Tobson's Big ESC 2019 review, part 3

Since 2013, the running order is no longer the result of a draw. Someone involved in the production instead sequences the songs in order to make a smooth presentation and - hopefully - "good tv".

In many ways it was a good decision. When there are 26 songs, the viewers need a good running order to make it through. When the seventh standard ballad invades the stage - this happened more than a few times when we had a proper draw - few viewers enjoy themselves and start reaching for the remote control. Sequencing is a good thing when done well.

However, since 2013 the same person - Sweden's Christer Björkman - has done the sequencing on at least five occasions and maybe that is beginning to shine through. Should there be a clause saying that the responsibility for the running order cannot be held by the same person too many times?

If you want to check out my opinions on the other songs of this semi, you find them in part one and part two.


13 ICELAND
Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra

One of the problems with the ESC is that it is a contest and most people taking part in it would like to be liked and appreciated and voted for. A lineup where everyone is constantly on their best behaviour can be a bit dull. Lucky break then that Iceland is back to form, ready to shake things up with this warning from the future where everything dear to us is broken down and hate will prevail. This contains more sharp edges than we've seen for years and this is likely to offend as many as it will please.

Qualifier:
Yes, absolutely. It must be. Had the live singing been better in the chorus, this could even have been a potential winner.

My grade: 4/5


14 ESTONIA
Victor Crone / Storm

Victor Crone was a delightful sidekick to Behrang Miri in Melodifestivalen 2015 and I have found myself wondering whatever happened to him after that. I never thought he would show up in Estonia, defending the worst kind of washed-up and bleak radio pop of the kind certain commercial radio stations can never get enough of. What a shame. And how terribly disappointing it is seeing Stig Rästa writing something like this when we all know what he is capable of.

Qualifier:
You never know as a large section of the audience really enjoys stuff like this. Or why would they listen to those radio stations in question? Still, my gut feeling tells me this is just too forgettable to go anywhere. It's a no from me.

My grade: 1/5


15 PORTUGAL
Conan Osiris / Telemovéis

Portugal finally scored their first victory in 2017 and now an unusually large part of the fandom think they could be heading for a repeat run. Talk about getting your mojo working! This is a very experimental track with musical influences from here and there and everywhere, suggestively performed by Conan and his dancer. Maybe it is absolutely brilliant but this one keeps flying well over my head. I'd love to love Portugal but to me this is just three minutes of posing and an attempt to make yourself more interesting than you are. I hear the qualities but the final package is not my thing.

Qualifier:
Yes. I bet all its fans out there are right in some way. It should be in the final and will be in the final. Then it is anyone's guess how well it will work there.

My grade: 2/5


16 GREECE
Katerine Duska / Better Love

Iceland finally found their way back on track and so did Greece, apparently. After several years of half-hearted attempts - it must be hard to keep focus while your government first dismantles your public broadcaster, then revives it again - we finally get a focus and contemporary entry, radio friendly and with hit potential. The only problem here is perhaps that it is so much of a radio song that it won't shake audiences enough to get the highest points but this one should have some solid scoring ahead of itself anyway.

Qualifier:
Yes. Clearly. One of the best songs in the running.

My grade: 4/5


17 SAN MARINO
Serhat / Say Na Na Na

Isn't the last place usually reserved for something really good and therefore we could be pretty sure that whoever gets that spot is a sure qualifier? Wrong. That's not how it works. Sometimes the last spot is also a way to keep something unappealing out of sight for as long as possible, to ensure viewers will stay tuned until the end and not zap to another channel. In San Marino's case, however, that can still work to their advantage. A man in his 50's with a message that everything will be good if you sing a happy tune is pretty ridiculous. But after many competitors taking themselves Very Seriously Indeed, this could come across as a very happy and unpretentious closing point. If you don't know what to vote for by now, maybe Serhat will feel like your man.

Qualifier:
I am going to say yes. The happy and lightweight factor could very well be just enough for San Marino to conquer the tenth place. It would be sweet if they did.

My grade: 2/5


UKRAINE (Not participating)
Maruv / Siren Song

It's hard to keep this contest as unpolitical as the EBU would want it to be and even harder when some active participants find themselves at war. The winner of the long Ukranian national final found herself humiliated on live television and then blackmailed by the national broadcaster: if she didn't publicly severe ties with her (Russian) management and record label, she would be disqualified. She refused and the plan backfired spectacularly as all other NF participants refused to take Maruv's place. NTU pulled out of the contest altogether.

