I feel like I need to point out some interesting details about they're friendship
The way Gjon is hugging her and the tight hug/grip is absolutely adorable, He is also at the very brink of tears (it's Gjon's TEARS for a reason) and I'm pretty sure he cried after the hug, it just shows how important they are to each other, their friendship is so strong and has alot of development which is something that should be appreciated, also i LOVE how it's a FRIENDSHIP between a guy and girl, and it's lasted around three years now, I also heard that Gjon proposed a collab in 2021 but because of the situation they can't really do it, and in every picture they're together, they always seem so happy, Kate even confirmed that Gjon was her absolute favorite in 2021, she said that they've been talking since 2020
Just like the title said, I'm writing this post as I listen to most of the 2023 entries for the first time. So far, I have only heard Italy (of course), Spain, Finland, Serbia, Portugal (I just couldn't miss their national finals), and Norway (heard it in the wild).
My top 6 of these entries would look like this:
1. Finland: Käärijä - "Cha Cha Cha"
I've definitely caught the Cha Cha Cha fever! At this point, I've streamed it 240 times in less than a month. It's an instant dopamine boost, it hits several spots of my taste in music, the transition between the two halves of the song is seamless and reflects the lyrics perfectly (I recommend Eurovision Histories' analysis of the song, he explains it really well), Käärijä is such a charismatic performer and an absolute sweetheart, but most of all...
2. Spain: Blanca Paloma - "Eaea"
I rarely cry over a song, so when one does manage to get my eyes wet, it must be special. The fusion between flamenco and a contemporary production, together with Blanca Paloma's flawless and intense vocals, make "Eaea" a contender not only in my ears, but also in my eyes, as the staging completes the package effectively. Hopefully she doesn't change it much for Liverpool!
3. Serbia: Luke Black - "Samo Mi Se Spava"
It seems like Konstrakta might have paved the way for a more experimental side of the Serbian music scene! I first heard "Samo Mi Se Spava" at Pesma za Evroviziju's final and, while I loved the dark electro-pop style, I was also left a little confused - maybe it was the vocals that I couldn't fully get? But with more listens, I've now warmed up to it. Its only flaw is that it's too short. Give me a 7-minute long extended mix with a drop going absolutely bonkers, please.
4. Italy: Marco Mengoni - "Due Vite"
Yes, it's a classic Sanremo-style ballad. But the artist can make or break this kind of songs with their way of singing, and Marco definitely makes it with his distinctive vocals and artistry. While he has a bunch of upbeat bangers and I would have loved him to show this different side of his music this time around, I really can't complain as "Due Vite" makes yet another entry we can be proud of. Forza Marco!
5. Portugal: Mimicat - "Ai Coração"
This keeps growing on me! Such a cute and classy song, retro sounding in the best way. Portugal is one of my favourite country in the ESC, and "Ai coração" is faithful to their brand. Mimicat is such an endearing performer and definitely sells the song!
6. Norway: Alessandra - "Queen of Kings"
It's 'last' as for now, but I'm sure it won't be last in my overall ranking! In fact, I can't see it dropping outside of my top 20 once I've heard all of the entries. Epic feel, pumping bass, powerful vocals - I wouldn't be surprised if "Queen of Kings" landed the second top 10 placement in a row for Norway. Bonus points for Alessandra being half Italian!
Needless to say, I really enjoy all of these songs. It feels so hard for me to imagine a personal winner other than "Cha Cha Cha", but maybe I'll be surprised...
Now to my live reaction to the remaining 31 entries: what I'm going to do is play ESCBEAT's Spotify playlist on shuffle without looking at the title, so I'll make it even more interesting for myself and try to guess which country's song is playing - with the exceptions of Armenia and San Marino, as they're not available on Spotify yet so I'll check them out individually on YouTube.
Armenia: Brunette - "Future Lover"
Ok, before the song starts, let me say that basing her song on Tumblr quotes is honestly iconic behaviour. Truly one of us. However I fear I won't be able to take it 100% seriously after reading this fact.
Alright.
