#ilkin dovlatov

[guysofeurovision]

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2023: #26 & #25

26. AZERBAIJAN Fahree ft Ilkin Dovlatov - "Özünlə apar" 36th place

Decade Ranking: 98/153 [Above James Newman, below The Roop]

We're nearing that point of the ranking where I'm feeling "okay this is enjoyable moreso than flawed", but there are a few entries on that cusp that just fall short.

And I think Azerbaijan are a very good example of that, actually. If you wanted to know the entry that is the most smack-dab-average of the year's musical representation look no further. "Özünlə apar" is the posterchild of this contest - an entry that showcases its home country's musical traditions while also not being particularly competitive.

On a bad-to-good scale,"Özünlə apar" lands at "Not Bad". Which is... fine? But is that something Eurovision songs should strive for?

Well, staging and context can improve matters, but in Azer's case those worked against them. Semi 1's second half was a weaksauce affair, and I felt like Azerbaijan were one of the main contributers to that. You have this not uninteresting ethnic mugham song with two conventionally attractive vocalists that -by their sheer appearance- exhude massive sexual tension (both of their looks are so gay-coded lmao <3). It can become good, if you give it the right care.

This is not the right type of care:

Those visuals would work for Veronika maybe (god Raiven WOULD kill for that backdrop wouldn't she?) but for an ethnic ballad, eh. Wouldn't it be better to just focus on the main vocalist? Try to make it intimate rather than have him swallowed by the LEDS (i am SO not marking Natalia down for the same thing btw, dwi) The "big prop on an empty stage framed by copious wideshots" staging is not one that suits the genre.

(tho lol at how you can see the crew WHEEL THE HANDS ON THE STAGE in the background of this gif)

We saw with Hersi's "One Night's Anger" and Blas Canto's "Voy a quedarme" how the deadly combination of slow + empty can murder an average song's immersion, and I felt like this was one such example. Staging that outclevers the audience is a thing of the past, Azerbaijan. Back to the "Miracles", I think, or you will not see a final for a long, long time.

And since this one was a short write-up, let's add in a second:

25. GERMANY Isaak - "Always on the run" 12th place

Decade Ranking: 93/153 [Above Malik, below Sudden Lights]

Like Fahree and Ilkin, Isaak is right on the cusp of the Green Zone, but falls just short. I feel like the year was good enough for me to not cling to a "Not Bad" banger.

That said, I did feel like Isaak was marginally better than the average German entry - half a decade behind the pop curve, as per Germany's usual (I mean, the German jury 12'd Sweden. SWEDEN!!) but catchy enough. The real ringer was always Isaak himself. I don't know why the Germans were so outraged about when the international jury put him first (esp since Isaak also won the Televote? lmao). When in doubt, pick someone who can perform, you dipshits. I saw the German NF live (it was -mothershocker- really bad) . The only two that came anywhere near "serving" (SMFD RYK & MARIE!!) and didn't have a song that made me wish homicide on the composer/performer (DIE MAX!!) were Isaak and Bodine Monet? And Germany were NEVER going to pick an individual with a vision and a personality, let alone if that person is Dutch, not Deutsch, so~

Indeed, it was always Isaak's ability to sing while emoting that made me question whether I just liked him or liked the combo of him + the song, but I now know it's the former. "Always on the run" is -again- Not Bad, but we've had so many fucking Counting Stars pass pver the counter over the years (the fact that I've spent YEARS headcanoning "Counting Stars" as ID despite KNOWING it's a 1R song says enough for how fucking interchangeable these "indie" poprock songs are). How can one be excited by one at this point, I don't understand.

However, if Isaak's live skills were my main draw, then we must also admit that the performance in the Semi (the non-canonical one) was better than the one in the Grand Final. The one in the GF felt like one where Isaak went through the motions of Having To Perform. Maybe it was the backstage tension, maybe it was because Tuesday had a piss-poor line-up that made him look better, maybe it was the bad R/O that put him behind the far more exciting Ukraine, but Finale Isaak was just kinda there for me, singing his song one final time, neither adding nor detracting from the proceedings. That is hand-on-heart a high yellow, not a green, so here we are.

But I do think it's good the juries handed him a 12th place (is 12th the default placement all the generic dated radio pop gets nowadays? Cannot wait to confirm that again with 2025's inevitable Pompeii clone)(sent by Denmark, bank on it), because (1) AOTR was well-staged with respect for its introspective narrative, which is rare for GERMANY (2) Germany needed some sort of pick-me-up after the Ryk fanboys terrorized everyone for not getting their way (3) the surprise left-side result FINALLY PROVES THAT SANDBAGGING RYK WAS THE CORRECT CHOICE, EAT A MOULDY DYK!!! It's MY meta now, and Bubblevision has no time for your shitty also-ran fanfaves...x

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 24 GOOD(ish) ENTRIES OF 2024

The efforts to improve the year despite the ongoing shitstorm have been noted and appreciated. ^_^

THE RANKING

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #778:

Azerbaijan has failed to qualify for the Grand Final a total of three times. Two out of those three times they placed 14th in their Semi-Final.

The first non-qualification was in 2018 with Aisel's "X My Heart," which placed 11th. Then, TuralTuranX's "Tell Me More" placed 14th in 2023, then in the subsequent year FAHREE and Ilkin Dovlatov's "Özünlə Apar" placed 14th as well.

[Source]

Azerbaijan, Eurovision.tv.

[eurovision-brackets]

**Reminder! This is purely a bracket for the FASHION of the contest, and has nothing to do with your personal opinion of the contestants or their music.**

[stella-rose91]

12)Azerbaijan-FAHREE feat Ilkin Dovlatov-Özünlə Apar.

Very nice song with two vocals which have perfect harmony with each other. I think there s also something mystery in this song. And that s what i like. I give 9 points from 12 points.

The perfomance from first semifinal.

