Tobson's Big ESC 2019 review, part 7

Being pre-qualified for the final is a high price to pay for the big five. At least many people have said - since the inauguration of the semi final in 2004 - that being heard just the once will be a huge disadvantage for the countries who pay the most to participate.

However, the overwhelming majority of the viewers see and hear all entries for the first time on Saturday night. Possibly they have watched the semi final with their own entry but many will give the other semi final - where they can't even vote - a miss.

The lack of success for the Big Five largely comes down to what we all knew anyway. Several of these broadcasters have shown a real lack of commitment to the contest. Some of them want to make a splash but seem to genuinely lack an understanding of what kind of entry would give a strong result.

In this last part of my review, let's have a look at the six pre-qualified countries. If you want to read about the semi finalists, you will find them here in part one, two, three, four, five and six.


FRANCE
Bilal Hassani / Roi

France taking the opportunity to send a young genderqueer and openly gay muslim to the final in Tel Aviv is close to a stroke of genius. The right to be yourself and identify the way you wish belongs to everyone, nicely underlined by the performer as well as the lyrics. The only thing that is a real shame is that the actual song isn't better. Madame Monsieur made an impression last year but now they just threw something together in a hurry and that is never a good idea. Also - who is going to break it to the French that this kind of blending languages only sounds half-cooked and doesn't work?

Potential winner:
No. I really want to like this but my interest is fading long before we even get to the chorus.

My grade: 1/5


GERMANY
S!sters / Sister

Read this followingsentence out loud to yourself: This song was rejected by Switzerland so Germany picked it up and entered it in their national final instead. Does that sound like a particularly good idea to you? This sounds just like the kind of songwriting exercise the Swiss have entered far too many times in the last decade. There is nothing really wrong with it but it is far from engaging and doesn't leave much of an impression once it is over. Something about the miaowing chorus also really annoys me.

Potential winner:
No, but another potential last place. Germany's third in five years, if so. It is clearly time for German tv to shake up the team in charge of their national finals. Again.

My grade: 1/5


ITALY
Mahmood / Soldi

Italy has done it again and enters yet another bold, original song that challenges the whole idea and concept of what a eurovision entry could be. Mahmood is another exquisite performer - tiptoeing the borderland between of arrogance and sensibility in his stage persona - and the song is a gripping piece of drama about young boys and absent fathers. The single best thing about Italy using the Sanremo festival to select their ESC entrants is that we keep getting contemporary and challenging state of the art material, designed to win a song contest - just not the ESC.

Potential winner:
Yes. It must be. But for some reason the so called expert juries have held Italy down recently. Last year the juries had Italy in a ridiculously low 17th place. If the juries shape up even a little, then Rome 2020 could be a real possibility.

My grade: 5/5


SPAIN
Miki / La venda

Using the most popular talent show your country has ever seen in order to select your ESC entrant could be a smart move but if you have no idea what kind of song your newly found talent should perform, no popularity on home ground will mean anything at all in the end. Spain has sent their Operación Triunfo stars off to Europe with pretty mediocre songs (with the obvious exception of Beth, who should have done a lot better) but young Miki has fared at least a bit better. Equipped with a mixture of ska and Catalonian rumba, at least "La venda" provides a bit of temper and speed for the final.

Potential winner:
No, far from. But on a very good day, Miki could have a chance to place close to the top ten.

My grade: 3/5


UNITED KINGDOM
Michael Rice / Bigger Than Us

If selecting a reject from Switzerland is an unusual move, opting for Swedish leftovers is a lot more common. (Did Germany just confuse Sweden and Switzerland? An easy mistake to make.) This is the song John Lundvik wanted to enter Melodifestivalen with before being persuaded into going for "Too Late For Love" instead. You can clearly tell these two songs grew on the same tree as they share a very similar gospel vibe, but where Sweden's entry is elegant and elaborated, this is just generic. Michael Rice can sing - if you like his vibrato or not comes down to personal taste, I suppose - but was totally lost on stage and came across as pretty inexperienced in the national final.

Potential winner:
No. But if someone instructs the singer where the cameras are and what they do, the UK should at least avoid the very bottom placings this time around.

My grade: 2/5


14 ISRAEL
Kobi Marimi / Home

Putting on a Eurovision Song Contest is hard work and you can sometimes tell in the approach of the host nation how they would prefer not to do it twice in a row. You already won, you already have everyone's attention. You can sit back and just enjoy the ride and content yourself with a dignified place mid-table. At first I thought Israel aimed a lot lower than that with this ballad. How can you even describe it? Pretentious, I think, is the best word. Sung by a very dramatic singing actor. I dismissed it completely until it started growing on me and now the hook in the chorus won't leave me alone. Like it or dislike, but this song sure has something.

Potential winner:
No, whatever it has it doesn't extend that far. But it could end up a bit higher than most people expect.

