Welcome to our new series of posts!
The moment of truth has come, and all of the 40 competing songs of Eurovision 2022 have been revealed.
Therefore, we are ready for an extended review of them and of course ranking the songs.
Each post in the series will focus on 5-6 songs.
The 3rd post in the series will be focusing on 6 countries that will participate in the first semi-final:
Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and The Netherlands
You can reach the previous chapters here:
- Chapter 1 (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia) is available here
- Chapter 2 (Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine) is available here
Artist: DJ LUM!X and Pia Maria
Luca Michlmayr, better known as LUM!X is 19 years old Austrian DJ. Despite his young age, the young artist has already achieved more than 72 million YouTube views to his tracks. He had great success on Spotify as well.
LUM!X was born to an Italian mother and he has even lived in Turin as a child.
He will be joined by the vocalist Pia Maria. She is an 18 year old singer. Eurovision will be her first performance on a big stage. Pia is from Tyrol. She has been writing songs since the age of 16. l. She is a trained make-up artist and works at the Tyrolean State Theatre
Selection Process: The duo were internally selected by Austrian broadcaster ORF. The final choice was between them and the duo ANGER.
LUM!X feat. Pia Maria will perform the song “Halo“:
Allocation in Semi-Final: Austria was drawn to perform in the second half of semi-final 1.
Austria will perform 13th, after Denmark and before Iceland.
Musical Review: It is a dance club song with house elements and wide influences from 1990s music. The song starts with an introduction, a short form of the chorus. In the beginning, we can already realize the kind of voice that Pia Maria brings – it is powerful and high. The first part relies on many effects, like voice duplication, reverb, and echo.
The first verse is fast and is built on an electronic beat. She uses a lower pitch of voice, sometimes reciting. She gets the help of backing vocals. The pre-chorus starts with a different beat until the drop arrives. The chorus is more energetic, and it is performed in a higher octave, sometimes to the limit of impossible. The second verse is more rhythmic, the melody is based on electric keyboards. Her singing is once again duplicated with dome hidden layers. The pre-chorus is built on a dance beat. She sings it in a higher pitch until the big drop ends with a long yelling. The catchy chorus arrives again, Pia Maria supplies the main vocals, while backing vocalists sing the secondary voices.
The bridge starts with an instrumental part and singing of “la la la”.
The last part is based on drums, keyboards and guitar with more minimalistic production, and therefore it feels more like a hymn that the audience would like to join by singing and clapping.
This is one of the catchiest songs this year. We barely have dance club songs in this edition, and that’s why it might stand out even more. The option to give us the hook for the songs at the beginning is smart, and helps it to stick to our mind.
But I must confess that I have some fears regarding this entry.
First of all, it isn’t a secret that electro dance club songs that involve DJs tend to fail at Eurovision (Poland 2018, Finland 2019, Bulgaria 2008 and more). It is always hard to stage them wisely and apparently what works on studui, sometimes doesn’t work on live performance.
Second of all, the song is over-produced. There are a lot of sound effects over the singing part. Some of them won’t be allowed at Eurovision, so the real version isn’t really known. Last but not least, the song is hard to perform. I don’t know how Pia Maria is as a performer, but she will definitely have some challenges here.
Lyrics
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh (Halo)
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh (Halo)
’cause Heaven Can Wait For Us To Finish The FightWe Don’t Need A Hercules To Bring A Man Onto His Knees,
No More Apologies.. (Oh, No, No, No, No)
Philosophers Like Socrates Define Yourself,
Think On Your Feet,
Go Sharpen Your TeethWe Can Be CEO,
Yeah, You Already Know
Yeah, We Can Be The Boss,
Fly Higher Than The GodsWe’re Not Under Control,
Oh No, No, Not Anymore..
If You Feel Me Then
Put Your Hands Up..Lеt Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause Wе Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night..
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause Heaven Can Wait For Us To Finish The Fight..And I’m Stronger Than Angels,
Don’t Feel It’s A Danger..
And Now We’ll Bring Black To The Light,
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh..
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night, I-ight.. Yeah !!Medusa Had The Right Idea,
Beautiful’s Something To Fear..
