Pabandom Is Naujo 2021- Semi Final - Ronny Addamo

Televised on January 30 in Lithuania and online was the somewhat unnecessary semi final of the Lithuanian Pre selection. We’ve seen all these acts before, and frankly, most were extremely underwhelming, so here we go, ready to critique for the second time, and look for, what we hope, are major improvements, because it really does look like this is going through the motions waiting for The Roop to be proclaimed the winners.

Once again, we see the jury make up has changed. No new blood thankfully, to warble on for hours, but a few from each of the heats to mix things up a bit. Now for the songs.

1. Be U- Love Yourself

Ron- A vast improvement in vocals and presence, but now she’s wearing a white satin tent. I still don’t think this makes the cut

Luc- A vast improvement on the heats, with greater band participation. They’re having a blast! And so am I

2. Aiste Brokenleg- Home

Ron- Again, an improvement, especially vocally. Now I actually see what she was trying to do, and how she made it into the actual selection shows. Still weird for weird sake though

Luc- The hipster bob and trench coat returns to moan at us, but with more diction and joy…. Still a no but not as hard a no as before

3. Gabrielius Vagelis- My Guy

Ron- HE LOST THE HAT!! Yes! He looks a million times better. Much better visually, but no real vocal improvement, unlike the past two. Mere semi final filler here

Luc- Ditches that horrid hat and goes all white ensemble and clean shaven to bring more life to this dull song. Better, but still not great.

4. Martyna Jezepcikaite- Thank You Very Much

Ron- Yeah, still the same semi baked bop as the heat. The lighting and butterfly bodysuit are the true stars here

Luc- Presence plus, with a bit of a contemporary banger…. Cute, fills the stage…

5. Norbertas- Man In Need

Ron- Oh Norbs, This insipid performance won’t get you anywhere

Luc- Bless the NSync wannabe, sans any real vocal ability. Its as trite as it always will be.

6. Evita Cololo- Be paslapciu

Ron- I feel like Evita has a lot of potential, but this is just not right for her. I can’t explain it.

Luc- Lounge singer brings the late-night vibe with conviction. But, its so late everyone’s a sleep

7. Titas Ir Benas- No

Ron- These boys should not sing separately. They work so well together, that’s about it, as a package, it works though

Luc- These youngens continue to show they’re a cut above with sincerity and harmony. I still like this

8. Voldemars Petersons- Never Fall For You Again

Ron- My favourite from heat one, builds a little more momentum, just a little closer to being Eurovision ready

Luc- The pointy thin man and his band of vagabonds rise above the pack with a still pleasant toe tapper. Fun, interesting and enjoyable.

9. Milita Daikeryte- Shadows

Ron- Still kind of looks like a teen beauty pageant. Id love to see this girl take on a really good actual song.

Luc- Severe haired vocalist who is just so much better than this song. It’s still very acceptable, but not remarkable.

10. Gebrasy- Where’d You Wanna Go?

Ron- The classiest entry of the night, between this and Voldemars for best of the night. I feel like the song needs just one more elevation though.

Luc- This bloke has presence and the song is dramatic and melancholy. Like the voice, like the song, like this.

And just like that its time for the voting. Both Luc and I agree that if anyone has a shot of knocking off The Roop its Gebrasy, but that would be highly unlikely.

The qualifiers for the grand finale, after what seems like an eternity, are

Martyna Jezepcikaite

Evita Cololo

Titas & Benas

Voldemars Peterson

Gebrasy

These five acts will face off with The Roop for their chance at Eurovsion glory. We aren’t holding our breath for any of them. See ya next week at the finale!

DORA 2021 - Kyle Woods

DORA 2021 – Croatian National Selection – February 13, 2021

Summary by Kyle Woods

Another year has gone by, and it’s time to turn our eyes to Opatija, Croatia for the next edition of Dora. Unlike many other countries, Croatia did not give last year’s selection a free pass to the final – in fact Damir Kedžo did not even compete this year. On the whole, the crop of songs wasn’t the best, though there were certainly at least some interesting outfits to see!

See my quick thoughts below for each of the 14 entries:

1. Nina Kraljić – Rijeka (River) (Placed 2 of 14)

https://youtu.be/xL2sMVwtpk4

I enjoy Nina Kraljić as a performer, but I did not enjoy this performance. Her outfit was horrible, and while the song eventually got around to highlighting her vocal ability, it sure took its time getting there and I am not sure it was worth the journey. Other than the pole dancer, all we had to look at was Nina’s take at cultural appropriation, standing in the middle of the stage with some blue Zulu warrior outfit. I was excited to see she was performing but very disappointed at the result.

2. Eric Vidović – Reci mi (Tell Me) (Placed 10 of 14)

https://youtu.be/vNbf2A2aACM

Eric is adorable, though I don’t know what was going on with the camera work during his number. The song is his own work and he seems to be really enjoying it. I don’t really know what was going on with the creepy shadow dancer on the screen, though. All-told, this was one of the better performances of the night, though, and I suspect we’ll see more of this performer in the future.