After listening: you know what... it makes a lot more sense to me now. The first verse can be interpreted as her scrolling her dashboard, reading such posts and fantasizing over this ideal partner to do all of these cute and mundane things with. The second verse is when she gets hit by reality and acknowledges that she's spent so much time obsessing over someone who doesn't even exist, and that realization hits her hard. The music seems to explode together with the racing thoughts in her mind. Solid, r&b-tinted track, has potential to be a memorable moment on the Liverpool stage. Oh, and once again Armenia shows that they're capable to make a music video.
San Marino: Piqued Jacks - "Like an Animal"
I have already read the lyrics to that, and they are definitely Something™. Let's see if the music and the performance can make up for it...
I was expecting so much worse from what I've read around the eurofandom spaces? It's a pleasant, very well sung rock song. The lyrics didn't even bother me that much while listening, although they're kinda awkward indeed. Maybe they'll change them up in the upcoming revamp?
Now to shuffling the Spotify playlist.
Sweden: Loreen - "Tattoo"
Oh, this has to be Tattoo. The start is indeed a bit reminiscing of The Winner Takes It All! It's what Sweden can do best - a strong pop song with slick production, in which Loreen's personality and artistry is the added value. I wish she had presented something more experimental, but seeing how it went with "Statements", can we really blame her? "Tattoo" does sound like a jury winner, and it would surely be deserved. I'm sure it's even better live - I'll make sure to check her Melfest performance out!
Australia: Voyager - "Promise"
Have no idea of what this could be, but the sound is interesting. Hope the build-up does not disappoint.
Okay, it has to be Australia! I was expecting it to evolve into a full-on dance-pop song, lmao.
I'm digging this! "Dreamer" was a national final favourite of mine last year, and while I'm not sure I like "Promise" more, I still did like it a lot, and I can hear some common patterns between the two songs - poppier verses, the chorus suddenly getting heavier, and then the peak in the breakdown and the final chorus. Oh, and there's a short but sweet guitar solo in here! I wonder how it will be received on the ESC stage, as it might come across as confusing to some.
Slovenia: Joker Out - "Carpe Diem"
Is this Joker Out? I've been SO curious to hear their song, as I heard some of their back catalogue and it sounds really cool.
OMG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. Such a strong indie-rock banger, reminiscent of what I used to hear on the alternative radio stations in the mid 00s, but still sounding fresh in 2023. Also Slovene sounds adorable together with rock music. It's been absolutely worth the wait! I NEED THIS TO QUALIFY OKAY.
Austria: Teya & Salena - "Who the Hell Is Edgar"
OH MY GOD YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD WRITER. Yeah, recognized it instantly. MASSIVE BOP ALREADY. Was... not expecting this opera bit.
POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE EDGAR ALLAN EDGAR ALLAN
Everyone stand up for the new Austrian anthem. Honestly iconic. Loving it unironically, great production, love me some satire, and I trust them to deliver live. Hope they go bonkers with the staging. I feel like ranking these entries is going to be hell...
Switzerland: Remo Forrer - "Watergun"
Oh, piano intro.
Army mention. Switzerland, isn't it?
Not bad, just sounds kinda cliché so far... very nice voice though. Can't see myself replaying it. Probably going to end up in my bottom 10.
Georgia: Iru - "Echo"
This is a banging intro, I'm listening respectfully.
...Georgia?
There's going to be a drop, I hope so...
I'm... disappointed so far? Not really hearing the build-up I was hoping for. It seems to be a fan favourite, but I'm not getting it. Maybe it will grow on me, who knows?
Moldova: Pasha Parfeni - "Soarele si Luna"
ROMANIAN. Has to be Pasha. Another song I was eager to hear!
THE DROP. THANKS FOR MY DAILY DOSE OF DOPAMINE. THIS IS SO GOOD HELP. The bass, the flute, the backing vocals, everything. This might be my favourite Moldovan entry ever. Pasha Parfeni came on this bitch mad as hell. Welcome back!
Azerbaijan: TuralTuranX - "Tell Me More"
Automatic voice message? This sounds kinda unserious idk why.
Oh, it has to be Azerbaijan.
I'm glad they left the artists more creative control this time around, but this is really not doing it for me. It sounds like the demo to some 90s song. My last so far. I fear this won't do well and the delegation will go back to Melfest rejects...
