Eurovision 2024 (ish) – more reviews (ish)

(I had a Spotify playlist with all of the entries on in the background while at work the other day. I didn’t really ‘digest’ a lot of the entries because, background, and I also have this thing where I don’t always concentrate very well if I am listening to music, and girl has gotta pay for that Spotify subscription…)

LITHUANIA

Sounds like: something cool (*snort* I know, I am Gen X but this is cool right? It’s pretty frickin’ cool)

The Lithuanian national selection was really worth a watch.

(And that is only scratching the surface, you know)

I would LOVE for Lithuania to win. I have been fixated with the country since Blog Goddess Aistė sang “Strazdas” so beautifully in 1999. Go on, please give this Goddess the respect she so utterly deserves:

I love her

Back to 2024: I like that this song “Luktelk” is in Lithuanian (singing in a native language will always pick up an extra point for me). There is something really intense yet accessible about this song and it is definitely one of my 2024 highlights.

CROATIA

Sounds like: something Dead or Alive would have done in the eighties (talkin’ about Gen X, huh)

ITALY

Sounds like: a perfect Italian pop song

UNITED KINGDOM

Sounds like: “It’s A Sin” by the Pet Shop Boys (I have waffled on about my whole national identity in the past, but come on: GOOD LUCK OLLY!) (Olly is a big name to get, yes? Even I have heard the song “King”, and my Top 40/Radio One listening days are so far in the past you would not believe it #time)

UKRAINE:

Sounds like: again, something very cool. This sounds really creative.

FINLAAAAND:

Sounds like: something from a video game my brother and his friends would have enjoyed in the nineties

NETHERLANDS:

Sounds like: the nineties. Oh, for the halcyon days of this kind of thing…

Poing!

I actually have a soft spot for “Europapa” after reading the story behind the song. And yeah, there is a ravey bit about halfway through that had me slamming the ‘Like’ button on YouTube.

AUSTRIA

They had me at rave!!!

GERMANY

Germany is an unusual one in that they don’t seem to ‘get’ Eurovision (at least, not in recent years). I don’t know quite what it is. Germany is one of my absolute favourite countries for music and now I am trying to think of German Eurovision entries I have loved. Hmm, I hope to be back.

SWITZERLAND

Sounds like: something range-y and ambitious that is going to slay (sorry) with the right staging.

A lot of the other songs (to be fair, I was familiar with most of the songs featured here) kind of blended together.

Again, I may be back (I am off to think of German Eurovision entries!).

Bis bald!

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 *clears throat*

(I do that a lot, btw. Damn rhinitis! Hmm, alluring image to cultivate on the Internet right there…)

I PLEDGED (well, sort of) that I would go into this year’s Eurovision cold! (As cold as could be!)

(I am still a little put out at last year’s results. Well, it happened. I would love to be a juror one day. Oh, the POINTS I would give to some of the songs… #Power) (I would probably be a rubbish juror actually. I don’t like the bit at the end when the acts receive their public vote: you can tell it’s tough for many of the contestants. Justice for “Who The Hell Is Edgar?” ETC.)

I have heard some songs in their entirety.

Look, we’ll see how this goes, ok?

If anyone is interested *ahem* I made a playlist with some of the national final songs from this year (Lithuania, Estonia, Goddess Konstrakta from Serbia, RAAVE! from Austria).

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1yjfpUHxRqKf55RU44k6CO?si=6dBzPxkqReum9F_VwpYsMw&pi=e-CP17-xqsQVGi

I have watched Eurovision on and off since the 1980s.

My favourite Eurovision song of all time is this captivating masterpiece.

Goddess! Robbed! Babble! Etc…

My favourite songs from the last few years, hmm: Serbia from 2022/2023. Austria from 2023. Anouk (Netherlands). I honestly don’t know! Hold up, is it time for another playlist…

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0g68TA4oT3IJrHAF9Jk5js?si=BtdchOxRSZ6Id5WBjKZ-Yg&pi=e-Jq0QSIXkRJ-e

I like songs to be in native language if possible. I am a middle aged woman whose passport expired. Gimme different cultures, different languages! Give me that flavour, that excitement!

I am aware that I am getting older and some of the factors (things like TikTok integration) mean nothing to me (oh Viennaaaa). I really don’t want to sound like someone shouting at a cloud. I want to get the balance right (oh the title of a Depeche Mode song).

What have I heard so far, then?

Estonia – song with an incredibly long title that I am not going to look up as my cat is on my lap (Eesti, we are cool, right? We have a history!)

SOUNDS LIKE I have no idea

I completely and utterly love this and I am thrilled that this song will be representing Estonia in May. This is why I watch Eurovision! It’s in Estonian, it represents Estonian culture. The package is so fun and charming and clever and infectious. I might have to vote for this, you know. When did I last vote at Eurovision? I don’t always particularly care for the Estonian entries. I used to be a big fan of the Estonian music scene. Tallinn is home to this gem…

https://youtu.be/4j5M4N_NDPg?si=4Hrn_30A9ejbtCOA

(Does the embed work? It is the Depeche Mode bar in Tallinn. GOD. The sweetest perfection indeed.)