For A Hundred Years.. (Oh, No, No, No, No)
We’re Gonna Be Reachin’ Among The Stars,
Bulls-eyes Are All For Young Queens..We Can Be CEO,
Yeah, You Already Know..
Yeah, We Can Be The Boss,
Fly Higher Than The Gods..We’re Not Under Control,
Oh No, No, Not Anymore..
If You Feel Me Then
Put Your Hands Up..Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night.
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause Heaven Can Wait For Us To Finish The Fight..And I’m Stronger Than Angels,
Don’t Feel It’s A Danger..
And Now We’ll Bring Black To The Light,
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh.. (Halo)
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night,
Yeah !!La-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la..Don’t Need A,
La-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la,
La-la-la-la-la-la..Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night..
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause Heaven Can Wait For Us To Finish The Fight..And I’m Stronger Than Angels,
Don’t Feel It’s A Danger..
And Now We’ll Bring Black To The Light,
Let Me Be Your Halo-oh, (Halo)
’cause We Been Through Hell And Back And All In One Night,
Yeah !!
Poetry Analysis: It is a self empowerment song. The spokesperson in the song is an unknown character. Anyway, she isn’t the main character here, but only used as a guiding voice. Therefore, the identity of this spokesperson can be understood in several different ways: she can be the partner or friend of the addressee or even maybe his alter-ago. In the introduction (as well as in the chorus), she says that they have gone through a tough night (“we’ve been through hell and back in one night”) . However nothing is said about this event, what really happened there? What leads them to describe it as hell? and even more importantly: How have they managed to get back? She asks him to put an end to their fight, because it blocks them from proceeding.
She asks to be his halo, the guiding light in the darkness, his hope. She said that together they are
Invincible. Therefore, she describes themselves as stronger than angels. But sometimes having power can be risky, and therefore they might be in danger.
The first verse gives us the experience of the high feeling they went through. They direct up to the stars, and hope to be written in the books of history.
She mentions several “heroes” and strong characters in history: Hercules, Socrates, Medusa and more. It sheds a light about their intention to shine, to have a unique stamp in the world and also to mark their aim.
Their power is described as endless and enormous. They put themselves as a place equal to top managers (CEO), gods and big bosses. But there are conditions for this power – they should come together. In other words, one’s power depends on the other.
Initial Personal Ranking: 22nd overall, 8th in semi-final 1.
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for Austria, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Bulgaria, Slovenia, Lithuania, Switzerland, and Iceland.
Betting Odds: The song was officially released on the 10th of March 2022. However, half of it was released on the 3rd of March 2022.
From the 3rd of March 2022 and until the 6th of March, Austria was in the range of 26 – 29 places. The next day, the country decreased to 36th and then 34th place.
On the 11th of March, a day after the official release of the song, Austria was 23rd with the bookies.
Ever since then, Austria has moved in a range of 22 – 24 places.
Early Prediction: It is all about live performance. At the moment there are 2 main obstacles that Austria will have to overcome: staging (without the traditional DJ box) and accurate vocal performance. If they manage to do both of them well, it can sail through the final. Otherwise, it can be a surprising non-qualifier.
Therefore, it is really hard to predict this one without knowing the mentioned components.
I think it will be a hit or miss: Crusing in the semi-final or around 12-16 place in the final.
Artist: Reddi
Reddi is a Danish – Swedish female pop rock band.
The band consists of 4 members:
- Mathilde “Siggy” Savery (vocals, guitar)
- Ihan Haydar (co-founder and drummer)
- Agnes Roslund (guitar)
- Ida Bergkvist (bass)
“The Show” is the band’s first single.
One of the founders of the band is the drummer Ihan with the well known Danish musician Chief1 (Lars Pedersen). The latter competed as part of a duo in the “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2021“. For Ihan, it will be the second Eurovision performance, as she accompanied Soluna Samay on stage in 2012.
Selection Process: Denmark has chosen a song and an artist via the “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2022″. 8 artists competed in the selection this year. The results were determined by 100% public vote. The band won the selection with 37% of the votes at the end of the super final.
Reddi will represent Denmark with the song “The Show“
Allocation in Semi-Final: Denmark was drawn to perform in the second half of semi-final 1. They will perform in the 12th position, after Croatia and before Austria.
