate my birthday!

As we know, Mello is one of the national selections that is widely watched by the Eurovision fans. I bet that there is an OGAE ROW member, aside from me, who considers this as a favorite. In a way, I feel the pressure as I review Deltavling 4, which was recently held in Malmo Arena (the home of Eurovision 2013), because I know that a lot of fans will watch this show and (hopefully) read this review.

The night started with a musical production number by the three hosts featuring the song Kom Och Ta Mig (Branda City Slackers). I am guessing that it was about Linnea’s fight for freedom and independence from her parents (Lina and David). At the end of the song, the family was reunited once again. It was an entertaining number, considering that I do not speak Swedish. I do want to know what the Swedish-speaking members of our group think of it though. For the Filipino members out there, did you see Linnea’s tattoo on her hand?

The line-up of songs and artists, with my comments, was as follows:

1. We are One performed by Frida Ohrn

When I saw that gold streamers and her outfit after the song was introduced, I automatically prepared myself for a schlagerish dance song. I was wrong. It turned out to be a ballad with a slight hint of country rock because of Frida’s voice. She sang that song perfectly although I felt that she was mostly shouting. Do you think that she was better off just standing rather than moving around?

2. Molnjus performed by William Stridh

This song has grown on me; I still listen to this even after the show. I really like it’s rhythm and I find it catchy that it is easy to hum. But focusing on his actual performance, it was lacking something. His movements were half-meant and quite irritating. 

3. Carpool Karaoke performed by Nanne Gronwall

Melodifestivalen would not be complete without a novelty act like this. Carpool Karaoke is Mello’s and Nanne’s way to honor James Corden…. and it worked! Now Nanne has a standing invitation to be a guest of James’ show. This song has Nanne written all over it. I really enjoyed watching her performance and this was a pleasant and addictive surprise!

4. Troubled Waters performed by Victor Crone

Shouting… again! Well, it’s Victor Crone so I should have expected that. Thank goodness that Victor has charisma and good looks. He played those cards well because he had a lot of pitchy moments (déjà vu with Storm). Focusing on the song, you’ll know that this would go to the final. It is such feel good one. Even Victor was having a good time dancing with and performing the song.

5. Surface performed by Ellen Benediktson and Simon Peyron

Voice wise, this was well executed. Ellen and Simon are amazing singers and this song showcased their amazing voices. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the charisma between the two of them. Granted that the song is about a couple whose relationship is falling apart, but I didn’t see them perform a duet. They were merely two singers singing together.

6. Om du tror att jag saknar dig performed by Jakob Karlberg

This was not bad at all, but easily forgettable. The Mondrian-inspired visuals seemed unoriginal too (reminds me of Friend of a Friend). I think it was pretty obvious that Sweden will say... Nej!

7. Brave performed by Hanna Ferm

This song has a lot of pressure and hype, being the last song of the whole competition. Brave is a catchy (enter background singers, ‘hoo-hoo’) pop entry that can easily be likable. Hanna Ferm was the best performer to sing this song. With all her hair flips, dress toss, arm movements, I found this too busy. Did I also mention that she was pretty much shouting the chorus? Yeah, what’s up with all of the shouting, Melodifestivalen?

After all the songs were sung, they presented the Hall of Fame recipients, announced the Top 5 songs, and David performed his interval act. The also had a segment that reminded us of the previous programleders of Melodifestivalen. Then, they announced the top 4 songs.  

My Choices                                                       Actual Results

Direkt til final

Troubled Waters (Victor Crone)                         Brave (Hanna Ferm)

Carpool Karaoke (Nanne Gronwall)                    Troubled Waters (Victor Crone)

Andra Chansen

Brave (Hanna Ferm)                                          We are One (Frida Ohrn)

Surface (Ellen Benediktson and Simon Peyron)   Surface (Ellen Benediktson and Simon Peyron)

Thank you for reading my national selection report. By the way, I do hope that Dotter would win for Sweden!

Iceland #3 - Kent Acott

There was a sense of inevitability about the selection of Dadi Freyr and his band Gangamagnid to represent Iceland at this year’s Eurovision song contest.

After his success in the second semi-final – and the release of a catchy and distinctive video clip – Dad’s song Think About Things created a social media storm, attracting the attention of none less than Oscar winner Russell Crowe.

Its selection and clear popularity could give Iceland its best chance of winning since the country joined the competition in 1986. Iceland’s best previous efforts were second placings in 1999 and 2009. Last year, the controversial Hatari finished tenth.

This year’s national final featured the two selections from each semi-final and a wildcard entrant.

The five entrants each performed their song, before the top two were chosen to advance to the next stage of the competition, based on a combination of the public and jury vote. Dadi and Gangamagnid were joined by beat metal band DIMMA in the final play-off.

They each performed again and, based solely on a public vote, Dadi and his band were declared the winners.

The show was marred by some technical difficulties, but this did not prevent Dadi demonstrating the quirky appeal of his song, which was written in dedication to his baby daughter. The group includes his wife, his sister and three friends.

It is an eccentric group, with a distinctive song – and very distinctive dance moves. It could do well in Rotterdam in May.

Here is the link to their performance in the final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-dMhpgj0PA  

And here is their popular music video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFZNvj-HfBU  

Go Iceland!

Portugal #1 - Luís Eduardo

Festival da Canção (FC) 2020, the Portuguese national selection for the Eurovision this year in Rotterdam, started on February 22nd with the first semi-final.

If you watched Festival da Canção in the last year and a couple of years before, you would recognize the format that practically did not change. The venue was the RTP studios in Lisbon and the hosts two of the usual presenters: Tânia Ribas and Jorge Gabriel. In the green room, once again, Inês Gonçalves.

Even the process to select the entries was almost the same: the sixteen songs came from invitations to song writers, the radio show Master Class and the public submission. Each semi-final has eight songs from which four advance to the final, this year being held in Elvas, Alentejo. All the postcards were then filmed in Alentejo, the south central/southern region in Portugal which means "beyond Tagus", Portugal's main river.

