Molly is Ireland's own Pernilla

Ireland's Molly Sterling didn't make it to the grand final of Eurovision which is a shame for a very pretty little song. Given how overwhelmed she seemed to be - both on stage and when interviewed in the green room - maybe it was all for the better.

Maybe she'll be happier to go home now, let the experience sink in and then keep on making music.

Regardless, her song reminds me of a very young Kate Bush sitting at her piano, singing something not violently different from The Man With The Child In His Eyes.

But it also reminds me of Finland's Pernilla Karlsson in Baku 2012. There is some sort of sisterhood between these two entries. Neither one made it to the final but both were a chance worth taking. And both will have their loyal fans for years to come, regardless of the result.



Pernilla - När jag blundar (Finland 2012)

Runner-up: Russia 2012

You can say a lot of things about the Russian entries through the years, but they have been anything but square and boring. Recently they have, but they didn't use to be.

Russia bent the rules and pushed the limits and often added a rock star element as well as a general feeling that you never knew what to expect from them.

And when we thought we had seen it all, they enter a bunch of grandmothers singing happily about throwing a party for all their children and grand-children where the cat is happy and the dog is happy too. And everybody sing boom boom together.

The outcome could well be the happiest piece of televisual genius we have seen for years. The women of Buranovo smiled and sang slightly off-tune while baking bread in the huge oven they had brought along for the occasion. Irresistible and the last Russian entry to feel warm and inclusive and really mean it. Maybe the song isn't all that but these are three minutes you won't forget. I for one love every second of it.

A deserved 2nd place?
In a song contest where songs are given points because they are great songs - no. At this very time and place - yes. Babushki for everybody!



Buranovskiye Babushki - Party For Everybody (Russia 2012)

Estonia: Lenna's time to shine?

Ever since being the lead singer of Vanilla Ninja (and representing Switzerland at the 2005 ESC in Kyiv), Lenna Kuurmaa has been one of Estonia's top stars. After going solo, her notoriety has only grown and grown, also in other areas beyond singing.

But she can't keep her paws off Eurovision anyhow. Perhaps Eesti Laul is just the perfect showcase to launch new hit singles, perhaps the girl would just love to get back onto the ESC stage. This year she makes her third solo showing and hopes to better her two second places to date.



Lenna - Rapunzel (Estonia NF 2010)

Her second place in 2010 was a real shocker. She was the big pre-contest favourite, being a sky-high leader in all the polls. She was the one to beat and then suddenly, in the super final, the Estonian public went more unpredictable than ever and opted for sending Malcolm Lincoln to Oslo instead.

In 2012, it was more of a two horse race with Ott Lepland winning in the end. Not a very hard defeat, probably, as Lenna has later said "Kuula" is one of her favourite songs ever.



Lenna - Mina jään (Estonia NF 2012)

I can shake the feeling that Lenna could find herself in second place again this year, this time after Sandra Nurmsalu. Perhaps her song this year is too much of a grower to be a perfect choice for a contest where you need to be reasonably instant. But if Lenna was to go to ESC as a solo singer, it would be all worth it.



Lenna - Supernoova (Estonia NF 2014)

Where is August Hunt?

Estonian semi finals are notoriously difficult to predict and yesterday, I felt sure of only two things: Lenna would make it with ease and so would August Hunt. Little did I know.

After seeing the live performances, I was pretty sure Vöörad would be the one to be left out in favour of Kõrsikud - I know a chaotic mess when I see one and it never looks pretty on television - but Wilhelm qualifying and not August Hunt? My jaw has been hanging between my knees ever since.

I thought they put on such a lively performance of an attractive song, but again - you never know what the Estonians are about to do with their televotes.



August Hunt - Kus on exit? (Estonia NF 2014)

I just hope they will be back with a bang - perhaps already next year? Nothing fills my heart with joy and song quite like the sight of Estonians dancing.



August Hunt - Tantsulõvi (Estonia NF 2014)

Despite being heartbreakingly inaccurate in my predictions last night - I only got two out of five right - I will be back at it next week for the second and last Eesti Laul semi final. Let's hope my favourites fare better then...

