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Eurovision Insight Podcast: Juke Box Jury 2011 #7 Written by on April 29, 2011 | 6 Comments

As all the Juke Box Jury judges gather in the departure lounge of Edinburgh Airport (or they will do after the Royal Wedding is over) we’ve still got a few songs left from the 2011 entrants to judge.

The Big Five will get their summons next week, but now it’s time for a few songs that some people think are going to do very well this year, perhaps even challenge for the win.

And Cyprus.

Eurovision Insight Podcast: Juke Box Jury 2011 #7
with Donald McNaughton and Dean Asker

Turkey: Live it Up, by Yuksek Sadakat.
Ukraine: Angel, by Mika Newton.
Belarus: I Love Belaus, by Anastasia Vinnikova.
Sweden: Popular, by Eric Saade.
Cyprus: San Aggelos, S’Agapisa, by Christos Mylordos.

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About The Author: Ewan Spence

British Academy (BAFTA) nominated broadcaster and writer Ewan Spence is the voice behind The Unofficial Eurovision Song Contest Podcast and one of the driving forces behind ESC Insight. Having had an online presence since 1994, he is a noted commentator around the intersection of the media, internet, technology, mobility and how it affects us all. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, his work has appeared on the BBC, The Stage, STV, and The Times. You can follow Ewan on Twitter (@ewan) and Facebook (facebook.com/ewanspence).

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6 responses to “Eurovision Insight Podcast: Juke Box Jury 2011 #7”

  1. Zolan says:

    I’m well accustomed to being on the wrong side of Eurovision tastes, and always follow the predictions with some dismay, but I was surprised by the judges’ reaction to “San Aggelos, S’Agapisa”.
    Sure, it’s going to struggle for televotes, but the song itself is very well contructed and performed. It is not “worthy”, it is accessibly musical.
    The manner in which it was criticised has an almost phobic/hysterical (hystero-phobic?) element to it.

  2. Ewan Spence says:

    Zolan, one of the reason for two guest judges and myself is to have that balance. i quite like Cyprus, it’s not the greatest of songs, but there are far worse this year IMO.

  3. Russ says:

    The Swedish entry reminds me of BWO, Eric Saade’s voice similar to Martin Rolinski. I think it is such a commercial track that it will go huge on the Saturday night and contest for the title.

    I am a big fan of the Belarussian entry, catchy, danceable, ethnic and I think the best song they have yet sent to Esc. Pity “Born in Belarussia” was disqualified because it had wonderful Soviet era choir effect which enhanced it.

    Credit to Cyprus sending a Esc song remiscent of old Greek entries, I really like it although it will not qualify.

    Turkey has a fantastic song, being used on Eurosport as the theme to their cycling coverage this week. It will go mighty close to victory on May 14.

  4. Chris K says:

    Turkey: Live it Up, by Yuksek Sadakat. Hit; The words are odd.

    Ukraine: Angel, by Mika Newton. Boring, i hope it doesnt makes the final

    Belarus: I Love Belaus, by Anastasia Vinnikova. What does the end sound like? I keep turning it off.

    Sweden: Popular, by Eric Saade. It will make the top 10 of the final – but i’m begining to loath it.

    Cyprus: San Aggelos, S’Agapisa, by Christos Mylordos. It’s pleasant enough, but it’s dated.

  5. Zolan says:

    Shame about Belarus; easy, inviting, upbeat music, but that chorus is an embarrassment, regardless of nation. I would have much preferred, and respected, the original “Belarussia, USSR!”

    Turkey has the same pros and then some. I see it in the top five…

    …but only because I find the so-called “modern” frontrunners like Sweden utterly pedestrian, and excluded them from my delusional results. Maybe that’s what modern means: underdeveloped and disposable (built-in obsolescence?).

    I listened to even my least liked songs at least three times, and I still can’t remember how Ukraine’s entry goes.

    I love the gear change and complex harmonies from Cyprus, but that’s not enough to stand out.

  6. matthias says:

    Turkey – i think it has a nice melody, and it can really go high.

    Cyprus – i love this song, it´s part of my top10.

    Ukraine – boring, just boring.

    Belarus – nice beat and melody, but the lyrics are pure propaganda, i could never vote for something like this.

    Sweden – Fanwank at it´s best. for me the melody and the beat is okay, but i absolutly hate the accentuation and pronunciation of the lyrics, it´s so annyoing. i really don´t know who is going to win this year, but Sweden is part of 3 songs i would hate to take the crown. (Estonia and France are the other 2)

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