Tobson's Big ESC 2019 review, part 1

It is a bit quiet around this blog most of the year but suddenly spring is in the air and 40-something new Eurovision entries call my name and demand to be reviewed. Who am I to say no? Here we go with this year's 41 entries spread over seven blog posts.

Bulgaria and Ukraine are taking a year off (a particularly stupid move in Ukraine's case but let's get back to that, perhaps). This is how the first semi will begin!

01 CYPRUS
Tamta / Replay

Cyprus got closer to victory than ever before in 2018 and many words have been used by people wishing to declare how this year's Cypriot offering is nothing but a copy of last year's effort. Since they asked the same team for a new song it is pretty obvious they wanted to stay in the same area and in my book this is the better song of the two. Lively and updated but hardly alone in its genre this time.

Qualifier:
Absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt. A bit unexpected to kick off the first semi with a song as strong as this but the final is all the matters anyway.

My grade: 4/5


02 MONTENEGRO
D-Mol / Heaven

If there is any sort of consensus about anything this year, then it is how chanceless poor Montenegro is. So chanceless that it is, indeed, a bit cruel to underline this fact by giving them the real death slot in the running order. The six happy youngsters in D-Mol make me think of Aarzemnieki - Latvia's hopefuls in Copenhagen 2014 that made for pleasant company during three minutes but never really stood any chance of qualifying. I thoroughly enjoy this despite all its flaws - or perhaps even because of them - but if this one makes it to the final it would be a surprise big enough to stop time.

Qualifier:
Nope. Never in a million years.

My grade: 2/5


03 FINLAND
Darude feat Sebastian Rejman / Look Away

Sending Darude to Eurovision seemed like quite a nifty idea at first. "Sandstorm" might be his only major hit but it is fondly remembered by many people around the globe. People who could possibly be overwhelmed by nostalgia and vote for him. Unfortunately this entry is more Sebastian Rejman feat Darude than the other way around and the old hit-DJ finds himself relegated to being a mere special effect in his own entry, dancing around in the background like an embarrassing parent at a school disco. The song starts out pretty well only to turn almost shockingly dull before the chorus.

Qualifier:
Most unlikely. It really would be time for Finland to ditch the UMK concept that clearly isn't working and try to replace it with something more worthwhile.

My grade: 1/5


04 POLAND
Tulia / Fire of Love (Pali się)

This is the point where many a western european viewer might splutter out the drink they allowed themselves on a Tuesday night. White voice - a very special vocal technique reminiscent of a controlled scream - is a common feature in eastern folklore but will sound very exotic and unexpected to many others. Add a song that is remarkably similar to "I Am The Walrus" and suddenly you find yourself with a package that works and the initial shock is likely to turn into something else before three minutes have passed.

Qualifier:
Yes, I think so. This entry has the personality and originality that so many of the songs in the lineup desperately lack.

My grade: 3/5


05 SLOVENIA
Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl / Sebi

Every year there is a song that really shouldn't do well based on what viewers usually like and yet defies all logic and scores well. This year, that surprise song should be this soft little whisper in Slovenian. A lovely and endearing little entry and the musical equivalent of a long, warm hug on a chilly day. Introverted but inviting at the same time.

Qualifier:

Yes. It must be or I will be terribly disappointed in everyone and everything.

My grade: 4/5

06 CZECH REPUBLIC

Lake Malawi / Friend Of A Friend

For the second year running, the Czech republic sends in a light, dance-friendly pop song performed by a cute guy who is potentially a bit of a douche, at least judging from the lyrics. This is far from universally acclaimed by the ESC fandom but what many of its detractors seem to forget is that this is one of few entries on offer this year that is light-hearted and effortless-sounding. Like a bunch of guys in a student band having the time of their lives. In a good way, not in a Manel Navarro sort of way.

Qualifier:

Yes. No need to worry about that.

My grade: 4/5

Quite a good start to the first semi, n'est-ce pas? 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 4

The person in charge of sequencing the running order has a great deal of power, that is for sure.