3. Ella Orešković – Come This Way (Placed 9 of 14)

https://youtu.be/D8peN0PHmec

I am a sucker for a sea of fog, so I was poised to like this one when it started. The visual effect of Ella’s white dress coming out of the fog was quite striking. Then she turns around and reveals that that beautiful gown is unfortunately backless. The song itself is okay, but Ella seems like she is phoning in the performance.

4. Bernarda Brunović – Colors (Placed 7 of 14)

https://youtu.be/A9_oZ7jzqMM

I don’t know that this one was anything special, though I love Bernarda’s voice. The song itself feels fairly cliched – it feels like something we would see at Eurovision from Azerbaijan probably. The performance itself was unspectacular – Ella stood in a large deltahedron that changed colors periodically. Also, Bernarda may need to talk to her hairdresser. Given the singer’s blindness, I guess there is a message behind the lyrics, but song itself wasn’t really anything special.

5. Sandi Cernov – Kriv (Guilty) (Placed 14 or 14)

https://youtu.be/73PlxuMYsQs

I don’t know that this one was staged very well – the bright blue and purple lighting really didn’t work well and made the song look like something it wasn’t. However, Sandi has a good voice and seemed sincere (even though he doesn’t ever open his eyes). I do not really love his plaid suit and unbuttoned shirt, though.

6. ToMa – Ocean of Love (Placed 6 of 14)

https://youtu.be/sYz4KEibOj4

I loved the silhouette opening here – it looks fun. Unfortunately, once that’s over the song performance kind of feels disjointed. The backup dancers had some questionable outfits, and the lyrics themselves were vapid. It was a fun upbeat performance, though.

7. Filip Rudan – Blind (Placed 5 of 14)

https://youtu.be/vllNxNa_NHg

This is a soft song well-executed. I liked Filip’s circling with the microphone stand and the whistling in final minute is nice. He certainly has a good voice and he succeeds in connecting with his audience. I really enjoyed this one, although ultimately it wasn’t particularly memorable. Still I think it was probably the best performance of the night. The video screens behind him were full of visual noise, and caused me some anxiety, but Filip was a joy to watch.

8. Beta Sudar – Ma zamisli (Imagine that) (Placed 12 of 14)

https://youtu.be/yB0KZAzKVdQ

Tiffany blue anyone? That’s the biggest takeaway from the song, as Beta came out in skin-tight tiffany blue miniskirt, top, and knee-high boots. The performance was certainly upbeat though. Even if the song itself wasn’t anything special, Beta certainly was selling it. She interacts well with her dancers and looks like she is having a good time.

9. Cambi – Zaljubljen (In Love) (Placed 4 of 14)

https://youtu.be/AhHRGhU9tcI

I liked the staging here. The staging has a nice black-and-white effect and the first third of the song is done in with the performers lit only from behind. The performance becomes a little less composed once the lights turn on and the singers stand up. The song itself is a classic Croatian style, and it wasn’t bad.

10. Ashley Colburn and Bojan Jambrošić – Share the Love (Placed 11 of 14)

https://youtu.be/a5fRbbNhkis

This one felt like a classic Eurovision song, but not necessarily in a good way! It is a saccharine “love everyone” song with all the tropes (yes, including making a heart with their hands). Ashley looked kind of tentative and the style of the song made her voice seem weak.  The key change is a bit off too, and the pair appear to have a level of romantic chemistry not seen since my last visit to a nursing home. The performance was far from spectacular.

11. Brigita Vuco – Noći pijane (Drunken nights) (Placed 13 of 14)

https://youtu.be/suzkd0tuBWE

Well this happened. The song has a rap style to it, which isn’t really my style. However, it felt like the Brigita was intentionally holding back her talent. There were some interesting visual effects – with the screen blurring in and out at some points. Ultimately the song itself was fairly forgettable. However, Brigita’s outfit was really quite bad. She wore what looked like white track pants tucked into her athletic socks, and a white halter top over a black corset. It was really quite a disaster.

12. Mia Negovetić – She’s Like a Dream (Placed 3 of 14)

https://youtu.be/CcCYGyvSSmA

I believe Mia is the only returning artist from 2020. I loved her song in 2020 and hated her outfit (you will recall she wore a sports bra over her dress). This year, I don’t really know what was going on with the outfit – some sort of metallic lavender skirt with an ugly top. Mia had some nice dance moves though and her natural charm overcame some of the shortcomings of her song. Mia will end up winning Dora one of these days, though hopefully with something a little better than this.

13. Albina Grčić– Tick-Tock (Placed 1 of 14)

https://youtu.be/CX9fBSTjUfk

I am not sure how this won. It was not the best song of the night and not the best performance either. Perhaps Croatia just wants to win the Barbra Dex award this year and went that route with Albina and her dancers serving construction site realness. The song is kind of soulless, though I did enjoy when Albina’s dancers picked her up and held her horizontal for a good long time. At least it was upbeat, though, and with the words “Tick Tock” flashing on the screen, it’s not likely you will forget the title. I think if we were to compare the Albina Tick Tock with Mariya Yaremchuk’s version from 2014, though, Albina would lose hands-down!

