Çarşamba 26 May 2010, 13:04
These are my thoughts about the performances and songs in the First semi final of the eurovision songcontest 2010. I will also note which countries I predicted to reach the final.
01. Moldova: Sunstroke Project & Olia Tira - Runaway
Moldova opened this year’s eurovision songcontest and it wasn’t that bad at all. Based on other performances by Sunstroke Project & Olia Tira I didn’t expect them to sing very well, but I was pleasantly surprised. I’m not saying it was perfect, but good enough in my opinion. I liked the song as well. Very modern, very uptempo, I especially like the trumpet-parts. I still don’t get why she painted her face blue, though…
My opinion: 7
My prediction was: Qualifier
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
02. Russia: Peter Nalitch & Friends - Lost & Forgotten
This song really didn’t do it for me. I thought it was a bit boring and his singing wasn’t my cup of tea either. The act with the picture in his hand was a bit stupid. I didn’t like this at all! Maybe I just don’t understand it, but I can’t appreciate it.
My Opinion: 4,5
My prediction was: non-qualifier
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
03. Estonia: Malcolm Lincoln - Siren
This song is a bit weird. It isn’t catchy at all, so it’s not easy to ‘understand’ it after one listen and that never works out well in eurovision. His singing is ok, but he dances a bit weird. Not really my cup of tea.
My Opinion: 4,5
My prediction was: non-qualifier
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
04. Slovakia: Kristina - Horehronie
I like this song a lot. It has got that typical eurovision-sound and it is catchy. The performance is good with the dancers, but the singing wasn’t that great. Not bad, but not very good either. The song maybe misses something like a climax, but still very nice to listen to!
My opinion: 7,5
My prediction was: Qualifier
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
05. Finland: Kuunkuiskaajat - Työlki ellää
I heard this song was considered a favourite in this semi final, but I don’t get why. The song is a bit folky, but it’s a bit lame. It doesn’t go anywhere and the so-called happiness of the two singers is a bit too much for me. But I shouldn’t be too negative, I already seen two songs worse than this.
My opinion: 5
My prediction was: Qualifier
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
06. Latvia: Aisha - What For?
Well… I think only mr. God knows why Aisha took the stage to ‘sing’ a song. And only mr. God knows why the Latvian people choose her to represent them. Only mr. God knows why this woman was chosen to sing this song, because the song itself ain’t that bad. It’s a cliché ballad, but not the worst in it’s genre. But her voice is definitely the worst of the evening. She can’t even sing a note in tune, horrible.
My opinion: 4
My prediction was: last position with no points at all (well maybe some points from neighbour Estonia)
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
07. Serbia: Milan Stanković - Ovo Je Balkan
Serbia was considered one of the favourites in this semi-final and I understand that. This type of Balkan-song is really popular in Eurovision. And to be honest the song isn’t one of my personal favourites, but the melody is contagious and the stage-performance is nice with the dancers and happiness all over the place. Milan sings this song quite good, although I wouldn’t want his hairdresser to touch my hair..
My Opinion: 6,8
My Prediction was: definitely a qualifier
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
08. Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vukašin Brajić - Thunder And Lightning
Vukasin from Bosnia & Herzegovina has one of the best voices of the whole evening. His performance is very good and it looks nice on screen. The song is a poprock-piece and isn’t bad as well. I wouldn’t vote for it, but it is a quite nice one in it’s genre, but Rock isn’t something that works well in eurovision most of the time.
My Opinion: 6,5
My prediction was: Misses the final with a few points, non qualifier.
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
09. Poland: Marcin Mroziński - Legenda
Strange things happening on stage now. This act is a little to chaotic, too many things going on with to many people participating in the centre of the stage. His voice isn’t bad, but the song becomes also a little chaotic, with the backing singers singing parts that are quite loud. It just doesn’t work well on stage, while the idea may be nice.