When the draw was abandoned in 2013, the new system was promised to guarantee a better show: similar styles would be spread out and so would geographical and cultural neighbours. Something the producers have not always managed to live up to.

In the semi finals, however, it is unlikely that the producer can make or break an entry just by giving it a certain spot. If the audience likes something, they will vote for it regardless. Last year's first semi proved quite convincingly there are no safe spots anywhere. The final is a different story altogether but let's deal with the last semifinalists first.

10. GEORGIA
Iriao / For You

A beautiful and intriguing piece of folklore presented by a country that always seems to find new areas to explore and almost never takes the easiest route in this contest. Maybe a bit lacking in dynamics to be a real points magnet but its musical merits alone should be enough to assure it some success.

Qualifier:
Borderline but I hope it will. There is something very likeable about men singing in harmonies like this.

My grade: 3/5

11. POLAND
Gromee feat Lukas Meijer / Light Me Up

Given recent events, it is hard not to think of Avicii here and label this entry Avicii-light. Musically it is not a bad effort and it has some good hooks in the chorus, but it also feels very lightweight and the performance in the national final was a complete and utter visual mess that needs to get sorted out.

Qualifier:
Borderline. Relies far more on televote love than most. If the Poles around Europe are awake and alert, then this one will make it, but they were not as eager to vote as expected last year.

My grade: 2/5

12. MALTA
Christabelle / Taboo

Flashback to a kind of entry that used to be really popular a couple of years ago, with a slightly aggressive-sounding female vocalist in an almost contemporary soundscape. I liked this when it won in Malta, then it grew off me surprisingly quickly. Now it just feels repetitive and dated and heard before.

Qualifier:
No, unless the viewers at home get lost in nostalgia. I'd say that's unlikely.

My grade: 1/5

13. HUNGARY
AWS / Viszlát nyár

I am not going to pretend to be a connoisseur of heavy rock but I'm delighted to see other genres than "eurovision-rock" take part at the ESC. This is heavy, hard, noisy and with more than a fair share of angst in it. It almost hurts when you hear it and I'm very happy about this glimpse into a musical landscape I seldom venture into.

Qualifier:
Yes. This must make it. We need something as different and refreshing as this in the final.

My grade: 3/5

14. LATVIA
Laura Rizzotto / Funny Girl

Another vaguely Bond-esque number by a performer with a sense of drama. Or so I hope. While this song is one of my personal favourites - I absolutely love the lyrics - the video clip is pretty much standing in the way of the song, making it feel a lot less engaging than it is when I only hear it. This one needs a firm injection of some sort of action in Lisbon.

Qualifier:
Yes, I hope so. But it could equally well end 11th. Or - if the staging is poor - it could even crash and burn close to the end of the result.

My grade: 4/5

15. SWEDEN
Benjamin Ingrosso / Dance You Off

Somehow this evolved from being a competent, visually stunning but slightly boring first semi qualifier in MF to something very different. Surprising that Sweden enters exactly the same thing two years in a row - a contemporary number where visuals are more important than the actual content - but this song keeps growing and growing.

Qualifier:
Yes. And also the winner of this semi.

My grade: 4/5

16. MONTENEGRO
Vanja Radovanović / Inje

Sometimes having all the right components is still not enough. Montenegro has a convincing performer, a solid ballad performed in their own language and quite a lot of emotion and passion soaring through their entry. And yet no matter how many times I listen, I can never remember what it sounds like once it is over. That can't be a good thing.

Qualifier:

No, unless Europe hears something I can't hear. In a way I wish they would.

My grade: 2/5

17. SLOVENIA

Lea Sirk / Hvala ne

A Slovenian babe with an attitude it all it takes for me. I am totally sold here. The beat, the idea, the ice cold lack of a proper chorus. I'm convinced. Not that Slovenia has a great track record when it comes to convince the people who are voting, though.

Qualifier:

Yes. I want this to qualify. (Maybe I don't really expect it to qualify but I'm not giving up just yet.)