14. Tony Cetinski and Kiki Rahibovski – Zapjevaj, Sloboda je (Sing, it’s freedom) (Placed 8 of 14)

https://youtu.be/k3zxu1SbjF4

This one has an interesting chess motif going on – the stage was a chess board with oversized chess pieces, and the singers wore black and white. However, the problem was that the song had nothing to do with chess at all. Confusingly, they also chose to display the phrase “freedom of speech” behind them in several different languages.

A nice surprise was the interval act by 2002 Dora winner Vesna Pisarović! She had taken a break from performing for several years, but I have been a long-time fan of Vesna, and anytime I get to see her perform, I get excited. Unfortunately, these songs weren’t really all that memorable for a comeback and was very long. It picked up a bit when she donned some of the ugliest red pants I’ve seen in a while and reprised her 2002 Eurovision entry “Sasvim Sigurna” (the superior Croatian language version) – she seemed to be having more fun with that and the performance wouldn’t have been complete without it! However it was fun to see the competitors dancing along from off the stage.

When the dust settled, Albina won the show with Tick Tock, somehow. On the whole, the crop of songs wasn’t really spectacular this year, with nothing standing out as particularly bad but nothing coming off as particularly spectacular either. However, I am excited to see lots of talent in the younger artists (in particular Mia Negovetić, Eric Vidović, and Filip Rudan) which gives me hope we may see something spectacular come out of Croatia someday, just not this time.

Melodi Grand Prix 2021 Heat 3 - Kieran Hegarty

After one of the largest expansions of a Eurovison selection in recent times with last year's multi-week marathon, Norway have stuck to their guns and pushed Melodi Grand Prix even further in 2021. The third of five competitive heats took place on the 30th of January, and it was a doozy. Some criticized the show for its less competitive songs than the previous couple of weeks, but with a genre pool so diverse as the one Norway has created, many discovered their favorite tracks of the competition during the show. Let's take a look at the four competing songs:

DUEL 1

Dinaye - "Own Yourself"

Far from a stranger to the stage, Dinaye performed as a main artist in MGP after previously competing in MGPjr and dancing alongside Amina Sewali in MGP 2017. Her 2021 entry is a feel-good, self empowerment tune that infuses modern pop with elements of her Ethiopian heritage, including a repeated line in Amharic. Dinaye and her dancers performed in bold red outfits and danced in traditional African styles on a colorful stage that reflects the positive mood of the song. It's impossible to watch Dinaye perform without her infectious confidence lifting your mood and making you want to get up and dance!

Big Daddy Karsten - "Smile"

Self-described as Norway's only gay rapper, Big Daddy Karsten joined the contest with a danceable pick-me-up confessing his affection for the song's subject. The stage performance features plenty of pride-esque elements, including rainbows on every wall and unique individual costumes for the dancers and Karsten himself. Some may be put off by the genre or lyrics in the verses, but there's no denying at the chorus that the song is a banging dance tune that deserves such a celebratory stage.

Winner: Big Daddy Karsten

DUEL 2

EMMY - "Witch Woods"

Another veteran of MGPjr, EMMY quickly became the fan favorite to win the show with her song about enjoying the creepier sides of life, warning a boy about the wild rituals he will be roped into if he pursues her. The themes were certainly reflected in the staging, with fire, dancers clad in black, a brutalist throne and shots of EMMY staring into the camera as lights flash from different angles. Certainly not a performance for everyone, but it's no wonder she won so many people over with a song so different from the competition.

Ole Hartz - "Vi er Norge"

With an instrumental that sounds straight out of How to Train Your Dragon, Ole Hartz tells stories about Norwegian people and embodies his Norwegian pride. The song and performance are full of violins, traditional Norwegian dress, and a positive feeling shining through it all. In an area of the world not well known for overt national pride, the song might easily be dismissed by some of the Norwegian public, but for others it could be a fun, proud moment, and for those of us listening from the outside, we can certainly enjoy the music.

Winner: EMMY

In addition to the four competitors, one of the automatic qualifiers performed as a guest in the second half of the show. "Feel Again" by Kaja Rode is a classic pop song, with a catchy progression and a great vocalist. It wouldn't be a stretch to call it a safe song, but the on-stage light show and Kaja's fantastic delivery of the song certainly speak for themselves and clarify the song's pre-qualified status.

EMMY defeated Big Daddy Karsten in the gold duel, meaning "Witch Woods" qualified to the final. The three losing songs will compete again on the 15th of February, along with the non qualifiers from the other shows, in the revitalized "Last chance" round to attempt to secure the last spot for the final on the 20th. The shows are available to stream live and on demand on the NRK website.

Pabandom is Naujo - Semi Final - Ronny Addamo

Televised on January 30 in Lithuania and online was the somewhat

unnecessary semi-final of the Lithuanian Pre selection. We’ve seen all these

acts before, and frankly, most were extremely underwhelming, so here we go,

ready to critique for the second time, and look for, what we hope, are major

improvements, because it really does look like this is going through the

motions waiting for The Roop to be proclaimed the winners.