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 5

The fifth and last part of my Big Review will focus on the six songs that already made it all the way to Saturday night and the 2018 ESC final. If you want to know more about what goes on in the semis, then check out parts one, two, three and four.

Before 2008, ten countries were pre-qualified for the final in addition to the big spenders. Nice for them but clearly the current system is better. Just because you are good one year does not guarantee that you deserve a place in the final also the next year. Thanks to that system we had to sit through horrors like "Loca" and "Together We Are One" on a Saturday.

Another advantage of the current system is that no prediction made before Friday morning - the day before the final - is anything but advanced guessing. Not until then do we know what the competition really looks like. And that is so very exciting.

Since we don't have the running order for these songs as yet, here are the big five alphabetically and then Portugal last.

FRANCE
Madame Monsieur / Mercy

One of the many songs in this lineup that actually has something to say. The message can be seen as an accusing finger towards rich Europe refusing to lend a hand and help people in need. Beautifully understated and presenting its drama between the lines instead of using fireworks and pyro. Heavily dependent on its spot in the running order and what will come before and after but if everything turns out right, it could be France's best placing for many years.

Potential winner:
No, that would be a surprise if so. On a good day it could possibly make its way into top five and become an international radio hit.

My grade: 4/5

GERMANY
Michael Schulte / You Let Me Walk Alone

Another really emotional effort, this time about losing a parent. Is this the Sobral effect, that the ESC suddenly seems to attract singers and songs that sound more sincere after some years of more streamlined music designed for other purposes? Michael Schulte is likeable and has a good voice and knows how to pull on the heartstrings. Unbearable for some, wonderful for others.

Potential winner:
No, hardly. But Germany is maybe not in need of a victory as much as they need to steer clear of that dreaded last place they flirted with so massively for the last few years. That should be mission completed.

My grade: 3/5

ITALY
Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro / Non mi avete fatto niente

As I child I usually struggled to embrace the Italian entries and look at me now. For the third year in a row, Italy is my personal favourite with this very engaging duet about the violence surrounding us all and how everything must still be worthwhile. Meta and Moro deliver for dear life with aggressive conviction and the Sanremo winner illustrates that the Italian team are still very keen of showing how seriously they take their presence in the ESC these days.

Potential winner:
Yes, this one must be in with a chance. A favourable spot in the running order and the points could start ticking in.

My grade: 5/5

SPAIN
Amaia & Alfred / Tu canción

You know it must be a good year when even Spain shaped up. Seriously bitten by the Sobral bug, this updated equivalent of Sergio & Estíbaliz provide a hyper-romantic and soothing ballad about falling in love. Icky sweet and yet adorable unless you are completely immune to young love. A bit old-fashioned and maybe a bit too similar to last year's winner to go all the way but it sure is a great improvement on recent Spanish entries.

Potential winner:
No, unless all the planets and stars line up the right way. This year is so hard to predict anyway.

My grade: 3/5

UNITED KINGDOM
SuRie / Storm

Every time I hear this song my inner vision paints an image of a group of people sitting around a table. They have been told they must write a song together and nobody can eat or sleep or leave until it is ready. So they all put in bits and pieces until they have a melody and a lyric that doesn't mean anything to anyone but still it is a song, so they are free to go. Poor SuRie is a lovely performer and would have deserved something meaningful to sing instead of this bleak and poor songwriting exercise.

Potential winner:
No. Au contraire - this is the most likely candidate for last place in the final. Possible nul-pointer. Who on earth would vote for this? And why?

My grade: 1/5

08. PORTUGAL
Cláudia Pascoal / O jardim

Something clearly clicked into place last year, and Portugal is delivering another piece of something that is totally their own thing. The live vocals and sound mix need improvement from the Portuguese final - compare to the fabulous studio version - but this is a charming and introverted slice of pop. Let's hope Portugal stays on this more contemporary track forever.

Potential winner:
No. RTP can sleep easy. Maybe this song won't even break into the top 15, but who cares? It is a brave effort by a very likeable performer. On home ground you can do what you want - you already won.

My grade: 4/5

So who will be the winner of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest? No idea. I am avoiding the rehearsal clips as I want as much of a surprise as only possible as the live shows go on air. Ask me again on May 11th, and I will give you my most educated guess.

But a tough battle between the likes of Israel, Czech republic, Italy and France would be nice. Throw in Finland and Sweden for the fun of it. Maybe I am right and Belgium is a dark horse waiting in the wings. And then Alexander Rybak comes in and wins it all?

I have a feeling this will be a very entertaining year. Fasten seatbelts.

Tobson's Big ESC 2017 Review, part 10

In less than a week from now, the first semi will be happening before our very eyes and it is time for me to wrap up this review of all entries taking part in Kyiv (plus Russia - you find my view on their non-participating entry in part 5).

Despite looking bleak at one point, this year's lineup has proven to be quite a good one and if the juries and the televoters do what they should in the semis we could look forward to a very strong final.

