Time for another some strong females.
CROATIA - NINA KRALJIC - LIGHTHOUSE
(Andreas Grass & Nikola Paryla)
The Voice of Croatia winner Nina Kraljić was internally chosen.
Blogilkar: Great to have Croatia back! Sad they don't sing in Croatian. This said this is a very interesting song, nice arrangement and melody and Nina's vocals are memorable. Hopefully she delivers also live! This one is stuck in my head after first hearing so I suppose that's a good sign. 8
Jack: Nina has been compared to the Croatian version of Ellie Goulding and that surely can't be a bad thing. For some reason, I don't think Croatia will do that well in Stockholm but I'd love to be proved wrong as this is a fabulous entry. Welcome back!! 8
Peter: Very nice song, original type sound and pretty catchy. It will probably do very well, very likely to get to the final and will probably get a lot of votes. It should have appeal across the board to both young and old - reminds me a bit of the lead singer Delores from the Cranberries. 7,5
Robert: Great comeback song for Croatia. Nina has absolutely great recognizable voice. The sound is more Irish than Croatian but who cares in an united Europe. Would it be even better in Croatian, I wonder? Anyways, a great song, a great singer and definite place in the final. 8,5
Michele: This is a very pleasant and delicate song, ethnic atmospheres, almost Celtic. She has a beautiful voice, The doubt it is that it is not captivating enough to leave a mark. A good return for Croatia anyway. 6.5
Markus: First of all I am very happy Croatia is back … They belong to the Eurovision family. This is a nice tune and a good singer. Welcome back Croatia. 6
Blogilkar: Great to have Croatia back! Sad they don't sing in Croatian. This said this is a very interesting song, nice arrangement and melody and Nina's vocals are memorable. Hopefully she delivers also live! This one is stuck in my head after first hearing so I suppose that's a good sign. 8
Jack: Nina has been compared to the Croatian version of Ellie Goulding and that surely can't be a bad thing. For some reason, I don't think Croatia will do that well in Stockholm but I'd love to be proved wrong as this is a fabulous entry. Welcome back!! 8
Peter: Very nice song, original type sound and pretty catchy. It will probably do very well, very likely to get to the final and will probably get a lot of votes. It should have appeal across the board to both young and old - reminds me a bit of the lead singer Delores from the Cranberries. 7,5
Robert: Great comeback song for Croatia. Nina has absolutely great recognizable voice. The sound is more Irish than Croatian but who cares in an united Europe. Would it be even better in Croatian, I wonder? Anyways, a great song, a great singer and definite place in the final. 8,5
Michele: This is a very pleasant and delicate song, ethnic atmospheres, almost Celtic. She has a beautiful voice, The doubt it is that it is not captivating enough to leave a mark. A good return for Croatia anyway. 6.5
Markus: First of all I am very happy Croatia is back … They belong to the Eurovision family. This is a nice tune and a good singer. Welcome back Croatia. 6
ITALY - FRANCESCA MICHIELIN - NO DEGREE OF SEPARATION
(Fabio Gargiulo, Federica Abbate, Cheope, Francesca Michielin, Norma Jean Martine)
Francesca came second in this year's Sanremo festival (and scored the biggest hit from it without doubt) and got her dream job when the winners I Stadio declined the offer to do Eurovision. This Italian #1 hit Nessun grado di separazione has been cut to 3 minutes with added lines in English and new title for Eurovision.