My grade: 4/5

18. UKRAINE

Mélovin / Under The Ladder

I'm struggling here. There are so many good bits and pieces here and Mélovin is an engaging performer and yet things don't click into place for me. Extra plus for energy and conviction but the tempo changes are weird. And what is he even singing about? Confusion all around.

Qualifier: Yes, of course. Ukraine are brilliant at this and we are likely to get a stunning package in the end. Last year is long forgotten.

My grade: 2/5

Maybe you also want to read parts one, two and three of this review? And maybe you also want to see when I blog my way through every Eurovision entry ever (in Swedish) over here?

Tobson's Big ESC 2017 Review, part 4

It is high time to wrap up the first semi final and see if it ends on a sick note or on a real high. The previous songs can be found here: part 1, part 2 and part 3.

Four songs remain and the electronic feel that has already been present in a number of entries will be heard also here. Strange and slightly unfortunate how almost all the moody electronica ended up in the same semi.

15. CYPRUS
Hovig / Gravity

Maybe winning the ESC wrecked Thomas G:son's mojo as he since then has not really tried pushing new and groundbreaking things into Melodifestivalen but rather opted for the safe, paid day-job of providing songs for the likes of Cyprus and Georgia. This is a soft and radio-friendly rocker that is catchy but constantly runs the risk of turning too repetitive. Euphoria it is not.

Qualifier:
Borderline. It all depends on Hovig himself and his ability to keep things going in three minutes. It's not a battle lost but a shaky bet.

My grade: 3/5



Hovig / Gravity (Cyprus 2017 preview)

16. ARMENIA
Artsvik / Fly With Me

When Armenia revealed their song as the last country of all and it turned out to be another female with a vaguely electronic sound behind her I found the whole thing a bit boring. Then the song started growing on me and after some listenings it became almost hypnotic with its slightly slower tempo. If only Artsvik can match her vocals with a strong presence and a simple but effective stage show, this could carry quite a bit.

Qualifier:
Yes. Perhaps too demanding to go anywhere near a victory, but qualification is usually a walk in the park for Armenia (insert comment about diaspora vote here if you feel so inclined).

My grade: 3/5



Artsvik / Fly With Me (Armenia 2017 preview)

17. SLOVENIA
Omar Naber / On My Way

After narrowly missing out on a spot in the final in 2005, the talented Omar Naber is back in Kyiv for a second try. I have waited for him to come back so it is with a heavy heart I note how he opted for a very traditional and terribly pointless ballad that feels more like filler material in a local musical than a contender at Eurovision. Vocally good but it doesn't help. "I'm on my way" Omar sings, but this song is not going anywhere.

Qualifier:
No. Unless possibly Europe gets enough with all the electronica and opts for something square and old-fashioned.

My grade: 1/5



Omar Naber / On My Way (Slovenia 2017 preview)

18. LATVIA
Triana Park / Line

It is widely believed that performing last in a semifinal is something of a golden ticket to the final. Of course it could make it easier for you to stand out, but that only works as long as you are clearly better or different compared to what came before you. As the Latvians come on stage, the audience already sat through slightly similar entries from Iceland, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Armenia and Poland. How many viewers will at this point stand up and state that this one feels original and special and that they need to vote for it?

Qualifier:
I very much doubt it will. It is a pleasant little number that unfolds a bit too slowly while given a slightly too introverted and anonymous performance. After two good years, Latvia will struggle now.

My grade: 2/5



Triana Park / Line (Latvia 2017 preview)

Semi 2: 11 Slovenia / Blue and Red

Slovenia is a very ambitious ESC country that puts on a big and varied national final and sometimes finds that special entry that makes them talked about and noticed. Like last year.

This year I'm afraid they will remain in the shadows of the contest instead. Their chosen song is pleasant and enjoyable, a charming little country bagatelle that never really takes off. The chorus is surprisingly flat and while the singer is charming she doesn't quite own the stage.

This is the song everyone will enjoy but nobody will vote for.

Qualifier:
No. I wish I could see it happen but it won't.

