#more Loïc Nottet lyrics

[autumnal-prince]

We were put here to discover The heart that beats within each other

[moyokeansimblr]

hii👋

🌟 Inbox Challenge! 🌟

Let’s get to know each other better and discover some new music together! 🎶

share 3 songs or music artists that you think are underrated or no one else knows about!💌 Let’s exchange some hidden gems and find our next favorite artist!

Send this to 5 blogs you love❤️

Thanks for thinking of me!

Hmm, I never know whether artists are underrated or not because 99% of the music I've listened to since 2018 is European (thanks Eurovision) so it's always stuff that my immediate IRL circle in the US doesn't know 🤔

My current 🥇fav artist is still Ultra Sunn, I know I've mentioned them before. Their song Can You Believe It just does it for me. It just scratches my brain all the right ways. I'm obsessed with it and have listened to it more times in 2024 than any other song by far. Can also strongly recommend Set Yourself On Fire. And just about everything else of theirs.

The next one I wouldn't call underrated, even some of my US friends know who he is, but someone showed me Beaux Rêves by Loïc Nottet ages ago and I just re-discovered it recently. It's definitely been on repeat. I like to sing along even though my French is absolute trash but shh 😜

Third song I'll suggest is Han by Regnvær. This one much like the above two I could easily listen to 20-30 times in a row before wanting to hear something else. I do have Norwegian as one of my languages on Duolingo but I don't do it very often, but I've grasped enough to understand a good chunk of the song's lyrics. But of course songs in languages other than English has never bothered me anyways.

And fourth bonus because I couldn't leave him out, George Ergem. Stolen Skies and If You Hear Me are my favorites. But also have both been on repeat for a long time now. I really love his voice. He's also got a cover of Depeche Mode's Enjoy The Silence which is pretty similar to the original but still pretty cool.

Okay 5th bonus, and they're actually from the US! Twin Tribes, particularly their songs Heart & Feather and Shadows. I like them, sorry I've run out of steam because I'm posting this on my phone and omg has it taken so long. Dunno if it would be faster if I used spotify like a normal person instead of youtube...

I have a kind of music I like for sure though 😛

[apollosbirthdayplaylist]

december playlist

to my dear friend Noah, you asked me what I am listening to right now, so let's go

It's december, good time to still feel [alive], or at least half alive. Apparently I am super late to the party as per usual, but the lyrics are giving strong sound of silence vibes but with extra spite - and who doesn't appreciate spiteful aspiration. The sound is fat but not overproduced, the singer knows when it's time to yell and like I said - everyone knew about this song except for me and hopefully you too haha.

Can you believe it's been over a year since I first listened to Fujii Kaze (藤井風)? Given how wholly his music has taken over my life and the fact that 4 of his songs are still in my top 10 most played songs of all time (and yes, that one live version is still part of it, the corresponding studio version is in 12th place), it's no surprise what comes next. 花 (hana, flower) comes along in 2 versions - a delightful 80s pop version and the ballad. I think you'll really like this one

Amanda is putting out an EP in January and probably not too long after that - there will be a new Dresden Dolls album. They're touring, recording, writing, right now; you know I'm really excited about that. This one is one of the Aotearoa, New Zealand singles featuring Julia Deans. Oh I owe you, little island. Little island - bigger than the sun! Some of us are proud of what we fought for, some of us are proud of how far we could run. [...] Some of us are proud of where we came from. Some of us have to settle being proud that we got away.

I saw Yunchan Lim (임윤찬) winning one of the most important piano competitions and he immediately became my new favorite pianist. This Liszt piece is Liebestraum Nummer 3, based on the poem "O lieb, solang du lieben kannst" (link)

Yonezu Kenshi (米津玄師) has also become a new favorite of mine. His grasp of arrangement both using electronic sounds and orchestration is really unique. I had a hard time selecting just one song of his but I settled on these two with distinctly different sounds:

優しい人 (yasashii hito, kind person), with a deep somberness

まちがいさがし (machigai sagashi, find the difference)

and no list would be complete without everybody being worried about Owen. Alexandria Burning from their album from this year is still in my permanent rotation

Loïc Nottet finally went all french for his latest album. This entire album feels less like a departure from his previous stuff (although it IS substantially different) and more like an arrival - everything falls into place with this one and he is both diverse in his sound and fundamentally recognizable - this song really exemplifies his artistic range (no, the high singing notes are somewhere else, you know I love those).

I don't know if I can get you with Bear Ghost but they are whimsical, fun and unreasonably talented + they made a song about being in love with yourself (or the voice in your head? the jury is still out) and ending a relationship because of it: relatable content. They call their genre adventure rock and yeah, I can see that, it's theatrical, there are influences from various rock genres and it almost dares you to imagine it as a rock opera, haha

let me know if you like some of this <3

[purecommemasolitude]

NEW LOÏC NOTTET SONG WITH MUSIC VIDEO IN FRENCH

[someone-else-reading13]

8, 15, 22, 28!

hi leigh <3

8. a song that speaks the words you couldn’t say:

i had to go with Mr/Mme by Loïc Nottet because of two reason. first, French isn’t my first language so I thought it was funny, since at the beginning i really couldn’t say the words in it lol. and second and more serious one, the lyrics in this song touch a different part of my soul. i like translating songs when i’m studying a new language, and I can perfectly recall how the more i translated, the more I cried. a real cathartic experience if you ask me.

15. a song that reminds you of traveling:

when I was little, my dad always used to play CDs in the car on the way to visit my grandma at the beach. there were a lot of albums I could choose from, but With You Were Here by Pink Floyd is the one my brain connects with traveling the most.

22. a song you related to in the past and present, but for different reason:

i have to go with I’m With You by Avril Lavigne for this one. This song has stayed with me for so long that every time I come back to it, it feels like coming home, and yet, every time it feels a little different. I love it.

28. a song you always skipped, but ended up loving once you listened to it:

can you believe that I used to skip Lover, You Should’ve Come Over by Jeff Buckley?? like, what the hell was wrong with me? this song is amazing. I would even say it is on my top ten favorite songs of all time!!

send me music asks!

[not-saying-revolution-but]

on the artistry of Loïc Nottet's "Mr/Mme"

We open to a cobbled, deserted Brussels intersection. The title appears in old-timey yellow against the grayscale. A white-clad Loïc Nottet enters as a piano teases the opening, and it starts.

I have a lot of emotions about "Mr/Mme," the last track on Nottet's second studio album (Sillygomania) and, to my knowledge, his first song fully en français. "Mr/Mme" dropped in April of 2020, which was still near the start of the pandemic in Europe and North America. I, for one, did not anticipate what the next year would hold. And yet when this song appeared in Spotify’s suggestions (as the algorithm knows my weakness for Nottet's vocal range and off-pop sound), it touched a nerve that has pulsed for the last 12 months.

To be clear, I'm not going to present any new revelations about this song. Nottet is indisputably a phenomenal artist, "Mr/Mme" is a perfect example of his skill, and that's that on that. I'm more interested in the raw emotions that this song explores and how the piece indicates a radical departure from Nottet's previous body of work. Or does it?

Born in 1996, Loïc Nottet is a Belgian singer/songwriter/dancer who made a name for himself on The Voice Belgique and ESC 2015. You can look up his Wikipedia page if you like. His first album, "Selfocracy," is entirely in English and handles themes of bullying, selfishness, the corruptibility of society, and related. I don't know what the Belgian and French reviewers said, but the album was fairly well received in the English-speaking places I inhabit. The songs are punchy and get stuck in your head. The lyrics feel clever but maybe a little strained. A Youtube star dropping his first studio album.