During each semi-final, voting is 50% from the jury (this year’s jury has, among others, Anabela - ESC 1993 - and Conan - ESC 2019) and 50% from the public. But, as opposed of previous years, the semi-finals results will only be revealed after the final results.

SONG #1

Meera with "Copo de Gin"

Meera brought us this glass of gin which is a light pop and relaxing song that gives you a good feeling. Meera, the band from Oporto, usually sing in English but this time, with a song co-written in Portuguese by Isaura (ESC 2018), were the opening act for FC 2020. A very nervous performance that only got more loose and fun when the lead singer went and jumped on the drums. The public reaction at the end of the song was nothing to write home about.

SONG #2

Filipe Sambado with " Gerbera Amarela do Sul"

Filipe, who comes from Elvas where the final will take place, brings us a very catchy song with some traditional Portuguese sounds. His voice resembles a lot the brothers Vitorino and Janita Salomé, famous Portuguese singers from Alentejo. It is a game of words well constructed but the song looses a bit of the catchy effect when it becomes more repetitive towards the end. Still, a confident performance and, one cannot deny, with a very unusual dark look, making a great contrast with the fact that the song title is simple "yellow gerbera from the south".

SONG #3

Ian Mucznik with "O Dia de Amanhã"

Ian was born in Paris and has a very extensive list of several musical collaborations. This is a nice song about the future, about life and Ian delivers it very well. A very classic performance. Public doesn't go crazy but if there is some justice, this should qualify.

SONG #4

Bárbara Tinoco - Passe-Partout

Passe-Partout is one of the big contenders to represent Portugal in Rotterdam. Tiago, who is in stage at the beginning, wrote a very retro and sweet song about a relationship that did not worked out because the guy simply ignored all the good things in life she taught him. How come he couldn't even become a fan of Piaf? :) The performance is a bit shy, though. From the lyrics, one could assume Barbara would be a bit "mean" about what happened. An improvement is needed here. The choreography needs to be more "wow" too. Great reaction from the public, a qualifier for sure.

SONG #5

Blasted Mechanism with "Rebellion"

Blasted, formed in 1995, best Portuguese act from MTV's EMA in 2006, need no introduction. The group that brought us so many great songs, like Karkov, were listed as another big contender to win the whole FC 2020. The performance was a bit of a disappointment though. The group were all over the stage but not giving the amazing feeling we are used to experience when they perform live. Maybe because the idea of mixing medieval and fado sounds with a somehow metal theme. Not very convincing and we could see that by the reaction of the public at the end.

SONG #6

Elisa with "Medo de Sentir"

What is Festival da Canção without a snooze fest? “Fear of feeling” has nice lyrics but Elisa just stands there waiting for the three minutes or so to end. Her voice is not the greatest and the backing singers just add nonsense to the whole thing. This was boring. Still may qualify as it has great reviews pre-show.

SONG #7

JJaZZ with "Agora"

"Now" is the proposal from the duo JJaZZ. The lead vocalist is nervous since the beginning and looks like she is trying hard to beat Elisa in the snooze fest competition. Maybe they were getting ready for the Carnival in Rio, which happened two days after, judging by their outfits. The choreography looks like it was not even prepared in advance and no, this is not qualifying.

SONG #8

Throes + The Shine with "Movimento"

Angolan Kuduro rhythms meet rock with this collaboration. Kuduro is very popular in Portugal and this could appeal to the viewers and jury. It has a good rhythm and it can get people engaged and dancing. And it may work in Rotterdam. They're having fun on stage and it is a great way to end the performances tonight.

….

In between the songs and after, we had Inês talking with the performers in the green room. We had also the hosts talking to the juries and an homage to the great José Mário Branco, who sadly left us in 2019. José Mário Branco was a key singer and composer especially during the dictatorship and the years around the Carnation Revolution (1974). But even after that, his contribution to the Portuguese music scene cannot be forgotten, and an example of that is my favourite song from José: "Eu vim de longe" (I cam from far away).

…

Several recaps after... we had results!

Qualified for the final:

SONG #2 Filipe Sambado with " Gerbera Amarela do Sul"

SONG #4 Bárbara Tinoco - Passe-Partout

SONG #6 Elisa with "Medo de Sentir"

SONG #8 Throes + The Shine with "Movimento"

Poland #3 & #4 - Edward Till

Concluding Poland Eurovision 2020

This post continues and concludes the report for Poland’s selection process for Eurovision 2020 with a look at the third semi-final and the grand finale.  TVP used its long-running talent show format Szansa na Sukces as the basis for a much lengthier process than we have seen in recent years.

In the first two rounds, seven contestants were given ABBA songs and Eurovision classics respectively.  A jury comprising of three former Polish contestants at Eurovision: (1) Cleo, who—with  Donotan and some milkmaids—entered in 2014; (2) Michał Szpak, who gained Poland’s third best placing of all time in 2016; and (3) Gromee, a DJ who—with Lukas Meijer—represented the country in 2018; chose one contestant each week to go to the final.

Poland 2020—Semi-final 3, Szansa na Sukces, TVP2, 16 February 2020

The third round was based on Beatles songs.  Cleo took on the rotating role of foreperson of the jury.  As in previous rounds, songs were allocated randomly and sung “karaoke style” with no time for preparation.

The seven contestants were as follows:

• Marek Kaliszuk, an experienced music theatre performer from Gdynia in the north of Poland, drew lot number 5 and sang the 1965 hit Help!

• Nick Sinckler, another music theatre performer originally from New Jersey but who has lived in Poland for 13 years, drew lot 7 and sang Can’t Buy Me Love.

• Basia Gąsienica-Giewont, a criminologist and musician from the southern mountain town of Zakopane, drew lot 1 and performed Love Me Do, first released in 1962.

• Albert Černý is the lead singer of Lake Malawi, the band that represented the Czech Republic in Eurovision 2019.  He is from the Czech town of Trzyniec, directly on the Polish border and his grandparents were Polish, so he consequently speaks good Polish and feels a connection to the country.  He drew lot 4 and was allotted Please Please Me.

• Norbert Legieć, a 16-year-old DJ from Kraków, drew lot 2 and sang She Loves You.

• Marzena Ryt from Wrocław, who participated in the tenth edition of the Voice of Poland, drew lot 3 and sang the 1961 classic Twist and Shout.

• Adrian Makar, from a small town on the Ukrainian border, and for whom this represented the furthest he had ever travelled, drew lot 6 and sang A Hard Day’s Night.

In announcing the results, Cleo gave special recognition to Nick Sinckler and Basia Gąsienica-Giewont.  She then announced that Albert Černý was the winner and would progress to the grand finale.

Poland 2020—Grand Finale, Szansa na Sukces, TVP2, 23 February 2020

The process for selecting Poland’s entry for Eurovision 2020 reached a climax in a Sunday afternoon show televised live on TVP.  A live orchestra joined the existing panel and the three finalists selected in previous rounds, Kasia Dereń, Alicja Szemplińska and Albert Černý.

For the first time, the public was given a say, with televoting accounting for 50% of the result.  The remaining 50% was determined by a jury called by TVP including industry and television executives.  This mix was meant to reflect the process at Eurovision.  The panel of previous contestants for Poland—Cleo, Michał Szpak and Gromee—continued to provide commentary but was not involved in the final decision.

The final was divided into two rounds, previous Eurovision winners and a proposed entry for Poland in 2020, with all three finalists competing in both rounds.  Below is a review of both rounds:

• Kasia Dereń

Kasia, who had won the first semi-final, started by singing “Satellite”, Germany’s winning entry in Oslo 2010.  It was pointed out that Germany had not won for many years, reminding Polish viewers that a win is possible!  The song suited Kasia’s voice, although it may have been a little over sung at points.

Kasia’s proposal for Rotterdam was an upbeat dance number entitled “Count on Me”.  She brought in specific backing singers for this, including Nick Sinckler who had been commended in the previous round.

• Alicja Szemplińska

Alicja, who had won the third semi-final, kicked off with a rendition of “Euphoria”, Sweden’s 2012 winning song.  The panel was quick to commend her brave choice and competent execution.

In the second round, Alicja presented “Empires”, a slow elegiac and rather dramatic ballad somewhat in the “Bond theme” style.

• Albert Černý

Albert, the lead singer of Lake Malawi, the Czech Republic’s entry in 2019, started off with a rendition of “Fairytale”, Norway’s 2009 winning song.

Later he sang “Lucy”, Lake Malawi’s new single, and the band’s proposition for Rotterdam.  This is an up-tempo pop number about a cardboard girl that Albert wants to date.  The story is supposedly inspired by events in Tel Aviv during last year’s contest.  Without a video or any staging, the context of the song was somewhat lost, but the performance was strong.

After both rounds, the results were revealed.  For both the televote and the jury, 1 point was awarded for third place, 3 for second place and 5 for first place, with tiebreaks broken with reference to the public vote.  In the event, Alicja Szemplińska won both categories obtaining a maximum 10 points and was declared the winner.  Albert Černý came second in both polls and therefore scored 6.  Kasia Dereń came in third with 2 points.

Alicja was therefore presented a large ticket to Rotterdam by a senior executive of TVP and reprieved her song “Empires”.  We will see her in the second semi-final on Thursday 14 May.

Ukraine # 3 - Clarel Rodrigue

Last Saturday saw the final of Vidbir 2020. Three acts from the first semifinal and three acts from the second semifinal came together to perform one last time to compete to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest this May. And what a show it was! I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of song genres presented. It really shows how much Ukraine is “opening up” to new styles. Good work!

Song #1: 99 by Krutь

I really liked this performance. It had a mix of traditional (with the Ukranian bandura) and this sort of modern jazz/chill sound. There seemed to be very few backing instrumentals, making this song sound stripped down and raw. Her voice sounded pretty good, and I loved that cute whistle from the equally cute backing singer towards the end! All in all, a very unique performance!

Song #2: Vegan by Jerry Heil

Easy breezy lemon squeezy. Holy moley guacamole. Probably the two lines from the song that best describe it. It’s quirky, but at times for me it bordered on haphazard. It seemed a bit messy at times, but that just might have been Jerry Heil’s intention. Very VERY colorful, contrasting it with the previous song. Not my favorite song of the bunch, but I can definitely see this having some followers.

Song #3: Solovey by Go_A

When I heard this song, the first thing that came to mind was Tulia from 2019. Especially with the woman’s voice. The backing melody I really like. It’s this nice mix of folk and electronic and it sounds fresh and cool. The woman’s voice I like. For some, it may sound odd, but for me it sounds quite catchy. The problem is that I don’t particularly like the backing track and the voice together. It doesn’t sound that connected. However, based on wild applause they got after their performance, it seems like this might be a favorite.

Song #4: Horizon by David Axelrod

(*Cue the Obama jokes from the US fans) All kidding aside, this was a good song. This is the kind of good ballad that you would definitely hear at a Eurovision Song Contest… maybe 10 years ago. The graphics in the back were nice. I liked how when he got to the chorus of the song, the walls in the back broke and water started rushing out like a waterfall. My favorite part though? The wind machine. It looked as if he was whiplashed by that wind machine, and at times it seemed like he was physically taken aback by how powerful that wind machine was. Overall a nice song.

Song #5: Call for Love by Khayat

Starting off, I wasn’t sure where the song was going to go because it gave me a very Cezar Ouatu from 2013 vibe. Then he went into the verses of his song, and I couldn’t really understand what he was saying… and I’m guessing that it was all in English. However, when he got to the chorus of the song, I was in love. It’s catchy and the dance moves are to die for! Very Maruv meets drag queen music video and I’m obsessed! (I’ll try to fit them in some dance routine at the Euroclub this year). In terms of pure enjoyment, I liked this song the best. It’s concise and a definite earworm.

Song #6: Bonfire by Tvorchi

Ok I’m very conflicted about this performance. First thing’s first: Black people at Vidbir! Yasss for representation! ✊🏿 Now let’s get into the issues with this performance. Number one: Vocals were terrible. At first, I thought it might have been that the earpiece was off (because he kept adjusting his earpiece). But then at the end of the song, he was just plain shouting. Number two: The verses didn’t really have that much substance and again, another song that banked on a good chorus that everyone would dance to… which worked. I was surprised at how people were going off for the song. Even Tina!

CONGRATULATIONS TO Go_A!!! See you in Rotterdam!!!

Australia - Gavin Trautman

At a grueling 4:30 A.M. my time, Australian broadcaster SBS aired Australia Decides, live from the Gold Coast in Queensland. Unlike last year, there were no very clear favorites going into the contest. The show opened with a performance of "Zero Gravity" by 2019 Australia Decides winner Kate Miller-Heidke. We quickly jumped into the ten performing acts, listed in running order:

1. iOTA- "Life"

The show opener was a rowdy, musical-theater style piece called "Life". I didn't really like this one, especially compared to the other acts. I thought the act was a little too chaotic for its own good. That being said, it did seem to really excite the crowd, so it served well in its role as the first song in the lineup.

My Ranking: 10th

Final Result: 9th

2. Jordan Ravi- "Pushing Stars"

Jordan's song was generic, but had a bit of an uplifting feel. The performance was decent overall; I particularly liked the staging elements in the background. Unfortunately for Jordan, however, it was easy to forget this performance by the end of the night.
My Ranking: 7th

Final Result: 10th

3. Jaguar Jonze- "Rabbit Hole"

This song was ​really​ good at doing what it was intended: feeling as if the listener was descending deep into chaos. Jaguar gave an energetic performance. This song gave variety to a pop-heavy national final.
My Ranking: 5th
Final Result: 6th

4. Jack Vidgen- "I Am King I Am Queen"

A pretty ballad, Jack gave an emotional performance. You can tell the performer had a deep emotional connection to his song about self-acceptance. The staging wasn't bad either, so it was a respectable (but probably not winning) performance.
My Ranking: 6th

Final Result: 8th

5. Vanessa Amorosi- "Lessons of Love"

One word: Wow. This song was my favorite going into the night, and it delivered very well. Vanessa's vocals were on point for what is likely a difficult song to sing, and the staging concept, while different than what most were expecting, of a car crash, while different from what most were expecting, was executed beautifully.

My Ranking: 1st

Final Result: 3rd

6. Diana Rouvas- "Can We Make Heaven"

This song was good, but not spectacular compared to the entries that surrounded it. Diana's performance sounded operatic yet upbeat, and it worked quite well. Overall good performance and an okay song too.
My Ranking: 8th

Final Result: 7th

7. Mitch Tambo- "Together"

For some reason, I don't think this performance was all there, but it was okay. I really liked the jumping yellow dancers in the background. The song had potential, but I think the bland chorus didn't really make the overall performance stand out very well.
My Ranking: 9th

Final Result: 5th

8. Casey Donovan- "Proud"

This was by far the biggest grower of the night. The song is very Disney-esque and generic, but Casey ​owned ​it. This may have even beat Vanessa for best vocal performance, and the simple staging made those notes all the more impactful.
My Ranking: 3rd

Final Result: 2nd

9. Montaigne- "Don't Break Me"

This song gave modern Australian pop a unique twist in a good way. The staging was very interesting and eye-catching, and while the live wasn't perfect, you could tell this had potential. I'm glad Australia gave Montaigne a chance.
My Ranking: 2nd
Final Result: 1st (will be performed in Rotterdam)

10. Didirri- "Raw Stuff"

A very interesting closer, not a typical upbeat party closer but a moving ballad. This was the other big grower of the night; Didirri moved me and the crowd in singing his very simple yet beautiful piece.
My Ranking: 4th

Final Result: 4th

In the interval, 2015 Eurovision winner Måns Zemerlöw and 2016 runner-up Dami Im both performed their own songs separately, followed by a duet titled "Walk With Me". Dami had a big announcement for us before the results: she would be returning to Eurovision in 2021!

Montaigne won the night narrowly over Casey Donovan; full results are posted above after each song.

United Kingdom - Barry Tsai

The U.K’s entry for Eurovision 2020, James Newman with the song ‘My last
breath’ was officially announced as the U.K entry on Radio 1 and 2 this
morning.

After years of disappointing results by artists/songs selected via the
dreadful Eurovision decides selection show; In September last year, the
BBC announced that the 2020 entry would be internally selected in
partnership with BMG.

After an initial flurry of excitement when fans scoured the BMG roster
of artists to speculate on who could possibly be chosen (Kylie Minogue’s
name came up a few times) things inevitably went silent until last week,
Graham Norton announced the U.K entry would be revealed Thursday.

So, have the BBC finally managed to get it right?

The writing credentials are good, Ed Drewett, Adam Argyle and Iain James
have between them written hits for the likes of Little mix and One
direction and James also has Eurovision connections, having been a
co-writer of “Running Scared” by Ell & Nikki, which won Eurovision 2011
for Azerbaijan.

Newman himself, although not an established solo artist, does have a
good musical pedigree, particularly with his impressive list of song
writing credits.

The song itself opens with a steady drum beat and vocal that has hints
of Azerbaijan’s 2019 entry Chingiz “Truth” but quickly moves into the
contemporary pop realm.

Make your own mind up about the song here.

Belgium - Rachel Guttler

2020 is the turn of the broadcaster Vlaamse Radio -en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) to select Belgium’s song for Eurovision.  VRT represent the Flemish speaking side of all things Belgium and have sent past artists like Tom Dice, Laura Tesoro and Sennek.  Some hits, some misses.

VRT were out of the blocks early by announcing in October 2019 that the band Hooverphonic would be artist selected to go to Rotterdam the following year.  They are a very well established band with a career spanning some 25 years.  The band has had various incarnations during this time but the current line up is Alex Callier (bass guitar, keyboard) , Raymond Geerts (lead guitar) and Luka Cruysberghs (lead vocal).

A band with such a long history is hard to describe as being in any one musical style, though their recent releases lean towards ambient pop and electro pop.  Songs of note include Mad About You, 2Wicky and Eden.  Fans got particularly excited for Hooverphonic’s prospects at Eurovision when seeing a recent music video for their very radio friendly song called “Looking for Stars” from 2019, check it out here  (warning, it's a long one).

So with much expectation, on 17 February came the eventual release of Hooverphonic’s song for Eurovision 2020 called “Release Me” .

Too be honest, it’s a bit disappointing.  Was it the high expectations? Although the song  is quite obviously true to their style, it is almost so ambient that it could get lost in the context of Eurovision.  However, some exceptional staging could create an “atmosphere” that could attract some votes from the public.

A lot of fans have mentioned the “bond theme” aspects and overall “Release Me” feels like a much poorer version of their successful song “Mad About You”.

Belgium have failed to qualify for the Eurovision final for the past two years with 2018 entry Sennek with "A Matter Of Time" and 2019 entry Eliot with his song "Wake Up".

It’s a quality song, very true to Hooverphonic, very true to Belgium’s music scene but, so far, this year’s entry has a Sennek-vibe all over again.

Israel #1 - David McKean

Israel has spoken!

Eden Alene has been selected for Eurovision 2020 in a hard-earned battle of teen talent. But will they match a suitable song to her voice ahead of the big show in May?

The Selection Process

Last year Israeli Broadcaster KAN confirmed the plan to again select the Israeli artist through a selection show for Eurovision 2020. "The Next Star for Eurovision" ("HaKochav Haba") started filming in September 2019 and commenced airing twice a week in November. Hosted by Assi Azar (one of the excellent ESC 2019 hosts) together with model Rotem Sela, “Next Star” involved a marathon competition over many weeks to filter through the amazing talent Israel has to offer. “Next Star” was to identify the specific artist that will represent Israel in Rotterdam with the song selection for that winning artist to be chosen through a second competition called “Next Song”.

That final stage to match song to artist shall be decided on 3rd March.

The “Next Star” Grand Final

On 4th February the grand final took place after a marathon of several weeks of auditions and shows. Reflecting the strength of fresh, young talent in Israel, all of the 4 finalists were 19 or younger:

-       Ella-Lee Lahav (16 years old)

-       Orr Amrami-Brokman (17 years old)

-       Eden Alene (19 years old)

-       Gaya Shaki (17 years old)

After consistently impressing during the heats, Ella-Lee went into the grand final as clear favourite. The grand final show had 2 rounds consisting of head to head performances.

First Round

In the first round the four finalists were paired in two duels. From each duel the contestant with the higher score advanced to the second round. At the end of the first round, one of the remaining two contestants was saved by the viewers and the other contestant was eliminated. Singing a powerful version of “where have you been” Eden ended up being saved by the wildcard from viewers, whilst Gaya was eliminated after her underwhelming performance of “My immortal”.

Second Round

The remaining three contestants then competed in a third duel in the second round. At the end of the duel, each judge allocated twelve points to their favourite, ten points to their runner-up and eight points to their least favourite. In addition to the votes of the judges, 300 points in proportion to the votes of the audience were also allocated to the three contestants. In the end, the contestant with the highest number of points won the competition.

Orr, singing “Haim lhiot bah mehhoav" claimed third place with 158 points

Ella-Lee singing “Roar” was second with 182 points.

And winning both Jury and Public votes, Eden was a clear winner with 260 points, singing a classy and confident rendition of “Halo”.

Eden clearly has the goods to product a strong performance in Rotterdam, but I will look forward to hearing her present a song unique to her voice rather than the well-known mega-hits she performed during this competition.

So, who is Eden Alene?

Eden Alene gained great success during "The Next Star", because of her amazing vocals and performances. The 19 years old Eden was born in Jerusalem, to Israeli-Ethiopian parents and brings a delightful blend of diversity to the 2020 competition. She studied ballet for ten years before moving from a religious school to a secular one and studying theatre and taking voice lessons. She also sang for two years with the YMCA Jerusalem Youth Choir, a mixed choir of Jewish and Arab teens. Eden, who currently is an IDF soldier, has considerable experience in the business, having won the country’s X-Factor reality show in 2018 when she was 17 years old. She has since released several singles, including a cover of Eurovision’s 1976 winner “Save Your Kisses for Me” by Brotherhood of Man. Her 2019 song “When It Comes to You” was recorded in Los Angeles with US producer Julian Bunetta.

Ukraine #2 - Sascha Stolp

Last night saw the second semi final of the Ukranian national selection show, Natsionalnyi Vidbir.  Just as with the first semi-final, the show was hosted by Serhii Prytula and the judges consisted of Andriy Danylko (better known to Eurovision fans as Verka Serduchka), the representative from the 2006 Eurovision Tina Karol, and producer Vitalii Drozdov.  The semi final consisted of 8 acts vying for 3 spots in the Grand Final next week.  During the show, the audience were also treated to a live performance by this year’s Czech Republic representative Benny Cristo with his song Kemama. At the end of the show, we also saw the live draw for running order for the Grand Final next week.

The acts:

Song 1:  “Maze” performed by Moonzoo feat. F.M.F. Sure

Moonzoo is an electronic music band from Lviv with lead vocals by Oleksandr along with a featured rapper, F.M.F Sure from Florida, USA who is currently living in Ukraine.  The entry was in an electro pop/synth style reminiscent of Depeche Mode. Judge Vitalii felt that it felt very Ukranian, but that the song didn’t scan very well and needed some work on the backing track.  Judge Tina liked the hook and thought the poetry in the lyrics where very interesting.  Judge Andriy thought is was excellent, very atmospheric and characteristically Ukranian.  Overall it was a good performance and opened the first semi-up very well.

Song 2:  “Blck Sqr” performed by Fo Sho

Blck Sqr brought some African HipHop to the show, thanks to Fo Sho who originally come from Ethiopia but now live in Ukraine.  The song had quite a 90’s hip hop feel, similar in style to Salt-N-Pepa, although at times it felt a little chaotic on stage.  Tina complemented Fo Sho on their harmonies and said the song has a Ukranian essence that really caught her attention.  She also said she would love to sing with them sometime.  Andriy thought it felt really colourful and positive.

Song 3:  “Get Up” performed by Elina Ivashchenko

This was a more traditional power ballad, although it also had undertones of Jamala at times.  Elina, who previously found fame from reality music shows (she won both The Voice Kids and the all-Ukrainian singing contest Black Sea Games), has a very good voice and gave us a fantastic key change moment.  She loved being able to perform her own song on a stage though and said the message of the song is very personal to her.  The judges however seemed underwhelmed by the song, although they all complemented her voice.  Tina felt she should rather have had a hand microphone rather than a headset to give her more of a presence on stage.

Song 4:  “Saviour” performed by Oleksandr Poriadynskyi

Oleksandr won the 4th Season of X factor Ukraine and brought us a ballad with a very strong Bond-theme feel.  His deep bass voice was very reminiscent of John Legend or Rag’n Bone Man (which judge Vitalii also commented on).  The staging was slightly distracting with very busy screen projections and dark lighting on stage.  The song also didn’t have that much needed “moment”, feeling like it was building to something that never came.  Tina thought he gave a really classy vocal and that he was a real artist who makes in impression.  She likes the song, but thought it did not work visually and that he needs to be more of a showman than just standing on the stage.

Song 5:  “Who We Are?” Performed by Garna

Who We Are was performed in a soft rock style with a very Eastern European sound.  It felt well staged in dramatic red and black, and Garna is definitely able to give a very powerful performance.  She did at time tend to swallow her words though when using vocal effects.  Garna did however tick off quite a few Eurovision must-haves by giving us a fantastic key-change, followed by a very dramatic big note, and finished it off with wind machines.  Tina complemented her voice and 3 octave vocal range.  Vitalii felt that although she was a great vocalist, sometimes more is needed.

Song 6:  “Call for Love” performed baby Khayat

This ethno-punk entry started very dramatically, and the “white voices” traditional backing vocals complemented the song.  Although Khayat gave a very good performance, he didn’t always connect with the camera, rather he performed for the audience in the studio.  Tina thought is was a fantastic performance with interesting vocals and staging.  Vitalii thought is was an interesting mixture of folk and dance styles and rhythms.  He appreciated the minimalist style and thought it showed off the performer very well.  He also like the “Soviet” style that the song had.

Song 7:  “Horizon” performed by David Axelrod

This was a very traditional Eurovision ballad.  David was centre stage surrounded by 5 angels/birds complete with key-change and wind machine.  It did however feel a little dated and could do with some modernisation.  Andriy complemented David’s vocals and said if this contest was purely down to vocals, he would win.  

Song 8:  “Bonfire” performed by Tvorchi

Tvorchi are a duo consisting of Ukranian Andriy and Nigerian Jeffrey.  They brought a very creative entry “Bonfire” to close off the show.  The synth-pop style of the song along with the avant-garde staging and energy felt very Pet Shop Boys, although the staging could have done with a little more help, as the duo sometimes got a little lost on stage.  Judge Andriy felt they should be proud of that piece of art, but said they were performing like they were in a small club rather than a big stage.  Vitalii agreed that they created a club feel atmosphere.  Tina said she would love Ukraine to enter a song like that.

Results:

The results were based on a combined Jury vote from the judges and a televote.  It was revealed that the 3 finalists where:

1st place:  “Bonfire“ by Tvorchi

2nd place:  “Call for Love” by Khayat

3rd place:  “Horizon” by David Axelrod

Draw for running order of the Grand Final

All the finalists from both semi-finals joined host Serhii on stage.  Serhii had 6 envelopes each containing a place in the Grand Final and asked each act to choose one and reveal their place.  The running order for the Grand Final will be:

1. “99” by Krutь

2. “Vegan” by Jerry Heil

3. “Solovey” by Go-A

4. “Horizon” by David Axelrod

5. “Call for Love” by Khayat

6. “Bonfire” by Tvorchi

Iceland #2 - Ellise Newman

Daði & Gagnamagnið "Gagnamagnið" aka “Think about things”

The first impression of this group is that they are rather eccentric! This is enhanced by their daggy DIY jumpers and instruments – which I think are purely for show. Vocally however, the song is very smooth and quite catchy with a great mix of synth-y beats and funk backing it up. The staging is fun and playful but very simplistic with their dorky dance moves making the whole vibe feel very ‘Napoleon Dynamite’.

Hildur Vala "Fellibylur".

Her song has a very dark and twisted feel to it and the costume and set design could have been played with a bit more to suit this. However the simple staging with lit up boxes and her abstract blue dress was a bit boring visually. I was ready to be blown away by her performance but unfortunately it never quite got there for me. The interpretive dancing and the soft chorus - which sounded off key at times, was just a bit too bland. The song itself is quite interesting and beautiful but unfortunately Hildur will not advance to the Grand Final.

Iva with "Oculis videre"

I had been looking forward to this performance since the song was leaked a few weeks back. She appears in a white gown surrounded by her back up singers also in robes. Her song begins and immediately I get a shiver down my spine – she is just that good. Although she looks nervous at first, she quickly finds her courage and absolutely smashes the performance.  The staging is SO simple – just some fun LD lighting  - but she doesn’t need anything fancy because the performance has you captivated 100 percent.

Nina Dagbjört "Ekkó"

Nina appears in a white ruched dress alone on the stage. She has a rather soft start and doesn’t seem to build until half way through. The performance has a lot of potential but I think it just needed to be bigger. The stage is a single set of 4 black stairs placed on the stage, which she does eventually walk up as her backing choir comes from side-stage. I personally love this song and she executed the vocals very well but I do hope she lifts it a bit prior to the Grand Final. Nina advances through as a surprise Wildcard.

Matti Matt with Dreyma.

He comes out dressed in a well-cut suit with a sleek black piano is placed on stage. He is vocally perfect and his backing vocalist adds a beautiful touch to their combined sound. The song is lovely and folky at times with the backing guitar and undulating melody but his performance is very strong. The staging is elegant but a bit boring, and this in combination with his slow song meant a bit of a sleepy ending to the evening’s show. Unfortunately Matti Matt does not progress through to the Grand Final

Lithuania #4 - Chris Hockman

Lithuania Declares The Roop is On Fire

THE ROOP will be heading to Rotterdam representing Lithuania after a dominant performance in the Pabandom iš naujo final on the 15th of February, winning both the jury and public votes to sweep to glory with their song “On Fire”.

It was a dominant display with the win in the jury vote being by 27 votes but the televote was astounding. “On Fire” picked up 34,585 votes from the Lithuanian public, more votes than every other song put together, leaving Monique’s 10,366 trailing in the distance.

After finishing third in 2018’s Eurovizijos the band came back with an even better song to book their flight to Rotterdam this summer, sitting a year out proving a wise move from The Roop.

Including the dramatic line “I am on fire,” and a dance that has taken Lithuania by storm The Roop certainly caught the attention of fans in Lithuania and will now be looking to do the same throughout Europe this May.

As usual there is always the usual overdrawn conversation about what the song means with lead singer Vaidotas Valiukevičius commenting that “ I have repeatedly been told that I am too old to do something and there are certainly many people who cross their thirties and step on their brakes. I keep saying "don't stop" to myself and I repeat the same for the group. And that snowball is rolling. I say this to both my relatives and to Lithuania, let us be brave, move forward and not underestimate ourselves, as we often do.”

After “On Fire” was selected by Lithuania the odds for the only Baltic country yet to win Eurovision jumped to fourth, while it’s early it reflects how fans have responded to the catchy song and the dance that will have everyone moving in Rotterdam this May.

Sweden #2 - Richard Isaac

Nu kör vi! (Here we go!)

Week 3 of the 60th Melodifestivalen (Sweden’s national selection) from Luleå in the far north began with hosts Lina Hedlund, David Sundin, and Linnea Henriksson singing a lively ditty about how anything can happen on a live TV show, with some examples played out on stage: a man dressed as a banana pulling a tablecloth out from under dishes, Lina walking a tightrope (lina), the hosts stopping to scold an “audience member” scrolling on his phone, David twerking, Linnea juggling, and all of them (and their backup dancers) doing a Riverdance line — and being interrupted by David’s mother calling in to complain about it. Finally, David was unable to resist saying a dirty word (pungkula, or “testicles”).

Song #1 was three-time finalist Mariette’s “Shout It Out,” which has been called “Coldplay style [with] an anthemic beat.” The up-tempo, bouncy song — co-writer Thomas G:son’s 60th (!) for Melfest —featured lyrics such as “Why keep it in when you can say it / Why think again when you can change things / Don’t hold back / Just shout it out.” The simple but (literally) flashy staging felt like an arena show, with Mariette striding about the stage and looking rocker-ish in a black tank top, black leather pants, black armbands, and an up-do of long dreadlocks, not to mention pulling out a multicolored guitar near the end. But personally, it struck me as not too special and rather familiar.

Song #2, co-written by 2013 Melfest winner Robin Stjernberg, was “Livet börjar nu” (Life Begins Now), the first of four Swedish-language entries this week (the highest number so far), sung by Albin Johnsén. The lyrics were just as encouraging as the first song: “Life begins every time you go to pieces / And you still manage to laugh because you have stopped doubting / Life begins when you are on the last battle / And it feels like the air has run out but you find breath.” But the vocals weren’t great, the backup dancers in their nightclothes seemed kind of aimless, the on-stage piano was never used (except to stand on the bench), and the lyrics got a bit repetitive in my opinion.

Song #3 brought us Drängarna (The Farmhands), a rock-pop-dance band described as a mix between Rolandz and Timoteij, making their Melfest debut after having a hit back in 1995. They performed the upbeat “Piga och dräng” (Wench and Farmhand), basically an Irish jig heavy on the violin, guitar, and accordion, accompanied by a flashy light show and four dancers (and the accordionist) leaping about in a traditional Irish dance and acrobatic moves. The sweet lyrics included “Summer nights scream our names / Over the meadows the sounds can be heard / Everyone sings the chorus of the farmhands / Because if you become my wench, I will be your farmhand.” I found the whole thing super catchy, an infectious sing-along that even Ireland could be proud of, even if it was a bit of a cheesy throwback. Quite irresistible, in my opinion.

Song #4 brought us “Late” (in Swedish, despite the title), sung by Amanda Aasa, the jury pick for Melfest from the show “P4 Nästa.” The songwriters called this an “up-tempo pop song with an international sound” and a mix between Billy Eilish and Ed Sheeran. I would not disagree: Amanda and her two female backup dancers, all in tight white outfits and slick hair against a yellow background, put me in mind a bit of Michela (Malta 2019). The lyrics were simple, about getting in too deep although it’s a mistake and realizing it too late: “You call too late and you know it / Finally I can see this / So dumb, I know, but too late.” The beat was catchy, and the vocals adequate. I found it appealing.

Song #5 was “Vem e som oss” (Who Is Like Us) by Anis Don Demina, the house saxophonist from two years ago who fell short at Melfest 2019 and is making his solo debut. He describes the song as “giving hope, energy, and joy” — and that it did! This bouncy hiphop number threaded with brass got high marks in our household for creativity and high spirits. It was probably the most fun to watch, with sophisticated graphics framing the live Anis (in his shiny purple velvet track suit) and lyrics on humorous, fast-moving magazine covers (“The arena smells of hockey sweat! Schlager is thicker than blood!”). Speaking of lyrics, the high-energy song had the most words (520) of any song in Melfest this year, for example: “Do everything I can to make mom proud / People with negativity, brother, we throw them out / First they talk shit but now they get it / And sing along to everything we talk about… For no one else will ever be like us.” Pudgy, adorable Anis and his four energetic backup dancers made the stage show into an irresistible aerobics class that you couldn’t help but sing and dance along with (“Shu, shu, vem e som oss! Shu, shu, vem e som oss!”). So much fun!

