passionpop: (sweet and innocent)
The results of the Jury/Televote breakdown were released this week.

in semi 1 if the Juries ruled, Iceland would not have qualified and Israel would have. I disagree with the Jury on that one. If it was Televote only, Switzerland would have got in over Hungary... they were much of a muchness for me.

in Semi 2 the Jury would have put Croatia and Georgia in over Turkey and Norway. Norway actually finished last in the jury vote in that semi and qualified only because of the higher televote. Bulgaria would have qualified if it wasnt for the jury as would have the Netherlands at the expense of Malta and Ukraine.

The Jury came in to break the bloc voting, however Semi two shows how the jury was worse in its bloc voting than the public was. As far as the juries were concerned, only former Yugoslav country that should not have qualified was Slovenia and the only former Soviet country was Belarus, and they were 11th with the jury.

In the final however, the jury got it closer to right than the public did. Italy and Spain should have finished higher than they did with the combined voting and France deserved more than the nil poi that the televote gave them.

in the end it didn't change who the winner was



in the end the juries fail in what they were brought in to do, which was break the bloc. 

On a side note, if the top five from the televote only went in they would be:

russia
romania
albania
Ireland
Greece
Sweden
Serbia
Lithuania
Turkey
Estonia

the top 5 remaining over the two semis over all that didn't qualify, based on the jury vote would then be:

Ukriane
Moldova
Malta 
Cyprus
Denmark

I have said that the semi results should not be announced until semi two and this is how the semis should be determined, with these results.

in the results for the finals only three countries that were not mentioned above, and were not auto qualifiers finished higher than any on this list.

F.Y.R.Macedonia in 13th
Bosnia & Herzegovina in 18th and
Iceland who finished 19th, but who in my opinion should have finished higher.

with little to no detriment to the final result, we could have made the final a lot shorter and a lot soberer... maybe not a good thing but something to ponder none-the-less

passionpop: (putting my foot in it)

no huge surprises but a couple of disappointments in semi one, now for the round up of semi two for Thursday night

Serbia: hugely popular song which doesn't do it for me. some say he is hot, i think he looks like a bouncer should easily qualify. it is currently4th favourite to win with the bookies
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: another song that does nothing for me that probably will qualify. this semi is rather heavy with former Yugoslav countries and all the more popular songs in that region will get through. this is a longshot with the bookies though
The Netherlands: I hate this song, but it is a borderline qualifier. I doubt it. i think the American Indian headdress will be lost on most people. payouts as big as 150 for this to win
Malta: typical talentless pop song from Malta. wait for the dance. very borderline. payout for win out to 225
Belarus: possibly one of the best songs ever sent to Eurovision by Belarus. still only a borderline qualifier. payouts get out to 175, though there is a large range on this one. it gets as low as 80
Portugal: I hope this doesn't qualify. this song has the longest odds for this semi, though this is a fairly average final so you never know
Ukraine: the longest odds on this one are 60/1. this final is heavy on former soviet countries as well as former Yugoslav ones, so it is a very plausible qualifier. i pity the non yugoslav and non soviet countries in this final. qualifier.
Bulgaria: the bookies give this song a snowballs chance in hell. I think being right after Ukraine will hurt it and it will miss out. 
Slovenia: Boring song but one of the better former Yugoslav songs. being followed by another former yugoslav nation with a ballad may hurt it
Croatia: the bookies like this less than Slovenia. I like it a little more. either way qualifying is possible. position may hurt it though
Sweden: first non yugoslav, non soviet song to have a real chance. this song is currently the over all favourite to win. the song isn't great, it is more of a dance and I doubt it will win, but it will certainly qualify.
Georgia: this is another long shot with the bookies. other than jedward, he is the only act that needs to be punched in the face. still may qualify
Turkey: even if this qualifies, like the bookies believe it will, it wont hurt the favourites. so average.
Estonia: this will qualify because he is a good looking boy. again the bookies think it wont challenge the favourites and I agree. 
Slovakia: this is another song that the bookies don't give a chance to even qualify. I would have given it a chance if it wasn't in this semi. 
Nowray: forget noway, they are only in this semi to ensure Sweden qualify, though it is plausibly the gayest song this year. may get through on votes from Estonia, sweden and malta.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: out of the 5 former Yugoslav countries in this semi, 4 of them have sent straight ballads. 3 of those sung by women. this one may have the advantage and qualify because it is away from the other former yugoslav songs
Lithuania: god-awful song. Some of His vocal inflections still sound like 'Fantasy' by Black Box. may qualify but i hope not

passionpop: (completely)
Performer: Tooji
Song: Stay


How could I forget Norway. Can you believe it? Well not so much forgot as purposely avoided, mainly because the 'stay' line hurts my ears. Can you guess the singer is a model and VJ by trade.... either is more believable than singer/songwriter.

the song isn't horrible, it is just tat chorus. it isn't that different to anything in the charts for the last 6 or so years, except for that chorus. This song could do well, if it wasn't for that chorus. I hate that chorus.

