Tobson's Big ESC 2019 review, part 4

The invention of the semi-final in 2004 was long overdue and almost like a re-birth of the contest in many ways. All through the 1990's countries had been pushed out and forced to miss editions whenever they scored poorly.

Soon enough the ratings started to drop also in the most ESC-loving territories. Finland - always keen on a song contest throughout history - lost interest in a spectacular and dramatic way and the old interest has perhaps never really fully recovered.

Giving all the countries the chance to take part every year they wish to do so has been a very important step forward for the ESC. One of many radical decisions taken between 1997 and 2008.

If you want to read about the entries taking part in the first semi final you can do so in part one, part two and part three. This is the first bunch of songs from semi two.


01 ARMENIA
Srbuk / Walking Out

Although this is just a little contest for mere pop songs, sometimes you want to write A Very Meaningful Lyric about A Very Important Subject. Sometimes it works out nicely, sometimes it will just turn out to be flat, superficial and not very good at all. Female empowerment and toxic relationships are two subjects well worthy of exposure but these songwriters think the answers are simple. In Armenia, however, family is seen as most important and most cases of domestic abuse are swept under the rug. Not so easy to just walk out after all. Superficial lyrics aside, there is quite a good chorus in here and Srbuk turns out to be a vocal powerhouse towards the end.

Qualifier:
Yes. Armenia seldom loses out and vocalists as competent as this usually go down a storm with jurors and viewers alike.

My grade: 3/5


02 IRELAND
Sarah McTernan / 22

Ireland did so well last year and maybe that has inspired them to make braver choices when the RTÉ internal jury sits down to have their say. This is a breezy and radio-friendly little number and despite the aching heart there are few clouds in the sky here. Pleasant, likeable and competently performed. And yet we are light years away from the unbeatable Ireland of the 1990's.

Qualifier:
No. Unless this one turns out to be a real explosion on stage, this will be stranded on 12th place in the semi and remain the best non-qualifier of the year.

My grade: 3/5


03 MOLDOVA
Anna Odobescu / Stay

When Moldova is at their best, they send in hysterically catchy, amusing, energetic entries that leave nobody indifferent. Last year's master class of comedy performance and by far the most feelgood entry of the year is just one out of many examples. When Moldova is at their worst, they make use of some lukewarm dull-as-dishwater standard song written by international songwriters that got rejected everywhere else. Like this year.

Qualifier:
No. This is not disastrously bad in a way that would add some undeliberate entertainment. It is just mind-numbingly anonymous and square, desperately lacking any sort of personality or purpose.

My grade: 1/5


04 SWITZERLAND
Luca Hänni / She Got Me

If you look around the internet you will find a fair share of people willing to bet on Switzerland winning the whole shebang in Tel Aviv. Now wouldn't that be great? Switzerland last made it into the top three back in 1993 and has made it into the top ten only once since then. They surely would deserve a break. I'd let them win at once. Unfortunately I can't fully share the enthusiasm. A good song, but the likes of Malta and Cyprus are doing very much the same thing. And what about Luca himself, will he deliver on the scale that this song needs? Maybe he has it deep down inside but I'm not convinced just yet.

Qualifier:
Yes, absolutely. Even if a few other countries are stealing the Swiss thunder, this is fun and easy-going enough and truly deserves a spot in the final.

My grade: 3/5


05 LATVIA
Carousel / That Night

I can't help but wonder what Aminata is up to these days. Keeping herself busy, I suppose, leaving Latvia to fend for itself. It's not going very well. Even if the new Supernova national final format has resulted in better songs - more focused, more professional and with better performances - they are still not enough to convince the larger audiences. Just like last year, this is really pleasant and a gem designed to be enjoyed in your headphones during a walk but it will be anything but a points magnet.

Qualifier:
No. It will get a few polite points from here and there and remain the second best non-qualifier of the year.

My grade: 3/5


06 ROMANIA
Ester Peony / On A Sunday

Shock and horror ensued last year as Romania crashed out in the semi finals for the first time ever. Apparently this lead to a shake-up back home at the TVR offices and some major changes in ESC management. This year they took a real risk as they reduced viewer influence to a minimum and let an international panel bulldozer the favourite of the people. The eventual winner has a certain something and is not a bad song and yet... it doesn't feel like the sure fire success Team Romania would want at this point.