Ireland: Wild Youth - "We Are One"
We take our first breath and then we exhale. King of teaching us how to breathe. Can't figure out which entry this is, but it sounds cliché so far.
Oh, Ireland. Wild Youth, what have you done? I already knew their song "Can't Say No" and it's so good, are we sure it's the same band? It's like they came together and decided to deliberately write the most stereotypical ESC song. It's a no from me.
Latvia: Sudden Lights - "Aijā"
Interesting beat, wonder where it's going to go from here. Oh, guitars.
5/4 to 6/8 tempo transition? A bit confusing but in a good way, I'm enjoying it a lot! Definitely original. Could it be Latvia? I've been VERY curious to hear it.
Well, he's saying Aijā now so no doubt. First impression is really good already, but I feel like I'll end up being obsessed!
Malta: The Busker - Dance (Our Own Party)
Funky pop, nice. Enjoying it more and more as it progresses, and that sax? *chef's kiss*. It's sensual, retro but there's also something a bit futuristic about it at the same time? Still not sure about what it is, even now that the song is coming to an end. Kinda want to say Malta? I'll figure this out by exclusion. What's sure is that it slaps.
(Spoiler: it was indeed Malta)
Romania: Theodor Andrei - "D.G.T. (Off and On)"
Is it Romanian again? Thought Romania's entry was in English, so this is surprising. And it's pretty good? This was one of the entries I just couldn't figure out the vibe of from the eurofans' comments, and I'm positively surprised honestly! Was expecting it to be maybe more upbeat, definitely was not picturing this jazz-rock fusion. Oh, turns out it's bilingual. I don't know how memorable it will be in the mix, but it's solid. Such a diverse lineup so far, it's shaping up to be a stronger year than I thought!
Albania: Albina & Familja Kelmendi - "Duje"
Oh, this lady CAN vocalize! Something in the Albanian water...
I was expecting this to be more ballad-y for some reason but it's making me want to shake my ass. I feel like something in the production/mixing is holding it back a bit, though. Overall it's Albania doing Albania, and I can't complain.
Iceland: Diljá - "Power"
Iceland time, I think? I'm enjoying it a lot so far. EDM hasn't been particularly successful at ESC, but she has a lovely voice and her winning Söngvakeppnin suggests to me that she can deliver live, so this could be a dark horse!
Denmark: Reiley - "Breaking My Heart"
Very modern production for this and vocoder for this next song. Okay, this is probably Denmark. It's most likely not going to be one of my favourites, but it's a personal taste thing. It's a solid pop song, hope he can deliver it live.
Estonia: Alika - "Bridges"
Now a lovely tone of voice being accompanied by just a piano and strings. I've lost count of which songs are left to listen to, and while I'm at the last chorus, I'm still struggling to figure out which country this is. WAIT IT'S ALIKA FKFHFKFHDKDH. Girlie said "bridges" a ton of times and I didn't catch it lmao. Really liked it though! It could stand out in a less balladful year like this one.
Czechia: Vesna - "My Sister's Crown"
FINALLY HEARING VESNA'S SONG!!!! This has been so hard to resist BUT GOD HAS IT BEEN WORTH THE WAIT. I've been listening to their music for some time and I was so excited when they were announced for ESCZ. It's what I was expecting from them and more: a gorgeously sung, very well produced folk-pop tune, and the rap verses are such a great surprise! Up to my top 5 you go.
Belgium: Gustaph - "Because of You"
Gustaph delivers some good old eurodance, and I can tell this is going to be a sort of guilty pleasure for me... except I do not, in fact, feel guilty. It's the good kind of dated. Good job on bringing out the 90s kid in me!
United Kingdom: Mae Muller - "I Wrote a Song"
Sounds like slick pop so far. Oh this is building up nicely.
Yes, the UK delivering a quality, very radio-friendly host entry. They seem to be determined in changing their course, and hopefully we'll see a competent enough staging to bring out the entry's potential!
Greece: Victor Vernicos - "What They Say"
Is it Greece? Cute song, I just think I'm not the audience for it. He's really young and this seems to be his first performance on a big stage, so I'm a bit worried about how he might cope with nerves... But then again, there have been 16-year-olds who did amazing on the ESC stage, so fingers crossed!