SPAIN
Manel Navarro / Do It For Your Lover

Manel is a charming young lad from Catalonia, armed with a very simple and rather effective song that oozes of carefree days in the sun. The kind of song most people should be able to like at least a bit, I reckon. That means he could collect quite a decent amount of points from the juries, but that is not going to be enough. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the song with the lowest score in the televote this year - it's a song most people can like a bit but at the same time it is nobody's favourite. Who will reach for the phone and actually vote for this?

A potential winner?
No way. Spain - another of those countries with the potential to make it into the top five every year if they only could make a tiny effort - runs a serious risk of ending in the very last place. When will they snap out of it and start sending in entries that could actually score instead? It has been 22 years since Spain last had a top five finish. Wouldn't it be about time to get back there soon?

My grade: 2/5



Manel Navarro / Do It For Your Lover (Spain 2017 preview)

UNITED KINGDOM
Lucie Jones / Never Give Up On You

The UK decided - for reasons best known to themselves - to put their trust into ESC winner Emmelie de Forest and her songwriting skills. After some major nip and tuck and a successful revamp it seems people are getting their hopes up for an unusually high UK placing. In fact, they are getting their hopes up far too much. This is a nice little ballad and Lucie sure can sing, but it wouldn't be fair to place too high expectations on this entry. It's a nice little ballad but not anything more than that.

A potential winner?
No. On a good day and with a fantastic performance, Lucie could possibly make it into the lower regions of the top ten. Which - admittedly - would be a fantastic result for the UK these days.

My grade: 2/5



Lucie Jones / Never Give Up On You (United Kingdom 2017 preview)

22. UKRAINE
O.Torvald / Time

Ukraine entered the ESC like a hurricane in 2003 and very soon they made themselves a place in my heart as one of my favourite countries in the contest. They usually have so much humour as well as really interesting songs and performers. But things tend to go out of hand every time they host the whole thing. They go all political and lose all of the things that usually make them stand out and this little rocker is far below their regular output. It wants to be a big and noisy headbanger but it nothing more than a soft kitten trying to look like a lethal tiger.

A potential winner?
Nowhere near that. Maybe we didn't really want Ukraine to win again under the current circumstances but something stronger than this would have been nice. There will be a certain amount of polite points and that will be it. 20th place?

My grade: 1/5



O.Torvald / Time (Ukraine 2017 preview)

ESC 2016: How do you solve a problem like Germany?

I got many things wrong in my prediction yesterday but I did foresee that Germany would end in last place for the second consecutive year. Jamie-Lee didn't deserve it, but it was understandable.

The German song was designed to live a long life in the charts, not to break through to people in three short minutes. It lacked intensity and was anything but instant. It won the German final because the audience was already familiar with it after several weeks of airplay.

Had Jamie-Lee been forced to enter the national final with a new song instead - one that would have had to impress people on a first listening - she would have had every chance to hit home better in Stockholm as well. This is something for ARD to ponder for years to come.

The UK had a pretty similar problem as they had selected a song that felt more fresh and likeable than what the audience expected. It was a good and energetic song and it was really good for being a recent UK entry. That's also the problem with it.

When you get 26 songs at once, you vote for the one that stands out and speaks to you. You don't give kind bonus points to any country just because they happen to be better than you'd expect them to be. You vote for your winner. And while the UK was good it was in no way a winner.

The UK has ended up in the well-known territory of Finland - you find a song you really believe in and think will impress people, but in the end they find it to be OK but average and nobody votes for you. "You're Not Alone" was the best song on offer in the UK final but all songs participating were very safe and inoffensive. Next year they would need to find some edge.

And then Spain. I must say the low placing of Barei was a great injustice. She gave a good and spirited performance but probably got overshadowed by Russia in the eye of the average viewer.

According to people in my Twitter feed there was a real good outcry on social media against TVE and their ESC attitude last night. I can understand that anger.

Spain is one of those countries that should be able to make top ten every year if they wanted to. There is so much quality music being made there, of every form and shape imaginable. If TVE would tap into the large pool of established professionals instead of using the people willing to go into an unestablished national final formula, maybe the results would improve?

Final: Spain / Say Yay!

It is a good year for the Big 5. France is one of the top favourites for victory and Italy is a very strong dark horse. But what about Spain, then? Could they surprise us all as well?

It all comes down to a few important things. In the Spanish national final, Barei had to put the whole thing together herself and that added a likeable but slightly amateurish touch to the whole performance. A stronger backing group and some professional choreography could do the trick.

Could do the trick. There is also the risk that a new "professional" team will ruin things as well. The song is full of a raw, untamed energy that needs to be canalised in the right way. Worst case scenario is that the whole thing becomes too polished and... well... normal.

Potential winner:
Maybe not after all. But if they do everything right, Spain could possibly be a candidate for the lower regions of the top five.

