Anouk makes a great deal of sense to send to Eurovision. Within the Netherlands, Anouk is quite successful, with both popular and critical appeal. A quick search of her name show multiple Saturn and TMF awards--Dutch music awards. And for American readers, she might be best described as the Dutch Alanis Morissette. Her albums are made up of self penned, personal songs backed by a guitar heavy band.
Anouk "Three Days In A Row"
Her entry into Eurovision is much different than her previous work
Anouk "Birds"
Instead of rock guitar and an up front stage presence, we have a song that sounds very much like a throwback to the Eurovision songs of old--a Dutch take on the French chanson that won in the very early years of the song contest.
It's an interesting change in her work, and this song, from her soon to be released Sad Singalong Songs, is in my wheelhouse. She's gone from the Dutch Alanis Morissette to the Dutch Aimee Mann. And I love Aimee Mann, so I'm going to be grabbing this album if and when it's released here in the States.
As for its chances at Eurovision, I can't really decide. It's one of those songs that is either going to sink to the bottom or rise to the top.
Anouk is an established singer that has one awards for being the "Best Live Act", so she has the ability to command a stage and connect with an audience. But the song is very quiet and mournful, quite different that the upbeat power ballands and dance numbers that pepper the semifinal the Netherlands is in.
I'm expecting it to unfairly sink beneath the dance tunes and power ballads from the rest of Europe, but I'll be delighted if it makes it into the final.
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