A really stupid move as this would have been this year's game changer and the entry that would have blown the likes of Cyprus, Switzerland and Iceland out of the water. Sexy and catchy, yet with a very dark undercurrent of menace, it would have troubled and enthused the masses. A great loss for the contest but if the NTU is going to keep bullying their own participants in this way there is no need for them to come back at all.

Question:
Why are so many of the songs pulled out of the competition like that brilliant? Broadcasters could pull out with their Piero Esteriore-entries instead.

My grade: 5/5


If you want to agree or disagree with me, please leave a comment or send me a tweet. All the preview clips can be seen here.

Tweet to @TobsonHelsinki

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 3

One of my problems through the years as I have done my big review is to make the numbers add up and even out in the end as I predict whether a song is a qualifier or not. Some year I ended up with twelve qualifiers in the same semi.

Maybe this is not an exact science. The conclusion - will this qualify or not - is maybe more of a gut feeling rather than the ultimate analysis. There will be a time for ultimate analysis as well - closer to the final, when we know about rehearsals and stuff - and then my predicted qualifiers will be no more then ten per semi.

10. GREECE
Demy / This Is Love

It probably shook the Greek delegation to miss out on a place in the final last year, so they went back to the safest thing they could think of. They organised a small national final where Demy - who's a bit of a star back home - sung three songs written by top composer and producer Dimitris Kontopoulous who had his fair share of success at Eurovision and almost won the whole shebang for Russia last year. The big question mark here is why a good performer like Demy couldn't get a better song than this tired old charter disco? If Kontopoulous is such a genius, how did he fail to come up with something strong than this pretty dated song?

Qualifier:
Borderline. There are good elements here - the verses build nicely and the orchestral crescendo before the last chorus is cool. Greece is the only country in this semi turn up with a party vibe on top volume. But the chorus is super duper flat and disappointing.

My grade: 2/5



Demy / This Is Love (Greece 2017 preview)

11. POLAND
Kasia Moś / Flashlight

Poland always had a thing for drama and this ballad comes in an excellent arrangement with intriguing strings and a very big drum sound to increase the effect. Kasia is a good singer too but this song would have needed an extra minute to fully unfold. Now it just builds and builds and then suddenly ends without reaching any kind of climax. The bridge between the verse and the chorus is a bit clumsy and clunky too. But maybe none of this will matter in the end.

Qualifier:

Probably yes. Last year, Poland ended third in the televote with a slightly underwhelming entry and unless the Poles in exile around the continent have taken their enthusiasm down a notch or two, this one should storm into the top ten. If it deserves to is another question entirely.

My grade: 2/5

Kasia Moś / Flashlight (Poland 2017 preview)

12. MOLDOVA

SunStrike Project / Hey Mamma

Usually a quite strong player, Moldova has three rough years behind them and would deserve a break and some positive vibes. To achieve that, they re-remployed SunStroke Project who in all fairness didn't do too well on their first attempt but ended up being a worldwide internet phenomenon. Now they stand on their own - sadly no Olia Tira in sight - but still have the saxophone and the violin at hand to spice up the package. Plenty of good mood and quirky dance moves but the song in itself is a bit square and unspectacular and gets a bit too repetitive for its own good.

Qualifier:

Borderline. Europe will have to be at its chirpiest to vote heavily for this. Perhaps too much of a recycled version of something seen and heard before to do really well. Enjoyable but old news.

My grade: 3/5

SunStroke Project / Hey Mamma (Moldova 2017 preview)

13. ICELAND

Svala / Paper

After what seemed like an endless stream of perfectly well intended and totally harmless ditties, Iceland found their groove again. Nobody could be happier about that than I am and I welcome the oddly captivating Svala onto the ESC stage. However, she did have some bad luck when she was drawn into the same semi as some other females inhabiting the same sort of dark and moody electro soundscape and she will have to compete with the likes of Belgium, Azerbaijan and Latvia for the viewers' attention. That could prove to be a bumpier ride than it should be.

Qualifier:

I sure hope so but there is also the risk of this one being three points short and ending in eleventh place. I keep my fingers crossed that the gamble will pay off and that we will see more edge from Iceland in future contests. Edge is what they do best.

