[LMBTO] Eurovision 2018 UK-style... Same old, Same old?

Three Lucie's for the price of one and yet it still didn't grab the public's attention.  We connected with the juries around Eurovision with this amazing piece of vocalisation and songwriting involving a former Eurovision winner - can our entry at Lisbon be even better?  The process had to start at some point, given that we had already announced our presence in Portugal next May - last Friday was when BBC Eurovision opened up the selection pathway:
So what does that all mean?  In summary:


You don't believe me?  Read the same blurb in October 2016:
Have a good look and tell me the difference.  It is as if BBC Eurovision have taken last year's template, decided that it will be much the same as last year and just changed a few words here and there, mainly to make it current.  Am I being unfair?  Is it a bit uninspiring?  Could it have been jazzed up a tad to make it more encouraging to the willing amateur?  I am sure it could!  The major points are strikingly similar:


The only real difference between the two years are the words of Hugh Goldsmith and Guy Freeman.

Hugh's stand out words and phrases were:

2017

• "Impact"
• "Great is required"
• "emotive lyrics and memorable melodies with a brilliant production"
• "not constrained by genre - best in class is what we want"

• "emotive lyrics, memorable melodies and brilliant productions"
• "originality and the element of surprise"
• "creatively fresh, brave and a little bit different"

How about Guy's even briefer text?

2017

• "passionately believes they've written an outstanding song"
• "win over the hearts and minds of millions"
• "go for it"

Being a member, we have already been asked to put our names forward for the process:
I have duly answered the email - hopefully I will rise to the top of the other 2000+ fans who have not participated in the last two years!  It would be a very interesting experience although I am not sure I'd be able to blog about it much, what with non-disclosure agreements.  To be honest, I think that my chances aren't that amazing, seeing that only 45 members are needed!  Whether a Finalist materialises out of the public submissions is difficult to tell - in 2016, OGAE UK found Karl William Lund:



In 2017, we were informed that the OGAE selection missed out on the Final, reaching the stage beforehand, the penultimate stage of deliberation by the BBC delegation.  Was that because more songwriters are now interested, not just from here but from around the globe?  Emmelie De Forest was involved in the process last year, along with DWB Music Ltd, who had links with THREE of the six songs last year.  I know from conversations with Greig Watts, director at the firm, that they are writing for many Eurovision markets and the UK is obviously one that they are concentrating hard to conquer, as would be expected from a home songwriting firm.  There has also been a UK songwriting camp in Denmark, with a  familiar face:

Greta Salóme in Regent Street (not the Ark Recording Studio near Copenhagen, where the camp was based), shopping or sightseeing, I'm unsure but I suspect that she was in London in her capacity as Eurovision artist and composer.  Will we be getting an entry with heavy use of the violin?  Dipping into some of the UK's mythical tales?  At least this is someone who 'gets' Eurovision...

I have this feeling that as we have had a public submission process each year for the last two NFs, this will continue for the foreseeable future.  It always looks great PR-wise to get as many people involved with the process, especially on social media:

🎼 Could you write the UK entry for #Eurovision2018? 🇬🇧 Public submissions for our #Eurovision song are open! 👉 https://t.co/V6NMUeBhtfpic.twitter.com/NsImEtU86X

— BBC Eurovision (@bbceurovision) September 29, 2017

I do get the feeling that the chances of someone providing an entry from this method of selection is now less likely than in the first "Eurovision : You Decide" due to the added interest caused by the 15th placing of Lucie Jones.  It is always possible that there is a "Amar pelos dois" out there amongst the hum drum ballads, a "Euphoria" amongst the swathe of so-so pop or even a "Hard Rock Hallelujah" sticking out of all the rock submitted.  It is obvious that Hugh Goldsmith for one is keen to seen different genres being put forward, entries involving more than just a soloist on stage, along with lyrics and music that is edgier than traditional Eurovision.  If anyone is stuck for ideas, have a look around the extremes of acts connected to Eurovision for inspiration - remember Onuka from Kyiv's interval?  How about a three minute version of this on the NF stage:


It is all still early days - I cannot imagine that there have been huge numbers of submissions yet, given there is still just over a fortnight to put an track forward.  I am certain that we will see a few of the 'waifs and strays' of this process appearing soon, typically the ones who have absolutely no chance of making it to the NF.  Until that time and the closing date, where all the submitted tracks will be brought together for OGAE UK to view, I should be grateful for the following...




What would I like to see this year from my nation?  To be honest, we need someone who can sing live spot on every performance, someone who can connect with the camera and draw the viewer into the show, together with someone who can handle the media with a smile and some interesting chat:
Okay, so we need just something extra this year...perhaps it will be just having the right song that stands out from the other 40 odd nations and connects in a way that we weren't expecting - there's one every single year, here's hoping the UK get the lucky break in 2018!