Nina Sublime
The 2nd rehearsal for all the semi-final 1 nations today and shorter notes. UK viewers are going to love Moldova. A shame for Moldova the Brits don’t have the chance to vote in semi 1. It will start the semi with a bang for sure.
Some really clever imagery and camera work for Armenia. Vocal improvement too. Loic still doesn’t find the camera enough, has his eyes closed too much and when he does find the camera it’s still an intense stare he offers up.
Trijntje has wisely ditched that plunging black dress in favour of a leather jacket but she still shows a fair amount of cleavage. Backing singers outfits are still a bizarre selection of black and white clothes.
PKN very much as before. Not sure why they didn’t look to extend this song to 3 minutes. While some critics no doubt wish it finishes even quicker, it does feel a bit abrupt and extending it might have given more chance to showcase the band and have them interact more.
Maria Elena sells the Greek song really well staring right down the camera lens. Textbook giving of ‘good camera’. This is ‘good to go’ as they also say in the rehearsal report biz, or maybe I just made it up. Nice mic stand work too by Maria Elena – you will see. High fives all-round Greece.
Estonia coming together much better. Both of them giving ‘good camera’. Stig much more engaged than previously. Elina is left alone at the finish as the door closes on a departing Stig which is obviously following the narrative of the song. It works well visually. Elena in the background over Stig’s shoulder. And Elina sells this so well she helps Stig raise his game.
Daniel and Blackstreet work on the sound levels and some different routines. Anyone know how popular Blackstreet are in Eastern Europe? They are something of a Sugababes apparently in terms of changing faces in the group. There remains a sense they may have taken a wrong turn with this song.
Why the white flags for Serbia? Surrender? OK, they seem to have agreed it looks too plain and are now trying coloured flags which looks better. Bojana really gives it some in the last minute.
After the Serbian racket Boggie’s under-stated vocal is a blessed relief but is that just the response of a 40-something guy who is feeling sleep-deprived and rather enjoying her more mellow, melodic warbling?
Maimuna much more interactive and animated with Uzari today and Uzari’s vocal holds up well enough. Great shot when they are back to back centre stage. Nice change to a blue backdrop and lighting towards the end. Improving.
Polina going through the gears. You sense she is a perfectionist and wants to showcase her voice to the absolute max. She freestyles towards the end. Great lighting effects throughout.
Stripy stage for Anti Social Media. The suit has gone replaced by an American college jock sports jacket. Then a casual black jacket… he is doing a Roman Lob who may as well have had a Hugo Boss store beside the stage back in 2012 as his stylists impressively set about trying to nail his best look. This is competent. It does what it says on the tin.
Elhaida’s backing singers now wear black and look better for it and Elhaida also improves vocally today. But you sense this song takes her well out of her comfort zone as she falls off the big note on one run-through and gets a little screechy afterwards. Nice circling camerawork at around the 2.15 mark. Better on a later run-through when ironically her backing singers are a bit off.
Romania has added images of young children projected onto the stage floor beside each suitcase and along with the images behind the band the message of the song is cleverly conveyed.
It will need national broadcasters to explain the song’s meaning to tv viewers outside of the diaspora. They will have the official programme which explains things in there and any journalist worth his salt should be inquisitive enough to find out what the song is about and, in theory, tell viewers.
One of THE outfits of ESC 2015 so far – Nina Sublatti. You will see next Tuesday. And the staging effects for this really help bring it to life. Vocal fine. Image striking.
That’s the end of play. So, any clearer regarding your 10 semi 1 qualifiers yet? Feel free to comment below.
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Hi Rob, thanks for the ongoing coverage.
Here’s my list for SF1 qualifiers up to now:
Armenia
Belgium
Greece
Estonia
Russia
Denmark
Albania
Romania
Georgia
Final spot between Netherlands, Finland and Hungary.