[esciting]

australia and azerbaijan both not qualifying feels so unsual

[mildmagician]

Azerbaijan🇦🇿

Let us take you with us to enjoy the 'Özünlə Apar’ by FAHREE feat. Ilkin Dovlatov!🌄🤲

FAHREE and Ilkin are new faces for Eurovision fan base but their talent is unquestionable. Both artists were shortlisted in the internal selection with their separate songs ending up with FAHREE winning his golden ticket to the main event. It was later announced that Ilkin would join him on his journey to Malmö with the final track releasing a couple of days later.

‘Özünlə Apar’ is in English and Azerbaijani which makes it the first Azerbaijani entry in Azeri since the country joined Eurovision back in 2008. It has the traditional elements in both melody and vocals provided by Ilkin.

[anotherescsite]

Thirty Seven Little Films - Azerbaijan

Özünlə Apar - FAHREE feat. Ilkin Dovlatov

Selection method: Internal Has it been heard live? no. Semi final #1 Drawn: 12th

There are some esteemed people who like this song. I feel something for it now versus that previous film they had. I like it's in black and white and the way it's presented.

[stupid-lew]

[sycamoreesc]

It's finally time: My first ever upload! Today I'm listing my top 36 of 2024's Eurovision Song Contest. I encourage you to go over there and leave a like and comment if you can

Before I start, I want to point out that I have not included Israel in a protest of their inclusion in this year's contest despite the ongoing conflict, for sending an extremely political act, and for the way their delegation behaved during the week of ESC. In case it means anything to anyone, I would have ranked the song pretty close to last anyway, because it is a pretty boring, middle of the road ballad. Eden has a lovely voice but the song was just not for me anyway. It would have placed near the bottom even if there were no issues with their participation.

Also remember!! These are all just my opinions! Please don't take me too seriously, and I'd love to hear anyone else's opinions as well ❤️

On with the show! I will go from my least favourite to my favourite.

36. Before the Party's over by Mustii for Belgium

Starting off with a controversial one, because I know how many people loved this song and hyped it up before the contest, but it absolutely did not live up to the hype. I'd say it's a fine song in studio, but Mustii just could not sing it live. I do like the ending when everything comes together, but at the same time, he is just shouting the same words over and over again. I'm also judging the whole song, and the build up to that moment, i.e. 3/4 of the song, just isn't worth it for me. So, with apologies to all the Mustii stans, I had to put this last.

35. Özünlə apar by Fahree ft. Ilkin Dovlatov for Azerbaijan

I always love when acts feature their culture in their songs, which Ilkin brings to this song through his vocalisations (not sure what they're called, please forgive me). Unfortunately, that's all it really has going for it. It's pretty boring to me, and I feel like I'm constantly waiting for it to explode into a power ballad, but it just never gets there. And other than that, there really isn't that much to say about this song. I do commend Fahree for sending the first song with Azerbaijani lyrics, though; I love when countries send songs in their own languages.

34. Dizzy by Olly Alexander for the UK

Like many other brits, I have had high hopes for us since Sam Ryder in 2022. But this is just so.... meh. That's the only way I can describe it. It's a very radio-friendly soft pop song, which is fine, but that's it. I also did not like how sexual the staging was either. The anti-gravity box thing was pretty innovative though, and I enjoyed how the dancers made it really feel like gravity was changing around Olly. But that's not really about the song. I remember being really excited when Olly was announced as our artist because I liked a lot of Years & Years stuff, and then being really disappointed when I heard the song for the first time after seeing people on social media hyping it up.

33. Sand by Saba for Denmark

This is another song that is just fine. There's nothing in it that stirs any kind of emotion within me. It's a fine song and that's about it. I genuinely don't know what else to say about it. I liked that Saba had some glittery sand at the beginning of the song to emphasise some of her movements, and I kinda wish they'd figuered out a way to keep sand in the staging for the whole song.

32. The Tower by Luna for Poland

This is interesting for me, because I remember liking it back in May, but I haven't really listened to it since, and listening to it again for this ranking, it just wasn't doing anything for me. I think Luna struggled a little bit with her breath control, but the song itself is fine. I like the chess theme they had going on, but I don't think I really understand why they chose that. Maybe someone can help me understand the significance.

31. Titan by Besa for Albania

I've heard a lot of eurofans say that this song was a lot better in the original Albanian, and of course I always love to see more languages included in Eurovision, but I actually haven't listened to the original, so that has no pull on me. I liked this song, but it's not something I could listen to a lot. The first half is a bit iffy for me, I think because I'm not a big fan of ballads, but I do love a good power ballad, so when we got to the second half, it got more interesting for me. Also, I liked the verse being more of an r&b style. Overall, it's an alright song that gets better as it goes along.

30. Hollow by Dons for Latvia

Ok please don't hate me, Dons has an incredible voice and he deserved to be in the final, but this song is just not for me at all. Like I said before, ballads aren't really for me, so this suffers a similar fate to Titan. I found it pretty boring until the final third of the song when it becomes more powerful. I also thought the staging was a bit lackluster. I know ballads are normally sung with minimal staging, but just having the big circle made me feel like it was missing something. Or maybe that was the point, it is called 'hollow' after all. Also I couldn't take it seriously because of his blue body armour, I'm sorry 😭

29. Scared of Heights by Hera Björk for Iceland

This is a bop and I like listening to it. It's also incredibly generic. Hera is a Eurovision icon and I love her glittery golden jumpsuit, but I feel like the staging was a bit empty for such an upbeat song; some dancers really would have suited this performance in my opinion. I wish I could come up with something more to say but that's literally it, and that's why I can't put it any higher.

28. Fighter by Tali for Luxembourg

Luxembourg has come back fighting (haha) with this song. I think it's a good song and I liked the staging, too. Unfortunately, it just simply doesn't evoke any strong feelings for me, so I would feel like I'd be lying to myself if I put it higher on this list. That doesn't mean it's a bad song though, and I did enjoy the little fast bits after the main chorus (I'm so sorry I don't know the terminology for that, but I hope you know what I'm on about).

