Eurovision UK Selection 2019!
6 songs! 3 artists! Mans & Mel! Get ready for the new format of You Decide for the UK! I’ve listened to the 6 songs and given my views to whittle it down to our three best choices on who would be best to fly the Union Jack in May – you’re welcs.
Bigger Than Us
Melodifestivalen alum John Lundvik penned this track, delivered by two reality TV contestants – X Factor’s Holly Tandy and All Together Now’s Michael Rice. The latter, BBC’s much maligned show, even offers us its winner at Eurovision: You Decide. Whilst Holly’s rendition has a subtle country charm, arguably appealing to the Taylor Swift crowd, it’s Michael’s dramatic arrangement that makes more of a lasting impact. His huge voice carries the anthem in a similar manner to recent runaway successes Rag’n’Bone Man and Tom Walker – it certainly wouldn’t sound out of place on the equally massive Eurovision stage in May.
My winner? Michael Rice
Freaks
Possibly the most lyrically interesting of the three songs, both versions of ‘Freaks’ that the BBC are putting forward have more than a whiff of ‘Land of Make Believe’ by Eurovision winners Bucks Fizz to them. Disappointingly, try as they might, neither artist manage to whip up much of the magic of Cheryl and co’s version, but these are certainly the most out-of-the-box tracks in this year’s selection. Jordan Clarke gives the track a punchy pop-rock treatment not too dissimilar from the sound Fun. shot to fame with. Meanwhile, MAID have some gorgeous harmonies going for them and you may well get a bit of a buzz from the verses which are nicely understated, but the chorus sounds disjointed and doesn’t deliver what it builds up to. Ultimately, the chorus of ‘Freaks’ is already pretty saccharine but MAID’s vocal delivery take it a step too far, passing the win to Jordan Clarke’s rendition.
Winner? Jordan Clarke
Sweet Lies
OK, fellow Brits, this is the one. Kerrie-Ann brings a genuine banger into the mix with this track and, whilst it may not challenge for the win in Tel Aviv unless a lot of things go wrong for Sweden, Russia and the other usual suspects, this is a return to the cheesy euphoric Eurovision that has taken a backseat in recent years and after a revamp, this could be an even more exciting prospect for the UK. Anisa delivers the alternative version this round, her stunning vocals help this stripped-back ballad soar and, whilst she certainly makes the song her own, we can only imagine how great she would have sounded transforming a lyrically superior track like ‘Bigger than Us’. Tired metaphors are not so easily forgiven when the vocals are such a key element to the performance. As Eleni Foureira proved last year, the European public are still all about fiery divas whipping their hair to uptempos so let’s not watch Kerrie-Ann befall the same fate as Salena Mastroianni (‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’? 2017 anybody?’). Eurovision 2019 could well be the year the UK brings the party to Tel Aviv.
My winner? Do you really need to ask?