Writers Choice: Our Personal Favourites For 2014 Written by Sharleen Wright on April 27, 2014 | 4 Comments

Whilst everyone loves to declare their top 10, their predictions, post their lists of favourites on a daily basis to their Facebook site, it doesn’t get to the heart of Eurovision – our REAL favourites.  What are the songs that have touched you most this year?  Make you reach for the repeat icon on your Ipod?  Have made you reflect? Have made you laugh or cry?

In the end, when all is said and done, the votes are tallied and a winner declared on Saturday – is it really the favourite of Europe?  Will it be your favourite song?  And come six months down the track, what song do you think you will think of first with most fondness and will define your 2014 Eurovision experience?

We’ve asked our ESC Insight team of established writers to declare their personal favourites for 2014.

Ben Robertson – Latvia

I decided a long time ago that this would be the year when I try and take my Eurovision loving to another level, and that level was to go and see a few different national finals.  Of course I saw Melodifestivalen again, but I also went to neighbours Finland and Latvia for their shows.  I made the decisions to go here after hearing the entries and faling in love with a few in each.  Softengine won in Finland which is fair enough, but wasn’t their most groundbreaking in a very strong final (I wanted MIAU to punk up Copenhagen, but I’m happy they got to third).  It was Latvia that really surprised me.  I heard the 24 songs and one title stuck out.  Cake to Bake.  I had big worries when I pressed play, but here was this ditty that I was humming along after the first chorus too, and it has such an odd chord sequence that is still so catchy and it felt so fresh and genuine. 

The tickets for Ventspils were promptly booked when they qualified to the final.

It was, to be honest, just a pleasure to see this live on stage.  Then we got to be front row for the final, and we had a blast.  I expected nothing, knowing how big Dons were.  To get to the Superfinal was an achievement in itself, to win was surreal.  Nobody expected it.  I was blown away with my euphoria that the song I picked out from the long list of entries that I loved would now be played to millions. 

Furthermore, I fell for Latvia in the contest.  As I seem to keep harping on about in the weekly newsletter, and in my article on the subject, Latvia are desperate for any result, and this is one brave move to take the amateur German traveller above their seasoned pro.  I fell for the charms of the country and the act.  It was funny attending the Latvian Eurovision Pre-Party and hearing the stories back from that day, the composer of Cake to Bake had a heart to heart with me off recording about how ridiculous it is that the song managed to win, and the female singer Katrina was able to recall in much more detail than me my wild celebrations after the result. 

It’s a song and bam, it hits you and it works.  It has also charmed the pants on me afterwards, learning the little cep cep bits are actually Latvian and makes it adorably bilingual is just so wonderful, the story of this entry just keeps on giving.  Now all my Eurovision friends know about this.  I beg so hard that Latvia gets at least 10th in the semi to perform this song to all my non-Eurovision friends too who may watch the final, and keeps this country in the competition for another year.

Dr Eurovision – Spain

I loved Ruth Lorenzo when she was on X Factor and for years I hoped and wished she would do Eurovision – for the UK! This is the next best thing. I really like this song a lot, it builds nicely, and it’s improved with the added English verses. I do however, think that Ruth is so much better than the song. Saying that, with Ruth it’s all about the performance and she, like so many other artists in the contest, will be able to sell this when it counts. It would be wishful thinking to put this as a winner, with a lack of decent belters this year though, it could give Spain a top 10! I just hope they don’t over egg the pudding and have jugglers, acrobats and whatever else they have planned!

Ewan Spence – Austria

How do I judge my favourite song? The one I have listened to the most? The one I know I’ll be listening to in five years time? The one that sets off the goosebumps? Probably all four reasons… which means that I have to go for ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’.

It’s certainly a song with a lot of discussion points (the performance character of Conchita, the sheer amount of PR she’s going to be doing, the reaction of the Eastern juries and voting public) but all of these would amount to nothing if Wurst was singing a clunker of a dirge. She’s not. ‘Phoenix’ is a slow burner of a power ballad with an excess of power. Classically constructed, with a timeless orchestral backing track that both urges Wurst forward and restrains her at the same time, until she vocally fights free to fly over the entire Contest.

This is the one. This is the one to sing at the top of your voice. This is the one to reach out and do that pose from Titanic. This is the one that allows a singer to open up her heart on stage to show vulnerability and strength, passion and understanding, defiance and delicacy.

This is the one.

John Egan – United Kingdom

Last year I struggled to find  a song I loved: this year there’s a lot more on offer that’s of a good standard. It’s not as strong a year as 1998 or 2012, but still it’s a very strong Contest in 2014. If I have to pick one favourite, I very narrowly would have to give it to Molly’s “Children of the Universe” from the UK. From the launch video, through the various YouTube clips from the Eurovision preview parties, to the studio version, it’s come across as instant, professional and powerful. It has that intangible something that I can still hear in “Love Shine a Light”, and “Euphoria”. The studio version is great, but the live song is awesome. If this doesn’t end up in the top 3 it will either be because it gets a crap draw, Molly’s monitor stuffs her up, or Europe is just stoopid.

Samantha Ross – Malta

There are few participating nations as positively mad about Eurovision as Malta.  They’ve yet to win an Olympic medal, have never qualified for a World Cup…but they compete on a level playing field at Eurovision, and are itching for their first win.  After a pair of ESC qualifications and a resounding win at Junior (meaning they’ll host the event this November), the tiny Mediterranean island is riding a wave of momentum.  But rather than picking a big-voiced ballad or peppy dance-pop song, like they often have in recent years, the Maltese are sending something different.  A folk-inspired number that follows current international musical trends, yet stays comfortably classic, “Coming Home” stands out, even in a year with a higher-than-average number of folk or country-tinged entries.

Another thing I love about the Maltese entry this year is the natural ease and chemistry that the band has with each other, which I’m sure comes from the fact that four of the six members are, in fact, siblings.  Much like the similarly-named Icelandic song from 2011, watching “Coming Home” feels less like a performance, and more like a jam session.  If that feeling crosses over into their stage performance in Copenhagen, I might tip Malta as a dark horse for this year’s trophy.  Win or lose, Firelight has won my personal stamp of approval.

Sharleen Wright – France

I love me some twins, and I don’t mean those ones from Russia with the dull middling song.
Twins so good they named them twice.  Moustache – Twin Twin

Whilst you are all basking in the sunlight and bright lights of the Copenhagen stage this year, I will be on the other side of the world, wrapped in a blanket escaping the cold at 5am in Melbourne, Australia watching Eurovision on TV.  This little ditty brings a smile to my face. It makes me actually think of summer radio and fun, pure joy and wanting to party shamelessly. I need this little piece of happiness.  And let it be noted, this is the first French entry EVER that I can say I truly love. If I was in Denmark you would have seen me decking myself out in a French flag and adorning myself with a comedy shop purchase on my upper lip.  Their energy is infectious, and something I just hope the rest of the Eurovision acts will catch before they hit the stage in a fortnight and ensure that 2014 gives us some shows to remember.