Month: May 2022

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Austria, Iceland and Italy

Austria – LUM!X feat. Pia Maria: Halo

Ready the autotuners and prepare for a high energy rush that will leave you out of breath. Austria manages to squeeze two standard Eurovision entries into one – the beat and delivery are rapid and there is barely time for Pia Maria to gasp for air! Might this be the dance anthem amongst a field of moody ballades, we have been waiting for? According to one reviewer, it took them 15 minutes of continuous listening to actually like it. I am not sure I am game enough…

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Iceland – Systur: Með Hækkandi Sól

Three ladies (sisters, no less), three guitars, one dude on percussion and an excellent hat!!! That’s all it takes to deliver a very lovely, toe tapping lullaby, beautifully delivered by Systur. So far, so good, what could go wrong? Well, there seems to be a preponderance of touching melodies delivered by women with guitars this year, and I am not sure if Iceland can stand out sufficiently. Now, if Systur had another 3-4 sisters joining them on stage, that could make the difference…

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Italy – Mahmood & BLANCO: Brividi

Hey – we all know Mahmood….he came second in 2019 Eurovision. Back then the has very angry with his father. Now he is in love and is ‘naked with chills’. But seriously, it is actually a great song, has elements of a very classic love song with some edgy crescendos, some wholesome LBGTIQ+ content and an oversized white suit (which I hope will make it on stage). No wonder Italy is one of the three top favorites. Douze points from me!!!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Armenia, Cyprus and Denmark

Armenia – Rosa Linn: Snap

Rosa Linn, the love-child of ‘First Aid Kit’ and ‘The Lumineers’, delivers a charming folk song, with an catchy chorus and tap-along beat. With surprisingly cogent lyrics (‘get out of my heart’) – this is definitely not your typical Armenian entry… I love it… and the adorable beanie she is wearing! Top 10 for me!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Cyprus – Andromache: Ela

Reminiscent of the Sirens who transfixed Ulysses with their song, Andromache’s Ela is seductive, alluring and dreamy, without losing Cyprus’ signature Eurovision pop (the trashy kind of pop). The bookies have Andromache wearing white on stage (a pretty safe bet, tbh), and in the top 15.

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Denmark – REDDI: The Show

Girl band, REDDI, lure you into a a slow piano start with a sudden, yet not entirely unexpected, transition to a high-energy rock rendition reminiscent of the 80s. What’s not to love? Empowered women, guitar solos, high kicks, wild drumming and an excellent hat!!! Unfortunately, the song is not very lovable… still hoping REDDI will make it through to the finals.

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Albania, Croatia and Germany

Albania – Ronela Hajati: Sekret

Combining traditional Albanian drum and pipes with reggae beats and a very melodious chorus, Ronela is throwing down the musical gauntlet – just not sure anyone will pick it up. As in every year, Albania is testing our patience with this cacophony of sounds: big, bold and relentless. And as in every year, it won’t go well… no further than the semi-finals, I am afraid!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Croatia – Mia Dimšić: Guilty Pleasure

This stripped back performance of Mia and her guitar is sweet, authentic and speaks of guilty desires. While the sound leans heavily on Taylor Swift, the real risk is that it could just be drowned out by the other big, ostentatious on-stage performances. Still, good enough for the finales!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

Germany – Malik Harris: Rockstars

A strong, emotional and heartfelt start that gives way to an angry, frustrated and lengthy soliloquy (Eminem-esque), rather than the expected high energy crescendo and key-change. While Malik gets an automatic entry into the finales, he won’t be able to break Germany’s Eurovision drought over the last 7 years not ranking above 25 (the exception being a 4th place in 2018).

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Buonasera Torino

Friends of Eurovision and other such madness!

On would think an ongoing pandemic, a war in Europe, an associated energy crisis or the spiraling cost of living would put an end to Eurovision. But like an unkillable zombie, it limps along.

This year we find ourselves in Torino, at the heart of the Piedemonte, Italy, thanks to Måneskin’s headbanging performance in Rotterdam last year. Torino is famous for aperitivo, truffles and shrouds. But could it host back to back winners for Italy (an economic and cultural disaster in anyone’s book!)?

What to expect? Mostly, an outpouring of support for the Ukraine – Russia and Belarus have been uninvited because they don’t play well with others. Other than that, it will be the usual shenanigans – flimsy pop songs, questionable google translations, wailing pipes, wind machines and key-changes!

The top favorites include the Ukraine, Italy and, surprisingly the UK, after decades of flops.

So, join join us (Club Douze Points) for expert Eurovision insights and song reviews!

We see out the finales at the Salisbury Hotel in Sydney (May 15 from 6:30pm) hosted by the NSW Queers in Science. Register here for literally no money at all!