And then "Mr/Mme" came out. Nottet greets his audience with a "bonsoir Monsieur, Madame / aujourd'hui, j'te dis tout" (good evening sir, madame / today, I'll tell you everything). He proceeds to do just that. Nottet describes a living hell, a world that "m'étrangle, m'écrase et me brûle" (strangles me, crushes me, and burns me). The ensuing musical monologue swivels from individual anguish to a broader critique of humanity, described as nothing but a bully without love. Those who cannot afford morphine are refused the moon. Children turn into monsters and the rest of us pay rent.

About halfway through the song (which lacks a chorus), Nottet tells the listener how alone he feels while walking the glorious road to fame. He copes by drinking, poking fun at his youth, and grappling in the darkness for any sense of meaning (he's in his 20s after all). Despite living out his childhood dreams, Nottet admits to his own unhappiness.

While Nottet sings all of this, alternating between confessional and belting tones, the camera tracks his wanderings through the streets of Brussels. It looks utterly empty until we see another figure walking past. They look over their shoulder as they pass this strange young man who sings, skips, and spreads his arms in the way of music videos. With a bitter twinge of irony, his oversized white dress shirt has "enjoy yourself" written on the breast pocket.

Nottet takes us down the narrow, shuttered, and graffitied alleyways that spread out from La Grand-Place. He carefully avoids the Baroque square, though, taking rapid turns just when you think you're nearing it. The camera follows in its shaky way. The crowds increase as the song swells, now showing other young people in their sparkling little groups. Nottet breaks through, and everything stops as he sings "je n'sais plus qui je suis, j'suis perdu" (I no longer know who I am, I am lost).

And finally, finally. We reach La Grand-Place, and the lyrics shift. Nottet tells us how he feels when he’s on stage, which is far from the horrific picture he just described:

Car j'écris quand j'me plante

Et je ris quand je danse

Et je vis quand je chante

Et pour tout ça, j'te dis :

Merci

(Because I write when I mess up, and I laugh when I dance, and I live when I sing. And for all of that, I say to you: Thank you.)

Nottet’s figure paints a bright absence on the darkened Grand-Place. The song is officially over but Nottet launches into a series of ethereal "oohs" that transcend this mortal realm. He now shows off his dancing and spreads himself open as the "oohs" reach their highest pitch. Nottet looks like a broken bird, splayed open in La Grand-Place and suspended by his rib cage. The video ends with a few more leg kicks and spins before Nottet wanders out of frame. Everything was done in one take.

So what makes this song and music video so special? Is it not another artsy, indie production about a young singer struggling with fame?

I say to that nay. In "Mr/Mme," Nottet uses his extraordinary voice to access an emotion that is often trivialized. “A young man makes it big and then feels lonely, so what,” we could say. “Life is hard.” This is both true and not. Nottet's struggles are different from most of ours, but he speaks in terms that feel familiar. How many of us realize too late that success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? "Mr/Mme" holds extremes that more often coexist than contradict in real life, including "humanity is fucked and we should burn everything to the ground" and "there are moments when life is worth living." I know of few other songs that capture both emotions in such a poignant way.

Moreover, the video is carefully done. Directed by Hugo Jouxtel, it seems almost self-conscious about its artsy look. The passersby may be hired extras, I don't know, but they react organically. It's almost embarrassing to see them hastily cross the street and give the singer funny looks. There’s a bit of self-recognition through the other, if you will, particularly if you’ve ever had a breakdown in public (hands, anyone? just me?). It is one thing to sing about feeling alone and quite another to be alone amid the crowds of La Grand-Place. La Grand-Place, a tourist attraction with very few things to do. A place that is good for milling about, snapping a picture, and then hurrying on with your life, oblivious.

Besides the video being aesthetically pleasing, it feels real. Nottet cannot step beyond the gated storefronts as he laments. Sometimes the camera captures an unflattering angle as he tilts up his chin in anguish. It's pretty but gritty. Like the song. Like fame. Like life.

The view from my chair is this: "Mr/Mme" signals a new moment of maturity for an artist who (I am convinced) will one day be known worldwide. It acknowledges the darker threads present in "Selfocracy" (the darkness inside us, the ever-watching “million eyes”) but strips it all down to the bare essentials. The song is honest. And for a popular artist like Nottet, who has already proven himself many times over, honesty might be the rarest thing.

*All translations are from yours truly. Any errors are, of course, my own.

[misskatebishop]

thalia pls rec me a song from an artist who's not mainstream i need some recs

I got carried away. C'mon. I look on my YT playlist and I've got some names.

Sleeping at Last (they are known for Turning Page on Twilight series, but the other songs are so incredible and they don't get enough recognition. Literally, any song is perfect <3)

Ina Wroldsen (Favela ft. Alok/Lay It On Me/Forgive or Forget)

Jaymes Young (Come Back For Me/What Is Love?/Fragments/I'll Be Good, etc. I highly recommend the entire album)

FLETCHER (Sex With My Ex/Girls Girls Girls/All Love) She's getting recognition because of her feat with Duncan Laurence in Arcade.

Ida Laurberg (My Chemistry/How You Feel/Grayzone)

Sasha Sloan (Dancing With Your Ghost/Older/Too Sad To Cry)

Loïc Nottet (Million Eyes/On Fire)

NF (Let You Down/If You Want Love/Traumas/Paralized/Can You Hold Me) I found out that they are religious band recently, but their songs are so beautiful and they have so much meaning.

Alec Benjamin (Let Me Down Slowly ft Alessia Cara/Oh My God/Gotta Be A Reason/Must've Been the Wind/Water Fountain/The Wolf and the Sheep) I think I found him on YouTube at the beginning of this year. Powerful lyrics. I can't believe he's not known.

Lennon Stella (Older than I am/Like Everybody Else) Amazing singer, too.

Sarah Close (Call Me Out/You Say/Forgive or Forget) She started doing covers on YouTube and I can't believe how big she became.

SVRCINA (Astronimical/Meet Me On The Battlefield/Steady/Island/Lover.Fighter) I only like a few songs, but her voice is good.

Bea Miller (Self-Crucify/Feel Something) She's getting famous.

Grace VanderWaal (I don't know my name/Moonlight/So Much More Than This) I think she won the America's Got Talent, but I'm not sure. That how I started listening to her.

Grace Carter (Heal Me/Waiting Room/Why Her Not Me) Definitely underrated. She should be more famous.

Limi (Simple Pleasures/Best I've ever had) If you are looking for something more sensual...

Tom Odell (Another Love/Heal)

St. Beauty (Lucid Dreams/Going Nowhere/Not Discuss It)

Gabrielle Aplin (Home/The Power of Love/Salvation) I used to listen to her a lot back in 2014, and she's still not as famous as she should. I think her song 'Home' plays in Totalmente Demais.

Zevia (If Depression Gets the Best of Me/Till Death Set Me Free/Toxicity) Heavy lyrics. Really heavy. Be careful, it might be triggering. I've found her quite recently on YT. .

I remember the time where I would listen to AURORA, Ruelle, Fleurie, Zara Larsson and they weren't as famous as they are nowadays.

Sorry for this long list

[motorized-clown-show]

Okay first of all!!! Esc!!!! Which other songs are your all time faves? 💙 Also thank you for tagging me in that tag game 💙✨💙✨💙✨ (I'm Lancestrolls that's my inactive main dhhdjsjsjs sorry for the randomness)

Don't worry about it, my whole life is random (almost made an informatics reference there, whoopsie) and you're welcome for tagging you! <3 I was honestly a bit worried if I should do it because we've never interacted before and I didn't want you to think I'm weird...

Now, ESC. You don't know what you just got yourself into.

Tbh, there are many songs I love every year but there always are some that I love more than others. To prevent this post from becoming a complete mess, I will do this chronologically, starting with the 2020 songs I love.

My clear number one this year must be Répondez-moi by Gjon's Tears (Switzerland) (which is the song I made GIFs for before Lie To Me). Straight up 12/10, I sometimes (okay most of the times) I shed a tear (or more like a waterfall lol) when I listen to it, even though my French sucks and don't understand everything.

