What good are strong vocals?

The reports are pouring in from Vienna, where the contestants of the second semi final are going through their second rehearsals today. I must admit I miss being there. Seeing the entries slowly unfold in rehearsals (or gradually collapse, in some cases) is among my favourite things when on location.

One thing following rehearsals could do to you is however that you may turn deaf and blind to other things. You will watch the rehearsal of Country X and think it is much better than you expected it to be. And you start thinking that if they sing this well, they must be a qualifier.

I have done it so many times myself. Or even kept repeating the mantra: "If they just get this right in the camera work, it will be fantastic."

How easy it is to forget that if an entry lacked a proper strong song to start with, no amount of fine singing or staging tricks will help that. (Unless the country in question is Ukraine. But they're not even in it this time.) If you have no song the viewers can connect to, you're toast.

Reading all the updates on rehearsals is amusing and entertaining, but it's in no way sure that the people on location will have a better guess than us at home in the end.

And to prove my point: back in 2009, when I was doing the commentator job from a tiny studio in Helsinki, I was convinced this one would make it to the final since they sang so well. Oh, bless.



Kamil Mikulčík & Nela Pocisková - Let' Tmou (Slovakia 2009)

Runner-up: Iceland 2009

In many ways, this little ballad is a strike of genius as it can be read on various levels. Somebody wakes up from a happy relationship, realising things were not as rosy as she would have hoped and now fear the whole thing crumbling under her feet.

This was pretty much was the whole state of Iceland went through only a matter of months prior to the final in Moscow. The national banks imploded, taking more or less the whole state budget with them in their almost impressive fall, leaving the finances in a state of rubble and nothing.

"Is it true? Is it over?" probably came across to quite a few listeners as a pretty relevant question to ask at that very moment in time.

Yohanna gave a strong vocal performance - frosty and heated at the same time - and the big points came flying in from all over Europe. Apparently the europeans were not cross at Iceland for the economic shockwaves they created, or at least they wouldn't hold Yohanna personally responsible for it.

A deserved 2nd place?
I suppose it is. Frankly, I've never really seen the mass appeal of this one. It is nice but nothing really special, and after this most Icelandic entries have been nice rather than challenging or cutting edge. I miss Paul Oscar. And Silvia Night.

But rather Yohanna in second place than that Andrew Lloyd Webber ballad representing the UK.



Yohanna - Is It True? (Iceland 2009)

Tobson's Winners: 2006 - 2010

During these five years, further modification was tried out by the EBU. After a nightmare of a semifinal in 2007 (with twenty-eight songs in the running), the qualification system was completely re-vamped in 2008.

Now, only the host country and the big four were guaranteed a place in the final - everyone else had to go through the two semi finals. This has resulted in way stronger final line-ups than before.

Not only stronger line-ups - it is in general much harder to predict the result this way. The final changes everything: the draw, the odds, the chances, the favourites. In short, the two semis contribute to way stronger television than before.

Also, the juries have been forgiven and are back in the game gradually since 2008, where they got to select the tenth finalist in each semi final. In 2009, they did that too but also had a fifty percent say in the final result. And from 2010, they have half the power already in the semi finals.

To tell you the truth, I am not convinced that this was a good move. It could have been, but I still see the same old countries voting extensively for neighbours and friends, the juries obviously joining the game rather than doing anything to prevent it. Also, as from 2011, the juries seem to have favoured strong voices over pop songs. They would need a reminder that this is a song contest - not a singing contest - and that we do not want to return to the old hit-less days of the 90's again.

2006 - Russia



Dima Bilan - Never Let You Go (Russia 2006)

Of course I am deeply happy that Finland won, that's beside the point, but in my book Russia was by far the best. A lavish stage show, slick presentation and one of the best pop compositions to grace a eurovision stage in the last ten years.

The whole production is classical and modern at the same time, and for some reason I find the slow drum loop a tiny bit Beatles-esque.

How sad to see that in only two years, the lovely Dima Bilan would grow into a pompously arrogant nobody. And even sadder to see him win, when he clearly no longer deserved it.

Real winner:
Lordi - Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland)


2007 - Georgia



Sopho - Visionary Dream (Georgia 2007)

Ever wondered what "Ray Of Light" would have sounded like had Madonna been born in Tbilisi? Wonder no more.

Georgia's debut entry in Helsinki is a real knockout of an entry, it doesn't sound like anything that was ever heard at the ESC before. A wild mix between etno, ballad, aggressive beats, sword dancing and, in the middle of the storm, the wonderful Sopho Khalvashi, queen-like and supreme, keeping the whole thing together.

Too demanding for the average voter, perhaps, but it gives me serious goose bumps.

Real winner:
Marija Šerifović - Molitva (Serbia)


2008 - Bosnia-Herzegovina



Laka - Pokušaj (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2008)

As eurovision has filled up with more and more quality pop songs, modern and chart-friendly, it just gets harder to decide which one is my favourite each year. Often something quirky makes the top of my bill, I've noticed.

Calling this entry quirky would be something of an understatement, though.

