I was in New York City when this song was chosen as the Hungarian entry for Eurovision. I had it playing when I was taking a shower and was confused by what I was hearing. So when I finished getting ready, I sat down and gave full attention to the performance, figuring that I had missed something that was drowned out by the running water. I was still confused by what I was hearing.
Quite frankly, I still don't understand the Hungarian entry.
Joci Pápai "Origo"
I admire the fact that this song is uncompromising. While a lot of songs in this semifinal feel like mimeographs of songs playing on the radio, "Origo" is a fusion of Romani music and rap. Because it is so different, it will remain in people's minds and will make it to the final.
I have to admit that I am reserving my judgement on the Dutch entry until I actually see the live performance.
OG3NE has a Eurovision pedigree--having represented the Netherlands back in 2007 at Junior Eurovision and they've become one of the most successful musical acts in The Netherlands. So, it's not surprising that they would represent their country at Eurovision.
O'G3NE "Lights and Shadows"
Yes, it does feel like Winston Phillips has been reformed. But the harmonies. The harmonies are so infectious that you want to listen to them sing the phone book.
I suspect that this will come alive when performed live--even if the song is extremely dated. Until then, I have no real way to judge the song.
God bless you, Romania. You have sent the crazy song to Eurovision.
Ilinca ft. Alex Florea "Yodel It!"
Romanian rapping and yodeling. It's not good. You can't understand what they say. They look kind of stupid. Yeah, I kind of love it too.
There's not doubt that this is qualifying--it fills the "let's vote for the crappy song" quota that a lot of people crave when watching Eurovision. This will do a lot better than it should, but that's what makes Eurovision great.
Wow, the first part of semifinal two of this year's semifinal is a dog's breakfast of songs. Malta's entry is another one of those songs.
Claudia Faniello "Breathlessly"
Faniello has been trying to represent Malta at Eurovision since 2006, and after eleven years of trying she's flying the flag for Malta.
She's representing them with a dated power ballad that she will wind up oversinging and not make it to the final. There is nothing that screams "vote for me" with Malta's entry this year. It's a non-qualifier for sure.
The first few songs in the second semifinal this year have been made up of songs that really haven't made an impact.
Macedonia's song is another one of those forgettable songs.
Jana Burčeska "Dance Alone"
However, unlike the previous two songs, Macedonia's song actually has a chance to make an impact on stage. "Dance Alone" begs for flashy lights and sexy dancers.
If the team behind the Macedonian entry can come up with a visually interesting staging and Burčeska can stomp the stage properly, there is a chance that this could make it to the finals.
However, qualification isn't guaranteed. Macedonia doesn't have many friendly votes from other countries and this has to overcome the apathy from other countries to make the final. Everything has to be perfect in the semifinal for Macedonia to qualify, and I look forward to seeing how the chips fall with this song.
I am going to damn the Serbian entry with faint praise.
Tijana Bogićević "In Too Deep"
There's a part of the song that sounds like Katy Perry's song "Firework". Other than that, the song is forgettable.
Despite that, "In Too Deep" is likely to qualify for the finals. That comes down to shared musical tastes that Serbia has with a number of neighbors that are in this semifinal. Macedonia and Croatia are part of the shared musical community of the former Yugoslavia and Austria has a large ex-Yugoslav emigrant community. So, this song will likely make the final while other, more interesting songs will not qualify.
it's one of the things that makes me really enjoy Eurovision. It's not always just about the quality of the songs, but also about the cultural connections that countries have with each other.
The Jack Johnson sound that Trent is performing is pretty nice. Very radio friendly.
The problem is that this song is pretty nice and very radio friendly. There isn't anything that makes me think the song will translate well on the stage in Kyiv and that's a nail in the coffin for Austria's chances in making the final.
Austria doesn't have any musical allies at Eurovision, so to make it to Saturday night there has to be something special about the performance. Three minutes of perfectly pleasant pop isn't going to make people pick up the phone.
Finally, I'm at the end of the First Semifinal and Latvia will be closing out the song contest. They've been having a renaissance at Eurovision over the past few years, and Triana Park are hoping to help their country qualify for the third straight year.
