(and a few reasons why I didn't!)
Let's start off with the heavy stuff! I loved the new system for announcing points by splitting the judges and popular votes! For one, this made for a more exciting final, with the Ukraine able to leap-frog Australia who seemed to be home and dry with a 200-point lead. Secondly I believe this either had and interesting effect on political voting, or else it revealed a few things about political voting that, perhaps, hadn't been expected
Let me elaborate. For anyone that didn't watch this year, the splitting of the votes actually held a few surprises! The judges votes did not seem to be politically swayed in the ways we have come to anticipate. For example, Denmark gave only 4 points to hosts Sweden, and Norway gave them nothing at all! Granted, Finland still gave them 12 points, but you can't have everything!!
The moment that Ukraine sealed their victory over Australia and Russia
It's possible that the splitting of the votes offered a transparency that made judges less inclined to be political, but the photo-finish that cemented the Ukraine entry as winner was a surge from the popular vote. So if there was a political reaction to the emotional Ukrainian song (about a Russian invasion in 1944), in the wake of current anti-Russian sentiment, it was the European public that pushed this political movement forward. This is a different matter altogether than the previous allegations of bureaucratic favouritism!
#2. Native-language entries
There were quite a few entries this year with total or partial native-language lyrics. What is more, they mostly performed very well indeed! The Austrian entry was even in a non-native language - French - which was actually kind of odd, but lovely!
Ukraine (Jamala - 1944) Winner!
Bulgaria (Poli Genova - If Love was a Crime) #4
France (Amir - J'ai Cherché) #6
Austria (Zoë - loin d'ici) #13
Italy (Francesca Michielin - No Degree of Separation) #16
#3. "Love Love, Peace Peace"
Love Love, Peace Peace was an interval act from the Swedish hosts, who demonstrated a wonderful sense of humour at the occasion, putting together a song of their own comprising a whole host of elements that have proven successful in previous years.
...It's really best just to watch it:
Love Love, Peace Peace was an interval act from the Swedish hosts, who demonstrated a wonderful sense of humour at the occasion, putting together a song of their own comprising a whole host of elements that have proven successful in previous years.
...It's really best just to watch it:
#4. Shout out to Swedish Music Industry
Unfortunately I can't find the video for this on You Tube!
This was a 3-minute video showing, at a glance, a taste of some of the successful Swedish acts across the globe (for better are for worse!) over the past few decades. These included Blue Swede, ABBA, Ace of Base, Europe, Avicii, The Cardigans, Basshunter, The Hives and Peter Bjorn and John.
I didn't recognise a lot of these as being Swedish, and it was great to see the diversity of the acts, as well as appearance from couple of favourites of mine - Sabaton and Ghost.
Sabaton are a band that relate (usually in English, but sometimes also in Swedish) quite amazingly detailed accounts of historical battles through the medium of power metal.
Ghost are a Doom Metal band that perform in the guise of demonic popes and play about with the tropes of old-fashioned horror movies in their music and staging.
Please do check them both out, if you don't already know of them, as they're quite brilliant!
Unfortunately I can't find the video for this on You Tube!
This was a 3-minute video showing, at a glance, a taste of some of the successful Swedish acts across the globe (for better are for worse!) over the past few decades. These included Blue Swede, ABBA, Ace of Base, Europe, Avicii, The Cardigans, Basshunter, The Hives and Peter Bjorn and John.
I didn't recognise a lot of these as being Swedish, and it was great to see the diversity of the acts, as well as appearance from couple of favourites of mine - Sabaton and Ghost.
Sabaton photo: Shaun Joyce Photography
Sabaton are a band that relate (usually in English, but sometimes also in Swedish) quite amazingly detailed accounts of historical battles through the medium of power metal.
Ghost are a Doom Metal band that perform in the guise of demonic popes and play about with the tropes of old-fashioned horror movies in their music and staging.
Please do check them both out, if you don't already know of them, as they're quite brilliant!
#5. Graham Norton
image put together by express.co.uk
Graham Norton is one of the main reasons why we watch the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK, even when we claim to hate it! His comments are always witty and light-hearted and he's been quite a wonderful successor for Sir Terry Wogan, who very sadly passed away earlier this year.
Graham asked us all to raise a glass to toast to Sir Terry along with the 9th act this year, having been previously advised by Sir Terry when he took over the Eurovision gig never to drink any alcohol before the 9th song (presumably a health warning!) A classy and heartfelt tribute!
Graham asked us all to raise a glass to toast to Sir Terry along with the 9th act this year, having been previously advised by Sir Terry when he took over the Eurovision gig never to drink any alcohol before the 9th song (presumably a health warning!) A classy and heartfelt tribute!
#6. The Staging
The Swedes did a marvellous job this year, and some of the visual feats accomplished between them and the finalists this year were quite special, despite there not being too much this year by the way of huge dance troupes or ridiculous stage props (Cyprus' huge steel cages excepted).
Russia's, in particular, was inspired. Entrant Sergey Lazarev navigated a near-vertical rubber wall with confidence to create an impressive visual illusion.
