Eurovision 2023

[DSC]

^{I was wondering if it would be worth it to make an entire new thread about it, but then again if the mods feel like it they are free to merge this one with the previous Eurovision 2022 thread.}

 

Another year... Another Eurovision Song Contest. I always watch them because the cheese is highly entertaining, but truth be told I'm not really specially excited for this year's edition. Until now, the thing that's been bugging my mind about this show the most was this remark, in an article by the BBC they published where they took a look at each contestant.

Spoiler

    

I think the band's looks and the fact its Eurovision are enough to tell that's not the kind of metal they make. As a giant thrash aficionado... Goddamn it BBC. RIP for the fans who googled thrash it thinking it would be a similar kind of music to this Eurovision-friendly band. Still, the thought of a band like Sodom performing there has been endlessly exhilarating to me. And imagine a thrash metal (or even just metal) only Eurovision, that would be badass. What contestants would you choose or like to see perform there?

 

Other than that... Its taking place in Liverpool, so a Beatles homage is very probable. I just hope they don't screw it up big time.

[HenKonen]

Oh shit boi here we go again!

I for one am an ESC appreciator and the cheese and camp is part of the charm for sure. The recent interest in rock and some metal stuff is a weird trend in the contest, but I don't find it especially thrilling from a metalhead standpoint. Like sure, throw some Blind Channel, Måneskin, LOTL or the like in there but the contest isn't really the best place to showcase metal outside the pop/metal -fusion fringe.

Like even without the ~3min song duration limitation who would even want some (not to sound gatekeepy or realhead) proper metal amidst all the glitter and camp goofing? Like imagine Sodom entering the stage following some Armenian folk music influenced dancehall, it would be weird af 

Edited May 8, 2023 by HenKonen

[HenKonen]

Even though I really don't think ESC is the place for metal, but seeing as Australia is a contestant, in my heart of hearts I think I would like it if King Gizz entered the contest with some balls to the walls thrash in the vein of Rat's Nest

It would be wrong, but I would like it and have a distaste for myself for liking it

[leejacksonaudio]

9 hours ago, DSC said:

Other than that... Its taking place in Liverpool, so a Beatles homage is very probable.

Right idea, wrong band. Frankie Goes to Hollywood have got back together. Witness.

 

 

N.B. - This song is the inspiration for my songs "CCCool" and "MMMenu" in Rise of the Triad.

Edited May 8, 2023 by leejacksonaudio

[DSC]

Was very surprised to see Croatia qualify, but its always nice to see joke entries have some success, to me this kind of madness is the best this contest has to give.

[Redneckerz]

The Netherlands were great.

 

 

Said no one ever. Oh well, it was atleast alright in the semi's, but still nobody said ever that they were great. Massive props to Duncan Laurence for discovering them whilst doing absolutely nothing to support his own kin in lieu of making it about himself. Dude's on drugs and sports a massive diva out look now.

 

Croatia was fun but i care about the song, not the act. Loreen has massive chances to win.

 

I love how Germany is coming along with metal act. I am however for Voyager:

 

 

[Kwisior]

How the hell did Solo get into the finals? I love my country but I admit, that song is terrible.

[NaZa]

ŠČ!

 

For once I'm happy we chose to troll Eurovision with what is actually a brilliantly insightful act and probably the most tame I've ever seen Let 3 (they have a habit of performing obscenely), hope the lead singer recovers from the cold he caught. 

 

Otherwise, super happy both Serbia and Slovenia made it through as well, finally the ex-Yu gang is together! (bloc voting ftw! if the scands can, so can we)

 

Would have loved seeing Latvia in the final. Beautiful song, sadly it was never gonna do well with the televoters.

 

My top 5, in no order, is:

- France: Beautifully elegant song in French, smooth as silk and with immense quality, this will do well with the juries but not televoting

- Finland: Inverse here, will dominate televoting but juries won't rank it as high, I feel this is a genuine contender though

- Spain: Magical song. I love stuff like this. Flamenco is a vibe.