Qualifier:
Borderline. I lean towards a yes but only because this is Romania and they have a very strong record. Had this been Latvia it would have had 15th place written all over it.

My grade: 2/5


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.

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Tobson's Big ESC 2018 review, part 3

Portugal has shown a great deal of bravery in their choices as host nation for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. Mainly they have gone for a more organic and less technological approach in the stage design, leaving out the almost compulsory LED screens that have been popular but not always used in the best possible way.

These decisions go very well with the Portuguese winner of last year and it seems that very entry has inspired quite a few of this year's entries. There are much more songs with some sort of message or conviction and fewer of the professional but generic songs we had a few too many of lately. Hopefully the songs and the stage will come together beautifully come May.

Semi 2 is admittedly weaker but also harder to predict. Which is fun in a way. On to the first nine songs in the lineup:

01. NORWAY
Alexander Rybak / That's How You Write A Song

You can say a lot of things about Alexander Rybak but he sure is no coward. No former winner has taken part in the international final since Dana International failed to progress from the semi final in 2011 and even before that it was hard times for former champions. Alexander also has the guts to enter a song that large portions of the ESC fandom absolutely abhor. Many people would like to see him fail, that is the worst kept secret of the year.

Qualifier:
But of course. Yes. This will be bang in the final and get a very good position there as well. What are people thinking? Rybak has many fans and this is also a fun and playful song. A potential winner, even.

My grade: 4/5

02. ROMANIA
The Humans / Goodbye

Romania has never failed to reach the final. This running order suggests there will be a first time for everything. This is a pretty solid soft rock effort - Heart meets a young Bonnie Tyler - with a neat chorus and a bit of a too long build-up for its own good. The sequenced running order is supposed to put every competing song in the best possible light and position but it feels more like the producer decided to throw Romania under the bus here.

Qualifier:
Borderline. Romania qualified with weaker songs than this in the past.

My grade: 2/5

03. SERBIA
Sanja Ilić & Balkanika / Nova deca

Serbia is trying to turn back the clock to a time where the Balkan countries happily mixed folk music with more contemporary pop rhythms to great effect. It's nice to meet up with this genre again but it is a shame the actual song is not stronger than this. The performance is unfocused and confusing and the song never takes off properly.

Qualifier:

No, unless they manage to reinvent themselves properly and better the performance a great deal. And then the song is still pretty weak.

My grade: 2/5

04. SAN MARINO

Jessika feat Jenifer Brening / Who We Are

San Marino seemed to possibly be on some sort of right way with their messy national final until the whole process turned out to be about who could put in more money than the others. Music had very little to do with anything in the end, which the entry itself demonstrates in a very efficient way. It stays bland until the moment Jenifer brings her messy rap into the picture and makes the whole package implode.

Qualifier:

No. Not in a reasonable world anyway. But this is a semi where almost any song could emerge as a surprise qualifier.

My grade: 1/5

05. DENMARK

Rasmussen / Higher Ground

Ten years ago Latvia somehow managed to make it into the final with a group of people ridiculously dresses up as pirates. Perhaps as a tribute to the Pirates of the Sea, Denmark selected another piece of masquerade attributes and sent in a troupe of various vikings in desperate need of credibility as well as hair conditioner. There's a decent little chorus in here somewhere but not enough to find mercy in my book.

Qualifier:

Borderline. People often tend to like Danish entries even when I find them lacklustre, so I wouldn't be surprised if it is a yes for this one.

My grade: 1/5

06. RUSSIA

Julia Samoylova / I Won't Break

Same suspense scenario as with Romania: would it actually be possible for Russia not to qualify? What we have is a decent but not spectacular entry with a good hook but a singer that seems to be totally incapable of delivering any of the singing required. This will be three very interesting minutes come Lisbon.

Qualifier:

Borderline. Strong support from a number of friendly countries but most other countries would have been discounted at once with an entry like this.

My grade: 1/5

07. MOLDOVA

DoReDos / My Lucky Day

After a bunch of slower mid tempo entries with little sparkle or nerve, Moldova rolls onto the stage like a hysterical avalanche with their bouncy and aggressively positive sunshine of a song. How could you not love this? How could anyone resist? So much kitsch forced into a confined space you expect the whole thing to blow up at some point.

Qualifier:

Yes. People will laugh and love this. But I would never had guessed these lyrics were written by a native English speaker.