My grade: 4/5

Svala / Paper (Iceland 2017 preview)

14. CZECH REPUBLIC

Martina Bárta / My Turn

Compared to their first short and disastrous run of entries, also Czech republic seems to have found their own thing. Soulful, earthy, organic stuff delivered by top class singers. The kind of thing that is lovely to listen to but that possibly stands a lesser chance of getting noticed and voted at a song contest. Martina has a wonderful voice and this could have been a very classy track on a very solid album in the late 1970's. That is a compliment, in case you wondered.

Qualifier:

No, unless Martina totally pours her heart out for all the viewers to see. Then she could stand a tiny chance, but most probably this piece of impeccable songwriting needs a listen or two too many and will make an early exit.

My grade: 3/5

Martina Bárta / My Turn (Czech republic 2017 preview)

Semi 1: 16 Iceland / Hear Them Calling

It is no secret I have been disappointed in Iceland in recent years. Knowing the kind of fierce madness they are capable of, it's been frustrating seeing them send in mainly very polite and clean-cut entries. I was hoping last year's flop in Vienna would set them off in another direction.

It didn't. The Icelandic final was pretty much business-as-usual and the winner is like a hyper version of their 2012 entry minus the duet partner and adding some visual inspiration from Loreen as well as from Måns.

This sounds very negative and in fact I like it more than I expected to. The instrumental bits are haunting and the chorus is effective. Even the visual effects feel more innovative than they really are.

And yet there is something missing for me. This song feels more like something that has been assembled from existing pieces - a kind of musical piece of IKEA furniture - rather than a labour of love.

Qualifier:
Borderline. But with the exception of last year, Iceland has a remarkable way of landing just north of the relegation line.

My grade: 2/5



Gréta Salóme / Hear Them Calling (Iceland 2016 preview clip)

December 22: Anna Mjöll

One of my universal truths is this: nice is a bad idea at Eurovision. Nice won't do. People enjoy nice things, but nice will never stand out and nice will never win.

Nobody votes for nice.

Iceland has had a bad case of nice for the last couple of years, where most of their entries have been sweet, lighthearted and inoffensive. It goes some way but never far enough.

This little ditty is a good case for my point. Everything here is very enjoyable; Anna Mjöll is a terrific performer whose company feels like a treat, the homemade dance moves, the infectious rhythm that is the result of Blame it on the Bossa Nova meets a geyser or two. I have a very good time for the two minutes and fifty seconds that this goes on.

And - mark my words - at Eurovision this wouldn't have gone anywhere. A few polite points from here and there and that would be it. Anna Mjöll represented Iceland in 1996 with an equally nice entry and ended up in the very middle of the result.



Anna Mjöll / Eins og skot (Iceland NF 1993)

December 12: Guðrún Árný Karlsdóttir

The 2006 Icelandic final must go down as one of the strongest ever. Loads of really great songs and some really fine performances if I remember correctly.

I get why Silvia Night won. I like her madness and her offbeat presence and the humour not quite everyone in Athens managed to detect.

But still. Had it been about the song and the song alone, then this one should have won. This is the one that stayed with me for all these years, the one that just keeping getting better and better.

Exquisitely simply staged and beautifully sung. And a hook to die for.



Guðrún Árný Karlsdóttir / Andvaka (Iceland NF 2006)

Semi 2: 12 Iceland

I read somewhere that the colours of the Icelandic flag were chosen to represent the ice and the volcanic fire. I have no idea if it is true or not but it sounds so good I'm going to stick to that story anyway.

It has often been typical for Iceland's entries too. Icily elegant with loads of heat bubbling under the surface. How many times I loved their entries and hoped to see a final in Reykjavik.

I'm still hoping but for the last ten years or so, I've seen far too little of that musical magma going on. Iceland has gone remarkably polished and polite. Nice but not an awful lot more than that. It usually pays off enough to grant a spot in the final without resulting in any particularly impressive placing there.

This year's song fits perfectly into the formula. It's catchy and friendly - more nice than anything else - and performed in a very good mood. There are glimpses of a temper here and there but I miss the days when Silvia Night would step out in style and make everyone go crazy. It must be time soon for a bit more of beating heart and less politeness coming out of Iceland.

Qualifier:
Yes, surely. It will get to the final and then be 15th or so there. Business as usual.

My grade: 2/5



Maria Olafs - Unbroken (Iceland 2015)

Runner-up: Iceland 1999

Being brave and modern didn't pay off and Iceland had to sit out for one year and sharpen their swords for the future. In Jerusalem 1999, they had really hit the bull's eye. Everything looked like Iceland was going to win hands down.