27. Mon Amour by Slimane for France

Before you get mad at me, just know I recognise that Slimane has an inredible and powerful voice, and this song is a lovely love ballad. However, as I've mentioned a couple of times, ballads aren't my thing. I think I'm picky with them, because I do have a couple higher up, but Mon Amour is not one I particularly enjoy. Also, as someone who is autistic and struggles with eye contact, his consistent eye contact with the camera was extremely uncomfortable for me, and I have to look in any other direction to avoid his gaze. I do recognise that that's a me problem, though. Overall, beautiful ballad, just not for me.

26. Loop by Sarah Bonnici for Malta

Only just making it into my personal grand final is a great girlbop for the ages. I wasn't super impressed with this song back in May, but rewatching and relistening to it for this list, I couldn't help but dance along. It's really catchy in a good way, and I understand why people were annoyed or shocked that it didn't get to the final. The reason it's down here is because it's just not something I would regularly listen to. It's good, but not great, for me anyway. Sarah's voice is impressive, and so is her dancing, but in general, I'm not much of a fan of interrupting the song for a dance break that takes up a big chunk of it's run time.

25. Liar by Silia Kapsis for Cyprus

From one girlbop to another. I think that Liar got a lot of flack back in May because it got through to the final while Loop didn't. However, in my opinion, Liar is a better song. I like the beat and the cadence of the song, and Silia has proven she's an excellent performer despite only being 17. Having that kind of breath control while doing all that jumping about is pretty impressive. It also suffers the dreaded dance break interruption, but I find it less intrusive than Loop's because it's much shorter.

24. In The Middle by Natalia Barbu for Moldova

I really like this song. It's got a nice aura to it, I like the violins mixed with modern pop beats, and Natalia has a very strong voice. The chorus, while obviously lacking in lyrics, is very catchy and I genuinely enjoy singing and clapping along. The almost operatic chorus at the end caught me a bit off guard, but I wouldn't say it was unwelcome. I also liked the violin break. The only bad thing is that it's just not really that interesting of a song.

23. Zorra by Nebulossa for Spain

Another pure bop from this year, and I completely understand why everyone chants along with the chorus. It's a really well produced pop song and I love the story it tells about reclaiming this word. While I understand that some poeple in Spain thought it was a bit controversial, and also tell me if I'm missing to point here, but to me it's like english-speaking people reclaiming the word slut which I've seen many people doing online in the past couple of years, which I don't take issue with. Anyway, back to the song. I think it's fun and a great song to dance along to. Also, am I the only one who wanted to give those dancers a coat? Their butts must be so cold! 😭

22. Always on the Run by Isaak for Germany

I enjoy this song a lot, though it does seem a little derivitive of artists from the late 2010s like Rag'n'Bone Man. That doesn't make this a bad song, though, just a bit dated. I think Isaak has a great voice; he has the ability to make his voice sound very smooth and soft, to gravelly and rough, which really suits this kind of song. The staging is also simple but effective, with Isaak being in a box for the first two thirds of the song, but coming out of this box for the breakdown and final chorus, which I really enjoy the symbolism of. It's a great song overall, and I still listen to it occasionally.

21. We Will Rave by Kaleen for Austria

When I first heard this song I thought 'wow this is so 2014' but in a good way. Rave songs like this were pretty popular in the late 00s-early 10s, so this song gives me such nostalgia. I know I was just talking about how Isaak's song felt a bit dated, but We Will Rave is a great example of how to take a genre that isn't heard very often anymore and turn it into something that still hits just as hard in the modern music scene. It's a great track, fun to dance and sing along to, and gives me some of that sweet, sweet nostalgia. It does have an Interrupting Dance Break though, but it feels more forgivable here because the song is literally about dancing and raving.

20. Ramonda by Teya Dora for Serbia

Ramonda is a gorgeous ballad that Teya herself said represents having hope despite feeling at your lowest. I love the use of this flower as it blooms in unlikely places as a metaphor for this feeling. Teya also has a beautiful voice that goes from being very soft and almost dainty at the start, to being incredibly powerful at the peak of the performance. I mentioned in the paragraph I wrote about Hollow, that while ballads tend not to have much staging, there's still a way to stage a ballad well, and I think this song shows that. The rocks in the middle feel like they are surrounding Teya at the beginning and making her feel small, but by the end she is triumphantly standing taller than them as the ramonda flower blooms from them, which is excellent storytelling in itself, and also using the smoke machine and the lights to look like clouds and lightning was a brilliant effect. The reason Ramonda is only 20th in my list is because, as I've said, ballads aren't for me, so I didn't really connect with this, although I do appreciate the story being told. It's a beautiful ballad, but I would most likely skip it if it came up in my playlist.

19. Pedestal by Aiko for Czechia

I was really disappointed back in May when this song didn't get through to the final. I really enjoy pop rock like this and I enjoy the message in the song, to learn to put yourself first. Singing along to the chorus of this song is a lot of fun. I understand why they did it due to the story of the song, but the interruption to the argument did take me out of it a bit. It's a fun pop rock song that is pleasing to my ears, but it is also a little generic, and I struggle to connect with songs about relationship issues due to being aro myself. Obviously I do still enjoy the song a lot though.

18. One Milkali (One Blood) by Electric Fields for Australia

This is song is just so much fun and I resent anyone who thinks otherwise! /lh I remember being sad that this song didn't get to the finals, but rewatching the performance, I can see that Zaachariaha did have a bit of difficulty reaching the big notes. I also love their use of the digeridoo, as it's not something you see (or hear) everyday in pop music, although I'm not sure if it was implemented in a very seamless way. It just seemed a bit out of place, but maybe that's just because I'm not used to hearing it. In any case, the song is a lot of fun, I love the music, I love the message, and I just really like it to be perfectly honest. It's right up my street.

