Eurovision 2015: Czech Republic

This image pops up for "hair band meets Andrew Lloyd Webber". 

The Czech Republic is arguably the least successful country in Eurovision.

Before this year, the country competed onlythree times, from 2007 to 2009, and never got out of the semifinals.  In two of those three years, they came in dead last.

So it was a big surprise when the Czech national broadcaster ČT announced that they would be entering the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest and would be choosing their song internally.

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Markéta Irglová   "Let Me Fall In Love"

My Marketa Irglova dreams were dashed on January 31, when it was announced that Marta Jandová and Václav Noid Bárta would be representing the Czech Republic with their song "Hope Never Dies". (Which is kind of  an "on the nose" title for the the Eurovisionally-beleaguered country.)

Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta   "Hope Never Dies"

A baritone!  I love a baritone!

If we are talking about the sheer quality of the song, this year is the year the Czech Repblic will qualify for the final.   Jandová and Bárta are both seasoned performers and the hair band meets Andrew Lloyd Webber sound is musically interesting but not alienating to Eurovision lovers.

Plus Bárta is a baritone.  I love hearing a non-tenor singing a pop song.

Crash Test Dummies   "Afternoons and Coffeespoons"

In other words, I think the Czech Republic could actually get to the final, but everything is going to hinge on the performance.

Jandová and Bárta have to have the PERFECT performance during their semifinal performances to even have a chance to make it to Saturday night.  If anything goes wrong, they're doomed.  The Czech Republic doesn't have easy points to earn, so they have to be amazing to even get the attention of any other country.

I certainly hope the qualify, but even if they don't they're still going to be the most successful Czech Eurovision entrant.