- Slovenia: These fellas ooze so much charisma I can't help but smile every time I watch them. Also they say 810,000 for some reason which is funny. Solid song.

- Austria: POE POE POE POE POE. What's more to add? 

 

I'm of the opinion Loreen will win because of her name. The song's decent, don't get me wrong, but if Lithuania sent it, or if someone anonymous outside of Sweden sang it, it wouldn't be in question for the win. 

 

I've also seen we got a very good running order (25th), and the only song after us is a vocally horrid UK. I don't want to get my hopes up, but are we en route to getting our first top 10 since 2001??? 

[NaZa]

Can't believe I'm saying this but damn, we did well.

 

My top 10 should be: Spain, Finland, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Germany, Australia and Israel. 

 

Last place is probably UK, she sang really poorly sadly... Was positively surprised by Armenia!

[Walter confetti]

Meh, it was a ok result.

Sweden song sounds a lot like Katy Perry "Fireworks", aren't it?

 

Not many too corny or good songs this year imo, my fav are:

• Finland "CHA CHA CHA" it's pretty funny, i understand nothing of the lyrics but the pop mockery of Ramnestein style is unexpected. I'm fine that he got the 2nd place
• Spain is a pretty interesting song musically
• Italy, for obvious reasons. Also Mengoni voice range is impressive.
• Norway song is neat too!
• Portugal, Moldova, Chezcia and Belgium are good songs too
• I really want to understand Croatian because Let 3 are such a cool band, really reminded me of Italian band Elio e le Storie tese

Edited May 14, 2023 by Walter confetti

[ChippiHeppu]

God damn, Finland got robbed.

[Kwisior]

• Sweden didn't deserve the win.
• Either Israel or Norway deserved it the most out of the top 5.
• Moldova was the best from a representation standpoint (at least visually). Also the flute guy was cool.
• Spain was pretty neat.
• Croatia was funny and distinct.
• UK was really boring.
• Germany was even worse. Deserved last place.
• Belgium and Slovenia had annoying songs.
• As a Pole, Poland was barebones to say the least.

Edit: Finland was actually pretty decent after a second listen. I can understand why it got so many votes.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Kwisior

[Soundblock]

Enjoyed it. Grew up with it, so watch more from habit than anything.

 

Picked up this bit of trivia - Poland's 2nd place, which obviously didn't contend (but _did_ win the popular vote over there, so barred by the jurors) is pretty damn dark & edgy:

Would have rooted for it if it was in, but like wearing 501 Levis, there are some places you just can't go, even in Eurovision.

 

 

[Soundblock]

Live version:

 

[TheSlipgateStudios]

I never watched any Eurovision show. Don't find any appeal to it at all.

[NaZa]

• I can see why Sweden won, and I've nothing against it, but I would have much preferred Finland. The audience was on their side!!!
• Spain was last by televoting????? How??? How was it so low?
• Thank you Slovene jury for giving us points! ... not. How can we all as Balkans ever do anything if we don't bloc vote like the Scands? At least your people gave us points...
• We give Italy 12 points for the 3rd time in 4 years. Not sure if like, but it was a solid song.
• GREECE DID NOT GIVE CYPRUS 12 POINTS????????
• The UK deserved last place more than Germany...
• France was way too low, like Spain, but I'm not sad, because La Zarra's attitude was just horrible... (showed a middle finger to the camera and then walked out of the green room while Kaarija vs Loreen was happening)
• We got robbed by juries.
• Ukraine placed well, both better and worse than I expected, but it wasn't a bad performance, so that's gucci
• Belgium did really well! The song was my guilty pleasure so that's nice. Also Australia in top 10 ayyyyyyyyy, hope they stay for next year too
• Graham Norton was singlehandedly the best host of Eurovision since Hans & Petra in 2016.

How convenient that next year is 50 years from ABBA. I'm sure Sweden will put out a very professional ESC because their 2016 hosting was probably the best ESC I remember, both host- and production-wise. Still the best stage too. I'm looking forward to it!