For a rating of one to ten, one being christian band and ten being Mardi Gras, this is well and truly a ten. I am am sure this is already being played at the court and the peel. it is a Eurovision song after all

This song sounds like something Turkey should be entering, but instead they send us.. well it was 1978. as for what Norway sends... well this was a year before ABBA. 




passionpop: (southpark)
Performer: Nina Badrić
Song: Nebo

Listen love, build a bridge and get over him. you are too dependent and he left you to find someone better. *sigh* I wish I could tell so many people stuff like that. You are annoying which is why he left you! Look in the mirror, girl!

Getting over the lyrics and back to the song, it is a standard ballad. John Farnham could have done something better, and has. Whats amusing is that with some betting agencies, the odds for this song are out further than Armenia was before Armenia withdrew WITHOUT A PERFORMER. so no song is better than this song according to the bookies

So it is another average song from Croatia and there is no threat to go to Zagreb next year. I am not surprised, Disappointed, but not surprised. 

For something really average... 1997. an Average ballad from Slovenia and Croatia at their average best



passionpop: (putting my foot in it)

Performer: Donny Montell (Donatas Montvydas)
Song: Love is Blind

The highlight of this clip is definitely the one hand cartwheel. If I was a cougar, I would also list Donny as a highlight, but he was born in 1987 and it is just a little bit wrong. When it comes to Highlights though, the song itself doesn't make the cut, which could be why on the odds list this song is in the bottom 15. Will Not Qualify.

Half of this song is a Ballad and the other half tried to be a 90's dance-floor hit (at best, plausibly 70's). I can't help feeling that the words and structure he is using was written, not interpreted. The vocals appear to have been recorded separately from the writing of the music. It just doesnt work and it is not just the ballad to dance change, it is the everything. 

I think the worst thing about this song is that it distracted me from the scotch fingers that I was dipping in my coffee. The biscuits were far superior to the song and the song just ruined it for me. I can't even bring myself to get another scotch finger from my biccie tin because this song was so average. *sigh*

It is a shame that this is what Lithuania has sent to Eurovision this year, because they can send us some awesome acts. This song is so bad, it could be Maltese. 

passionpop: (putting my foot in it)

Performer: Joan Franka
Song: You and Me



Is there anyone with Foxtel who doesn't have CMC relabeled to 'Country Crap'? Thats where this song belongs. This is country/folk at best. it is doing my head in. 

when i looked at the singers profile on Eurovision.tv, i saw this picture
 and I thought to myself, 'She has the face of a muppet' and she does. change the nose into a snout and she IS Miss Piggy. 

This song isn't a winner, but the odds imply that it will qualify. The worst thing about this song though is that the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you, so I have to stop listening to it now. 

The Best Country song to go to Eurovision was easily from Germany in 2006, could country win Eurovision? 'No, No Never', and that describes The Netherlands chances of winning, but they are not really trying with this, are they. it was only been a bit over 35 years since their last win so it is ok for them to send crap like... Reemer... (ok Reemer is not a bad singer but... Reemer)

passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Maya Sar (Maja Sarihodžić)
Song: Korake Ti Znam 



Why don't they make love-songs like they used to? You know the 'I've got you and I love you' kinda songs. Now all the songs are reminiscing about lost love. They are meant to make you cry out of sorrow instead of joy. I want a happy song. 

I am not saying this song isn't beautiful. It is and I think it will qualify and finish likely in the top half in the final. The odds say otherwise. This is in the bottom 20 with the bookies, so maybe they think Europe is over this kind of music. I know I am. 

It is the musical interlude that bugs me most. it is like a flute version of the musical interlude in 'Everything I Do (I Do it For You)' and I hated that song like nothing else. It isn't that I don't have a romantic bone in my body, it is just that... baby I don't care... 