I also love Violent Thing by Ben Dolic (Germany) but TBF, I might be a bit biased because I'm German and I already loved Ben when he participated in The Voice of Germany. But for me, Violent Thing is a really good song and I'm really disappointed that we won't get a live performance of this on the ESC stage.

Another one of my favourites is the Danish song from this year, Yes by Ben & Tan. It's just a song that makes me super happy and I love their voices. I know many people think this is cheesy but I don't think so even though I can see their point.

Chains On You by Athena Manoukian (Armenia) is just a bop and has the third best music video, and that's all I'll say about this. Because otherwise I probably couldn't stop anymore.

The last 2020 entry I absolutely love is Grow by Jeangu Macrooy (The Netherlands). I've seen some people claim that this was just an attempt to copy Arcade, but no, it's not imo. Just because both of the songs are ballads it doesn't mean one tried to copy the other. Also, this is the second best music video (best one is Switzerland).

Alrighty, let's continue with 2019, and disclaimer: just because I like a country's song it doesn't mean that I support that country/the politics of that country.

Even though my Spotify top 100 from 2019 might try to tell you otherwise, I was really happy when Arcade by Duncan Laurence (The Netherlands) won last year, it's seriously in every playlist of mine. His live performance was stunning and I still think about it very often.

The song Spotify tries to tell you is my favourite from last year, is another one I really love (but who would have guessed that). Sometimes my mind just goes *clap clap* and I think back to that performance of Soldi by Mahmood (Italy) and then I have to think of the time when I went to his concert last October...

Okay and now we get to the song that I decided to write that disclaimer for. Scream by Sergey Lazarev (Russia). Drama 10/10, staging 10/10, lyrics 10/10 and vocals 10/10. In the beginning I admittedly didn't really like it but it grew on me quickly.

Yay, another Danish entry: Love Is Forever by Leonora. It's such a sweet song and has a really important message (imo). Alright, the staging with the giant chair is a bit weird but also oddly fitting? Also, Leonora has performed in the Eurovision Home Concerts and her performance was just. So. Good. Oh and the use of the four languages is just amazing.

Another ESC bop: Dirty Dancing by Luca Hänni (Switzerland). In the beginning I hated it but then he performed in the final and I was like "okay I guess it's actually alright but still not my favourite" and well, now I love it but I don't know why. Like it's a great song but I didn't realize my mind changed from hate to live in a month or so.

Unpopular opinion: Home by Kobi Marimi (Israel) was an amazing song. Of course it wasn't another 'Toy' but still a great successor. The emotions in it and also the lyrics are just *chefs kiss*

Okay so because this post would never end, I decided not to add comments to the songs anymore.

Lie To Me by Mikolas Josef (Czech Republic 2018)

Non Mi Avete Fatto Niente by Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro (Italy)

Stones by Zibbz (Switzerland)

(okay you may laugh at me) Our Choice by Ari Olafsson (Iceland)

You Let Me Walk Alone by Michael Schulte (Germany)

Story Of My Life by Naviband (Belarus 2017)

Occidentali's Karma by Francesco Gabbani (Italy)

Requiem by Alma (France)

Grab The Moment by Jowst (Norway)

LoveWave by Iveta Mukuchyan (Armenia 2016)

What's The Pressure by Laura Tesoro (Belgium)

J'ai cherché by Amir (France)

Ghost by Jamie-Lee Kriewitz (Germany)

Hear Them Calling by Greta Salome (Iceland)

Made Of Stars by Hovi Star (Israel)

You Are The Only One by Sergey Lazarev (Russia) (yes he's the same dude from 2019)

If I Were Sorry by Frans (Sweden)

Rhythm Inside by Loïc Nottet (Belgium 2015)

Love Injected by Aminata (Latvia)

A Monster Like Me by Mørland & Debrah Scarlett (Norway)

A Million Voices by Polina Gagarina (Russia)

Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw (Sweden)

This is where I will stop, but if you want to talk about Eurovision or comment on my weird music taste, just send a DM, I don't bite.

Please enjoy my favourite dumb pictures of ESC 2019.

[arandomeurovisionblog]

BELGIUM

One of the founder countries. The 00’s decade wasn’t their best moment at Eurovision (though they got a second place in 2003), but since then their entries and results have improved a lot.

-Rhythm inside, Loïc Nottet (2015)

The best Belgian entry for many people and one of the best of recent years. A song full of rhythm (XD) and catchy. The choreography designed by Loïc himself has divided opinions since the first time we saw it. Top 2.

-Wake up, Eliot (2019)

A beautiful and moving song, with powerful chorus. Sadly, Eliot voice wasn’t good that night and the staging didn’t work. But it’s still a notable entry and it deserve more recognition.

-Je t’adore, Kate Ryan (2006)

Kate Ryan was a famous singer before her participation in Eurovision at 2006. She was one of the favourites to the victory, the song was pretty Eurovision-type and the staging fashionable in the 00’s. So everybody were shocked when she didn’t got a place in the final. It’s not clear what happened. Btw during the live performance realization included a shot from the backstage by error.  

-Me and my guitar, Tom Dice (2010)

After some years without getting a place in the final, Tom appeared with his guitar and got a top 6. The nice song with beautiful lyrics was a breath of fresh air in a contest full of too colourful and dance songs.

-City lights, Blanche (2016)

My favourite entry from this country. I think this song dark and mysterious is pure magic and elegance. Blanche was a little nervous during the performance, but I don’t care. She got top 4.

Other interesting entries: 2002 Sanomi by Urban Trad (top 2 that year), 2004 1 life by Xandee, 2016 What's the pressure? By Laura Tesoro and 2018 A matter of time by Sennek.

[second-lifetime]

songs i enjoy more than others

As someone who suffers from the disease I’ve affectionately termed Bad Music Taste, I want to know more about your music taste as well as share a little bit about mine! So we can get to know each other better maybe :D (in no particular order)

1. 新宝島 (Shin Takarajima - New Treasure Island) - Sakanaction

‘I’m searching for the scenery of a dream’

The Asian blood jumped out - but seriously, this song is so insanely trippy, it literally makes me feel alive just listening to it. It’s got all these strange techno noises and the trusty guitar and the singer all coming together to make this song - and the lyrics, while mostly simple (and borderline repetitive), are still a source of inspiration for me! The entire album is worthy of being on loop.

2. Lovergirl - Teena Marie

‘Call me up don't be shy/For my love will make you high/I just want to be your lovergirl’

This song is so powerful! Her voice is amazing and I really wish I was born in the era when I could truly appreciate this song (but unfortunately I’m not). The passionate-declarations-of-love thing I’m not always a fan of, but when it’s her singing this song, I am immediately immersed in this fantasy of synth-pop dance-floor passion.

3. Mr/Mme - Loïc Nottet

‘My ambition is large/Hard to satisfy/My happiness tastes like a bitter flavour’

His voice. I’m sorry to say that yes, I discovered him through Eurovision (I’m not even from Europe this is so strange) but his voice is just. Amazing. This song is just so heavy in every good way - the lyrics are angsty but then again who doesn’t like a go-to song for angst? The raw emotion - it almost sounds like he’s shredding his voice, for which I hope his throat is okay - is just so addictive.

4.  水鄉 (Canal Town) - 毛不易 (Mao Buyi)

‘The moon shining on both ends’

Will admit that his voice is the kind you can sing along to maybe on an acoustic guitar, not like a powerhouse or anything but so melancholic and beautiful - this song always makes me fall into this state of contemplation. It’s got major writing vibes, especially if I want to write something slower and softer, so it’s one of the songs I really treasure very much. The lyrics are beautiful.