My grade: 4/5



Barei / Say Yay! (Spain 2016 preview clip)

Spain organised a final - and I say yay

It's been almost a week since the Spanish final was held so maybe my reaction is a bit slow. But I have finally decided that the broadcast was a success and a good step to take.

I have understood that the national broadcaster RTVE is not exactly at the height of its glory right now. Seldom a ratings winner, seen by many as a mouthpiece for local politicians rather than an objective news provider, not seldom getting suspected of having some sort of agenda.

These are not my theories, these are things I picked up from here and there across the social media and other internet hangouts. But maybe they would need some quality flagship programming that could bring in viewers and help rebuild the brand.

Having a popular national final for Eurovision is not a bad weapon at all. And for a first step in that direction, the Spanish final was not bad at all. I'd just like to point out a few ways of making it even better for years to come.

Make it bigger.
In a record industry like the Spanish it couldn't be hard to find ten or twelve entries that were good enough. This way, you can have a more quick-paced show with a more intense tempo and make better use of the broadcast time.

Make it local.
There is loads of songwriting talent in Spain. You really don't need tired rewrites like "Victorious".

Make it better.
Use more time to rehearse. Help the artists out with choreographers and stylists. Try to make every entry look as good on-screen as is only possible. Performing on a top notch tv show with high ratings is something many singers will want to do.

As for the winner, I say it was the only possibility that made sense. "Say Yay!" is a happy, contemporary and catchy track, balancing on the fine line between being infectious and being terribly annoying. Which is not a bad thing if you want to have a hit single.

What it needs now is a complete makeover. It needs better backing vocalists, it needs better styling, it desperately needs a choreographer with an idea of what looks good on television. All of this without removing the strong personality of Barei.

Do this badly and we will be looking at a Spanish version of Ann Sophie. Do it well and we could be looking at a contender, possibly Spain's best chance of success since Beth.



Barei / Say Yay (Spain 2016 - studio version)

December 14: Sonia & Selena

When looking back on several of the songs making up this series, you can't help asking yourself at times what the people in charge were thinking. How could they miss such obvious pearls and - painfully often - send dismal or pointless entries instead?

I'm not going to get on my high horse here and ask why on earth Spain didn't select this one for Copenhagen. It didn't stand out for me in this version either.

The 2001 Spanish final was reasonably strong and this felt mainly like a jaunty rewrite of a number of already existing songs in the typical vain of easy dance-friendly floor-filling summer hits. Catchy but not outstanding.

How was I - or anyone else - supposed to know this one would later become a smash hit and one of the most popular tracks of the year? The recorded version also had another energy and felt more dynamic. A better package.

Not that David Civera did a bad job, but this song would surely have felt like a welcome breath of fresh air in the pretty tedious lineup of 2001.



Sonia y Selena / Yo quiero bailar (Spain NF 2001)

Finalist: Spain

If my memory doesn't deceive me, I wasn't too impressed in 2013 when Georgia called last year's winner Thomas G:son and asked him to write them a hit.

I liked the song but thought it was the cheapest of tricks in the book to play a safe card like that instead of trying to produce something of your own. And playing it safe seldom brought anyone victory in the end.

Spain will see that the same applies to them when they enter a song written by G:son. It is already his third Spanish entry, so maybe he has developed special ties to the recording industry over there.

But this time I can't shake the feeling that also Spain ordered a hit the way Georgia did and this particular piece - although atmospheric and catchy - feels far too much like a calculated re-hash of things previously heard to be taken seriously.

Also it doesn't develop much. It stands still in its place without ever reaching any climax, making three minutes feel slightly longer than they really are.

A potential winner?
No. And that's probably what RTVE wants as well: a song the fans will like and that doesn't run the risk of forcing them to take on this event next year.

My grade: 3/5



Edurne - Amanecer (Spain 2015)

Runner-up: Spain 1973

Some results through Eurovision history you just can't argue with. It doesn't matter if you like "Save Your Kisses For Me" or not - it remains the best selling single out of all ESC winners and therefore deserved its victory. Right?

Another one that is hard to talk down is "Eres tú" that lost with a very tight margin to Anne-Marie David representing host country Luxembourg, but went on to become a resounding worldwide smash hit.

Mocedades were popular even before but now they were catapulted into the league of unforgettables. The song even made it high into the charts in the US, both in its original Spanish version but also in English as "Touch The Wind".

I must admit to being a fan myself. I think it's a lovely song. Very similar to the 1966 Yugoslav entry, but would Juan Carlos Calderón really have stolen another eurosong deliberately? I'm not sure.

Me being a fan doesn't change that fact that 1973 remains an impossibly strong year with a whole bunch of fantastic classics. "Eres tú" may be a minor monument of a song, but so is the winner. And so is Israel's "Ey sham".

