Tobson's Big ESC 2018 review, part 1

We are very, very close to the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest and I for one can't wait to see how Portugal will pull off hosting the ESC after waiting for this opportunity for so long.

Fate has been nice to RTP as it handed them the strongest lineup for many years to work with. Many of these songs are so good, they need no LED screens to make them come alive and shine.

Here are my thoughts on the songs, judging from this years preview clips, which you can see on the official Eurovision YouTube Channel.

01. AZERBAIJAN
Aisel / X My Heart

There are many interesting things going on in the running order this year. Are they clues? Quite certainly Christer Björkman has a finger or two in this pie. Why would he put a song like this first of all in the semi? It is nice and a good opener but lacks any kind of personality or temper or anything to make it stand out in a semi as strong as this. Is this the year when Azerbaijan falls out already in the semi?

Qualifier:
I wouldn't bet my house on it.

My grade: 2/5

02. ICELAND
Ari Ólafsson / Our Choice

Somebody could write a scientific essay on when Iceland lost their mojo in this contest. Was it when Yohanna managed to take something sweet and inoffensive and turn it into a silver medal in Moscow 2009? After last year's attempt at edge, Iceland is back at the sweet and inoffensive. Young Ari is a good singer and an adorable personality but this song is so terribly clichéd and dated that it defies description. And the lyrics is just the final kiss of death.

Qualifier:
No. The most likely contender to end last in the entire semi.

My grade: 1/5

03. ALBANIA
Eugent Bushpepa / Mall

Albania does a whole lot of things right. They stay true to their own selves, they keep sending songs that say something about the local music scene performed by local stars. And yet they have struggled to make an impact lately. This song is less complicated and more accessible than recent efforts and Eugent delivers the goods like he really means whatever he is singing. Had this been drawn into the weaker second semi instead, it could really have stood a chance.

Qualifier:
No. There are too many good songs fighting it out for only ten spots. Rotten luck but that's the rules of the game.

My grade: 2/5

04. BELGIUM
Sennek / A Matter Of Time

After three consecutive killer songs from Wallonia, also Flanders woke up and copied the winning concept of their countrymen: sniff out some fresh talent and give them more or less complete liberty to create a compelling entry. And would you believe it - it works also across the linguistic border. Rather Bond-esque (a bit of a trend this year) and most compelling, performed by an intriguing singer.

Qualifier:
Yes. This must qualify or everyone must resign.

My grade: 5/5

05. CZECH REPUBLIC
Mikolas Josef / Lie To Me

The first time I heard this song I thought it was really super annoying. There is a fine line between being annoying and entertaining, it seems. Dumb but irresistibly catchy, performed by someone who knows exactly what it takes to make a package like this work. My only regret is that the camel is not allowed on stage.

Qualifier:
Yes. You bet. And for the first time, Czech republic could make it into the higher regions of the top ten too.

My grade: 4/5

06. LITHUANIA
Ieva Zasimauskaitė / When We're Old

One thing is certain - you never know in advance what sort of song Lithuania will come up with. This one is the most sincere and tender thing they have entered in a long time, sung in a delicate way by a very likeable singer. The kind of entry that would really deserve to get rewarded big time.

Qualifier:
No. I'm afraid not. Had this one been drawn in the second half, then maybe. Now it will be too intimate too early on in the running order and get forgotten. Unless the juries absolutely adore it and save it.

My grade: 3/5

07. ISRAEL
Netta / Toy

40 years after Izhar Cohen and 20 years after Dana International - wouldn't it be nice if Israel won the contest with something surprising again? Netta is a real personality with a strong and personable voice and the chicken clucking gimmick is sheer brilliance. However, this entry is also sure to be very divisive. How well with it click with a mainstream audience in the end?

Qualifier:
Oh yes. That's hardly a problem. The question is how far this craziness will go in the final.

My grade: 4/5

08. BELARUS
Alekseev / Forever

More than one has described the first semi in Lisbon as a "blood bath". Colourful metaphor and all, but many of the songs lined up would have stood a better chance in the second semi. Like Belarus, whose pop song is quite good - despite the fact that it breaks the rules and should be disqualified - but maybe not good enough to break through. The new edit does it no favours and it had been nice had Alekseev been able to sing it properly live.

