We enter my top-10 with this episode of reviews.
Greece - Katerine Duska - Better Love ****
Better love, better love
All that we’re after
Way to love, who you love
Greek-Canadian Katerine (29) was internally chosen and certainly something different for Greece. She has released her debut album critics loved in 2016 and now she gets a wider audience. Her styling and video with the song create a full package and a lot depends on how they get all this work on stage and come across the tv-screens. Her voice is recognisable, the song has its identity. Elegant and dignified entry - one can't say that often of those Greek entries that did well but sometimes of those who didn't - like last year.... Let's see if singing in English helps for better love. Sadly.
Spain - Miki - La venda *****
La venda ya cayó avivando fantasías
La venda ya cayó y serás como querías
The blindfold fell already, stirring up fantasies
The blindfold fell already and you'll become what you wished
Miguel "Miki" Núñez Pozo (23) may be songwise a bit of a poor man's Alvaro Soler but he's energetic and likable and the song is what we want from Spain, isn't it? Judging Soler's success it is. I don't see why and how this wouldn't end up with the best Spanish result for years! Spain dusted off the Operación Triunfo that Miki won, and all the songs were luckily in Latin/Spanish flavour instead of Swedish bubblegum pop so hooray for that, too! This La Venda is catchy, happy and up lifting and deserves the top 10.
Norway - KEiiNO - Spirit in the Sky ****
I can see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing
He-lo e loi-la Čajet dan čuovgga
Norway dusted off old good Sami exotism and joik, mixing it with bubble gum pop and just like Estonia I didn't think much of this at first, but now that all the songs are out it climbs higher and higher helped by the stolen monstrous melody line from Finland's entry last year. Also Sweden had joik in their selection but here it works a lot better (Sweden' s effort was somewhat cheap and kitchy) giving this pop song some extra flavour. Catchy, familiar, exotic enough to do well but is it top10 or top5 remains to be seen after the rehearsals start...
Latvia - Carousel - That Night ****
I travelled through the time It felt for me like doing a crime
My mind did crazy things Imagination opened their wings
One of the most underrated entries this year and hopefully a shock qualifier for the fandom. Simple and acoustic, minimal in every sense. Coming after Switzerland in semi-final could be a good thing. Carousel is indie pop duo Sabīne Žuga and Mārcis Vasiļevskis and they have now been joined by Stanislav Judins (on double bass) and Mareks Logins (on drums) for this adventure and they are working on their debut album. I like the song's intimate dreamy feeling and enjoy this a lot more than many noisier and more thought after entries. This feels uncalculated and real, and if juries and televoters feel the same that night when it counts - fanboys don't even have a clue what I am talking about - this could go surprisingly far and shock most everyone.
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