Countries In Review: Bulgaria

Eurovision  is starting up again, so it's high time for me to take a look at the next country on my list--Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is one of the world's most important producers of rose oil.

As of right now, it's unknown if Bulgaria will be participating in next year's Eurovision Song
Contest.   Due to a combination of political and financial issues, the Bulgarian national broadcaster has not been able to finalize their participation in Vienna and has been given extra time by the European Broadcasting Union to make a decision on entering.

I would love to see Bulgaria back at Eurovision after a year's absence, but unlike other countries that have returned this year, I can certainly understand if the Bulgarians decided to opt out.  Unlike Cyprus and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria has a rather dire  Eurovision record.

In the nine years Bulgaria sent a song to Eurovision, they only made it to the Eurovision finals once:

 Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov   "Water"  2007

Bulgaria hit the sweet spot in 2007--a pseudo-ethnic number in a year were pseudo-ethnic numbers were few and far between.  That, combined with Elitsa and Stoyan's obvious talents on percussion, got them to fifth place in Helsinki.

But other than that success, Bulgarian songs have died in the semifinals:

Sometimes, it's very obvious why they failed, such as Bulgaria's entry in 2009:

Krassimir Avramov   "Illusion"   2009

It's a train wreck of off-tune singing, bad costuming, strange dancing, and insane musical style mash ups.  It's like they threw all the cliches for Eurovision songs into a blender and came up with this song.  It's terrible, but it is amazingly so. 

Most countries have had this experience, sending a song that is completely off the wall and not being able to leave the semifinals.   However, Bulgaria has a problem in sending good songs with excellent performances that are stranded once votes come in from across Europe.

Poli Genova   "Na inat"   2011

Sofi Marinova    "Love Unlimited"  2012

In 2011 and 2012, Bulgaria sent two strong performers who gave superb performances yet failed to excite the voters.

This is where you have question the EBU's assertion that there is no "political" voting in Eurovision.   Unlike Bulgaria's neighbors, Bulgaria doesn't automatically receive points because of common cultural or musical ties.   That means it has to overcome a barrier that other countries rarely have to deal with.

It's not necessarily fair, but it is the nature of the contest.

I hope Bulgaria does return to Eurovision next year and I hope they are able to bring a song and performer that will blow us away.  After all, Austria won last year.

------

And for the record, my personal ranking of Bulgaria's entrants:

1. “Na inat”   Poli Genova   2011

2.  “Love Unlimited”   Sofi Marinova   2012

3.   “Angel si ti”   Miro   2010   Shockingly good, but the white leather is laughable.

4.   “Let Me Cry”   Mariana Popova  2006   Very good singer, somewhat let down by the staging (and the weird guy with the bleached hair).

5.   “Water”   Elitsa & Stoyan   2007

6.   “Lorraine”   Kaffe   2005    I can't even talk about how bad the lyrics are...  Oh dear lord...

7.   “Samo shampioni”   Elitsa & Stoyan   2013   Never go back to Eurovision with the same basic song you sent before.  It's not going to be successful.

8.   “DJ. Take Me Away”   Deep Zone & Balthazar   2008   This was their follow up to Elitsa
& Stoyan?
9.  “Illusion”   Krassimir Avramov   2009

Countries in Review: Bosnia/Herzegovina (part 2)

The Stari Mostar is perhaps the most recognizable landmarks of Bosnia/Herzegovina.

When looking back at my top five choices of Bosnian songs, one thing connects them all--compelling performances by their lead singer.  Having had twelve years of musical training in choral groups, I have major respect for performers who have actual talent in being able to present a song effectively.

5.  Maja Tatić   "Na jastuku za dvoje"   2002

I have a confession to make.  I love female singers from the Balkans with husky, powerful voices and Maja Tatić fits very much in that mold.  The song may be subpar and her styling disappointing, but I could listen to her sing the phone book.  Anybody know if there's a recording of Maja Tatić singing the phone book?  I'll buy it from you.