5. The Night We Met - Lord Huron

‘I had all and then most of you/Some and now none of you’

This song, graciously recommended by a friend, has been on my On Repeat for months. I keep coming back to it whenever I want to write sad scenes, feel the melancholic atmosphere wash over me, or whenever I simply want to enjoy a good, slow song. The lyrics are beautifully simple, a record of love’s escapism, and the instrumental is hauntingly perfect. I could listen to this song for forever.

6. Morning Crawls Towards You, And I - Good Luck Finding Iris

‘Sorry you have to go/You’re tired, I’ll drive you home/And I'll pretend that I don't mind/That I don't wish you’d stay out all night’ 

There is something addicting about the singer’s voice here - it sounds like it could be sung on a quiet trip back home after a day of staring at the sky. The song itself is very stripped and minimalist, but it captures something inside my soul that refuses to let itself go. It’s an almost soundless quality about the song that makes me like it. 

7. Egoist - Olivia Hye (LOONA)

‘My tears are on the tips of my toes/At the edge of the darkness, on the way home after sunset/I saw the moonlight’

K-Pop! I was one of those people, a while ago, but I’m not that involved anymore. This song is a remnant of that era, and I think honestly it’s a really well-produced song, and LOONA has been one of those groups that still hold my interest. This solo song from Olivia Hye is so powerful in all aspects: lyrics, instrumental and dance, that it’s very difficult not to like it.

I’m not sure who’s even going to read this but thanks for reading! Have my attempt at connecting with people online, I’m really not used to this as one can probably tell. Have a good day!

[diss0nant-a]

VERSE PAGE FOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

AMELIE HOLT / MAEVE JOHNSON

WITH HUMAN BODIES - I MAKE MASTERPIECES.     //     AMELIE HOLT  /   OPEN

in this verse the woman who found maeve covered in blood was an assassin from a secret organisation, she would years later learn called themselves ‘the twelve’. having been brought in for help by the woman, maeve was found and recruited by members of this group. Having to deny herself of her identity; she was reborn as ‘amelie holt - assassin’. she’s known nothing else since, losing her grip on reality day by day. wondering if maybe one day she’ll be free.

[ verse title after lyrics from ‘doctor’ by loïc nottet ]

OPEN   /   MAEVE JOHNSON     //     I GOTTA RECOGNIZE THE WEAPON IN MY MIND.

in this verse the woman who found maeve covered in blood was a hunter. and the man she killed in self defense wasn't a man at all, but rather a werewolf? despite having things explained her newfound reality didn’t hit her until she saw the creature in front of her. the huntress had taken her in for shelter and to hide, guess their hiding spot wasn’t the best. the brother of the werewolf she’d murdered had followed her, wanting revenge. eventually maeve got over her shock and managed to help the hunter defeat the monster. it reminded her of the situation in arizona; two brothers, killed by her. she was at the other side of the world and she still couldn’t avoid what had happened. knowing no other way to handle her problems, she ran away. she gave a vague and heartfelt goodbye to her parents before leaving london and heading to kansas.    if she couldn’t run away from being a murderer at least this way she could do something right with it. she was going to kill monsters. she was going to be a hunter.

[ verse title after lyrics from ‘nightmare’ by halsey ]

WAYWARD HUB.     //     GROUP VERSE   /   MAEVE JOHNSON    

same as above only she's not battling this alone, she has the help of the wayward hub. ( more on this to be added )

OPEN   /   CROSSOVER     //     VERSE TITLE HERE.

text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here.

DREW MURASE

coming soon

VALYA ASTANKOVA

VERSE TITLE TBA.     //     DEFAULT   /   OPEN

in this verse valya is twenty-six years old and lives in london. after running away from the gang she was involved with in russia; she’s since resided in spain and portugal before making home in london where she’s trying her best to forget about her past life and have a somewhat normal one. for the most valya’s violent tendencies have gone; only appearing every now and then if she feels the need to protect herself or those around her.

[ verse title after lyrics from ‘tba’ by tba ]

OPEN   /   ALTERNATE     //    INCOMPREHENSIBLE LIKE ME.

in this verse valya is twenty years old and is still living in russia. after her attempt to leave, she was brought to the head of her gang. after a brutal beating she promised that she wouldn’t try to flee again. she’s quickly deteriorated in the past two years and in fear, has managed a climb up in the gang’s tiers. she believes she’s above everyone that isn’t in her gang, that she’s on top of the world.

[ verse title after lyrics from ‘kлетка’ by molchat doma ]

VERSE TITLE TBA.     //     ALTERNATE   /   OPEN

same as the first, only valya is living in america. ( more on this to be added )

URL   /   PRIVATE     //     VERSE TITLE HERE.

text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here. text here.

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2010s: 60 - 56

60. Emma - La mia città Italy 2014 

Emma is short for “Emmanuella”. 😍 Clearly the inspiration for this act:

You may not know this, but “La mia citta” is probably my favourite song out of 2014? It’s ROCKIN’ A RIDE (na na na na na na) of high voltage energy that I instantly became addicted to.  😍 Of course we were also immediately forewarned that Emma couldn’t sing her own song (which is hilarious, but yeah  😬)  so I was expecting a ready disappointment.  What I did NOT expect however was that Italy would yank UP the fun factor by trapping Emma into the direct-to-video sequel of Tinto Brass’s Caligula and letting her steal the show even more. 😍 ITALY <3 <3 <3 

The vocals may have been beyond subpar, but Emma flailing herself around the stage, contorting her body in IMPOSSIBLE angles, dismissively pushing the beta manfolk around like the boss she is gives me SO MUCH LIFE. If she had sung in a key that suited both her voice and the song, she would’ve ranked even higher, but a spot right outside of the highest tier will have to do. ALL HAIL THE EMPRESS OF TERRIBLE TASTE. 

________________________________________________________________

59. AWS - “Viszlát nyár” Hungary 2018

[2018 Review here]

GIVE ME FIRE, I’M A FIGHTER!

2018 may not have been as great of an experience for me as it has been for many others, but good god did it NEED AWS. A 2018 without AWS has no high voltage, uptempo, loud, aggro ENERGY. “But Boris there’s also Toy” yeah no. Na na banana I do what I wanna :-) 

and honestly, why shouldn’t we love “Viszlát nyar”? Loss songs that instead of mourning solemnly burst into a primordial tempest of ire and flame. IT’S INTENSE, all thanks to Orz’s excellent performance. 

and this comes WITHOUT the consideration that AWS were the backstage deities for the 2018 contest as well, providing many hilarious interviews and other moments of levity. 

AWS were great, because they weren’t a typical Eurovision entry. They are an indie metal band from Hungary that won A Dal by accident and in doing so were thrusted into an adventure beyond their wildest expectations. They never took Eurovision seriously, but regardless they had loads of fun with it and so did I. We will continue this line of thought when we get to a certain deadpan Slovene duo, much, much later in this ranking. 🤭

________________________________________________________________

58. Loïc Nottet - “Rhythm inside” Belgium 2015

Cutting Loïc means I have my change my t-shirt into the one my friend gave me for my 25th birthday (😍)

and I mean what is there to say about Loïc? He’s widely regarded as one of the most artistic and memorable entrants in recent years, sparking a hot streak of entries which ended when Sennek refused to rehearse her song/come up with an act. 

I may as well use this moment for a little confession: Avant Garde is one of my favourite Eurovision genres. AG entries are always interesting, always delivering, always different from what we’re used to. They are brave and inspired. When well-executed they can easily becomes some of the all-time best Eurovision entries.

