Let’s hear it for the Boy…

Here is the hot, hot favourite for the Contest this year – Alexander Ryback singing for Norway…

 

 

 

 

I wonder if Alexander has a signed letter from his mother to be there… he looks very young!  My good friend (and euro scholar) Professor Brian Singleton informs me that the Maltese singer thinks that he looks like Harry Potter – the early years.  I guess there is a touch of Daniel Radcliffe to him, but still – a saucer of milk for Chiara!

 

 

I’m the kiss of death when it comes to backing a winner – but does it sound like a winner to you?  Get involved and let me know.  The staging is all a bit chaotic for my liking – although the Cossack inspired choreography will curry favour from Eastern European viewers, I’m sure. 

 

The odds have narrowed even further so the bookies must like what they see.

 

Tonight, Matthew, I’m Ronan Keating…

 

This is Danish singer, Brinck…

 

 

You’d have to agree with me that he sounds a wee bit like Ronan Keating.  He might even look slightly like him?

 

 

Well – and this is where it gets really interesting – the song is written by Ronan Keating!  We might ask ourselves why Ronan himself is not singing for Denmark, or indeed representing his home turf with this song.  Some Irish eyes were raised at Ronan’s involvement with the Danish delegation, but perhaps he didn’t want to be the second turkey to represent Ireland in as many years… Dustin the Turkey didn’t exactly wow Europe last time around.  I guess Denmark have found one way to get some easy votes out of the Irish jury and televoters – and it stands a good chance of making an impression in the first semi-final (Tuesday 12 May).  And with Ronan Keating in mind…

 

Will Irish eyes be smiling?

 

 

Last year it was the rather odd choice of television personality and, erm, puppet “Dustin the Turkey” to fly the flag for Ireland.  He was always a controversial choice, and the viewers around Europe did not get the joke – mind you I struggled myself.  This year RTÉ (the Irish broadcaster) have sought to make amends by not sending a literal turkey… but is the song, performed by Sinead Mulvey and Black Daisy, set for a good stuffing?

 

 

Very derivative of P!nk and other female artists. It’s quite catchy, but I think it will struggle to get to the final.  Although I must be kind as Brian and myself have tickets for the final courtesy of the Irish Eurovision Fanclub.  I’ll have my flag ready for Sinead and the girls.

 

All the World’s a stage…

 

 

And finally today we have the Polish entry – a song which I quite like when I hear it on my iPod (other portable audio devices are available!).  However, at this early stage of rehearsals Lidia Kopania’s performance is pitchy and nervous.  I think it’s easy for us as television viewers to forget that performing on the Eurovision stage is a daunting prospect, and some artists will need rehearsal time to build their confidence.  I’m also reflecting on the size of the stage this year – it’s massive.  It feels like this performance is being overwhelmed by the size of the space in which they have to perform.  I’ll be interested to see the later rehearsal footage to see how it progresses.  See what you think…

 

 

And I have the first curse of my media interviews!  No sooner had I said in a radio interview with Dune FM this afternoon that I thought there were fewer novelties and distractions for the viewer to absorb, the Polish rehearsal throws in pointless ballet dancers as a sideline to the main performer.  I find it distracting and irritating – and it seems at odds with the song.  If you look closely at the backing singers I’m sure you can see them chuckle slightly when the dancers start ‘throwing some shapes’… isn’t that what ‘the kids’ say these days.  I’ll check with Tanya Byron…

 

See you for other well regarded songs from Azerbaijan, Greece, Ukraine and Estonia in the next post.