My grade: 1/5



ManuElla / Blue and Red (Slovenia 2016 preview clip)

Sweden, Finland, Norway and everyone else: weekend update

I should of course have been blogging my happy little heart out after the Finnish national final where my winner - who I frankly didn't dare fully hope for whatever I may have written beforehand - stormed to the top of the scoreboard despite only placing third in the televote.

The semi final is always a struggle for Finland. It never feels safe. It never feels like we can relax until the blue cross on a white background pops out of an envelope and we can all breathe again. Let's be honest about that.

Out of the nine songs in the running of the UMK final, I am convinced Sandhja has the best chances of making it out of the semi. If she's a borderline qualifier, so be it. Saara Aalto's song and performance were just too messy for an ESC stage and Finland has a long history of getting brutally ignored when sending in beautiful ballads à la Mikael Saari.

Maybe it would have been nicer had the televote winner won the whole thing, but then again. If we learned anything at all last year it is that the televoters are not always right.

I'm confident Sandhja will make us all proud - with a bit of coaching - and whenever I feel in doubt I imagine her backing vocalists dancing behind me, bursting into their trademark "Yeah!".

Sweden had it's final semi. Now we heard all their songs and I can not pretend not to be disappointed by the overall standard. The final will be good with very radio friendly songs, most of which are fairly similar. Not sure that it is how to compose the perfect national final.

Everyone seems to have found a new favourite in Frans - the Swedish equivalent of ByeAlex - and I'm charmed too. But more by the guy than by the song. Hopefully it will grow on me.

Tobson's current top 3 in the final:
1) Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
2) Oscar Zia / Human
3) Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize

Honestly - I never listened carefully to the songs in the Norwegian final. I saw the press conference and thought I'd look into it and then I never did. The only song I heard - and loved - was Laika by the Hungry Hearts.

Honestly, part 2. I never thought Laika would win. I love it and it is very dear to me. The studio version is pure gold and even the slightly clunky live version is most likeable. But I never for a second thought Norway would actually select this.

What about the winner, then? It is nice. Pleasant. Well sung. Agnete was lovely already back in the day when she won MGP junior and still have her aura in tact. I am not friends with the tempo change in the chorus as yet but maybe that will be fine too with some more listenings?

As for the other national finals I can conclude that the Swedish schlager is not dead, as many feared it to be. It just moved to Moldova. Not sure it is a winner on an international scale but it is nice enough to possibly take Moldova back to the final. The Slovenian entry is another pleasant effort that is easy to like but perhaps harder to remember.

The real exclamation mark is instead the Latvian entry. Suddenly it is emerging as an early favourite to win the whole shebang in Stockholm in May, it is also a second consecutive triumph for the majestic Aminata who got a well-deserved 6th place in Vienna. Now she is back as a most original and impressive songwriter. Latvia is bound to do well again.

Semi 2: 16 Slovenia

Sometimes it is so easy to deceive yourself when you try to predict the results in the ESC. Sometimes you just want something so much that you will believe almost anything. And I would really really want Slovenia to have some success now.

I have always had a soft spot for them ever since they made their debut as an independent country and some years I really thought they had their big time coming. And every time I was left a tiny bit disappointed afterwards.

This is all just in my defence in case Slovenia would happen to crash and burn in Vienna but I really think they are on to something. In this line-up, their entry stands out as pretty contemporary and has quite a few things to distinguish it from the rest. The piano part, the violin. The dancer doing an air-violin routine.

Even the headphones. I don't know if it is peculiar or plain silly but neither will anyone else and they will stay in people's minds. And then the chorus is really rather good too.

Qualifier:
Yes. That's a no-brainer. The question is how far it will carry in the final. I have a feeling in my old bones that this could result in Slovenia's best placing to date, but I've been wrong before.

My grade: 4/5



Maraaya - Here For You (Slovenia 2015)

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 2: 14 Slovenia

Slovenia almost dropped out of the contest due to financial difficulties and - most properly - a dissatisfaction with their own results. A qualification would come in handy this year to secure future participation but you don't always get what you wish for.