[DSC]

Poor Germany landing at the very bottom once again, not even "thrash metal" could save them this time... That sucks very much, definitely not the worst performance that night.

[RHhe82]

16 minutes ago, NaZa said:

I can see why Sweden won, and I've nothing against it, but I would have much preferred Finland. The audience was on their side!!!

 

As a finn myself, I'm obviously heavily biased for Finland and against Sweden - such a classic setting for us, but while Käärijä's brand of music is not exactly my cup of tea, I gotta say that Sweden's song was very boring. I mean I'm sure it's a perfect pop song, something our neighbors are good at crafting, but it's just that it felt like an overpolished, overplanned and overproduced, designed to sound like a perfect pop song. Käärijä is something of an opposite, starting from the fact he had to guts to use finnish lyrics - a language almost no one's going to understand. (Although we used to have those kind of songs back in the day, when I was a kid and earlier, but they were hideous). I really liked his "I'm gonna do my own thing" attitude.

[Redneckerz]

12 hours ago, Walter confetti said:

Meh, it was a ok result.

Sweden song sounds a lot like Katy Perry "Fireworks", aren't it?

It also sounds halfway like Doin it right by Daft Punk. Not in terms of tempo, but structure it made me think of this.

12 hours ago, Walter confetti said:

• Finland "CHA CHA CHA" it's pretty funny, i understand nothing of the lyrics but the pop mockery of Ramnestein style is unexpected. I'm fine that he got the 2nd place
• Spain is a pretty interesting song musically
• Italy, for obvious reasons. Also Mengoni voice range is impressive.

The Rammstein light was great. Spain: Its a bit like Albania. I generally do not like these songs just as much as i want to avoid screamer songs because that is so Eurovision in my eyes. So naturally i didn't like Italy either.

11 hours ago, Kwisior said:

• Sweden didn't deserve the win.

Why not? Its a very solid pop song and atleast in the Semi finals Loreen showed she was definitely top 3 contender. Plus its Loreen and Tattoo sounds a lot like Euphoria, yet not all the time. So it has lasting power.

11 hours ago, Kwisior said:

• Either Israel or Norway deserved it the most out of the top 5.

Oh hell no. I thoroughly despised it that Israel got so far ahead with Unicorn. Its a solid song mind you, but as pathetic as it is, a lot of those votes come by looks. Same for Poland.

11 hours ago, Kwisior said:

• UK was really boring.

I love how the UK continues to suck on this festival despite paying extra to appear in the final (I mean i get it, they otherwise would never have get there, anyone remember Engelbert Humperdinck? Yeah that happened). But I Wrote A Song is a fantastic product of the Tik-Tok generation - The self-absorbed, look-at-me, narcissistic tendencies that come with social media.

 

It sounded like a mockery but apparently it was serious. What a terrible song. Same with Solo.

11 hours ago, Kwisior said:

• Germany was even worse. Deserved last place.

I strongly disagree. Germany only got axed because:

• Looks scary
• Multiple grunts in the song. Eurovision hardly likes any track that uses grunt despite Australia also using it.
• Blood & Glitter was a solid track.

 

10 minutes ago, NaZa said:

• Ukraine placed well, both better and worse than I expected, but it wasn't a bad performance, so that's gucci

Ukraine got a ton of sympathy votes because the track itself was very mediocre. It also didn't help that at the moment of playing Russia struck the hometown of the performing artists.

 

5 minutes ago, DSC said:

Poor Germany landing at the very bottom once again, not even "thrash metal" could save them this time... That sucks very much, definitely not the worst performance that night.

For sure. Solo and I Wrote A Song sucked a lot more.

[Kwisior]

1 hour ago, Redneckerz said:

Why not? Its a very solid pop song and atleast in the Semi finals Loreen showed she was definitely top 3 contender. Plus its Loreen and Tattoo sounds a lot like Euphoria, yet not all the time. So it has lasting power.

