http://www.junioreurovision.tv/save-files/resizes/63/8a/aa/0e/7a/5f/17/b0/f2/2a/1d/2a/9f/6d/8c/4e/JESC_MALTA_2014_logo.jpg

 

Yesterday (May 9th), a press conference was held in Copenhagen about this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest which is to be held in Malta following Gaia Cauchi's win a few months ago with the song 'The Start'. Amongst other things, the logo for the contest as well as the slogan '#together' has been revealed which you can see above.

 

I know not many people are really bothered about this at the moment but I am so happy Malta are finally being able to host a Eurovision event seeing as they are widely considered one of the countries that love Eurovision the most! I believe Gaia will feature on tonight's Eurovision final too.

 

Further details from the press conference can be read in this article.

Love love love the fact that Malta won - It was like a national holiday there when they did apparently!

I really hope that Malta win the Eurovision too at some point. Maybe they could do it when Gaia is old enough to represent them in the adult version in a few years time! She's an incredible singer for her age, if anyone hasn't seen her performance from last year you should definitely watch it below!

 

NO NO NO.

 

I REFUSE to countenance this forum enabling this horror of a contest.

NO NO NO.

 

I REFUSE to countenance this forum enabling this horror of a contest.

 

cassandra demands it :heart:

This would all be fine and dandy if the music wasn't generally so awful (save for the odd hot mess fabulousness or the last few years when Russia have basically sent schlager songs)

She is indeed going to feature in the final. She sang without arrangement and such and people really seemed to like it. Really good.

Italy are making their Junior Eurovision debut in Malta this year and Cyprus will be returning. Very surprised to see Italy making their debut, I guess this shows that they will be committed to the main contest for the foreseeable future too.

Today Montenegro have also announced they will be making their debut in Malta! Looks like Junior Eurovision is becoming more popular again after a couple of years with only around 12 entries.

Igranka performed by 12 year olds plz

Igranka performed by 12 year olds plz

 

Bulgaria have also confirmed their return while it is looking likely that Portugal will return too. If the rumours around Portugal are true then the total of 6 debuting/returning countries (Montenegro, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Serbia and Portugal) would be the largest number of debutants/returnees in a single contest since the contest's launch! :o

The Swedish entry is OKAY AT BEST and unless somebody comes up with another Mimmi Sandén - Du I am OUT (still)

Yet another country, Slovenia, has confirmed that they will be making their debut in Junior Eurovision this year! This sudden interest hopefully means that interest for the adult contest will increase too and maybe we will get over 40 countries again next year with the likes of Bulgaria, Cyprus and Serbia seeing as they are returning or debuting in this.

Here's a little update of where we are at with confirmed countries and entries:

 

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Armenia.png Armenia: To be decided on 14th September

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Belarus.png Belarus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Bulgaria.png Bulgaria: Krisia Todorova - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Cyprus.png Cyprus: Sophia Patsalides - I pio omorfi mera

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Georgia.png Georgia: Lizi Pop - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Italy.png Italy: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Malta.png Malta: Federica Falzon - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Montenegro.png Montenegro: Maša & Lejla - Budi dijete na jedan dan

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Netherlands.png The Netherlands: To be decided on 27th September

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Russia.png Russia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Serbia.png Serbia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Slovenia.png Slovenia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Sweden.png Sweden: Julia Kedhammar - Du är inte ensam

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Ukraine.png Ukraine: Sympho-Nick - Priyde vesna

 

We are expecting official confirmation from Portugal and there are also rumours of Hungary participating.

 

I've listened to the three songs so far, and I'm surprised by the high quality of them compared to what I was expecting. The Swedish entry is fabulous and a lovely key change in there too. Belarus reminds me a little of 'Horehronie' and is better than many of their recent adult Eurovision entries and in my opinion is a possible winner of the contest and the Ukrainian entry reminds me a little bit of 'Gravity' and is also a very nice song too. If I were to rank them so far I'd go for Belarus being my favourite followed by Sweden and then Ukraine.

Time for another update now that San Marino have confirmed participation, although it seems that Portugal will no longer be entering.

