In this week’s edition we review the final Eurovision song of the season and look at the headline making annoucements from San Marino and Belarus that stole Bulgaria’s thunder. We also have news on Asiavision, preview clocks in Stockholm and parties in Tel Aviv, as well as the best Eurovision bits from across the Internet.
Our regular column, Robertson’s Reflection, looks back on the drama that has been San Marino’s switch to a disco version, and looks at the crazy decisions the microstate have made in their Eurovision history.
And it isn’t to begrudge Ralph Siegel or anybody else associated with San Marino in Eurovision, it is more that each step has been a one-shot in the dark attempt. There seems little thought about progression, about trying to make something locally sustainable, and it’s all a mess each year. What made me especially sad last year was that Michele Perniola had all the star qualities to make it in the Song Contest as an artist, and the track washed up for him was completely unsuited for his style. His New Wave track, ‘Panico’, would have been far more suited the fun funk style that is Michele and was the type of freshness that would have put San Marino in a fighting chance to qualify last May.
San Marino this year are now making the same mistake. In changing the style of the song from weary ballad to dated disco, Serhat’s deep tones are going to be lost amongst the disco glitter. I had heard the disco version before the switch. It was fun. It’s competent as a remix concept. As a competing entry San Marino have turned ‘I Didn’t Know’ intentionally into the show’s biggest car crash. Gone are the chance of scoring more than double figures from the juries.
Keep on joining the ever-growing list of subscribers to make sure you miss out on none of the Eurovision news before, during and after Stockholm this May.
I was enjoying the newsletter until this bit: “a Russian teen girl with a rich and powerful daddy”.
Kamilla is 11. She’s a child. Implying there was some sort of “daddy” arrangement going on is horrible.
Hi Robyn,
Glad you were enjoying the newsletter.
I believe Kamilla’s story is a part of San Marino’s Eurovision history, and it’s worth acknowledgment in this saga. The perception of how she got to Sofia never felt comfortable to anybody I believe. I agree it’s not particularly enjoyable to bring up.