Musical Review: It’s a power ballad that grows into an upbeat rock song.
The song starts with the piano playing. The lead singer has a beautiful alt voice that you can’t ignore. With her mid-low voice, she tells a story. The melody of the first verse is based solely on the piano playing. Although it is minimalistic, the outcome is effective. The pre-chorus begins with a minor change in the melody. The main motive that demonstrates the change is singing. The lead singer lengthens the pronunciation. The chorus is more powerful, and we can hear her singing in a higher tone. The chorus is performed with more sensitivity and even some thin falsetto singing. After a short trilling, the song turns in a completely different direction. The second verse is a pop-rock piece with massive electric playing. This part is much faster and more energetic. The style resembles the radio-friendly rock songs from 2005 – 2007. The pre-chorus this time loses its magic compared to the first time when it emphasized fragility. The chorus continues the same line, but we can hear the guitars in more diverse ways. An instrumental of guitars (that are joined by drum playing) connects between the second chorus and the bridge. The bridge begins with a modulation that builds up to a rock piece once again, but this time the melody is speeded-up. The lead singer ends the last chorus with some vocal improvisations, where we can also hear some of the other members as backing vocalists.
When I heard it for the first time, it came as a surprise. The connection between the emotional ballad and the rock genre was quite unnatural. However, as I listen to it more and more, I’m impressed by the sophisticated choice. Another advantage that I can count here is the special voice that the lead singer brings.
Lyrics
All the things you said when I was just a kid
Telling me that I, I needed to fit in
Year after year, I never understood
How you could’ve dropped me when I needed you the mostIf this is what I want
That’s how it’s gonna be
I am not afraid of what’s in front of meYou can try me
You can’t stop me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the show
I’m not sorry
This is all me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the showSo you, you, you
You can try meAll the things that I, I wanted to forget
The worst thing you said kept playing in my head
You never followed and now you’re blocked
And now and forever, I’ll show you what I’ve becomeIf this is what I want
That’s how it’s gonna be
I am not afraid of what’s in front of meYou can try me
You can’t stop me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the show
I’m not sorry
This is all me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the showYou can try me
You can’t stop me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the show
I’m not sorry
This is all me
And I will never let it go
I will keep up with the showAnd I will never let it go
I will keep up with the show
So you, you, you (One, two, three, four)
You, you, you
You can try me
Poetry Analysis: This is a song that talks about self acceptance and self confidence. The spokesperson starts by telling us about an event she had gone through in her childhood. Someone who was close or meaningful to her, said she has to find a way to make herself suitable for the world. This statement stayed in her memory, and kept accompanying her. This person probably hurt her, and left her in one of the hardest or most critical moments.
But as the years pass by, she isn’t afraid of being who she is anymore. Now it is the world that has to find a way to accept her.
She uses the metaphor of the show to explain to us the daily fight of standing on your own. She invites everyone trying to change her, but she reveals she won’t change.
Thereafter she says she will never forget the mean words that she has got, but this is the power that moves her forward and convinces her to take a “revenge” and show this person her value.
As strong as she is, her wish is to forget about this.
Initial Personal Ranking: 18th overall, 6th in semi-final 1.
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for Denmark, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Iceland, Norway, The Netherlands, Latvia, and Slovenia.
Betting Odds: Denmark held its national selection the “Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2022” on the 5th of March 2022. On this night, Denmark was 26th with the bookies. Later on, it was 23 – 24 with the bookies. From the 11th of March and until the 21st of March, Denmark was in 27 – 29 places.
Since the 22nd of March, Denmark has been in the range of 34 – 36 places.
Early Prediction: I think that Denmark can be a borderline qualifier or a non-qualifier.
I can see the older public giving this entry some love and appreciation.
Especially the ones who live as teenagers or children in the 1990’s.
Will that be enough? I’m not sure, but I can say that if one of the certain qualifiers screws it, Denmark will have higher chances to qualify.