I have no idea why a beautiful ballad would not be popular in Eurovision, they don't get many... just pick any random year like 1985 and there is only... a few. Buy Maya isn't just limited to ballads, she also does backing vocals on camp crap. 




passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Litesound
Song: We Are The Heroes

This is the best song that Belarus have ever sent to Eurovision. It isn't completely awesome, but it rocks, it rocks so hard. This year was Litesounds 5th attempt to get to Eurovision and it was worth the wait. 

There is controversy with Belarus' entry. Apparently the televoting was rigged. similar accusations have been made in Russia many times (where vote rigging is a national past-time). Belarus handles things differently though. instead of brushing it under the carpet, the Belorussian President comes in and demands an investigation and then when it is 'proven' installs the act that 'should' have won. I don't care. this song is my better than the one that was originally declared the winner

So Political intervention gave us one of the better acts in this years Eurovision. Eventually Belarus will send an entry that isnt sung in Engish, but until then, this rocks

So, going back to controversy, the 2009 entry for Russia. as for a Belorussian song, 'mum' because it is one of their less awful songs. 




passionpop: (sweet and innocent)
Performer: Can Bonomo
Song: Love me back



You know those songs that are so bad they are good again... I am still deciding if this is one of those. it has taken me about 10 listens to like this song. initially I thought this was the most god-awful thing to ever go to Eurovision, then i remembered Gemini and this isnt so bad... 

Every time I hear the line 'like me like I like you', i think it sounds like something that should be in Junior Eurovision, but the rest of the lyrics appear to be asking for a one night stand. I don't know if it is intentionally comical, but I am laughing at it. 

If this song makes it to the final, which could be hard, it will get points from Israel just for the jewish singer. I don't think it will qualify though. I don't think i know if i want it to either

I think Turkey is trying to be like the classic Latvian entry from 2008, but they end up sounding a bit Naff, but then thats expected from Turkey... Diday diday day. 




passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Kurt Calleja
Song: This is the Night

This is really average. It isn't even good enough to be an Idol single. It starts off like it wants to be played in a gay nightclub, but I think if it was, everyone would walk out. This is really average. 

Watching this clip, I thought they must have found the most up-him-self guy in Malta to sing this song, then I saw the DJ holding the tablet with the words 'I'm Hot' on it. Maybe someone needs to tell them that even though they have Maltese in them, not everyone was a bit of Maltese in them. actually 99.99999% of the female population could do without it. 

OMG he flirts with the camera in his video clip! if he does that on Eurovision night, which I am sure he will, thats a drink. Unfortunately because this is on early in the evening (at number 4) I doubt I will be drunk when this song is on. I am only hoping this is just average enough not to qualify for the final. 

Malta has a bit of a habit of sending people to Eurovision for their looks more than talent. there have been exceptions... some have had neither. Malta isnt the only country that sends talentless tall, dark and hairy guys to Eurovision thinking that the women will vote for them. Cyprus can do that too


passionpop: (Default)
Performer: Željko Joksimović
Song: Nije Ljubav Stvar

This song starts off sounding like another Fantasy show themed song, then a bouncer comes out and starts singing it. Then there is tinsel shot out of cannons and you remember that this is just another Eurovision song. 

it occures to me listening to this that when a woman sings a break up song, but says 'I will always love you', it can be a heartbreakingly beautiful ballad, but when I guy says something along the lines of 'Your love is not a thing, That I can just give back to you', it sounds slightly stalker-ish. OT slightly, one of my friends used to call 'Don't you want me' by the human league, the stalker song. Guys can sing love songs about the person they are with now, thats fine, they can reminisce in the third person about someone they once loved (past tense), but to use the second person in a song about their ex who they will always love... well it sounds a bi creepy, especially coming from a bouncer.

The song should qualify seeing it is in a final with almost every former Yugoslav country in the contest and seeing he is a star around most of those countries. It is always a shame when a repeat offender cant make it to the final. I hope it gets in for no other reason than to ensure ample toilet breaks in the final. 

So seeing he is a returning combatant in the contest, here is Ireen Sheer (who I think Bob Downe based most of his act on), who liked coming back for more when it came to Eurovision. then back to 2004 when 
Željko represented Serbia and Montenegro. 



passionpop: (putting my foot in it)

Performer: Gaitana
Song: Be My Guest



I thought this was a drag queen singing a Disney song... Turns out she isn't a drag-queen... apparently she isn't anyways. I have listened to this song quite a few times now and I can't picture this being played in anything but a drag show... but maybe they do things differently in the Ukraine... 

