Loreen virtually crushed all competition in the grand final in Baku and scored an almost Rybak-esque victory with "Euphoria". You all know this, of course. I am virtually warming the blog up again after my absence.
The victory, however, means that Sweden is back on the throne after thirteen years of yearning for the grand title. SVT has done their best to win the ESC, but despite having arguably the most ambitious of all national finals Sweden has struggled to make an impression.
At the same time, Swedish songwriters are being more successful than ever producing tracks for singers all over the world, making the national pop export one of the most impressive ones in the world. This was not least represented at this year's ESC where ten countries had Swedish songwriters - all of which made it to the final.
This fifth victory is only logical as it firmly places Sweden as one of the most successful countries in Eurovision. Equal to France and United Kingdom, only Ireland has won more times.
It would make sense now if Sweden decided to put in overdrive and start aiming for the top spot. "Euphoria" was an example of how easily everything can fall into place and come together - with some more songwriting as distinct and daring, it is a very possible prospect that Sweden will grow into being what France and the UK respectively were in the past: a veritable pop factory that collects top placings on a steady basis.
So are you ready, Sweden? I challenge you to have the record number of victories in ten years time. You need two more to equal the score, three more to be sole King of the Hill.
Having a hungry and determined Sweden hunting for victories year after year could do the contest lots of good, especially if the songs also have hit potential and inspire other countries to follow in the same tracks.
A lot of good can come out of this victory, indeed.
Loreen - Euphoria (Sweden 2012)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
ESC 2012: I only trust myself
Rehearsals have started in Baku and it is all very exciting. In a matter of days, I will be there myself and then there is a risk that this blog will go a bit silent. There will be plenty of work to be done and all, but during Eurovision week there are so many ways for you to get your needed ESC fix anyway.
The first reports have started to come in after the rehearsals of Montenegro and Iceland, and they are very much like I expected them to be.
The people who tended to favour Iceland already before are sure of qualification. Others are equally sure that the package is nice but not enough to convince the voters.
Same old story, in other words. It is very easy to get really enthusiastic about something during rehearsals. Or disappointed if you find a favourite performs worse than you expected.
But we know nothing after seeing one rehearsal with no camera work. We are still guessing almost as much as we did after the preview clips.
Therefore, I have decided only to trust my own ears and eyes. Not that I am better or smarter or have a better ear for music (certainly not!) but I'm not worse at predicting compared to anyone else I know.
So I follow YouTube clips and other people's opinions as they come in, I value them and let them entertain me.
But I won't make any conclusions before I'm in Baku myself.
Montenegro's first rehearsal in Baku
The first reports have started to come in after the rehearsals of Montenegro and Iceland, and they are very much like I expected them to be.
The people who tended to favour Iceland already before are sure of qualification. Others are equally sure that the package is nice but not enough to convince the voters.
Same old story, in other words. It is very easy to get really enthusiastic about something during rehearsals. Or disappointed if you find a favourite performs worse than you expected.
But we know nothing after seeing one rehearsal with no camera work. We are still guessing almost as much as we did after the preview clips.
Therefore, I have decided only to trust my own ears and eyes. Not that I am better or smarter or have a better ear for music (certainly not!) but I'm not worse at predicting compared to anyone else I know.
So I follow YouTube clips and other people's opinions as they come in, I value them and let them entertain me.
But I won't make any conclusions before I'm in Baku myself.
Montenegro's first rehearsal in Baku
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Song of the Day: Finland 1968
On Wednesday, I will leave for Baku and there seems to be a million tiny things that needs tending to before that. It is easy to stress out a little bit and then I tend to think of Kristina Hautala.
Why is time in such a rush? Why can't the clocks just stop?
According to the lyrics, Kristina is afraid to be left alone and old with only memories of youth and love. I am, frankly speaking, more afraid of finding myself in Baku without chargers for my technical devices.
I'm also a bit concerned that some brilliant songs will completely miss out in the competition, just like "Kun kello käy" did in London 1968.
But this is not a time for worries - this is the time to rest a bit and enjoy the fact that there is plenty of good music in the world. Regardless if the juries understand or not.
Kristina Hautala - Kun kello käy (Finland 1968)
Why is time in such a rush? Why can't the clocks just stop?
According to the lyrics, Kristina is afraid to be left alone and old with only memories of youth and love. I am, frankly speaking, more afraid of finding myself in Baku without chargers for my technical devices.
I'm also a bit concerned that some brilliant songs will completely miss out in the competition, just like "Kun kello käy" did in London 1968.
But this is not a time for worries - this is the time to rest a bit and enjoy the fact that there is plenty of good music in the world. Regardless if the juries understand or not.
Kristina Hautala - Kun kello käy (Finland 1968)
What if Finland sent Anna Abreu?
Finland launched a new selection format for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in order to attract new talent and launch hit songs onto the domestic market rather than find any typical eurosongs.
Not a bad idea, that is one way to go when the old selection format feels a bit tired.
The other way to go would be what most of the former Yugoslav republics have been doing this year: scrap the national final altogether and call a firmly established star to do the job for you.
