After an infamously long audition process where 113 songs were submitted, and 73 were screened – including an ode to everyone’s favorite tuber, the potato – the Belarusian jury selected 10 songs to reach the final. The act would be decided exclusively through a jury vote.
Many of the songs in the final - Never Getting Close, Run, No Love Lost, Can We Dream, Let It Go and Humanize – would not have represented the country After an infamously long audition process where 113 songs were submitted, and 73 were screened – including an ode to everyone’s favorite tuber, the potato – the Belarusian jury selected 10 songs to reach the final. The act would be decided exclusively through a jury vote.
Many of the songs in the final - Never Getting Close, Run, No Love Lost, Can We Dream, Let It Go and Humanize – would not have represented the country well, as they lacked any distinctive features to set them apart in this eclectic year. A few other songs, including Charavala, had strong vocals, but felt predictable. The runner-up, Champion, was unique for its hip-hop influence and featured a Nigerian-Belarusian artist, but became the center of controversy, as many judges deducted points simply because of the artist’s Nigerian heritage in a gross display of nationalism.
The victor was sixteen-year-old ZENA with Like It. ZENA is no stranger to Eurovision; she competed in the Belarusian National Finals for Junior Eurovision in 2015 and 2016, and co-hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 in Minsk. Her career as a TV presenter and reality star (she placed third in Russia’s “Fabrika Zvyozd” 2017, their version of “Operación Triunfo”) helped her reach a younger audience and win over the juries with a near perfect score in the final.
Her entry brings Belarus to a more current stage in the Contest, with previous entries failing to resonate with audiences at home. Like It borrows from European pop trends to create a song that sound like it could belong on a Dua Lipa or Zara Larsson album. The hook’s repetitive “Is he gonna like it?” fails to age well in the era of #MeToo, with the young singer focusing on her partner’s needs over her own, and the disjointed lyrics are reminiscent of last year’s Azeri entry.
ZENA does have stage presence for such a young age, and her choreography skills are strong. During her final presentation, she did have vocal issues, which could affect her outcome in Tel Aviv, but she also provided an entertaining performance that would represent the country well.
well, as they lacked any distinctive features to set them apart in this eclectic year. A few other songs, including Charavala, had strong vocals, but felt predictable. The runner-up, Champion, was unique for its hip-hop influence and featured a Nigerian-Belarusian artist, but became the center of controversy, as many judges deducted points simply because of the artist’s Nigerian heritage in a gross display of nationalism.
The victor was sixteen-year-old ZENA with Like It. ZENA is no stranger to Eurovision; she competed in the Belarusian National Finals for Junior Eurovision in 2015 and 2016, and co-hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 in Minsk. Her career as a TV presenter and reality star (she placed third in Russia’s “Fabrika Zvyozd” 2017, their version of “Operación Triunfo”) helped her reach a younger audience and win over the juries with a near perfect score in the final.
Her entry brings Belarus to a more current stage in the Contest, with previous entries failing to resonate with audiences at home. Like It borrows from European pop trends to create a song that sound like it could belong on a Dua Lipa or Zara Larsson album. The hook’s repetitive “Is he gonna like it?” fails to age well in the era of #MeToo, with the young singer focusing on her partner’s needs over her own, and the disjointed lyrics are reminiscent of last year’s Azeri entry.
ZENA does have stage presence for such a young age, and her choreography skills are strong. During her final presentation, she did have vocal issues, which could affect her outcome in Tel Aviv, but she also provided an entertaining performance that would represent the country well.