Apparently Gaitana has stirred controversy in the Ukraine because she 'is not an organic representative of the Ukrainian culture'... what because her father is Congolese? it cant be the whole drag-queen thing because the Ukraine has already sent a drag act to Eurovision, or was that just a bad act.

I think we will call Gaitana 'Gloria' on the night if she goes with the brown hair with the wave, because she looks just like Gloria from Modern Family. a for how Gloria/Gaitana will go on the night, meh, Ukraine always qualifies, but the song wont win.

The Ukraine has come a long way from 'Hasta la Vista' in 2003, they have even won a Eurovision. Before we Hasta la vista though, I  want to go back to 2002 when Slovenia sent Sestre. This is why I love Eurovision, the variety of talent




passionpop: (putting my foot in it)

Performer: Filipa Sousa
Song: Vida Minha


It is possibly not a good idea to import a songwriter who has never won Eurovision, who is from a country that has never won Eurovision to help a country that has never won Eurovision win Eurovision. It could be a fairytale, but it wont be. it will more likely be a powernap. If you dont take the opportunity for the powernap, the song might force it upon you. My god this song is boring!

With 5 backing singers, there is no opportunity to even have an interesting performance for this song. At best, this song should be played at a funeral, to make the mourners leave. 

people talk about Portuguese being a beautiful language. have hey ever actually heard two  women talking in pork and cheese? You know that woman with the annoying voice talking loudly on her phone on the morning train... well multiply that by 10 and then tell me you don't want to slap them. a

Anyways, because of Andrej Babic's contribution to this years entry from Portugal, I have an excuse to play Feminnem's 'Call me'. Then it is Adelaide Ferreira, which can only bad, nothing good can come out of Adelaide (if she didn't warble, it wouldn't have been so bad). 



passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Eva Boto
Song: Verjamem

Firstly.... WTF is with the things on the backing singers heads. Get rid of it! Get rid of them! burn the head adornments and sack the backing singers. when they all join in something sounds wrong, particularly in the last 30 seconds of the song. I don't know what it is and i don't think it can be fix buy simply removing the ornaments on their heads, so remove their heads

reading her Bio, Eva sounds like a spoilt teenager who is sitting around waiting for everything to come to her. we have a whole generation of girls like her and they annoy me as they sit around waiting for handouts for themselves and their kids as they sit around waiting to become famous. If she couldn't sing, she would have been on big brother or she would have put on 1000kgs so she could go on biggest loser. she is one of those people that think she will never have to work again if she makes it on idol. Problem is, she can sing. 

Alot of parallels can be made to Serbia's winning song from 2007, but Molitva was a favourite from very early on. Verjamem is about 20th on the odds rankings. At least Slovenia is trying to win Eurovision.

So the question is, is she Primadonna (or is that Exclusive to Russians) or a nobody (like we expect form Slovenia)....


passionpop: (southpark)
Performer: Max Jason Mai (Miroslav Smajda)
Song: Don't Close Your Eyes. 



If you got a Metallica song and got and Idol contestant to sing it, this would be the result.... and that was the thought I had before I found out he was actually an Idol contestant. He finished second, better than I think he will do in Eurovision.

This song could be used in the summer promo for a new edge-of-your-seat thriller TV show. The song writers could make a killing on this song, but I Max Jason Mai would fade into obscurity... unless he goes into modeling or something because he is a good looking boy. The pretty boy can go far, just not in music... unless he gives good head. 

I think the long odds on this song are a bit harsh, I think it will qualify, it is even average enough to finish in the top ten. If this was a song contest, I might even put money on that, but politics and economics will lower the result of this song if anything. 

This is better than the cookie monster music, Slovakia's neighbour the Czech Republic sent in 2007, and a little less camp than what Slovakia first sent to Eurovision. 

passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Anri Jokhadze
Song: I'm a joker


I refuse to cross this off the list because Georgia is one of those countries that seriously want to win Eurovision (as opposed to entering to increase the ratings for the shows broadcast). Also this song just average enough to win. It has the potential of an awesome performance and could conceivably win, I hope it doesn't though... listening to this for the next 12 months would make me want to punch Anri in the face. 

I really want to punch this guy in the face. There is no rational reason for it, but i think it would make me feel better. Maybe it is the Lady Gaga influence of this song, which is definitely there, or maybe it is just that he seems to love himself that little bit too much. If I did punch him, would anyone really hold it against me though....

you know how with some songs the more you listen to them, the better they sound... this isn't one of those. The song could be really good, but I think the singer and the poor lyrics hurt it. It isnt that the singer is bad, he is quite a god singer, problem is he knows it. 