Triana Park "Line"
God bless them. They have been trying to represent Latvia in Eurovision since 2008 and they made it on their sixth attempt.
With the placement at the end of the semifinal and their unique sound will allow this to sail into the final, That's great for a country that couldn't qualify for years--consistently being at the bottom of their given semifinal.
Even though this is going to easily qualify, I hate the song. My dislike of the song comes down to the lead singer. There should be an energy brought to the song and a charismatic lead vocalist can do that. Agnese Rakovska doesn't seem to have that charisma. Throughout her entire performance, Rakovska is disconnected from the audience. When you combine that weakness with the slight, pitchy vocals in the performance, it makes me not warm to the song.
I know it's a terrible thing to say, but Armenia has taken the place of Turkey in this year's Eurovision Song Contest by sending Artsvik and her song "Fly With Me".
Artsvik "Fly With Me"
You can trace this ethnic sound back to Sertab Erener and her winning song in 2003. This eastern sound was omnipresent at Eurovision for a number of years in the mid-2000s. After 10 years, this comes acrossas different and rather appealing.
Because this type of song has been out of style for so long, "Fly With Me" catches your ear and stands out from all the other songs in the contest. The staging will be visually interesting and this should make it to the final.
I have not been waiting to type these words. Slovenia is a country I root for in the Eurovision Song Contest, but I have to say the following:
Slovenia has sent the worst song in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
Omar Naber "On My Way"
This style of song is completely out of style and Naber's earnestness makes the song seem even more dated. Had this been performed in the early 1990s, this song would have been a top five placement. This isn't the early 1990s and it's just dreary.
I always root for the underdog and the Czech Republic is the biggest Eurovision underdog. They have only made the finals once and have had the cruel distinction of receiving "nul points' in a semifinal.
I want the Czech Republic to succeed and I want them to succeed spectacularly.
I don't think the Czech Republic will do so this year.
Martina Bárta "My Turn"
I hate to dismiss this as a filler song, but it is. This smoky jazzy ballad is going to be swallowed up on the stage in Kyiv and the Czech Republic doesn't have any friends who vote for it. This is one of the few songs this year that I can say for certain has no chance of qualifying for the final.
That said, this song is one that I personally love and "My Turn" has made me listen to more of her music. She has been in jazz bands, plays the French horn, and just comes off as being cool. She may not have voting success in Kyiv, but I would spend the money to see her in concert or buy one of her CDs.
Could a song be too cool to succeed at the Eurovision Song Contest?
Svala "Paper"
Svala is a musical name in Iceland. She has been active in the Icelandic music industry since the mid-80s and She is currently a judge on the Icelandic verison of "The Voice" and she splits her time between Iceland and Los Angeles.
Svala brings that cross-continent vibe to Eurovision and I suspect the 80s style lighting and art pop fashions are choices that are not going to translate well to the viewing public. I like the personal style she brings but I suspect they are going to be too niche to appeal to the wider audience. This is not going to qualify when lesser quality songs will succeed.
I love it when Moldova sends a quirky song to the Eurovision Song Contest. In a period where Eurovision is considered is tending towards serious songs,, a goofy number from an obscure country is very nice.
Moldova has delivered this yet again with light, sax heavy Europop number.
SunStroke Project "Hey, Mamma!"
I suspect that this will make the final because it is sug a silly upbeat number--you need to have a traditional "Eurovision" song. This fits the bill.
Do I like this song? Not really. It's extrememly disposable and going to be great filler between other, better songs in the final
English has become the lingua franca in the Eurovision Song Contest--there are only four songs sung completely in a language other than English. That means we have a lot of non-native speakers in the contest, and this fact is demonstrated by the Polish entry this year.
Kasia Moś "Flashlight"
Moś has gone to music school and has worked in the United States, yet this performance makes me think her grasp of English isn't particularly strong. Much of the song is indecipherable to me, a native English speaker. Moś also emphasizes the meter of musical phrases over the actual lyric in this song that underlines this point. The full effect of her performance strikes me as a singer who does not know English.
