Viva Tel Aviv! 5 Favourites from Eurovision 2019
There is plenty to look forward to this May when Israel hosts the 41 entries vying to take home the title of Eurovision winner 2019. Armenia will attempt to return to the grand final with qanun player Srbuk, sadly appearing without her qanun and Poland will be represented by the band Tulia, featuring the singer Tulia performing a song from their debut album ‘Tulia’. Fresh from presenting Junior Eurovision, Зінаіда Аляксандраўна Купрыяновіч will represent Belarus with the song ‘Like It’, whilst Iceland’s BDSM trio Hatari (translation: Haters) will preach a rather different message altogether. The fun has already begun!
I’ve pulled together five of my favourite acts from this year that I have a few things to say about, but if you’ve been following the contest already, let me know your thoughts in the comments pleaseeeeeeeee….
Albania: Jonida Maliqi – Ktheju Tokës (Return to the Land)
With the rise of the mighty Eurovision behemoth that is Sweden, us fickle Eurovision fans are longing for something different. Sweden’s refined take on pop has dominated the contest, not only through their own entries but via Swedish songwriters (UK 2019, Azerbaijan 2016) and Christer Bjorkman’s involvement in producing the contest. Anyway, where does Albania come into this? Well, if we are wanting a cleanser from the modern sheen of pop that has dominated the contest in recent years, Jonida Maliqi is bringing a dramatic ballad that would be a worthy turning of the tide. At once tribal, and lyrically emotive, ‘Ktheju Tokës’ is a storming ethno-ballad that represents a sound of Europe that has, for too long now, been bubbling under.
Norway: Keiino – Spirit in the Sky
This is the type of song your casual Eurovision fan will be listening out for in May. The Aqua-esque vocal stylings layered over pulsating electronics are given a distinctly human touch with the Sami joiking of Fred Buljo. If we continue the ideas raised in the paragraph on Albania, a movement away from Sweden’s slick, modern pop could also benefit europop dance numbers like ‘Spirit in the Sky’. Fans may have watched tracks like Estonia’s 2017 effort ‘Verona’ fall by the wayside, but could Keiino go on to pave the way for a nostalgic frolic in Tel Aviv? And if so will this give rise to an Alcazar/Jon Henrik Fjällgren collaboration at next year’s Melodifestivalen? So many questions to be answered in Israel.
Slovenia: Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl – Sebi (Oneself)
It’s always a brave move, in amongst the fireworks of Eurovision, to rely on something quieter and more intimate. It worked for Salvador Sobral in Kiev when he confidently claimed Portugal’s first victory and could very well help Slovenia’s duo standout this year. Their delicate and dreamy track ‘Sebi’ is something of an anti-Eurovision song. Judging from their performance at Slovenia’s selection show EMA, the pair seem uninterested in anything other than one another and this display, rather than leaving the audience cold, is completely captivating and their subtle chemistry is gripping enough to ensure the three minutes fly by. As one of Slovenia’s most memorable entries in a long time, Zala and Gašper get a hvala, yassssssss.
Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke – Zero Gravity
Australia’s entry this year is like marmite – you either love it or you constantly post all over social media how much you hate it and wished Electric Fields had won Australia Decides. That, in itself, is a main reason I’ve shortlisted Kate Miller-Heidke’s entry. For the first time in their short Eurovision career, Australia have finally stopped playing it safe – likely due to the lack of success recent entries Jessica and Isaiah saw in previous televotes. ‘Zero Gravity’ has already presented some unforgettable staging (massive dress, swinging black demon, just the usual y’know) alongside a song that combines a plucky lightweight chorus and a breathtaking operatic crescendo. People will argue that the track is not as strong as ‘Sound of Silence’, or that the performance is a knock-off of Aliona Moon from 2013, but at least people are talking; lack of caring is the true death-knell at Eurovision. Thanks to ‘Zero Gravity’, people will be interested in Australia again, though how that translates into success in Tel Aviv remains to be seen…
Iceland: Hatari – Hatrid Mun Sigra (Hatred will Prevail)
Ever since Finnish monsters Lordi stormed to victory in 2007 despite being dismissed by many as a novelty act, there seems to be a caveat on more ‘out-there’ entries which splits them into two camps; oddities that offer up Eurovision’s signature kookiness without threat of victory (think Slavko’s ‘Space’, sorry gurl) or baffling but captivating entries that not only get people talking, but get them voting too (Netta and her clucking refrain from last year). If you ask me, Hatari fit into the second category; presenting a pulsating industrial track whilst promising some unforgettable staging that will get them plenty of media attention – these boys are playing the game very well. High-concept even outside of stage performances, they retain their tongue-in-cheek anti-capitalist stance whilst promoting a fictional drinks brand. Why, you may ask? Hatari are this year’s embodiment of that satisfying answer that echoes around Europe each May – why? Because Eurovision. And what better reasoning is that?