My grade: 3/5

08. NETHERLANDS

Waylon / Outlaw in 'em

Just like Alexander Rybak is Eurovision Royalty after his second place as part of The Common Linnets in 2014. It is pretty cool of him to enter something so different from his former entry as well. Possibly he bit off a bit more than he can chew as the song really aspires to have way broader shoulders than Waylon himself can pull off. 

Qualifier:

Yes, most probably. Not sure how well it will fare in the final but at least it will be there.

My grade: 2/5

09. AUSTRALIA

Jessica Mauboy / We Got Love

One of the big reasons for Australia to be present in the contest is supposedly to show the UK how easy it could be to send in really convincing and powerful entries if you just make an effort. That's nice - if a bit patronising - but Australia is not really living up to that if so. Whatever sort of edge I expected them to have is more and more absent for every year. Jessica is a good performer but this pop song is surprisingly unspectacular. Good but tame. If Australia is to stay put I expect quite a lot more from them.

Qualifier:

Yes. Juries love Australia. We noticed that extra clearly last year.

My grade: 3/5

This is the third part of my 2018 review, why not check out part one and part two as well?

Tobson's Big ESC 2017 Review, part 6

The second semi is really too close to call this year and the rehearsals and final live performances will be crucial when it comes to who will qualify or not. I think that's something we say every year, but it is more true than ever now as so many of the songs are really similar in style and even in quality.

Something like six qualifiers feel solid while the final four places would be up for grabs and then the final details will be decisive. Anything that would make anyone stand out will be most important. Even standing out in a bad way could be good.

05. ROMANIA
Ilinca feat Alex Florea / Yodel It!

Talent show yodeller Ilinca teamed up with aspiring rock star Alex in this schlager meets rap meets Heidi on a mountain top meets tons of cheese meets pure madness. It could be Alex is throwing away his chances to ever be perceived as credible again but the gamble could be worth it. This breathtakingly wacky entry is precisely what the ESC needs this year: someone who is distinctive and utterly bonkers at the same time. Nobody will forget Romania this time around, that is more than sure.

Qualifier:
Yes. Not only because Romania is yet to fail in a semi final but also because this manages to be awful and adorable at the same time in a pretty irresistible way.

My grade: 4/5



Ilinca feat Alex Florea / Yodel It! (Romania 2017 preview)

06. NETHERLANDS
OG3ENE / Lights and Shadows

It's not what I would have expected, but maybe the world will wake up one morning to find they miss Wilson Philips so much they need a revival and will celebrate anything that resembles the original group at all. If that happens, these sisters will go far and knock the rest of the competition out. If not, they will struggle. This entry showcases a lot of lovely harmonies but fails big time in the songwriting department. In short, there is no song going on here and that is a problem in a song contest.

Qualifier:
No. Too weak and too meek. And isn't it time for the Dutch to ditch country music and come up with something new?

My grade: 1/5



OG3ENE / Lights and Shadows (Netherlands 2017 preview)

07. HUNGARY
Joci Pápai / Origo

Deep down, this is another one of the many entries this year that is tailor-made to suit the airwaves. It is slick and it is contemporary, but it lacks a bit of build-up and has very little of a climax anywhere. Luckily for Joci, he has his very ethnic sound that sets him apart from the others. He is also the Nano-type of this lineup - someone whose back story helps him to stand out and be remembered - but it is not an easy song to keep interesting for three minutes on a stage.

Qualifier:
Yes. It should be distinctive enough to beat some of the more generic contenders, but how far will it carry in the final?

My grade: 3/5



Joci Pápai / Origo (Hungary 2017 preview)

08. DENMARK
Anja / Where I Am

I wasn't that impressed at first, but Anja is doing a good job vocally and this chorus has been growing. This is easily the best Danish entry for me in many, many years but then again it doesn't mean it lot. Denmark has developed a passion for songs that are easy and polished, void of personality and that leave no trace. We are still moving in this territory and as always I am left wondering if there is any kind of more demanding music being made in Denmark? Some noisy rock? Experimental hardcore trance? Punk? And could we please have a bit of it at the ESC?

Qualifier:
Borderline. Another one of those that are totally impossible to call before you know how all countries perform on stage. This could as easily land in 7th place as in 13th.

