I don't think there's any cause for concern here. As much as I LOVE Children Of The Universe and it represents a positive step in the right direction from the BBC, I never particularly saw it as a winner, the chorus isn't QUITE as euphoric as it could be and the production could be heavier in the chorus. Once they find a song that ticks all of the boxes we can at least go for another top ten.

 

The Netherlands have got it spot on the last couple of years, they've stripped everything back to basics and are sending high quality classy songs by talented contemporary artists. You can't ask for much more really and look at them getting that relevance with back to back top tens, something that seemed like a laughable prospect only two years ago thanks to the crap they'd been sending up to Anouk. Molly is like a mini-Anouk for us, a strong stride forward to better things, but hopefully a sign that there's still much better yet to come.

I'm still scratching my head at such a farce of a result. Despite trying to weigh everything on balance, to think of all those above the UK with far inferior songs. What was it about our entry that failed to resonate so much?

^^ I'm the same, Whilst I'm not disappointed that we were not the runaway winners I am disappointed that we only managed 40 points - The reaction to the song on Social Media and from the various ESC sites was the strongest we have had in a long time so I really thought that would have translated into more points and a higher placing for us.

Or we could just send an instant song. It's not like it's something BBC Introducing acts (or indeed the BBC) are incapable of, and it's not like that was the problem with Children of the Universe.

You see, this is where I actually disagree. That actually kinda IS a problem with Children Of The Universe in my opinion, I think it is a grower. On the first few listens, I posted in the threads saying I'd like the chorus to be a bit bigger. But, the more I listened, the more that became less of an issue, and it grew to feel like a bigger song. That's the impression I get from many actually.

 

I don't think there's any cause for concern here. As much as I LOVE Children Of The Universe and it represents a positive step in the right direction from the BBC, I never particularly saw it as a winner, the chorus isn't QUITE as euphoric as it could be and the production could be heavier in the chorus. Once they find a song that ticks all of the boxes we can at least go for another top ten.

 

The Netherlands have got it spot on the last couple of years, they've stripped everything back to basics and are sending high quality classy songs by talented contemporary artists. You can't ask for much more really and look at them getting that relevance with back to back top tens, something that seemed like a laughable prospect only two years ago thanks to the crap they'd been sending up to Anouk. Molly is like a mini-Anouk for us, a strong stride forward to better things, but hopefully a sign that there's still much better yet to come.

I must admit, I was one to say last night that I felt really gutted, but I was certainly never one to go POLITICS, f***ING POLITICS. When you step back and take a look at it, it's not a huge surprise that it didn't do as well as we hoped, I think we all got really wrapped in our own hype, but I'm pretty glad we did. There's nothing embarassing about being really patriotic and getting behind your own girl. It helped me to really adore this years contest because I was so invested. But, I agree with everything you've said, the production in the chorus definitely needed to be more Tedder-esque, as I've said in the past.

 

But, this is a huge step for us as you've said, I think we ticked many boxes, but there was plenty that we half-ticked. People in our country place so much on winning, but it's incredibly difficult to win Eurovision. Look at all the effort Sweden put in, yet winning is hardly a regular thing for them, even if doing well is. This is a big step towards us becoming credible, sending credible material and building up to getting really respectable finishes. Success isn't gonna land in our laps any more than it is for most countries, I just hope the BBC don't just look at 17th and dismiss it. We garnered a lot of hype for a reason, because we tried something new, and the song just needed a few more tweaks and we'd have had a hit on our hands.

^^ I think that's part of out biggest problem - We had always done well so it is expected that we continue to do so by the media and general public - Out of our first 41 entries 39 finished Top 10 and the 2 that didn't only just missed out [11th and 13th] - Since then out of 16 entries only 2 have finished Top 10 and 11 have fallen short of the Top 15! ESC started to change massively with the introduction if new counties and televoting and we didn't react to that [And still haven't it seems].

I have liked many of the entries that performed poorly and in the past there was some songs that did very well for the UK i didnt like. Obviously the voters have the same problem just the opposite way around.

I love the song so much but after watching the performance again I can see why it did underperform so much as it did just fall a little bit "flat". I don't know if that was because the crowd just wanted to get on with the results by that point so the atmosphere wasn't quite there or if Molly was a little bit nervous or if the song just wasn't anthemic enough in the chorus on first listen for many people. It still should've finished higher but I can see why it finished where it did.

 

I do hope that the BBC continue with the BBC Introducing method of selecting an entry as if we continue with it for a few years, there is no reason why we won't end up with an entry one year that could challenge for the win. The BBC can't expect to send a good entry just for a year and immediately end up in the top 5 like they managed with Jade. Sometimes songs just don't connect with the audience in the way we expect them to for whatever reason. One year it could easily be the other way round where our song connects with the audience when we don't necessarily expect it; no-one expected The Common Linnets to finish 2nd this time last week!

She also seemed to have a really bad attitude, the only act not to show a heart or smile to the cmera when leaving, but rather storming out, accepting the cake and looking put-off and like she didn't want to talk to the presenter. I've seen that kind of attitude so much from UK girls when they don't want tot talk to some one, looking shocked, opening their eyes or rolling them and grimmacing. It's ridiculous. Try being more open!