Qualifier:
Borderline but my gut feeling tells me this one will be out by quite a slim margin.

My grade: 2/5

09. ESTONIA
Elina Nechayeva / La forza

What a relief when somebody is finally doing proper opera singing at Eurovision. No funny games, no pop verses, no funny hats. Elina is just singing her modern aria beautifully and gracefully. Regardless if she can keep the dress projections from the national final or not, this is an oasis of class and style.

Qualifier:
It does run the risk of being the Blackbird of the year, but I do think Estonia is back in the final with this one.

My grade: 3/5

10. BULGARIA
Equinox / Bones

Bulgaria came back to the ESC transformed into a nation of modern and compelling pop and they stay true to form also this year. Bones is perhaps more complicated and less instant and a more risky choice. Applause for anyone not willing to just play it safe!

Qualifier:
Yes, most certainly. This is maybe not winning material like last year, but getting to the final should be a walk in the park.

My grade: 3/5

Tobson's Big ESC 2017 Review, part 8

The word I used more than any other - I suppose, I didn't actually count back - is "borderline". Semi two has some obvious qualifiers as well as a couple of equally obvious non-qualifiers. But then? This year's trend is radio-friendly pop songs that are nice - and in most cases good - but not extraordinarily personable. It will be really hard to tell who will qualify or not until you've seen them perform. Whoever manages to inject some originality in their song will make it through.

14. BELARUS
NAVIBAND / Historyja majho zyccia

For the first time ever, Belarus decided to rely on their own language. Of course I am positive about a such a decision but what moves me even more is that for the first time in many year, the Belarusian entry seems to be coming from a really genuine place. It is happy, it is cheerful and it feels real. It also feels a bit repetitive before three minutes have passed but perhaps that's a minor detail in the great sum of things.

Qualifier:
In order not to exhaust the word borderline, I am going to say yes. This sounds very different from anything else and the viewers are going to recognise that. If the band manages to maintain the energy of their clip and put that into motion on stage, this could go pretty far.

My grade: 3/5



NAVIBAND / Historyja majho zyccia (Belarus 2017 preview)

15. BULGARIA
Kristian Kostov / Beautiful Mess

Last year's successful comeback seems to have triggered something in Bulgaria and for the second year running they enter a real contender. This time in the shape of teenage heart-throb Kristian, who is the first ever ESC entrant born after the millennium bug. The Moscow-based singer has a strange and almost hypnotic presence, an excellent voice and a beautifully written song. Maybe the verses are stronger than the chorus, but this is a package designed to impress. It is also the third song in this semi co-written by Joacim Persson.

Qualifier:
Yes. And if Italy for some reason would not win, this is one of the possible shock winner candidates. Possibly also the start of an international career for Kristian Kostov.

My grade: 4/5



Kristian Kostov / Beautiful Mess (Bulgaria 2017 preview)

16. LITHUANIA
Fusedmarc / Rain of Revolution

Whatever you'd like to say about Lithuania, nobody can deny that they are fully doing their own thing in this contest. During their never-ending national final the viewers finally grew tired of the obvious favourite and opted for this little piece instead. There are actually many bits and pieces I like here: the energy of the verses, the groove of the backing singers that remained in plain sight at least in the NF, and the crazy presence of the lead singer. This is the most stylish and interesting failure of the year. The musical equivalent of two trains crashing into each other, rolling off a cliff, falling onto a nuclear plant.

Qualifier:
No. Most definitely not. As soon as the singer starts screaming "Yeah-Yeah!" for the umpti-eleventh time all hope is gone. But I totally prefer this to many more polished and less interesting entires.

My grade: 2/5



Fusedmarc / Rain of Revolution (Lithuania 2017 preview)

17. ESTONIA
Koit Toome & Laura / Verona

Estonia delivers yet another polished and engaging pop pastry and one has to wonder how they really do it. How can such a small country be so consistent and send in so many really good songs? This one has an unusual structure, which could be a bit of a gamble. Koit and Laura are delivering well but would need some more passion and chemistry compared to the national final. The song has also been released in several different versions already, which makes me think this team are maybe not as confident as they would have every reason to be.