My grade: 3/5



Anja / Where I Am (Denmark 2017 preview)

Semi 2: Romania / Moment Of Silence

Update: On April 22 it was announced that TVR has been suspended from the EBU and the Romanian entry will not be allowed to take part in Stockholm. I have decided not to remove or alter this review but will change the running order positions accordingly.

One day Jim Steinman decided to compose a new musical - Les Miserables 2 - using all the songs of his that even MeatLoaf refused to record. To market this new project, he decided to enter the theme song to the Romanian national final for Eurovision.

I'm just joking of course, but I'm not sure how to explain this sudden outburst into this fluffy landscape of pompous rock opera. Romania were always unpredictable for sure, but this?

The singer is obviously very passionate about this song and the backing vocalists are making their movements with deep conviction. Once the song is over I forget what the melody is like but I remember very vividly what it looked like.

In a year where we have our fair share of rock of various brands this shouldn't stand a chance. But Romania is yet to fail in a semi final.

Qualifier:
Borderline. It will probably be in since it is Romania but there should be some limits even to what exile Romanians would be ready to vote for.

My grade: 1/5



Ovidiu Anton / Moment Of Silence (Romania 2016 preview clip)

Semi 1: 15 Romania

Having songs with a message can be rather complicated. Singing about your wish for world peace, for instance. Or about children in need. Unless you have a perfect sense of fingerspitzgefühl you easily end up sounding cold and cynical. Like you don't really care but want to cash in.

Voltaj really manage to pull this one off, but then their narrative is pretty specific and unusual. Their song tells the story of a real problem, about how Romanians leave their country in order to find work and how many children subsequently are left longing for their parents who have gone somewhere far away without them.

That feels real and poignant. Not like something thrown together for the sake of selling records, but like a message that could resonate with a Romanian audience as well as the rest of us (some of which aren't very keep on welcoming the Romanians in the first place).

It is also a welcome return to form for Romania who contributed very light-weight entries for a number of years without really making use of their own musical capacity.

Qualifier:
Yes, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Not because Romania always qualifies but because this one deserves to.

Grade: 3/5



Voltaj - De la capăt / All Over Again (Romania 2015)

Semi 2: 15 Romania

Almost every year there is one song that brings out the worst sides in me. Most often a pre-favourite - loved by a loud crowd of fans - that I don't really like and that I eventually find myself wishing it will fall flat and fail. You guessed it, folks. This is the one.



Ovi & Paula - Miracle (Romania 2014)

I liked Ovi and Paula back in 2010 and even though I didn't see their success coming quite the way it did I was really happy for them and still enjoy their song. I was not averse to them entering again. If successful acts want to come back and try to better themselves I'm all smiles as long as they have a song that is even better.

Miracle isn't that kind of song at all. It's not better than their first attempt. Honestly, it is hardly even a song.

It is just three minutes of effects stacked one on top of another. No heart, no melody line, no lyrics - just a bunch of unsorted ideas with no read thread and no point. It starts and it stops and it starts again, almost like it was hesitating. Perhaps the song itself ponders whether this was a clever move.

Especially Paula is still a brilliant singer but I have a hard time hearing this song to the end. I just want it to go away.

Qualifier: Yes. It probably can't lose. And that doesn't really make me like it more. In my book, this is the worst entry in this entire semi. If it wins, I will scream and cry and scream again.

My grade: 1/5

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: 17 Romania

Opera and Eurovision has proved to be rather a cumbersome combination in the past, but maybe the Romanian counter tenor is the right person to turn things around?



Cezar - It's My Life (Romania 2013)

Cezar seems to be a well established singer, trained in Milan and with steady work around the continent. My idea is that he simply doesn't know what makes a good pop song and decided to hop on the train when the pop producer called and suggested him to do the national final.

Many people have spoken badly of his singing abilities, but as far as I can understand he is a good counter tenor. With David Deor lingering in my memory, I also conclude that counter tenors are the musical equivalent of oysters or marmite - not to everyone's taste.

A quaint singing style could work at Eurovision, but then you need a strong song to back it up with. Unfortunately the song writer really let Cezar down with a pretty bland and enemic little ditty in a very dated arrangement.

Cezar really struggles to breathe life into his number but probably to no avail.

Qualifier:
No. Romania is another of those countries that always make it to the final, but this year should be the exception to underline the rule. Unless the Counter Tenor Appreciation Society mobilises itself to come to his rescue.