Once again, we see the jury make up has changed. No new blood thankfully, to

warble on for hours, but a few from each of the heats to mix things up a bit.

Now for the songs.

1. Be U- Love Yourself

Ron- A vast improvement in vocals and presence, but now she’s wearing

a white satin tent. I still don’t think this makes the cut

Luc- A vast improvement on the heats, with greater band participation.

They’re having a blast! And so am I.

2. Aiste Brokenleg- Home

Ron- Again, an improvement, especially vocally. Now I actually see what

she was trying to do, and how she made it into the actual selection

shows. Still weird for weird sake though

Luc- The hipster bob and trench coat returns to moan at us, but with

more diction and joy…. Still a no but not as hard a no as before.

3. Gabrielius Vagelis- My Guy

Ron- HE LOST THE HAT!! Yes! He looks a million times better. Much

better visually, but no real vocal improvement, unlike the past two.

Mere semi-final filler here

Luc- Ditches that horrid hat and goes all white ensemble and clean

shaven to bring more life to this dull song. Better, but still not great.

4. Martyna Jezepcikaite- Thank You Very Much

Ron- Yeah, still the same semi baked bop as the heat. The lighting and

butterfly bodysuit are the true stars here

Luc- Presence plus, with a bit of a contemporary banger…. Cute, fills the

stage…

5. Norbertas- Man In Need

Ron- Oh Norbs, This insipid performance won’t get you anywhere

Luc- Bless the NSync wannabe, sans any real vocal ability. Its as trite as it

always will be.

6. Evita Cololo- Be paslapciu

Ron- I feel like Evita has a lot of potential, but this is just not right for

her. I can’t explain it.

Luc- Lounge singer brings the late-night vibe with conviction. But, it’s so

late everyone’s a sleep

7. Titas Ir Benas- No

Ron- These boys should not sing separately. They work so well together,

that’s about it, as a package, it works though

Luc- These youngens continue to show they’re a cut above with sincerity

and harmony. I still like this

8. Voldemars Petersons- Never Fall For You Again

Ron- My favourite from heat one, builds a little more momentum, just a

little closer to being Eurovision ready

Luc- The pointy thin man and his band of vagabonds rise above the pack

with a still pleasant toe tapper. Fun, interesting and enjoyable

9. Milita Daikeryte- Shadows

Ron- Still kind of looks like a teen beauty pageant. Id love to see this girl

take on a really good actual song.

Luc- Severe haired vocalist who is just so much better than this song. It’s

still very acceptable, but not remarkable.

10. Gebrasy- Where’d You Wanna Go?

Ron- The classiest entry of the night, between this and Voldemars for

best of the night. I feel like the song needs just one more elevation

though.

Luc- This bloke has presence and the song is dramatic and melancholy.

Like the voice, like the song, like this.

And just like that it’s time for the voting. Both Luc and I agree that if

anyone has a shot of knocking off The Roop, its Gebrasy, but that would

be highly unlikely.

The qualifiers for the grand finale, after what seems like an eternity, are:

Martyna Jezepcikaite

Evita Cololo

Titas & Benas

Voldemars Peterson

Gebrasy

These five acts will face off with The Roop for their chance at Eurovsion

glory. We aren’t holding our breath for any of them. See ya next week at

the finale!

Pabandom is Naujo - Heat 2 - Ronny Addamo

On January 23 the second heat of the Lithuanian national final was televised. It followed the same format as heat one, but in a strange decision, the jury of experts’ changed, with two different jurors than in heat one. Odd, but ok Lets get into the songs though, shall we..

1. UNOBAND- Eisiu

Ron- A Lithuanian country act to kick off proceedings. A good-looking bunch, shame it sounds like the whole song is mumbled 4/10

Luc- mumbling quiet jockey croaks out something unintelligible 3/10

2. COSMIC BRIDE- Solitary Star

Ron- Oh dear. What a mess, and that’s just her outfit. Don’t even start me on the cringeworthy vocals, please make It stop 1/10

Luc- BALLS! Stoned fairy quacks whatever words come to her… no melody or tune 1/10

3. RAPOLAS- Degram

Ron- A sigh starts the song, how apt, to follow on with a green pinstriped suit. Add a touch of jazz and some seen it all before dancing. yeah that’s it 3/10

Luc- Fresh faced bloke with a pointy nose gives us a lazy disco, bossa nova mix, it’s ok, if not exciting 4/10

4. SUNDAY AFTERNOON- Open

Ron- Interesting choreography…. When that’s the only focus of a whole song, in a song contest, you know you are in trouble 3/10

Luc- She has a whale spout hairdo. She does what she can but it’s not much 4/10

5. AISTE BROKENLEG- Home

Ron- Ok, I think I need to be on whatever these artists are on tonight. Truly odd warbling mini organ thingy playing hipsterette. 3/10

Luc- Hipster bob hair humming… and in typical hipster meaninglessness, bleats and bops to no melody... or interest… or talent 2/10