“Rhythm inside” also falls into the category, taking a fairly simple subject (the beating of the human heart) and turning it into a metaphilosophical journey of discovery, star matter and mindblowiness. Loïc launched “Rhythm” into greatness, providing excellent vocals, dancing and miming. 

and also like all amazing things in life, it contains a small dose of SuRie: 

However, avant garde often comes with one massive problem: poorly-executed AG tends to frame every twirl, fart and headturn as a testament of some highly ~artistic vision~ when it adds nothing of value. In other words, fuckin’ meaningitis. “Rhythm inside” is actually one of the worst offenders, imo. For every epic moment of Loïc gazing into the camera or twirling around like an ebon cygnet, we get a tryhard one in which somebody lays themselves down and starts kicking their feet into the air for no reason and *sigh*. 

It saddens me that  “Rhythm inside”, despite being a very innovative composition that explores the boundaries of music, tries too hard to sell its own artistry and well... it is that moment of self-doubt which prevents me from ranking it inside the elite tier. BELIEVE IN AND LOVE THYSELF!!!

________________________________________________________________

57.  Madame Monsieur - “Mercy” France 2018

[2018 Review Here]

Every year is defined by its political zeitgeist, and in 2018 there were two defining themes: #MeToo, covered by “Toy”, and “Transmigration” covered by Madame Monsieur. I soon was convinced one of them would win 2018, which happened, but sadly it was the weaker of the two entrants 😭

Regardless, Madame Monsieur deserve all the praise they can get. It is SO easy to take a topic such as “migration” and turn it into an Americanized story of Wrong And Right. It’s SO easy to turn it into a sob story. It’s SO easy to cheapen the plight over others for self-gain. It is important to remain authentic, austere and respectful. 

Which is exactly that Madame Monsieur did. 

Using a peppy synthpop beat as a platform to carry their haunting lyrics (”je suis ces enfant que la mer a pris” ::shivers::), Emilie and Jean-Karl turn “Mercy”, a tribute to a baby born at sea to refugee parents, into a true humanitarian hymn, focusing on their message and letting this speak for itself. The end result is pretty potent. THE SEA OF FISTBUMPS <3

So naturally I really fucking love “Mercy”. However, I also think it was lacking in the little area of staging. While I do think the intent of keeping it sober and free of gimmicks was a clever coice, the gut-punching message didn’t exactly come across.

The act was too subtle. It’s the Hassani story of France getting outclassed by Italy at the last second, but much stronger than with Bilal. I don’t think the lack of LEDs was the issue though, like, just bring stage props? Work the camera more? It sucks that I have to nitpick so close to the highest tier, but the fact that I do proves to me that “Mercy” can’t make it that far. RIP sweet synth angels. 

________________________________________________________________

56. DiHaj - “Skeletons” Azerbaijan 2017

[2017 Review here] Another lovable avant garde angel, morph! DiHaj improved quite a bit for me on the rewatch, but I can’t let her move onto the elite tier for reasons that I think are obvious. (If they are not, please unmute your computer.)

HOWEVER, I do think “Skeletons” a great, dark moody song that is highly entertaining. It is, for the most part a great example of how to do novelty at Eurovision: It displays the greatest strength of modern Azerbaijan: the visually stunning SPECTACLE. Music is supposed to a form of expression and DiHaj goes ALL OUT.

Of course, I understand that the act isn’t to everyone’s taste and it does suffer a *little* bit from Fuckin’Meaningitis™ , which is fair enough. At the same time... the story told here is pretty obvious? There is no dispute that this song is about a broken relationship and the moral dilemma that often comes with it. Azerbaijan stuck with the source material provided by the song and that makes Skellingtons’ act much better than that of “Rhythm inside”. It’s a captivating story, because it makes sense. 

Too bad those Professional Swedish Backings sounded like crap tho...x

And that was the last of Azerbaijan,

After a pretty terrible start of the decade, Azerbaijan reinvented themselves as trash angels and the rest is herstory. I hope they continue to dazzle us with ridiculousness in the years to come. 😍

_______________________________________________________________ 

And now we move on to the higher tier. CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE (nearly) FLAWLESS ANGELS:

2010 

Juliana Pasha - “It’s all about you” Tom Dice - “Me and my guitar” Kuunkuiskaajat - “Työlki ellää” Jessy Matador - “Allez ola olé” Giorgos Alkaios & Friends - “OPA” Paula Seling & Ovi - “Play with fire” maNga - “We could be the same”

2011

Dino Merlin - “Love in rewind” Poli Genova - “Na inat” Lena - “Taken by a stranger” Maja Keuc - “No one”

2012

Ott Lepland - “Kuula” Pasha Parfeny - “Lăutar” Loreen - “Euphoria”

2013

Elitsa Todorova & Stoyan Yankulov - “Samo shampioni” Koza Mostra ft. Agathonas Iakovidis - “Alcohol is free” Gianluca - “Tomorrow” Who see ft. Nina Zizic - “Igranka” Anouk - “Birds” Zlata Ognevich - “Gravity”

2014

Aram MP3 - “Not alone” Conchita Wurst - “Rise like a phoenix” Cleo - “My słowianie- We are slavic” Tinkara Kovač - “Round and round” Ruth Lorenzo - “Dancing in the rain” Sebalter- “Hunter of Stars”

2015

Elina Born & Stig Rästa - “Goodbye to yesterday” Nadav Guedj - “Golden Boy” Aminata - “Love Injected” Polina Gagarina - “A million voices” Bojana Stamenov - “Beauty never lies” Måns Zelmerlöw - “Heroes”

2016

Iveta Mukuchyan - “LoveWave” Laura Tesoro - “What’s the pressure?” Poli Genova - “If love was a crime” Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz - “Midnight gold” Hovi Star - “Made of Stars” Francesca Michielin - “No degree of separation”

2017

NAVIBAND - “Story of my life” Blanche - “City lights” Joci Pápai - “Origo” fusedmarc - “Rain of revolution” JOWST ft. Aleksander Wallmann - “Grab the moment”

2018

Rasmussen - “Higher ground” Elina Nechayeva - “La Forza” Ieva Zasimauskaite - “When we’re old” DoReDoS - “My lucky day” Lea Sirk - “Hvala, ne!” ZiBBZ - “Stones”

2019

Kate Miller-Heidke - “Zero gravity” Mahmood - “Soldi” KEiiNO - “Spirit in the sky” Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl - “Sebi”

[gt-adhd]

Depression bops and bangers organized by specific moods

most playlists i find targeted for depression are really sad and slow but i personally feel more drawn to upbeat or loud bass heavy songs with sad lyrics. so here’s my current go-to’s organized by what kind of break down i’m having in my car

for when you just got off work and you’re pissed the fuck off and now you’re driving home on the freeway. you have a bottle of whiskey at home and you are gonna angry drink the whole thing but first let’s yell while going 80mph

• Despicable- grandson

• Always- Saliva

• Remain Inside the Cage- Natalie Claro

• Back to Life- Saint Ridley

• Blood // Water- grandson

• Salem Witch- Josh A, Iamjakehill

• I want to runaway- Higher Ground

• So Tired- Crawlers

• I Hate Everything About You- Three Days Grace

• you should see me in a crown- billie eilish

• (This Is Our) House- In Flames

• Seashore- The Regrettes

• He Says He Needs Me- 3D, Young Fathers

• Head Like A Hole- Nine Inch Nails

• Oxygen- BONES

you just got fucked over again and you have to start your life over somewhere new but you’re angry about it so time to i s o l a t e

• Solitude- Sorry, Peach

• Dancing On My Own- Robyn

• Regular Touch- Vera Blue

• Stay Inside- Raleigh Ritchie

• Drown Live Acoustic - Three Days Grace

• Gangsta- Kat Dahlia

• Quarter Life Crisis- Harry Hudson

• No Good- Harry Hudson

• Lie To Me- Dana and the Wolf

being sad is getting old and you’re having a crisis of reevaluating your mental health and whether or not you’re ready to actually change