My grade: 1/5

Tobson's Ranking: #19 Romania

One of the hardest things you can attempt at Eurovision is being feather-light and get away with it. Romania almost nailed it. Almost.



Mandinga - Zaleilah (Romania 2012)

Being light and carefree is difficult since you have to be really convincing in order to get away with it.

If you sing a demanding ballad, you can allow yourself to slip on a note or two. If you sing about heartbreak you can allow yourself a little too much acting. If you do a dance act, it is OK to focus a bit more on dancing than singing.

But if you want to be light and carefree, you must be perfect. The audience must get the feeling that your performance is born in the moment, that it is the easiest thing, that it just comes to you.

Romania did this perfectly until the semi final, when lead singer Elena had problems with her in-ear and struggled to sing in tune and in the right rhythm. There and then the illusion was lost, for the audience as well as for her.

The performance never got back to feeling as carefree as it would have needed to be and a real contender lost most of its bite. Too bad.

My grade: 3/5

The 2012 review, part two

Here goes, another five entries from the first semi final, complete with my grades and my predictions. Feel free to give your own opinion in a comment!

6. ROMANIA



Mandinga - Zaleilah

Here comes the first serious contender of the year, I feel. This one has a lot more gravity than the five songs preceeding it, and Romania has apparently set its aim at becoming the summer hit of the year. This is easy to retain, it has a very summery flavour with the drums, the bagpipes and the accordeon and the chorus has a very graspable hook.

This will do very well, surely, but personally I'm not completely convinced. I feel the verses lack something and the bridge is too much of a let-down for this to be a personal favourite, but rest assured that won't bother the large masses a bit.

Qualifyer:
Yes. Romania goes bang into the final and can, with a bit of luck in the draw, aspire to quite a high placing there.

My grade: 3/5

7. SWITZERLAND



Sinplus - Unbreakable

A brave attempt of creating a piece of modern radio-friendly rock along the lines of The Killers, and that is a good initiative in my book. These two brothers are likeable and, pronounciation aside, deliver their entry in the best possible way.

The problem is that this song would have needed some more complex writing in order to stay interesting for three minutes. There is too little going on and I find myself tiring of it when there is a whole minute left.

Qualifyer:
No. It is never an easy ride for Switzerland to get into the final these days and when the song isn't stronger than this it will be close to impossible. Swim against the stream, indeed.

My grade: 2/5

8. BELGIUM



Iris - Would You?

Two years ago, Flemish television sent a sweet lad with a sweet song and landed their best placing since 1959. Now they wanted to repeat the trick with a sweet lass named Iris instead, and she shares quite a few of the qualities Tom Dice had: young, fresh, equipped with a good voice and an ability to nail the camera.

Just too bad that everyone involved forgot that you need a decent song as well.

Qualifyer:
No. This half-ballad-half-pop-hybrid never takes off and poor Iris is left with nothing to work with. What good is a pleasant voice when you have nothing to sing?

My grade: 1/5

9. FINLAND



Pernilla - När jag blundar

Finland keeps exploring its softer side with another ballad entry, this time in the second national language Swedish (mother tongue for six percent of the population). Singing a song about how lovely your mother is could easily turn into a large chunk of musical cheese, but Pernilla pulls it off very nicely. Warm, sincere and appealing, and judging from online reactions it seems this song has a way of reaching also people who won't understand the words.

Qualifyer:
Hopefully. It is always hard to judge your "own" entry - especially when your entry is Finland, well known not to do so well every year. But Pernilla, with her strong presence and likeability, would very much deserve a spot in the final.

My grade: 4/5

10. ISRAEL



Izabo - Time

Israel does what Israel does best - a fun, quirky and upbeat entry complete with a cheerful delivery and strong melody line. (All that is missing to make this the perfect Israeli entry would be Izhar Cohen's troop of dancers from 1985, but I guess you can never have it all.)

This was an early favourite of mine and it still stands out in a very positive light, even if it seems to be way more divisive than I would ever have imagined at first.

Qualifyer:
Yes. This group is confident and fabulous, and so is the song. That must break through to juries and televoters alike.

My grade: 5/5

Bad Draw Day: Romania 2008

Very much the same case as Finland 2011 - a ballad that stood out as very attractive in its semi-final and counted as one of the pre-contest favourites. A classy little bilingual Italian-style song, where pseudo-classical singing meets up with a pop voice in close harmony.

