Scanty
! I like reading thoughts about Eurovision, and Scanty brings THE GOODS. I joined a Eurovision group a few days ago hoping to read some interesting takes on the contest but they were fixated on "Finland was robbed" and then stopped talking about music entirely and began arguing about Russia/Ukraine. I agree with what you said about Finland's performance. I like seeing the most 'timeless' sounding song win and this year I believe it was Sweden. The song that will still sound good on recaps a decade from now, unlike Finland's and Israel's which I suspect will sound dated by next year. I'm firmly against novelty songs winning. I HATED 'Toy' winning in 2018, and while Finland's entry this year has a nice musical change-up in the middle (after starting out like a sub-Prodigy number), everything about the performance screamed 'novelty song'.
Despite the fact that I like it a fair amount I don't think Loreen's Tattoo is an all time classic winner, it's no Euphoria just like Hold Me Now was no What's Another Year. Admittedly I was biased in favour of Loreen due to her past participation in the contest; I'm happy for her for winning again, even though usually I'm not happy for anyone about anything because I come from a nation of begruders. I believe she changed the contest for good with Euphoria in 2012. Euphoria was a song which didn't sound like it was written specifically for Eurovision, which had become the norm with other recent winners, it sounded like a song which could and should be a #1 chart hit around the world. To me she modernised the contest, and whether I'm right or wrong about that I had some leftover goodwill towards her based on that belief, which was partly responsible for my three votes for her on Saturday night. But the song this year needed to be good too and it is!
Speaking about modernising though! Ireland and the UK have to do something different, and quickly. They haven't won since 1996 and 1997. This year Sweden matched Ireland's record number of wins, and from the looks of things Sweden will win another couple of contests before Ireland even finishes in the top 10 again. I can't understand why Ireland and the UK haven't sent some of their bigger names!? I don't have my ear to the ground but I haven't had my head in the sand either and I had NEVER heard of Wild Youth and Mae Muller. Meanwhile, Noa Kirel of Israel is already a huge star in that country, and Italy's singer - pleather outfit notwithstanding - according to one of the commentators on the show has gone 72 times platinum (albums and singles combined) in Italy. The UK used to send Lulu, Sandie Shaw, Cliff Richard, which was the equivalent of sending Noa Kirel and Marco Mengoni now.
When it comes to music stars, the UK arguably has a better selection than any other country in Europe. Imagine if they sent Dua Lipa? Charli XCX? Rita Ora? Jessie Ware? Maybe they simply wouldn't want to go, but if they sent them or any of about 40 others the UK would finish in the top three every year. Instead they send James Newman, Michael Rice, and Mae Muller
. And so, apart from a glitch in the matrix last year when they finished in second, the UK had only finished inside the top 10 two other times since 2000. Anyway, that's my "more of the same shit" rant. Thanks for coming through with your reviews Scanty and Sea Salt!
Well this was a pretty fire comment also. Do you want me to tell you my theory? Well i’m going to because it has a really short shelf life, as in, any other day of the year i will be too lazy to type about anything eurovision anymore. Here’s the thing, it started out as a serious competition. More serious than it is now, anyway. And i think the UK acts that make it globally absolutely do think they’re too big for it. But it’s also really super weird when the English speaking countries send these absolute nobodies that no one’s ever heard of any more. I mean Mae Muller seems like a typical act for someone who just got out of stage school - which actually, you made a really good point. Because Dua Lipa and all those guys definitely came straight out of Sylvia Young or wherever. And it seems like, what place could possibly be better for stage schoolers to compete than… on stage at Eurovision! Right??
But then I think the countries that are trying to participate in the spirit that was originally expected (ie represent your country singing in your country’s original language) are kind of at a disadvantage. Because no one outside of their own countries knows their songs!!
And some of those guys are trying to sing in English hoping (praying?) that they’ll somehow be struck by the hand of King Midas and a clip of one of their choruses (or maybe their entire track!) might end up being played all night long at a Magaluf disco near you this summer, which = streaming sales, kah-CHING, kah-CHING!!!
BUT then i think this is where we go back to square one with some of the more successful acts not wanting to be associated with this rif-raff. I mean WHAT was that mess out of Ukraine this year??
And also BUT!!! And this is the part I never paid any attention to, so maybe you already know the answer to this and it’s just me that doesn’t… WHO is it that’s actually voting for these loser UK acts to go through?? I mean is it like if your parents pay enough under the table, or still a casting couch and who you sleep with, or what?!
Because honestly, this is so sad to watch. It’s sad like wilted lettuce is sad. Like wilted lettuce that’s wilted because a dog peed on it level of sadness.
They could easily send a Bonnie Tyler. I feel like even Florence and the Machine might have done it. Bet the Corrs would have considered it at least, too.
The problem if you don’t send someone who has already been hugely successful is that … you’re sending someone who hasn’t been good enough to be successful.
And it would be one thing if they say “this is for unknown acts only”, or the opposite of that. But when you tell me some acts are like 75x platinum in their own countries, then yeah, it makes no sense to send garbage, and A LOT of countries send their garbage.
They’re happy to make superstars and multi-millionaires out of people doing karaoke on Britain’s Got Talent or The Voice or whatever the latest one of those shows is, but then they can’t even get it together to send someone that people on the street would have even heard of, while other countries are sending multi-platinum acts?
I forget what my theory is that i was going to tell you, and this was definitely not it. I’m just saying, why didn’t they at least send Bonnie Tyler?
Do you think a Kate Bush or a Dua Lipa wouldn’t go because in different ways, they all just don’t want to be part of anything where they might lose? I think so. That’s why you need someone with a sense of humor!! Maybe they should send Blur next year, lol.
Or at least maybe Billy Idol could have gone. Or even Adam and the Ants. With Boz!