Well Semi 1 is going to have a lively start, all the songs picked so far are ballads! :drama:

 

It's generic radio fodder and certainly doesn't live up to Guy and Dami.

It's Gotta Be You is miles better too

It's a bit better than Gotta Be You but he is just so drainingly boring :drama: I would have bet money it'd have been a ballad and here we go.

I liked that more on first listen than It's Gotta Be You, it's not massively different but it's a pleasant song, room to grow too.

I liked that more on first listen than It's Gotta Be You, it's not massively different but it's a pleasant song, room to grow too.

 

His hair doesn't need to grow on you though ;) :kink:

His hair doesn't need to grow on you though ;) :kink:

 

:basil:!

:basil:!

 

:jameela:

Urgh. Major no.

 

Gutted Julia stepped down too, she was such a good commentator

I can't get over how much he looks like Alessia Cara :lol:

I can't get over how much he looks like Alessia Cara :lol:

 

If only the music was anywhere near as good to match :lol:

 

I've had a couple of listens to this and initially I was unsure which song I prefer and thought they were on the same 'average' level but I think I prefer "It's Gotta Be You" now. How pointless to give him a different song but one so similar rather than something up-tempo :(

See, I really didn't care for his winner's single so this is actually a slight improvement for me! Still only on the Okay-Good borderline for me and I doubt he's got the talents of someone like Dami Im (which in fairness, few human beings do) to elevate it in a live performance.

 

Sweden, Azerbaijan and Montenegro, it's ALL ON YOU!

I'm struggling to see this top 10, if it does it will be like 9th because it's a year with little competition. If this was last year for example he'd have been eaten up. Unless he's drastically improved since X Factor, he has 0 stage presence and charisma, he's very much like a Voice contestant rather than X Factor.

I never really raved over Tonight Again or Sound Of Silence like everyone else did, but this is nevertheless a significant step down in quality, at least in terms of performer and melody. I can't envisage another top five finish for them.

 

Even the big guns are really sending underwhelming entries this year, I don't know what's going on. *cue Sweden selecting Nano*

I'm relying on Serbia for a banger tbh, of course we have Wiktoria from Sweden which really should get the ticket but this is such a lacklustre year and Australia delivered one of the final blows :/

I'm alright with it, he's got a fairly compelling voice and it's well-produced.

 

My main problem is he's become the latest of thousands of singers to market himself with another personality-sucking mononym. Firebrace is a second name that really stands out and no, Isaiah isn't the most common name either but it's a missed opportunity.

I was hoping it was going to be It's Gotta Be You in the end, I'd really grown to love that and it could've been on for a top 3 finish. That said, I like this song too and perhaps it will grow on me like his first single has done.

 

I actually think this is a better studio version song that Dami ever was, it took ages to get used to the over repetitive and slightly clunky Sound of Silence chorus whereas this feels more natural. I also love his voice, it is very Sam Smith but without the high-pitched whine that Sam sometimes has. From what Liam says, I doubt Isaiah will match Dami's live performance but I can see this low top 10 in the final at the moment.

 

Iz are you referring to poor Emma of Finland :(

Iz are you referring to poor Emma of Finland :(

 

Her and about a third of all other Eurovision hopefuls. There was an 'Emma' in Eurovision just 3 years ago. I don't get why you'd want to make yourself fade even more into the background with a short and less memorable name.

 

And Isaiah here doesn't even have the excuse that his full name 'looks boring'.

Judging by eurovision.tv, Anja Nissen is dropping her last name for Kyiv too! :o

any criticism of Sound of Silence will result in a 0 in the Buzzrate.

any criticism of Sound of Silence will result in a 0 in the Buzzrate.

 

:kink: It's true though!

 

20. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Cyprus.png Cyprus // Minus One - Alter Ego

21. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/au.png Australia // Dami Im - Sound Of Silence

22. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Israel.png Israel // Hovi Star - Made Of Stars

23. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Russia.png Russia // Sergey Lazarev - You Are The Only One

24. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Ukraine.png Ukraine // Jamala - 1944

25. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Finland.png Finland // Sandhja - Sing It Away

26. http://www.eurovision.tv/img/upload/flags/mini/Norway.png Norway // Agnete - Icebreaker

 

Australia, Russia and Ukraine all needed live performances to click with me properly last year. Australia needed Dami's live vocals and new vocal melody that wasn't in the studio version, Russia needed the stage presentation to elevate a fairly dated yet good song and Ukraine needed Jamala's live emotion.