17. Firefighter by Nutsa Buzaladze for Georgia

Nutsa's vocals are so amazing. Very strong and powerful! Firefighter is a great song and she really sells it with how she nails her whole performance. The song itself is catchy and energetic, and you're really sucked into it when you listen to it. The live performance does have a dance interruption, but it feels more natural due to it happening right after the intro before the song proper starts. I also really love the sound of violins that can be heard before the final chorus when Nutza isn't singing; it really adds a kind of ethnic vibe to the song which I feel elevates it a lot.

16. Grito by iolanda for Portugal

This is the highest ranking ballad in my ranking. I love the story and the message of Grito, and iolanda has that kind of voice that kind of voice draws you in and entrances you. Or maybe that's just for me. I love that the song starts a capella, with the music building and building until it reaches that break before her big note that clears her mind, and the music is extremely soft after that, almost inaudible. It's an amazing way to show the chaos that can occur in your mind when you are overwhelmed, and then the peace that comes afterwards. Another example of excellent ballad staging. It's a meaningful ballad that just missed out on my top 15.

15. 11:11 by Megara from San Marino

Going from the highest scoring ballad to the highest scoring non-qualifier. I can't help but love this song. It reminds me of a lot of rock songs I used to listen to as a teenager, but it really sticks out as unique in this year's contest. I love the pink and black aesthetic, I love the cartoons they use, and I love the way Kenzy emphasizes her words with her facial expressions. I love the breakdown with more traditional spanish guitar mixed in with this cool rock sound (according to wikipedia, it's called fucksia rock so... do with that information what you will, I guess). In the performance however, Kenzy seemed to either forget the words or just completely run out of breath at one point, and by the end she was struggling with her breath control, so as much as I do really enjoy this song, I can't put it any higher.

14. Zari by Marina Satti for Greece

I absolutely adore how Marina mixes traditional Greek music with modern pop. It's so up my street it's practically on my doorstep. Zari is a very fun song that I can't help but dance along with, and if I knew any Greek I'm sure I'd be singing along, too. I love that the dances are incorporated into the song, rather than having one long dance break, and incorporating traditional Greek dances too makes me very happy. I love the celebration of Greek culture in this song while maintaining a very modern vibe.

13. La Noia by Angelina Mango for Italy

I'm going to start this one by saying I love the instrument in the back that occurs occasionally throughout the song but I have absolutely no idea what it's called and it's driving me crazy! It's the one that lowkey sounds a bit like a kazoo, if anyone knows what on earth I'm talking about. ANYWAY, the song is great. We seem to be blessed most years with Italy sending very unique songs to the contest. While this is a pop song, I would be hard-pressed to call it generic at all. The chorus just makes you want to move your body, and the break in the song makes you really appreciate Angelina's powerful voice. I think the staging leaves a bit it be desired, but I have to admit, there's something about the way Angelina and her dancers walk exactly on the beat that really tickles my brain. Also I love her huge stomping boots, which seem a bit out of place, but I love them anyway.

12. Unforgettable by Marcus & Martinus for Sweden

This song would not have gotten this far up if the live performance wasn't so much fun. It is a pretty generic pop song about a pretty girl, which seems to be standard for Sweden, but I can't deny that it is a whole bop and a half. I actually tend to skip over the studio version, but like I said, the live performance really sells it. Marcus and Martinus both have great stage presence, and the staging being very digital really fits well with the electronic sound. It's also one of those songs I can sing along to while not being serious at all, and being very dramatic. My favourite part is the breakdown at the end (not sure if breakdown is the right word to use here, but it's the part where the're singing "her love, is dangerous and I know it," etc.); it's a whole lot of fun to sing and dance to. Just great vibes all around.

11. Jako by Ladaniva for Armenia

I was actually surprised that this landed outside of my top 10, but unfortunately I just listen to and connect more with the others more often. That doesn't change the fact that I absolutely love this song to bits! Pure traditional music with a modern twist that is just so enjoyable to listen to. Jaklin is also incredibly charismatic and is clearly very comfortable on stage. She exudes a kind of energy that I can only hope to achieve a fraction of. The whole song is just great fun and a wonderful celebration of Armenian culture. While the chorus is only made of la's, I have to say it works very well with this song, and the whole crowd being able to sing along really helps it to shine. Overall a very unique and fun experience.

10. Ulveham by Gåte for Norway

If you're like me, you will also be questioning... WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, EUROPE? For this to only make it to the final by a hair, and finishing dead last in the final with only 14 points is an absolute travesty of the highest proportions. Gunnhild's vocals are absolutely on point, the folk elements mixed with metal works perfectly, the staging was great, with the band rocking around Gunnhild in the middle, who seems to be able to control water with her voice??? How did this score so low? Also juries, you're supposed to be judging objectively, and this performance was objectively brilliant, from the vocals to the staging to the music itself. I have to say, I don't often listen to metal, but the way the folk elements weave so effortlessly in with this song is pretty incredible. If you can't tell, I'm a bit incensed by this whole thing, but at the end of the day I do understand that most voters were pooling all their votes into only like 5 songs, and Baby Lasagna would have hoovered up a lot of votes that would have gone to Ulveham in any other year. Or that's how I'm justifying it anyway.😅 So overall, I really do enjoy this song a lot, I think everything just comes together so well, and the only reason it isn't higher is because metal just does not always agree with my ears.

9. Doomsday Blue by Bambie Thug for Ireland

Doomsday Blue is a masterclass in how to create an incredible Eurovision performance. The way they used the cameras to get the absolute perfoct shots at every angle, the way they used their props perfectly (like with the candles), the tasteful costume change, and the acting performace of both Bambie and the demon all comes together to create a cohesive story and an impressive presentation of it. The song itself is very unique, using very distinct individual styles for the verses and chorus that somehow just works really well. Bambie's vocals are also incredible, being able to perform technical screams to being able to be soft and airy in the chorus, to the power in the last verse. Just like with Ulveham, this would likely place higher in this list if it wasn't for the fact that metal just isn't very accessible for me.