The still rather few online fans raved about Cyprus as a potential winner, but not many people outside the fan sphere ever seemed to take that particularly seriously.

Competition was reasonably strong but most journalists on location still seemed to consider Iceland's Selma way out ahead. There was something about her. Star quality, perhaps. She was energetic, her song sounded like a hit and she seemed to really want to win. For most of the voting it looked like she would.

Then - almost like it had been scripted - Sweden's ABBA pastiche caught up, pushed past and won. Who would have thought? Not the live audience - largely made up by members of the various delegations - and Sweden's winning team received a rather cool reception as they entered the stage to retrieve the trophy.

A deserved 2nd place?
Absolutely, but would have made an even better winner. In retrospect, Sweden's victory was one of the most important of recent times as Swedish television was about to lay down production values that would change the look of the ESC dramatically. Could Icelandic tv have pulled off the same trick?



Selma - All Out Of Luck (Iceland 1999)

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)

You can win, but can you host?

Winning the Eurovision Song Contest was always a slightly sweaty affair since a victory also gave you the responsibility to host next year's event as well. More challenging for some than for others, but not effortless for anyone.

I was really happy when, in Baku 2012, the EBU finally put their foot down and said they wanted the event to grow smaller in coming years. Smaller venues, fewer delegates and less money spent. Partially due to the financial situation in Europe, of course. It doesn't look good that obscene amounts of money are spent on a tv-show as people struggle to get by in their everyday lives.

But a smaller format for Eurovision also makes it possible for more countries to host. There is already the requirement that any host city must be able to offer a certain amount of quality hotel rooms (the figure 3000 comes to mind but I'm not sure it's correct), which already makes it really hard for some countries to host.

Are we ready to make some sacrifices for a good cause? Could we content ourselves with a lower standard of hotels? With a considerably smaller venue? With a considerably lower amount of accreditations given out? For one year?

Or do we have to just face the music and realise that if some countries win, they will probably not be able to host? Countries like Iceland, Slovenia, Cyprus? Could Malta pull it off? Or this year's bookmaker favourite Armenia?

For me, the Eurovision Song Contest is - and should be - one of the biggest unifying factors in Europe that make countries come together and feel equal. What happens to that idea if a number of participants are already out of the running in advance?

I can just imagine the outcry in 2006 if Finland - after finally winning on its 40th attempt - would have been deemed to small to host and the EBU would have handed the honour to, say, Germany instead. An anticlimax like that is nothing I would wish any participating country, really.

I hope we can see finals in Reykjavík, Ljubljana, Valletta in the future, even if they are smaller than the ones we have grown used to. In the end, the most important aspect should be that the final product looks good on television anyway.

Semi 1: 05 Iceland

At first I thought Iceland was doing something radically different compared to the last few years - jaunty upbeat men performing their Blink 182-flavoured song in bright tracksuits - but now I think they are basically staying true to form.



Pollapönk - No Prejudice (Iceland 2014)

True to form in Iceland's case is to be pleasant enough to make it relatively comfortably through the semi only to end up in the lower regions of the final result.

It could work out also this time. In a semi sporting more than its fair share of ballads and midtempo, anything jaunty and jolly is bound to stand out. Also visually, this gang will break out of the mainstream.

It could also be a stab at what Latvia did best recently: make an enjoyable and fun preview of a song that ultimately proves too weak to stand a chance live on stage.

This piece of punk for kids could go either way, really. (But it gets a couple of bonus points from me for the positive message and the rainbow flags. Well done.)

Qualifier: Yes. It still feels like a qualifier. But I am far from sure. If it makes it, it won't be by any larger margin. And in the final it will be shark feed.

My grade: 2/5

Pollapönk for Iceland

Iceland has selected their entry for Copenhagen and pretty much as I predicted the other day, the Icelandic audience went for humour band Pollapönk and their humorous attempt "Enga fordóma".

This song will surely have their fans and it is not bad musically speaking, but I am getting a bit fed up with these very polite and kind-hearted humour entries at Eurovision. I never thought I would miss LT United, but satire is better when it has some bite and some edge.



Pollapönk - Enga fordóma (Iceland 2014)

Well, Iceland sends in what Iceland finds the best. If they are happy, I am happy. But everytime I hear their winning song, this other old song starts playing at the back of my head.



