Belgium – Gustaph – Because Of You
Those of you with short memories will remember that when Michael Ben-David minced onto the stage with his powerful empowerment song IM last year, I decreed that he needed to be less gay and it might have done a whole lot better.
Gustaph clearly heard my pleas and despite him being flamboyant in his outlandish outfit in Eurosong 23, the song is exactly the kind of thing that IM was trying to be. It’s what the old world would associate with Aretha Franklin or some such, just flipped turned upside down and sung by a non woman! – Gustaph can’t half sing this song but, for me, this arrangement lacks attack and by that I mean that the backing vocals will need to be beefed up as they seem to be too much in the background (if that isn’t an oxymoron) and should compliment Gustaph being the queen of soul rather than being in the same vein as with Portugal 1995.
If you are going to be gospel or soul, BE IT, don’t be half arsed about it. This has potential but they are going to have to stage it bigger and better to stop it falling between two stools.
Phil’s score – 5 Points