8. (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi by 5miinust & Puuluup for Estonia

This song is so much fun. Folk and traditional instruments mixed with rap? Yes please and thank you very much! Nendest, as I will call it here, is such a bop and anyone who doesn't find themselves bopping along with it is either lying or doesn't know what fun means. /lh I love songs that aren't too serious and yet they have a hidden meaning that is often pretty deep. The meaning in this song is the persecution and false imprisonment of poor people by the police because the police think the poor people are all drug addicts. So I just really enjoy how silly this song is while having that kind of meaning. It's a great compsition and it's performed really well, and I think it deserved to be placed higher than 20th (clearly).

7. Luktelk by Silvester Belt for Lithuania

This is a very unique and catchy song that I can't help but dance along to. I know it's about a relationship, and Silvester is asking them to stay a little longer with him, and I mentioned earlier that songs like that don't tend to resonate with me. However, this song is in Lithuanian so I don't understand what's going on there, and I can focus solely on the music and how Silvester's vocals sound, which I like a lot. The music flows so nicely, it has a fast tempo but it doesn't feel like it's rushing, I like that each line in the verses are punctuated with the double beat, and while there is a dance break, it's incredibly short, and it feels natural to have a break in lyrics in any song that has a similar breakdown before it. I also really love the red and blue colour pallette; the contrasting colours work really well with the concept of being unable to make up your mind, like the phrase 'being in two minds' about something. Overall, the song is great and I listen to it often.

6. No Rules! by Windows95man for Finland

One of my favourite types of songs are those songs that are fun and unserious, that I can be just so overdramatic while singing along to it. And that is exactly what No Rules! is. It's so much fun, and singing Henri's parts really damatically and acting out the dramatic moves is an absolute must when listening to this song. I also love that the music hearkens back to the euro-electropop and eurodance of the late 90s and early 00s (think Blue, Better Off Alone, Around the World or even Barbie Girl), while also not feeling outdated or bland. I also really enjoyed how they staged it; from the overuse of denim (and the jegg), to the creative ways they came up with to conveniently cover up Teemu's privates, it just all comes together in one big silly and overdramatic time.

5. Veronika by Raiven for Slovenia

Completely changing tunes from a silly fun-time song, to a dark and mysterious song about the first persecution of a witch in Slovenia. I was genuinely shocked that this song placed 23rd in the final, on account that it is incredibly unique, well staged, and innovative. Raiven's vocals are perfect (I believe she's a trained opera singer), and she has great stage presence. She really sells the story and I love the use of the dancers to bring an animalistic or possibly even inhuman vibe to the performance. I also really love the choice to bring out the screams at the end of the performance, as in the studio version it's more in the background, and I think bringing them to the forefront really elevates the song in a unique and interesting way. Overall, I really love this song for all it's dramaticism and telling of a Slovenian folk tale.

4. Teresa & Maria by alyona alyona & Jerry Heil for Ukraine.

This is an absolutely gorgeous song about empowerment and taking responibility for who you are and who you become. Jerry's vocals are almost ethereal, and alyona's rap verse complements the song in a very unique way. The whole sound of this song feels like I'm almost having a religious experience; it gives me chills, makes me think, and enraptures me all at the same time. The staging, while simple, is very effective. I particularly love the transition from Jerry plunging her mic into the rock as if it were a sword, to alyona's entrance with her taking a knife out of her hair. I also liked how the camera shook during alyona's verse, as if accentuating the point of the song, and making alyona seem large and powerful. Overall, a brilliant song and composition that I think falls into a lot of people's top 10s, and for good reason.

3. Rim Tim Tagi Dim by Baby Lasagna for Croatia

Before the Baby Lasagna fans come for me for not putting him first (honestly I'm scared of you guys), I want to say I think he would have been an absolutely worthy winner (in fact I think any of my top 5 would have been worthy winners), and I am sad for Croatia that they didn't get that first win, but I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't enjoy the other two more. With that being said, I absolutely adore this song and it makes complete sense to me that it won the televote by a mile. It's a very catchy rock song with sentimental lyrics about leaving your home village in search of a better life. Genuinely, I can't find fault in this song or the performance; Marko's vocals are perfect, his stage presence is great, the traditional costuming is excellent (also I love the doilies on all of the instruments, especially on the drum cymbals), and overall the performance comes together perfectly. The song's ability to connect with the audince is awe-inspiring, and you can see how literally everyone in that arena was dancing along in the break. Overall, I only have one word: incredible.

2. Europapa by Joost Klein for the Netherlands

I'm not going to rehash everything that happened a la Joost's disqualification because frankly everything's already been said, and I don't want this post to get any longer than it needs to be. Anyway, This song is such a love letter to Europe (and of course to his parents), and it's such a fun 3-minute journey. I love all the references Joost makes to different countries and their traditions, and how despite how happy the song is, Joost is singing about how he feels uncomfortable away from home, while celebrating all of these places at the same time. I also love how this song, and all of Joost's music really, is clearly inspired by a lot of the electronic and jumpstyle music that was popular in the 00s; I'm particularly reminded of artists like Scooter and Basshunter, although I know there's a lot more hardcore jumpstyle out there that I was never exposed to. All that to say, this music style is another that feels very nostalgic to me while also not feeling dated. Overall, this is such a great song, a real crowd-pleaser in the best way possible, and just a real fun time all around.

