EUROVISION 2018 REVIEW: SAN MARINO, MACEDONIA, POLAND, MOLDOVA
San Marino - Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening - Who we are
Jessika Muscat (29) has the faith of fellow Maltese Christabelle: several national final attemps and now she gets finally to Eurovision with the worst of them. Or almost. She is joined by German Jenifer Brening (21) who took the original rapper Irol's place when he turned down the song stating it's not his cup of tea. He would have given this at least some Sammarinese touch. Anyways, the innotative Sammarinese national final selection promised a lot but in the end gave us this. I would have chosen differently but what we have is a rather anonymous and heard before anthem against bullying, well sung by Jessika with Jenifer's rap as bonus. Sadly unforgettable and the only thing that might get attention and viewers to remember this are the robots. If they travel to Lisbon, too. What's their deal anyways?! 3/10
Macedonia - Eye Cue - Lost and found
Eye Cue is Bojan Trajkovski and Marija Ivanovska (21), with producer and writer Darko Dimitrov. They have been working together for years and for their entry it sounds like if they have smashd up every their song as there are so many genres and changes of beat in these three minutes you are left wondering WTF was that? Some parts of the song I like, some I don't. The mix is confusing but that's what makes it somewhat interesting. Marija does her job well. One can only wonder what the staging will be about and sadly this will be lost in the 1st semi and not found on the finalist list. 5/10
Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer - Light me up
Andrzej Gromala (39) aka Gromee is DJ, producer and songwriter and Swedish Lukas Meijer (29) is his choseen vocalist for this song. I realized I hadn't really ever listened the full song until now when reviewing it - is that a good sign? You get all there is in the first minute or so. Rather anonymous radio song that isn't great but enjoyable and works well. In the aftermath of Avicii's death this might get all nostalgic ones to vote for this tribute to the final - Gromee has said Avicii has had a huge impact to his music and indeed you can hear it - and even without that this should make it being in the 2nd semi. Who will remember this come June? But for the moment, 6/10
DoReDos - My lucky day
DoReDos or Marina Djundiet (32), Eugeniu Andrianov (25) and Sergiu Mita (25) were third time lucky winning the national final with a little help from Russian Philip Kirkorov. Last year they won also New Wave festival. My lucky day sounds very oldfashioned in production (and I think it's intentional) and without the addiction of the local elements and sounds would be like any Ralph Siegel track. They perform it with such energy and gusto that you can't but look in amaze. This is rubbish but they make it work and propably will do better than anyone thinks now. Not like Moldova last year but top-10 perhaps? Or... they could bomb big time as well but I don't quite think so. Lucky qualifier from 2nd semi. 6/10
Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?
Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!
My flying reporter Robert managed to get hold on Pasha Parfeni from Moldova today who has become during this week pretty big favorite to do well. How did he end up in Eurovision, what his goals are and is his granny better than the ones from Buranovo? And will we get a cover album full of Eurovision later on? Find it out here: Why do you want to participate in Eurovision? That's a very difficult question... I want to be a star! A worldstar, ha ha! But I know it's not easy even in Eurovision, only Celine Dion and ABBA have made it. But I can make myself a bit more known, it's good for promotion. After Eurovision I will finish my album and my promo-CD already has nine songs. We will recod maybe 4-5 more and it will make a good album. With what result will you be happy here? Happy? … Top-10! Then I'll be absolutely happy! So if you don't get to the final you will be totally depressed? Yes, maybe... Yes, it would be hard. For me and my team. What are y
Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )
The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o
Summertime is the time for cover versions and remixes. The late 1980's war of the boombs is over when Samantha and Sabrina put their bras together and cover Blondie's Call me in peace and harmony. Amore, chiamami!
No more leave me alones as Eurovision 2007 veteran Hanna Pakarinen has published in her Youtube channel a video unboxing the Finnish state's maternity box aka layette set thus announcing she's due to have a baby later this spring. Congratulations!
This is one of the songs that make me think of sweaty summer nights, humid air and being slightly drunk... I wonder where that all comes from? Anyways. Kylie Minogue recorded On a night like this, maybe not first but better than Pandora or Anna Vissi . And Lord which is actually great!
Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam
Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.
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