The Call A Star-formula also has its flaws. It is not sure that an established act will take any advice on what kind of song to enter and then you end up with something artistic but not too hit-friendly.
I just play with the idea what might happen if Yle would make use of this very idea, maybe by calling the interval act of the 2012 Finnish selection Anna Abreu? Anna was discovered through the local Idols-competition but has grown into a full-fledged star with her very own expression and temper, in addition to be one of very few singers that get away with singing in English in Finland.
Her regular output would be modern and yet catchy enough to work well at Eurovision and given her back catalogue, she could easily embark on an international career using the ESC as spring board.
At this point, the UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) is very likely to be used again for 2013 but I still feel the Abreu prospect could be most interesting in many ways.
Anna Abreu - Stereo
Anna Abreu - Ivory Tower
Anna Abreu - Vinegar
Not a bad idea, that is one way to go when the old selection format feels a bit tired.
The other way to go would be what most of the former Yugoslav republics have been doing this year: scrap the national final altogether and call a firmly established star to do the job for you.
The Call A Star-formula also has its flaws. It is not sure that an established act will take any advice on what kind of song to enter and then you end up with something artistic but not too hit-friendly.
I just play with the idea what might happen if Yle would make use of this very idea, maybe by calling the interval act of the 2012 Finnish selection Anna Abreu? Anna was discovered through the local Idols-competition but has grown into a full-fledged star with her very own expression and temper, in addition to be one of very few singers that get away with singing in English in Finland.
Her regular output would be modern and yet catchy enough to work well at Eurovision and given her back catalogue, she could easily embark on an international career using the ESC as spring board.
At this point, the UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) is very likely to be used again for 2013 but I still feel the Abreu prospect could be most interesting in many ways.
Anna Abreu - Stereo
Anna Abreu - Ivory Tower
Anna Abreu - Vinegar
Friday, May 11, 2012
Estonia - I Love You
When Estonia debuted in Eurovision, I (and most of my fellow countrymen in Sweden) mainly thought of them as a financially poor country that we sent massive amounts of charity. Geographically close but culturally distant.
Maybe their first attempt didn't change much in how most Swedes percieved them, but Silvi Vrait stroke a chord with me and a very special relationship developed between me and Estonian eurosongs. A relationship that would, in its own little way, change my life radically.
Silvi sang her heart out but only scored a mere two points, but she and her song are fantastic in my book.
Silvi Vrait - Nagu merelaine (Estonia 1994)
Two years later, Estonia would be back with a new conviction and I was to see my first Eurovision live in Oslo. My Estonian neighbour in Västerås hand-painted an Estonian flag for me as my favourite was "Kaelakee hääl", the remarkably catchy little duet about placing your voice inside a necklace so somebody can carry it with him/her into the world.
Ivo Linna & Maarja - Kaelakee hääl (Estonia 1996 preview)
In Jerusalem in 1999, I thought it could be time for the first Estonian victory - I predicted that had it been the turn of a ballad, it had to be Evelin Samuel to take the title. I was not entirely wrong - she got sixth place and was the best placed ballad on the night.
Evelin Samuel & Camille - Diamond Of Night (Estonia 1999 preview)
The life-changing thing, then? When Estonia finally won and hosted the contest in 2002, I made friends with the Finnish delegation which, in addition to many other things, lead to me changing countries and moving to Finland.
So I have many reasons to love Estonia. Producing a pop star like Ines is just one of them.
Ines - Once In A Lifetime (Estonia 2000)
Maybe their first attempt didn't change much in how most Swedes percieved them, but Silvi Vrait stroke a chord with me and a very special relationship developed between me and Estonian eurosongs. A relationship that would, in its own little way, change my life radically.
Silvi sang her heart out but only scored a mere two points, but she and her song are fantastic in my book.
Silvi Vrait - Nagu merelaine (Estonia 1994)
Two years later, Estonia would be back with a new conviction and I was to see my first Eurovision live in Oslo. My Estonian neighbour in Västerås hand-painted an Estonian flag for me as my favourite was "Kaelakee hääl", the remarkably catchy little duet about placing your voice inside a necklace so somebody can carry it with him/her into the world.
Ivo Linna & Maarja - Kaelakee hääl (Estonia 1996 preview)
In Jerusalem in 1999, I thought it could be time for the first Estonian victory - I predicted that had it been the turn of a ballad, it had to be Evelin Samuel to take the title. I was not entirely wrong - she got sixth place and was the best placed ballad on the night.
Evelin Samuel & Camille - Diamond Of Night (Estonia 1999 preview)
The life-changing thing, then? When Estonia finally won and hosted the contest in 2002, I made friends with the Finnish delegation which, in addition to many other things, lead to me changing countries and moving to Finland.
So I have many reasons to love Estonia. Producing a pop star like Ines is just one of them.
Ines - Once In A Lifetime (Estonia 2000)
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Glennis Grace had a hit in her
In 2005, the Netherlands sent in a promising young singer who had won the Dutch Soundmix show already at the age of 16, making an almost perfect impersonation of Whitney Houston.