6. NORBERTAS- Man In Need

Young lad has found a typical radio friendly bop. Sadly, he has zero presence or vocal talent, Jeepers Creepers, tonight is awful 3/10

Luc- Oh come on! 12-year old with drunk uncle dance moves, forced vocals that could have been by a goat 2/10

7. GABRIELE GOSTAUTAITE- Freedom.

Ron- It really is amateur night. There is nothing remotely exciting about this, next! 2/10

Luc- Severe eyebrows with a cool, cruisy beat and melody undone by poor live vocals and a gross lack of presence 3/10

8. GEBRASY- Where’d Ya Wanna Go?

Ron- Ok, this one catches my intertest straight away! Look, it’s not fabulous, but put beside what we’ve watched so far today, this is pure art! Well written tune, vocals need a tweak. 6/10

Luc- Oh that unbrushed look… this managed to hold interest in its despondency, and the lad believes it. 6/10

9. EVITA COLOLO- Be paslapciu

Ron- Ooh sweetheart likes herself some snakeskin! A late-night lounge number… it’s not bad I guess 5/10

Luc- Not a fan of the faux snake skin jacket. Nice jazz vocals, but the song holds little attention 4/10

10. GABRIELIUS VAGELIS- My Guy

Ron- Oh Gabs, take the hat off!! This could actually be a commanding performance but he holds no camera connection. Song could be the strongest of the show. 6/10

Luc- Why is he hiding under a tartan hat? We can see he is a ginger from the facial hair. The song is nice enough, but there’s a disconnect from audience 5/10

That’s the ten songs from tonight’s show! Honestly, I kinda hoped they’d just send them , all home to think about what they had done. But No. We did get a treat though. We got to see the Roops performance of their entry which is straight through to the grand finale.

THE ROOP- Discoteque

Ron- Are we even watching the same selection? This has everything, including EYEBROW CHOREY! Amazing, crazy fun!!! If this doesn’t win I’ll eat my hat! Its almost unfair to the others! 9/10

Luc- Winner!!! Campy fun, interesting composition, striking performance, and nonstop captivating visuals. And, Another dance to learn 9/10

The songs to forward through to next weeks semi final are, Gebrasy, Gabrielus Vagelis, Evita Cololo, Norbertas and Aiste Brokenleg, Which I guess is the best that they could have expected from this lot.

Next week we get to revisit the ten songs that have qualified to the (rather unnecessary) semi-final, before whittling those ten to five, of which will join The Roop in the grand final.

Melodi Grand Prix 2021 Heat 2 - Evan Stewart

On January 23, Norway held its second of five heats for Melodi Grand Prix 2021. Four songs competed in two duels with the winners of each duel battling it out in a “Gold Duel” to decide who would advance to the national final. A fifth song was introduced before the Gold Duel as an automatic qualifier to the final.

Duel 1

The first performance of the night came from a name familiar to many Eurofans. Ketil Stokkan, the Norwegian Eurovision representative in both 1986 and 1990, returned this year with “My Life Is Ok.” The song is an upbeat number about shutting down the haters and being confident in one’s self. Ketil seemed quite confident indeed, performing it in a garish purple and pink leisure suit surrounded by three gorgeous ladies fake-playing the saxophone and in front of a video wall of remote background singers that included, somewhat inexplicably, Ketil himself. Gaudy and outdated, it was a performance that somehow seemed both on the nose and off the mark. Or, as Ketil would say, “This opener’s OK!” 

Ketil’s competition in the first duel was Daniel Owen and his song “Psycho,” a very current number about a guy being driven mad by his crush. Daniel previously won Norway’s Got Talent as an 11-year-old hip-hop dancer. He attempted to employ his choreo skills here though their inclusion may have come at the expense of his vocal, which seemed nasally in the lower register and shrill in the falsetto. Despite the vocal woes, “Psycho” advanced to the Gold Duel over the Ketil Stokkan tune. 

Duel 2

The second duel began with Raylee’s “Hero.” The song has a strong synth component that gave it a retro feel, which Raylee played up by wearing a bodysuit and sporting a large frizzy perm. Eurofans of a certain age may have been reminded of Jennifer Beals in the film Flashdance and they would be right to make that connection; at the climax of her song, Raylee sat in a chair silhouetted by dramatic lighting and pulled a lever releasing a shower of water onto her, a direct reference to that 1983 film. It’s a shame that there was no audience at MGP this year because one can imagine that a crowd would have gone wild at that point. It was the clear standout moment so far of this year’s Melodi Grand Prix.

As Raylee donned a towel to dry off, her competitor Maria Solheim took the stage with her song “Nordlyset.” The song could hardly have been more different than its predecessor. Set against a beautiful forest scene, “Nordlyset” seemed part-country song, part-lullaby with its simple string melody and Maria’s almost whispered singing in Norwegian. It came off as a very sweet (though slightly static) entry and was ultimately no match for Raylee’s ‘80s homage, with “Hero” advancing to the Gold Duel.

