I don't think there's been a more out of the blue and unexpected winner since So High (unless I'm forgetting something obvious). It was a great song though and some mainly wonderful results. This was also my first top 10 hit *.* (relatively uninspired looking back as it was quite established in the indiesphere but hey)

I'd say Crystal Waters and Trentemøller at least come close in terms of totally out of the blue winners.

'So High' was a really underwhelming winner for me, I was naturally a bit shocked that it beat 'Sa Sa Samoa' which really should have won imo. It's quite nice but it really needed an extra kick to it.

 

'Bring It Back' was a good entry but again I much preferred the song in 2nd place - 'Cold Nights' remains a top Aeroche choon.

57. Syndare - Take Me Home - Belanger

 

 

Animals by Martin Garrix was entered three months before it got to no.1 but it could only finish in 14th place. Syndare were the fifth first time winners in a row with Belanger finishing 11 points ahead of Dark Star by Jaymes Young (Persephonia). Little Nikki Says by Little Nikki was 3rd for the Federal Republic of Ashton.

 

This is another unlikely winner with lots of quirky electronic sounds. I think it's the first winning song which is over five minutes long. I like it a lot but the slightly annoying speeded up vocals prevent it from going into my top 10. Those vocals are sampled from the Stevie Nicks song 'Stand Back' which was a top 5 hit in the US in 1983.

 

9 out of 10.

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/randomfurlong/take-me-home

 

One of my absolute favourite winners, an absolute bangerrr. :wub: I shot myself in the foot by giving it my full 12 points when I was less than 12 points behind it myself, but was more than happy to lose out to this song! My top marks don't win particularly often, wouldn't happen again until 2016 (when it happened twice).

 

This was such a high quality contest across the board, shoutout to the rest of my top 3, tyDi & Kerli's 'Something About You' (the best Bellamia entry) and Autoheart's gorgeous 'Agoraphobia'. As well as 'Animals' there was also another future hit in there, Faul & Wad Ad/PNAU's 'Changes' (:wub:)

 

And then there was Shadeux's 'Roo', a song written, produced and performed entirely by members of BuzzJack for Teams and then sent to this contest where we bloc voted it into the final and then snubbed it once it got there... with the exception of Chez Wombat who missed the memo and gave it 10 points, the only thing stopping it being the first ever nul pointer. Good times. :D

I'm not always the biggest fan of Spinnin' Records uploads but 'Bring It Back' is an exception. The production in particular is fab and energetic as you say. <3 I think the only other song I immediately recognise in that final is Stromae's 'Papaoutai'! That is such an earworm much like 'Alors on Danse' is *.* I also notice current fake queen of the chart Kamaliya was in this final! :lol: Finally, how the hell did 'Overdose' DNQ for Yehesi?! I knew it had been entered but didn't realise it had DNQed :o what an absolute banger.

 

That Trifoski song doesn't sound like a winner at all :o but it's cool that a song of that ilk has won this thing! I like the chilled vibes of 'So High'. Possibly one that needs a few listens to properly appreciate. Elsewhere in the final, Team Rockit's 'Aura' has been played quite a lot on plug.dj so I'm v familiar with it and it's absolutely brilliant :heart: also know 'Am I Wrong' of course as that would go on to be a #1 here! I was a big fan of that too, it went to #1 in my personal chart back when that was a thing. As for the DNQs, Tinnmark sent Emilie Nicolas' 'Pstereo' and I had that as a potential for a lil while until I realised it had already been sent! Absolutely beautiful song with a lovely video as well. I actually heard it in the pub once with Bray *.* what an obscure pick from them. Also Orphic Oxtra is indeed iconic. Lastly, shocked to see 'Boom Boom (Heartbeat)' last in the semi! Albeit with a deduction. I didn't immediately get that song when it first charted but it would worm its way into my affections eventually~

 

Oh 'Take Me Home' was played on plug.dj quite recently so it's still fairly fresh in my mind! That's a banger and a half and shoots straight into my top 10 *.* Wonderful production and use of sampling. I love me some 'Dark Star' as well so that contest had an excellent top 2. I vaguely remember Little Nikki Says out of that top 3 too from when that was being pushed and that's pretty good too iirc. I was obsessed with FAUL and Wad Ad vs. Pnau - 'Changes' when it smashed here (Espen are on a roll here!) and same goes for Martin Garrix - 'Animals' to a slightly lesser extent. I am also familiar with the tyDi song and Autoheart's 'Agrophobia' after Bray introducing it to me, thinking it would be more of my cup of tea than the latest Autoheart entry! Lol at 'Roo' *_*

