COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - GREECE!

I normally love Greek entries, full as they are of Greek Tragedy or lots of Ethnic beats that you can throw some shapes to!  However this year's Greek Eurosong is a bit forgettable for me. Maria Elena Kyriakou sings "One Last Breath", a ballad that is more limp than dramatic to these ears, but don't listen to me, listen to the song here!:

I wonder what the Euro Bureau panel have to say about this one?:

Asta Bjornsdottir:  "„I‘m becking you – take me... I really am having a hard time trying to understand her but, she has a big voice. I´m not always into her vocal technique. Big song – big voice, beautiful girl (pleace don‘t wear that black dress it‘s too similar Netherland‘s dress) this could do good."

Hasse Skoldebjer: "Booooooring, mediocre singer. 2/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "Greece, there are a few parts in the melody of this song that I like but overall it's just very very dull. She has a very good voice though but I doubt if this will stand apart from all the other ballads."

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "Kudos to the singer for being able to hold what must be the most difficult melodic line so far (and I’ve nearly heard all the songs now). The complexity of the tune makes it instantly forgettable. Note to composers everywhere #1: if you want your songs to be catchy, you have to be able to sing along to them. She’s putting in a lot of effort, but the glissando, key change and percussion entry smacks of last year’s absolutely brilliant winning entry. Note to composers everywhere #2: aping the reigning champions will do you no favours. We can see through it. There is only one Conchita. 0.5/10."

There is indeed only one Conchita! So that's the view of the panel - why not leave us a comment and tell us what you think? :)

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - HUNGARY!

Hungary have done pretty well in the past few years at ESC, and have qualified for the final every year since 2011.  In fact they have been improving on their performance in the final year on year, and came fifth last year.  Hoping to go even further than that is Boggie (someone should have told her) with the song "Wars for nothing", which is a sentiment most can agree with.

It's a gentle song, veeeeeeeery gentle in fact and even the video takes about half an hour to get going - just witness:

What do the Euro Bureau panel make of it?:

Asta Bjornsdottir:  "Very low key, simple and lovely song. Goose bumps and all.. I really hope they can bring that on stage. Like it a lot !!"

Hasse Skoldebjer:  "Mediocre, 4/10."

Annemieke Kelleter:  "The melody, her voice and the way this song progresses are quite nice, but boy oh boy oh Danny boy those lyrics, they must be some of the worst ever in Eurovision and I just can't seem to get past them. So all in all, very annoying."

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "The official video spends a minute doing … what? Nothing! I imagine that this exposition won’t happen in the live version, but really, I’m bored already (I’m a man - 1 minute attention span!). Unfortunately, the piece didn’t do enough to redeem itself. Another minute in, nothing interesting has happened. Minute #3 - ah! some nice harmonies! Too little too late. 0.5/10."

Well, Asta likes it at least!! But what do YOU think? Leave us a comment and let us know! :D

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - ROMANIA!

Romania is the "-ia" country that you always think are due a win at Eurovision!  They always qualify for the final, and have troubled the upper echelons of the scoreboard on several occasions.  So are they going to pull it off this year?

Well, no, not really.  I mean they are sure to qualify from their semi final, but to me the song is a bit too much like a bland Westlife album track from 2002.  Surely Eurovision is a bit more up to date than that? ;)  The song is  "De la Capat/All Over Again" by the group Voltaj, and you can watch the video here:

So what have the panel got to say about Romania?  Let find out!:

Asta Bjornsdottir:  "Did he actually sing in english at some point?? Hmmm, didn‘t realise that until second or third listen. But I like this, it is ok, let‘s see if the staging will bring the wow."

Hasse Skoldebjer: "I like it, wish it was in Romanian though. 6/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "Romania, love the melody and the atmosphere of this song. Would have preferred it if they had kept it in Romanian completely as somehow that seems to suit the song better, but still I like it a lot!"

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "One of my favourites so far - really, really like it. Good vocal performance, simple but pretty melody, nice arrangement, good message. I hope this gets into the top 5. 6.5/10."

So it's pretty much a thumbs up from the panel, but what do YOU think? Leave us a comment and let us know! :)

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - FRANCE!

After a public selection last year that saw Twin Twin represent France at Eurovision with a song called "Moustache" (as good as it sounds), France Televisions has decided that they would do a BBC and choose the song and performer themselves thank you, and have chosen Lisa Angell to "defendre les couleurs de la France".

Lisa has released three albums in France, and is an experienced live performer.  Her song "N'oubliez Pas" is a big chanson of a ballad, and is classy - perhaps too classy to grab your attention over three minutes?  Have a look and a listen below:

Here's the view of the Euro Bureau panel:

Asta Bjornsdottir: "Brilliant singer, lovely song. Hope it does well. Still I´m not head over heels......."