Blogilkar: So many people are favoring Italy this year. I do like it but I'm still not quite feeling it and have had problems remembering this. And I actually do think the Eurovision version; shorter and those lines in English is better. Francesca seems like a wonderful person and totally into Eurovision so that's a big plus for Italy. But I have a feeling Italy is in the top places again. I would like to give a 10 but can't give but 8,5
Jack: Amazing song, amazing singer... I just have one problem - English. The song was perfect before. I guess the English will grow on me. At least she didn't translate the whole song. Italy will be top ten once again. Stupendo! 9
Peter: Ok, very Italian opening, of course the musicality of Italian is difficult to ignore, it just sounds great!! Very nice buildup to a good climax but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere for me, but still another strong entry from Italy. 6,5
Robert: Close to perfection! Great singer, composer, performer, voice with a great song and composition. I love it and this will never bore. In 20 years I still love to listen to this. My personal winner for 2016. 10
Michele: "No degree of separation" could do much better than one might expect, and the difference is made precisely by Francesca Michielin herself. It is an exquisite piece in a context like Eurovision. She has had stronger tracks in her past catalogue, but the text is important, and the decision to put a refrain in English is genius. I prefer her to the song but it is a respectable representative. 7.5
Markus: Viva Italia!!!! Italy banging again. 3 words: AMAZING, STUNNING, WONDERFUL! 10
Blogilkar: So many people are favoring Italy this year. I do like it but I'm still not quite feeling it and have had problems remembering this. And I actually do think the Eurovision version; shorter and those lines in English is better. Francesca seems like a wonderful person and totally into Eurovision so that's a big plus for Italy. But I have a feeling Italy is in the top places again. I would like to give a 10 but can't give but 8,5
Jack: Amazing song, amazing singer... I just have one problem - English. The song was perfect before. I guess the English will grow on me. At least she didn't translate the whole song. Italy will be top ten once again. Stupendo! 9
Peter: Ok, very Italian opening, of course the musicality of Italian is difficult to ignore, it just sounds great!! Very nice buildup to a good climax but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere for me, but still another strong entry from Italy. 6,5
Robert: Close to perfection! Great singer, composer, performer, voice with a great song and composition. I love it and this will never bore. In 20 years I still love to listen to this. My personal winner for 2016. 10
Michele: "No degree of separation" could do much better than one might expect, and the difference is made precisely by Francesca Michielin herself. It is an exquisite piece in a context like Eurovision. She has had stronger tracks in her past catalogue, but the text is important, and the decision to put a refrain in English is genius. I prefer her to the song but it is a respectable representative. 7.5
Markus: Viva Italia!!!! Italy banging again. 3 words: AMAZING, STUNNING, WONDERFUL! 10
AUSTRIA - ZOË - LOIN D'ICI
(Christof Straub & Zoe Straub)
ZOË won the Austrian national final. Interestingly she's singing in French, being one of the three songs (!!!) this year that are not including English in the lyrics.
Blogilkar: I loved this the first time I heard it. She's lovely, the song is airy and catchy oozing good spirits and spring and flowers and sun and everything paradise like! This sounds like a real song, something that was born from real emotions and ideas, and not manufactured especially for Eurovision. Thankfully it's in French as any other language wouldn't just be the same and do the trick. Brings me back to 80's and Vanessa Paradis strings of hits.... which I adored. 10
Jack: Following the dreadful result Austria got last year, Zoe will be hoping to fare a little better. Many fans love this - some hate it - I guess I'm indifferent. It's pleasant and nice to listen to when driving in the car.... but whenever I rank my favourites, I forget Austria. 6
Peter: A nice entry, good movement and a standard build up. Not the most captivating song, but it's still good for a dance and catchy. It will catch on. Not convinced it will go to the final but it may. 5,5
Robert: Zoe has a timeless song, you could call it dated, as well as being like Nicole Rieu's entry for Eurovision in the 70's. But as I like those tunes I like this one. It's sweet, it's odd among the others, it's romantic and Zoe has a pure angel like voice. Austria could be top-10 in Stockholm. 8
Michele: Austria sings in French, and after the initial concerns, does it convincingly. The song is old-fashioned in a way, delicate and intimate. Remind a bit Alizee in the early days. It is one of the favorites by fans but it competes unfortunately in a very difficult semi-final ... and in all the absurdity it could not pass. This song is one of the most pleasant things of the whole edition. 8
Markus: Very fresh and cute song coming from the last years host country. Easy to remember even if I listen to it once. I personally miss French during the Eurovision so this is one of this years highlights for me. Thank you Austria for another great entry! 10
AUTRALIA - DAMI IM - SOUND OF SILENCE
(DNA aka David Musumeci & Anthony Egizii)
After last year's debut as "guest" Australia is back and this time needs to do the semifinal first. South Korean Dami won the Australian X Factor in 2013 and was internally chosen.Blogilkar: This is perfection. Perfect arrangement, perfect voice, perfect melody, perfect structure. Perfectly written for Eurovision without any kind of risk. And therefor cold and plastic. She better deliver on stage and prove live there's life in this song.... 7
Jack: Australia's participation in Eurovision for the 2nd year has been a rather controversial one so it'll be interesting to see how Dami fares in Sweden. I love this song. It's powerful and I wouldn't mind seeing Dami win. Let's see how they present this because it could become a hot mess on stage... 9
Peter: Nice opening, the song moves pretty well and will of course get a lot votes, it's got a great beat is pretty catchy - could it be an Australian win ? It has a lot of competition from Russia and Sweden I think !! But it will do very well, a definite for the final. 7
Robert: Everything here sounds a bit too slick and overproduced, so that it won't reach my emotion anymore. It's certainly not bad but not among my favorites. 7-
Michele: At the second participation Australia confirms a different production from that of Europe. It is a song of strong radio appeal, a suggestive electronic ballad, it seems to compete in another category. The final thing seems obvious ... 8.5
Markus: Very good voice. Very modern production. Well done Down Under.. Not a winner but for sure another top 10. Good radio track...... 7
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