The 'New/Old/Classic' line up of Hooverphonic
graces Rotterdam in May...
They, ROXEN and Jeangu Macrooy come under
the LMBTO microscope this time!
So here we go, another stream of articles, sort of separate to my show posts, brought about by the sheer number of releases over a period of three weeks! I could cope with writing in detail about the entries when they came in two or three per episode, even four plus a revamp in show 133 but it went all completely mad between March 1st and 13th. I have expanded on Australia's entry from Montaigne and the UK entry from James Newman in their respective editions but the other 22 will appear in these posts. So chronologically Romania, Belgium and The Netherlands were next - let's begin with the trio at the top of this page...
BELGIUM : Hooverphonic - "The Wrong Place"
One great picture of Hooverphonic by Zeb Daemen deserves another by Willy Vanderperre - we return to the 'classic' line-up with Geike Arnaert back in place as lead vocalist, instead of Luka Cruysberghs who should have been in that role for 2020 with "Release Me". Another victim of Eurovision being cancelled but in a more business like manner, with Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts deciding with Geike to put their fans' favourite trio back in place. 2020's had a lot of emotional attachment for Alex and when you knew the back story, it all made total sense but not necessarily a vote-winning Eurovision song, so in that regard having another go has possibly saved Belgium from another year of staying in the SF. "The Wrong Place" has a totally different set-up and story to tell:
I wake up, and I think
I could use another drink
I'm reaching for a smoke
to forget about last night
I get up cause I need
a shot of instant remedy
I put a record on
that makes me think about last night
It all ended in the weirdest trip
you started acting way too hip
That's why
I ignored you for a long, long time
but then you had the best opening line
You're in the wrong place
You're lying next to me.
I don't know where to hide
I see your smiley face
that makes me wanna cry
What was I thinking
cause all we did was fight
Don't you ever dare to wear my Johnny Cash T-shirt
You're in the wrong place
You wake up, and you think
You won't need another drink
You don't want me to smoke
Though I didn't stop last night
You get up cause you need
an organic cup of tea
You put a record on
That makes you think about last night
You confused me with your blurry eyes
Thought you were a different kind of guy
That's why
I took you to my messy place
but it felt as if we were in a different space.
You're in the wrong place
You're lying next to me
I don't know where to hide
I see your smiley face
that makes me wanna cry
What was I thinking
cause all we did was fight
Don't you ever dare to wear my Johnny Cash T-shirt
You're in the wrong place
Don’t you ever dare to wear my Johnny Cash T-shirt
'A one night stand gone bad' is how Alex has described this song and after reading those lyrics, you do get where he is coming from, even more so when you watch the official video:
That thumping beat grabs your attention immediately and it continues throughout together with the synth claps, so that is the musical hook sorted - you also get percussion that reminds me of old western films and all of this nostalgia fits perfectly with the video. Of course the star of the show is Geike, Alex and Raymond being pushed into the background as extras - it is obvious that she knows how to act in videos and really takes on the role of 'unexpectedly scary woman picked up at a bar' with relish. She is almost Miss Haversham from "Great Expectations" but with guns and the ability to chop her man's head off - a very unusual video for Eurovision! What it does demonstrate is that Hooverphonic are putting Geike out front and central for a very good reason - watch this live performance:
Again Alex and Raymond are peripheral to the real star here - for a start, Geike gives a perfect live vocal that is absolutely indistinguishable from the studio version. More importantly she exudes star quality and has that rare characteristic that pushes a few lead singers to legendary status - her movements are minimal but her delivery is supreme and with the camera tight on her, you cannot look anywhere else. She plays the same role as Liam Gallagher of Oasis - hardly any movement from the microphone stand and yet it is all about her face as she sings, with the emotion of the song being delivered perfectly and in a way that visuals aren't needed. We don't need that fun and freaky video - we just need Geike and that sort of performance in May to convince jurors and viewers that Hooverphonic are professional, cultured and talented, with a song that fits the age of the singer, Unfortunately "The Wrong Place" would not have meshed with the youth of Luka and I am sure that it would not have been written for her. This is one of the songs that becomes a different beast live and my SECHUK Jury scores reflected that:
Vocal Capability 5.0/5
Stage Performance 4.0/5
Composition / Originality 4.0/5
Overall Impression 4.0/5
Score 17.0/20 (8.5)
Like Gjon's Tears and Jeangu Macrooy in 2020, watching a live vocal performance has pushed "The Wrong Place" up to #10 on my 2021 preferences. I am convinced now that this will be a Jury favourite in Rotterdam and that this should easily get Belgium into their first Final since 2017 - not so sure how well the public will appreciate this classy number but I get the feeling that the members of Hooverphonic will not mind what happens. Such professionalism will mean that they view Rotterdam as another couple of gigs, they go back to the adulation of their fans who will be ecstatic that Geike is back in the fold and then never ever return to any Eurovision event again! Alex might write songs for others, like he did for Sennek, but this will be another big artist who will not have to rely on Eurovision for their future pay checks.
