Azerbaijan - Aisel - X my heart
Aysel Mammadova (28) aka Aisel is jazz and blues singer, pianist and songwriter but for this Eurovision adventure she goes all pop. There are so many reasons I shouldn't like this one but this has grown to be my guilty pleasure this year aka Slavko vol.2. These lyrics are priceless. She's got the honor to open the contest this year and set the tune so let's hope she delivers vocally and being Azerbaijan they must have come up with some staging gimmick. And qualify. I may have liked the original version better though. Can't help it but 9/10 (blush)
Australia - Jessica Mauboy - We got love
Jessica (28) is Australian Idol runner up 2006, and the hint of things to come for Australia in Eurovision as she starred in the interval act in the 2014 contest and the rest is history, Australia has taken part in the contest ever since. She may have not quite shined vocally in Copenhagen but apparently she's got it. The song is anthemic radio pop and made for Eurovision. This will be getting points from most everywhere but how many and how deserved? I suppose this ends more like Isaiah rather than Dami. 7/10
Finland - Saara Aalto - Monsters
Saara Aalto (30) aka the eternal runner up: Talent Suomi, The Voice Suomi, Euroviisut, UMK, X Factor UK. Will she score a runner up in Eurovision as well? That's most likely what YLE thought when throwing the already launched UMK 2018 out of the window with its 300 submissions and internally chose her instead in thei illusional bubble. She (and YLE) have put themselves in a tricky situation, anything but real success will be a failure, especially for her. YLE aims for qualification, but she has to win to prove herself finally. And it's not going to happen. And the Finnish media will crucify them both. The song isn't just strong enough, the staging in UMK was a disaster and while it is reworked totally same people in charge will have done it. It's all over the top, aimed for LGBT audiences way too much. She's vocally great no doubt about that but if I put all feelings towards her and all the mess aside and just listen to the song it's rather entertaining three minutes. Borderline qualifier for me. 8/10
United Kingdom - SuRie - Storm
Susanna Marie Coek (29) aka SuRie is no stranger to Eurovision: she's been the backing singer for Belgium both 2015 and 2017, finishing 4th both times. She certainly wants to better that now that the spotlight is on her. Over the past months she has become the Eurovision class'18 social media queen with her funny tweets and adorable sense of humor and enthuasism for the contest. She has released remix and acoustic versions. Somehow I'd like to like the song a lot more than I actually do. I do like it when I hear it but right after do I remember it? Not really. It leaves me quite indifferent so... 6/10
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