My opinion: 5
My prediction was: non-qualifier
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
10. Belgium: Tom Dice - Me And My Guitar
Nice song this year from Belgium. It works really well after the chaos from Poland; a young man with a guitar singing a beautiful song. His voice is good and the performance is very pure. I love it and so does the audience who are already applauding after the first chorus. Well done, Belgium!
My opinion: 8
My prediction was: Definite qualifier (even for Belgium!)
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
11. Malta: Thea Garrett - My Dream
A classical ballad from Malta. Thea has a very good voice and sings her song with passion. I’m not sure though about the wings appearing behind her, it’s a bit dull. It’s something we’ve heard and seen before on eurovision, but it is still quite good.
My Opinion: 7
My prediction was: Qualifier
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
12. Albania: Juliana Pasha - It's All About You
This powerful, danceable song works really well after some ballads. Juliana is a very good singer and she looks really nice and charming on screen. The song is catchy as hell and the stage-performance is quite good too, although I’m not a big fan of the hyperactive violin player. But overall a very good song this year from Albania.
My opinion: 8
My prediction was: Definite qualifier.
Turned out to be a: Qualifier.
13. Greece: Giorgos Alkaios & Friends - Opa
Greece participates with a typical Greek eurovision-song this year. It’s nice to hear the Greek language again in this contest. Giorgos sings well and the overall performance with the dancers works on screen, although it is a bit of a cliché. Greece is one of the most successful eurovision countries over the last years and this will not change in 2010.
My Opinion: 7
My prediction was: Definite qualifier
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
14. Portugal: Filipa Azevedo - Há Dias Assim
A beautiful woman takes the stage now. She looks perfect on screen and she sings quite good. Her ballad is very classical and typically eurovision (just like Malta this year). This ballad isn’t a song that immediately gets you, but the juries will love this.
My opinion: 6,8
My prediction was: Qualifier thanks to the juries.
Turned out to be a: Qualifier
15. FYR Macedonia: Gjoko Taneski feat. Billy Zver & Pejcin - Jas ja imam silata
Gjoko sings a rock song this year for FYR Macedonia and he comes across as an experienced singer. He sounds good, but I can’t stop wondering what the hell these dancers were doing on stage. They don’t belong there on stage with an older man singing a rock song. And then suddenly some rapper appears and makes it worse. Rap doesn’t belong in a rock song. Gjoko’s parts are ok, but the overall performance is not good at all.
My opinion: 5
My prediction was: definitely not sailing through to the final.
Turned out to be a: non-qualifier
16. Belarus: 3+2 - Butterflies
Now this is tragic. The song is boring, their voices sound off-tune together and most of the solo’s aren’t any better. Well, this is not as bad as Latvia, but hey, that is a league on it’s own. Still very bad performance from Belarus and no way some spreading butterfly-wings at the start of the chorus will change that.
My opinion: 4,5
My prediction was: Definitely not sailing through to the final.
Turned out to be a: Qualifier (!!!:S)
17. Iceland: Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi
This sounds very good after Belarus, but not only because that was so bad. Hera sings very good and her song is one catchy dance-number. It is very eurovision, with a slow start building up to an explosive chorus, but there is nothing wrong with that! Very good to end this first night of eurovision with.
My opinion: 8
My prediction was: Definite qualifier
Turned out to be a: qualifier
Now these were my thoughts of all the 17 performances from the first semi-final. I didn’t expect this semi-final to be good after hearing most of the songs, but it wasn’t that bad really. Well, there were some horrific performances (Latvia, Belarus, Estonia), but also some very good things (Belgium, Albania and Iceland). I expected to go through: Moldova, Slovakia, Finland, Serbia, Belgium, Malta, Albania, Greece, Portugal and Iceland. So I scored 7 out of 10. Bosnia & Herzegovina as a finalist was a surprise for me, but they deserved it! Russia must be something I don’t get in some way, but Belarus was just awful. Slovakia’s Kristina deserved their place in the final. To bad she didn’t make it. I also thought Malta deserved a place in the final, but I’m glad Finland didn’t make it ‘cause I didn’t like it at all. So overall, most finalists deserved it, but I will miss Slovakia!