Tinkara Kovač - Round And Round (Slovenia 2014)

Slovenia is a country I love. Tinkara Kovač is a performer I have had a fondness for ever since the 1999 Slovenian national final where she ended in 2nd place with a great song. I would never object to a solo singer waving an instrument at the audience in a threatening and menacing way.

In other words, I really want to like this entry and I also do. It is a solid entry that is well sung and enjoyable.

But if someone as determined to like it as I am have this much trouble remembering what it sounds like once it is over - what are the hopes anyone else will remember it? Let alone vote for it?

Qualifier: No. I don't see it happening. I'd love to be wrong, as any final would be better with a flute in it.

My grade: 3/5

Fingers crossed for Slovenia

It was so close that we wouldn't have Slovenia present in Copenhagen, but in a surprise move they decided not only to participate but also to organise a national final.

That's an unexpected twist, but I am genuinely happy to have Slovenia in the competition. I have always been very fond of their entries even if they, like an ex-Yugoslav equivalent of Finland, have a hard time getting anyone to vote for them.

I haven't listened to the songs for tonight's EMA but wish them the best of luck. Also very much like Finland, they have been notorious for not selecting the best songs on offer through the years, but that is no excuse for not getting it right this time.

I'm hoping for a song that could make it into the final again, but in my book it is still worth more being good than being successful. Like their first ever entry - possibly still my favourite Slovenian entry - which was melodic, original, colourful and scored a grand total of nine points.



1 X Band - Tih deževen dan (Slovenia 1993)

Semi 1: these are my ten qualifiers

I don't really know why this is, but every year when you are supposed to predict the results you get hit by a surreal feeling of seriousness. But its just a game, isn't it? My guess is as good as yours, et cetera?

Well, there is still some sort of pressure. I wouldn't want to stand there with only four correct countries in the end when everyone else predicted everything right.

So here are tonight's contenders and my final prediction as to who will make it and who won't.

1. AUSTRIA Shine / Natália Kelly
I always thought this would be a very good opening number for the semi final. Perhaps it still is, but it comes at the cost of being eclipsed by everything that comes after it. The song is pleasant and Natália does nothing wrong, but the audience is highly unlikely of remembering this particularly well when the phone lines open.
Qualifier: No.

2. ESTONIA Et uus saaks alguse / Birgit Õigemeel
If this ballad and the Cypriot ballad could swap places in the running order, there would be no doubt in my mind that Birgit and Estonia would make it. This is elegant, sober and very well performed. Not to mention my favourite ballad in this semi. I want to believe in this.
Qualifier: Yes

3. SLOVENIA Straight Into Love / Hannah
Modern, slick and club friendly - but for some reason these qualities seem to matter very little when people cast their votes. Even if Hannah hits all the notes correctly, this is not the kind of song that usually breaks through and a qualification would be a great surprise.
Qualifier: No

4. CROATIA Mižerija / Klapa s mora
Many will find this dull and old-fashioned but a large section of the audience will also hear competent singing and a competent melody line. I'm pretty convinced that quite a few jury members will belong to that latter category.
Qualifier: Yes

5. DENMARK Only Teardrops / Emmelie de Forest
Will the biggest pre-contest make it through the semi? Of course it will. Denmark missing out at this early stage would be more drama than anyone could handle on a Tuesday night.
Qualifier: Yes

6. RUSSIA What If / Dina Garipova
A clean and plesant melody line, a good vocalist and tons of cheese in the lyrical department. Quite far from being one of my personal favourites, qualification is still pretty inevitable.
Qualifier: Yes

7. UKRAINE Gravity / Zlata Ognevich
All this talk of Zlata being carried by a giant and possibly overacting her performance in rehearsals made me worry a bit at first, but there is enough of brilliance and elegance in this song to make it sail safely into the final either way.
Qualifier: Yes

8. NETHERLANDS Birds / Anouk
Suddenly people started having doubts, thinking that the Dutch curse will continue and that Anouk will fail. That is not going to happen. This is the first really good and credible Dutch entry for more than ten years, it will get rewarded for that.
Qualifier: Yes