The Soundmix show - designed for people to sing as similarly as possible to well-known singers - was always a dubious place to look for fresh talent. You never knew who carried the grains of a real artist inside and who was just a gifted copycat.
For a long time, Glennis Grace seemed just like the latter version. She had a good voice, but it seemed impossible for her to get rid of the Whitney connection and when she won the 2005 Dutch national final she already had one flop album behind her.
Glennis Grace - My Impossible Dream (Netherlands 2005)
Glennis was one of several hot fan favourites before the semi-final in Kyiv, but her cliché-ridden ballad - a tired re-write of several Whitney-esque ballads - failed to qualify for the final and it seemed Glennis' career had hit rock bottom and arrived at its end station.
But sometimes a complete meltdown is what your career needs. Glennis was dumped by her label, had a change of management and, perhaps most importantly, had a change of language and started singing in Dutch.
When she participated in the popular tv-show "De beste zangers van Nederland" in 2011, she made a cover of the song "Afscheid" and finally found instant success with the larger audience. Gone was the Whitney-clone and instead there is a real performer with her very own expression and a much wiser use of her really impressive voice.
Now that she has found herself - as well as her audience - maybe Glennis should ponder doing Eurovision again? If she was the one to take the Netherlands back into the final, for the first time since 2004, I am sure the audience would never forget.
Glennis Grace - Afscheid
The Soundmix show - designed for people to sing as similarly as possible to well-known singers - was always a dubious place to look for fresh talent. You never knew who carried the grains of a real artist inside and who was just a gifted copycat.
For a long time, Glennis Grace seemed just like the latter version. She had a good voice, but it seemed impossible for her to get rid of the Whitney connection and when she won the 2005 Dutch national final she already had one flop album behind her.
Glennis Grace - My Impossible Dream (Netherlands 2005)
Glennis was one of several hot fan favourites before the semi-final in Kyiv, but her cliché-ridden ballad - a tired re-write of several Whitney-esque ballads - failed to qualify for the final and it seemed Glennis' career had hit rock bottom and arrived at its end station.
But sometimes a complete meltdown is what your career needs. Glennis was dumped by her label, had a change of management and, perhaps most importantly, had a change of language and started singing in Dutch.
When she participated in the popular tv-show "De beste zangers van Nederland" in 2011, she made a cover of the song "Afscheid" and finally found instant success with the larger audience. Gone was the Whitney-clone and instead there is a real performer with her very own expression and a much wiser use of her really impressive voice.
Now that she has found herself - as well as her audience - maybe Glennis should ponder doing Eurovision again? If she was the one to take the Netherlands back into the final, for the first time since 2004, I am sure the audience would never forget.
Glennis Grace - Afscheid
Songs of the Day: Portugal 1984 - 1985
Usually I content myself with just one Song of the Day, but since I haven't published any in a while I thought I could have two today. Are you with me on that? Splendid!
This year, I feel Portugal has selected rather a dull ballad for Eurovision which is a shame since Portuguese ballads often have been really good through the years.
In 1984, Maria Guinot sang her own poetic song about how, in the middle of the great silence, she suddenly finds the right words to say. Or how she, when being among so many people, can finally see who she truly is herself.
A touching and atmospheric entry, not quite as well recieved by the juries as it should have been.
Maria Guinot - Silencio e tanta gente (Portugal 1984)
The Portuguese grapes were, however, to turn even more sour the next year in Gothenburg. Their singer Adelaide, also co-writer of her song, recieved quite a lot of positive attention from the press - dubbed one of the classiest performers by one Swedish newspaper.
She belted out her dramatic ballad with gusto and conviction but completely failed to capture the hearts and votes of the jury. Only the Greek jury, voting last out of the nineteen participants, saved her the humiliation of a last place.
Adelaide, a contender for last place? I can't believe neither my ears nor my eyes, to be honest.
Adelaide - Penso em ti, eu sei (Portugal 1985)
This year, I feel Portugal has selected rather a dull ballad for Eurovision which is a shame since Portuguese ballads often have been really good through the years.
In 1984, Maria Guinot sang her own poetic song about how, in the middle of the great silence, she suddenly finds the right words to say. Or how she, when being among so many people, can finally see who she truly is herself.
A touching and atmospheric entry, not quite as well recieved by the juries as it should have been.
Maria Guinot - Silencio e tanta gente (Portugal 1984)
The Portuguese grapes were, however, to turn even more sour the next year in Gothenburg. Their singer Adelaide, also co-writer of her song, recieved quite a lot of positive attention from the press - dubbed one of the classiest performers by one Swedish newspaper.
She belted out her dramatic ballad with gusto and conviction but completely failed to capture the hearts and votes of the jury. Only the Greek jury, voting last out of the nineteen participants, saved her the humiliation of a last place.
Adelaide, a contender for last place? I can't believe neither my ears nor my eyes, to be honest.
Adelaide - Penso em ti, eu sei (Portugal 1985)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)