I won’t deny that ‘Spirit in the sky’ has a touch of the Aqua going on. It’s bouncy plastic pop and I hope it’s not trying to pretend to be anything else.
Five years ago, this would have been a contender. It would be the bookie’s favourite and we’d all be talking about how expensive it is in Oslo. In 2019, the contest seems to have moved in a different direction, but the joy of Eurovision is that you should never discount it swinging around.
‘Spirit in the sky’ is a slice of fun, usually well-performed, though the trio have tended to look awkward on stage, like they don’t quite belong together. There’s an extended slice of what I’m assured is called ‘joiking’, which could fall flat on its face, but you takes your chances in this game.
An article in UK freesheet The Metro claims Norway’s staging to be an Arctic version of ‘The Lion King’ … though that could be based on the ill-advised video that recently surfaced.
I just don’t know.
5 Points