Another year, another Eurovision Song
Contest.
Let's get started with the UK and Ireland, historically two
of the most successful countries in the history of Eurovision. Both
countries have had little success in the recent contest, so lets take a look
and listen to this year's entrants to see if their luck would change.
First up the Emerald Isle:
Ryan
O'Shaughnessy "Together" Ireland
I should be completely on board with
this song. It's unabashedly gay. It's a song about a failing
relationship sung by a man to another man. That's cool, especially
when a number of other countries in the contest
I just find it so annoying that the
singer is another extremely high tenor. It feminizes the song, which may
make it more palatable. I personally hate Irish high tenors.
And let's not even mention the
interpretive dance...
The song has a fighting chance to make
it into the final and this year's contest would be the better for it.
---
Now let's take a listen to the UK entry
SuRie "Storm" United Kingdom
What
a wonderful voice.
SuRie
is a really charismatic performer and she lifted a really mediocre song into
something memorable. I've been humming this song since I first heard it.
It's
one of my personal favorites this year.
Like
a lot of Eurovision fans, I read Eurovision fan sites, and for some reason,
there's a lot of hate for this song. I think it's because it beat out
"better" songs in the United Kingdom's national final.
I
don't see this being last on anybody's list, but it's also not going to likely
included in most countries' top ten songs. The United Kingdom needs fan
momentum to bring votes in, since there aren't many natural musical allies for
the UK at Eurovision. The fans' disdain is likely going to impede the
chances of success. I don't see this finishing out of the bottom five
songs.
But
if she gives a performance like she does it the clip above, that placement will
be sorely undeserved.