Moś does have an interesting voice and an compelling stage presence and think I would have liked this much more had this been performed in Polish because she could bring an understanding of a language that she does not have in English.
There is not doubt that Poland will make the final--the Polish diaspora throughout Europe will vote it through.
God bless Cyprus. They ran a national final in 2015 and they have been working their way through the finalzts one by one. I will say that Cyprus is being extremely cost effective when choosing Eurovision entries. Watch out for Doody next year.
Hovig came in fourth place in the 2015 Cypriot national final with the song "Stone In A River" and he is a singer of bog standard male pop music.
Hovig "Gravity"
Because they are in the same genre, it's rather obvious to make direct comparisons to the Swedish entry this year. In all regards, Hovig winds up looking like the worst entry. No matter how much I personally dislike the Swedish entry, it is polished and professional. Compared to Robin Bengtsson, Hovig looks likes he is singing at talent night at a local high school.
Cyprus is lucky that Greece is in the same semifinal, which gives it a chance to qualify for the final. Otherwise I would say this is a sure non-qualifier. It is a completely forgettable song with a singer who can't lift it out the mediocrity.
I am going to type words that I have been dying to type since I started following the Eurovision Song Contest back in the 1990s.
Portugal has sent the best song to Eurovision this year.
Yes, seriously. Portugal has sent the best song to the Eurovision this year.
Salvador Sobral "Amar Pelos Dois"
Yeah, it sounds old fashioned
Yeah, he's got a weird stage presence.
Yeah it's in Portuguese.
Yet "Amor Pelos Dois" has done something that no other song has done this year--it made me stop what I was doing and actively listen to the song. Sobral's performance of a simple love song is extremely effective and is one of honest emotion instead of manufactured spectacle.
If the team in charge of staging this song is able to recreate the magic in the national final performance, Portugal could have the best placing they have ever had in any Eurovision Song Contest.
I am really snide when it comes to Azerbaijan's Eurovision songs, because they have used the Eurovision Song Contest as a tool of soft power.to promote themselves as a world power.
That stench of desperation has tainted my opinion of their entries--which boils down to "money can't buy you taste". But this year, I have to set my cynicism aside. I genuinely like the song that Azerbaijan is sending to Kyiv.
Dihaj "Skeletons"
It is another one of those modern, radio-friendly numbers that sound like songs that are on the radio right now. Because it sounds like something you already like, it's a no-brainer that people will vote for this. And the Azerbaijani broadcaster will throw a little money at the staging to make this be something you won't forget.
So yeah, you'll see this in the final and for once I won't mind.
Finland hasn't been one of the most successful Eurovision countries in the past few years, so listening to this year's entry was a surprise.
Norma John "Blackbird"
The dark, moody song by the duo Norma John isn't like any other song in the contest. Instead of tending towards the pop sensibilities of today, the son brings to mind the music of Eva Cassidy--not a name you necessarily associate with the Eurovision Song Contest.
Sadly, this song in another song that could easily not qualify, since there are more Eurovision fan friendly songs in the contest and that makes me sad, since it's one of my three favorite songs in the contest and I'd willingly spend a bit of money to vote for it.
I love the Montenegrin Eurovision entries. Montenegro is a country that has always been experimental when it comes to Eurovision and this year is no exception.
Slavko Kalezić "Space"
We have a track that might have been played at the local gay bar back in 2009!
Kalezić's attempts to be sexy while singing this single entendre in music form is absolutely hilarious and I look forward to the "spectacle" that will be his live performance. We haven't had a song that has pandered to the gay audience in this way in ages.
I don't think it will make it out of the semifinal, but it will be a fun three minutes.
When the Belgian broadcaster released "City Lights", the fan community went crazy. I can understand the excitement. The song sounds modern and the video exudes cool.
Blanche "City Lights"
However, I thought there was something off with the song, which I didn't understand until I heard it live.
Blanche "City Lights (Live from London Eurovision Party 2017)*
Blanche was shoehorned into a song that is not suited for her and the live performance shows that. The backing track overwhelms her and her performing style deadens the energy of the song.
RTBF, the Franco-Belgian broadcaster wanted a follow up to the big success of their entry two years ago--Loïc Nottet.
