- “Embers” by James Newman (United Kingdom)
- “The Ride” by Rafał (Poland)
- “The Moon Is Rising” by Samanta Tīna (Latvia)
- “Here I Stand” by Vasil (North Macedonia)
- “Growing Up Is Getting Old” by Victoria (Bulgaria)
PHOTO CREDIT: EBU / VICTOR FRANKOWSKI / TVP / LTV / ARTŪRS MARTINOVS / MARTIN TRAJANOVSKI / LORA MUSHEVA
James Newman – Embers
James Newman has been a “breath” of fresh air for the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest. I feel like past entries from this country have relied too heavily on the message of their lyrics. What James Newman brings to the competition is memorable melodies and he’s able to pull them off with his vocal agility. This year, he’s even competing with a dance song, which doesn’t need meaningful lyrics. I would even go so far to say that it sounds like a song that Sweden would compete with. I’m also a fan of deep house music, so this song is right up my alley.
RAFAŁ – The Ride
I have a criteria for a decent song. If the instrumentation is simple, then the lyrics better be good. If the lyrics are more on the catchy side, then the instrumentation should grab the listener’s attention. This song is not as bad as I remember from when I first heard it. I’m not a huge fan of synthwave music but even so, the instrumentation feels flat. The same four chords and an arpeggiating synth repeat throughout the song. On top of that, the lyrics contain so many clichés. I get that it’s a dance song, but the lyrics are so vague. Paired with bland background music, this song plays it too safe.
Samanta Tīna – The Moon is Rising
I’m drawn to Samanta Tīna’s music style. “Still Breathing” from last year was intriguing at best and I think “The Moon Is Rising” is an improvement. I liked the drop better in this entry. The high note when she sang “rising” is an example of text painting, which I thought was pretty cool. Also, I dig the latin guitar licks that were added from the second verse onwards. One thing I will nitpick about the song is that more could have been done in terms of rhythm in the verses. Samanta Tīna’s cadence doesn’t vary much from line to line. Other than that, what an empowering song.
Vasil – Here I Stand
It’s official: Disney has infiltrated the Eurovision Song Contest. Vasil’s entry gives off that Lion King vibe due to the orchestral arrangement and the choral group (not complaining though). The lyrics and his voice are beautiful. Even though I don’t casually listen to this type of music, I love the theatrics and I bet it’s going to sound amazing live. It’s also cool how versatile Vasil is since this is completely different from last year’s entry. If you like broadway musicals, give this song a listen.
VICTORIA – Growing Up Is Getting Old
The ticking, the pizzicato, the piano… has me so overwhelmed. I can relate to this song so much. Whenever life gets to me and I feel like I’m not handling things “like an adult” (in other words, having emotional breakdowns), sometimes I think to myself “I’m a grown up. These things shouldn’t bother me anymore but they do.” I am obsessed with how Victoria flips the words to “Getting up is growing old.” Thankfully, the song ends on a positive note. Whether you’re a kid or a grown up, life can suck, but you should pick yourself up off the ground for your own sake.
Who has my vote (for now)?
Victoria has blown me away with her entry. I would gladly give her my vote if I could actually do that. As an honourable mention, I wish James Newman luck and I hope the United Kingdom rank higher this year. May the best song win!