To be fair, Lise basically rocked up beside her and was like ''SO, I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING YOU AND KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU''. It was supposed to be light-hearted, but she had all the interviewing skills of a brick wall and it all just came off as really, really awkward. Not entirely Molly's fault, really.

Well the country is more connected to the UK and the English language than most, hence focusing on Graham Norton and knowing his jokes, style, what he'd been saying and why they wanted to chat to the UK entry. She should have been prepared, it was so awkward.

Well the country is more connected to the UK and the English language than most, hence focusing on Graham Norton and knowing his jokes, style, what he'd been saying and why they wanted to chat to the UK entry. She should have been prepared, it was so awkward.

Molly has had an incredibly positive attitude thoughout the whole Eurovision process. You could tell with each interview with Molly from Amsterdam and then in London and then in Copenhagen that she loved Eurovision more and more as she found out what a fantastic event it is. She constantly said in UK interviews that she believed 'political voting' wasn't an issue, the complete opposite to Bonnie last year and I believe we couldn't have asked for a better representative.

 

You can't just say she had a bad attitude based on one little interview after the performance, she said in an interview on Digital Spy I believe that she wasn't expecting the cake - all she was told was that it'd be a little bit different from a normal interview. So it's no wonder she was a bit shocked! :lol:

To be fair to Molly, everyone Lise spoke to looked like she'd just shat in her hand and wiped their face with it. It wasn't just her that had a rabbit in the headlights moment.

She also seemed to have a really bad attitude, the only act not to show a heart or smile to the cmera when leaving, but rather storming out, accepting the cake and looking put-off and like she didn't want to talk to the presenter. I've seen that kind of attitude so much from UK girls when they don't want tot talk to some one, looking shocked, opening their eyes or rolling them and grimmacing. It's ridiculous. Try being more open!

 

When did she storm out? And hadn't the lines closed by the time of her interview with Lise Ronne anyway?

 

I don't think there was anything wrong with Molly's attitude throughout the entire competition. I personally think she handled all of her interviews perfectly, especially for someone who was nowhere near the spotlight just a few months ago. She was genuinely happy to be there.

 

Whatever the reason for us under-performing, it was nothing to do with Molly personally.

Also, as Ryan rightly points out, her attitude in interviews was fantastic. She's been enthusiastic the whole way though and has been very vocal on how much she's enjoyed the process.

To be fair, Lise basically rocked up beside her and was like ''SO, I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING YOU AND KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU''. It was supposed to be light-hearted, but she had all the interviewing skills of a brick wall and it all just came off as really, really awkward. Not entirely Molly's fault, really.

It was by far one of the CREEPIEST filler features in recent times.

 

'I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. And your relatives. And where you live. Here, have some cake.'

 

Someone call OPERATION YEWTREE STAT

I'm sure Molly's a lovely girl but I thought she came across pretty badly in that segment and I don't think it can be excused by the interviewer's lack of professionalism or whatever. The whole nature of the presenting has an off-beat, irreverent tone so I don't think it was that weird in context. Watching it, I thought Molly needed to get over herself and just play along, at least feigning excitement for the cake and thanking her. Anyway, it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things but they were my thoughts on the interaction :D.

Molly Smitten-Downes has spoken about her disappointment at her Eurovision placing.

 

The 27-year-old performed 'Children of the Universe' at the annual song contest over the weekend and was placed 17th out of 26, after being awarded 40 points.

 

Speaking to Digital Spy, Molly admitted that she got caught up in the hype surrounding her and her song.

 

"We tried to keep our feet on the ground and not get sucked in to [the hype], but you do," she explained. "I think all of us were hoping for the top 10 and we thought we were going to do that.

 

"It wasn't just our press, it was European press and bloggers saying we were the favourites, and it just seemed very real. So I guess, yeah, we were disappointed."

 

The singer also spoke against the booing of Russian participants Tolmachevy Sisters as their scores were read.

 

"I didn't like it," she said. "I think it shouldn't be about the politics. I guess that's where I was maybe a bit naive to think that it could be just about the music.

 

She added: "They're just 17-year-old girls. The politics of Russia, that's another thing - they're not politicians and I felt for them a little bit. It's a bit of a shame."

 

The singer lost out to Austria with their entry 'Rise Like A Phoenix' from Conchita Wurst, who earned 290 points.

 

The Common Linnets of The Netherlands were runners-up, with their song 'Calm After the Storm' achieving 238 points, while Sweden gained 218 points for Sanna Nielsen's 'Undo' to finish third overall.

 

Nice honest interview.

I'm sure Molly's a lovely girl but I thought she came across pretty badly in that segment and I don't think it can be excused by the interviewer's lack of professionalism or whatever. The whole nature of the presenting has an off-beat, irreverent tone so I don't think it was that weird in context. Watching it, I thought Molly needed to get over herself and just play along, at least feigning excitement for the cake and thanking her. Anyway, it didn't matter in the grand scheme of things but they were my thoughts on the interaction :D.

Going up to someone and reeling off a load of facts about them and their family isn't exactly IRREVERENT, though certainly off-beat in the creepiest of ways.

Going up to someone and reeling off a load of facts about them and their family isn't exactly IRREVERENT, though certainly off-beat in the creepiest of ways.

 

It's not like it was some randomer off the street on some hidden camera show or something though :P. Molly just came across a little tense rather than just laughing it off, which made the whole thing more uncomfortable.