Auto-Qualifier

Prior to the Gold Duel, this week’s auto-qualifiers took to the stage. Stavangerkameratene are a group of four friends, each with a background in reality TV singing contests, who formed a band. Their song, “Barndomsgater,” is a nostalgic, folksy number about returning to one’s childhood home and was handsomely staged with LED screens full of childhood photos and mementos.

Gold Duel

The night wrapped-up with a reprise of “Psycho” and “Hero” followed by a final vote. In the end, Raylee was the winner. She will join Stavangerkameratene at the Melodi Grand Prix final on February 20. The other three entries in this heat will return on February 15 for the Second Chance round, where one of them may earn the right to return to the competition. 

Pabandom is Naujo - Lithuania Heat 1 - Luc Spencer-Gardner/Ronny Addamo

First of all……. The HOSTS!  A peacock farm was raided for plumage for the pasty lady’s top, with that guy who played an ancillary nerd in every movie ever made, separated by a Perspex screen.  How very.  And then Vaidas in PVC pants and full face screen with the judging panel practicing social distancing.

Now the acts….

Black Spikes - Don’t Tell Me

Luc:

Hard Rock Warrior Nuns with two red-clad screamers unconvincingly “rocking out” – like actors in a play… bad ones.  Cool nails and okay lyrics don’t save this, and when the death=metal growl is the most interesting thing…  3/10

Ron:

Whoa!  What an intro – Goth Rock chicks with impossibly sharp nails and masked guitarists atop trash cans.  Yep… Looked spectacular, but the actual song and performance lacked.  4/10

Thomukas1 - Wish

Ron:  Super Ner in orange t-shirt squawks at me for 3 minutes.  Must be the dodgiest falsetto I have ever heard!  1/10

Luc:  Mulleted nerd going for a John Lennon vibe and failing.  Laser beam music and a ringtone open to incoherent wailing.  The “chorus” works best in this orange tie-dye awkwardness.  3/10

BE U - Love Yourself

Luc:  Ill fitting blue satin suited lead is not vocally appropriate for the late nite vibe of the music.  It switches to bossanova-esque tone for the bridge… Confused!  4/10

Ron:  Hipsters doing some odd 80’s synth.  Leading lady looks all intense, but nothing seems to be coming out!  UNCONVINCED!  4/10

Titas ir Benas - No

Ron:  Two cute teen boys singing standard boyband fare… however they are doing a pretty good job!  Great harmonies.  With some fine tuning this could really work.  6/10

Luc:  Two youngens sitting and lamenting with believability and harmony… the endless intensity of the piano behing the music drives this chart friendly song very well.  Not too shabby!  7/10

Martyna - Thank You Very Much

Luc:  She has presence and staging and visual is striking.  The song is okay, if a little juvenile (suiting her age I guess).  That banging chorus is certainly welcome though.  She is better than this.  6/10

Ron:  One for the eurofans… Fierce and leggy.  This song was originally named something else…  I feel like this is not her usual style, her voice is great but the performance seems forced.  6/10

Donata - The Way I Am

Ron:  She owns this!  Another positive message song but Donata really believes it.  Reminiscent of Laura Risotto… I like it!  6/10

Luc:  Ginger-locked beauty champions life-affirming, self-loving anthem with jazz vocals and faith in herself and the song.  It is a little heavy handed, but she is quite strong.  6/10

Twosome - I Love My Bear

Luc:  Jailbreak gives us 3 cartoon criminals who love their BEER… I mean BEAR.  And then there is a dancer in a Rooster onesie… They’re having a blast in this toe-tapping insanity!  5/10

Ron:  Last year they were Lithuanian Basketball Players… This time they love their bear, or beer?  These guys are hilarious but I just cannot see this setting Europe alight!  5/10

Milita: - Shadows

Ron:  Long legged lass has the best English diction so far.  Slightly dated track, but she’s competent enough, and has enough presence, to pull it off. 6/10

Luc:  Sparkly pant suit grins her heart out through generic music and lyrics.  It is all very underwhelming, even with the 80s synth scattered through the chorus.  Her thin vocal needs work.  5/10

Aldegunda - Sit Down

Luc:  Immediately visually arresting and a commanding vocal… But it kinda just sits there and doesn’t pick up.  Nice break/bridge…  6/10

Ron:  A dark pop rock track sold nicely by the talented Aldegunda.  I think the darkness may just be its undoing though.  6/10

Voldemars Petersons - Never Fall For You Again

Ron:  This is instant.  Very interesting track!  Lord he is thin!  I really like this one.  7/10

Luc:  Skeletor and the Broken Hearts Club bop their way through an effectively simple track with presence.  It never seems to lose its interest.  Quite the ear worm too… 8/10

And the voting happens, and the qualifiers are:

5. BE U – Love Yourself

4. Milita – Shadows

3. Martyna – Thank You Very Much

2.Titas ir Benas – No

And……

1.      Voldemars Petersons = Never Fall for You Again (!!!!)

Stay tuned for Heat 2 coming soon!  😊

Melodi Grand Prix 2021 Heat 1 - Cindy Zhang

On Jan. 16, 2021, Melodi Grand Prix returned with the 1st heat of its 59th edition.