Artist: Sistur (In Icelandic: sisters) – Sigga, Beta and Elín
Sigga (Sigríður Eyþórsdóttir), Beta (Elísabet Eyþórsdóttir) and Elín (Elín Eyþórsdóttir) or in their new name Sistur (Eng: Sisters) are a group of 3 sisters. They sing together since they remember themselves.
Previously their group was named Tripolia. In 2011, they collaborated with the DJ Friðfinnur “Oculus” Sigurðsson. Together they formed a house band Sísý Ey.
The sisters believe strongly in the healing power of music and spend much of their time supporting those who are marginalized in society. In recent years, they have focused their activism on trans children’s rights, and are deeply involved with the local community.
On the Eurovision stage, they will be joined by their brother Eythor who will play on drums.
Selection Process: Iceland chose an artist and a song via the “Söngvakeppnin 2022“.
10 artists took place in the selection, which included 2 semi-finals and a final.
5 of them qualified for the final whose results were determined by 2 rounds.
The first round was determined by 50% public vote and 50% international jury voting.
The second round was decided by the public vote only.
In the semi-finals, the results were determined by public vote only.
Sistur will perform the song “Með Hækkandi Sól” (Eng: With the rising sun)
Allocation in Semi-Final: Iceland were drawn to perform in the second half of semi-final 1. They will perform in the 14th position, after Austria and before Greece.
Musical Review: It’s a country-indie ballad.
The song starts with a vibe of the wild west, the introduction is namely based on guitar stringing. The first verse starts with an acoustic guitar playing. At the beginning, 2 of them sang. The rate is quite slow, and singing is effortless and raw. Towards the end of the first verse, we can hear the 3 of them singing together in a soft harmony that’s performed on a longer musical bar. The second verse is a little bit more rhythmic. The production gives us another throwback to wild-west music, this time richer with more elements. The members take different roles is singing this second verse: one of them singing the main part, while the other singing a secondary voice. The chorus has something comforting and calming. This time, they use a higher tone of voice. The third verse is performed by the 3 of them, but this time the leading voice is given to another soloist. Electric guitars can be heard from time to time. Once again, we get another chorus. Thereafter comes the bridge, which has a different structure. One of them sings it with some beautiful improvisations, while the other supplies backing vocals. The song ends with another chorus. This is what I call an artist that’s faithful to own art. It isn’t meant for the main-stream. Their voices combine wonderfully together. I especially loved the second half of the song, where we were able to hear a higher tone of voice
Lyrics – Translated from Icelandic to English, by LyricsTranslate
A heavy sea in a silent soul
Heavy trial surrounded by wounds of sadness
An alluring desire, burning like fire
Lies hidden – a secret
hush hushIn the twilight can be seen
Beauty in freedom crawling closer
Although the darkness of night falls
And unsaid words weigh heavily on the mind –
hush hushIn the dark winter – the sun is rising
Melts the ice of the heart – so warm
In the dark winter – the kind spring
Warms your wings againThe shadows of the short days are haunting
They move softly with each breath
In your heart a song is singing
It expands and sighs
hush hushIn the dark winter – the sun is rising
Melts the ice of the heart – so warm
In the dark winter – the kind spring
Warms your wings againAnd it starts to fly
Floats up to the highest heights
And gets closer to
Finding inner peaceIn the dark winter – the sun is rising
Melts the ice of the heart – so warm
In the dark winter – the kind spring
Warms your wings again
Poetry Analysis: It is a song without a specific topic, and therefore its interpatition depends on the reader / listener.
Generally, the song describes someone that struggles with some problems.
The spokesperson tries to tell his/her close environment that everything is OK.
However, deep inside, he/she fights against something. However, we learn that this is kind of an internal conflict, there’s a secret that should be kept hidden.
As the night comes, and the darkness takes over, there’s no need to hide anymore. But now it is the burden of carrying the lies that makes it harder.
But at the edge of each hard day, there’s a light that will give up a place for hope. And maybe that’s all life is about: surviving the tough days, with the knowledge they will end somewhen. As the seasons change, the hope will replace the darkness, as the spring follows the winter.
Initial Personal Ranking: 10th overall, 4th in semi-final 1.
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for Iceland, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Denmark, Norway, and Latvia.