ROMANIA : ROXEN - "Amnesia"
The video merits that performance dance aspect - the interaction between ROXEN and those around her who are trying to overshadow her, swamping her needs and anxieties. The song is beautifully written and sends a clear message about mental health issues:
Once upon a time
I used to know a girl
Ripped jeans messy hair
Shining like a pearl
Like a summer day
She could push the night so far away
If you feel what I feel
See what I see
Don't bring yourself down
You are not alone, not alone now
Oh, I lost myself tryna to have it all
This world feels in rush and they say they know it all
Oh I lost myself tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don't worry if it got ya
Cuz you're not alone , not alone
I tried to fight it but it's getting strong, getting strong
Oh I lost myself tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don't worry if you got it cuz you're not alone
Giving all they want might make you lose control
They keep preaching words like I should know
People always say be careful what you're wishing for
If you feel what I feel,
See what I see
Don't bring yourself down
You are not alone, not alone now
Oh, I lost myself tryna to have it all
This world feels in rush and they say they know it all
Oh I lost myself, tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don t worry if it got ya
Cuz you're not alone , not alone
I tried to fight it but it's getting strong, getting strong
Oh I lost myself tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don t worry if you got it
Self love, self love, it's never gone
Self love, self love, put it back on
Self love, self love, you're not alone
Not alone, not alone
self love amnesia
I lost myself tryna to have it all
This world feels in rush and they say they know it all
Oh I lost myself , tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don t worry if it got ya
Cuz you're not alone, not alone
I tried to fight it but it's getting strong, getting strong
Oh I lost myself tryna have it all
Self love amnesia, don t worry if you got it cuz you're not alone
There is such intelligent story telling here and if that is picked up on by jurors and public, "Amnesia" will make for a thought provoking three minutes. ROXEN still has that beguiling voice that draws you in but as she and the song were internally selected, we have had no live vocal to draw on yet, apart from a 20 second snippet off her Insta account:
As expected, it sounds perfect but I'd want to hear the whole three minutes with some idea as to how this entry will be staged. "Alcohol You" seemed to be heading down the 'ROXEN stands still and sings perfectly, mesmerising us with her minimalistic movements and voice' route, much in the same way as we have seen her when she has sung live in Romanian tv studios in the past. The big question will be whether we will see any aspect of her video in her Rotterdam staging and if so, how much will that affect her vocals that are her real strength. The safe option would be to have her steady and moving hardly at all, providing an incredible vocal that wows the jurors, and have dancers around her for the visuals - going down another route would be a big gamble for her nation. If the stage director gets it wrong, we may see yet another year of heartache for Romania, as "Amnesia" could fall between the cracks and miss out on the Final - there will be a lot of entries in SF1 that will be visually spectacular, mainly because their songs are more lightweight than ROXEN's. My score at the moment (given we have no live performance to judge) is 8.0 - that could go either way, depending on how this will look and how ROXEN's vocals are affected (or not).