Hasse Skoldebjer: "Dull as dishwater, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 0/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "Soooo... France, I love this song, not as much as in the beginning but still, she has a wonderful voice, the lyrics are breathtaking and the build-up of the song is beautiful. The only thing that worries me is that it won't stand out enough to do well, and it should do well imo."

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "The song has good intentions, and a little more successful than some of France’s previous entries, but it seems a little overly grandiose to me, a little too worthy, and not successful enough to let it do well, unless the Eurovision crowd get behind the intentions of the song and support it. 2/10."

So mixed opinions here, although not looking like Lisa will end the French drought of Eurovision Success - they've not won since 1977!! What do YOU think though? Leave a comment and let us know! :D

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - SERBIA!

Returning to the contest after taking a break last year, Serbia has returned with a big singer with an even bigger voice, and in the interests of full disclosure, I have to say that I bloody love it!! :)

Bojana Stamenov sings "Beauty Never Lies", the first Serbian entry in English - gasp! - and written by the writer of their winner from a few years back, Vladimir Graic, and the not-so-Serbian-sounding Charlie Mason, and it starts off as a ballad but then becomes a disco-belter and Bojana gives is some attitude with her "finally I can say, yes I'm different and it's OK" lyric.  To me, this song takes on the spirit of Conchita's win, and turns it into a perfect 3 minute diva-fest!!!

Ahem, but see what you think, here it is:

Well let's see if the panel agree with me, or if they have a different view!:

Asta Bjornsdottir:  "Started watching the video and decided that she was a really good singer but the video didn´t do anything so I looked for a live performance and found the live performance and in serbian. Like it a lot like that!! She‘s a major singer!!! And she makes the song good !!!"

Hasse Skoldebjer: "Ok song, great singer 6/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "Quite like it. Love the sound of her voice and the song is just a nice feel good song. Don't know if this will qualify as it sounds a bit dated and it's very ''Eurovisiony"."

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "Mediocre. I had high hopes for this but I don’t think it quite meets expectations. It may receive a number of votes due to the admirable message of the lyrics. 1.5/10."

Well, you can all stay! Although I will be having words with Adam and Charlotte, LOL!! So here's what The Euro Bureau reckons, what do YOU think? Leave us a comment to let us know! :D

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - ALBANIA!

Albania are always one of the first countries to select their song for Eurovision, and chose Elhaida Dani to sing the song "Diell" over a two day national final on 26 and 27 December last year.  And that, you would think, would be that.

Except it wasn't.  The songwriters of Diell decided that they didn't want their song to go to Eurovision after all thanks very much, which left Elhaida without a song until "I'm Alive" came along!  It's such a shame, as "Diell" really showed of Elhaida's vocals (she won the Voice in Italy) whereas to me, "I'm Alive" pales in comparison.  Have a look and listen of it here:

Let's check out the views of our esteemed panel:

Asta Bjorndottir:  "Brilliant singer but the song isn‘t doing much for me... Not yet at least and in Eurovision there needs to be that instant attraction. Let‘s wait and see how this will look and sound on stage."

Hasse Skoldebjer: "Ai ai ai....this song does nothing for me. 3/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "She really has a good voice but this song is just screamy and boring imo. Still miss the song she originally qualified with... A LOT!"

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "One of Albania’s better entries. Not strong enough to hold its own in the competition. Not a winner, but a contender. 4/10."

So it looks like Albania missed a trick in ditching Diell! But what do YOU think? Leave a comment to let us know! :D

COUNTDOWN TO VIENNA - ESTONIA!!

Estonia are one of the more successful Baltic countries at Eurovision and have this year plumped for an edgy cool pop duet that many fans think will be up there and in with a chance of victory at this year's contest.

"Goodbye to Yesterday" tells the story of the morning after the night before, and is performed by Stig Rasta and Elina Born.  They have both tried to represent Estonia before as solo artists but finally both got the gig this year, and I have to say, I do like it!  It's cool, yet has a hint of darkness about it that is very endearing...  Have a look and listen to it here:

Let's see what the EB panel make of Estonia:

Asta Bjornsdottir:  "I saw this a couple of weeks ago on Ruv in the esc program but I had totally forgotten it. Somehow the song, the lyrics and the video clash in a way that it just doesn´t fit. Light and happy music but dark video and the lyrics somewhere inbetween... Nahh, doesn´t do a thing for me."

Hasse Skoldebjer: "Boring, I don't get the hype 3/10."

Annemieke Kelleter: "Estonia, didn't like this at all when I first heard it but now it's somewhere just outside of my top 10. However I do believe this could do really well, it's a modern song with a nice chorus. A lot will depend on their live performance & the staging."

Adam and Charlotte Lane: "There’s a few things right with it, but far more wrong, I’m afraid. Cracking brass section and other instrumental accompaniment, but the vocal style doesn’t seem to fit. Should have had a Chris Isaak figure to fully realise the style. 1/10."

So that panel are flying in the face of fandom and don't rate "Goodbye to Yesterday", but what do YOU think? Leave us a comment and let us know! :)