 

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Armenia.png Armenia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Belarus.png Belarus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Bulgaria.png Bulgaria: Krisia Todorova - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Cyprus.png Cyprus: Sophia Patsalides - I pio omorfi mera

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Georgia.png Georgia: Lizi Pop - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Italy.png Italy: Vincenzo Cantiello - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Malta.png Malta: Federica Falzon - Diamonds

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Montenegro.png Montenegro: Maša & Lejla - Budi dijete na jedan dan

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Netherlands.png The Netherlands: To be decided on 27th September

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Russia.png Russia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/San_Marino.png San Marino: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Serbia.png Serbia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Slovenia.png Slovenia: Ula Ložar - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Sweden.png Sweden: Julia Kedhammar - Du är inte ensam

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Ukraine.png Ukraine: Sympho-Nick - Priyde vesna

 

The Armenian entry is the only new song available to listen to, and its another very good song I think! Seems to be a very high quality start to this year, although I'm not sure how this compares to previous years as I have never paid as much attention as I have to this contest. I'm very excited for the Cypriot and Maltese entries!

 

Here's the Cypriot entry and it is incredible! :wub: Anthemic "woahs", a massive key change, a massive final chorus and she reminds me of a young Ivi Adamou. Fabulous, Cyprus once again showing why they should be everyone's favourite Eurovision country! It also sounds a little like 'Mea Culpa' at the beginning I think!

 

That's 5 songs we have heard now and they are all pretty good I think, there's also rumours of a return to this contest for Croatia surprisingly - I believe the deadline for confirmations is the end of the month.

The problem is that outside of this and La La Love Cyprus are UTTER DRECK!

Here's another update after quite a few song selections and announcement, plus the return of former Junior Eurovision winners Croatia to the contest!

 

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Armenia.png Armenia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Belarus.png Belarus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Bulgaria.png Bulgaria: Krisia, Hasan and Ibrahim - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Croatia.png Croatia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Cyprus.png Cyprus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Georgia.png Georgia: Lizi Pop - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Italy.png Italy: Vincenzo Cantiello - Tu primo grande amore

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Malta.png Malta: Federica Falzon - Diamonds

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Montenegro.png Montenegro: Maša & Lejla - Budi dijete na jedan dan

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Netherlands.png The Netherlands:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Russia.png Russia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/San_Marino.png San Marino: The Peppermints - Breaking My Heart

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Serbia.png Serbia: To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Slovenia.png Slovenia: Ula Ložar - To be announced

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Sweden.png Sweden: Julia Kedhammar - Du är inte ensam

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Ukraine.png Ukraine: Sympho-Nick - Priyde vesna

 

Really liking the newest songs we have - the Russian and Dutch entries. Alisa sounds like an incredible singer but I'm not sure if the song will be as accessible a ballad as Gaia's last year to a younger audience. Julia's song is another good uptempo although I'm not sure how well it will come across live with the clever sound effects the song uses.

 

The number of female acts to male acts is quite astonishing - only the Italian entry is male while the Bulgarian artists are mixed (although it is still unclear whether Krisia, Hasan and Ibrahim will all be credited as a trio).

 

I believe the Head of Delegations meeting is on Tuesday so we should have a complete line-up very soon. It's looking like Azerbaijan have withdrawn though, but 16 entries is the largest Junior Eurovision since 2008 so good work by the EBU and the Maltese host broadcaster!

 

So we now have all the entries available to listen to! The links for each entry are the official Junior Eurovision YouTube channel uploads.

 

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Armenia.png Armenia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Belarus.png Belarus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Bulgaria.png Bulgaria:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Croatia.png Croatia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Cyprus.png Cyprus:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Georgia.png Georgia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Italy.png Italy:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Malta.png Malta:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Montenegro.png Montenegro:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Netherlands.png The Netherlands:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Russia.png Russia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/San_Marino.png San Marino:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Serbia.png Serbia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Slovenia.png Slovenia:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Sweden.png Sweden:

http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Ukraine.png Ukraine:

 

I'm going to listen through them all now and come up with a quick ranking, but from what I've heard so far it's a very high quality contest. Still incredible that there is only one male vocalist and the rest are all females! Bulgaria's Hasan and Ibrahim aren't vocalists as far as I'm aware.