Hello Everyone!
I’m back again for a live(ish) review of Eurovision 2016.
SBS has been teasing Eurovision coverage, and Australia’s competitor for about a month now so I am more than ready.
Other than Australia’s in it as an actual competitor this year, I really do not know anything about it. And that’s the way I prefer it. I like to know as little as possible before I see the Semi-Finals.
I enjoy the Australian commentary team — I like Julia & Sam. I don’t know any the commentary teams from other countries, but I hope they have as much fun as Julia & Sam seem to have.
We’re beginning tonight’s show with a performance of last year’s winner, Sweden, Måns Zelmerlöw, Heroes. It wasn’t my favorite performance, but it’s not bad.
This year the emblem is a dandelion, after it’s gone to seed and has become a puffball ready for the wind (or someone’s breath) to scatter it all over.
Finland
Sandhja, Sing It Away
It has a bouncy beat, and is a good opening number, but there is really nothing special about it to me. As it goes on, the song seems disjointed, and the chorus seems to belong to a different song entirely. It was interesting, but definitely not in my top 10.
Greece
Argo, Utopian Land
I like the interesting instruments and I do like that they are are not singing only in English. The lyrics were funny when they were translated. I didn’t mind it, but I don’t think the judges will send them through to the Final.
I miss the interesting and fun postcards. The ones where the contestants made their countries flags out of things were the best, but I think there are better than the intro postcards this year.
Moldova
Lidia Isac, Falling Stars
The astronaut is an unusual and unexpected element to the performance. I would like to see a small country win, but I’m not sure this is Moldova’s year.
Hungary
Freddie, Pioneer
Whistling; that’s different. And acrobatics from the drummer. But overall it feels like a rather generic boy band.
Croatia
Nina Kraljić, Lighthouse
Julia says she’s a winner of the Croatian version of The Voice. That makes me a bit nervous. Wow. That is a dress. It seems like the dress of Elsa’s evil twin. Spencer says to go with the song title it needs some fresnel lenses the dress. But the sleeve trains do remind me of the fresnel lenses, so she could be a stylized lighthouse.
The Netherlands
Douwe Bob, Slow Down
This has the feel of American modern country music. It’s catchy though. I can see this being on the radio and people singing along in their cars. Definitely a top ten for me.
Armenia
Iveta Mukuchyan, LoveWave
I can see this winning votes, but there doesn’t seem to be anything special about it to me. The costume is a bit distracting, as are some of the effects for the television audience. It’s a television song contest kind of entry. And while I know Eurovision is a television song contest, I think of it as better than the reality competition shows.
San Marino
Serhat, I Didn’t Know
This entry has a very retro feel, and I kind of like it. It won’t win, but I do like it. Apparently when he’s not an Eurovision contestant, he’s a dentist in San Marino. The Australian commentary team all but told him not to quit his day job, but I thought it was kind of interesting and different.
Russia
Sergey Lararev, You Are the Only One
Another entrant with shadow art. Ohh, that’s different. That was very cool. I think the special effects are better than the song. It’s worth it for that to see it again. The song is fairly average.
Having the dandelion seeds fly toward the screen is just odd, most images have the seeds being blown from the viewer. It’s different to see them coming toward the viewer.
Czech Republic
Gabriela Gunčiková, I Stand
Full points for being a solo act, and I can see how this may get lots of points, but I’m not really feeling top ten from this one.
Cyprus
Minus One, Alter Ego
The hard rock, heavy metal was a bit unexpected. The cages are interesting but fitting. And it is a change from the same-same-ness of the reality competition show contestants. Howling at the moon is a bit different as well.
Austria
ZOË, Loin d’ici
She’s singing in French; I suppose it’s a prettier language to sing in than Austrian. Yippee! It’s not in English. She’s a little princess in a fairyland. It’s fun and innocent. I like it. I find it interesting there are no subtitles for this song there way there were for Greeks.
Estonia
Jüri Pootsmann, Play
This isn’t bad. I don’t mind it. A solid top ten entry. I wish I had something more to say because I did like it.
Azerbaijan
Samra, Miracle
The football shoulder pads seem out of place. Another reality competition show entry. Not bad, but not stand-out either.
Montenegro
Highway, The Real Thing
I might like this more if the camera would be still for a few seconds and the stage wasn’t so dark. I know I’m all about the bounces, but not in the camera work while I’m trying to figure out this performance. The camera work is very distracting. I thought previous Montenegrin entries were better.
Iceland
Greta Salóme, Hear Them Calling
I don’t mind this song, but it does feel it hits all the Eurovision must-haves for a solo performance. I would be surprised if this one does not go on to the final.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Dale & Deen featuring Ana Runcer and Jala, Ljubav Je
My housemate said this song had the crazy cello. He wasn’t wrong. Full points for singing in a language that’s not English. The barbed wire is an interesting touch too. Rapping with a backing cello. That’s different. There is one different thing after another in this performance. Definitely interesting, but I was distracted by the performance elements.
Malta
Ira Losco, Walk on Water
It’s not a bad song, but I wouldn’t give it my first place vote.
More of the entries so far have felt like entries in a reality competition music show than in previous years. I’m not sure what to think about that. I know Eurovision is a reality competition music show, but it feels more like Hollywood and American Idol have influenced this year’s competition too much. I’m having a hard time picking which songs I would vote for. So I think I’m not going to vote for any. The entrants I like best never win anyway.
I’ll be back tomorrow night for Semi-Final #2.
See you then,
Tigger
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