A deserved 2nd place?
I'm not going to say it was undeserved. I'm just going to say that had I been the jury, I would have placed Luxembourg first, Israel second and Spain third. (And about five songs or so in a tied fourth place.)



Mocedades - Eres tú (Spain 1973)

Runner-up: Spain 1971

You can say Spain played it safe in 1971 as they got a star to do the job for them and then fixed her up with a song sticking to the same formula as their 1969 winning entry "Vivo cantando".

But then again, entering something as crazy as this should never be considered playing safe.

It starts with a rather low key verse which is only there to warm up the audience for the big thing. It builds into a catchy chorus that gets repeated and repeated until nobody can escape it anymore before it spirals into almost uncontrollable bounciness.

"En un mundo nuevo" also has a fake ending, a finesse that had been very "in" during the late 60's. Some other entries had attempted it before, but never to this extent.

Right when you might think the song is over, the orchestra bursts into a perfectly bombastic rerun of the chorus in what sounds like a parody of a eurosong, only done so well you have to surrender to it.

Karina is also flawless, a real firecracker of a performer, and makes this overloaded package not only make it over the finishing line but feel like a loveable and slightly wacko gem of a song.

A deserved 2nd place?
Yes. There are better songs in the line-up of 1971 but Karina's determination wins me over every time. Nowhere near as good as the winner but then again not many songs are.



Karina - En un mundo nuevo (Spain 1971)

Runner-up: Spain 1979

There will always be rumours going around. Rumours of all sorts. Some with a grain of truth in them, some plain ridiculous, some obviously fabricated by people with too much time on their hands.

My favourite brand has always been rumours that are a little bit outrageous, yet potentially true.

One of these rumours is the doubt whether there was ever a jury on duty in Italy in 1990 or if the confused spokesperson just made the numbers up by himself.

Another one is whether the Maltese jury in 1993 deliberately stayed offline in order to get to vote last and - in case of a tight finish - possibly alter their points to change the outcome.

Then there is always the claim that Spain lost the 1979 contest on purpose.

As Spain was to vote - as the 19th and last country - they were also in the lead one point ahead of host country Israel. Many people have suggested that TVE officials panicked at the thought of having to organise next year's contest and therefore tampered with the points given by the jury, making sure their own entry would lose.

I wouldn't be surprised if TVE didn't want to host under their current circumstance, as the country was going through enormous change on its transition to democracy, but the idea of a television executive physically running into the room to alter the points... Doesn't that strike you as a bit melodramatic?

And if you'd go out of your way in order to sabotage your own chances of winning, why not enter a weaker entry in the first place? This rumour is intriguing but hardly more than just a rumour.

A deserved 2nd place?
Yes. Catchy and cleverly staged with a backing group consisting of children that actually come across as genuinely charming. Perhaps the song in itself didn't age all that gracefully, but that is another story.



Betty Missiego - Su canción (Spain 1979)

Nobody's favourite but mine, part 4

Are you ready, folks? Here comes a fourth selection of songs I really liked through the years even though I have a nagging feeling I could be the only one. The former three episodes suggest that I am not alone at all, which leads me nicely onto the first song of the bunch.



Patricia Kraus - No estás solo (Spain 1987)

I never understood why anyone wouldn't like this one. It's original, energetic and pretty modern for it's time, and Patricia could be one of the coolest females ever. She is wearing a leather corset and enough rouge to suggest that she fell headlong onto the makeup-table only seconds before she had to enter the stage, still manage to look like that is the most natural thing ever.

It does take forever until she gets to a chorus but that's not the end of the world, is it? Clearly worth more than the ten points it had to content itself with.



Helen & Joseph - L-Imhabba (Malta 1972)

Malta had a tough start in Eurovision - for their first two entries they sang in their native tongue and ended in last place on both occasions. I can sort of see what the juries meant in 1971 but this adorable little gem would have deserved to be showered in points. The line where they sing about freaks, Hell's Angels and hippies is worth a top ten placing alone. Not to mention the more than impressive body language of the conductor during the instrumental break. And extra points for fashion, of course.



Park Café - Monsieur (Luxembourg 1989)

For the last few years that Luxembourg were in the contest they more seldom commissioned potential hit songs from French record labels - or did nobody want to provide them anymore? - and turned to local talent instead, mostly with pretty moderate success. Park Café entered something as unusual as a song inspired by a recent hit movie - "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" - and provided a far more jazz inspired sound than the audience was used to and the juries remained largely unimpressed.



Telex - Eurovision (Belgium 1980)

Belgium is clearly one of those nutty countries that you just don't know what to expect from. When you least expect it they will do something really crazy and unexpected and most of Europe will sit there with their jaws hanging between their legs, not knowing what hit them.