4.  Hari Mata Hari   "Lejla"   2006

Hara Mata Hari took Bonsia to their best placement at Eurovision, a third place finish.  It's an good example of the "Balkan Ballad".  I only have one big problem, and that's because it is a Željko Joksimović song.    Joksimović is and extremely successful Serbian singer--coming in second and third at Eurovision.   Hari Varešanović, the lead singer of Hari Mata Hari, is a good singer, but he's no  Joksimović

3.  Davorin Popović   "Dvadaset prvi vijek"   1995

This song was never going to win Eurovision.  It feels weird and dated and probably felt that when it was performed on stage in Dublin.   But even with that criticism, it's easy to see how Popović is considered a musical legend back in his home country.  Popović's ability to interpret lyric is something that comes across even though he is singing in Serbo-Croatian.    It wasn't going to win, especially since it followed the eventual winner of the 1995 contest.  However, this song is a nice feather in the cap for Popović--a quality international moment to top off a very successful career.

2.  Regina   "Bistra Voda"   2009

Although this song came in a disappointing ninth in 2009, this is one of the Eurovision songs and performances that has aged quite well over time.  It's a great example of song style, performance, and staging that comes out of the region and how amazing and effective they can be when everything works well together.  I just wish that they had some better camera work--at times it's very static.

1.  Dino Merlin   "Love In Rewind"  2011

This song is an earworm and it's the rare earworm I don't mind having stuck in my head.  It's been that way ever since I first heard it back in 2011.  The sunny, upbeat feeling of the song isn't an obvious choice for a successful song at Eurovision, but came in sixth in Düsseldorf even from the dreaded place of second in the running order.  Had it drawn a better place in the second half of the contest, this could have been a contender to win in a rather weak year.  (And I would have been much happier.)

Finally, I'm through with Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Next up, Bulgaria.

Countries in Review: Bosnia/Herzegovina (part one)

Although it appears landlocked, Neum is Bosnia/Hezegovina's only coastal town.

It's always disappointing when a country decides to opt out of the Eurovision Song Contest, especially so when they decide not to participate for financial reasons.  Bosnia and Herzegovina haven't entered Eurovision since 2012 due to the cost of participation.

Before starting this blog, I probably would have said "good riddance", but using this blog to look in depth into Eurovision, I am genuinely disappointed that they don't enter.  I've learned to love music from the Balkan region, and not having a Bosnian entry in Eurovision makes this Eurovision lover sad.

But it's not going to stop me from ranking the previous Bosnian entries.

I have to say that most of the Bosnian entries are pretty serious in the "Balkan Ballad" style, like the very first entry Bosnia sent, back in 1993:



Fazla   "Sva bol svijeta"   1993

Although the song sounds quite dated--you can tell by the orchestration it's from the early 1990s, "Sva blo svijeta" is worth listening to because it is one of the few times where the politics of the time are overtly shown at Eurovision.  The Bosnian war was at its zenith in 1993, and Fazla was almost unable to get out of the country due to bombings.  Just listen to the applause from the audience at the beginning of the song--an ovation that may never be repeated.

But the same straightforward, dramatic presentation can be seen in the most recent Bosnian entry:

MayaSar   "Korake ti znam"   2012

It's a lovely romantic song that was negated by the strange styling.  I was put off by the long limp hair and the oversized black dress.  (Isn't it incredible how the most minor things can put down a perfectly decent song?)

Yet, the most memorable Bosnian entry is one that breaks that mold:

Deen   "In The Disco"  2004

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present you the gayest performance ever to grace the Eurovision stage.  (Yes, even gayer that Conchita Wurst.)  I jokingly say that this is the only song at Eurovision you can potentially get a sexually transmitted disease from.  It's so not to my taste, but I think the over the top performance is exactly why it was successful and is definitely memorable.   