9. MONTENEGRO Igranka / Who See feat Nina Žižić
One week ago I predicted these party bunnies in the final but I think I changed my mind again. This is a big hit in several ex-yugoslav countries, but even if they shower them in points it won't be enough unless everyone else also fall for this. I would not mind if they did, but I don't see it happening.
Qualifier: No

10. LITHUANIA Something / Andrius Pojavis
I thought I would like this more when I just heard it and didn't have to see the confusing preview presentation. It didn't help, it just showed me how underproduced it is. How little bite or attitude there is. Lithuania surprised me by qualifying in 2011 and 2012. I don't think they will surprise me this time.
Qualifier: No

11. BELARUS Solayoh / Alyona Lanskaya
The more I hear this one, the more I think it sounds like a jingle from an ice cream commercial more than a pop hit. And I can't shake the feeling that it even leaves poor Alyona cold. I still can't see who would vote for this, especially not if they happen to sit in a jury room.
Qualifier: No

12. MOLDOVA O mie / Aliona Moon
I wasn't too sure about this ballad at first, but it kept growing and growing. Just like Aliona's dress is going to tonight. A good performance that also stays in the visual memory is never a bad idea in this contest, a trick that Moldova has mastered well in recent years.
Qualifier: Yes

13. IRELAND Only Love Survives / Ryan Dolan
The first uptempo song that is modern, dance-friendly as well as user-friendly and easily accessible, performed by a fresh and likeable young man accompanied by a healthy amount of drumming and dance beats. The Irish should have nothing to worry about.
Qualifier: Yes

14. CYPRUS An me thimase / Despina Olympiou
Elegance, temper and talent can take a weak song quite a long way. The televoting masses have short memory and in an unfair world Cyprus could win precious ballad votes and take Estonia's place in the final. If so, I promise to be happy for Despina, but her song doesn't quite deserve it.
Qualifier: No

15. BELGIUM Love Kills / Roberto Bellarosa
This is one of my biggest favourites in this semi final but it seems my sentiments are not mirrored by the people predicting the outcome in Malmö. I don't care - I think this chorus and Roberto's nervous intensity will break through to enough people.
Qualifier: Yes

16. SERBIA Ljubav je svuda / Moje 3
The Serbian trio rip and tear their little song to bits and the little hooks and ideas scattered around the chorus get a bit lost in this shoutfest. And yet I think this will make the final cut by looking and sounding familiar enough in combination with being the last country in the presentation. I would prefer Montenegro or Slovenia in the final, but I don't think I will have my way.
Qualifier: Yes

So these are my ten qualifiers tonight: Estonia, Croatia, Denmark, Russia, Ukraine, Netherlands, Moldova, Ireland, Belgium, Serbia.

If I get eight songs right, I will be content. Nine and I will be happy - unless the one I'm wrong about is Anouk. Ten right and I will celebrate until the second semi.

What do you think, folks?

Semi 1: 03 Slovenia

Team Slovenia should consider sending flowers to SVT as an extra thank you for giving them the best possible spot in the running order.



Hannah - Straight Into Love (Slovenia 2013)

Slovenia's entry is modern, well-produced, slick and energetic. Unfortunately Eurovision has not been particularly quick to embrace qualities like these lately. It is OK to be modern, but not too modern.

After the Austrian girlie-pop and the Estonian ballad, Slovenia will burst onto the stage and really wake the audience up. As the first song of its kind on the night, it would have quite good chances of imposing itself on the audience.

If things work out according to plan, that is. As Slovenia has a history of wanting a bit too much when they set up their stage performances, there is an obvious risk this performance will turn into a mess.

Straight Into Love is also one of those songs that are hard to bring to life on a live show. It is designed for a dancefloor, not for a tv performance. Will they manage to keep it interesting for three minutes?

If the answer is yes, then there could be bright things ahead of Hannah.

Qualifier:
Yes, given that the live performance is as tight and televisual as needed and that the vocals don't become too shouty.

My grade: 3/5

Tobson's Ranking: #34 Slovenia

A really lovely girl meets a fairly decent ballad. But they were never meant to be.



