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.
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.
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