Azerbaijan – Nadir Rustamli: Fade To Black
Nadir’s gentle piano opening borrows heavily from Kate Bush.. ..as does his obsession with the weather (see ‘Cloudbusting’ by Kate). This is all excellent, as is a bit of falsetto thrown in and his beanie (I have to say the hat game is strong this year!). Yet, I feel that Azerbaijan is just too similar to other gentle souls at Eurovision, playing the piano and eviscerating their softer underbelly….
Review by Mariella Herberstein
Czech Republic – We Are Domi: Lights Off
Oh, I do like myself a bit of electropop, and We Are Domi do not disappoint! This joyous pop anthem will surely bring the house down on the night! From my perspective one of the best entries from the Czech Republic in years! Hoping for a place in the finales (which it has only achieved three times since 2007).
Review by Mariella Herberstein
Israel – Michael Ben David: I.M
Fabulous. Embracing all aspects of diversity. Embedding pop into middle eastern beats. I just want to get into that tunnel and display myself proudly. Very empowering, ferocious and shameless.
Review by Kiara L’Herpiniere