6.   Maya Sar   "Korake ti znam"   2012  
7.   Alma & Dejan   "Ostani kraj mene"   1994   I do love duets where the people actually look like they enjoy being together.
8.   Alma Čardžić   "Goodbye"   1997   The first peppy sounding song that Bosnia sent.
9.   Nino Pršeš   "Hano"   2001   The presentation of the song just failed to live up to its promise.
10.   Fazla   "Sva bol svijeta"   1993
11.   Maria   "Rijeka bez imena"   2007   I like Maya Sar's take on this basic song better.
12.   Deen   "In The Disco"   2004
13.   Mija Martina   "Ne brini"   2003   This is a song that is much better in English..
14.   Amila Glamočak   "Za našu ljubav"   1996   She has a nice voice, but the song is dull.
15.   Dino & Beatrice   "Putnici"   1999   Pretentious.
16.   Laka   "Pokušaj"  2008   I have a feeling that this is a cultural thing.  I just dont get this.
17.   Feminem   "Call Me"   2005   ABBA did this much better. 
18.   Vukašin Brajić   "Thunder and Lightning"   2010   Don't bother.  It's horrible.

My top five Bosnian songs should be posted soon.

Eurovision 2014: Sweden

Melodifestivalen...

For watchers of national finals, Sweden's national Eurovision selection process is the be all and end all.   The final, held on March 8th, was a show that pretty much delivered on all levels--strong songs, quality production values, and a nail-biting voting process.

For Eurovision lovers, there was something for everybody.

The Swedish take on Henry Rollins:

Linus Svenning  "Broeder"

A former Eurovision winner:

Helena Paparizou  "Survivor"

And sparkly man pants:

Alcazar  "Blame It On The Disco"  

And had they been performed in another country, those three songs would have been sure winners.  But it's Melodifestivalen, so they were some of the also-rans.

A strong ballad with a little vocal ornamentation trumped all the bells and whistles in the other songs.   Seventh time's the charm for Nielsen, who has been attempting to represent Sweden at Eurovision since 2001.

Sanna Nielsen  "Undo"

Annia W., my favorite Swede, agrees with the result.  She texted me after the contest telling me "the best song won".

Usually Annia and I are simpatico when it comes to Melodifestivalen, but this year I have to disagree.  The song I would have voted for was this number.

Panetoz  "Efter solsken"

I must confess a personal preference for Afropop, and this song was very well performed.  I would have voted for it, knowing it would have not likely not gone anywhere.

And it didn't.  It came in ninth out of ten songs in the final.

But even so, I still don't think "Undo" would have been the most successful of the Swedish choices come Eurovision time. 

Ace Wilder   "Busy Doin' Nothin'"

Wilder came in second at the end of the final, losing to Nielsen by only two points and is by far the more memorable song.   It's immediately infectious and unforgettable, while Nielsen's song is very nice.  In fact, the Swedish pop charts agree with me.  "Busy Doin" Nothing" is number one while "Undo" is number two.

But I'm sure that Sweden's going to sail through the semifinal and have another successful finish.  "Undo" is likely to make a top 10 finish, and not let Swedes down.

Eurovision 2014: Armenia

Every year there's the song that's touted as the front runner. This year the song from Armenia is "that" song.  Take a listen.

Aram Mp3  "Not Alone"

I may be damming this song with faint praise, but I must say "Not Alone" is very polished and very professionally produced.  I'll also say that Aram Mp3 is a competent singer and the song is well suited to his voice.

Yet the song doesn't linger after listening to it.  Nothing makes me want to listen to either the song or the singer again, making the love that is being show for it mystifying.

It's the same argument I had with the Danish entry last year, which was pegged to win when it came out fo Dansk Grand Prix and stormed to victory in Malmö. 

 Emmilie de Forest  "Only Teardrops"  Denmark  2013

Although the songs are very different, both of them have the same level of polish and professionalism.   They're songs that are calculated to appeal to the widest possible swath of people.  They're songs tailored to win the contest.

Because of that, the songs themselves are completely bland.  Instead of being something that will make a lasting impression, they hit immediately.  

"Not Alone" could very well win the contest, but it's not one that will make any impression on the European musical landscape or have any sort of afterlife once the Contest is over. 

