Two power ballads, co-written by Swedes, sung by two ladies with big voice and maturity over the younger girls. Pastora Soler (33) has already gained platinum and gold albums and various awards and is concidered as one of the best voices in Spain, a year younger Sabina has yet to score big on recording market but has already claimed a few awards on various festivals. Classy ladies indeed. But it's 4-0 for Spain.
Spain - Pastora Soler - Quédate conmigo (Stay with me) ****1/2
The song starts beautifully and Pastora's vocals are fantastic. The song slowly unfolds and grows in true Eurovision style and she belts out some long amazing notes. She comes across likable and you want her to deliver and keeps you listening and almost holding your breath. The best Spanish entry for a long, long time. But then, will the televoters have a patience to concentrate and listen, as the show factor isn't that evident. Pastora herself is the show. Nothing else is needed and I hope they won't have some distracting circus on stage behind her... Deserves a top-10. At least.
Azerbaijan - Sabina Babayeva - When the music dies **1/2
On paper this has all the same ingredients as Spain, yet I don't get it. It leaves me totally indifferent and cold. Is it Sabina or is it the song? It doesn't make me want to listen to it again and again. It's very predictable and you know exactly how it will go on and the added "ethnic" sounds doesn't help. Boring. In the video she hardly ever looks at you = sings to you. If she does that on stage, too, it's doomed. Compared to Spain, this has it all wrong while Spain has it all right in my books, but I'm afraid the scoreboard won't agree with me in the end.
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