• Are You Happy- Bipolar Sunshine

• This Year- The Mountain Goats

• Trying Harder- Worst Party Ever

• Last Hurrah- Bebe Rexha

• LOST MY MIND- Elley Duhé

• I’m A Mess- Bebe Rexha

• Wasted- 8graves

• Quarter Life Crisis- Judah & the Lion

• Through and Through- khai dreams

• I Wanna Get Better- Bleachers

youre alone in your apartment staring at a wall feeling nothing and wanting to cry or do something adrenaline chasing and concerning to make you snap out of it but you can’t move from this spot

• If I Had A Heart- Fever Ray

• Stranger- Tyler Cole

• I Found- Amber Run

• Faded- Alan Walker

• lovely (with. khalid)- billie eilish

• Fall Away- Lund

• Slip- Elliot Moss

• Broken- Lund

• Fly Down- Stephen

• Muddy Waters- LP

• Creative Drug- Nowhere

• All’s Well That Ends- Rainbow Kitten Surprise

• Something In The Way- Midoca

you have both moved on, but those memories are feisty and come back so you need to remind yourself who’s a bad bitch and that your happiness doesn’t depend on them ALSO ‘just got cheated on’ songs

• Need Nothing- VÉRITÉ

• Tears ( feat. Louisa Johnson)- Clean Bandit, Louisa Johnson

• it’s not you it’s me- bea miller, 6LACK

• About You- FLETCHER

• Supercut- Lorde

• Fine- Jill Baylon

• Pinky Promise- Ellise

• RIP- Olivia O’Brien (personally, the acoustic is more powerful imo but both versions slap so)

• Do I Wanna Know?- Arctic Monkeys

nothing seems to make you feel okay and it’s made you numb to everything and you’re currently having an out of body experience but we have work in 15 mins so a bitch better gather themselves. we got bills to pay

• Hard Times- Paramore

• Mud Blood- Loïc Nottet

• Spiriling Down- Maty Noyes

• I Heard It Through The Grapevine- Marvin Gaye

• High & Low- West Coast Massive

• OK- 8graves

• Benadryl- Sofi Tukker

• drowning. - Eden Project

• Cold- Rich Brian

• Depressed (feat. Mr. J Medeiros, ...)- Beleaf

• 2¢- The Blancos

• Life is Beautiful- Lil Peep

• bury a friend- billie eilish

• Hospitalized- St. Lucia Remix

• Angels- Hydraulix

• My Body Hurts- Sofi Tukker

• Nobody- alxxa

the one you love isn’t yours anymore. they’re gone and know you have to deal with the residual feelings even though they hurt you and that’s not fair

• All I Want- Kodaline

• All Time Low- Jon Bellion

• Got Me Thinking- Jack Harlow

• XO- EDEN

• Molly (feat. Brendon Urie) - Lil Dicky

• Talia- King Princess

• Million Reasons- Lady Gaga

• Perfect Illusion- Lady Gaga

• Forgetting All About You feat. Blackbear- Phoebe Ryan

• Lost on You- LP

[sweet-soul-sister]

Song Rewind - 365 Days Music Challenge

well, it’s day 150. so i figured i could make a post which includes all links to the first 100 days. the next 100 will come as soon as i find some time. please also check out @tailalindsay who is the creator of this wonderful challenge. and this is the masterpost

have fun browsing! :]

also under the cut because the list is quite long

Day 1: A song that reminds you of your first car    - Angels by Robbie Williams

Day 2: A song that reminds you of summer    - Kite by Kate Bush

Day 3: A song you listened to as a kid, that you thought made you cool. Real Cool    - Schrei nach Liebe by Die Ärzte

Day 4: A song you like from a movie soundtrack    - The Devil and the Huntsman by Daniel Pemberton

Day 5: A song that you quote to people    - Meisenmann by Helge Schneider

Day 6: A song from an Artist you discovered from a TV show    - Rhythm inside by Loïc Nottet

Day 7: A song that wrenches your heart out from sadness    - Requiem for the Brigadier General by Akira Senju

Day 8: Your least favorite song from your favorite band    - Line & Sinker by Billy Talent

Day 9: A song that if someone said they liked it, you would like them a little bit more    - Tetris Techno Remix by DaCaV5

Day 10: A song from a band that you think should be more popular    - Portuguese Knife Fight by Cage the Elephant

Day 11: A song you indulge in shameless self pity to    - The Kingdom Soundtrack: Finale / End of the Road by Danny Elfman

Day 12: A song you play when your getting ready to get your confidence up    - Boss / Fire / Ko Ko Bop / Dramarama Remix (feat. Cherry Bomb) by Miggy Smallz

Day 13: A song that reminds you of a past love    - Morning Sun by Robbie Williams

Day 14: A song you like that’s instrumental only    - Harmonics of Life by Money Mark

Day 15: A song your parents played on road trips when you were young    - Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat by Bob Dylan

Day 16: A song you have seen performed live    - Randale by Kraftklub

Day 17: A song you remember dancing in public to    - Barada by Russkaja

Day 18: A song you would consider part of the “soundtrack” of your life    - Nanana (Nanana nanana) by My Chemical Romance

Day 19: A song that you love from a band that has since broken up    - Crazy by 4minute

Day 20: A song you know most or part of the choreography to    - Blood, Sweat & Tears by BTS

Day 21: A song from a band or artist (member(s) alive) would love to see perform in person    - Augenbling by Seeed

Day 22: A song from a band or artists (member(s) decease )you would have loved to have seen    - Concert for Bangladesh by Leon Russell

Day 23: Song from a band or artist that you have met in person    - Down Down Down by ITCHY

Day 24: The last new song that you heard that you really liked    - Fake Love by BTS

Day 25: Worst song you have ever seen performed live    - Wonderwall by Oasis

Day 26: One of the top songs that was released the year you were born    - ... Baby one more time by Britney Spears

Day 27: A song you like to blast on your car stereo when it comes on    - Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

Day 28: A song you change the words to when you sing it    - I need you / 500k Mashup by myself (not actually existing song)

Day 29: A song that describes a friendship    - You’re my best friend by Queen

Day 30: A song from a band/artist that you are planning to see in the next 6 months    - Outro: Tear by BTS

Day 31: Your class song (or what you want your class song to be)    - He’s a Pirate by Klaus Badelt

Day 32: A song that plays to your inner hopeless-romantic    - A Lovely Night by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling

Day 33: A song that you can’t even think of without it getting stuck in your head    - Bedroom Warfare by ONE OK ROCK

Day 34: A song that you try to get stuck in your head to replace the one that’s currently stuck there    - Zero for Conduct by BASTARZ

Day 35: Your favorite cover song    - Somebody to love by Queen and George Michael

Day 36: Your least favorite cover song    - Wonderwall by The Mike Flower Pops

Day 37: An essential karaoke song    - Dancing Queen by ABBA

Day 38: A song that you sing really well    - Perfekt by Die Ärzte

Day 39: A song that you wish you could sing really well    - Bermuda Triangle by Zico feat. Crush and Dean

Day 40: Your favorite song from the 50’s    - Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley

Day 41: Your favorite song from the 60’s    - House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

Day 42: Your favorite song from the 70’s    - Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Day 43: Your favorite song from the 80’s    - Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Day 44: Your favorite song from the 90’s    - Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) by Backstreet Boys

Day 45: Your favorite song from the 00’s    - Stan by Eminem

Day 46: Your favorite song of this year    - Morgen by Fynn Kliemann

Day 47: The oldest song you own    - Smyphony No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven

Day 48: A song that you wish you could’ve written    - What it’s like by Everlast

Day 49: Your favorite TV show theme song    - Daredevil - Main Title by John Paesano

Day 50: A song that you’ve listened to for years & have just recently begun to appreciate    - Love me do by The Beatles

Day 51: A song that you realized you’ve been mishearing the lyrics for years    - T.N.T. by AC/DC

Day 52: A song that you’ve been listening to for years & you still don’t know what the heck they’re saying    - Gimme tha Power by Molotov

Day 53: The song that you’re most proud of knowing all the words to    - Tetris Techno Remix by DaCaV5

Day 54: The song that got you hooked on your favorite band/artist    - 3xxxv5 by ONE OK ROCK

Day 55: A song you’ve listened to so many times that you just can’t listen to it anymore    - Monsta by Culcha Candela

Day 56: A song that is insanely simple/repetitive, but that you consider awesome anyway    - Unbreakable by H3ctic

Day 57: Your favorite song from your favorite genre    - Song Rewind

Day 58: Your therapist in a song    - Calm after the Storm by The Common Linnets

Day 59: A song whose lyrics you take advice from    - Think by Aretha Franklin

Day 60: Your favorite movie-moment song    - Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz

Day 61: A song that you like to sing in the shower    - Penny Lane by The Beatles

Day 62: Your favorite song by a singer turned actor    - Lose Yourself by Eminem

Day 63: Your favorite duet    - Owls by Cocoon

Day 64: Your favorite song featured in a musical    - Audition (The fools who dream) by Emma Stone

Day 65: Your favorite song by a actor turned singer    - Baby by Astro

Day 66: A song you like to clean the house to    - Mansae by Seventeen

Day 67: Your least favorite song by a singer turned actor    - The Kill by Thirty Seconds To Mars

Day 68: A song you have requested to be played on the radio    - Nanana (Nanana nanana) by My Chemical Romance

Day 69: Your least favorite song by an actor turned singer    - I feel everything by Cara Delevigne

Day 70: A song that you wish someone would cover    - Ddu-du ddu-du by Blackpink

Day 71: A song that gives you a headache    - Rom by Dschingis Khan

Day 72: A song that you love that you first heard on a mixed CD made for you    - Quark by Die Ärzte

Day 73: A song someone has said reminds them of you    - A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles

Day 74: A song from a band that you wish you could hang out with    - Shall we dance by Block B

Day 75: The song that you most recently downloaded    - Bling Bling by iKON

Day 76: Your favorite song beginning with the letter A    - Really good songs beginning with the letter A

Day 77: Part A - someone you wish would sing a duet with Part B    - Zico

Day 78: Part B - someone you wish would sing a duet with Part A    - Alligatoah

Day 79: A song that makes you think of the color blue    - Blue Side by J-Hope

Day 80: Your favorite band beginning with the letter A    - Really good bands / artists beginning with the letter A

Day 81: A song you like with Monday in the title    - I don’t like Mondays by Bon Jovi and Bob Geldof

Day 82: A song you would dedicate to the boy/girl you have a crush on    - What is Love? by Twice

Day 83: A song you would/have dance(d) with a parent to, at your wedding    - Very Nice by Seventeen

Day 84: A song that you like that’s in a language you don’t know    - Shoot Me by DAY6

Day 85: A song that you always put on a new mixed CD you make for everyone    - Owls by Cocoon

Day 86: A song that you like by a band you suspect is going to break up    - Nalina by Block B

Day 87: A song you play when someone breaks up with you    - Nanana (Nanana nanana) by My Chemical Romance

Day 88: A song that you like that’s from a different culture    - Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux by Youssou N’Dour

Day 89: A song that you love to work-out to    - Limitless / Monster / I Need U / Hero / Hate Remix by Miggy Smallz

Day 90: A song that describes your work angst    - Sklave by Kraftklub

Day 91: A song you like to sing to babies    - Der Mond ist aufgegangen by Johann Abraham Peter Schulz

Day 92: A song you play when you can’t sleep    - Far Away by H3ctic

Day 93: A song you play when you break someone’s heart    - Hypocritical Kiss by Jack White

Day 94: Your favorite song that features the use of a harmonica    - Harmonics of Life by Money Mark

Day 95: Your favorite song that starts with the letter “B”    - Really good songs beginning with the letter B

Day 96: A song that makes you think about stars and the universe    - Black Tears by Tyler Bates

Day 97: Your favorite classical song    - Symphony No. 7 (Allegretto) by Ludwig van Beethoven

Day 98: Your favorite song that you remember from a kid’s show    - Opening Theme from “Die Sendung mit der Maus” by Hans Posegga

Day 99: A song that you like in part, because the title is so good    - Waldspaziergang mit Folgen by Die Ärzte

Day 100: A song from the last CD mix you made someone    - While my guitar gently weeps by George Harrison and Eric Clapton

well, you made it. i’m proud of you :) and also thanks for reading through this list. it means a lot to me. if you noticed any errors or false links, feel free to message me :]

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (#110-101)

(Also known as, the last set of songs before my top 100! Afterward, the write-ups will expand, and each song will have their own gif set of varying sizes. So less songs will appear in each section)

#110: Ani Lorak -- Shady Lady (Ukraine 2008)

“I've just turned one more page I belong to the stage Baby, don't call me baby”

Surprisingly, for such a beloved song, I didn't really get it at first. I came off of one listening believing it was just another pop song. It took a few watches of Ani's performance for everything to fall into place.

There’s so much sass in Shady Lady; the production to the lyrics click together to tell of a woman who not only leaves her lover, but seeks to become even greater than them. The mix of drum machine and strings add to this thumping dance number; I never fail in getting endeared with those head nods.

Ani sells with gusto, and the use of light boxes are incredible. She becomes an absolute superstar on stage, and has equal parts presence and vocals. No wonder a lot of people though this deserved to win.

Personal ranking: 4th/43 Actual ranking: 2nd/25 GF in Belgrade

#109: Knez -- Adio (Montenegro 2015)

“Još te ne dam maglama sa planina Još te ne dam vodama iz dubina A ti kažeš pusti me, živ mi bio Zaboravu predaj me, sad adio”

“I still don’t give you to the mists of the mountains I still don’t give you to the depths of the water And you ask me to let you go, forever To let you sink into oblivion and say goodbye”

The most recent of Zeljko’s compositions stands just as solid on its own, with its own melancholic string intro and beautiful soundscape. From the opening notes, you know of the story that is to come, which the lyrics painfully convey through beautiful images of rosemary, flowers, the sea and sky.

Not only that, but the build is absolutely graceful, with the key changes working effectively to build to a tragic crescendo. The staging plays well with this, going from a serene night to a bright red dawn. Despite the energy given out through the clapping and the eagle dance, Knez and his backing vocalists still convey the pain of leaving.

And if you look closely, you can find his daughter, Kszenija, amongst them. Six years later she would end up representing Serbia in this year's contest, albeit going "Loco loco" with her bandmates!

Personal ranking: 5th/40 Actual ranking: 13th/27 GF in Vienna

#108: Aliona Moon -- O mie (Moldova 2013)

“Între soare și ploi se nasc mii de culori Dar noi vedem doar nori”

“Between sun and rain, thousands of colours are born But we only see clouds”

Moldova is usually known for their wacky, fun performances, but O mie shows they could slow down a bit without losing their quirks. Even the songwriter, Pasha Peferny, takes a hard turn from his cute 2012 entry, Lautar (which you should still check out, by the way!)

The beautiful lyrics really stand out, which show equal parts whimsy and light. I like the use of colors and nature to convey the ambiguity and loss at the end of a relationship. While meant to be sent in English, it's good they went for Romanian in the end--it's a beautiful language, and we have a dirth of good Romanian-language songs in Eurovision (please, more of them!).

While the staging was a bit messy at times, especially with multiple dancers helping Aliona in telling, the song still shines through with Aliona’s sweet vocals and beautiful melody. Also, it took a while for me to note how her glowing dress arose at the bridge, haha.

Personal ranking: 4th/39 Actual ranking: =11th/26 GF in Malmo

#107: Nina Sublatti -- Warrior (Georgia 2015)

“I’m a warrior, isolated World gonna get up and see!”