Eurovision 2014: Austria

Austria was very unique in their approach to Eurovision this year.  Instead of a national final or a surprise announcement of performer, The Austrian broadcaster, ORF, announce their performer--Conchita Wurst--back in September of last year.

Yet the song, "Rise Like A Phoenix", was one of the last songs presented--announced just a few weeks ago on March 18th.

The process in announcing their choices was intriguing, but then again, Conchita Wurst is an intriguing performer.

Conchita Wurst is the drag persona of Tom Neuwirth.  Wurst  came to national prominence after her second place finish in the 2011 Austrian national finals and has parlayed that success into becoming a minor celebrity in her home country, appearing on reality television shows like "The Hardest Jobs In Austria".  

Conchita Wurst   "Rise Like A Phoenix"

Wurst is serving some Shirley Bassey realness, and in my mind it's the best kind of realness to be served.  Instead of the typical Bond-lite songs that come to Eurovision, this sounds like it could be the anthem of the next Bond movie.

And Wurst knocks it out of the park with both the vocals and the performance.  It's one of my two favorite songs in this contest.

But whether it will do well has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of either the song and performance.  It's going to depend on how people across Europe respond to Ms. Wurst herself.

Neuwirth created Conchita Wurst--a bearded lady--as a statement against the discrimination he faced in his teenage years.  Wurst is a symbol for equality for all people--no matter their gender or sexual orientation--and that sort of freedom is not allowed in the many countries that take part in the Eurovision Song Contest.  That up front statement could potentially be a turnoff to those who don't agree with Ms. Wurst's beliefs.

It's going to be one of the suspenseful parts of Eurovision this year and I can't wait.

Eurovision 2014: San Marino

After a couple of the big guns at Eurovision, now it's time to review the minnow in Eurovison--San Marino.

San Marino has sent Valentina Monetta for the third year and I must confess that I love the fact she's back the third time.  Although her songs have been lackluster, I like the fact that she keeps trying.  (I do love an underdog.)

Valentina Monetta  "Forse (Maybe)"

Sadly, this is the weakest song that she has sung.  It's instantly forgettable.  I can't say anything more than that.   It's sad that after three years, the writers haven't tailored a song to her pop/jazz talents and plunked her with a ballad that sounds like it came from the late 1980s.

It's a big disappointment.

Eurovision 2014: United Kingdom

I have to say good on the BBC for actually deciding to change up their process for selecting a song to go to Eurovision.

Instead of selecting a previously successful act to represent them--like Blue, Bonnie Tyler, or Englebert Humperdink--the BBC is sending a relatively unknown singer to Copenhagen to represent the hopes of a country hungry for another Eurovision win.

Molly   "Children of the Universe"

I have to say that whomever planned this presentation was smart.  Having Molly present the song live in front of an audience, putting to rest the off key performances of the past few years was smart.  Because of their live presentation, "Children of The Universe" has a buzz that the UK's past few entries haven't had.

I'd be on board with the buzz, but I am not one of those people who loves the song.  Why?  The lyrics are heavy handed and insipid.  Here's a bit of the song:

We're shining like diamonds/

With love in our hearts/

They said it's the end but I've a feeling/ 

It might just be the start/

As I am awakened with fire in my bones/

Standing beside you I've a feeling that I'll never walk alone

The lyrics seem to be pulled from and emo girl's AP English poetry assignment and not from a seasoned singer/songwriter.  I can't listen to this song without focusing on the lousy lyrics.

Will it do well for the UK.  Yes.  They're going to have a better result than they did for the past few years.  Will it win?  Probably not.

Eurovision 2014: Ireland

If you want to ever watch live television become a train wreck, I highly recommend you watch the Irish selection process--Eurosong 2014.  Eurosong 2014 was part of RTE's Late, Late Show and was broadcast back on February 28th.



Sadly, instead of the focus being on the songs and performances, the focus was more on the "mentors"--the people who selected the songs to be performed and the panelists.

Yes, the professionalism among Ireland's musical promoting community is on show here.   Honestly the behavior of Billy McGuinness, Linda Martin, and Louis Walsh was rather appalling.