This is the kind of song that is designed to come as a healthy break after loads of dancing and singing and uptempo and Finnish bare-chested rock groups. Performing first on the night can never do it any favours, regardless of how well you sing.



Nicola & Vlad - Pe-o margine di lume (Romania 2008)

Romania 2012: drums and bagpipes

Romania has selected Mandinga as their entrant for Baku with the sunny and uncomplicated little ditty "Zaleilah". My first impression is that you could not physically bring more gimmicks into a three-minute song without wrecking some kind of universal law.

Fancy little drums. Bagpipes. Ultracool white glasses. And a song with at least two languages in it.

I found myself a little annoyed with the whole thing, so I switched to another window while hearing the rest of the entry. And suddenly I started liking it. It had all the summery beach flavour you want from a summer hit and there is nothing wrong with the vocal delivery.

I suppose that with some improvement to the stage presentation (and better camera work), Romania will get the whole thing working in the end.



Mandinga - Zaleilah (Romania 2012)

Romania came a long way

Also Romania will select its entry tonight. I haven't paid attention at all to what they are doing or how, but I'm wishing them the best of luck.

Romania has come a long way since its shaky beginnings in the early 90's. They were eliminated not only once but twice in peculiar pre-selection procedures (1993 and 1996, ending last on both occasions), the times they made it to the grand final were few and far between and when they occasionally got there, they had to content themselves with a few complimentary points.

These days, Romania is a safe player that seemingly gets into the final whatever kind of entry they decide to send in.

Once in a while, they also manage a real bull's eye and end up high in the ranking, still waiting for the entry to take them all the way to the top.

I wish them all the best and celebrate their transformation with a severely mistreated early pearl of theirs.




Monica Anghel & Sincron - Rugă pentru pacea lumii (Romania 1996, did not qualify)

ESC 2012: may we have the participants, please?

We are quite some time into January, and yet there is no officially confirmed list of participants for the 2012 Eurovision in Baku.

The situation is quite similar to Moscow 2009, when it took a long time to establish that very list. 2008 had been a harsh year for many broadcasters, Latvia and Lithuania wanted to pull out for financial reasons, Georgia wanted to pull out for political reasons. It was very much a mess for quite a long time.

The EBU negociated with all three and kept them in the running (even if Georgia would eventually give the whole event a miss anyway).

According to Eurovision Times, similar things go on right now behind the scenes. Seemingly, the big project at hand is "Save Poland" - an attempt to reverse the Polish withdrawal from the contest. There were also rumours about Romania possibly pulling out, later denied by TVR officials.

There have also been rumours about Moroccan broadcaster 2M seeking EBU membership, bringing Morocco back to the contest. According to Wikipedia, sources have quoted Morocco as "very likely" to return, while the EBU website says nothing about 2M being discussed as a potential member.

And Armenia, then? What has the EBU done to ensure Armenian participation? Is it acceptable if one paying member of the EBU has to refrain from participation on political grounds.

An official list of participants would be most welcome at this point, to end all this speculation.

Romania 1998: Goodbye Mălina

Sad news reached the world of Eurovision today as it was reported that the 1998 Romanian representative Mălina Olinesu is no longer with us.

Reports suggesting that Mălina would have committed suicide, aged 37, makes the story even more sad.

Mălina was the second performer to represent Romania in Eurovision and holds the less flattering record of achieving the country's lowest score to date. Six points and a twenty-second place did not help her career back home, and she faded from the brightests spotlights.



Mălina Olinescu - Eu cred (Romania 1998 preview)

I always found the preview version of this song understated in an attractive way, while the final version in Birmingham felt a bit overblown in comparison. Maybe it showcases Mălina's voice but takes away quite a lot of the song's discrete charm.



Mălina Olinescu - Eu cred (Romania 1998)

Tobson Ranking: #40 Romania

Hammer out a simple song that everyone can sing along with. If you do it well, you're unbeatable. If you do it badly... then you are these guys.



Hotel FM - Change (Romania 2011)

Usually, this is what Romania does really well. They send in simple but efficient, hooky little numbers that I normally defend with quite some passion.

At first, I thought this ditty was OK as well. And then it all fell apart. The cheap production, the cheesy lyrics, the taste of plastic in my mouth as soon as the chorus started.

And when this group turned out to be almost as smug as the Belgians...

No, thank you. But I have great expectations on hearing a much better song from Romania next year. A much much much better song.