Tobson's Ranking: #1 Sweden

A little bit predictable for me to have the same number one as most of the world, isn't it? But then again, some entries are just a little bit better than most.



Loreen - Euphoria (Sweden 2012)

Five years ago, in Helsinki, Swedish song-writer Thomas G:son contributed songs for two countries. Norway flunked in the semi, Spain sunk without any bigger trace in the final, and many people were certain that this more or less marked the end of G:son's success.

Instead, he went back to what he always did best anyway - take a distinct style and make it easily accessible for the masses. In 2011, Loreen had been too difficult for the Swedish viewers in Melodifestivalen. Now, given the G:son treatment, all the pieces fell into the right places.

There is an uplifting and refreshing simplicity about all the components in this entry. The melody line, the lyrics, the choreography - they are all very clean-cut, clear and accessible. It is art, but presented in a very user-friendly way.

And Loreen is a performer with a rare sensibility, a unique presence with a raw quality to it. She could probably make almost any old song work, and with a rare pearl like Euphoria it almost had to happen.

Victory for Sweden - hoping they won't lose their appetite for success after this.

Musically, this could be one of the most important victories for many years and open up the contest for even more chart-friendly music than before and make the ESC the natural showcase for domestic stars wishing for international success.

Fingers crossed for that.

My grade: 5/5

Tobson's Ranking: #2 Spain

Ever since Operación Triunfo stopped being a Eurovision selection, I have hoped for Spain to get their act together again. And boy, did they get things together this year.



Pastora Soler - Quédate conmigo (Spain 2012)

At first, I was mainly impressed by the presence and vocal abilities of Pastora while I found the song a bit on the dull side - your typical standard schlager ballad. And then it started growing. And growing and growing and growing.

It IS a typical standard schlager ballad, it just happens to possess that little extra something: a drop of real passion, of real emotion, combined with a performer able to manage and understand what could be made out of these standard ingredients.

When it comes to love ballads, this is also my favourite category - depicting the second after the moment when it is all over. The guy is not going to come back and she knows it. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear her heart break. And Pastora delivers like a true goddess, making the drama trustworthy and real.

A piece of classical know-how and classy craftmanship, and a real triumph for songwriter Thomas G:son. Or at least part of his triumph this year.

My grade: 5/5

Tobson's Ranking: #3 Cyprus

A little bit of love, a little bit of la la la and a close to flawless performance. It doesn't have to be harder than that.



Ivi Adamou - La La Love (Cyprus 2012)

Creating a good, convincing pop performance is in no way a simple task. Making everything seem easy, spontaneous and effortless really takes a professional like Helena Paparizou or Ani Lorak and those are few and far between.

Ivi Adamou is almost up there with them, which came as a bit of a surprise to me after all the speculation as to whether she could carry a tune at all.

She could more than just sing: she dances really well, she holds the whole number together and - most importantly - she adds a sense of humour to the whole thing. She knows that her entry is a feather-weight little bagatelle and she treats it with all the delicacy it needs without getting carried away.

Apart from being a little bit shaky in the vocal department right after the dance break, Ivi delivers a close to perfect Eurovision pop extravaganza that is pure pleasure from the first note to the last. A mystery that it didn't score better, but given the commercial success it has achieved in several countries afterwards Ivi should be all smiles anyway.

My grade: 5/5

Tobson's Ranking: #4 Germany

For a long time I thought Germany would fail in Baku and that young Roman would not deliver when it came down to action. I was mainly wrong and I am happy about that.



Roman Lob - Standing Still (Germany 2012)

After having won and hosted and gone through the media phenomenon that was Lena, it could have done incredible damage to Germany in Eurovision had this year's entry flopped.

I considered this a piece of lavishly constructed radio pop, but thought Roman Lob to be too much of a pretty talent show winner who would not manage to fill the words up with enough meaning and emotion.

