With another batch of songs to come, we delve right into the show (which seems to last forever )
Bosnia & Herzegovina – Dino Merlin
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourte
This song is absolutely fantastic beyond words. It’s so simple and so awesome. Long time Eurovision singer, been in the contest several times before with good songs brings an ethnic pop song that’s quite mainstream to the competition. It makes me just wiggle around in my chair, and when I’m walking around town with my iPod I belt out this song!
Austria – Nadine Beiler
=> Qualifier
So Austria decides to grace us with their presence this time, but obviously doesn’t bring rubbish to the competition. This is a good song overall but it’s not my taste at all. It’s a little too skinny and the singing is a little too diva in a happy way for me. The Austrians bitch and complain about never qualifying, so now this will shut them up for awhile. I suspect this was a favourite with the juries, and not so much with the tele voting.
Netherlands – 3JS
❗ Personal Favourite
For the first time in a really long time the Dutch bring something decent to the table. This song is mainstream soft-rock with a chorus that sticks in your head. It’s a feel good song, and very simply presented on stage. What always baffles me is how young the Dutch always look, but what’s even more baffling is when they have a mixture of young and old looking, but in reality they are all more or less the same age. Tragic that it didn’t go through, but it’s in my top songs this year for sure. I hope next year the Dutch bring Bear4ceOne !
Belgium – Witloof Bay
They are always so weird, those crazy Belgians. I will commend the performers on their beat-box style and total a cappella song, but really did they think that they would be going anywhere with this song? It narrowly missed qualifications, but I ask “why” ? Skill is an A+ but really it’s just kind of awkward the whole way through…
Slovakia – TWiiNS
❗ Personal Favourite
It’s cliché I know, but a bunch of Slovakian girls sing on stage and entrance me hitherto. They are adorable, and can actually sing, with a semi-upbeat pop song that is likely to make some radio success. The only problem is that it’s a little too similar to Azerbaijan’s song, which is tipped as one of the winners this year. Two thumbs up for me, but Europe doesn’t agree.
Ukraine – Mika Newton
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourite
Fantastic song, fantastic voice, fantastic presentation on screen. A lot of people this year have been very critical of the sand drawings on screen but I think it complemented the song in a lovely way. It’s certainly better than a bunch of dancers on the stage waving around and trying to do an interpretive dance to this song. Thumbs up on creativity, musicality, and aesthetics Ukraine! They are one of more consistent competitors in the competition; they come to play and win!
Moldova – Zdob şi Zdub
=> Qualifier
Risen from the ashes of yesteryear, this Moldovan group comes up with their strange and awkward rock song to float into the finals yet again. I can see the appeal as it’s very “Not Eurovision” but in a lot of ways it really is; I mean they are dressed like they are in the circus, and Eurovision is nearly always a circus, so in the end I think they fit in just fine.
Sweden – Eric Saade
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourite
What can I say about Eric Saade? Well he’s got just about everything going for him and a decent song to come to bat. In all fairness, I kind of can’t help but wonder if another artist came with this song and wasn’t so damn adorable; would the result have been the same? Is the fact that he’s every girls, every gays, and every straight man’s wet dream carry the success of the song?
Cyprus – Christos Mylordos
I was intrigued by this song because it was a little different, but also because it’s really simple. A bunch of guys on stage singing about angels, and moving in strange ways with magnetic shoes on. Better musical presentation that most others in the first semi-final, but in this semi-final it just got drowned out. Sadly Cyprus has more enemies than friends.
Bulgaria – Poli Genova
I’m not really sure what I should say about this song. It has horrible (and when I say horrible, I mean really really horrible) bridges and verses, but the chorus is really catchy and makes me want to just jump around and rock. Those who know me, would know that “rocking out” isn’t something that I do, cause it just looks awkward. Regardless, the overall was okay, but wasn’t able to pull enough attention in the end. No loss in my books.