This year, NRK continued with the new format from last year: 5 semi-finals of 4 songs each followed by a final with a mix of pre-qualified entries and winners from the semis. New this year will be a “wild card” entry: one of the eliminated acts from the semifinals will be able to win a ticket to the final through an online vote, the results of which will be announced Feb. 15, the day after the last semi-final.

After a live draw, the 4 competing entries are divided into two duels: Stina Talling’s vs Beady Belle’s, and Jørn vs Blåsemafian feat. Hazel.”

First Duel:

Stina Talling - Elevate

Link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3nPMDvbWG0

Starting the show is 17-year-old Stina Talling, who enters as the odd-on favorite among fans. The performance is nice if a bit Melfest/MGP-by-numbers, and her vocals seem a bit weak for the song.

Beady Belle - Playing with Fire

Link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8durce0AI_A

Following up in this duel of girl vs woman is Beate S. Lech with her jazz band Beady Belle. The song falls on the wrong side of retro, but Beady Belle, with their strong vocals and a staging that’s reminiscent of a poor man’s Sergey Lazarev with its mirrors, elevates the performance to something that’s quite enjoyable.

Winner: Stina Talling - Elevate

Second Duel:

Jørn - “Faith Bloody Faith”

Link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgcGN_oc93I

Jørn, another veteran artist, seems to have gone with a “throw the kitchen sink at the stage and see if it works” approach. The performance is a curious mix of Eastern sounds and images, hard rock sounds, and Viking visual elements. The smörgåsbord of elements seems to work despite itself, though the song may not be everyone’s cup of tea (as is often the case with rock/metal entries).

Blåsemafian feat. Hazel - Let Loose

Link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qiy15KUZ9sg

Make room Epic Sax Guy, because here comes the epic brass guys. The popular brass trio makes full use of the stage to present the most engaging and funnest staging of the night.

Winner: Blåsemafian feat. Hazel - Let Loose

After each duel, each of the two pre-qualified acts scheduled for tonight (out of a roster of 6) also perform their songs.

1. KEiiNO - Monument (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUsLvUvSu0)

KEiiNO is back, and they sound better than ever! While the staging looks like it’s still a work in progress, KEiiNO proved with their performance that it’s absolutely their final to loose (especially Alexandra that killer of a high note).

2. TIX - Ut av mørket (Link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4otEnMUGcg​)

This performance is...well...just watch it. (I claim no responsibility for any damages

caused by too much extraness and cringe)

Gold Duel: Stina Talling - Elevate VS Blåsemafian feat. Hazel - Let Loose

Winner: Blåsemafian feat. Hazel - Let Loose

- Cindy Zhang

Albania FiK Show 3 - Mike Whalley

A third and final night of FikMas in Albania to choose the winner. As already mentioned, 25 entries were reduced to 18 following the first semi-final - which felt like a lot of work over 2 nights to not really narrow the field by much! With 18 contestants, and lots of interviews and other performances, it was a full show. 

Performances for this show seemed to be a third pre-record performance by each contestant, filmed ‘as live’ (with some slightly different outfits the only thing to really differentiate from night 1 to be honest!).  

The final opened with the same fantastic opening number as Semi-final one, which was great. I don’t believe an audience was in the (outdoor) stadium for this event as there was use of dreadful ‘canned’ applause throughout. I also can’t actually work out if there was any public interaction in the voting, or if it was just from a panel, but phone details didn’t seem to be shared. 

Peppered throughout the evening were a number of additional acts, I assume performed by local groups/artists - including Eugent Bushpepa who performed Hallelujah (the Jeff Buckley version, not the Israeli entry version!), and a great version of The Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams’ with dancers – given the social distancing requirements, the show was really well put together. 

Highlights for me on the night were: 

 - Kamala Islamaj with Kujtimet s'kanë formë. My favourite although I feel it may be a bit ‘soft’ for the Albanian jury as it doesn’t have that ‘anguish’ we’ve come to know and love! 

 - Anxhela Peristeri with Karma. Truly a standout song in terms of production, quality, and presentation. Anxhela has a solid strong voice and can definitely deliver. Potential winner 

 - Rosela Gjylbegu with Vashëz. This is a strong entry, and a strong Albanian flavour, combined with a great voice. 

 - Xhesika Polo with Më mbron. A power ballad which can hold its own, and a beautiful, pained voice. 

 - Festina Mejzini with Kush je ti dashuri. Quite a traditional Albanian feel – lots of wailing, pained, lost-love vibes and it showcases that genre well. Festina has a cracking voice too. 

There were a number of awards given over the last 20 minutes, until finally the big one - the winner - was presented to Anxhela Peristeri for Karma in a cloud of pyrotechnics, smoke and ticker tape.

Her dancers joined her to celebrate briefly before the stage cleared and what I believe was the first truly live song of the whole Festivali was performed!

A really well-deserved win for undoubtedly the strongest song of the week. 

Albania FiK Show 2 - Mike Whalley

After semi-final one the previous night - and in a move I don’t really understand, the 18 finalists were announced (online) prior to the second semi final - a bit strange...!

