Tag: Belgium

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Belgium, Bulgaria and Norway

Belgium – Jérémie Makiese: Miss You

Although I love the way Jerémie screams “No”, the theme of the song reminds me of sad teenagers.  The melody is beautiful, and Jerémie can transition between high and low keys really well. The little heart icon on the costume is very precious, as I am one to appreciate people who dress in character. Overall, it is a performance that has a good energy, and It is easy to sing along, but I don’t see this as a winner. 

Review by Marilia Erickson

Bulgaria – Intelligent Music Project: Intention

This is an enjoyable performance, as I am biased towards rock. Unfortunately, enjoyable is all that was. Even though they sing about how they are “never in the safety zone” the performance seemed very safe to me and missing the raw emotion I would expect every time I was hoping for some higher notes. This could be on my Spotify playlist, but I don’t think it has what it takes to take the title.

Review by Marilia Erickson

Norway – Subwoolfer: Give That Wolf A Banana

At first, I did not know what I was looking at, but then I realized Subwoolfer was dressed in yellow because this is pure gold. The costumes are absolutely amazing; the music is absolutely amazing; the choreography is absolutely amazing; and the lyrics just make me want to sing “yum, yum, yum”. So, someone please get these wolves a trophy full of bananas. Even though it is doubtful that I will listen to this song again; I will certainly never forget it.  Grandma will be missed.

Review by Marilia Erickson

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Italy and Belgium

Italy – Shut Up And Good by Måneskin

Wow Italy, this was a shock but mainly because of my lack of experience with the Italian rock(ish) sound. The guitars sound great and combined with the voice and melody there definitively was some light head banging.

Although, it feels like the look is a bit forced maybe towards darker sounds, but not really getting it… did anyone else think of Marilyn Manson around the middle of the video? Drums and guitars have more of a 2010’s rock vibe with all the “The something” bands and the bass had a really cool Smashing Pumpkins flavour to it. A nice unexpected finding but also not really getting anything new or truly exciting here.

Review by Poncho Aceves Aparicio

Belgium – The Wrong Place by Hooverphonic

Well done Hooverphonic! Nice, short and catchy. But the real gold was hidden in the lyrics, the aftermath of a regretful one night stand, already intriguing isn’t it? Then, some fine notes of ironic humour and Johnny Cash references!!

With a really nice voice and melody, the band makes a clear point: if your one-night stand wakes up for the need of a cup of organic tea, then they are unworthy of wearing your Johnny Cash t-shirt, amen! Got lost somewhere in the middle of the video but the singing head on the floor totally pull me back to sing along! Dude, you’re in the wrong place!

Review by Poncho Aceves Aparicio

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Belgium & Moldova

Belgium

Wake up by Eliot

A baby face, a baby voice, and some massive drums. Add a minimalist choreography and you have an idea of what the performance of ‘Wake up’ by the Belgian Eliot brings to the table. The lyrics say “Don’t want your lies, I need truth”, so here it goes: I am not that impressed. We came to expect great things from the country that invented french fries and Belgian beer, and I must say that the quality of this performance is more in line with Brussel sprouts to be fully honest. Belgium hasn’t been the winner in Eurovision since 1986, 14 years before Eliot was born, and I don’t think he is here to change that tradition.

Review by Bruno Buzatto

Moldova

Stay by Anna Odobescu

The performance by Anna Odobescu starts with her playing a white piano inside a large white house, but that only lasts exactly 9 seconds, after which the drama starts building up. She argues with her lover, he drives away in the rain and throws a tantrum over it. The melody is ok, and Anna’s voice is beautiful and powerful, but I can’t say the story told by the lyrics and the performance is original: it’s basically all about couple dramas where nobody knows how the argument started in the first place, but they are still trying to be “togetheeeeeer, foreveeeeeer”. Well, I guess this next level cliche might become trendy as a new ‘vintage’ theme? 

Review by Bruno Buzatto

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Czech Republic and Belgium

Czech RepublicMikolas Josef: Lie To Me

Welcome to the 21st Century, Czech Republic! So good to finally have you along! Mikolas is a renaissance man, he had good marks at school and could have studied at a prestigious UK college, he worked as an international model, and now, dressed as a librarian, is fighting for the Eurovision crown!