Betting Odds: Iceland has picked its artists and song via the final of “Söngvakeppnin 2022” on the 12th of March 2022.
Between the 12th of March and the 27th of March, Iceland was 25 – 25 with the bookies.
Since the 29th of March, Iceland has been stable in the 28th place.
Early Prediction: Iceland gave us quality this year, but also took a risk.
The risk is double: performing in the Icelandic language (a choice that I personally adore) and competing with a minimalistic Indie folk song.
I can see the song getting more points from the jury, rather than the public.
So it will be all about the gap between the jury points and the public vote.
I can see Iceland in the wide range of 8 – 13 places in the semi-final.
If Iceland qualifies, the country will end in 16 – 22 place in the final.
Artist: Subwoolfer
The real identity of the 2 singers remained unknown.
Selection Process: Norway has chosen an artist and a song via the “Melodi Grand Prix 2022“. 21 aritsts took part in a contest that lasted for 6 weeks.
5 artists received a direct path for the final (chosen by the broadcaster), 4 of them won one of the semi-finals, and one of them got a wild-card. Subwoolfer was one of the automatic qualifiers.
The results of each show and each round were determined by the public solely.
Allocation in Semi-Final: Norway was drawn to perform in the second half of semi-final 1.
Norway will perform in 16th position, after Greece and before Armenia.
Subwoolfer will perform the song “Give That Wolf a Banana”:
Musical Review: It’s an Indie dance-pop entertaining song.
The song starts with some vocal improvisations that are blended into digital production.
Thereafter, we get an acoustic and simple first verse, which is based on guitar playing.
The section from the introduction repeats once again. The last part in the first verse is performed in a higher tone of voice (and sometimes it sounds a little challenging). Thereafter the upbeat chorus arrives with the funny/pathetic lyrics “And before that wolf eats my grandma/ Give that wolf a banana”. The melody is based on 3 different beats that are combined together, alongside some vocal effects. The chorus is weaker and namely includes the “Yum yum yum” phrase.
The second verse is performed in a higher and thin voice, which its vocal performance I found as not the most accurate we could have received. The second pre-chorus includes a more significant presence of the backing vocalists. We get an instrumental part that’s composed of guitar, drum beat, and electro beat. The third pre-chorus is more electronic. The song ends the same way it began.
It is a wonderful Tik-Tok hit and very catchy, but I wouldn’t like to get a song in a comedic flavor to Eurovision Song Contest, It can smash the televoting, but at the same time to be mocked down by the jury. In addition, choosing a lower pitch could lead us to more impressive results.
Lyrics
Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Not sure I told you, but I really like your teeth
That hairy coat of yours with nothing underneath
Not sure you have a name, so I will call you Keith
Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
See where you’re going, but I don’t know where you’ve been
Is that saliva or blood drippin’ off your chin?
If you don’t like the name Keith I’ma call you Jim
Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-oohAnd before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
And before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
Give that wolf (Banana)Yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
BananaI like the scent of every meal on your breath
That hunger in you, I’m in danger now, I guess
Let’s go to grandma’s, you say grandma tastes the best
Oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-oohAnd before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
(I want your grandma, yum, yum)
And before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
Give that wolf
Someone give that wolf a bananaYum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Someone give that wolf a banana
Yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Someone give that wolf a bananaBa-na-na
Ba-na-na-na-na
Ba-na-na
Ba-na-na-na-naAnd before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
(I want your grandma, yum, yum)
Someone, give that wolf a banana
And before that wolf eats my grandma
Give that wolf a banana
Give that wolf
Give that wo-o-olfYum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Someone give that wolf a banana
Yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-yum-yum
Someone give that wolf a bananaNot sure I told you, but I really like your teeth
That hairy coat of yours with nothing underneath
Not sure you have a name, so I will call you Keith
Poetry Analysis: This is a song that deals with the phenomenon of short term relationships. The song starts with a compliment that the spokesperson gives to someone he likes. He focuses on this person’s teeth. Why teeth? One of the explanations here might be the animalism inside us. Instead of giving this person another compliment, he hints that he prefers to see this person naked (hairy coat with nothing underneath). He doesn’t even know this person’s name, and it shows us the shallowness of this relationship. They are going together to another place (maybe the bed?), and it is funny because he doesn’t even know where this person came from, what’s the real story behind this person. In some sense, it is something dangerous, but the animal instinct inside him (that puts the sexual activity in the top priority) takes over any logical decision. Once again, he mentions that he has no clue about this person’s name. The sad part is that the spokesperson didn’t ask for the real name of this person. What could be the story behind this? One interesting interpatition that I can suggest is the living of discrete life. This is something that is very common in the LGBT community. Both of them meet, because they have their own needs, but at the same time they know nothing about each other. The only thing that leads to the continuation of this story is the sexual attractiveness between them. The chorus throws us back to the fairytale of “The Little Red Riding Hood”. In this fairytale, there’s a wolf that wants to eat the little girl and her grandmother.