For some reason, synthesiser pioneers Telex - Belgium's own Kraftwerk but with a sense of humour - decide to throw themselves into competition with a song about the contest in question and a pronounced desire not to be understood and go through the voting without a single point. The stunt failed, the Belgians managed to collect a minor number of points and even avoided the last place, and the trio managed to thoroughly confuse their own fans in the process. What remains is a cute little masterpiece that is sure to make you smile. And when you're done smiling, check out their cover versions of Ça plane pour moi, Twist à Saint-Tropez or Rock Around The Clock. Genius!



Mrs Einstein - Niemand heeft nog tijd (Netherlands 1997)

When Dutch tv selected these feisty females internally they were presented like a group that were sure to rock the boat in a big way in Dublin. They sort of did. Not only were they nicknamed "Old Spice" - which I think was pretty witty - but most people wouldn't believe their ears. A full-tempo rip-off of Paul McCartney's Bond theme Live And Let Die that would leave people out of breath as well as in serious doubt of what the Dutch were thinking.

Only I really, really like it. I think it is fun and energetic and far superior to most entries the Dutch sent in during those eight long years they constantly failed to qualify. Old Spice for the win!

Well, isn't that a lovely outfit?

Ever since I was a very young Tobson, I've been totally fascinated by this Eurovision Song Contest in so many different ways. It seems I'm never running out of new angles that make me love this show even more.

I like it for the uniting factor - one of few things that brings all of Europe together for a mutual activity. I like it for the music, obviously. Few things cheer me up like a good eurovision entry. And I love it for the positive political dimension, how it brings people closer and showcases new ideas and thoughts even to corners of the world where the governments would prefer as little enlightenment as possible.

But I also love the show elements, of course. And I'm never averse to a great outfit. So here - for your entertainment as you wait for this year's extravaganza to take off - I collected a non-exhaustive list of favourite outfits through the years.



Anne Karine Strøm - Mata Hari (Norway 1976)

What could be better than a little bit of gold? The correct answer must be: a whole lot of gold, preferably from head to toe. If you can match it with the biggest sunglasses you could possibly wear before your neck goes snap, then it's all for the better. Wonderful Anne Karine entered eurovision history as the only solo performer to end in last place twice - a complete disgrace.



Linda - No goodbyes (Netherlands 2000)

Must be so awkward when you check your calendar and realised you double booked and have to perform at Eurovision that very day you promised to go camping with your dancers? Linda went for a creative solution and decided to hit two birds with one stone and do both things at the same time. The best "look-what-I-hid-under-my-dress"-effect ever.



Youddiph - Vechni strannik (Russia 1994)

I love this creative red dress that allows the singer to change her appearance completely several times throughout her performance only by making some simple, tasteful movements. Understated, elegant and sophisticated.



Rita - Shara barechovot (Israel 1990)

I must admit to being a lover of colour and I think the smart black dress is just about the most boring option anyone could come up with on a eurovision stage. Black is safe and uncreative and I think the large audience watching you deserve more of an effort than that. But then there are the little black numbers you just can't refuse. Rita looks absolutely stunning and captivating. Mind you, she could probably wrap a towel or an old circus tent around her and still look stunning, but she really works this one to perfection. 18th place? Well done, juries.



Salomé - Vivo cantando (Spain 1969)

I never had the chance to ask her in person, but I am assuming that Salomé shares my point of view that  a stage outfit is something you design and craft specifically, not something you go out and buy in a shop. I'd like to see the shop selling this particular piece. Full of tassels and tiny stones - to weigh the tassels down and give them a life of their own - it weighs five kilos and would probably not qualify as a comfortable garment on any occasion. And that sort of makes it perfect for the stage.

Finalist: Spain

Spain has been waiting for their next victory since 1969 and I'm not really sure what kind of an earthquake is needed for them to win it again. Perhaps a Ruth Lorenzo could be just what it takes to secure a better score?



Ruth Lorenzo - Dancing In The Rain (Spain 2014)

I think this is a lovely little song that has grown on me considerably since it won the Spanish final. It is catchy, engaging and sounds vaguely familiar - Beyoncé's Halo springs to mind - and could easily have a long and prosperous life in various european radio charts this summer.

Ruth Lorenzo has a warm presence and is likely to be liked by the viewers but she is also a major threat to her own success. If she can't keep her vocal chords under strict control she will easily become shouty and scream the song to bits, and if that happens Spain will end up way down the list again.

Potential winner: No. This package is probably a bit too nice to stand out in a line-up of 26 songs but with a good vocal delivery and some good luck, top ten could be within reach. But if Pastora Soler didn't do better than 10th, then who knows what's in store for Ruth.

My grade: 4/5

Spain: a strong line-up

On Saturday, Spain will select their entry for Copenhagen in a televised final consisting of five songs, judged by a panel of experts as well as the televoting audiences.

Spain has been a bit erratic - to put things mildly - for the last ten years at Eurovision. The success of using talent show Operación Triunfo as a vehicle to select for the ESC seemingly left RTVE clueless and only one Spanish entry has made top ten since.