Qualifier:
Yes, unless the Estonians have thought out some over-complicated stage stunt to drag the attention away from the actual song. Remember last year's card trick? If Belgium runs the risk of being the shock non-qualifier in the first semi, Estonia could be running the same risk here.

My grade: 4/5



Koit Toome & Laura / Verona (Estonia 2017 preview)

18. ISRAEL
IMRI / I Feel Alive

The second semi ends pretty much like the first semi began. Israel seems to have found its way back to a concept that works at Eurovision. Had this been the 1980's, a group of happy backing vocalists would have filled the stage and danced an energetic dance before this song was over. IMRI is a beautiful young man who - very much like Robin Bengtsson - would have deserved something more interesting to perform. The etno touch that comes in by the end is nice and adds a certain flavour but it is nowhere near enough to make this a favourite.

Qualifier:
Yes. Just like Belgium last year, being last in the semi will mean all the difference. This one will easily dance its way into the final and could end up in a much higher position than it deserves in the end. Just like Sweden this year.

My grade: 2/5



IMRI / I Feel Alive (Israel 2017 preview)

Semi 2: 12 Bulgaria / If Love Was A Crime

Bulgaria has had a bumpy ride through the Eurovision forest through the years. Only once did they make it to the final despite sending in many interesting entries and good singers.

One of those was Poli Genova who came heartbreakingly close to qualifying in Düsseldorf in 2011. Since then she kept cutting out a place for herself in Bulgarian showbiz as a singer but also as a personality in various tv shows. When hosting last year's Junior Eurovision from Sofia, it was almost like she was auditioning for the job of representing Bulgaria a second time around.

No surprise then as Bulgarian tv internally selected her to perform their comeback entry and this time everyone involved seem to have made their homework properly.

This is a very focused effort with a nifty pop chorus and a haunting and effective use of a single line of Bulgarian.

Qualifier:
Yes. This is the time when Bulgaria got it right at long last. Poli feels like a fresh and vibrant pop star and the song is a hit.

My grade: 4/5



Poli Genova / If Love Was A Crime (Bulgaria 2016 preview clip)

Semi 2: these are my ten qualifiers

If there was pressure to predict the first semi final then this second one feels like a nightmare for various reasons. Mainly because it all seems very open and I have no idea whether to predict with my heart or with my head.

I feel sure about five of ten qualifiers, perhaps. Then it feels like the placings 6 - 16 or so are one big grand lottery. How will the points spread between the candidates? If they spread enormously you might need less points than ever to make top ten tonight. Then a couple of high points could be enough. Which opens up for basically anyone.

But again - I repeat my old mantra that this is just a game and nothing to be taken too seriously. If I tell myself that a number of times I might believe it in the end.

1. LATVIA Here We Go / PeR
Just like Austria, this is a very good opening number and for a long time I thought this would be the happy pill that would appeal to the audience in the end. But I thought the same about Trackshittaz last year. You've got to learn sometime.
Qualifier: No

2. SAN MARINO Crisalide / Valentina Monetta 
This is where the real prediction nightmare starts. If you are not a eurovision fan and you don't know how much Valentina improved since last year, all you are left with as a ballad that never fully develops and a dated beat from the Siegel factory, which hasn't worked since 1999. This prediction is more based on me wanting to see San Marino on a scoreboard for once. Heart wins over head.
Qualifier: Yes

3. FYR MACEDONIA Pred da se razdeni / Esma & Lozano
I still think this is a dismal song that merely uses Esma as a special effect and nothing more, but you could have way worse special effects than her. And I'd rather have her than many others on offer tonight.
Qualifier: Yes

4. AZERBAIJAN Hold Me / Farid Mammadov
A weak song enhanced by technology, pretty much like last year's Azeri entry. Of course it will work, at least at this point.
Qualifier: Yes

5. FINLAND Marry Me / Krista Siegfrieds
Catchy, instant, over the top, girl on girl kissing, wedding dress. This one will stay in the audience's mind and will sail into the final. Well done, girl.
Qualifier: Yes