The choice of this character isn’t random at all. The wolf can be a metaphor for a hairy man, but also for an older man that wants to “hunt” younger partners. But the wolf is also a wild animal. Therefore, it may give us the idea of going to bed with a stranger that you know nothing about. As the wolf wanted to eat the little girl in the fairytale, and later on eating the grandmother, the same can happen in our story: the spokesperson can be in danger.
What can prevent the danger? according to the song – a banana. This isn’t a random choice at all, since the banana can be considered as a phallic symbol. The only thing that can protect him is this story is nothing else but this sexual activity.
The “yum” word demonstrates the eating activity, but can also be understood as censored words.
The song continues with the statement that he likes the scent of any meal. This suggests that the spokesperson moved to the “dark side”. At the same time, he reveals his fears about this meeting. Hunger can lead to unexpected results.
The song ends in a cyclic frame. It could be the end of the meeting, or also another meeting he has with someone else.
Initial Personal Ranking: 26th overall, 11th in semi-final 1
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for Norway, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Denmark, Iceland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Betting Odds: Norway held the final on their national selection on the 19th of February 2022.
On this day, Norway was in the 7th place. Thereafter, Norway has moved (Almost on a daily basis) in a range of 7 – 9 places.
Early Prediction: There’s no doubt Norway will qualify for the final. It is no secret that Norway will probably get more points from the public than the jury.
But anyway, I can see them ending in the top 5 of semi-final 1, and most probably top 10 in the final.
Artist: Marius Bear
Marius Bear is a 28 year old musician.
In 2016, he left his career as a construction machinery mechanic in order to focus on music. He started by trying his luck as a street musician in Germany and Switzerland.
In 2017, he travelled to the UK, where he studied music production at the prestigious BIMM Institute in London. At the same chance, he started to write songs for other artists.
In 2019, he released his debut album “Not Loud Enough” which became top20 in the Swiss charts.
Selection Process: Switzerland has chosen an artist and a song internally.
The selection process was led by 4 different broadcasters: SRF, SRI, RTR, and RTS.
The songs and artists were judged by 23 international expert jury members and 100 audience viewers who have been recruited by Swiss broadcasters.
In the jury panel, we were able to find some Eurovision starts like: PÆNDA / Panda / Gabriela Horn (Austria 2019), Tinkara Kovač (Slovenia 2014), IIinca Bacila (Romania 2017), Ovidiu Jacobsen (Romania 2010 + 2014), Helga Möller (Iceland 1986) and more.
Allocation in Semi-Final: Switzerland will perform in the first half of semi-final 1.
Switzerland will perform 4th, after Lithuania and before Slovenia.
Marius Bear will perform the song “Boys Do Cry“:
Musical Review: It’s a ballad. The song starts with humming. The melody is based on a slow piano playing, that is joined by guitar playing. In the first verse, he pronounces each word slowly, syllable by syllable. He sings effortlessly. The chorus is calming and carries the style of lullaby songs. The chorus is minimalistic and yet exciting. The melody is based on guitar and keyboard playing, with minimalistic production. We can hear string elements towards the end, together with backing vocals. The second verse is more bold, as the orchestra element is in the front. The melody wraps his singing perfectly. Then again, we get another chorus. The melody is based namely on string elements, wind instruments and keyboards. A short instrumental part leads us to the bridge which starts with powerful singing of the chorus. The song ends with a simple and acoustic production of the chorus.