Selecting Pastora Soler internally in 2012 and then let the audience decide what song she should sing in Baku turned out to be a good idea but last year the same formula failed big time for ESDM who ended in the very last place in Malmö with "Contigo hasta el final".

In a surprising move - Spanish tv was always full of surprises, but still - it was decided to put on a real national final with several performers and the names in the final line-up are not all bad.

The songs are not bad either. A lot will depend on the live performances and I get the feeling that the Spaniards will select a style rather than a song in the end. All songs are stronger than your average Spanish entry lately but none of them really stands out.

1. BREQUETTE - Más
Another big ballad - a not too distant relative to Pastora's "Quédate conmigo", written by the same team - with plenty of room for a big voice. Competent but perhaps a little too expected and a little bit too heard before, especially as a similar formula failed for Georgia last year.
Grade: 3/5

2. LA DAMA - Estrella fugaz
A lightweight but enjoyable attempt in the dance genre with more than a nod at "Euphoria", at least production-wise.
Grade: 3/5 

3. RUTH LORENZO - Dancing In The Rain
The one the eurofans talk about the most, due to Ruth voicing her desire to represent Spain at Eurovision many months ago. The song is an elegant ballad effort, and perhaps the most original song in the line-up albeit not as instant as I would have expected.
Grade: 3/5

4. JORGE GONZÁLEZ - Aunque se acabe el mundo
A more uptempo pop number with a light almost schlager-esque feel to it. Pleasant and inoffensive but perhaps the song that leaves the least of an impression of the lot.
Grade: 2/5

5. RAÚL - Seguir sin ti
The traditional latin male belter of a song would be a safe but predictable choice and would probably run the risk of not being distinct enough to convince a european audience come May. The boy can sing but we all heard this tune before.
Grade: 2/5

Tobson predicts: It seems to be open goal for one of the ladies and even if La Dama was the one that kept ringing in my head after one listening, I think Ruth Lorenzo would be the best choice. Brequette has a good voice but an overly tried formula while La Dama rings too many Euphoria bells for comfort.

Tobson adds: My grades may seem low but either one of the girls could easily improve by giving a strong live performance.

Tobson wonders: Who on earth sequenced this running order? I see they tried to do a ballad-tempo-ballad-tempo-ballad line-up, but why do all the girls sing first and then both boys? I hope this is not what the running order for the big ESC final will be like the day Spain gets to host.

You can listen to the final versions of the songs at the RTVE website.

Spain 1985: also a big star can fall

As the rehearsals are in full swing for the second semi of Melodifestivalen 2014 in my home region of Östergötland, it seems Sanna Nielsen now fully and completely emerged as the Big Favourite, hotly tipped by most to qualify for the final, win the final and possibly even take the crown in Copenhagen.

Big words, but Sanna is well loved by the Swedes, have an actively televoting fanbase and most people present in Linköping seem convinced she just can't lose.

A little bit like Paloma San Basilio in 1985.

The Spanish diva had conquered the world of latin music through her lead role in the Spanish version of "Evita" and was given a big ballad from the plume of Juan Carlos Calderón who had been a mere heartbeat away from winning the whole contest in 1973 with "Eres tú", a song that went on to become a major hit single all over the world.

Paloma had the passion, the conviction and the perfect song. She couldn't lose.

Until she did. Something must have gotten lost on the way from Scandinavium out to the juries around Europe and once all the votes were cast, Paloma were left with 36 points and a very modest 14th place shared with Turkey.

Not saying the same will happen to Sanna - I believe in her song as well. I'm just saying you have never won until you actually won.



Paloma San Basilio - La fiesta terminó (Spain 1985)

Tobson's Wish List: La Oreja de Van Gogh for Spain

When I started listing artists I would have loved to see take part in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku I didn't hit a single bull's eye. Not a single one of the acts I mentioned took part.

What did I learn from that experience?

Not a lot, frankly. So now I start crossing my fingers, spilling a few names I would really enjoy seeing in Copenhagen next year. Nothing brightens your day like a bit of wishful thinking and it also gives me the opportunity to push some acts I like and that you should check out anyway.

My first suggestion is for Spain, who are perhaps not so keen on sending another soft rock band after last year's failure. That would be a mistake as there is nothing wrong with that concept in itself. There is always room for some dynamic music on the border between rock and pop and this little gang can do that much better than ESDM did.

La Oreja de Van Gogh (Van Gogh's ear) started out in 1996 and met with big success before having a change of lead vocalist in 2008. That kind of action could rock anyone's career, but this band seems stronger than ever.

"La niña que llore en tus fiestas" (The girl who is crying at your parties) is not only the most played song ever on Spotify in Spain, it would also have been top five material at Eurovision any given year.



La Oreja de Van Gogh - La niña que llore en tus fiestas

What about the Big Five?