It is artistic, experimental, edgy, boundbreaking, melodic, fun and Wogan hated it. Laka is a real artist (and his sister too) who uses his three minutes in full to present himself to a potential audience, not caring the slightest for the people who won't understand. When eurovision allows something as demanding as this to make top ten, that's when I really love my old contest.

Real winner:
Dima Bilan - Belive (Russia)


2009 - Bosnia-Herzegovina



Regina - Bistra voda (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009)

If there is one national that truly emerged like a real quality engine since the semi finals were introduced, then it is Bosnia-Herzegovina. Once they got their machinery running, after the civial war and some hopeless attempts at staging fair national finals, few others can match the Bosnians when it comes to personable performers, strong melodies and memorable performances.

Rock band Regina, who possibly heard a track or two by Coldplay through the years, deliver a tender, delicate melody line, demanding and inviting and the same time, and how this song didn't reach higher than ninth place remains a real mystery for me.

Real winner:
Alexander Rybak - Fairytale (Norway)


2010 - Germany



Lena - Satellite (Germany 2010)

When there are forty-something entries in the line-up, the chance that your personal favourite will be the winner in the end diminishes quite clearly. My joy was immense as my big pre-contest favourite made it all the way in 2010.

Even more so since I had been hoping for Germany for a few years already. They had been trying to deliver quality entries for quite some time without really getting it right, ending in failure year after year in spite of creating quite a few domestic hit singles.

Lena was a bull's eye in many aspects: young, appealing, hit friendly, equipped with a bubbly personality. A dream winner for Eurovision in many ways. And the importance of one of the Big Four countries winning can hardly be over-estimated.

Real winner:
Lena - Satellite (Germany)

Preview clip: Armenia 2009

The best preview clips are of course the ones that improves the song they present. They make the song feel even more powerful and convincing. One clip that managed really well was Armenia 2009.



Inga & Anush - Jan Jan (Armenia 2009 preview)

It is so bouncy and colourful and stylish. The sisters look gorgeous and the scenes with the mass dancing are truly efficient.

Too bad that Armenia didn't play the dance craze card when they got to Moscow, but instead opted for a far more restrained approach.

Still stylish, but no bounce in sight. That probably lost them quite a few points in the end. Something happy and clappy would surely have scored higher.



Inga & Anush - Jan Jan (Armenia 2009)

Songs only I like: Slovakia 2009

Slovakia came back to Eurovision after an absence of eleven years. Maybe they forgot a bit about the ESC during this long time, since the song they offered us was very atypical.



Kamil Mikulčík & Nela Pocisková - Let' tmou (Slovakia 2009)

The person who created the term "dramatic ballad" had no idea just how much drama you can actually squeeze into a mere three minutes. It is a small wonder that not a single vocal chord goes pop during this orgy.

The last forty seconds is the musical equivalent of standing under a waterfall, I believe.

And I love it. I love the passion, the drama and the sheer madness about it. (To be honest, it took a while. The first times I heard it, I wanted to take a painkiller and lie down in a dark room for a couple of hours.)

On the night of the semi final, I even predicted it to make top ten as I thought the juries would appreciate the vocal exercises. They didn't, so Kamil and Nela had to content themselves with eight points and a second last place.

Boo for the juries, I say. What do you say? If you like this one too, please leave a comment.

FYR Macedonia goes Russian as well

FYR Macedonia does not go quite as far as the bad taste party put on by Belarus, but also their entry contains a nod towards the east.

Vlatko Ilievski sings about a Russian girl in his entry, underlined by some skillful background dancing.



Vlatko Ilievski - Rusinka (FYR Macedonia 2011)

I remember a time, not many years ago, when FYR Macedonia mainly sent in well crafted songs, often with some sort of modern pop vibe in them. I always liked them, I always cheered for them to do well.

But this is their third entry in a row without the shadow of international appeal. Vlatko is not the best singer and this chorus gets annoying long before three minutes have passed.

Sounds like a washed out version of this one, but without the fun.



The Nicole - Razborka (Sweden NF 2009)

(Oh, and one more thing. Me referring to this country as "FYR Macedonia" is not a statement or anything. I use what the EBU uses on the scoreboard. If you want tediously endless debates on this subject, go elsewhere. Any comments on this matter will get deleted. Thank you for the attention.)

Latvia 2009: when you don't feel like being charming

There are many easy ways of getting instant apprecation at Eurovision. You can sing about peace. You can dress in white. You can bring children on stage (or you could, until the 1990 rule change).

Pretty easy, right?

Sending in an aggressive piece of punk rock about a traffic jam? Nah, maybe not a sure winner in my book.



Intars Busulis - Sastrēgums (Latvia 2009 national final performance)

Latvians aren't like everybody else, though. So they decided Intars Busulis was the perfect choice to send to Moscow in 2009.

In a way, he was. Latvia had no intention of being deliberately charming in Moscow. Their national television considered withdrawing due to Russian foreign policies and were talked into the contest by the EBU at a late stage.

The lyrics talk about doing what you are not supposed to do. Refuse to be stuck in the eternal traffic jam. Hop over the cars instead.