My grade: 1 / 5

The 2011 review: part Seven

Halfway through the second semi final, time to have a look at starting positions 11 - 15.

11. FYR MACEDONIA



Vlatko Ilievski - Rusinka (FYR Macedonia 2011)

Another one of these entries that we have a few too many of this year. It is not exactly bad, it is just rather pointless and goes nowhere. When the first minute is through, nothing more of importance happens until it ends. Unexpected that a good composer like Grigor Koprov would put his name on a song this weak.

Vlatko is probably doing the best he can, but I can't help wondering what happened to the edge and wit that FYR Macedonia used to contribute with some years back? Where is Karolina Goceva when we need her?

Qualifyer:
No. Just like the last two years, they will get enough points from their good neighbours to avoid the very bottom of the ranking, but this will not be a heavy scorer.

My grade: 1/5

12. ISRAEL



Dana International - Ding Dong (Israel 2011)

Dana International is very brave to come back after winning Eurovision. Fellow winners Charlotte Perrelli and Niamh Kavanagh could tell her a thing or two about how ungrateful the audience can be when you offer them your company. Also, she could have been in need of a more direct entry, a real smash hit.

Her song this time around is a mature and elegant song, which is rather fitting as Dana herself has transformed from sharp dressed showgirl into a warm and motherly presence. I'm very fond of her and cross my fingers for Europe to warm to her as well.

Qualifyer:
Hopefully. But I fear the song isn't catchy enough and that too many people will be disappointed by the fact that this is not Diva part 2.

My grade: 3/5

13. SLOVENIA



Maja Keuc - No One (Slovenia 2011)

I must admit that my unconditional love for Slovenia has been slightly strained for the last few years. I used to love whatever they sent in, but the opera, string and yodel experiments has made me wonder what we first saw in each other.

Maja is a step in the right direction, but this song is more difficult than anyone would have asked it to be. I thought it would be easier to find a melody line to hold on to once the lyrics were changed into English, now I find myself longing for the Slovenian version instead. Maja works and works, but it doesn't help. This ballad is complicated rather than good.

Qualifyer:
No, unless Maja pulls off the performance of a lifetime and qualifies on the strength of her vocal abilities only.

My grade: 2/5

14. ROMANIA



Hotel FM - Change (Romania 2011)

Given the usual standard of Romanian entries, this entry is a complete let-down. It starts out nicely, but the chorus is as flat as a pancake and the whole thing sounds more like a jingle on children's television than a eurosong.

Then it doesn't help that the lead singer is charming, the whole thing just annoys me. The silly lyrics don't help much either.

Qualifyer:
Yes. Romania has a strange ability of making their stuff work when they need it the most.

My grade: 1/5

15. ESTONIA



Getter Jaani - Rockefeller Street (Estonia 2011)

I have been very keen on most Estonian entries since their debut back in 1994, and I am very happy to see them back in form. Young Getter really shines and delivers this ingenious and clever piece of pop candy in a most convincing way, and I can understand that most eurofans salute this one as one of the best songs of the year.

I don't quite share the sentiment. It is very good, yes. But not one of the best. Somehow there is a little bit too much calculation and too little heart in it for my taste, but all in all this is a very good year for the Ugric.

Qualifyer:
Yes, unless something goes very wrong during rehearsals and the whole thing falls apart in Düsseldorf, just like Iceland's entry in Kyiv 2005. But that seems quite unlikely to happen.

My grade: 4/5

A Change for Romania

Romania spent their first decade in the Eurovision Song Contest taking one blow after another, getting dismal results and very few points. For the last ten years, however, they have turned into a reliable source of europop that has been in the final every year since 2002.

The Romanians decided to hit two birds with one rock and selected their entry for Düsseldorf on New Years Eve. Two celebrations must be twice as fun as just the one.



Hotel FM - Change (Romania 2011)

The winner is a happy little ditty which possibly won't strike you as the most possible winner come May 14th, but this is where Romania's special mojo kicks in. Romania has an almost surreal way of making their entries work when it really matters.

Quite a few of the Romanian entries through the years have appeared as too lean, too light weight and too anonymous to stand out, but once the envelopes are opened they always make it in the end.

Look no further than last year, when "Playing With Fire" ended in third place without being one of the top tips for victory. I would be very surprised if Hotel FM would not make their little song hit home in the end.