6. MALTA Tomorrow / Gianluca
A very charming song with a very charming singer has, reportedly, turned unnecessarily dull and not striking enough on stage. I still want to think that an ukulele and eyes as charming as Gianluca's will be enough, but I'm not sure at all.
Qualifier: Yes

7. BULGARIA Samo shampioni / Elitsa & Stoyan
Despite liking them a lot in Helsinki six years ago, I did not predict them to qualify, neither did I see their top five placing coming in advance. So maybe the trick will work again, despite this song lacking everything that made "Voda" good. But I don't think so.
Qualifier: No

8. ICELAND Ég á líf / Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson
This is a pretty little ballad in many ways. Iceland has a way of squeezing themselves into the final where they ultimately don't do so well. It could work this time around as well, but the battle for ballad points is ferocious and Iceland would need a large portion of luck to make it this time.
Qualifier: No

9. GREECE Alcohol Is Free / Koza Mostra feat Agathonas Iakovidis
This is another truly divisive song that certain people will detest, but temper, attitude, forza and dancing musicians dressed in kilts will win in the end.
Qualifier: Yes

10. ISRAEL Rak bishvilo / Moran Mazor
One week ago I predicted that Iceland would make it and Israel would not. Today I swap them around. I still think the song would need more of a climax - I expect more than it ever delivers every time I hear it - but think Moran's intensity will beat the Icelandic cool in the end. And I doubt there is room for them both in the final.
Qualifier: Yes

11. ARMENIA Lonely Planet / Dorians
I really hate bringing up the subject of diaspora voting, but the Armenian Head of Delegation mentioned it herself in their press conference this week. In my mind, this is the weakest song of the second semi, but will potential friendship points be enough to take it to the final. For the sake of this competition, I hope not.
Qualifier: No

12. HUNGARY Kedvesem / ByeAlex
This is one of my top favourites this year. But I think this introverted but brilliant little gem will be too demanding from a grand audience on a Thursday night and that it could very well mean ByeHungary in the end. I would love to be wrong on this one, but I don't see it happening.
Qualifier: No

13. NORWAY I Feed You My Love / Margaret Berger
After all these question marks it feels wonderful to be this sure again. Norway is a potential winner this year and is a sure qualifier tonight.
Qualifier: Yes

14. ALBANIA Identitet / Bledar Sejko & Adrian Lulgjuraj
I like these rockers, I like their song and I like their sound. But just like in 2011, I think this will be a bit too much for Europe. Unfortunately.
Qualifier: No

15. GEORGIA Waterfall / Nodi & Sophie
Big voices and a big - albeit predictable - ballad. Will work wonders and steal lots and lots of points and ruin the chances for most other ballad entries - how many are there room for besides this one?
Qualifier: Yes

16. SWITZERLAND You And Me / Takasa
Alongside Armenia, my least favourite song in this semi. Three minutes of very little action and very little else. The big question is if people are prepared to vote for a group just because they feature the oldest person ever on a eurovision stage. And again, for the sake of this competiton, I hope the answer is no.
Qualifier: No

17. ROMANIA It's My Life / Cezar
Is this a good song? No, not particularly. Will people laugh at Cezar tonight? Quite a few will, yes. But perhaps the final needs a performance like this. To ensure entertainment value for everyone.
Qualifier: Yes

So these are my ten qualifiers tonight: San Marino, FYR Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Greece, Israel, Norway, Georgia and Romania. My heart is bleeding for Hungary, but I really don't dare hope that they will make it.

Am I sure? Not the least. Azerbaijan, Greece, Norway, Georgia and Finland will be in the final. Everything else is up for grabs. If I have more than five right tonight, that will be a victory in itself.

So bring it on, prove me wrong!

Semi 2: 07 Bulgaria

If you only had success once, it is easy to conclude that a repeat run of that very entry would automatically lead to a new success. But lightning seldom strikes twice in the same place at Eurovision.



Elitsa & Stoyan - Samo Shampioni (Bulgaria 2013)

Just to make one thing perfectly clear - I am not poking fun at Bulgaria. I often find myself liking their entries, hoping they will break into the final and often feel their pain as they often miss out with very small margins. I liked Elitsa and Stoyan back in 2007 and can't blame Bulgarian television for trying to repeat their own success.