Instead, he managed to paint the picture of the cubbish young man who grows into taking the first mature decision of his life and the result is pretty breathtaking. Roman has many assets, many good things in him, and could blossom into a really impressive artist.

He's not quite there yet. I would have hoped for a little more depth, a little more gravity, a little more nerve in the final performance. But these are mere details.

More important is that Germany is taking the actual songwriting more seriously than most (commissioning the stuff they want from the publishing houses rather than asking nicely to have it) and delievered their third chart hit in succession into this contest. I hope they intend to keep them coming.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #5 Moldova

One thing is for sure, Eurovision would be a far duller place without the Moldovans.



Pasha Parfeny - Lăutar (Moldova 2012)

With only a few exceptions, Moldova has cut a place for itself as the King of Quirk at Eurovision. The Moldovan entries are usually catchy, highly energetic, fun little performances that aim to please the audience and stand out from the rest of the competition.

Quite a lot like Israel used to do in the 80's.

Pasha Parfeny doesn't just have a devilishly catchy and infectious song, he is also an unusually good showman who manages to keep the whole thing together without the slightest hint of strain.

He sings well, he dances with zeal, he finds the camera at every crucial moment.

Unlike many other ambitious performances this year (most notably France), Team Parfeny fills up the stage without making a mess. Every single little detail fits into the picture, every little moment adds to the completeness of it all. The dancers are fantastic. The backing vocalists are ace.

The viewer is never left wondering what on Earth is going on and is free to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

A tiny televisual piece of art, Made in Moldova. Very nice.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #6 Russia

Grannies for everybody and plenty of owen-fresh pie on top of that. How could Europe resist?



Buranovskiye Babushki - Party For Everybody (Russia 2012)

These Senior Spice Girls of Buranovski turned out to be the phenomenon of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, that peculiar entry that most people could hardly believe was happening.

Some people rejected them as a cheap gimmick, some people were sincerely worried that the pressure and attention and hoopla would prove too much for the grannies.

But most just gave in and let themselves be entertained by the insanity and simplicity that thrived in the Russian entry as Baby Spice (on the left) tried to keep her grannies in tune and rhythm while Old Spice charmed an entire continent while doing very much her own thing.

My own favourite is Mischievous Spice, on the extreme right of the stage. How she loves the attention, how she loves being on the stage, how courageously she does her acting at the part where she almost forgot the precious pies in the oven.

An adorable entry for anyone whose heart is not made of stone.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #7 Italy

Italy coming back is one of the best things to happen in recent years and the big question seems to be when they will score a bull's eye and win the whole thing. I thought Nina would get closer...



Nina Zilli - L'amore è femmina (Italy 2012)

My only slight objection to the Italian entry is that I still think "Per Sempre" would have made an even better entry. That detail aside, I find Nina Zilli to be a real powerhouse of a performer.

Her song is a very straightforward little affair in a rather trendy pop-goes-retro style that has conquered the charts in recent years. The bilingual version is perhaps not quite as smooth as the original, but Nina looks striking in her expensive-looking dress.

Classy, with a drop of classic Italian diva arrogance in her voice as well as in her appearance.

Yet, I'm left with the feeling that the performance is not all that it could be. There is a tiny something missing, a certain focus, perhaps. The camera work isn't always there to support the act, the backing singers (somehow reminding me of Mia Martini's backing group in London 1977) come across as a little bit too attention-seeking and Nina momentarily seems unsure whether to turn to the camera or the audience in the hall.

A little bit of fine-tuning for the future, and Italy could win any given year. I know it, they know it. The question is only how soon they want to win - and host - the contest. Pretty soon, is my guess.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #8 France

This was the entry that was supposed to bring France back to the top positions, where they belong. Instead they did what the French have done too many times recently. They messed up.



Anggun - Echo (You and I) (France 2012)

This song was a brave choice - it was modern, original and not as direct as most songs achieving eurovision success. Clearly it needed a strong performance to back it up, but it had potential to be a good surprise on the night.