Sweden – Impossible

SOUNDS LIKE “Salva Mea” by Faithless (thank you Internet!)

Yes, Sweden has the ‘teacher’s pet’ tag for sure: they are good at what they do and I will always respect a competition like Melfest (they put the work in and it invariably pays off) but, yeah. It can be like eating Pringles (let’s NOT go there) instead of trying a new flavour, something different… I would love to hear Swedish language, for example. (When did Sweden last send a song in Swedish? It is a beautiful language.)

These singers (Marcus and Martinus) are adorable, and it is probably just as well I am not a juror because I don’t like to think of their little faces being disappointed in any way. Eurovision can be ruthless. Of course they will do well because Sweden (and the singers are Norwegian). The song is catchy. Good luck to them.

(I will be back…)

(I love Pringles btw. Way too much. And I always almost eat the original ones.)

Eurovision 2023 – my review – Part 2 *Роцк Лобстер*

(Uhmm, about following the Spotify playlist order…) (you’ve forgotten I wrote that, right? Right?)

Latvia. (Sudden Lights – “Aija”.) This is truly a ‘my type on paper’ kind of song. (Well, maybe more from a few years ago.) It ticks those indie rock boxes. Latvia, eh? Has it really been 23 years since this lil’ Britpop (Latpop?) number?

Latvia can bring the offbeat (last year’s salad song, the Pirates of the Sea) and the credible (the fabulously talented Aminata Savadogo, our Latpop heroes from 2000). I am interested to see (and of course hear) this year’s entry live in Liverpool. Let’s see if the performance elevates this song to an OMG fave!!! kind of song.

Lithuania. Last year’s entry from Lithuania was exquisite – so classy! Monika Liu was absolutely captivating. Lithuania is represented by another Monika this year and the song is called “Stay”. I think Ms Liu spoiled me last year, and that enthusiasm is hard to come by. I wish Ms Linkytė well, of course.

Estonia. (Alika: “Bridges”) There was THIS stormer of a song in the Eesti Laul final: wouldn’t this have been perfect for Liverpool?

Tuju know what I mean?

Alika won Estonian Idol and obviously has immense vocal capacity. “Bridges” is a big ballad and I am sure Alika will perform the heck out of it in the ‘pool.

Serbia – an interesting entry for the second year in a row! Who is this guy posing with a lobster? His name is Luke Black?

(I play visual novels, and I am reminded of “The Freshman” series – Choices Interactive – where your character can choose to adopt a lobster as a pet.)

Enjoy!

There is something I really like about this. I am going to listen further (doh) – this has definitely grabbed me… (You can listen too; go on!)

Rock Lobster!

Azerbaijan – aah, it’s the Azeri Kings of Convenience! (Except KOC are not twins, of course.) This is a rather charming entry!

More, more!

My favourites from this batch: Lobster Man and Azeri Kings of Convenience.

Laterz, I guess…

Eurovision Song Contest 2023 – it begins!

Hello Yoorop!!

Aaaah!!

I did this last year (what, are there any entries that share titles with Depeche Mode songs this year-) and you know, I think I am going to do it this year! That isss: review each and every entry for THE Eurovision Song Contest 2023! ✨

(Yes, I used an emoji. If you can’t use an emoji for Eurovision, when can you use one of the damn things?)

I write as a Eurovision fan of decades.

I burned myself out of Eurovision a little a few years ago (an existential thing) and that enthusiasm will never truly come back (I am an older woman now, I listen to Greatest Hits Radio and Classic FM, and have never used TikTok ever ever) but you know, it’s still Eurovision. Eurovision! It’s like Wimbledon (tennis) every year. It’s an event. I love the languages, the colour, the sparkle. There is still more good than anything else for me. (Let’s not talk about the Danish entry from a couple of years ago failing to qualify that one really hurt justice for Fyr og Flamme!)

So!

Let’s see if I can review these songs without falling back on the following:

Appraising the Lithuanian entry without mentioning “Strazdas” (hell, though: that SONG)

Reviewing Estonia without some bleating about my favourite Eesti Laul songs that went out at the semi-final stage in 2015 or something

The UK, and my relationship to the UK as a Welsh person (keep politics out of Eurovision!!!)

My age

The scorching Danish entries from the eighties (and Fyr og Flamme from 2021 sob sob)

We ready for this? Y’all ready for this?

Coming soon!

Party Zeit!

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 – Part 1 *Food vs Hair*

Right. The whole idea was to be a bit more structured than this, but it is my blog, and…

(Such an attitude! This is not in keeping with the spirit of Eurovision! Anyway, we’ll see how this goes…)

Latvia – “Eat Your Salad”. Eurovision is all political, they cry! No one likes us! Brexit! We could send Ed Sheeran/Adele/etc etc etc and still not win! I have been following this contest for long enough that this kind of thing rolls off me. (I do really dislike the sense of entitlement from elements of UK media, though. Just…stop it.) Anyway, there I go, arguing with family members about the artistic merits of my favourite competition and here comes a song called “Eat Your Salad”, which also references a particular act that is not perhaps greengrocer friendly. Well well.