Russia's, in particular, was inspired. Entrant Sergey Lazarev navigated a near-vertical rubber wall with confidence to create an impressive visual illusion.
#7. An Emotional Final Performance
No matter where you opinion may lie on the reasons why the Ukraine entry won, no-one can deny that the song had substance like no other entry did. It was plain, also, that the song meant a lot to performer Jamala personally, resulting in an emotional final performance of her song. At several points she sounded so choked-up I didn't think she'd make it through the whole song!
#8. Diversity
Even though I didn't love the "alternative" entries this year, and found that there were still a few too many solo acts and dance numbers, I still appreciate that the genre diversity awakened by the likes of Lordi seems to be here to stay!
In the interest of expressing the levels of diversity simply, I'm going to resort to some very cheap comparisons here. Apologies!
Cyprus = The Rasmus
Georgia = Kasabian/Suede/Chemical Brothers...I think...this entry was weird!
Germany = Florence and the Machine
We even got a little bit of country music from the Netherlands! Happy days!
No matter where you opinion may lie on the reasons why the Ukraine entry won, no-one can deny that the song had substance like no other entry did. It was plain, also, that the song meant a lot to performer Jamala personally, resulting in an emotional final performance of her song. At several points she sounded so choked-up I didn't think she'd make it through the whole song!
#8. Diversity
Even though I didn't love the "alternative" entries this year, and found that there were still a few too many solo acts and dance numbers, I still appreciate that the genre diversity awakened by the likes of Lordi seems to be here to stay!
In the interest of expressing the levels of diversity simply, I'm going to resort to some very cheap comparisons here. Apologies!
Cyprus = The Rasmus
Georgia = Kasabian/Suede/Chemical Brothers...I think...this entry was weird!
Germany = Florence and the Machine
We even got a little bit of country music from the Netherlands! Happy days!
#9. Enjoying it with Friends
The Eurovision Song Contest may not be seen as credible by all, but I do believe that there is opportunity for anyone to enjoy it! It's a great excuse for an elaborate get-together! The photos below are a few from our celebrations this year!
...and now for a couple of things that I didn't like so much
#1. Frans - If I Were Sorry
Sorry Sweden, I hate to single you out, but your entry really got under my skin this year.
On the surface, If I Were Sorry seems to be a passionate love letter, but the reality is a bit nastier, to the point that my immediate assumption was at improper use of the conditional tense by a non-native English speaker.
There's no error here though - everything ties up and makes perfect grammatical/syntactical sense and, ladies, Frans may look as though butter wouldn't melt, but he's definitely not sorry for whatever it was he said or did to you.
I'm all for a song that tells a story, and a surprising and ugly truth - I listen to Pulp and Hefner - but this one just didn't tie in at all with the rest of the package. Frans looks too boyish to deliver such a boorish message, the dainty, chilled-out melody doesn't complement said message, and neither does the message fit the occasion (see "Love Love, Peace Peace" above!)
I also felt that this was not enough of a performance-piece to be deserving of winning the contest, no matter how catchy it ended up being. Frans performs in jeans and a t-shirt and barely moves throughout - the whole just seemed a bit too lazy.
#2. Not enough silly!
I'm blaming the semi-finals for this! I think they're weeding out the weirder entries and leaving only the most credible for the final.
I can't complain too much at this - Eurovision is a music contest after all - but for me part of the charm is with those few entries that are just too bafflingly awful to even hate!
I may have to watch from the Semi Finals next year to be sure that I can get my dose of daft!
Bring on next year!
The Eurovision Song Contest may not be seen as credible by all, but I do believe that there is opportunity for anyone to enjoy it! It's a great excuse for an elaborate get-together! The photos below are a few from our celebrations this year!
#1. Frans - If I Were Sorry
Sorry Sweden, I hate to single you out, but your entry really got under my skin this year.
On the surface, If I Were Sorry seems to be a passionate love letter, but the reality is a bit nastier, to the point that my immediate assumption was at improper use of the conditional tense by a non-native English speaker.
There's no error here though - everything ties up and makes perfect grammatical/syntactical sense and, ladies, Frans may look as though butter wouldn't melt, but he's definitely not sorry for whatever it was he said or did to you.
I'm all for a song that tells a story, and a surprising and ugly truth - I listen to Pulp and Hefner - but this one just didn't tie in at all with the rest of the package. Frans looks too boyish to deliver such a boorish message, the dainty, chilled-out melody doesn't complement said message, and neither does the message fit the occasion (see "Love Love, Peace Peace" above!)
I also felt that this was not enough of a performance-piece to be deserving of winning the contest, no matter how catchy it ended up being. Frans performs in jeans and a t-shirt and barely moves throughout - the whole just seemed a bit too lazy.
#2. Not enough silly!
I'm blaming the semi-finals for this! I think they're weeding out the weirder entries and leaving only the most credible for the final.
I can't complain too much at this - Eurovision is a music contest after all - but for me part of the charm is with those few entries that are just too bafflingly awful to even hate!
I may have to watch from the Semi Finals next year to be sure that I can get my dose of daft!
Bring on next year!
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