1. The Code by Nemo for Switzerland

You guys have no idea how hyped I was that my favourite song won the contest. I've been watching for as long as I can remember and this has never happened to me before! Where do I even begin with this? I guess first off, I love how Nemo incorporates pop, rap, and opera into one song and somehow it's still coherent as one song. It flows together so easily, you wonder why no one has tried it before (not to my knowledge, anyway). I think Nemo has an incredibly creative brain to be able to pull something like that off. I also love the staging; using the rotating disk symbolises the struggles that we as non-binary people go through while learning to accept ourselves and balancing what is deemed 'appropriate' by society. Eventually, Nemo is able to ride this spinning disk triumphantly as they finally feel like they've figured it out. As they say, they broke the code. Nemo's gnc costume is also amazing, and I love the story that they actually picked out their outfit from random stores in Malmo literally the week of the contest. That kind of chaotic energy really feels like it suits the song and performance. The absolute grip this song had on me in May, and to some extent still now (although rn I'm really obsessed with their new song Eurostar. It's amazing and so different to The Code. If you haven't heard it go do it NOW), was palpable. I couldn't get enough. I felt like it spoke to me on some deep level, and maybe that's because it's a song all about accepting yourself, and as someone who is also nonbinary, and has also found out that they are autistic just this year at the age of 26, accepting myself is a huge part of my journey right now. So maybe it wasn't the European public's favourite, but it will forever leave a big imprint on my soul.

If you've made it this far, you are incredible and I love you as much as a person can love a person over a screen that they don't even know.

If you agreed with anything I said, let me know! If you didn't, also let me know!

Thank you so much for reading my ramblings and watching my video, it means so much 💖

[guysofeurovision]

[theladysilvermoon]

My Top 10 Favorite Songs of Eurovision 2024 (before the show):

Norway - Ulveham by Gåte

United Kingdom - Dizzy by Olly Alexander

France - Mon Amour by Slimane

Cyprus - Liar by Silia Kapsis

San Marino - 11:11 by Megara

Austria - We will Rave by Kaleen

Italy - La Noia by Angelina Mango

Sweden - Unforgettable by Marcus & Martinus

Ukraine - Teresa & Maria by Alyona & Jerry Heil

Denmark - Sand by Saba

Honorable mentions:

Luxembourg - Fighter by Tali

Poland - The Tower by Luna

Spain - Zorra by Nebulossa

Azerbaijan - Özünlə apar by Fahree feat. Ilkin Dovlatov

Finland - No Rules by Windows95man

The Netherlands - Europapa by Joost Klein

Croatia - Rim Tim Tagi Dim by Baby Lasagna

Ireland - Doomsday Blues by Bambie Thug

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #584:

Azerbaijan's FAHREE will be sending the song "Özünlə Apar" to Eurovision this May. He will be performing with Ilkin Dovlatov on stage.

[Source]

"FAHREE reveals Özünlə Apar for Azerbaijan," Eurovision.tv.

[thisismyobsessionnow]

Okay, let's go, my top 36!

Based mostly on studio versions and vibes at this point. Really it's still just my first impressions to be honest. Very much subject to change because I've not spent enough time with these songs yet but putting it out there today so I can still catch the change as we go through the last week up until the semifinals.

Switzerland - Nemo - The Code

Slovenia - Raiven - Veronica

Italy - Angelina Mango - La Noia

Croatia - Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim

Poland - Luna - The Tower

Latvia - Dons - Hollow

Serbia - Teya Dora - Ramonda

Norway - Gåte - Ulveham

Lithuania - Silvester Belt - Luktelk

San Marino - Megara - 11:11

11. Czechia - Aiko - Pedestal 12. Portugal - Iolanda - Grito 13. Armenia - Ladaniva - Jako 14. The Netherlands - Joost Klein - Europapa 15. United Kingdom - Olly Alexander - Dizzy 16. Estonia - 5miinust & Puuluup - (Nendest) Narkootikumidest Ei Eea Me (Küll) Midagi 17. Ireland - Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue 18. Spain - Nebulossa - Zorra 19. Luxembourg - Tali - Fighter 20. Moldova - Natalia Barbu - In The Middle 21. Ukraine - Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil - Teresa & Maria 22. Finland - Windows95man - No Rules! 23. Austria - Kaleen - We Will Rave 24. Belgium - Mustii - Before The Party's Over 25. Australia - Electric Fields - One Milkali (One Blood) 26. Denmark - Saba - Sand 27. Greece - Marina Satti - Zari 28. France - Slimane - Mon Amour 29. Germany - Isaak - Always On The Run 30. Sweden - Marcus & Martinus - Unforgettable 31. Iceland - Hera Björk - Scared Of Heights 32. Azerbaijan - Fahree & Ilkin Dovlatov - Özünlə apar 33. Albania - Besa - Titan 34. Georgia - Nutsa Buzaladze - Firefighter 35. Cyprus - Silia Kapsis - Liar 36. Malta - Sarah Bonnici - Loop

[badgersprite]

My 2024 Eurovision Top 37!!!

It's that time of year again! That time where I give my opinions on Eurovision that nobody asked for!

Is this an especially strong year for Eurovision? Eh. Yes and no. There's a lot of songs I don't like, more than there probably has been in any recent years, but there's also lots of songs I really like and would be happy if they won.

I think this is shaping up to be a very interesting year. I would argue that there is no clear and obvious frontrunner. Any winner is really probably going to feel like a "surprise", and most likely a pleasant one at that. There's a lot of songs here that feel like they'd be deserving winners, with no one really so clearly ahead of the pack to where it would feel like they were "robbed" if they lost.

But anyway, we're counting down, in reverse order, below the cut!

XX. ISRAEL - EDEN GOLAN - Hurricane

Ok, full disclosure, this is why I was kind of late to post my top. I haven't listened to this song. Frankly, I don't feel comfortable listening to this song. I don't know if I ever will. So, accordingly, I will not be giving it a rating, review, or ranking. I wish to make no further comment and please respect my decision.

Sorry for the downer start, but that's just how I feel.

36. SWITZERLAND - NEMO - The Code

I'm starting off controversial. I have no idea why this song is so popular in the community. I do not know what other people hear in this. To me, this just sounds like an annoying, disjointed mess.

