Things I learnt at Eurovision this week...
The biggest act at MGP 2021 is TIX, not KEiiNO!
Us Eurovision fans think that all artists that have performed at the Contest must be the biggest names in any future selection process - we sometimes get a big surprise when another singer is the current big thing! That is what TIX is in Norway (photo c/o Julia Marie Naglestad/NRK), so KEiiNO have some stiff competition in the Final of Melodi Grand Prix on 20th February, together with the winners of SF1, Blåsemafian with Hazel. Chances are that they will not win MGP 2021 but they were delighted to get through to the Final:
Arguably the best staged on the night, with the guys with the brass instruments on what appeared to be a street and Hazel apparently indoors, and yet only a few feet away. Personally I would have gone with this 17 year old who lost out in the SF1'final' duel:
Anyone else think that she looks a lot like Alexandra Rotan from 2018? Stina Talling was superb in that duel and her vocals were post on, giving a lovely controlled performance with her contemporary dancers, but the fun and uptempo nature of "Let Loose" won the day. Having said that, nobody on the night was in the same league as these three:
The MGP venue was quite darkly lit and their costumes might need lightening up but the vocals of Alexandra was out of this world, Fred got his dues by being able to sing in Sami and not just joik, and Tom took a step backward, providing a solidity in the performance for the others to shine. The confidence that KEiiNO have as a unit now has grown so much since 2019 and it will take a lot to stop them getting their second MGP win. TIX's presence in the charts in Norway may provide a stumbling block but I think that, in this environment, Norway's 2019 artists are still the ones to beat. Of course there was more to this week's LET ME BE THE ONE than MGP in Norway - have a listen...
Tracks from this year's selection processes in Finland, France and Estonia were also on the show, along with the longest song ever played on any of my radio shows (7 minutes and 5 seconds - "Ponekad U Noći"):
"MONUMENT" - KEiiNO
"Elevate" - Stina Talling
"Playing With Fire" - Beady Belle
"Faith Bloody Faith" - Jorn
"Let Loose" - Blåsemafian ft Hazel
"Ut Av Mørket" - TIX
"Attention" - Vilija Matačiūnaitė
"Lie" - Oskr
"I Love You" - Teflon Brothers & Pandora
"Yamma Yamma" - Pave Maijanen
"Paris me dit" - Ali
"On a mangé le soleil" - Céphaz
"Let Your Spirit Fly" - Jan Johansen & Pernilla Wahlgren
"Calm After The Storm" - The Common Linnets
"Best Night Ever" - Tanja
"Free Again" - Egert Milder
"Energy" - Kadri Voorand
"Kaos" - Uku Haasma
"Lopputekstit" - Lili & Luna
"Como Tú" - Edurne & Efecto Pasillo
"Ponekad U Noći" - Highway
"Let Me Be The One" - 4The Shadows
You have now heard all TWELVE French entries for "Eurovision France, c'est vous qui décidez!" on Saturday 30th January and it is about time that I revealed my rankings:
The chances of "Black Spikes" making it anywhere near Eurovision were negligible at best, but it is entries like this that stick out from the majority and keep my interest in National Final processes like Lithuania's going. As you were...
That means we will have TWO complete entries for 2021,
unless there are any internal selections spring up!
Join me next week to find out.