And while they weren't squabbling among themselves, the panelists were bemoaning the fact Ireland doesn't win and has to fight in the semifinals.  I would concede that point to the panelists had Ireland sent songs over the past ten years that were actually worthy of being in the finals in Eurovision.  That hasn't happened.  They've been passable at best and mediocre at worst.   This year is no exception.

Out of the five songs performed, only one of them felt like it was Eurovision worthy:

Laura O'Neill  "You Don't Remember Me"

(Sadly, I can't find the actual performance, which she did right after the bickering above.)

It's completely an Adele knockoff, but Adele is huge throughout Europe and O'Neill could have capitalized on that fact.

Instead the Irish public chose this song.

Can-Linn featuring Kasey Smith   "Heartbeat"

This song is so generic that it is forgettable even when they throw everything Irish at it.  I'm surprised they didn't throw in a leprechaun drinking a pint of Guinness while driving snakes off the stage.

And that's Ireland's problem when they have gone to Eurovision as of late.  It's an expectation that the countries are going to respond to mediocre songs sent by RTE just because they're Irish.  It worked 20 years ago, but it's no longer the 1990s and Ireland has to step up their game considerably if they actually want to win the Eurovision Song Contest again.

Hopefully the train wreck that was this year's Eurosong will make Ireland do a rethink of their entire selection process--and bringing better, more commercial songs to Eurovision and bringing them a bit of Ireland's past glory.

Eurovision 2014: Poland

Welcome back Poland!

After a two year absence, Poland has decided to enter Eurovision again.  Happily, they've brought a song that I like quite a bit.

Donatan and Cleo   "My Słowianie"

This rap/folk hybrid is really infectious and entertaining as hell.  I look forward to blasting this from my car radio while driving around town--which gives it bonus points in my book.

Yet for all of my personal cheer-leading, I can see this suffering from the same fate the coolest song from last year's contest.

Who See  "Ingranka"  Montenegro 2013

Who See's rapping was on point and the stage show was fantastic, but it was just a little too "out there" for many of the viewers and went nowhere--coming in twelfth in the semifinal.

I predict that the same thing will happen with "My Słowianie".  It doesn't deserve that fate, but it's just the nature of Eurovision.  It's supposedly looking for something modern but tends to go for safe and recognizable.

Here's hoping that coolness will prevail and Poland makes the finals.

Eurovision 2014: Ukraine

The one thing that I love about watching national finals is that they are typically fun, with a lot of interesting songs, cool production values, and a whole lot of national pride.

Ukraine's national final took place back on December 21st, and in my eyes, Ukraine's final is usually a surefire winner.  Typically there are a lot of interesting songs and a performer that strikes my fancy.  But not this year.   Instead of a fun show with lots of possible contenders, this year's national final felt like a coronation for this song and performer:

Maria Yaremchuk  "Tick-Tock"

The presentation of the song was rather appalling, but in my eyes it was the only song that could actually make an impact in Copenhagen.   There were 19 other songs and none of them actually stuck in my ear.

But never fear, even if you didn't like the presentation in the national final, the Ukrainians are working on it.

Like usual, the song has been tinkered with and is looking much more appealing than it was.  I predict another high placement for Ukraine.

Eurovision 2014: Finland

Thanks to eurovision.tv, the official web site for the Eurovision Song Contest, I'm able to view many of the national finals in their entirety, and last night's viewing was the Finnish national final, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu.

Finland has used UMK for the past three years to choose their song to send, and after a three show preliminary, the final was broadcast on February 1st.

Watching Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the Finnish national final, I feel like I've been sucked into a world where things don't make much sense, starting off with the opening number.

It's like a black comedy version of an Olympic opening number--colorful, confusing, and really foreign.  It's not bad--just very Finnish.

The songs were confounding as well.  I still can't figure out why some of these songs were in the final of the Finnish national final.

MadCraft  "Shining Bright"

I hadn't realized that skater culture had a following in Finland, and MadCraft is aping the look and feel of skater punk bands like Blink-182.