35. LATVIA - DONS - Hollow

This song is a slow, dirgey wall of sludge. Sorry to this man, but I don't come to Eurovision to feel like I'm at a funeral.

34. BELGIUM - MUSTII - Before The Party's Over

This song is a slightly less slow, dirgey wall of sludge. I don't know, it feels like it's trying really hard to be artsy and ~important~

33. ICELAND - HERA BJÖRK - Scared of Heights

"I'm not one to take risks."

Yeah, Hera. We can tell. Jesus Christ. This song is so safe it feels like getting a lecture on abstinence at a Christian private school.

32. MOLDOVA - NATALIA BARBU - In The Middle

I like the chorus. Shame about literally everything else in this song.

31. ALBANIA - BESA - Titan

What's with the random banjos? Albania in its Folklore era.

30. AZERBAIJAN - FAHREE & ILKIN DOVLATOV - Özünlə Apar

As much as I want to give Azerbaijan bonus points for finally sending something partially in Azeri, I literally cannot remember a single note from this song and I relistened to it about an hour ago.

29. FRANCE - SLIMANE - Mon Amour

Every year at Eurovision be like

Eurovision: "Hey, France, how French do you want to make your entry this year?"

France: "Oui."

He's got a great voice but to me this is just a run of the mill, paint by numbers Eurovision ballad that is also French and mentions Paris.

28. GERMANY - ISAAK - Always on the Run

Okay I actually don't really care for this song at all, it sounds like the kind of generic, inoffensive, slight hint of country so they don't alienate the flyover states kind of song they make American Idol winners sing. He's only this high because I really like his voice.

27. MALTA - SARAH BONNICI - Loop

This is an average Eurovision song.

26. LUXEMBOURG - TALI - Fighter

This is an average Eurovision song.

25. GEORGIA - NUTSA BUZALADZE - Firefighter

By the time this song gets going, it really comes together. It finishes really strong. The problem is the first...half or so? It's a disjointed mess. But the fact that I like at least PART of this song so much is what puts it above all these other songs that are insta-skips.

24. LITHUANIA - SILVESTER BELT - Luktelk

Probably my next most controversial pick. I don't get the hype for this song? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's fine. I like it. But it's just, like...an average song in this genre? It's nothing special.

23. PORTUGAL - IOLANDA - Grito

This is probably a case where it's not the song so much as it's me not getting it. To my ears it sounds pleasant but dated. And slower songs are often fighting an uphill battle with me at Eurovision anyway so.

22. ARMENIA - LADANIVA - Jako

I really like this, it's the fun folk throwback of this year. The only problem with it is, it's basically just straight up folk instrumentation. It sounds very small as a result. It could have used just a bit more modern production to give it that real OOMPH factor.

21. NETHERLANDS - JOOST KLEIN - Europapa

I probably would have liked this song a lot more if I hadn't heard Finland first. Spoilers for later. Also maybe I'm just too Australian and not European enough to really be able to relate to this song.

20. UNITED KINGDOM - OLLY ALEXANDER - Dizzy

This song feels like a throwback to a lot of the kind of British pop music that would cross over onto the Australian charts here when I was a kid. Like, remember when Billie Piper was a pop singer? Remember Craig David? This song doesn't sound like either of those per se but it does sound like the kind of song that would be on like one of these albums that I have in a box in my garage somewhere

19. AUSTRALIA - ELECTRIC FIELDS - One Milkali (One Blood)

Listen, I love Electric Fields. I've seen them live, and they were great. And I love this song. It's very meditative, it gives some good kind of spiritual advice that I vibe with. I think the song is only this low because, well, the video is meh, and this kind of feels like a "safe" Electric Fields energy? It feels like they could have done more.

18. SERBIA - TEYA DORA - Ramonda

See even though this song is a slow ballad, it avoids being a dirgey wall of sludge because it actually has like dynamic range to it. It's mostly quiet and gentle, and it builds to a big high point. It doesn't just feel like a wall of melancholy sound slowly drowning me.

17. GREECE - MARINA SATTI - Zari

I think I'm not hip enough for this. I feel like I'm going to come back to this later and like it a lot more than I already do. And I do like this. It feels kind of like a Greek Russian Woman in terms of vibe, and I mean that as a compliment. This is really good. It just may be a bit too weird, too out there, and too current to really land at Eurovision. Like this song definitely feels like it belongs on the internet. This song has iPhone face.

16. SPAIN - NEBULOSSA - Zorra

I love her lack of energy, go girl give us nothing!

Seriously though, this song is for the girls and the gays. And as I am a girl and a gay, I can appreciate it. This song is about, no matter what you do, people are going to call you a bitch and try and drag you down. So she's like, OK, fuck you, I'm going to go take on the world, be an empowered woman, and be successful, and if that makes me a bitch then fine, I'm the best bitch here. And I think that's a good message, and I support it. Women shouldn't have to make themselves smaller so as to not threaten your insecurities.

15. CYPRUS - SILIA KAPSIS - Liar

There is just something absolutely FILTHY about this beat that makes me want to throw it back. Fortunately for everybody, I am incapable of throwing it back, so you don't have to be subjected to that. But, like, I feel it in this song. This beat does dirty things to me.

14. ESTONIA - 5MIINUST & PUULUUP - (Nendest) Narkootikumidest Ei Tea Me (Küll) Midagi

Every time this song comes on, I can't resist the urge to get up and start dancing to it, so it must be doing something right. But also fuck you for making me write a title that long.

13. SWEDEN - MARCUS & MARTINUS - Unforgettable

Swedes are too OP at pop. Like this song is basically perfect. Fortunately, I am too much of a lesbian to be nostalgic for boy band music. If I had been into the Backstreet Boys or N*Sync back in the day, this song would make me super nostalgic, and it would probably be my number one. But as it is I'm nostalgic for different things, and it's all those songs that are in my top ten this year. As you'll see.