Personally I would play to her strengths, as a vocal masterclass will stand out more this year - I just hope that we will see ROXEN in the Final, as her usual performance style would add something extra to the list of 26. She has matured over the past twelve months vocally and also has become more confident - whatever happens in Rotterdam will not stop her career in her homeland or stop others wanting to collaborate with her, as she is now the perfect voice for EDM tracks.
THE NETHERLANDS : Jeangu Macrooy - "Birth Of A New Age"
The whole is vibrant, it tells a story visually and if you had no idea of the background of the singer, this would set the scene wonderfully well. Drawing on his Surinamese background and heritage, Jeangu is putting his birth nation front and central in this video, highlighting the colonial challenges to his adopted nation by the lyrics of "Birth Of A New Age":
Skin as rich as a starlit night
Your rhythm is rebellion
Deep currents running in the rivers of your eyes
Your rhythm is rebellion
They spat on your crown
And they poisoned your ground
Your rhythm is rebellion
They burned your heroes at the stake
But your voice will echo all their names
This ain’t the end, no!
It’s the birth of a new age
Yu no man broko mi
Soul blazing like a hurricane
Your rhythm is rebellion
Spirit roaring wild like untamed flames
Your rhythm is rebellion
They buried your gods
They imprisoned your thoughts
Your rhythm is rebellion
They tried to drain you of your faith
But you are the rage that melts the chains
This ain’t the end, no!
It’s the birth of a new age
We are the fruit
Adorning the legacy
Of every forgotten revolutionary
Born in resilience
Proud like a lion
We are the birth of a new age
Yu no man broko mi
Mi na afu sensi
Challenging and yet inspirational too, the power of the words and the use of Sranan Tongo, one of the languages of Suriname,make this entry a thought provoking story. Apparently the song is inspired by the Surinamese saying:
‘Mi Na Afu Sensi, No Wan Man E Broko Mi’
(‘I’m half a cent, you can’t break me’)
If Jeangu wasn't one of the artists competing for the Eurovision crown already, I could see this being an interval act during one of the shows in Rotterdam - beautifully sung and I suspect visually providing the whole works, with no limits on numbers on the stage, which would benefit this immensely. That six limit on the number on stage might detract from this entry as a whole - we have no clues from the first live performance though, as there were 18 in view...
An unfortunate consequence of the 'live backing vocal' relaxation is that the group providing those incredible harmonies in this performance are likely not to be there on the Ahoy stage - to be honest, that might be a benefit, as all the voices of the choir can then be used. If Jeangu goes with a band performance then some of those will have to be jettisoned too - I suspect that we will have Jeangu and five dancers/actors, much like the video, bright and symbolic, to add to the lyrics and the potent vocals of the singer himself. That would improve my rating of this entry, which is based on the AVROTROS reveal:
Vocal Capability 4.5/5
Stage Performance 3.0/5
Composition / Originality 3.5/5
Overall Impression 3.0/5
Score 14.0/20 (7.0)
As a competition song, I don't feel that "Birth Of A New Age" has the same wow factor as "Grow" did - that was all about Jeangu's vocal and emotional delivery, putting it into my personal top ten and giving me chills! I felt that 2020's song had a chance of being a Jury winner - 2021 feels to me that Jeangu has decided to make a statement with his entry, to showcase his home on a stage viewed by 180-200 million viewers, to utilise three minutes to make jurors and viewers think, and that can only be a good thing. Another interval act within the Final running order will be a plus for Rotterdam if the visuals match the message of the song - here is hoping that Jeangu and the delegation get it right on a night of showing off everything excellent to do with Dutch culture.
My personal positions for these three?
BELGIUM 10th
ROMANIA 16th
THE NETHERLANDS 26th
All three in the Final? Obviously one minimum and I'd love to see all three there...