And yet.

When Voda was a surprising and creative entry, the new song feels like a very tired copy. It has the same drumming, the same singing and the same structure. However, it lacks everything that made Voda original, modern, progressive and suggestive. An added bagpipe is hardly enough to make up for that.

Qualifier:
No. I very much doubt Europe sat and waited for a Voda follow-up. And if they did, they will find themselves bitterly disappointed.

My grade: 1/5

Tobson Ranking: #33 Bulgaria

Having all the main ingredients for a good dance track doesn't help at all when the performer doesn't rock at all.



Sofi Marinova - Love Unlimited (Bulgaria 2012)

Had this ranking been based on studio versions alone, this entry would end up a lot higher on my list. It has most of the key elements you'd like to see in a dancey eurovision song.

Bulgaria has juggled with this genre before and come up with credible, well-sounding pop songs without much success. This year, the backing track seemed really promising while the visual presentation was a bit of a question mark in the preview.

Unfortunately, things went from debetable to outright disastrous. Having no act to support the dance rhythms as well as an outfit leaving quite a lot to be desired, Sofi herself seemed to struggle with her song, not easily finding the right tempo nor the right cue to start singing.

If you want to know how to ruin a promising entry, look no further. This is the schoolbook example of the year.

My grade: 2/5

The 2012 review, part six

The first five contained some good and some not so good... In this bunch of songs, the line-up will take a turn for the better, at least in my book.

6. PORTUGAL



Filipa Sousa - Vida minha

Portuguese television really tried to shake up their national final this year by auditioning vocally secure performers and then commission suitable songs from them. All that effort, and still we end up with a song very much like many others that RTP contributed in the past.

There is nothing wrong with Filipa, there is nothing technically wrong with the song, but I can't help but wonder when the message will start sinking in. When will the Portuguese realise this is not the sort of entry that anyone votes for? They had a good string of entries a couple of years ago, but now I wonder if they even want to win.

Qualifyer:
No, most probably not. The people who voted for "Senhora do Mar" in 2008 will still like this, but the competition for ballad points in this semi final is absolutely crushing. A Portuguese qualification would, and should, be a big surprise for most.

My grade: 1/5

7. UKRAINE



Gaitana - Be My Guest

If there is one country that never lets us down completely, then it must be Ukraine. Every year, they send in good songs by good performers and on top of that they stage something really effective on stage, to further enhance their entries.

This year is no exception, as the Ukrainians take the opportunity to promote the upcoming football championships with a hit tailormade to be the official Uefa song of 2012. Gaitana is also a sparkling and exciting presence, who is sure to blow extra life, energy and conviction into this, and I can't wait to see what this will look like in Baku.

Qualifyer:
Yes. The song is maybe not the best one Ukraine ever sent to Eurovision, but this entry will surely be bigger than the song come May.

My grade: 3/5

8. BULGARIA



Sofi Marinova - Love Unlimited

Had this song contest been an arena where only musical aspects had been taken into consideration, then Bulgaria could be sure of success this year. This is a very pleasant house-light-production that you can enjoy both listening to and dancing to, and Sofi Marinova is a vocal asset that feels steady and reliable throughout the entire number.

But this is a televised event where people are also able to see what songs look like and that is where this team has to start working. The performance in the national final is static and uneventful, the dress is ill-advised and whenever Sofi has no singing to do she starts feeling lost on stage. This clip also contains dancers, but it is not obvious that Sofi and her dancers will look good together.

This could turn out to be a real mess, and then nobody will listen to the song.

Qualifyer:
Yes. I want to believe that the Bulgarians will get on top of things and sort their performance out. I really want to see them back in the final again. I feel they belong there.

My grade: 3/5

9. SLOVENIA



Eva Boto - Verjamem

This entry manages to pinpoint the problem in using a casting show as eurovision selection. You find an excellent girl like Eva Boto, who sings fantastically and has a very fresh appearance, but then suddenly you need to find a song that will suit her.

I might be old-fashioned, but in a song contest you need a strong song coupled with a performer that can deliever it in the best way possible. In this case, I feel that Eva and the song (written by the man behind "Molitva" as you can tell) never completely embrace each other. She sings it brilliantly, but it doesn't feel like her song. It feels like it was written for somebody else, somebody different, and I can sense that.

