Often the best tunes in Eurovision never get beyond the Semi Finals. This year I think I'll review this and give the actual final a miss, as I usually find it, as an event, gives you an upset stomach. Its a bit like having something highly calorific and sugary thrust down your throat repeatedly. Entertaining though some of it can be, its way too much.
This years first semi-final was poor overall, with very little that was outstanding, with quite a lot of indistinguishable songs and lame performances. So there really are only these three I think are worth catching, all of them have got through to the final.
The first is the Poland entry - Gaja The singer apparently performed in an earlier contest when she was much younger. Quite how long ago that was is kept under lock and key, so you have to gauge that from how old you think she is now. Lets just say she's giving me Demi Moore vibes. Dressed in a much lacerated leotard, the staging certainly goes for it. Suspending her like an avenging angel at one point. Look out for the male dancer to her right, who definitely wants you to notice him.
The second is the Estonia entry Espresso Macchiato. This song has understandably upset a few humourless Italians as its a send up of every cliche about Italy you can think of. Its actually a brilliantly written, delightfully silly and insanely catchy song. Written by the writing team that wrote Cha Cha Cha for Finland a few years back, It is everything you like about a Eurovision song. The performance contains a lot of stupid dancing, wit, parody, with a heavy tongue in cheek. I want this one to win!
The third is the Swiss entry. Its a very sweet song, quietly affective and delicately delivered, with a stripped back one take film shot, No flashy editing effects and graphics. Unlikely to win though.
Most of the others are barely worth a mention. The Swedish song attempts to do what Estonia does, but with less poise and self deprecation. The Slovenian guy who wrote a song about his wife recovering from cancer, was so inappropriate and emotionally exploitative I deeply hoped it wouldn't get through, which it didn't.....thankfully. The Azerbaijan entry sounds as though it were sung by a child trapped inside a chunky grown mans body dressed in PVC leggings, and it was. The Italian entry well it was sung by this white face painted emaciated guy channeling 70's glam era songwriting, and it was truly dreadful. As for all the rest, well its best to keep schtum about those.
This years pair of contest hosts from Switzerland are really really bad, but not in a good way. Plus for some reason air violin playing is popular this year.
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