 

01. Ingermanlandia // Woodkid - Run Boy Run [bJSC 45]

02. Herzebania // Agnes - Release Me [bJSC 13]

03. Isconia // Lana Del Rey - Video Games [bJSC 36]

04. Hendinia // Roll Deep - Good Times (feat. Jodie Connor) [bJSC 25]

05. B.a.N.G // Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets [bJSC 22]

06. Fljótavík // Foxes - Youth [bJSC 41]

07. Syndare // Belanger - Take Me Home [bJSC 57]

08. Bøtanikkä // Emma Hewitt - Colours [bJSC 42]

09. Batidas // Agnes Obel - Riverside [bJSC 33]

10. B.a.N.G // Delphic - Halcyon [bJSC 24]

 

11. Mdiče // Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot [bJSC 15]

12. Aeroche // Trentemøller - Moan (feat. Ane Trolle) [bJSC 46]

13. FSR Rontvia // Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing [bJSC 32]

14. Mdiče // V V Brown - Shark In The Water [bJSC 16]

15. Kingdom of Shadow // Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me Tomorrow? [bJSC 9]

16. Aeroche // Kate Boy - Northern Lights [bJSC 51]

17. Skall // Postiljonen - Supreme [bJSC 54]

18. Aeroche // TR/ST - Sulk [bJSC 47]

19. Elëdan [π] // Ronya - Hyperventilating [bJSC 44]

20. Caerfyrddia // Marcel Woods - Bring It Back (feat. Vanbot) [bJSC 55]

 

21. Aeroche // Unicorn Kid - Need U [bJSC 48]

22. Hendinia // Adele - Someone Like You (Live) [bJSC 30]

23. Quotosibb // Marina And The Diamonds - Hollywood [bJSC 23]

24. Mdiče // Ke$ha - TiK ToK [bJSC 18]

25. FSR Rontvia // Uh Huh Her - Not A Love Song [bJSC 14]

26. Mdiče // Britney Spears - And Then We Kiss (Junkie XL Remix) [bJSC 1]

27. Yuxhaaq // Zoë Badwi - Freefallin [bJSC 29]

28. Elëdan [π] // Lenka - The Show [bJSC 11]

29. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // Loreen - Sober [bJSC 38]

30. Trifoski // Ghost Loft - So High [bJSC 56]

 

31. Elëdan [π] // t.A.T.u. - Gomenasai [bJSC 5]

32. FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - Psycho [bJSC 26]

33. #00274E // Carli - Look Up [bJSC 53]

34. Numayania // Frida Sundemo - Indigo [bJSC 50]

35. Fljótavík // Fibes, Oh Fibes! - Cerahtonia [bJSC 49]

36. FSR Rontvia // Chart Music - All My Life [bJSC 35]

37. Numayania // Alphabeat - The Spell [bJSC 20]

38. Nonsuch // Lily Allen - f*** You [bJSC 8]

39. FSR Rontvia // Sara Bareilles - Love Song [bJSC 4]

40. Greenfroze // Rachel Platten - 1,000 Ships [bJSC 40]

 

41. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // La Roux - Quicksand [bJSC 12]

42. Hendinia // Ricki-Lee - Raining Diamonds [bJSC 39]

43. Kopečka [Qärenfanghoney] // Eric Saade - It's Gonna Rain [bJSC 27]

44. FSR Rontvia // Sheelah - The Last Time [bJSC 31]

45. Kathaldazia // Eva Simons - Silly Boy [bJSC 19]

46. Mdiče // Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl [bJSC 7]

47. Quotosibb // Beverley Knight - Black Butta [bJSC 6]

48. Numayania // Dragonette - Let It Go [bJSC 43]

49. Ashton // Molly Sandén - Mitt Liv Är Mitt [bJSC 28]

50. Bhangra // Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice [bJSC 3]

 

51. Lorikeet // Dolly Rockers - Boys Will Be Boys [bJSC 21]

52. FSR Rontvia // Beautiful Small Machines - Robots In Love [bJSC 17]

53. Batidas // Zara Larsson - Uncover [bJSC 52]

54. Herzebania // Charice - Louder [bJSC 34]

55. Farahtyn // Jessica Mauboy - Inescapable [bJSC 37]

56. Mdiče // Brandy - Right Here (Departed) [bJSC 10]

57. Bokia // Katharine McPhee - Dangerous [bJSC 2]

this thread is givin me SUCH nostalgia i almost can't cope. i have so much to thank this contest for !