J. Geils Band - Centerfold

Iceland on the safe side

This Saturday, Iceland will pick the entry that will represent them at Copenhagen and it seems very likely that I will have the same opinion about their song this time around as I had every single year lately.

It will be nice. It will be pleasant. It will be safe.

Which is a sad thing when Iceland is capable of so much good when they are up to a bit of mischief. When they are pushing the limits like Paul Oscar, when they are modern and fabulous like Selma or when they are plain chaotic and leave half the continent upset like Silvia Night.

Maybe it would be time for RÚV to consider an internal selection again? Just once or twice, in order to heat things up a couple of degrees again?

1. F.U.N.K - Þangað til ég dey
It seems Daft Punk's latest - and brilliant - album made a bit of an impact in Iceland, as this song could be a distant Scandinavian cousin to Lose Yourself To Dance. The lads are likeable and the song is catchy enough, but would need more bite and attitude to be a real contender internationally.
Grade: 3/5

2. Ásdís María Viðarsdóttir - Amor
A quirky song with an ambitious arrangement and a personable performer and yet it isn't enough to keep this entry interesting for a full three minutes.
Grade: 2/5

3. Sigríður Eyrún Friðriksdóttir - Lífið kviknar á ný
A lively and ambitious performer and a catchy song with a clever idea, and yet it falls into the same trap as song number 2 - after a strong first minute, my interest declines and I find myself thinking of something else.
Grade: 2/5

4. Gissur Páll Gissurarson - Von
A tenor with a rather lovely but violently unfashionable schlager ballad of a kind you could hear in Eurovision already in the 1960's. Like a tribute to Kenneth McKellar. I have a soft spot for this well-sung little ditty, but is there any point to send it off to Copenhagen?
Grade: 3/5

5. Greta Mjöll Samúelsdóttir - Eftir eitt lag
Another jaunty and quirky little effort by a likeable female performer, but the song in itself should be far too thin to stand a chance.
Grade: 2/5

6. Pollapönk - Enga fordóma
To complete the line-up: a bit of humour. Luckily most of the humour lies in the lyrics and not so much in the performance, and this is pretty catchy in its own little way. Not my dream choice, but wouldn't be a disaster either.
Grade: 2/5

Tobson predicts: You never know anything when Iceland is let loose to select a song, but I would think they are opting for Pollapönk since they stand out a bit from the rest. But so does the tenor, and Gissur could be a surprise winner too.

My choice for Copenhagen would be F.U.N.K as the boys are fun and energetic and you probably could inject quite a lot of life into their little song in good time before the ESC.

Iceland 2014: a whole lotta nice

RÚV released the five songs taking part in the first of two semifinals leading up to this year's edition of Söngvakeppnin - the Icelandic national final for Eurovision - and of course I needed to check them out.

Iceland has always been very close to my heart in this contest, and one of my oldest dreams is to see Iceland win and host the ESC - not least when they have been quirky, unpredictable and modern.

Lately, however, the Icelandic entries have above all been nice. Pleasant. Unproblematic. Sweet and likeable enough to make it to the final but far too unspectacular to collect any larger sum of points in the end.

The first five songs stick pretty close to this formula. Perhaps the ghost of Yohanna's successful but über-sweet song from 2009 still hangs over the local songwriters, but these songs show no interest in challenging their audience. There is no risk anyone will feel disturbed or offended by this lot.

There is a sweet and pretty ballad sung by a male tenor, there are two girls with soft and slightly quirky up-tempo numbers, and there are two men with likeable but slightly old-fashioned songs. "Dönsum burtu blús"so much so that I almost expect Sigga and Sissa from Heart 2 Heart to come dancing out doing the twist in the background.

There is nothing wrong with being nice. I just happen to know that Iceland could be much more interesting than this. Maybe there will be something unexpected that pushes the limits in the second semi instead of just being nice.

That would be nice.

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!

ESC metamorphosis: Iceland 1986

There was a fair deal of enthusiasm surrounding Iceland's first participation in Eurovision and the national final, Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins, recieved more than three hundred entries (at least according to the BBC preview show).

Perhaps the winning performance didn't quite match the high expectations after all. The song was a decent but slightly square little piece of soft schlager rock, competently sung but not terribly engaging. An unnecessary and clumsy Eurovision reference in the lyrics made nothing better.



Palmi Gunnarsson - Gleđibankinn (Iceland 1986 national final)

Perhaps the good people at RÚV shared my sentiment as an extensive reconstruction project started after the national final. Two other participants of the national final - Helga Möller and Eiríkur Hauksson - were called in to join winner Palmi and form a trio appropriately named ICY.