Eva Boto - Verjamem (Slovenia 2012)

Eva Boto is both young and angelic, she sings like a dream and she handles the stage remarkably well given her age and inexperience. A real star in the making.

So why Slovenian television, after spending a whole winter and half a spring selecting her in a never-ending talent show, decided to set her up with a song like this is beyond me.

There isn't any major flaw in the song - a little bit of a Molitva-rewrite, but people have gotten away with worse on a Eurovision stage in the past - but it doesn't suit poor Eva at all. She would have deserved something more youthful, something more vibrant, something less deadly serious.

Second last place in her semi-final was unnecessarily cruel, but I see what the voters mean. The singer and the song must compliment each other, otherwise you will fail. Just like this package did.

My grade: 2/5

Preview clip: Slovenia 1997

At a certain time - peaking in 1997, to be honest - the music video had grown really strong as an art form in itself at the same time as Eurovision had grown important enough for certain countries to want to spend money on marketing themselves in this area.

Many countries made really lavish preview clips in 1997, not only highlighting their own songs but also giving the local tourist boards reason to rejoice, and the best one of all came from Slovenia.

Very stylish, atmospheric and beautifully filmed, but also very well acted by Tanja Ribič who is equally famous for her acting skills. The colour explosion of flowers by the end as the song has grown into completely new dimensions is also a very clever touch.



Tanja Ribič - Zbudi se (Slovenia 1997 preview)

Maybe Tanja would have needed a flowery explosion also on stage in Dublin - the song is lovely and the singing exquisite, but in a year with many heartfelt ballads it was hard to stand out.

Many people expected more than a tenth place for this song, but it still remains the third best showing of an entry from independent Slovenia.




Tanja Ribič - Zbudi se (Slovenia 1997)

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

Slovenia 2012: another big ballad

The new selection format in Slovenia was a battle between sister duet Eva & Nika Pursnik and solo singer Eva Boto, who performed three songs each.

I didn't follow the selection, but the people in my twitter feed seemed more pleased with the show itself than the participating songs.

The winner, however, seems to be quite popular all around. Composed by 2007 eurovision winner Vladimir Graic, it seems to remind some people a tiny bit too much of his former entry "Molitva".

Personally, I don't think the link between the songs is so obvious. Eva Boto sings it very well and is nicely complimented by her four backing singers.

My problem with this song is that I find it slightly un-catchy. Pleasant throughout, but it didn't stay in my mind after one listening. But I needed a few listenings to grasp "Molitva" as well, in all fairness. It took me a month after Düsseldorf before I say the greatness of last year's Slovenian entry.

As my first impression, I still think Eva's voice will impress the juries far more than the song will hit home with televoters but a spot in final should not be out of reach at all.



Eva Boto - Verjamem (Slovenia 2012)

Song Of The Day: Slovenia 1995

Slovenia had flopped rather a lot at their debut as independent country in 1993. Nine points was all they got and they had to stay out for one year as punishment.

In 1995, they were determined to do a lot better and sent in one of their biggest voices equipped with a warm, breezy, impressive song.



Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi (Slovenia 1995 preview)

Just the kind of song that would sound fantastic with an orchestra, right? Think again. The RTÉ orchestra managed to take every ounce of punch out of the arrangement, so instead of bombastic it sounded a bit flat.

Darja still sang it beautifully enough to end in seventh place, still the best showing for independent Slovenia at the ESC.



Darja Švajger - Prisluhni mi (Slovenia 1995)

This song has stood the test of time really well and aged more gracefully than most of its competitors in Dublin. This became really clear when one of the contestants of Misija Eurovizija sung it the other night. Darja can be proud, and so can all of Slovenia.



Eva Boto - Prisluhni mi

ESC Rejects: Slovenia 2004

Slovenia is one of my personal darlings in Eurovision. Despite their almost perpetual problem of getting their acts together on stage. Not to mention their inability to select the best entry out of their national line-up.

Like in 2004, when they had funny and flirtatious Natalija Verboten with a catchy little pop song, complete with choreography and all.

