[LMBTO] It's Getting Bigger! The Eurovision PreParty, Riga 2016...

Anyone else remember this?  The first ever Riga pre-Party in 2014, in a small bar called the Andalūzijas Suns Bar/Cafe, where even the actual Latvian Eurovision entry that year didn't perform - at least I witnessed online some superb singing by Cleo and Conchita (Eurovision Pre-Party 2014) and the start of what is now a regular venue for the stars of Eurovision to perform, show themselves off to the Eurovision fans and get some banter going with all the journalists, truly getting enveloped by the Eurovision 'bubble'!  Whereas there was only two artists confident enough to attend then (perhaps having the eventual winner and phenomenom that is Ms Wurst attend the inaugural event helped in that regard), this year there was nine of the 43 acts (the foursome from Bosnia and Herzegovina could not make it in the end):
Unfortunately I did not watch it live as it was over before I came in from a 'day at the pit' (work) but I caught up with all the material from the Party itself and interviews too.  The interviews by Michael Duncan from ESCKAZ (and the above picture) are always excellent and seem to put the artists at ease - the highlights of these for me were seeing how tall IVAN is, hearing how Hovi slept with a sweet stuck to his face, not being surprised that Ira is still as attractive as she was in 2002 and that Barei's 'moves' are actually harder than they appear:



So there nine artists who will appear in Stockholm, some singing extra songs but all sticking to the tried and tested formula that is the Riga show:


Latvians appear to be quite a refined bunch of people, who prefer to stay seated and be polite in their applause - despite a couple of artists imploring them to get up and dance etc.,  it seemed a little bit alien to the crowd.  There was also very little that could be done as far as staging these acts went - the whole point is to be seen, get interviewed and perfect your vocal delivery.  Most did this superbly well, whereas some might need a few more performances to get it all spot on.  Herreys and Schlagerfeber were also there to provide some more entertainment, proving that this event has grown enormously since 2014 but I was really interested in how well 'the class of 2016' performed.  Here they all are...


Justs - Heartbeat



It appears as though the 1980's Miami Vice look and the OTT emotional delivery are going to be Justs 'calling card' this year!  Not my taste but it seems to do it for a lot of Eurovision fans at the moment - still an amazing vocal, nothing duff about this at all and absolutely no chance of this not being in the Final in Stockholm.  I can't imagine this guy ever getting it wrong - I'm just wondering what the staging will be like or whether the physical interaction that he showed in Supernova and here will be 'his way' of filling the Globen stage.  This performance showed everything you needed to know about Justs - Latvia are a contender for the win this year.


Rykka - The Last Of Our Kind



Regular readers will remember that I often feel that most Eurovision artists have a 'perfect storm' moment during their campaign - the more I see Rykka performing this song, the more I feel that this moment happened months ago at the Expert Check session of 'Die Grosse Entscheidungs Show 2016' - all the rawness and attitude that was there and made this appealing to me has all gone.  The vocals are still there (I chose this video over the more official view as the vocals  in it were slightly off and it looked like she was miming, which she clearly wasn't) but Rykka seems to be holding back and I hope that her staging in Stockholm is top notch because based purely on the actual song, which is still thoughtful and poignant, I would say that Switzerland would not be qualifying for the Final.


IVAN - Help You Fly



From what I have seen so far, IVAN seems to be a very nice and genuine guy.  Eurovision is obviously the biggest gig of his life and it looks as though he is going to grab all the experiences going.  Hopefully the Eurovision press will make allowances for his lack of English fluency but as he is from Belarus, the fact that he doesn't have an interpreter answering all the questions posed is a bonus!  As for the act itself, future performances need to pump his microphone volume right up as this was a bit quiet and didn't really give a great impression of how well he can sing.  The music itself has a great beat and it was obvious that the crowd were getting into this, more so than some of the other songs in Riga.  He's not going to be able to be nude on stage or have live wolves in Stockholm but I am sure that someone with a creative mind could give him something similar to work with that is acceptable to SVT and the EBU.  Whatever that is, I don't think that IVAN will be singing in the Final but I hope that he is given all the plus points he can be so he gives a decent account of himself.  He sings this spot on every time though which is a big positive - he won't be a bottom of the table SF finisher.


Sanja Vučić ZAA - Goodbye (Shelter)



One of the more entertaining interviewees (mainly due to her having quite an interesting back story), this lady will almost certainly have the best vocals of Eurovision 2016, if her official video and this performance are anything to go by.  I'm not sure what staging she will have as she is ALWAYS full on and she might not need anything else going on around her, her passion and emotional delivery are there for all to see!  Whereas in Justs, it seemed a little OTT, here it seems to suit Sanja's character perfectly.  A superb singer and one of the few artists here to hint at the style of clothing she might wear in Sweden, I really think that this is one of the hot favourites to win Eurovision this year - Serbia's best entry since their one and only victory in 2007.  If we are going to flip to a powerful solo ballad winning the ESC this year, this could well be the one to do it.  She looks as though she'll have a set to watch at any EuroClub meet, if her rendition of 'Crazy In Love' is anything to go by:




Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime



When I heard the official video and audio of this entry first time, I was distinctly underwhelmed - it was all just okay, no amazing hook, no massive wow moments and a few non-Eurovision fans I know agreed with this, remarking that the most memorable thing about 'If Love Was A Crime' was whether it should be 'was' or 'were' in the title and the ability to rhyme 'criminals' and 'miracle'.  Having seen this footage and some interviews from Riga, I now know what Bulgaria's main selling point needs to be in order to get their nation's entry seen in the Final for only the second time in their history - Poli herself.  She is the epitome of positivity, really confident in a nice way, always smiling and appearing to want to please everyone around her.  The actual entry might not have changed in how it sounds but it has suddenly a massive appeal for me now I have seen Poli perform it vocally perfectly in a live situation and how she sells it to the audience.  Huge amounts of energy and belief, together with her quirky fashion sense, could make this a very memorable act in Sweden, enough so to get Bulgaria the points needed to make it into the Final.  For me, any position on Saturday night would be a bonus - I don't think this is a winner or even a top ten but I am sure that most of Poli's 'countrymen' would be delighted to see her twice during Eurovision 2016.


Jüri Pootsmann - Play



As this wasn't the official footage (that had poor audio) and ESCKAZ were obvious recording this further from the stage, I spotted immediately what might be the downside of 'Play' as having an immediate impact on the Globen stage - the chit chat and noise around the camera suggested that the audience were still talking about the previous act or about going to the bar, anything other than watching and listening to Jüri sing.  He has a great voice and it is a very intelligent set of lyrics he is singing but the music and his style doesn't 'hit you between the eyes' from the first second, it grows on you over the three minutes and that might be telling in May.  Will a lot of fans in the crowd and televoters be taking the opportunity to do other things whilst he is singing and miss this performance?  It also doesn't help that he has a bit of a false ending as well - if Estonia keep the staging the same as it was in their National Final, excellent singer that Mr Pootsmann is might be only singing 'Play' in the SF.  I suppose that this is part of what pre-Parties are for - getting an idea of how things look and how audiences react...


Barei - Say Yay!



This is one of my favourites this year, mainly due to Barei's sassy attitude and sexual charisma in the Spanish and Ukrainian National Final performances, together with this being the 'party anthem' this Eurovision.  This was understandably toned a bit due to the smallness of the stage and having to perform in front of just a backing track but it was obvious, even here, that the crowd loved this one and were into the song and the dance right from the off.  In a tight year such as this, a charismatic party tune could stand out enough to win Eurovision.  She comes across well in interviews too with a neat sense of humour and might even challenge Kaliopi for the title of 'Interview Queen'!  This showing in Riga proved that Barei always produces it when it matters - I am still confident of a top five for Spain and maybe more...


Hovi Star - Made Of Stars



Now this guy I didn't know much about so this was an interesting event to watch.  Of all the artists in Riga, he is the one that I found out most about and who gave a vocal performance that improved my thoughts about his nation's chances the most too.  He came across in interview as his own man, very funny and 'not towing the party line'!  His vocal delivery and emotional connection was top notch too, absolutely effortless, a real treat to listen to - I would very disappointed if Hovi was not singing in the Final in Stockholm now.  I'm not sure how this can be staged other than totally focussing all on him and his amazing voice - maybe in this year of rock bands and some intricate backdrops, that might not be a bad idea.  This was possibly my favourite bit of the Riga pre-Party...


Ira Losco - Walk On Water


And now to the oldest artist on show in Riga (but surprisingly only by months over Barei, neither of whom look 34) - Ira implored the crowd to get up and dance, sing along, do anything other than sit down politely!  Ira 'knocked it out the park' as per usual and showed how right a decision it was to swap songs from 'Chameleon' to 'Walk On Water'.  This is so contemporary, sounds really fresh, she sings it amazingly well and looks so happy doing so.  Nice outfit too, the 'Grecian' dress and boots really suiting her - assuming that the staging is good too, I think that Malta will now be definitely singing twice in Stockholm and I wouldn't be surprised if they return to the left hand side of the board for the first time since 2013.  Ira knows the game and always comes across brilliantly in interviews, a truly consummate professional.  It was a great way to end the performances of this year's Eurovision artists.


And so yet another Riga party finished and the first of FIVE official pre-Parties done (Riga, Moscow, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv and London).  Five of the artists (Rykka, IVAN, Hovi, Ira and Barei) were all off to Moscow for that pre-Party the next night (3rd April) so they would be nicely warmed up, if a little tired!  From only having two artists turn up in 2014, this event has made a huge jump forward in becoming a regular fixture on the Eurovision circuit and I have to say that it was a real pleasure to watch the interviews that have come out of it too.  As for the artists themselves, several did not surprise me at all as they did what they have always done before in their NFs and/or official videos - the two singers that made me sit up and notice them, really making me think that they had a chance of a better position in Stockholm than before (which is what these events are there to achieve, surely) were Hovi and Poli: