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tiredIn the space of two hours last night we went from knowing four of the songs that will be in Moscow, to double that number. Here's my thoughts on last night.
U.K. JADE - "My Time"
This is the only show I watched on television.
Hi Michael,
Just letting you know that this is what I'll be blogging tomorrow.
The U.K. is the latest country to try a talent show and I'm afraid that like Spain, Ireland France and others it's a case of increasing local interest onto to fall flat on the international stage at Eurovision. Well done to the BBC for revamping their stale Eurovision selection show and for involving songwriters like Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren but it's hard to see the U.K. finishing outside the bottom five once again this year.
With over twenty high profile television talent shows over the past decade, I fear the BBC has proven that we're now down to the the leftovers or rejects and most of the contestants in "Your Country Needs You" fell into that category. I've seen much better singers than Jade fail miserably at Eurovision and even if the song was amazing, I doubt that she has either the experience or talent to make an impression on a European audience.
I was also expecting much more from the song. "My Time" sounds like a cast off from a 1980s musical and manages the unfortunate knack of being both repetative and unmemorable.
The U.K. may get some votes from Ireland as our only neighbour, but I fear others won't be so kind, unless they are impressed that such internationally successful songwriters would enter a song for Eurovision.
I'm hearing today that ALW will accompany Jade on stage, playing piano and the the song will be re-arranged for Eurovision (it has to be because its almost twenty seconds too long). I'm not sure either of these things will change things too much although perhaps professional musical people who make up the juries may feel a need to reward such a well known name.
Just letting you know that this is what I'll be blogging tomorrow.
The U.K. is the latest country to try a talent show and I'm afraid that like Spain, Ireland France and others it's a case of increasing local interest onto to fall flat on the international stage at Eurovision. Well done to the BBC for revamping their stale Eurovision selection show and for involving songwriters like Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren but it's hard to see the U.K. finishing outside the bottom five once again this year.
With over twenty high profile television talent shows over the past decade, I fear the BBC has proven that we're now down to the the leftovers or rejects and most of the contestants in "Your Country Needs You" fell into that category. I've seen much better singers than Jade fail miserably at Eurovision and even if the song was amazing, I doubt that she has either the experience or talent to make an impression on a European audience.
I was also expecting much more from the song. "My Time" sounds like a cast off from a 1980s musical and manages the unfortunate knack of being both repetative and unmemorable.
The U.K. may get some votes from Ireland as our only neighbour, but I fear others won't be so kind, unless they are impressed that such internationally successful songwriters would enter a song for Eurovision.
I'm hearing today that ALW will accompany Jade on stage, playing piano and the the song will be re-arranged for Eurovision (it has to be because its almost twenty seconds too long). I'm not sure either of these things will change things too much although perhaps professional musical people who make up the juries may feel a need to reward such a well known name.
FINLAND : WALDO'S PEOPLE - "Lose Control".
While the U.K. entry harks back to the 1970s and 80s, Finland's is a throwback to the techno-lite music that dominated the European charts in the 1990s. Of its genre it's quite good and the live performance is surprisingly strong. Also gaven that Jari Sillanpaa didn't make he Top 3, it was my favourite of the "super finalists. However I'm not sure what people will make of a song from a style of music that hasn't been popular in over a decade. I have the feeling that this may go the way of the Bulgarian entry in 2008 and just lose out on making the final.
ROMANIA : ELENA GHEORGHE - "The Balkan Girls"
I didn't watch the Romania selection, as any show that last four hours, needs far more patience than I can muster. I wasn't overly surprised with the winner, but much by how it was chosen. This light as wafer song finished second in the pupblic televote, behind the ballad "Dear Mama" by The Blaxy Girls. Indeed it barely got half the televotes of the winner. However when the jury can to vote, rather than going with the ballad they chose this as their favourite. Anyone who thinks that professional on juries will prefer ballads to up-tempo songs should take not, as it may play a big part in the vote in Moscow.
As for "The Balkan Girls", it's not really my thing. A great introduction, nice studio tricks and a great arrangement shouldn't be enough to win Eurovision with a decent song being in there as well. However when you remember Latvia's winner in 2002 and the Greek winner in 2005, this might be a contender as Romania isn't short of neighbours and diaspora votes. I think that this is a very likely finalist and might even go Top 10 in Moscow.
DENMARK : BRINCK - "Believe Again"
I have to be honest and say that most of my attention was on Denmark last night. The involvement of Ronan Keating in writing one of the songs is already news in Ireland and with "Believe Again" being one of the best songs I've hear this year, I was really rooting for Niels Brinck. The selection process may havee been a little overly long but it was certainly exciting and in the end my favourite came through, for the first time in any national selection for 2009.
I think this song has instant appeal and the Irish connection makes me pretty sure where our 12 points are going in the semi, unless our Latvia, Polish, Slovakian or Lithuanian immigrants hi-jack the vote. I think Denmark is a virually guaranteed finalist and with the 2008 winner being called "Believe", could the 2009 winner be "Believe Again"?
TONIGHT
Tonight attention moves to Slovenia at 18.55GMT and then to Netherlands at 19.20GMT. In Slovenia, the running order is now known.
1. Lea Sirk - Znamenje iz sanj
2. Cuki - Mal' naprej pa mal' nazaj
3. Quartissimo - Love symphony
4. Omar Naber - I still carry on
5. Brigita Suler - Druga liga
6. Ne Me Jugat & Slavko Ivancic - Kaj me briga
7. Eva Cerne - Vse
8. Karmen Stavec - A zi zelis
9. Aliya & Rudi - Zadnji dan
10. Bjonde - Blonde power
11. Samuel Lucas - Vse bi zate dal
12. Nexys - Vsaj za en den
13. Langa & Manca Spik - Zaigraj muzikant
14. Nuska Drascek - Kako lepo
There's two familiar names here, but I don't think that either Omar Naber from 2005 or Karmen Stavec from 2003 will be making a return to Eurovision. I haven't heard all the songs in this selection, nevertheless from what I've heard...