Nor had I realized that punk girl groups were still alive in Finland.

MIAU  "God/Drug"

Hukka ja Mama  "Selja"

And I have no clue what this is--Finnish folk country?  Or just the song to accompany one of my pizza induced dreams...

But when all was said and done, the Finnish jury and public chose the most commercial song in the finals

Softengine  "Something Better"

It's a rock song that doesn't sound dissimilar to something Coldplay or U2 might have performed about five years ago and feels very much like this song from the 2011 contest.

A Friend in London  "New Tomorrow"  Denmark 2011

Denmark did quite well with their rock anthem, coming in fifth back in 2011, and Finland has a chance to do the same with Softengine.

The only thing they need to work on is their performance.  There's a lack of energy in "Something Better" that makes the song feel generic.  With a little bit of work on the presentation of the song, I could see this finishing quite well on the night of the finals.

Eurovision 2014: the Netherlands



The Common Linnets were chosen internally by the Dutch national broadcaster.  Ilse deLange, one of the two singers in The Common Linnets, is an extremely successful musician in her own country--with seven platinum albums and numerous national music awards.

So with the success of Anouk last year, it's unsurprising that deLange was picked to carry the national colors in Copenhagen. 

The Common Linnets  "Calm After The Storm"

I desperately want to like this song.  DeLange and her singing partner Waylon are both seasoned performers and their voices blend well.   It's really obvious in this live performance.

It's just not the right song for Eurovision.  It's going to be great when I have to drive across North Dakota in a few months, but it's going to disappear come the semifinal time.

Eurovision 2014: Belarus

If you're looking for a microcosm of the past 10 years of Eurovision, the best place to do that is watch this year's Belorussian national final.

The final, which took place on January 10th featured fourteen different acts--including a cabaret number, a bit of popera, the required melodramatic ballad, and the following song that asks a very important question:

Matvei Cooper and DUX   "Strippers"

I have often wondered myself, "Where do all the strippers go?"   I'm just so glad that Cooper and company was able to answer that question in song.



But none of those songs made it to the top at the end of the show.  When the votes were counted, two songs tied with 20 points.

TEO  "Cheesecake"

 

Max Lorens and DiDyuLya  "Now You're Gone"

But the jury had the final decision and selected "Cheesecake"--their favorite--over the Caribbean stylings of "Now You're Gone".

I personally like the song, it feels like a reject from a Robin Thicke album to me, and the veneer of sleaze that TEO has on stage suits the song quite well.  Although unpopular with many fans online, who consistently rank it in the bottom of their favorites, I have to say that this song is in the top ten of mine.

If TEO can stay on pitch, he's likely to make the final this Eurovision season.



Eurovsion 2014: Belgium

Now that all the national finals have been decided and all the participating songs have been finalized, it's time for me to get cracking on reviewing the songs that have made it farther than the others and have a chance to make the national finals.

First up is Belgium, which chose their entrant just a few days ago, on March 16th.

Instead of the internal selection that Belgium's television providers have done in the past few years, Flemish broadcaster VRT decided to put on a national selection process--Eurosong 2014--where 30 performers were whittled down to six who performed on the final night.

In my mind, the Belgian public chose the best song for success in Copenhangen:

 

Alex Hirsoux  "Mother"

 

The song may be as sweet an syrupy as fructose corn syrup--"Mother" feels like is was written by the Andrew Lloyd Wright factory.  But Hirsoux genuinely believes the song and the sentiment involved and breathes more life into the song than it deserves.  It's no wonder that he won 57% of the popular vote.

 

Besides, he won me over with his reaction to the voting. He was genuinely shocked when the votes came his way.

 

It's understandable, because if you judged the hall, this song would have won.

 

 

Bandits  "One"

 

Wherever there are boy bands, there will be loads of screaming girls.   I would have been on board had their performance not been so weak.  (And I seriously covet the lead singers brick red suit.)

 

It was a pretty good show and was well worth the watch.  Here's hoping Belgium can make it two in a row and make it to the finals again this year.