Sunday, 12 February 2012

Iceland decides! And I don't agree!!

So, Iceland also chose their song for Eurovision last night, and went for a male/female ballad! It's not awful or anything, but, gird yourself, it's another EUROTRAVESTI, for reasons that I will discuss later!

Before that though, here's the actual song they did choose. The chap's called Jonsi, and went to Eurovision for Iceland before in 2004 with a neck-vein-popping performance, he seems to have calmed down a bit now! As he's so pretty, I haven't paid the female much attention, but she does a bit of violin strumming, which is sooooooo 2009!!! Here it is, anyway:



Loads of fans are praising this to the hilt, and like I say, while it's not bad, there's one or two other songs that should have got the gig for Iceland instead. As in:



This translates as "Never let me go" and is a much nicer, more memorable tune than the winner, and I think it would have done well in Eurovision, still, as I am starting to say a lot lately, we'll never know...!

Tooji takes trophy in Norway!

Next up is Norway who selected their Eurovision entry last night in an amazing final! Several really good songs competed for the right to sing for Norway at Eurovision in May and the one that emerged triumphant was this:



Now this has really divided the fans - you either seem to hate it ("it's a copy of Eric Saade's song for Sweden last year"/"it's for bed-wetting 10-year olds") or love it ("it's fab and catchy"/"it's a modern pop dance song that could be in the charts"), and I am firmly in the "love" camp!

I think Norway have been very canny here, with a pop song with ethnic tinges, by an Iranian-born singer that will perform in Azerbaijan, Tehran is just next door! I think it's not just the Azeris will love Tooji either...

But saying all that, it still qualifies as a Eurotravesty!!! I do like this song a lot, but it wasn't my favourite by a long chalk!! I *loved* this wee ballad and so did the juries! This was leading the vote after the juries had given their scores, but wasn't popular, it wasn't popular enough with the televotes to win the overall vote. Still I loved it, it's very like it could be off of a musical, or Disney film, but that's no bad thing!:



*Sigh* I really do think this could have won for Norway at Eurovision, but we'll never know! What do you think?

You can say it's all the same - HUNGARY DECIDES!

Well, it's been a big old weekend for Eurovision this weekend, with three countries choosing their Eurovision songs for this year.

By either accident or design, I spent last night round my mates Julie and Andrew's gaff just outside Cambridge and we watched Norway and Iceland choose their songs, but the first we are going to look at is Hungary. Most of the songs that Hungary had to choose from were rubbish, so of course the big fear is that there would be a EUROTRAVESTY and they'd choose one of the rubbish ones.

But in a rare feat, Hungary chose the best song, although unfortunately the singer is somewhat "vocally challenged" and I can't quite bring myself to post the live version yet, so here's the studion version accompanied by come charming shots of riot, wars and famines and stuff:



Now, I don't think this is bad at all, a bit Hurts-esque in terms of the music, and if the singer steps up to the plate it could do very well in Baku in May!! Hurray for Hungary, my second favourite entry chosen so far!! :)

Thursday, 9 February 2012

They'll be there for you, like they've been there before...

Ireland have released the six songs that will compete for the right to represent the Emerald Isle in Baku, and well, let's just say that some of them (tedious Celtic Ballad, cheesy male/female duo, male solo soft rock) are there to make up the numbers... As soon as Jedward confirmed that they were going to try out for Ireland again, many thought that it was a foregone conclusion.

And it's a got tune!! I know that they'll be totally carried by their backing singers, but it's another catchy tune, but in a different way to their song from last year, have a listen!! :



Not bad eh? Very US-sounding, like an updated version of "I'll be there for you" and as has been mentioned by fandom, very "High School Musical" too! Could do very good business for Ireland, this!

The other song of note is Donna McCaul, who entered for Ireland in 2005, with her wee brother Joe, who's on her own know, and clearly channelling Lady Gaga:



Reckon it will be between these two when Ireland choose their song, although it's difficult to see any other outcome than Jedward Jed-winning! :))) What do *you* think?

Sunday, 5 February 2012

Cyprus - La La La Love It! :)))

The last catch up with all the Eurovision entries that have already been chosen comes from Cyprus. Cyprus more often than not choose *very* ethnic, "typically Cypriot" entries, which either don't qualify for the final or get overshadowed by the Greek entry. However this year they've gone for something a bit different:



To me it has elements of Rihanna-lite, a bit Gaga, a bit Katy Perry, and I la la love it!! Well done to Cyprus for entering something credible and that sounds like it could be in the charts right now!

We've not yet heard her sing this live yet though, which is mildly concerning at the moment, but as long as she carries it off live, I think this is sailing into the final!

Hoorah for Cyprus, would love to go to Eurovision in Limassol next year! :))))

France in "sends a splendid song to Eurovision-shocker!!"

Blimey!! It's almost as if France *want* to win!! France TV have internally selected the singer and song this year, like the BBC did with Blue last year, the difference being that the singer they have chosen has had two number ones in France last year, so is a very successful contemporary artist!

And the song is a belter! Stick with it, the intro lulls you into thinking that it will be something *completely* different:



Anggun is orginally from Indonesia, and came to France to find international stardom, having done very well in her homeland...

Absolutely love this, it's catchy, modern and just a little bit bonkers! And could be performed very well on the Eurovision stage!

Bonne chance, Anggun, Bonne chance la France!!

Third time lucky - This was Kurt's night in Malta...

So plucky wee Malta chose their song for Eurovision last night, and as Terry Wogan would say, the vote went down to the wire!

The Maltese National final always seems to take about five hours, and it was very nearly a very awful and boring ballad that got the ticket to Baku, however the best song among a mediocre bunch won in the end, and so we'll be seeing Kurt Calleja at Eurovision this year with "This is the Night". I can't help thinking that the introduction to the song promises more than it delivers....:



You can't knock a tryer though, and this is Kurt's third attempt to represent Malta at the Eurovision, and the Maltese public always seem to reward those who if at first they don't succeed, try, try, and try again!

Actually the more I listen to it, the more I like it, the English lyric is a bit simple and twee "Hey, look at me and you'll see that I'm into you" doesn't fit well with me, but I like the vibe! And it sure is better than their song last year! And I like his look :P What do you think?