Hey there! I’ve been quietly planning this new segment for my blog for some time now. If you’re signed up for my Patreon, you might have been tipped off. New year, new content, am I right? It’s not really fun for the Eurovision fans reading my blog if they have to wait until March every year for new articles. That’s why I’m kicking off 2023 by revisiting some of my favourite acts from Eurovision 2017. Today on the docket we have: “$1” by Timebelle (Switzerland), “Tatted In My Memory” by Alma (France) and Tag, “Tristeza dos dois” by Salvador Sobral (Portugal), and “Love Letter” by OG3NE (Netherlands).
Timebelle – $1
Gee, this isn’t “Apollo” now, is it? Timebelle’s most recent song “$1” is in the style of pop rock, which has been all the rage these days. While it does have some interesting progressions in terms of rhythm, I wasn’t too blown away by the lyrics (although the “poison ivy” line was my favourite). To be fair, this is my first foray into Timebelle’s discography so I’m not sure what their music is usually like. Given that “Apollo” was my introduction to Timebelle, I guess it makes sense that I would consider “$1” to be kind of a letdown. Perhaps they pivoted from sentimental pop after not qualifying?
Worth a revisit: NO
Alma – Tatted In My Memory (with Tag)
Alma is still blending English and French into her music like she did with “Requiem.” This time, she keeps the French to one line only. If I’m being honest, this chill hiphop vibe is not my favourite music genre. I know the French are all about their hiphop, but I just wasn’t really feeling this one. It was also difficult for me to get into this song because the lines in this song don’t flow as well either. Ever since I started taking classes at Berklee, I have noticed that some singers don’t stress syllables the way they would if they were just speaking because they are trying to match the stresses to the beat. That occurred often in this song, which I couldn’t really ignore.
Worth a revisit: NO
Salvador Sobral – Tristeza dos dois
This song is perfect to listen to in the winter. It makes we want to drink mocha and watch snow fall outside my window. “Tristeza dos dois” has that same slow and romantic feeling I remember from “Amar pelos dois.” Also, I found out that the instrumental of this song was composed by the late jazz pianist Bernardo Sassetti. Sobral sings lyrics that are presumably written by his sister, Luísa. Even though the title of the song mentions sadness, I can’t help but feel warmth when listening to “Tristeza dos dois.” This is most likely due to the lack of minor chords.
Worth a revisit: YES
OG3NE – Love Letter
My girls! So… I may have had this song on repeat every single day since I’ve heard it. It’s that good. Another interesting fact I learned about “Love Letter” is that it was pitched to OG3NE on a television show in the Netherlands. I think it’s pretty cool that there’s an entire show dedicated to songwriters playing their compositions for artists to sing. So shout out to Misha Angèle and her team for writing such beautiful lyrics. Of course, the song wouldn’t be complete without those gorgeous harmonies from the ladies of OG3NE. Can’t recommend this song enough!
Worth a revisit: YES