Intars Busulis - Probka (Latvia 2009 preview)

To make sure that the Russian hosts would understand this refusal to accept things the way they are and fight for what you believe in, it was decided for Intars to sing in Russian in Moscow.

Language aside - on the night nobody understood. The Latvian punk confused the audience and maybe Intars himself was a bit too over-excited to make the song full justice.

"Probka" ended last in its semi final. That is when happens when you don't aim to please.

I don't care - for me this is a classic. I find it bold and daring, and I think Intars Busulis is a fabulous performer. Very charming, even when he has set his mind of being the opposite.



Intars Busulis - Probka (Latvia 2009)

Sweden 2011: Brolle reminds me of somebody

There is no point posting anything from Melodifestivalen here as SVT takes any clips off YouTube faster than you can say schlagerfrossa. But if you watched the second semi, you will have seen Brolle make it to the final with his rockabilly entry.

I can't put my finger on it, but didn't he remind you of somebody? Some singer? Who was reasonably popular at some point?

Could I be thinking of Elvis Presley?

Or am I just thinking about this guy?



Copycat - Copycat (Belgium 2009)

Preview clip: Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009

My favourite song from the 2009 contest was lifted even further by its ambigious, elegant and atmospheric preview clip.



Regina - Bistra voda (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009 preview)

The song is also magnificent in its own right, but with the video clip it turns into a tiny piece of art. Lovely.

A bit of bad luck with the draw for the running order in the final probably cost this entry a few placings in Moscow, and Regina had to content themselves with a ninth place.

Not bad. But they deserved more.



Regina - Bistra voda (Bosnia-Herzegovina 2009)

Preview clip: Ukraine 2009

What is the purpose of a preview clip? Easy - you should present your song in advance so that the greater audience of Eurovision is already a bit familiar with it before the big final.

It is also great if it can stand out from the rest and raise the interest in your entry. If people remember you better than the others, the is an advantage.

These days, when the previews are more for internet use than for televised presentations (in most countries anyway), a good clip is one that stands out, makes people remember you, invites to viewer to watch again and again. If you succeed at this, a lot more people will know your song in time for the final.

If they know your song, they are more likely to vote for it.

Svetlana Loboda from Ukraine knows a thing or two about how to get noticed. You can suck on fruit. You can fly a whip over your dancers. You can crawl around in melted chocolate. For instance.

Her preview clip for the 2009 Ukrainian entry is a big bad-taste party, a filmed orgy with too much of everything. Excessive images are thrown at you in a fast pace and before three minutes are over, you will be slightly out of breath.

A bit like a mental roller coaster. With music.

The clip isn't even as excessive as it looks - most of the images shown are bits and pieces from earlier Loboda video clips, very cleverly assembled to make them look all new.



Svetlana Loboda - Be My Valentine (Anti-Crisis Girl) (Ukraine preview 2009)

Too much of everything and I love it! In these times, when far too many people want to be cleancut, polite and politically correct, I can not get enough of the Loboda treatment.

Unfortunately, the whole package didn't translate as well as expected onto the live stage, and Svetlana was left in a 12th place - surpringly low and disappointing for Ukraine, a country that should never be discounted at the ESC.

Norway missed a few pearls as well...

Most of the Nordic countries have successfully re-invented their national finals during the last years, and Norway has been working very hard on finding ESC success.

They have been successful as well. Wig Wam in 2005, Maria Haukaas Storeng in 2008 and, of course, Alexander Rybak in 2009 all left lasting impressions on the international audience. Not bad for the country that used to end in bottom five every year for such a long period of time.

But who is perfect? Also Norway has rejected a few personal favourites of mine during the last ten years. It would have been most interesting to find out how these ones would have fared had they reached the ESC.



Venke Knutsen - Jealous Cause I Love You (2010)

I was never a fan of Didrik Solli-Tangen's pompous old ballad and can't help thinking that Venke would have spiced up the Oslo happening quite a bit with her output, presence and wacky lyrics.



Velvet Inc - Tricky (2009)

Of course Rybak was the right choice. Nobody else could have crushed all resistance in Moscow like he did. But had Norway opted for this slick pop praline instead, nobody would ever have known that.



Veronica Akselsen - Am I Supposed To Love Again (2008)

Mellow and melancholic. Very sensitive performance, also. Again, not strong enough to better Maria's fifth place in Belgrade, but a very proud entry for any country.



Ann-Mari Andersen - Ándagassii (2008)

Ethnic, haunting, suggestive piece of modern pop. Slick production and soft, appealing lyrics in Sami. One of the best and most progressive entries that Norway ever left behind.



Mocci - Tonight (2006)

And then there is always Mocci, who has the distinction of missing out twice with modern, urban sounding entries. Her 2006 Sophie Ellis-Bextor sound would probably have been too laid-back in Athens (and had she hit the notes as poorly as she does in this clip, she could have had to fight it out with Fabrizio over the last place) but the song is good. And her 2001 effort would have rocked Copenhagen and filled a real void in the extremely weak line-up of that year.



Mocci - You've Got The Motion (2001)