It is a minimalistic song, with meaningful text. I love the way it was composed, with a variety of instrumentals. It sounds like a song that can grow on people. However, I’m not sure it is impactful enough for the first impression test.
Lyrics
In my room lives a boy who could be blue
And you might never know, oh-oh
You think he’s cavalier
He would shed more than a crocodile tear
If you’d go, oh ohHearts they get broken
God only knows why
And sometimes airplanes fall down from the sky
And mountains they crumble
And rivers, they run dry
And oh-oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Boys do cryWhen night falls and the moon is all we see
Do not fear the wolf that lives in me, oh-oh
You think he’s tough enough
He would cry love ’til the sun comes up
If you go, ohHearts, they get broken
God only knows why
And somеtimes airplanes fall down from thе sky
And mountains they crumble
And rivers, they run dry
And oh-oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Boys do cry
And how they cryMountains they crumble
And rivers, they run dry
And oh-oh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Boys do cry
Poetry Analysis: This song talks about the sensitive side that there’s inside each man. In the first verse, the spokesperson admits this side exists inside him but he recognizes it as the little child inside him. On the one hand, it shows that he accepts this side of him, but on the other hand it shows us that he recognized it as something childish. He cries, but only when there’s no one around. He asked us to think outside the box, the easiest thing would be to focus on his tough appearance.
But seep inside him, he has fears and sadness that he wants to share.
In the chorus, he uses the metaphors of natural phenomenon to empower the message. He starts with the real ascpect of broken hearts, that no one knows about.
But as airplanes can fall down, mountains can crumble, rivers can go dry, the same can happen to the strong men: They can break and cry.
In the second verse, he tells us about the best situation to connect this sensitive part inside us. It happens when the night arrives and he is on his own. Everyone thinks that he is strong, but in fact he can cry all night long, if we just let him do so: by leaving him alone. This means that he still struggles to reveal this side, but at the same time he doesn’t ignore it anymore.
Initial Personal Ranking: 24th overall, 9th in semi-final 1.
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for Switzerland, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Austria, Albania, The Netherlands, Iceland, and Denmark.
Betting Odds: The song was released on the 8th of March 2022. On this day, Switzerland was 13th in the table. 3 days after, the country decreased to 18th place. Between the 12th of March and the 18th of March, the country has been in the range of 16 – 19 places.
Between the 19th of March and the 21st of March 2021, Switzerland was 15th with the bookies.
Early Prediction: Many people consider this song a weak one, but I tend to disagree.
We’ve got a lot of ballads this year, but still Switzerland has something different to suggest.
Let’s not forget about the fact that he is the only male solo singer in this semi-final!
All the others are females or bands. Another advantage is that his biggest competitors all perform in semi-final 2: Azerbaijan, Australia and Poland.
Therefore, I tend to think that Switzerland will qualify for the final.
Marius’s achievement will depend on the staging. It must deliver the message of the song and beyond. As of the moment, I can see him reaching the middle of the table in the grand final, or something like 13 – 18 place.
Artist: S10
She is a 21 year old singer – songwriter of the alt-pop genre.
Her real name is Stien den Hollander.
Despite being young, she has already made her name in the local industry.
So far, she has achieved millions of streams and views on different digital music platforms.
In some cases, she has collaborated with some established Dutch artists.
So far, the young singer has released 2 studio albums: Snowsniper (2019), Vlinders (2020).
Both of them were successful and led her to win music awards and have a sold-out tour and top chart achievements.
Selection Process: S10 was internally selected by the Dutch broadcaster Avrotros.
The broadcaster has announced her as the Dutch representative on the 7th of December 2021.
Allocation in Semi-Final: The Netherlands will perform in the first half of semi-final 1. The Netherlands will perform 8th, after Bulgaria and before Moldova.
S10 will perform the song “De Diepte” (Eng: The Depth):
Musical Review: It is a dynamic mid-tempo ballad, performed in the Dutch language.
The song starts with a guitar stringing. S10 opens the song with her distinctive voice, that sounds young but mature at the same time. Her voice can probably be defined as alt voice, with some natural resonance. The first verse’s flow is quite effective. The melody of this part is based on acoustic guitar playing, and the focus is on her voice.