12. UKRAINE - ALYONA ALYONA & JERRY HEIL - Teresa & Maria

Ukraine doesn't miss at Eurovision. If the Vidbir staging had like...any budget at all, this would probably be higher. That's really all that's holding it back. I love this song. It's great.

11. CROATIA - BABY LASAGNA - Rim Tim Tagi Dim

This was hard. I went back and forth with this and other songs in my top 10 so many times. If you ask me to make this list again five minutes from now, this is probably there. If this song wins Eurovision, I'll be happy. I love it. If there's anything holding this back in comparison to the songs in my top, it's: I'm more nostalgic for other genres apparently; there's no real vocal moment in this song; the production kind of sounds like this was made in Garageband? Don't take any of this to mean I don't like the song. I do. But I like this a roughly equal amount to like half of my top ten and I had to split hairs.

10. SLOVENIA - RAIVEN - Veronika

This is art, mama. This was the first Eurovision song I heard this year and it really started everything off on a good note. The insane vocal moment at the end is what kept this in my top 10 above Croatia. I cannot wait to see the staging because this has a vision.

9. NORWAY - GÅTE - Ulveham

This feels weird having it this low. It was my number four for the longest time. Like, until I made this list today. I think it's the verses holding it back for me. The verses are a little bit nothing. It's just a lot of "this happened, and then this happened". And that's the one thing that docks an execution point from this otherwise excellent song. But it's lovely hearing Norwegian at Eurovision for the first time in forever

8. AUSTRIA - KALEEN - We Will Rave

Things Badger is nostalgic for, entry #1 - Cascada, apparently. This is taking me back to playing fucking DDR at the Time Zone outside of Hoyts at Hornsby Westfield when I was like 15. This was one of the songs I was juggling with whether to keep in my top ten, asking myself "Do I really like this song as much as I thought I did the last time I played it?" So then I'd play it again, and every time I played it...I'd get this feeling. And every time we kiss, I swear I could fly.

Wait.

7. ITALY - ANGELINA MANGO - La Noia

OK, full disclosure, if I were ranking the songs "objectively" in terms of which one is the best, like if I were taking personal taste out of this and just telling you what song I think will or should win Eurovision, this would be my pick. This is by far the hippest thing Italy has ever sent to Eurovision. It's great. It's fun. It's fresh. It's vocally challenging but executed with unbelievable ease. Angelina Mango is style, she is fashion, she is an icon, she is the moment. She's everything. Also, BUSINESS PRINCESS. What more can you want?

6. CZECHIA - AIKO - Pedestal

Things Badger is nostalgic for entry #2 - late 80s/early 90s girl grunge rockers. This song is stuck in my head all the time, and it's awesome. You just want to scream out the chorus. Because, you know what, I relate to this. I am currently going through a phase of loving me more, loving me more than your bullshit. And it feels great. It's empowering. It's a good message. Sometimes we do need to learn to put ourselves first, and learn what self-love actually means.

5. DENMARK - SABA - Sand

This is Scandinavian pop perfection. And I am not immune to Scandi-pop. Far from it. It's a well-known weakness of mine. I apologise if it makes me boring, but I fucking love this. I love every single second of this song. I'm probably going to vote for it in the Grand Final. If this wins the Jury I will be the one person who was like yeah I told you.

4. POLAND - LUNA - The Tower

OK, I initially had this lower. This was always in my Top 10. I always loved this song. But I always kind of had it in my mind of like, oh yeah, this is a really great song, but I like other songs more.

But, do I, though? Because, other than my #1 song, this is the song I've listened to more than any other song this year. And, as I was putting together this list, I kept thinking, oh yeah, The Tower is going to be the song that I listen to the most (other than my number 1) after this contest, it's going to be on all my playlists.

And then I stopped and thought, wait, hang on. If I keep wanting to listen to this song more than all the others, and I'm already looking forward to listening to this song for years to come...doesn't that mean I like it a hell of a lot more than I keep thinking I do? And, yeah. The answer is yes. I really love this song. I think the reason I kept underrating it is because it's just a great song all the way through with no real big epic Eurovision moment, right? But this list isn't what song I think will win Eurovision, it's what songs I like best. And I like this song almost the best. This is the kind of music I listen to.

3. FINLAND - WINDOWS95MAN - No Rules!

Things Badger is nostalgic for entry #3 - Y2K era Eurodance. This is basically just Planet of the Bass with only slightly less irony. And I love literally everything about it. Eurodance is a fundamental, defining characteristic of who I am. The first album I ever owned was Aqua's Aquarium. This shit just speaks to my soul, OK?

2. IRELAND - BAMBIE THUG - Doomsday Blue

*stands and applauds* You did it. You fucking did it, Ireland. You sent something interesting. Thank God. And, like, OK, interesting in and of itself does not equal good. This song is a stylistically experimental mishmash of different genres that could very easily be an unlistenable messy clusterfuck, but it's not. It's unironically actually very good and...oddly coherent? It's honestly bizarre how well these stylistic shifts that should be jarring just flow seamlessly. Or at least to me they do.

Is there maybe a part of this song that is trying a little too hard to be different and edgy? Yeah, sure, maybe. But I was once a teenager trying too hard to be different and edgy, and maybe this song speaks to that part of me that I haven't accessed in a while.

1. SAN MARINO - MEGARA - 11:11

Man, it sucks that this is going to go out in the semi-finals because I REALLY love this song, and I don't get why other people don't.

But apparently it's because...Thing Badger is nostalgic for, entry #4, mid-2000s electronic rock, which was absolutely fucking huge in Australia at the time. This song reminds me so much of that time in my life when I was listening to, like, The Rogue Traders, The Veronicas, TV Rock, The Presets, The Potbelleez, Sneaky Sound System. I could keep going. Apparently I was hugely nostalgic for this exact sound and I had no idea until I heard this song. But apparently this is also an experience entirely unique to me because it seems like nobody else likes this song, or cares about it at all.

Whatever, it will always have a fan in me.

OK HAPPY END