Here are my first impressions of this years competitors in the Eurovision Song Contest. These 5 have automatically qualified for the Final on Saturday 16th May.
France 86/100
A proper 'French' entry for the first time in 32 years! In recent years the French have tried an innovative range of styles and sounds for their entry. This year though it is a simple formula. A big voice singing of better times; the tragedy of the heart. There is a hint of accordion. Oh the tristesse. The ennui. The poignancy. The flash of thigh. Bravo!
Russia 6/100
Well they certainly aren't trying to win it twice in a row.
Germany 71/100
Germany tried the big band swing sound a few years ago and met with little success... This isn't as good as their last attempt at this sound and while I quite like it and I don't see it getting many votes.
UK 100/100
I have absolutely no ability to view the British entry dispassionatley at all... The very first time I saw this I cringed a bit as it started as it is SO Andrew Lloyd Webber. By the time she had completed her second key change, powered through her third octave of range and held that note for 5 straight minutes, I am afraid I was putty in Jade Ewen's hands. The current version is 19 seconds too long, so it will clearly have a higher tempo on the night. Her voice will certainly fill the Moscow Arena, so surely this is worth 'douze points'... Am I wrong?
Other things in the UK's favour... We are singing 23rd out of 25, so we have an excellent chance to be remembered. Also, every year a pretty woman singing a big ballad comes in the top 5 and the only other ballad I have seen so far this year is France, which will have been suing about 4 hours prior to this airing.
Spain 66/100
This song will be last to be performed. Depending what comes in between the UK and this, it could be a pretty powerful end to proceedings. I can't help but think I have heard this song somewhere before though... and today... Oh yes! The imploring of the singer to be taken and shaken mean this totally blurs into the Armenian, Turkish and Montenegrin entries... They will perhaps all end up cancelling each other out. This just is not distinctive. Staging will be everything for this song.
France 86/100
A proper 'French' entry for the first time in 32 years! In recent years the French have tried an innovative range of styles and sounds for their entry. This year though it is a simple formula. A big voice singing of better times; the tragedy of the heart. There is a hint of accordion. Oh the tristesse. The ennui. The poignancy. The flash of thigh. Bravo!
Russia 6/100
Well they certainly aren't trying to win it twice in a row.
Germany 71/100
Germany tried the big band swing sound a few years ago and met with little success... This isn't as good as their last attempt at this sound and while I quite like it and I don't see it getting many votes.
UK 100/100
I have absolutely no ability to view the British entry dispassionatley at all... The very first time I saw this I cringed a bit as it started as it is SO Andrew Lloyd Webber. By the time she had completed her second key change, powered through her third octave of range and held that note for 5 straight minutes, I am afraid I was putty in Jade Ewen's hands. The current version is 19 seconds too long, so it will clearly have a higher tempo on the night. Her voice will certainly fill the Moscow Arena, so surely this is worth 'douze points'... Am I wrong?
Other things in the UK's favour... We are singing 23rd out of 25, so we have an excellent chance to be remembered. Also, every year a pretty woman singing a big ballad comes in the top 5 and the only other ballad I have seen so far this year is France, which will have been suing about 4 hours prior to this airing.
Spain 66/100
This song will be last to be performed. Depending what comes in between the UK and this, it could be a pretty powerful end to proceedings. I can't help but think I have heard this song somewhere before though... and today... Oh yes! The imploring of the singer to be taken and shaken mean this totally blurs into the Armenian, Turkish and Montenegrin entries... They will perhaps all end up cancelling each other out. This just is not distinctive. Staging will be everything for this song.
I vill reply to dis, Doktorrr Jones. I vill reply und ma reply will be comprehensiff. Vait, you vill zee.
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