This peppy number is sure to impress, some cool jazz trumpet, an obscure reference to Marilyn Monroe and suspenders holding up Mikolas’s pants. The dancing is outsourced to a break dancing lad seemingly trapped in a cube. The lyrics were ravaged by google translate: But steady plenty these greedies wanna eat my spaghetti

All in all, I quite like this….definitely entry into the finales!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

 

BelgiumSennek: A Matter Of Time

 Belgium’s Sennek is a 100 percent the love child of Portishead and Tina Turner (Goldeneye)! She even participated in 007 In Concert.

I am a sucker for the musical pizzazz dished up by Bond – it is sassy and schmalzy all at the same time. Bond swept Conchita Wurst to certain Eurovision glory….and of course her marvellous beige frock was a winner in itself!

Europe might be stirred by Sennek, but not shaken!

 Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Armenia, Australia, Belgium

ArmeniaFly With Me by Artsvik

I recon these are the horse people from Game of Thrones – only more dressed, which is an odd thing to say for Eurovision! Anyway, the hair and the baseline are great! Yes, there is a bit of wailing, but it is a delicate kind of wailing. So, I think Armenia is onto something good here….finals or extras in the new GOT season?

Review by Mariella Herberstein

 

Australia

Don’t Come Easy By Isaiah

 

And so the romance between Eurovision and Australia continues! After two top 10 positions, will Isaiah clinch Eurovision victory for Australia??? He certainly has the best eyebrows of the competition. In an eyebrow-off with Ireland’s Brendan Murray,  Isaiah would win without batting an eyelid. But can the eyebrows make up for a fairly boring song, sung well admittedly, but still boring? I am tempted to say: Yes! Why not! Bring on the finals for Australia!!!!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

 

Belgium

City Lights by Blanche

So, I had fairly low expectations, here – Belgium is pretty mediocre at Eurovision (and possibly in general). But to my surprise, Blanche delivers a catchy, atmospheric, yet languid number. Following her accountancy degree, Blanche has had extensive training as a ventriloquist and you can barely see her lips move. Her onstage performance includes striding.

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Czech Republic, Croatia, Belgium and Cyrpus

Czech Republic
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I stand by Gabriela Gunčíková

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The Czech Republic easily has one of the best videos in this year’s Eurovision round. Some cool stop-go motion, LED shenanigans and in the end, Gabrielle’s head pokes out of a sea of flowers. Not just any flowers, but flowers you’d give your mum for mother’s day – pink and purple daisies!

The song is less impressive, admittedly, it is well sung, but it has the ‘out of the can’ feel to it. The lyrics don’t help either…here is a taste: I’ve worn the path – I’ve hit the wall – I’m the one who rose and fall.

Would a key change have helped – no doubt!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Croatia
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Lighthouse by Nina Kraljić

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Nina is the Croatian equivalent of Bjork and I like it! She is clearly an extraterrestrial, marvelling at humanity, getting rained on and looking up time on a pocket watch. And I think the relationship with her hairdresser is not the best. So what if the song sounds a bit very much like the Cranberry’s ‘Linger’? It has a key change and all is forgiven! Definitely the finales for me!

 

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Belgium
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What’s The Pressure by Laura Tesoro

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Disco is back – booyah!!! Laura’s  ‘What’s the pressure’ splices samplers from every great danceable song into a 3 minute sequence, starting with the baseline from ‘Another one bites the dust’. But never mind the plagiarism – I think this could actually work and stand out from a rather vanilla Eurovision field this year.

There are sequin sweatshirts, torn blue jeans and excellent curls! I am predicting the finals for Laura and her gang of disco larcenists!

Review by Mariella Herberstein

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Cyprus
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Alter Ego by Minus One

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Look, I am trying to love Cyprus, but every year they are making it more and more difficult for me! Bearded men in black-hooded coats, howling with coyotes under high voltage electricity towers. I’d be surprised if anyone could fit more cliches into a single song:

  • Ill advised chin hair – check
  • Mysterious lady in a black dress – check
  • Cool car (Mustang) – check
  • Overly enthusiastic drummer – check
  • Non-sensical lyrics – check

Despite my misgivings, I have a sinking feeling that this one might slip through to the finales, mostly because the rest of the entries are so utterly boring….

Review by Mariella Herberstein