Yesterday I suggested that it could perhaps be worth considering cutting the number of songs in the ESC final down to 22-24 instead of 26 and I got plenty of feedback on that. Good. Every aspect of the show should be open for discussion.

Quite a few people also voiced the opinion that the Big Five rule should be scrapped: let France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK go through the semis like everyone else.

That has always been a touchy subject, ever since the Big Five system was introduced (in 2001, if I remember correctly). There was talk in 1996 how Germany's absence from the final really strained the NRK budget and how hard it would be staging the contest without one or several of the biggest contributors.

I have always seen the Big Five rule as a necessary evil: if that is what it takes for the ESC to go on properly so be it. Especially if the Biggies also show some commitment by contributing strong entries. Which has not always been the case.

But is this rule really needed? When it was created relegation still meant you had to miss the entire contest for a year and the EBU did not want to risk any of the Biggies to be absent. Since 2004 and the introduction of the semis nobody needs to miss a year anyway.

So what is the argument for keeping this outdated system? That the broadcasters in question would be really upset if it changed? That their viewers would never watch a final unless they have their own entry? Well, that is already the situation for everyone else.

Now that the process is underway to scale down the contest and diminish the costs of hosting and organising - will it still be absolutely necessary to keep the Big Five in the contest in order to afford it?

That would certainly be something for the reference group to ponder before the 2014 contest.

Fallen favourites: Spain 1985

As the participants rehearse in Malmö and most people - including myself - are busy predicting how the contest will end this year, maybe it's about time reminding ourselves how hard it can be to foresee what will work with the voters and not.

It doesn't matter how many people believe in you in advance - it is the grand total of points you manage to accumulate on the scoreboard that decides your fate, nothing else.

Paloma San Basilio knows this, for instance.

Being a celebrated star - not least after singing the lead role in the Spanish production of "Evita" - she was chosen to sing a grand ballad composed by Juan Carlos Calderon, who had almost won the contest in 1973, scoring a worldwide hit with "Eres tú".

"La fiesta terminó" had everything needed to win: passion, intensity, an strong chorus and an exquisite performer. I think it is safe to say most people assumed the Spanish entry to be the ballad of the evening, cemented in the final top five.



Paloma San Basilio - La fiesta terminó (Spain 1985)

I doubt I will ever understand what went wrong, but the juries heard or saw nothing of greater value in Paloma's performance. Spain had to content themselves with a shared 14th place out of 19 participants. A result that remains a mystery.

I sometimes wonder who these people in the jury were. They voted for pleasant but light-weight entries from United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Switzerland but paid no attention to grand ballads?

If it is any consolation to Paloma and her fans, Spain was not the most badly treated ballad of the night. The press on location in Gothenburg had taken not of the classy performance by Adelaide and considered Portugal to be a bit of a dark horse.

This particular dark horse had to go back home with a total of nine points and a second last place.

A number of songs in Malmö are also going to disappoint before the final is over. We just don't know who they are as yet.



Adelaide - Penso em ti, eu sei (Portugal 1985)

ESC 2013: will there be nul points?

When I started following Eurovision back in the day, one thing was almost as big a question as what country would win: who will be the no-pointer of the year? It was a thrilling little prospect that had stayed with the viewers ever since the phenomenon first appeared at the contest in Paris 1978.

Of course songs had failed to score before as well, but one of the main objectives of the current voting system - inaugurated in Stockholm 1975 - was that it would make it impossible for countries to end up without a single point.

It worked for a couple of years, then came Jahn Teigen in his red pants and Garbo sunglasses and managed to cling on to his zero throughout the entire voting. The unthinkable had happened and since then a total of fourteen songs have failed to score in a eurovision final.

Jahn Teigen - Mil etter mil (Norway 1978)

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the last song to get nul points in a final. The reason is of course the semifinals - most songs running the risk of not enthusing anyone get lost already at an early stage and are spared their Saturday night humiliation.

But maybe this year could be different.

There are fewer songs in the semi-finals, which makes it relatively more easy to qualify. The chance is higher that a song will make it to tenth place in its semi thanks to low but consistent points - and then this song will be far too weak to stand a chance in a grand final with tougher competition.

Norway almost became a victim of that last year in Baku - they barely made it to the final where they only got low, random points from three countries.

I also wonder how Europe will recieve the Spanish entry in Malmö. It is nice, pleasant and well sung, but will it manage to make it into the top ten of any country's voting? Especially now that neither one of their friendly neighbours - Andorra and Portugal - are in the competition.

Would I want to see a new nul-pointer, then? 

Not particularly. I have always preferred to see everyone get at least one or a handful of points for consolation. 

If it has to happen, what I'd like to see is a multiple nul-pointer. Twice there have been two countries tying for last place with nul points, but we never had three or more countries performing that very stunt with the current points system.

Unless that happens, I'd prefer points for everybody so that this one remains the last non-scorer ever in a eurovision final.

Jemini - Cry Baby (United Kingdom 2003)