1 Russia
2 Estonia
3 Serbia
4 Greece
5 Armenia
5 Romania
7 Albania
8 Belarus
9 Belgium
10 Netherlands
11 Georgia
12 Hungary
13 Moldova
14 Denmark
15 FYR Macedonia
16 Finland
My NQ in order of confidence:
1. Moldova
2. Serbia
3. Finland
4. Netherlands
5. Macedonia
6. Hungary
At the moment my ten qualifiers are;
Armenia
Belgium
The Netherlands
Greece
Estonia
Hungary
Russia
Albania
Romania
Georgia
I’m well aware that The Netherlands or Belgium could miss out though, and if so I would expect that last place to go to Belarus (with friendly votes, biased juries and potential dodgy deals).
No-one has heard of Blackstreet. Skopje is the hip-hop capital of the Balkans, and unheard-of African-American rappers used to often feature on local pop releases in the 2000s – there’s a slight culture of “ship a cheap black guy over to make it more authentic”. That appear to be what’s been done here, unnecessarily.
Here’s my list of qualifiers, and as you can see I’m already heavily in “ranking-mood” :-). They still can change though, based on what the dress rehearsals have in offer:
01. 100% Q-chance, RUSSIA:
The most perfect total package of this semi final. Could win this semi-final. Polina looks angelic, is a charismatic professional. Staging less cheesy as Russia 2013.
02. 100% Q-chance, ESTONIA:
An entry that should be seen on screen. Stig looks a bit uninterested, but Elina is quite fierce on screen. Staging-wise this looks very stylish. And the song still is contemporary.
03. 100% Q-chance, ROMANIA:
This is a wonderful ballad sang by a rather charismatic band. I do “get” the staging, and obviously it’s a song about troubled kids. Could do quite well in the grand final.
04. 100% Q-chance, GEORGIA:
Games of Thrones meets Eurovision. Lovely staged. And this is a prime example on how to stage a one-person-show, unless Albania. The new G:son-mix really works.
05. 095% Q-chance, GREECE:
Lovely staged and the Greek now how to get the most out of a dated ballad that builds up too slow towards a climatic Bond-esque feel. Unless “Rise Like A Phoenix”.
06. 080% Q-chance, DENMARK:
I don’t get the backlash on this Danish entry. I think it could do very well once in the final. It’s a bit One Direction meets Everly Brothers. Charismatic pop-entry with 1960’s vibe.
07. 075% Q-chance, BELGIUM:
It’s very contemporary and new age that could result in enough jury votes. Loic adds some of his own alternative dance routine, but it’ll be a smile that really helps.
08. 065% Q-chance, HUNGARY:
Between Armenia and Hungary, I now think Hungary has the most appeal. It’s purely a song for televoters and juries, and less for audiences in the hall. Slight goosebumps.
09. 060% Q-chance, THE NETHERLANDS:
While not as good as 2013 and 2014, I do think it’s instant enough, especially for Eastern-European countries. Instant camerawork, reminiscent of Sweden this year.
10. 050% Q-chance, ARMENIA:
Has indeed diaspora televotes from France, Netherlands, Belgium, Georgia and Russia. But they could be stripped away by some juries. Nice enough, but dreadful song.
——————————————————
11. 050% Q-chance, FINLAND:
I could see this go through. But for every gimmick in the contest there still needs to be a memorable enough song or “sound”. Hence why I think Finland could fail.
12. 045% Q-chance, BELARUS:
I could exchange this with another country from the bottom half of the TOP 10, as I think it’s the least cheesiest Belarussian entry in years. 10th place just maybe?
13. 040% Q-chance, ALBANIA:
The song has been too complicated for Eurovision I think. It reminds me a bit of San Marino 2011. Personally I like it, but it falls a bit flat as compared to Netherlands.
14. 030% Q-chance, F.Y.R.O.MACEDONIA:
Lovely entry when hearing it on mp3, but staging-wise it looses out from that other lovely entry Romania. Vocally it’s also not impressive enough for juries to appeal to I think.
15. 010% Q-chance, SERBIA:
Fanwank-entry, that leaves me completely cold. A weird messy bit of Eurovision 1990’s pop, with a lot of unnecessary stage props. The bridge into the Eurodance is bad.
16. 000% Q-chance, MOLDOVA:
Cheap, vulgar entry which takes the worst Justin Bieber influences and mixes it with clients from the YMCA-gym. Great opener for the show though.