While the lyrics are a bit simplistic (especially with the random , Warrior is badassery personified. The instrumentation (refined in Sweden) amplifies the intensity of the song and its message; the opening drums gives way to a dark pop soundscape with equal parts starkness and power.

Nina maintains a resolute stance--not only in the studio cut, but also in the live performance. The dark costuming transforms her into a modern-day warrior of sorts, and the LED imagery enhances the intensity. Notably, the GF performance featured a malfunctioning smoke machine; the smoke obscured NIna and we couldn't see her for a few shots. Doesn't take away from the rest of the performance, which shows her in a much clearer light.

Also, she did mention the song was dedicated to the Georgian people--not only to become strong women, but also against the Russian occupation in the north. Intriguing political message, my friend.

Personal ranking: 4th/40 Actual ranking: 11th/27 GF in Vienna

#106: Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside (Belgium 2015)

“Be you enemy or lover? We are put here to discover...”

(One minor thing about this is how Loic kind of reminds me of Julian Quintart from Abnormal Summit--not only because of their backgrounds, but how the former is dressed. haha)

Rhythm Inside is very cool, albeit timed art pop piece really showed Belgium’s strengths in the mid 2010s. The song is minimalistic and slick, with an ambiguous message detailing the processes of life. While really cool, sometimes it can rub me off because of how cold it can become. Art pop is great, but it has to engage too.

The performance is just as refined, if a bit odd, and Loic announces himself to Europe with his skills in music and choreography. He and his backing vocalists create a pointed performance which is equally minimalist and yet fills up the stage. Very modern and cool.

Beyond the contest, Loic has had a good music career, and I've actually followed a few of his songs. Check out 29 especially; the way he sings it is so heartwrenching.

Personal ranking: 3rd/40 Actual ranking: 4th/27 GF in Vienna

#105: Pernilla Karlsson -- När Jag Blundar (Finland 2012)

“Som en sjö utan vatten, som en lykta utan ljus Ett liv utan färger, det är inte du Nå’n man ser då man blundar, som en ängel framför Nå’n som hjälper en och flyga då man glömt hur man gör”

“Like a sea without water, like a lantern without light A life without colours – that’s not you Someone you see when you close your eyes, like an angel before you Someone who helps you to fly when you’ve forgotten how to”

Nar jag blundar is notable for being the only song sung in Swedish since the language rule was dropped (because Finland has a Swedish-speaking minority there). It's a pity because Swedish is a beautiful language to sing in, with its accents and how it flows in music.

Beyond that, Pernilla’s song for her mother is so tender, with poetic lyrics and a sweet charm about it. The images used in there, assuring how her mother is so special and how she's the best, really touches my heart (hi mom, I love you!) and adds a sense of innocence in it.

The staging also adds to the grace; despite Pernilla's initial hesitation, it grows into a beautiful package with a nice orange-turquoise contrast and a pretty use of the wind machine in the first chorus. While I do understand how it might have not stood out, it's definitely one of the least deserved NQs of all-time.

(Also, Finland was the only Nordic to NQ that year?! That's a shame...)

Personal ranking: 3rd/42 Actual ranking: DNQ -- 12th in the first semi-final in Baku

#104: Hadise -- Dum Tek Tek (Turkey 2009)

"Angel, I wake up And live my dreams endlessly"

Definitely one of the more notable ethno-bops in the late 2000s, Dum Tek Tek is known for its simple structure, but good use of drums and guitar really lift this piece up. It's a bit more produced than what was offered earlier in the decade, but still holds its own.

The frequent "dum tek tek" in the refrain is quite curious; for a while I thought it actually meant something, but it turned out to be a heartbeat. Still a fun way to put it, though!

The staging is quite well done; I liked the choreography and how Hadise played with the camera. However, her backing vocalists had to help her quite a bit in the singing, because she fell ill during contest week and it showed in the vocals. The fourth place might be a bit over-the-top, but it's still enjoyable.

Personal ranking: 7th/42 Actual ranking: 4th/25 GF in Moscow

#103: Paula Seling & Ovi - Playing With Fire (Romania 2010)

“You and I could try to stop – uh boy, till you drop If we get together now, we'll burn this place down!”

A (tapping at the top of the piano): You certainly look nice tonight. B: Thanks; but I got the skirt from a friend and I need to make sure nothing spills on it.

(At that moment, A twirls around and puts his hand on B's shoulder. She stiffens before relaxing and places her fingers gingerly on A's wrist. A sudden beat)

B: I thought I told you that I needed to keep the skirt clean! A: Then why did you want to dress up like that tonight? (Beat) B: Well I wanted to go out later to a bar? A: In this climate? (sighs) B: Don't tell me you have something else in mind...

If Eurovision decides to do a jukebox musical, then Playing with Fire has to be one of the main songs in it. There's so much tension between the duo; one could make a bunch of plot points ranging from illicit affairs to a first crush and everything else in between. And then it all explodes.

On stage, the chemistry between Paula and Ovi is absolutely infectious. This adds to this dramatic bop, with flirtatious lyrics that are simultaneously fun and witty; they tease and shout at the same time. The instrumentation is dramatic (though it took me a while to appreciate the transition between the verses and the chorus), and I love the piano motif that persists throughout. Paula’s high note is fantastic; it can pierce through the transparent piano and through the stage itself. Such a dynamic duo!

Personal ranking: 3rd/39 Actual ranking: 3rd/25 GF in Oslo

#102: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis -- Alcohol is Free (Greece 2013)

“Μεσοπέλαγα φανάρι Ρε μας πήρανε χαμπάρι Ποιος το πήγε το σπιτάκι μου μακριά, μακριά;”

“There’s a lantern in the middle of the sea Dude, we were found out Who took my little house far away, far away?”

If you remember my commentary under Opa! (#207), the Greek economic crisis impacted the country significantly. At the time of this entry, there were different negotiations about how to handle Greece's debt; when that fell through, it looked like Greece was going to leave the European Union. By the time the 2013 contest ended, the Greek public TV station, ERT, shut down for two years.

Alcohol is Free tries to describe this chaos through a number of metaphors, ranging from mermaids to whisky and everything else in between. The exclamation mark to Greece’s golden era not only has silly lyrics, but also mixes their usual ethnic sound (with rebetiko) with ska to create a very vibrant concoction. It’s a definite spark of energy whether it’s just to brighten up a day or running around with actual alcohol! (though this blog does not condone underage drinking, driving under the influence, or pressuring people to drink alcohol. Be responsible.)

Personal ranking: 3rd/39 Actual ranking: 6th/26 GF in Malmo

#101: Anouk -- Birds (Netherlands 2013)

“If being myself is what I do wrong, then I don’t want to be right...”

When Anouk volunteered as tribute to represent the Netherlands, she was coming off after eight years of non-qualifications and with quite a bit of pressure. Birds was a little bit different from her regular discography (which I should really do a deep-dive on), and people thought it wouldn't work. Well, here's why it did.

The lyric is very hard-hitting, in terms of substance and how dark it is. I don't know exactly what Birds discusses about, but it ranges from just another relationship to suicide. I’m particularly intrigued by the dark nature of this song; the harp flourishes really toe the line in dreaminess--is it a dream, or a nightmare? However, I find it a bit cold sometimes.

Thanks to her experience, Anouk sells this really well on stage, with her soft, relaxed composure and the bird graphics creating a calm atmosphere. The flag-waving, which is a deriment towards other songs (including one coming up in the top 100), actually works towards keeping that serene nature, despite the dark undertones. And the bridge gives me all the chills; I can't help but sing along to that part.

The result? The Netherlands' first qualification and a route through which, after six years, they finally won again.

Personal ranking: 2nd/39 Actual ranking: 9th/26 GF in Malmo