Croatia: Let3 - "Mama ŠČ"
CROATIA TIME LET'S SEE
This is as all over the place as I was expecting, it's far from a musical masterpiece but it's clearly not meant to be. They're just vibing, and I support that.
Cyprus: Andrew Lambrou - "Break a Broken Heart"
What in the Imagine Dragons is this? Oh, that's Cyprus. This is pretty good, I just don't see myself coming back to it much. But I feel like it's the kind of song that might be elevated a lot by strong staging.
Poland TVP: Blanka - "Solo"
BEYBAH ITS KAINDA CRAYZAH.
...yeah. It's a song. I get those who say it sounds like a Margaret song, but it's also giving me early 00s vibes. At the same time, while I'm a slut for early 00s pop, this is giving me nothing. And the context around it makes everything worse.
Israel: Noa Kirel - "Unicorn"
I've heard "Unicorn" is a messy song, now I'll get to witness it for myself. So far it's a respectable dance-pop entry, but that "power of the unicorn" sounds so random ngl.
Oh well. This is definitely a song meant FOR a staging. The breakdown after the repeated "do you want to see me dance?" line reminded me of kpop a bit. The ending was... so abrupt?
Netherlands: Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper - "Burning Daylight"
This might be the Netherlands' entry? You can surely hear Duncan Laurence in it. I was afraid it would sound too forced as a song and a duet, but it's flowing well so far. However I'm not a fan of what the drums sound like. They sound... buried? I liked it the most until the second chorus.
Germany: Lord of the Lost - "Blood & Glitter"
Metal? In MY Eurovision Song Contest? Love to hear it, especially from Germany, since it seemed like they were stuck in their safe approach to the competition. As for the song itself... maybe I'll warm up to it with time, but on a first impression, I like the intro and the verses a lot, the chorus not as much. The ending was great!
Ukraine: Tvorchi - "Heart of Steel"
Oh, what's this? Slightly off-beat chorus, very interesting!
Right, Ukraine! Tvorchi use their host entry privilege to bring something we've never heard at the ESC before, and definitely a change of pace from the folk-driven songs of the past couple of years, proving the richness of this country's music scene.
Lithuania: Monika Linkytė - "Stay"
ČIŪTOOOO TŪTO
Another returnee! Sweet ballad, really pleasant vocals. Turning into more of a midtempo now, with sort of marching drums. I can't remember which country is in which semi, but I wouldn't mind this in the grand final at all!
France: La Zarra - "Évidemment"
So far, so French. And yes, it's a compliment - I'm a French pop slut. It's now surprisingly evolved into pop-funk, and I'm loving it! France is truly on a great streak (STILL MAD ABOUT FULENN OKAY.) - maybe we'll see them win in the next few years?
Overall: what a year! I was planning to make an initial ranking, turns out I'm too overwhelmed right now. As the years go by, the songs seem to be less meant for a contest, and more as a bunch of stand-alone solid and diverse tunes that happen to compete with each other, therefore it feels unfair to choose some over others. I'll take my time to warm up to them, and see which ones I will come back to the most, which ones will grow on or off me.
I think Finland is still my favourite, though.
Most likely to end up in my top 10: Czechia (definitely top 5), Slovenia, Latvia, Moldova, Malta, Austria
Hot take but the writer of My Immortal could have written Queen of Kings (though definitely wouldn't have) but Alessandra could not have written My Immortal
i could not get excited about italy if you paid me a million euros because this just feels like the most standard thing italy could ever come up with.
we've already seen this exact guy with a really similar song back in 2013 and i would be really shocked if he did something exciting in terms of staging. it's all really high quality but I'm getting bored. I'm not going to accuse italy of always sending the same song because they don't, that kind of accusation is almost always an exaggeration, but this feels like something we've seen before because it pretty much is.
anyway before someone calls me a hypocrite for praising the return of loreen - she's the biggest innovator in eurovision history in terms of staging and she's doing something we've never seen before visually. that's different from just doing conventional ballads twice
Quick doodles of the contestants of Finland's national selection for Eurovision, Uuden musiikin kilpailu. What an incredible show, I had a great time watching it.
gummygunk
yousharknotpass
blakekathryn
jbbartram-illu
vaporwave
areudirty
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines
janainaart