F.Y.R. Macedonia – Vlatko Ilievski
I’m so happy that this song didn’t go anywhere and I was a little bit worried. In the early 21st century Macedonia was successful and went to the final quite often. I think we just got sick of their monster name, and horrible songs to support their little bubble. This song irritates me and it can go back to Southern Europe!
Israel – Dana International
❗ Personal Favourite
Fantastic that Dana International came back to the competition since her triumphant (and somewhat surprising victory). Tragic that this song was so good and didn’t qualify. In all fairness, it’s totally gay like beyond words, but I will criticise it a bit. It’s awkward with the arm waving and I think that Dana didn’t really know what to do with her arms as she just walked around. She did, however, utilize the whole stage, which is something that hardly any of the artists actually did. Top points for it’s awesomeness, but the Israli pre-selection was much better The gay inside me just died a little.
Slovenia – Maja Keuc
=> Qualifier
I don’t understand this song and I don’t understand it’s appeal. There isn’t anything in it that really draws my attention or interest. I kind of just keep thinking of why this girl is on stage and how big her mouth looks when she’s singing. No appeal for me, but I guess someone liked it cause it was one of the top qualifiers
Romania – Hotel FM
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourite
Feel good fucking song of the year (excuse my awesomeness and tongue). I love this song and I think that it’s totally the most adorable thing since Winnie the Pooh! Romania has somehow been able to keep a consistent mirage of good competitors in the last ten or so years. It remains one of my favourite countries of all time. It’s tragic that the main singer is just a little man, but he packs a great time and makes me pleased as punch and tickled pink!
Estonia – Getter Jaani
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourite
I can’t quite put my finger on why this song is so fabulous. Truth be told, I spend a lot of time at the gym and this song is on the playlist. I tend to pick up my speed of whatever I’m doing, and give it my all because of it. Perhaps it’s just the strong base or the magical feeling that it gives me, but it really does make me happy. The lyrics don’t make any sense to me, or to anyone, but it doesn’t matter cause it’s catchy enough to qualify!
Belarus – Anastasiya Vinnikova
❗ Personal Favourite
Yes you can scowl at me, I liked this song. I don’t, however, like political nature of it, nor it’s promotion of Belarus (like common, do I actually have to explain why)? The chorus is painfully catchy and kind of makes me want to throw my fist in the air. So I guess in a way, the fact that it’s propaganda (of sorts) means that it’s successful. I fell for it, and surely other people did too. Thankfully Europe doesn’t feel the love, and shuts it down.
Latvia – Musiqq
❗ Personal Favourite
Seeing two straight guys in Eurovision sing about angels and how they are in disguse and rapping a little bit, yet still being a mainstream pop song sells it for me. I’m glad that it’s not some homo trying to sing at the top of their vocal registers (i.e. Malta), and for that reason I find it very appealing. Though I do think that the main singer looks like his clothes are too tight and are suffocating him. Eurovision made him gayer, and his stylists made him gayer, but they didn’t fool me!
Denmark – A Friend in London
=> Qualifier
❗ Personal Favourite
I totter on favouring this song only because it’s clearly a rip off of Andreas Johnson’s song (any Swedes will know what I’m talking about). Denmark is always so strange to me; the guy looks like he could kill someone or seems to be constipated and extremely straight but then wears something so completely gay (open back shirt). It’s confusing and it’s odd, but the song has a good message and is well executed.
Ireland – Jedward
=> Qualifier
A lot of people love this song, and I just find it a bit irritating. It’s strange to watch and in my opinion is so not Irish. I kind of watch it, and would think that the Irish Republic and it’s citizens would cringe at this duo and their outlandish nature. I don’t know much about them and their history, but I know that they annoy me and seem controversial.
As you can see there were many favourites and the musical quality was much higher in this semi-final. With a bunch of new songs to enter into the competition during the Final, we might have a bit of a mismatch in styles, but all in all, most of the songs this year demonstrate a good mix of genres and eclectic style of Europe’s “mainstream” music.