Loïc Nottet "Rhythm Inside" 2015
It's understandable that the broadcaster went back to the same blueprint for this year's contest and chose "City Lights" as the song they wanted to send.
Now, take a listen to Blanche's audition song to The Voice Belgique, the singing program where Blanche got her start as a professional singer.
Ellie Delvaux (a.k.a. Blanche) "Daydreamer"
I'm sure the broadcaster was hoping for a singer that would give a cool vibe to the song--like Astrud Gilberto or Nico. It doesn't work. Blanche comes across as scared, not coolly confident.
I'm certain the broadcaster has plans for Blanche that will address this with the staging in Kyiv, but I can see Belgium being the shock non-qualifier from Semifinal One.
Albania seems to be in a rut. For the past four years, they have sent a woman with a huge voice singing a string heavy power ballad.
Albania has not had a good track record qualifying in recent years with women with huge voices singing power ballads and in a year where there are a lot of women with huge voices singing power ballads, this year's Albanian entrant has to find something to make herself memorable.
Lindita "Bote"
Lindita "World"
As you can see in both the original Albanian entry and the English revamp, Lindita has chosen to feature her ass.
Her ass is lovely, but when I'm more interested in her ass than her song, there's a problem.
He sex appeal is the way she'll make it into the Eurovision final, but I want Albania to stop sending this type of song to Eurovision. Send another ethnic-influenced hair band! Send a disco diva! Stop the melodramatic ballads!
This is Australia's third year in the Eurovision Song Contest and I think they're here to stay.
Like Australia's other two entrants, Firebrace was selected internally by the Australian broadcaster SBS to represent them in Kyiv. Like the other two entries, Firebrace has also one a major televised singing completion, in his case the 2016 edition of X Factor Australia.
Isaiah Firebrace "Don't Come Easy"
There's no denying that Firebrace has a good voice (although he has a nasty case of unnecessary melisma for no reason that comes from performing in singing competitions). The song is structured to showcase his soulful voice. In other words, the framework has been built to create a very competitive Eurovision performance.
I am looking forward to seeing how this is staged and the song should qualify for the final.
There's something really hard about being the first country to declare your song in Eurovision--it will be compared to every other Eurovision song.
Tamara Gachechiladze "Keep The Faith"
Comparisons are very easy for this song. You take the Bond theme theatrics of Conchita Wurst's winning song from 2014 and combine it with the political message of Jamala's winning entry of last year and you get "Keep The Faith".
The song has courted controversy due to the staging of the national final performance--especially at 1:27, when a graphic of a newspaper stating "Russia Invades Geo..." is prominently features on the screen behind her.
It's not the first time Gachechiladze has been a part of this sort of musical brinksmanship before. She was a part of the Georgian entry in 2009 that was disqualified because it had lyrics that were considered to be political speech.
3G and Stephane "I Don't Wanna Put In"
I suspect that the political staging of the national final will be swapped out for something more Eurovision friendly, but I think this is a song on the bubble for qualification. There are a lot of power ballads sung by attractive women and this is very early in the semifinal and is likely to be forgotten.
First up is the Eurovision powerhouse nation of Sweden
Sweden is the master of modern Eurovision, and this year's entry is another example of why the country has that reputation. "I Can't Go On" is a piece of pop that sounds like it should be on a Top 40 station with a performance has been polished to a sheen. Take a look at the video below to see what I mean.
Robin Bengtsson "I Can't Go On
Everything about the song is meant to have immediate impact, which is going to pull in casual voters when they see it in the final. There's no doubt that Sweden will make the final.
However, I think this song is one of the worst entries this year. If you take away the bells and whistles of the staging, the song is really terrible--it comes across as a knockoff of a Maroon 5 or Justin Timberlake song.
In other words I've heard this song before.
This could be forgiven if Bengtsson had personal charisma. However, watching this performance, Bengtsson comes off as stiff and mechanical. To make this work, Bengtsson needs to charm my pants off. Instead, he's coming across as all swagger and no sex appeal. It's more funny than sexy.
I'm sure this is a top five song. I just don't have to like it.