Instead we had a show that was ambitious but messy on-screen. Too many things are happening and there is no logical red thread for the viewers to follow, neither does the camera work ever allow the viewers to establish any kind of contact with the singer who remains a stranger throughout most of the song.

With the precious exception of Patricia Kaas, recent French entries have usually worked badly visually at Eurovision for the last ten years or so. It is surprising to see that French television, who has a very strong culture of making television visually appealing, never seem to pull off the ever so important visual aspect of the Eurovision Song Contest.

To make things even worse, Anggun - one of the most experienced performers in the final - did not live up to expectations or the level she had set during rehearsals and sang badly. Had the televoters had full power, she would have been left without a single point.

The song deserves much more than that. Even with a messy performance and a dismal vocal delivery it is still one of the most interesting entries of the year. I hope French television will stay on their ambitious path, but maybe try to deliver a more distinct and accessible show for next year.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #9 FYR Macedonia

An honest day's work for Kaliopi, who did what she was expected to do: she sang, she shone and she took her country back to the grand final for the first time in years.



Kaliopi - Crno i belo (FYR Macedonia 2012)

Almost all of Former Yugoslavia used the same recipe this year - instead of organising a national final that most names would refuse to be a part of anyway, they internally selected a star to do the job for them. Not a bad idea at all.

But then there are stars and then there are stars. Not everyone who is a star in their own backyard will convince the entire continent of their own greatness. Many big names have failed in the international lime light.

But Kaliopi is the kind of star that is universally understandable. There is her elegance, her intriguing voice and, above all, that sublime presence that just fills the stage and demands your attention.

Regardless if you like her song or not, you just know that this is somebody you'd love to know better.

Frankly, Kaliopi's song is good but not excellent. It could surely have benefitted from a less dated sound and arrangement. But Kaliopi herself just rises above any objections of the kind, nails her scream, delivers her last chorus and keeps the audience fascinated up until the very end of her performance.

Pure class.

Now I just hope she will come back to the ESC in a few years with a sharper entry. Then things would really start to get interesting...

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #10 Albania

Artistic, demanding and difficult. Albania making it into top five is surely the sensation of the year.



Rona Nishliu - Suus (Albania 2012)

Through the years, Eurovision audiences have shown that they like easy songs. Ditties. Choruses with handles, the kind you can hum along to or sing in the shower.

Try singing this one in the shower and you'll burst an artery or something.

In short, given the usual standards of this contest, the Albanian entry should not have stood a chance. But then Rona Nishliu swept in, took the stage, imposed herself on the audience and demanded their attention before delivering her big ballad in the way that stars do.

It just proves that also more demanding material belongs to Eurovision, especially when there is a powerful voice and a whole lot of star quality there to back them up. Suus scoring highly this year was more than a success for Albania, it was a bit of a victory for the entire contest.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #11 Turkey

Hayde, indeed! Turkey is back on track in this competition.



Can Bonomo - Love Me Back (Turkey 2012)

Ever since back in the day, when nobody voted for Turkey or paid them much attention, I have cherished their entries and held them as one of my favourite ESC countries. So it feels very good indeed to see that the mishap of 2011 was nothing but the occasionally slip and not a new trend in Turkish entries.

Can Bonomo is really bringing Turkey back to form with a catchy rhythm, a singalong chorus and a fun performance. What is even better is that this oriental ditty also manages to be quite divisive and not everyone's cup of tea.

Anything that can annoy people and be entertaining at the same time is most welcome.

The only reason it is not higher in my list is (apart from strong competition) Can himself. The rest of his output is wilder, more daring, less streamlined, has sharper edges.

I would have liked to see what kind of emotion some of his other sings might have stirred up in Baku.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #12 Finland

At #12, this is the highest placing of a non-qualifying entry this year. Although I still think it should have qualified.



Pernilla - När jag blundar (Finland 2012)

To be honest, I am not sure how necessary a qualification would have been. It would have been nice. Suitable. Not out of place. But still.

Pernilla nailed all the important parts: throughout the week of rehearsals in Baku, she took in the stage, adapted to the camera angles, grew more confident on stage and - above all - sang really well on the live broadcast.