This sounds a bit like a cross between Level 42 and Right Said Fred. It’s catchy! The performance is fun. This isn’t going to win, but it doesn’t have any pretentions. If nothing else, Latvian schoolchildren are going to have a nice song to help them to eat their greens (let’s forget about the [censored]) (shall I give this blog an 18+ rating? Nothing like a midlife crisis). Good luck, Latvia!

From Baltic country to another…

Lithuania. Oh my God. Monika Liu just wins at life. She is gorgeous, charismatic, vocally blessed, got a hug from the singer from The Roop upon winning the Lithuanian national final. I am utterly in love with this entry, which is in Lithuanian language! Icing on the most scrumptious of cakes! I want the world for this entry. It is that good. It is sophisticated, nuanced, alluring, everything. It will devastate me if this doesn’t do well. Vote Lithuania, please! Behold this blog’s new heroine!

Goddess

Moldova. What was I writing about Eurovision being about different languages and cultures for me? Now, this song is so unmistakably Moldovan (interesting for me to hear the pronunciation of “Chisinau”: I was watching an interview with an American in Moldova fairly recently and he pronounced “Chisinau” a different way). It’s not my favourite and I won’t seek it out on Spotify etc but I love it dearly for what it is and wish it so well.

Netherlands. S10 has incredible hair, and *eruptions of joy* she is singing in Dutch! Yessss! This is something classy. The Dutch are good at this. I might write more about this later, actually. It deserves it.

Slovenia. The band is called LPS (Last Pizza Slice). The singer is very young and has that deep style of singing I like. I referenced Level 42 earlier, so let’s look elsewhere… This has a jazzy feel, maybe a bit like a Talkin’ Loud production from the early nineties? I would love to go to Slovenia one day. It looks beautiful.

Ukraine. Damn. DAMN. DAMN. It would be disingenuous of me to say that this song is a favourite of mine… But hell, let’s think about what is going on right now. I want nothing but peace and love for that formidable country. If powervoting Ukraine makes 0.000001% of difference then hand me that freaking phone.

#StandWithUkraine

UK.

Errm, no

The hair!

Sam obviously has an outstanding voice (and oh maaan, his hair!). He is a huge TikTok star. There is ambition here and that is to be applauded. I hope it does well. I hope Sam (hair!) does well. (Hair!) Every time I see the words “Space Man” though; I think of the Babylon Zoo song, which was ubiquitous 26 years ago…

(Excuse me?!! How long ago?!!!)

(I reviewed “The Boy With The X-ray Eyes” for a local newspaper back in the day.)

(Was Sam Ryder even alive in 1996?)

I think it is one of the better UK entries of recent times. I did quite like “Embers” from last year, actually.

Germany. Oh Germany, I love so many of your musical acts to pieces. (I remember how I felt when tracking down “Love is a Shield” by Camouflage. I would vote my FINGERS off for that song, and throw in a few toes! Toe voting!) There is clearly emotion behind this. I don’t think I have cared for too many of the recent German entries so the emotion here elevates it from that pack. Would love to hear something in German soon, though. (I have been spoilt; so demanding!)

In the words of Sir Tony of Dortie, laterz!

Novelty songz

Eurovision Song Contest 2022 – Forza!

It begins!

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Turin, Italy.

Most of the songs are out (excluding Azerbaijan and Armenia, I believe).

I have watched Eurovision since 1980s. (There are years when I wasn’t interested for whatever reason, and times when it can be a bit overwhelming, but I owe Eurovision a lot. Sure, I am getting older, and the times they are a changing, but part of me likes the idea of being a cool 80 year old – if I am lucky enough to reach that age – and debating the merits of the contest with young uns! A love for music can surely never die?)

Before I start reviewing these songs, a few points while I think of them…

• “It’s all political” – please, I will not countenance that talk!
• I favour songs in native language, always. THIS is what Eurovision is about to me. Give me your language, show me your culture, open my eyes. This year’s contest has songs in Lithuanian, Icelandic, Dutch, Breton, etc… This is what I like!
• Favourite Eurovision countries? Hmm. I guess, the countries that take the risks… The countries that take the contest seriously. I had a bit Lithuania phase at one time. I have attended a couple of Estonian national finals.
• Favourite Eurovision songs? Oh my God, speaking of Lithuania; freaking this…

Belgium gave good eighties:

Turkey gave drumz!

😍

Denmark didn’t disappoint in the eighties either (watch the DMGP finals from the eighties, if you are so inclined! It’s worth it!).

A Danish national final song/performance that I love so much that it inspired me to start learning Danish on Duolingo:

Where was I…

Aaah yes! Coming soon: a middle aged female Eurovision fan reviews this year’s entries…