Tonight we will know all but the Swedish entry from our
Nordic chums as Finland and Norway choose their entries, joining Iceland and
Denmark who have already selected theirs. I’ll miss both live as I’m heading
out for more Kopparberg in The Harcourt Arms to see the second heat of Melodifestivalen,
but as we’ve had semis in both countries we know what we’re up for.
Finland first, and it is quite a diverse selection. I’ve
given them a second spin this morning and my considered opinion is that, well,
some of them are just about OK but I still feel we’re lacking something. The
favourite is Mikael Saari singing an unusual ballad that does admittedly have
an impressive crescendo. I suppose it’s reminiscent of last year’s Estonian
entry Kuula by Ott Lepland, which for me did inexplicably well. Perhaps it’s
this similarity that means I’m also not quite getting this. Mikael is clad in what
looks like a beige velour suit with a hairstyle to match and does seem to be
missing a certain something which made Ott standout somehow.
Mikael’s closest rival seems to be Diandra’s Colliding Into
You (and frankly I’m not surprised she is given how big her bum looks in those
slacks). It’s more typical than the ballad, but again just lacks a certain
oomph for me. Still, I’d be happy to see either of these win the ticket over
what I hope remains just a novelty entry. Singing Marry Me Krista Siegfrieds is
an eager piece! She’s popping the question (or more accurately using the
imperative, I’m not sure whoever she’s asking can back out of this alive)
whilst somewhat presumptively already wearing her wedding dress. I don’t know
how long in advance you have to give notification of a marriage in Finland, but
it seems to me she’s overlooked the crying of her banns. Nothing against the
girl but let’s hope she’s jilted at the altar this evening for Eurovision’s
sake.
And so to Norway, where they’ve been having a bit of a laugh
so far this year. Given what they’ve voted to the final it’s safe to say
nothing is a given. We might yet end up with a death metal ‘n’ classical combo
by default. I do hope all my chums who’ve travelled to Oslo this weekend have
local SIM cards and a spare £47.50 per call to vote for something good. For me
we have to sit all the way through to songs 9 and 10 for it to get truly
interesting.
The obvious choice, and quite clear favourite seems to be song
9 by ice-queen Margaret Berger, or The Feeder as I’ll call her. She delivers an
engaging yet somehow slightly sinister number Feed You My Love designed to
fatten us up with her lasciviousness. It’s all a bit dramatic, and thank
heavens she’s only got three minutes else I fear I might have some terrible
indigestion before she’s satisfied.
The Feeder gives way to song 10 I Love You Te Quiero in
which we see two track-suited chaps do a bit of rapping before getting up to boogie
with four dancers in oversized bunny outfits. It’s the kind of thing that could
become a perma-fixture on the clip reels of Euro curios but it’s so
infectiously happy that I just can’t help loving it. Tonight’s second favourite
Bombo wasn’t terribly well performed in the semi finals so I think it’s really The
Feeder’s to lose.
Meanwhile over in Sweden SVT are making a great show out of
looking like they desperately don’t want
to win it again. I know we’re only half way there but there’s nothing from their
one-minute smytittars that’s really showing promise again this week. I’m sure
in the pub tonight the Swedish Housewives will go down a treat with our first
whiff of schlager this season, and after last year Mr Banana (I’m Anglicising,
forgive me) will be an entertaining spectacle, but it’s not a vintage Melodifestivalen
yet.
To round you off this evening, Latvia completes their semi finals
after the first heat last night and Hungary whittles down another 10 to 6. I
must admit I’ve not yet tuned into their selection, but having heard a compilation
of clips of all the entries I’ve neither the wherewithal nor the gumption to
start.
Have a jolly evening, whatever you tune into, folks.
Monty x
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