Catchy, happy and with an somewhat exotic flavour - that could never go wrong at Eurovision. Or could it?
Stella Mwangi - Haba Haba (Norway 2011)
There are always a few songs every year that look very promising before the rehearsals start, but that you pretty quickly realise they won't be good enough for qualification in the end.
"Haba Haba" was not one of those songs. It seemed to go down a storm everywhere in Düsseldorf, and even the people who were not really keen on it beforehand (like yours truly) seemed to give in to the ever smiling Stella and her afroschlager.
More than one jaw dropped when the last envelope in the first semi contained Iceland and Norway was left out in the cold.
My main objection beforehand is still my main objection I suppose: despite having material for only two minutes, this song keeps going and going for one long last minute without any major development.
Also, the dress rehearsal - shown for and voted upon by the juries - had no audience in the hall, making the whole act a bit awkward. Who is Stella telling to clap along when the hall is empty? My guess is that the juries never warmed to it and that it didn't leave a lasting impression for the televoters on just one listen.
My grade: 3 / 5
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