PREDICTION: Langa & Manca Spik - "Zaigraj Muzikant"
Then it's off to Hilversum for the Dutch selection, where De Toppers, possibly the campest act to ever get to Eurovision will perform six songs and a jury and the public will choose the song that flies the Dutch colours in Moscow. So far only 30 second samples have been made available and this is the running order;
1. Our Night
2. No One Loves Me Like You
3. Shine
4. Angels Of The Light
5. Everybody Can Be A Star
6. Three Is The Magic Number
Based on the samples and the songwriting pedigree....
PREDICTION : De Toppers - "Everybody Can Be A Star"
There will be weblinks on the site from 18.30 and soundfiles and video links soon after the entries are chosen.
Believe Again
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 05:02 pm (UTC)
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 06:50 pm (UTC)
It's not bias, it's just the truth.
(Anonymous)
2009-02-03 03:19 pm (UTC)
For me, the song does sound too theatrical, too much like a show-tune cast off, sounds a bit awkward and and is just not good enough.
I thought that Jade actually, although a good singer and performer, struggled to make a dull song interesting. I really can't see it doing well.
StarHound
Re: It's not bias, it's just the truth.
(Anonymous)
2009-02-06 10:23 pm (UTC)
as for the song being theatrical can you seriously say that you know anything about the world of theatre aside from phantom and mama mia? i doubt it very much . the song stands alone in its own right , what makes a song theatrical is when it is part of a theatrical production ie it tells a story or moves a plot forward or allows a glimpse into the mind of the character . talk of what you know about and leave theatre out of it unless you can of course explain what you mean by tooo theatrical
UK isn't that bad
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 07:41 pm (UTC)
My views about the UK final:
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 10:23 pm (UTC)
Firstly, the song - is a regular Lloyd-Webber musical tune; it is certainly not a 'rock ballad' as described beforehand. The song is quite weak & old fashioned, and it shows it was hastily written without paying any attention what so ever to the people who were suppose sing it. I don't get that.
Mark - for me he (& Jade) were the best contenders; and as a musicals man he should have carried it off; but alas the song did not suit him at all. The song was not meant for a male singer, but a female singer - and it was evident he was not good enough to pull it off. Shame really because I liked Mark!
5/10
The Twins - those silly twins have ruined & butchered every song since they entered this contest. But, to my absolute shock, they sang this piece beautifully and their harmonies were perfect. it was very clear the song needed a good duo, and these two sounded and looked great; I am still in shock about writing these words, but there you have it.
9/10
Jade - just like Mark, the song does not suit her voice nor her temperament. She did better then Mark of course as this song suits a woman voice better, but still her performance was not great, to say the least. After seeing the Twins it left me quite cold in fact. Wrong song for a great performer.
7/10
So at the end I was actually rooting for the Twins!! I can not believe it myself.
They were, as I said, complete and utter sham the whole show and only sparkled once - when it counted performing that song. Madness!!
If Mark would have been chosen, I would say he would have finished 13 to 18 in the final;
The Twins in my view would have shocked with this performance to enter the Top-5 (!) - the gimmick of twins on stage would have been succesful only because they performed the song so well;
Jade I'm afraid will have to settle into 7 to 13 position in the final. That is taking into account the juries in the final. with televoing alone it would probably be worse.
Good luck UK!
Jade, United Kingdom
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 07:42 pm (UTC)
Re: Jade, United Kingdom
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 08:41 pm (UTC)
Slovenia
2009-02-01 09:24 pm (UTC)
The return of the United Kingdom!
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 10:49 pm (UTC)
Totally brilliant Eurovision style ballad (repetitive and yes unforgettable).
Great singer with amazing star quality.
World class songwriters.
This will be Top 5 for sure :)
Saddest thing though is, judging by 'biased' accusations directed at you on this page, I think deep down you know how good this song is and how high it will place.
So many UK readers on this site, shame you can't be more generous.
By contrast found Ronan's song totally bland and indifferent.
now we have 10 and the winner!!
(Anonymous)
2009-02-01 11:37 pm (UTC)
i think the twins actually carried the song better and it suits a duet more however given some thought put into the arrangement for moscow and a healthy draw this will be a top 10.
also think brinck will be top 10, it's memorable and contemporary and i think the guy has stage presence too, i like it a lot and am guessing it will be above jade on final night.
BUT i think we may have seen tonight our next esc winner in Slovenia, think it's gonna score from all sides come May, watching tonight for the first time i was thinking to myself wow and very much forgetting about brinck and jade!
Re: UK Entry
(Anonymous)
2009-02-02 12:08 am (UTC)
you better "believe" it
(Anonymous)
2009-02-02 01:09 pm (UTC)
Ouch!
(Anonymous)
2009-02-02 06:31 pm (UTC)
As for Denmark, it's my favorite song of all the ones that got selected so far. I hope it does well. Winning is also possible, being that Denmark can benefit from the Scandinavian vote.
Change the record Keith
(Anonymous)
2009-02-04 06:44 pm (UTC)
God it's sooooooooooooooooooo PREDICTABLE!
Esperanto!
2009-02-04 06:56 pm (UTC)
As a native English speaker I think this is unfair!
It's certainly time to break the habit of "language imperialism", in the Eurovision Song Contest, and use a song, sung in Esperanto instead!
This is a serious suggestion, as you can see from the Esperanto music which is already available at http://www.vinilkosmo.com/?prs=list
There's even cheesy Esperanto music available! See http://www.ipernity.com/home/56084