The lyrics had some fine-tuning and with the aid of a new and livelier arrangement and a joyful video clip the song found a new nerve and plenty of energy. Suddenly it seemed like Iceland could be a contender in Bergen.



ICY - Gleđibankinn (Iceland 1986 preview clip)

The successful transition from insignificant schlager to exuberant pop seemed to have worked wonders. During the rehearsals, Iceland was greeted with enthusiasm and many people regarded them as a dark horse, the song that could surprise on the night.

Once all twenty countries had voted, many people probably felt a bit surprised regarding Iceland. In spite of a spirited, bouncy performance and good singing, there was no success in sight. Nineteen points, sixteenth place. That's all. Disappointment all over, but the Icelanders would soon enough find more success in this contest.

This was the beginning of some sort of a tradition. This was the first - but certainly not the last - Icelandic entry to go through a certain amount of nip and tuck before the national final. Not seldom with a more successful outcome than at the debut.



ICY - Gleđibankinn (Iceland 1986)

Semi 2: 08 Iceland

Me and Iceland used to get on like a house on fire in the world of Eurovision, but lately they've been playing it safe in a way that seems to work but that doesn't spark any greater deal of emotion in me.




Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson - Ég á Líf (Iceland 2013)

This year, Iceland decided to send a clean-cut young man singing a clean-cut ballad and I don't have an awful lot to say about it. But let's focus on the positive parts of it.

It's inoffensive.
That's not really a selling point in my book, I think it is better to make a splash and try to challenge the audience a bit. But nobody can be angry with this song, nobody can hate it. It is too pleasant.

It's in Icelandic.
The most beautiful language of the Nordic countries, it is a relief to hear it again on a eurovision stage for the first time since Paul Oscar's latex fantasies back in 1997.

It is catchy.
Either you want to or not, this song will eat its way into your ear and make a comfortable home for itself somewhere close to your central nervous system. And you will not get rid of it.

On the negative side, I find it a bit too sweet and ingratiating. Also, in the national final Eyþór showed a tendency of over-vocalising his song, just like Ott Lepland did in Baku last year when "Kuula" crumbled from being a personal favourite to a tiresome shoutfest in my ears.

Qualifier:
Who can tell? Iceland are good at narrowly making it across the qualification line. But I would not bet all my money on this particular song making it in this line-up.

My grade: 2/5

Tobson's Ranking: #24 Iceland

My eyes can see and my ears can hear that this is a neat and proper tune with a duo that does everything right. And yet it doesn't provoke a single emotion in me.



Greta Salóme & Jónsi - Never Forget (Iceland 2012)

There are so many good ingredients here, really. I like the slight feeling of menace in the arrangement of the verses. I like the build-up. I like the way their voices gel. And I even like the violin, and it doesn't make me think too much of Alexander Rybak.

But somehow, the end product doesn't do much for me. Maybe it is just too predictable, too eurovision by the numbers, too much schlager factory.

The musical equivalent of a fresh and tasty standard salad that will do nicely for a quick lunch on a week day. Good for as long as it lasts, but nothing you will remember once it's over. Even if it comes in a very nice package.

My grade: 2/5

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

Iceland - I Love You

I know that I have admitted to not being a huge fan of the Icelandic entry this year. I must also confess that I have doubts as to whether it will pass on to the final or not.

But dear Iceland, don't let this tiny detail come between us.

Iceland has been one of my most constant sources of joy and happiness in the ESC ever since their debut back in 1986. I thought their first entry was a terrific little pop pearl, and I never quite grasped why it scored so badly.



Icy - Gleðibankinn (Iceland 1986)

Then - in 1990 - I really thought Iceland could win it. Stjórnin were so nice and so much fun and I thought their song to be a most delightful little schlager. A fourth place was not bad, but I was a tiny bit disappointed that it didn't do even better.



Stjórnin - Eitt lag enn (Iceland 1990)

And to mention just one more Icelandic gem - I know that the joke was not universally understood, but I thought Silvia Night was brilliant back in Athens. Loud, obnoxious, silly and irresistible.

How anyone could not see the joke and think Silvia to be a real person is beyond me. Possibly the joke got a bit out of hand before the semi final was over, but in general Iceland provided great entertainment.

Like they tend to do most years.



Silvia Night - Congratulations (Iceland 2006)