It might've won because of her name, (as NaZa has said) and out of all Western-sounding pop songs Israel did the best job. Also the second place at least had the balls to do it in their own language and had personality, no matter how bizarre it was.

 

1 hour ago, Redneckerz said:

Its a solid song mind you, but as pathetic as it is, a lot of those votes come by looks. Same for Poland.

I agree.

 

1 hour ago, Redneckerz said:

 I strongly disagree. Germany only got axed because:

• Looks scary
• Multiple grunts in the song. Eurovision hardly likes any track that uses grunt despite Australia also using it.
• Blood & Glitter was a solid track.

• Looks dumb
• Australia placed 6th in the jury points, so it's not just the grunts
• The track was bad

Edited May 14, 2023 by Kwisior

[DoomPlayer00]

Was really surprised by the amount of televotes Croatia got. Big leap from the bottom.

 

Spoiler

Meidän voitto ryöstettiin :(

 

[Walter confetti]

7 hours ago, NaZa said:

La Zarra's attitude was just horrible

Is just classy French singers attitude in Eurovision to take things sportingly when they lose, still remember the big mess when Maneskin won with the singer of "Voilà!" (and that time they took the 3rd place iirc - or it was the second? However they're been ranked in high position). Wonder when they start to find idk Sweden singer sniffing pulverized aborted fetus on the thin air.

 

19 hours ago, Kwisior said:

Either Israel or Norway deserved it the most out of the top 5.

Agreed with Norway, less with Israel. Way too generic and Britney Spears-wannabe for my tastes. Already heard milion of times, got the same feeling with the other songs as well (Australia, for example. That i like to heard covered in Dragonforce/Power Metal style, it will be hysterical imo)

 

19 hours ago, Kwisior said:

Poland was barebones to say the least.

Yeah, it is very generic, Israel and Austria are songs constructed for appeal the major part of the audience, it's pretty visible (Austria have also the brave idea to insert Edgar Allan Poe in their song... about musical streaming market very low incomes for the artists? WHAT? WHY? WAT??? I don't get it), but Poland really get new levels of stock pop trying to be brave and rebellious and out of the schemes that in the end comes out the most pre-fabricated serialized product that in the end doesn't attack anybody, you get the type of thing? Let's say the majority of zoomer advertisings and than teen/young adult centered product, you know... that kind of stuff. Exist other songs about the subject that takes it more... sexier than that song. Hear Divinyls, for example.

 

Now, "Blood and Glitter" is not a complete disaster, but yeah between that and Australia, the latter is better.

[Redneckerz]

7 hours ago, Kwisior said:

It might've won because of her name, (as NaZa has said) and out of all Western-sounding pop songs Israel did the best job.

I am not exactly behind this. I found Israel's track very much a TikTok track that was only emphasized by the fact that the singer was laying it bare literally on the clothes department.

 

Its not like Israel is bad or anything. 2021's Set Me Free by Eden Alene is literal pop fire (That reach at the end):

 

7 hours ago, Kwisior said:

• Looks dumb
• Australia placed 6th in the jury points, so it's not just the grunts
• The track was bad

• It is pertaining to be scary.
• Australia literally had a single grunt and you barely hear it, whereas Blood & Glitter has several seconds of grunts. Its rather noticeable
• Nah. If this is bad then a lot of Gothic Metal anthems fall into the same bracket.

1 hour ago, Walter confetti said:

(Austria have also the brave idea to insert Edgar Allan Poe in their song... about musical streaming market very low incomes for the artists? WHAT? WHY? WAT??? I don't get it),

I thought that was actually insultive. Edgar Allan Poe was a legend, and for that to be included in a (admittely) catchy song by two chicks who literally are living in TikTok world... like, i don't know.

1 hour ago, Walter confetti said:

Now, "Blood and Glitter" is not a complete disaster, but yeah between that and Australia, the latter is better.

Fair.

[Kwisior]

You know what? Forget everything I said, Finland should've won. He was miles ahead of everyone else.