I think Eva would have been better off with something slightly more youthful, slightly more in tune with what she knows and where she is in life.

Qualifyer:
Possibly. It is still a well-crafted song and Eva is a real talent. If the televoters won't play ball, the juries should recognise the vocal qualities here. But it could just as well end up a few points short of qualification.

My grade: 2/5

10. CROATIA



Nina Badrić - Nebo

When your national final keeps giving you dismal entries and bad results, it is never a bad idea to scrap the whole thing and call up a real star and ask them to do the job for you. Nina Badrić is a real star and her mere presence will probably make it easier for Croatian television to convince real talent to give the ESC a shot next year.

Just too bad that the star in question seems to have selected a song that means a lot to her personally rather than finding the best possible entry. This is a fine song with a clever construction, and a good showcase of her own songwriting talent, but it takes too many listenings for the chorus to truly impose itself for this to be a real contender.


Qualifyer:
Yes, anything else would be a big surprise. But this star might have to content herself with a place a bit further down in the final.

My grade: 3/5

Tobson Ranking: #24 Bulgaria

Bulgaria deserved better but missed the final. Business as usual, in their case.



Poli Genova - Na inat (Bulgaria 2011)

The Eurovision map has changed a bit in recent years, and it seems the curse of never getting anywhere has moved slightly away from Finland and Portugal (who rather often make it to the final these days) to the likes of the Netherlands and Bulgaria.

Bulgaria only made the final once, which is pretty shameful given how hard they have tried to send in original entries that stand out from the rest.

Poli Genova is yet another of these almost shockingly competent stage performers that populated the 2011 ESC. She has the looks, the voice, the presence.

What she doesn't quite have is the song.

There is a bit of a hook, and the piano part is suggestive. But at some point, the chorus turns too square for its own good, and the song never fully takes off at the end.

Also, Slovenia stole most of the "female rock"-votes straight out of the hand of poor Poli. A good attempt, close but not enough.

In my opinion, Bulgaria would deserve a bull's eye soon.

My grade: 2 / 5

The 2011 review, part Six

Part six out of nine, reviewing all 43 entries of the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf, and we are going through the second semi final.

6. UKRAINE



Mika Newton - Angels (Ukraine 2011)

I have no idea just how they do it. Maybe they get special classes at school, maybe they have a secret button on their remote controls. But Ukraine has a fantastic ability of making their entries come to live when they have to.

Followers of this blog will know how unimpressed I was with the entire national selection in Ukraine, as it turned into a farce for the second year running. How I would have preferred another song, the one that actually recieved the larger number of votes. And here we stand with the song I had labelled as dull and pointless, and I have to admit that it is actually rather good.

Above all, Mika Newton is a sensational performer, the kind that seems to be growing out of each and every bush in Ukraine. Where do they find all these talented people? When she nails all the notes and fixes the camera with her eyes, this song could rise even further and the votes will flow in from all over. Again.

Qualifyer:
Yes. No doubt in my mind that this will look fantastic and sound great. Then you easily forget that the song is maybe not all that to start with.

My grade: 3/5

7. MOLDOVA



Zdob si Zdub - So Lucky (Moldova 2011)

Maybe it is something in the water? Or how do you otherwise explain the sense of sheer madness that often lives and thrives in the Moldovan entires? This is completely bonkers, hard to make head or tail of, and yet it is so entertaining.

Best described (perhaps) as an etno-punk version of Petula Clark's "Don't sleep in the subway" with a breathtaking instrumental break that sound remotely similar to the end of the world, this must be distinct enough to make it to the final. At least if good old Europe has any sense of humour.

Qualifyer:
Probably. It is a mess, but a very entertaining one.

My grade: 3/5

8. SWEDEN



Eric Saade - Popular (Sweden 2011)

Young master Saade had a bit of bad luck in the draw. Had he entered stage after the succession of Austria - Netherlands - Belgium - Slovakia - Ukraine, he would have seemed to young and potent and popstar-like that most viewers would have just fallen over and surrendered. Now Moldova steals his thunder a tiny bit, but that should constitute no large problem.