Song #6 calmed things down with a classic ballad: “Crying Rivers,” whose songwriters have also produced tunes for Jennifer Lopez, Eminem, and Britney Spears and describe it as having an “’80s George Michael feel.” The song was well performed, with a distinct R&B vibe, by Faith Kakembo (in real life an anesthesiology nurse), who wore a sparkling silver pantsuit against simple background graphics. “Oh, baby can’t you see / Stop crying rivers over me / You know love’s a motion / Goes where it wants to be / So stop crying rivers / Save them for ones who / really do deserve them.” Ballads are not my speed, so I found this sleepy, but Faith did deliver vocally.

After a short comedy interlude, song #7 brought the return of Mohombi (“Hello,” fifth place in Melfest 2019; also 2005), with “Winners,” a mid-tempo danceable tune in the style of Robin Bengtsson and Benjamin Ingrosso, with a touch of Latin or reggaeton influence. Embraced by a semicircle of light panels, Mohombi, dressed in all white plus a gray suede jacket, convincingly sold the song with a few Michael Jackson moves thrown in. “So why give my heart / Let down my guard / And show you my scars / Just to give up nah now, baby / Still not too late / Don’t let it be your greatest mistake / Without you I’m just a dreamer, dreamer / Together we stand like winners, winners.”

While the voting was taking place, another set of inductees to the “Melodifestivalen Hall of Fame” were flashed on the screen, including Arvingarna (ESC 1993 and five times in Melfest) and “Take Me to Your Heaven” (1999 ESC winner). Then Lina performed a Broadway-ish dance number, “Pizzazz,” about doing ordinary things (like shopping, exercising, eating, and bathing) with, yes, pizzazz. David presented clips of Melfest intermission acts from history.

Finally, the “resultat”: Songs #2 (“Livet börjar nu”) and #4 (“Late”) failed to advance. Among the top 5, songs #1 (“Shout It Out”) and #7 (“Winners”) advanced direct to the finals, while #3 (“Piga och dräng”) and #5 (“Vem e som oss”) will proceed to Andra Chansen. Song #6 (“Crying Rivers”) finished out of the running, in 5th place. The results break this year’s streak of Swedish-language songs finishing at the bottom (although with four this week, one was bound to get through). Personally, I would have liked the Andra Chansen songs to go to the finale, and “Late” and “Winners” to Andra Chansen, but sånt är livet (that’s life).

On to Malmö next week!

Estonia #2 - Wayne Ralph

Semi-final 2 of Eesti Laul 2020 involved 12 songs battling it out for the last 6 positions in the Final. There’s two rounds of voting with both jury and public being combined to pick the first four artists and then a further vote by the public to select an additional two. 

Song 1 Viinerid - “Kapa Kohi-LA”

Ah....that was a long 3 minutes! 

Song 2 Janet - “Hingelind”

Poor Janet has to follow whatever the hell that was at the start and she’s clearly in shock…the poor lady has forgotten how to sing.  Luckily she’s met by her backups on the stage to help her get through her slow grind of a song. 

Song 3 Uku Suviste - “What Love Is”

If only Uku’s vocal was as tight as his pants, he’s not great in the verses but better in the chorus when he gets some “help” from the backups.  It’s the first “attack of the fluro lights” for the night and someone has purchased an awful lot of candles.

Song 4 Inger - “Only Dream”

Inger is a very young man with a guitar.  The kiss cam turns out to be a bit of a disaster, surely they should have cued up some willing participants before the show. We’ve heard this sort of cutesy stuff before though.  

Song 5 Merilin Mälk - “Miljon sammu”

She must be the daughter of the producer or something.

Song 6 German & Violina - “Heart Winder”

This one falls in the category of “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”…..unfortunately everyone is too darn pretty to realise. 

Song 7 Jaagup Tuisk - “Beautiful Lie”

Somehow this seems even slower when performed live. A touch over dramatic with the interpretive dance and I reckon he got about 70% of that falsetto.  There was good use of the tech with the rain and controlling the rain drops.  A bit of a fan favourite.

Song 8 Ziggy Wild - “Lean On Me”

Ziggy Wild puts some life into Semi 2 with a bit of dated pub rock.  There’s a lot of affection shown to a microphone stand made of chain.  It took till song 8 for someone who could sing.

Song 9 Uudo Sepp - “I’m Sorry I Messed Up”

Uudo is going for vulnerable but comes across as a bit terrified and wooden.  He ambles through and gives us a good last 30 seconds with basically an Ed Sheeran-esq slow song.  And ladies we could all “mess up” with the pianist...am I right ;)

Song 10 Traffic - “Üks kord Veel”

Traffic are huddled around the camera which spins around to make everyone just dizzy enough to forget about their bland song.  However, once they break free of the camera and get on the main stage...we all start remembering again. 

Song 11 SHIRA - “Out in Space”

A well placed piano lets everyone know that there is indeed some piano in this track but SHIRA is just using it as a seat to start her performance....perhaps there’s no need for pianos in space.  SHIRA’s vocal works well enough in the very small range of her song but there’s no real excitement here. 

Song 12 Mariliis Jõgeva - “Unistustes”

Mariliis has one of those cute girl pop songs which I love….yes I’m that basic;). The fluro lights make a surprise attack which her backup singers have to struggle through when they meet her on stage.  Unfortunately, there’s nothing groundbreaking but definitely not the worst tonight IMHO.

And that concluded a very long show.  A few songs too many I feel.  Anyway, getting through to the Final were:

First 4

• Uku Suviste - What Love Is

• Inger - Only Dream

• Jaagup Tuisk - Beautiful Lie

• Traffic - Üks kord Veela
  

Next 2

• Uudo Sepp - I’m Sorry I Messed Up

• SHIRA - Out in Space

A bit “man heavy” if you ask me.

Now it’s up to Alan to bring this great big Estonian Euro show home in 2 weeks time.