Eurovision Week 9: Review of the weekend

It’s been a busy weekend in the world of Eurovision with Five songs making the Turin List, and several semi-finals building to their inevitable climaxes.

Germany

We’ll start back on Friday night when Germany picked a song using a show optimistically called Germany 12 Points. Assuming that refers to the grand total on 14 May, let’s see what they picked …

First up, it’s a million miles removed from the 2021 entry. Malik Harris is incredibly charismatic and has the perfect voice for this. The song, though, is the weak link. It’s another one of those ten-a-penny mid-tempo rock ballads. The kind of thing Germany and the UK seem to have decided will cut the mustard at Eurovision. It’s certainly radio-friendly, and the spoke-rap verse is effective, but I see this way over on the right at the end of voting. [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

Denmark

If you ever wondered what the Bangles might sound like if they decided to base their act on Måneskin, wonder no more. The Danes have entered what sounds like the theme song to a US TV comedy pilot that never got picked up. It’s another one that starts off about being a kid and made not to feel enough, then rocks it up a little, with oddly thin vocals and the lead singer way too high in the mix. It’s pedestrian. [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

Romania

After one of their strongest national finals in years, it’s a shame to find Romania represented by what has been doing well at Eurovision of late, rather than something genuinely innovative. It’s a jolly enough song, and the sound is far more authentically Latin America than say Luka Hari who tried something very similar for Switzerland. It’s a fool who would bet against this making the final and doing very nicely, thank you. [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

France

Alvan & Ahez have tipped up with something that couldn’t be more Eurovision if it tried. It’s the sort of tripe Bulgaria tried way back when. You might well love it and I’d imagine to some ears, this is genius. To mine, it isn’t. [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

Serbia

I don’t honestly know why this works and why I can’t take my eyes off Konstrakta, but it absolutely does. It’s one of those odd-ball songs that can do well at Eurovision or be a record low scoring entry for Serbia. You’ll either love it or hate it, but like France, it has its place in the fabulous world of Eurovision. [icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”][icon name=”star” prefix=”fas”]

And with two more semifinals out of the way, we now have the line-ups for both Sweden and Iceland – though not the running order, as yet, that’s to follow this week. Both finals air next Saturday.

Iceland

Sweden

In other news, this week sees several internal selections revealed – including the United Kingdom! Just give it space, and you’ll find out soon enough what’s coming from the BBC this year. Keep an eye on our calendar, which we’ll update as and when news breaks.