Before the chorus, we have a short part, composed by the keyboards, where she sings the “da da da da” part. Many people complained about this part’s lyrics, but I think it makes the song more accessible for non Dutch speakers. The chorus starts with a soft and higher pitch of voice. She sings it powerfully and emotionally, even though not much effort is given by her.
The second verse has a slightly different rate, but is still based on guitar playing. She sings it with intention and simplicity, with the use of some sound effects, we can hear an echo singing as well. Then again, we get the same connection part (“da da da da”) that kind of prepares us for chorus. The second chorus is almost identical to the first one, but it sounds like this time the electric guitar has a more important role. This time, the chorus ends with a short instrumental part, which includes the combination of acoustic and electric guitar. After this point, the song returns to its soft parts with another chorus. The final chorus is based on acoustic guitar only, with no production in the background. Her voice is stroking and soft. She sings it with passion and a higher pitch of voice, almost falsetto at some point. This last part melody is based on piano playing. Her singing slowly decays until the song ends.
I must confess that song was one of the songs that impressed me the most this year. It conquered me with its honesty and simplicity. The choice to sing in the Dutch language is brave, and should be appreciated. One of the strongest aspects is her unique voice.
With effective staging (but not one with too much effort) it can lead The Netherlands to a very impressive achievement.
Lyrics Translated from Dutch to English, credit to LyricsTranslate
Do you know the feeling
That your dreams won’t come true
Are you ever scared
It will always stay the same
Because it’s raining every day
And I can’t see anything
You and me together, right?
That would always be soHere in the deep, I keep hearing your name
Oh, my love, what should I do
I’m in the deep and I don’t want to let you goI’m hiding under the table
And I hope that you’ll find me
I’ve been waiting all night
Oh, I’m acting childish
I’m biting my tongue again
And I know you do too
But god, what else can I do
When is it enoughHere in the deep, I keep hearing your name
Oh, my love, what should I do
I’m in the deep and I don’t want to let you go
No, no, no, no
Don’t want to let you goHere in the deep, I keep hearing your name
Oh, my love, what should I do?
I’m in the deep and I don’t want to let you go
Poetry Analysis: This is a personal song. The spokesperson reached a point in her life where she wonders about her future. First of all, she asks us if we have ever thought about this that our dream will never come true. How can one go on knowing that it is impossible?
She revealed that she is not in the best situation. Her fear is that it will stay the same and that she won’t be able to get outside of this.
The rain outside shows us the risks and the uncertainty. The only thing that helped her was the lover she used to have.
But she realizes that it is time to say goodbye. This relationship is not valid anymore. She is in a complex situation that puts her in the bottom, or in the deepest place. She is trying to call his name to save her, but he isn’t here anymore. It is time for her to get along by herself, alone. This deep place can also be considered as her deepest thoughts.
In the second verse, she tells us about the chidish action she takes in order to be seen and to be bold. For example, she hides the table to catch his attention. She bites her tongue, therefore we can see that she struggles with something. It can be something simple to explain like her habit of calling his name, or something else she hasn’t mentioned.
In her dippest thoughts, she doesn’t want to deal with the fact that he has gone. She still wants to call his name, she still waits for him to save her.
Initial Personal Ranking: 1st overall, 1st in semi-final 1.
The impact of the allocation in semi-final 1: Among the countries that usually vote for The Netherlands, we can find the following countries in the list of countries that vote in semi-final 1:
Denmark, Austria, and Switzerland.
Betting Odds: The Netherlands revealed their song for Eurovision 2022 on the 4th of March 2022. On this day, the country was in the 17th place.On the follwoing 2 days, The Netherlands was 16th with the bookies. Thereafter, they started to strengthen, until reaching the 8th place on the 9th of March 2022. On the 11th and 12th of March, the country was in the 7th place, Since the 13th of March, The Netherlands has been in the 8th or 9th place in the table.
The last 12 days have been recorded in the 9th place.
Early Prediction: I think the Netherlands will easily qualify for the grand final. She has the potential to reach the top 3 in the semi-finals, and as I see it top10 in the grand final.
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