A much bigger problem is the fact that the song is so obviously aimed at the youngest segments of the audience. I believe the vast majority of the audience is older than seventeen, and they may not necessarily understand the greatness in this. I don't think the juries will swallow this with hook and all either, they could be looking for something slightly more sophisticated.

Qualifyer:
Yes. This snappy young pop singer will have enough fans to make it to the final rather easily. But then there is always the risk that he pulls a Perrelli there. Which, given Sweden's recent track record, wouldn't be so bad.

My grade: 3/5

9. CYPRUS



Christos Mylordos - San aggelos s'agapisa (Cyprus 2011)

In all fairness, I didn't fall head over heels when I heard this the first time. I thought it sounded like a reject from some local musical, but after repeated listenings and a very direct recommendation from a friend whose taste I respect, I found my way inside this pretty complicated construction of a song.

Once you get a grip on it, it is a delicate little piece of drama, sensibly performed by young Christos, whose soft voice really marries the entirety of this song. That won't help much, though. If I needed ten listenings, determined there was something to be found somewhere if I listened carefully enough, then hardly more than a fragment of the audience will find that certain something by accident.

Qualifyer:
No. But it is a pleasant praline for the precious few who will understand the craft.

My grade: 3/5

10. BULGARIA



Poli Genova - Na inat (Bulgaria 2011)

Many people claim that the second semi final is way stronger than the first, but I would not be so sure. Possibly these people are confused by the impressive amount of very distinct performers in this bunch. Poli Genova is another one of those really energetic and enigmatic young people who will just blow up in your face and leave you wondering who they are and why they are not on your screen more often.

Bulgaria's own P!nk has a song that is both demanding and accessible at the same time, but maybe the aggressive song will prove a bit too aggressive in the end.

Qualifyer:
Possibly. Bulgaria has had a hard time convincing Europe of their talent, despite putting on many impressive entries. This is running the risk of being another good Bulgarian effort left in the semis.

My grade: 3/5

Polly Genova for Bulgaria

I went to bed instead of waiting out a Bulgarian winner, as the quick recap didn't look all too promising.

Woke up to seeing Polly Genova getting selected, and listened to the live version of her song, which did very little for me.

But there we go again - this is a typical mistake to make. The quality of the clip was poor, the sound was poor and I have a feeling the sound production was not too hot either.

When I listen to a studio version of a song, it sounds much better.



Polly Genova - Na inat (Bulgaria 2011)

A bit of commercial slightly aggressive radio rock à la P!nk and others, with a very recognisable piano in the arrangement.

With a bit of luck in the draw, maybe Bulgaria could make it to the final this time.

Bulgaria: Good evening, Orlin

I have missed the entire Bulgarian final, and came in late to see if there was a quick recap. It came eventually (and surprised me as the 23 entries had been reduced to 19), but before that it was very nice seeing Orlin Pavlov again.

Tonight, he is hosting and providing the interval act. Back in 2005, he was the first to defend the Bulgarian banner as lead singer of the group Kaffe.



Kaffe - Lorraine (Bulgaria 2005)

This entry was far from globally appreciated back then, but I grew to like during the week in Kyiv and above all Orlin stood out as a very good vocalist.

Apparently, he is still successful on home ground, now as a solo singer. The song he sang in the interval act seems to have been a hit. Is there anyone out there who knows more about Orlin Pavlov and his career developments?

I wouldn't mind seeing him back for Bulgaria. 2012, perhaps?



Orlin Pavlov - Chicago

Tonight: 23 songs in Bulgaria

Tonight, Bulgaria will have their pick and select their Eurovision hopeful in a grand national final. More grand than most.

23 songs will be in the running, which is close to a record in a national final held on one night.

Many countries have a hard time coughing up ten song or so that would be up to standard and if the songs are not good enough, 23 candidates will make a very, very, very long evening.

Not that Bulgaria wouldn't know their pop music, though. They only qualifyed for the final once, but those results are decieving. Bulgarian entries have usually been modern and progressive, possibly lacking that last tiny hook that would trigger people to vote for them.

I hope they will stick to the direction and send us something bold and brave. And then I hope we would all vote for it, for a change.