58. Fljotavik - Cry No More - Vaults

 

 

Fljotavik's third and most recent win. Vaults finished just one point ahead of Alida representing Ramrynia with Some Of Us. Julia by SZA was 3rd for D'yermak'er.

 

I like the chiming bells running through most of this song. You've also got piano,strings,synths and a great lead vocal so this is one of the more interesting winners so far. Vaults were chosen to record 'One Day I'll Fly Away' for last year's John Lewis Christmas ad but just three months ago.announced they were splitting up.

 

9.1 out of 10.

 

 

Ahhhhhh Cry No More, god I adored that at the time. Again I was really surprised when it won, I was initially attracted to it because it reminded me of Björk in the choice of instrumentation and the unusual use of the bells throughout. It's a shame Vaults never quite matched it again, although I am also quite fond of One Last Night.

 

Especially pleased to see you've enjoyed all of the FLJ winners. ^_^

 

Back to another winner that got low points from me (just the one this time, and I actually gave higher points to the Alida track! Though in retrospect I now prefer 'Cry No More').

 

My top points this time went to what I still think is Espen's best entry (and they have quite a few really really good entries), As Animals' 'I See Ghost (Ghost Gunfighters)' :wub: although it's pretty much only me that loves that so much. x Another big highlight is BYRTA's 'Andvekur' which I nearly sent myself a couple of months earlier (and ended up sending Orphic Oxtra instead :lol:) - I could have claimed a Faroese language top 10 hit for myself!! That is no longer even the most successful Faroese BJSC entry though as Land of DW recently went 5 places higher with 'Í Tokuni' by Eivør.

apparently Alida was 'supposed' to have won but missed out because Lee was beaten to the entry so gave it zero points despite loving the song. ;o

didn't lee give it 6 but vaults 7? i remember dandy saying something like 'oh lee will never like it more' but he did!

 

(oh it was liam who voted then and it was 5 and 6 respectively!)

apparently Alida was 'supposed' to have won but missed out because Lee was beaten to the entry so gave it zero points despite loving the song. ;o

Really? :o

 

Let's pretend we don't know a thing about that then.

Edited August 30, 20177 yr by dandy*

Lee gave it a few points, he just refused to give it 12 despite it being his favourite song :lol:

 

(he did give it 5 and 7 to Vaults!)

I think I regretted not giving Alida slightly more because that really was a great pop song, I found Cry No More a little inessential (and I think it was one of those many winners that I commisserated rather than pointed).

I had Alida on seven points and Vaults on five but changed it within seconds of voting because I couldn't deal with a song I loved so much smashing. I regret it now but I liked 'Cry No More', although Ryan winning is long overdue so I regret it because 'Some Of Us' is still one of my favourite songs!

Well how controversial. I must have completely blocked that out as I don't recall it at all, especially lucky if you bumped VAULTS up 2 spots and not just one.

 

Still not over the 0.1 x

59. Trifoski - The Kite String Tangle - Given The Chance

 

 

Good to see OMD and Claudia Brucken both entered but neither made it through to the final. Country music legend Dolly Parton qualified along with Hozier whose 'Take Me To Church' finished 11th,about a year before it finally made the top 40. My Love by Route 94 and Jess Glynne finished 20th,four months before it was a no.1 single. The Kite String Tangle finished 18 points ahead of Goldroom's Embrace (D'yermak'er) while Catfish by Man Without Country was 3rd for Aeroche.

 

'Given The Chance' plods along for a while but builds up to a climax in the last minute. Not bad. The Kite String Tangle is actually Aussie Danny Harley,he released his debut album six weeks ago.

 

8.3 out of 10.

 

 

That's the 4th entry so far that I almost entered the contest before yet didn't and then was proved to have huge error of judgement! (the other three were Unicorn Kid (which I assumed would be a veto at the time so never tried), Kate Boy (which given the break was months before - as did Pavel as he tried to confirm it the previous contest before we both switched) and Belanger.

 

(cue Iz~ should post a Beverley Knight video here!)