Regardless, on 22 December we were offered the acoustic versions of all 25 songs. All I’ll say is that this felt entirely unnecessary in the age of YouTube where anyone could go and see different versions of songs they liked. I guess it fills another night of television, but I’d have preferred them to cut it to just the finalists, given these had already been announced. Most versions are also inferior to the regular studio version, so I’m not sure it really adds much to the competition. 

There was also a LOT of what appeared to be local music and interviews with Albanian stars/musicians, which I guess would be a lot more interesting to those watching in-country. 

Some highlights from this second night: 

• Florent Abrashi with Vajzë. This was better in the acoustic set, although had been dreadful on night one. A bit sickly sweet for my liking.

• Wendi Mancaku with Vesi i shpirtit tim. A ballad of dullness on night one, but the acoustic piano and maracas (yes!) version made it a little more exciting

• Festina Mejzini with Kush je ti dashuri. The acoustic version actually made the song feel fun and joyful – like a totally different song – it was such a pained, anguished (great) track on night one. One of the few which doesn’t sound worse!

• Anxhela Peristeri with Karma. This version was mournful and soulful, and still sounded great.

• Fatos Shabani with Ty. Not so different from night one - still sweet. It’s like the background music to a scene in a romcom, playing behind a montage of breaking up arguments, getting back together moments, being happy together, and then an eventual separation.

• Era Rusi with Zjarri im. This was all about the (ridiculous) dress and not much about the song. A fall from grace from night one.

• Xhesika Polo with Më mbron. Another which didn’t translate well despite being strong the night before. Also, forgot to cover her bits with her dress...

• Kamala Islamaj with Kujtimet s'kanë formë. Seemingly a triple threat – this artist wrote, sung, and played the piano beautifully in this version. One which came across so well on both nights.

• Enxhi Nasufi with Njësoj. This moved from a forgettable pop ditty on night one, to a decent background song on night 2. Not a ringing endorsement, I appreciate!

• Rosela Gjylbegu with Vashëz. This was fun! Plink plunk of strings with a fun gallop through the lyrics.

The acts which didn’t make the final are: 1. Enxhi Nasufi, 2. Franc Koruni, 5. Erik Lloshi, 7. Agim Poshka, 13. Stefan Marena. 18. Fatos Shabani and 22. Klinti Çollaku. I’m fine with all of that with the exception of Fatos, which I think is a shame - but probably not very ‘Eurovision’.

Albania FiK Show 1 - Mike Whalley

2020 Festivali i Këngës again took place at the end of December, delivering an overwhelmingly large set of potential Eurovision tracks. The format is a little different to other selection shows, and there have been updates to the format due to Covid. Semi-final one showcased the studio versions of 25 entries (one of the 26 needed to withdraw due to Coronavirus) with semi-final two the following night showing an acoustic set, again of all 25 entries. Everything was pre-recorded rather than being performed live due to social distancing rules. 18 songs progress to the final on the third night. 

 The opening number started with a quiet, ‘Covid-empty’ montage of streets around Europe. The apocalyptic feel gave way to an amazing Albanian choir breaking into song, dressed all in white, supporting an ice queen soloist atop a giant flame statue, with dancers touching only through a Perspex screen, and a solo pianist on a white grand piano. THIS GAVE ME LIFE! 

 Of the 25 numbers, there were a few standouts: 

•  Era Rusi with Zjarri im. Wow. A blonde bombshell in an all-gold warrior outfit, six drummers on stage also in all gold. This is one of those war-cry, heavy dancing, Southern European numbers, with lots of pyro. Cracking tune. 

• Rosela Gjylbegu with Vashëz. Very promising. A definite Albanian flavour to the beat with an initially simple tune over the top, which builds into a strong song and a great voice. Love this, although could be a little similar to Jonida in 2019 

• Xhesika Polo with Më mbron. Eyebrow alert!! A power ballad which can hold its own, and a beautiful, pained voice. My favourite so far. 

• Fatos Shabani with Ty. Just a guy on a guitar (with some fantastic violin and cello) - quite a different feeling to all the other songs. It’s uplifting and gentle. Really great entry. 

• Anxhela Peristeri with Karma. This is leagues above everything that has gone before. Full production, a great, strong Albanian pop song (with amazing use of oboe) and 4 gold clad dancers. Absolute smash. 

• Festina Mejzini with Kush je ti dashuri. Oooh, a purple dress (must have missed the monochrome memo!) This is one of those wailing, pained numbers, which I’m sure talks of pain and love lost. Quite like it - showcases that genre well. And she can belt a note out for sure. 

• Kamala Islamaj with Kujtimet s'kanë formë. This reminded me of a 1990s ballad from the outset, which I really enjoyed. 

• Mirud with Nëse vdes. This was the favourite on a few blogs (like wiwibloggs) and maybe that’s why it was on last. I personally found it a bit ridiculous, and I expect his ‘look’ with a gold and black catsuit with an exposed chest tattoo was what people thought was interesting, but he actually just looked like he was coked off his face, and it just wasn’t a great song. 

A very long night…