It is not a small task for a complete newcomer to represent your country at Eurovision and nerves got the better of several performers during the ESC history. Pernilla was calm, composed, beautiful and secure.

Sending in a slow ballad in your own language is always a gamble - this one got really close to qualification. For a country like Finland - with no less than nine last places and an almost uncountable amount of misunderstood masterpieces with dismal placings - this is an entry to be very proud of.

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #13 Hungary

If you bring modern, radio-friendly electro-flavoured pop à la Hurts to Eurovision, you will have a special place in my heart.



Compact Disco - Sound Of Our Hearts (Hungary 2012)

Hungary had really bad luck in the draw for the grand final - had this song been among the last ten to perform, chances are that more people would have realised what a suggestive little package this is.

It is up-to-date, it is very well performed and, thanks to charismatic front figure Csaba Walkó, it looks just as good as it sounds. Not unimportant in a televised contest.

The only problem here is that the package itself is slightly better than the actual song, but if it gave this band a push in their domestic career it was all worth it.

For the last two years, Hungary has made in important contribution to Eurovision by sending in very modern entries that sound contemporary and radio-playlist-friendly. If they stick to this tactic, the voters will get the big idea sooner or later. Hang in there!

My grade: 4/5

Tobson's Ranking: #14 Ukraine

Ukraine has had better songs through the years. Better presentations as well. But they sure know how to put on a party.




Gajtana - Be My Guest (Ukraine 2012)

The big purpose with the Ukranian entry seemed to be to promote the European Football Championships more than anything else, and that seems to have gone according to plan.

Gajtana is a feisty character and a tremenduous singer who might have ended up with a little too little to sing, leaving her no choice but to wail away for most of her three minutes. She does it well, but the song turns out more than a little bit more shouty than it needed to be.

That's not a big deal, though. I had a very good time together with the girl, her wacko dancers and her animated backing troop on the backdrop.

In short, a great performance. Had it been combined with a better song, Ukraine could easily have found themselves in the top spots again.

My grade: 3/5

Tobson's Ranking: #15 Israel

Izabo really did their own thing and I love it. But somehow the entirety refused to fall into place.



Izabo - Time (Israel 2012)

For many years, Eurovision was a very square event with very firm rules concerning what you could or could not do, what you should sound and look like in order to be accepted and get points. I never really recovered from that, so whenever anyone decides to goof out and be odd and peculiar I tend to embrace it immediately.

Izabo did exactly that - they put on their own sound, a gimmicky song with a catchy chorus and a rather offbeat performance. Lovely.

But during the week in Baku, I slowly sensed and accepted the fact that this was not the recipe for success. The blend would not hit home with the voters.

I can't place my finger on what it is, but something is missing. Somehow this performance does not come together like it should. What should be easily accessible becomes ungraspable.

Not that I care. I still like this very much, as well as most of the group's other material as well. Adorable goofballs.

My grade: 3/5

Tobson's Ranking: #16 Serbia

Sticking closely to the safest of formulas is a dull thing to do, but a real professional can shake life also into a predictable entry.



Željko Joksimović - Nije ljubav stvar (Serbia 2012)

Maybe we got off a bit on the wrong foot, the Serbian entry and I. After the fun and energetic entries from Nina and Milan Stanković, I found it overly dull and safe to call in Željko Joksimović again.

And despite being the kind of bombastic Balkan ballad that should go straight to my heart, I never really warmed to this song either. It is nice, but nothing much more than a rewrite of previous, better, entries.

Not quite Lane moje, to put it nicely.

But in sharp contrast to Bosnia and Estonia, where I thought strong songs were taken down by the performances, Željko knows how to work his stuff. He is a very powerful performer - the voice is there, the gaze is there - who could blow life into any old song. Which is basically what he did in Baku.

Had he given us a tiny bit of surprise, just a fragment of a new idea in the old concoction, he could maybe even have given Loreen a run for the money. Now he just gave us the same old song, and that was not exciting enough.

My grade: 3/5