At least he doesn't love himself as much as Sakis Rouvas loved himself in 2004, and Georgia's song is better than that Greek rubbish. Anri is only the second singer (or lead singer) to represent Georgia who doesn't have the first name Sopho.  The other one, Diana, wasn't any good either. 



passionpop: (putting my foot in it)
Performer: Loreen
Song: Euphoria

This song is the favourite to win at the present time. I will admit that the contemporary dance routine associated with the song is interesting, but it is not the highly polished look or vocal sound I expected from Sweden. It was two months of preparation for the routine though ans she has two months (from when she won) to come up with another routine for Eurovision. 

The last two Eurovision winners didn't hugely impress me, and as a song, neither does this. It is just a former Idol contestant with a slick dance routine. and by 'slick' I mean she managed to slide in what looked like a hammer dance in and made it looks almost appropriate. when the dance partner came in near the end, I didn't get the combative action in the dance, but I am here for the alcohol, not the dance. 

The only way you could tell this was Sweden was the bloody wind machine. I think there should be a drinking game rule that if Sweden DOESN'T use a wind machine, you have to skull all the remaining alcohol. This will never happen so livers around the world are fairly safe.

Songs that are big before the event often don't go far. Gina G was a favourite in 1996 and came eighth and in 1977, despite having the crowd behind them, Sweden came last with 'Beatles'. Check out the second guys guitar though



passionpop: (completely)

Performer: Sofi Marinova
Song: Love Unlimited.

Take enough Ecstasy and this could be a retro Mardi Gras anthem. It isn't bad it just isn't current. It has potential but it needs a bigger performance to get it to where it should be.

Interesting factoid about the singer. She twice tried to marry her ex-husbands son, who is her own sons half-brother. So she thinks she is a MILF... so... Bulgarian guys like their womens tits to hang down to their belly button? OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but she is wearing a cleavage dress and her cleavage is nowhere near where it should be. That wont win Eurovision! 

In short, the performance needs more Omph and a better outfit to be in with a chance. Lyrically I don't mind it. Live the music might rock so this could qualify but wont win.

Some of the music reminds me of 'The Dead Eyes Opened', but seeing that never went to Eurovision, Here is Icland Showing you how to do an Anthem, and from the Same Year (2010) Miro




passionpop: (subliminal)
Performer: Ott Lepland
Song: Kuula



This song has been touted at the new "I Will Always Love You', though I think it sounds more like Mariah Carey's version of 'Without You'. Awesome voice, good looking boy (if you can get past the beer belly and the receding hairline) but this song is going to need some amazing presentation to cut it. 

If he wasn't eye candy (that is like 10 years younger than me!), I would call this a toilet break song. For the 3 straight boys that watch Eurovision (in total), I am sure it will be, but will it win, that is the question?

I think the worst part of this song is when the female backing vocal kicks in. It ruins the intimacy of the ballad. You are getting sucked into the song and then she sings and it is like someone watching over your shoulder. When you are sitting there imagining all the ways to break the boy, thats just not something you want.

If you are going to sing in your native language, singing a ballad is the only proven way to win a modern Eurovision but when it comes to ballads in Eurovision, no one is bigger (literally) than Chiara. It also must be noted that this ballad is better than 1998, 'Mere Lapsed'




passionpop: (completely)
Performer: Kaliopi
Song: Crno E Belo - Black and White



Up the volume of the instruments in the middle section and this could be a reasonable song. It isn't that I cant stand her voice, but it is true, I would prefer her on mute, but I want more omph from that middle section.

If wikipedia counts for anything, which I doubt, she is someone worth watching. she has possible the longest Bio for an eastern European entrant that I can recall ever seeing. 

I think this will qualify but I hope it doesn't go too far, only because she is too much of a self-important diva to compete for her place in Eurovision. She did it once, won, her song went to the 1996 pre-eurovision eurovision and didnt qualify for the main even so she has not competed in the national final since or Eurovision for that matter. She was installed as the representative for Macedonia by internal selection. Thats not amusing. 

Anyways, thats enough about Morticia Adams... 

Makes me wonder if the 'out of the darkness into the light' theme will be used like Croatia in 1998. I love reviewing the Macedonian song just so I can inflict their song from 2000 on people again



 

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