What the Slovenians couldn't know in advance was how different this one would have sounded compared to most other things a couple of months later in Istanbul. What anyone who ever heard about ears as a concept should be able to hear is how much better it is than Platin.

Platin was the clean-cut slow-disco duo that won the ticket in the end, with a song so harmless it would make a hedgehog on valium look like a rageing beast in comparison. The musical equivalent of a black hole. A void disguised as a love duet.

How anyone could think for a second that it would be a sensible choice for the ESC is beyond me.

Natalija and her song are most divisive (lots of people love it, lots of people loathe it) but it would surely not have left the televoters anywhere near as indifferent as Platin did.



Natalija Verboten - Cry On My Shoulder (Slovenia NF 2004)

Song Of The Day: Slovenia 2005

At first, I thought the Slovenians had lost their marbles. They had a soft and sweet little ballad, a bit unspectacular but nice, when they suddenly decided to go hardcore on us.

I wasn't sure that little Omar Naber would be able to carry the load on stage, I didn't find the preview very promising, and I thought the emo makeup just made the song harder to grasp.

And then, in Kyiv, I changed my mind. Big time. Omar Naber emerged like a true star, keeping his difficult song under complete control all the way through. Instead of drowning the whole thing in pathos, he works with small gestures and a slowly added roughness to the voice.

When the song really takes off and the drama gets going, then Omar stays steadily on the ground, fully delivering every syllabe of the fantastic lyrics .

This is the best performance Slovenia sent in to Eurovision if you ask me, but back in the day, with twenty-five songs in the semi and rather a small audience, a song as difficult as this didn't have much hope.

In all fairness, he did get closer to the final than I thought.

He would only have deserved so much more.



Omar Naber - Stop (Slovenia 2005)

Tobson Ranking: #17 Slovenia

The heaviest dress of the entire contest came along with the heaviest chorus as well. How very fitting.



Maja Keuc - No One (Slovenia 2011)

It took me a long, long, long time to break into this song. I found it way more complicated than needed, taking new roads and paths through the musical landscapes, leaving the listener a bit confused as to where it would head next.

But lovely lovely Maja Keuc somehow managed to walk straight out on stage and grab the steering wheel with both hands, guiding the vessel through the reefs on to safe ground.

Powerful vocal chords matched with a strong presence, a certain authority and the kind of conviction only people willing to wear tight dresses that weigh a ton will possess.

Slovenia has had better songs than this, but their eternal problem is their inability to get their act together on stage. This time, everything fell in place beautifully.

My grade: 3 / 5

Songs only I like: Slovenia 1996

Some fiascos you never quite see coming, do you? You see the preview, you listen to the song, you like it, you think it will do quite well.

And then it crashes and burns right in front of you. Like Regina from Slovenia did in Oslo in 1996.

It all looked very promising in the cute preview, where it all sounded very well and looked great and was a very appealing package.



Regina - Dan najlepših sanj (Slovenia 1996 preview)

Come Oslo, it looked and sounded like this:



Regina - Dan najlepšish sanj (Slovenia 1996)

I was too deeply into it back then to notice at first, but there is quite a difference between these two clips. Everybody seems a bit tired on stage. Regina looks like she has a bit of a headache coming on. She struggles a bit with some of the higher notes.

Eurovision can be exhausting enough with being eight months pregnant, that's for sure, and to add further to the exhaustion rumours have it that the Slovenian delegation had rather a turbulent week in Oslo, which must have added further to the general state of fatigue.

Maybe they were just pretty happy to go home, regardless of the outcome?

As a piece of trivia - Slovenia was extremely well prepared this year and offered the press the first ever ESC CD-ROM presentation. In a very orange packaging came a booklet along with an interactive disc containing biographies, video clips and a few extra songs by Regina.

Too bad that not at least a bit of all that ambition made its way into the stage presentation. But you can't think of everything, can you?

A fine song it is, anyhow, unfairly forgotten both on the night as well as by a large section of the eurofans. I salute Regina, who is an excellent vocalist, and proudly shout out my love for this.


If you do too - please say so in a comment.