March 6, 20241 yr I don't know how a performance could actually take place on stage? Is there still a 'live on tape' option for countries who can't/don't want to travel? Edited March 6, 20241 yr by Colm
March 7, 20241 yr My last hope now is the theory that the Swedish authorities won't guarantee Israel's safety, and they choose to stay at home in the end anyway.
March 10, 20241 yr The notorious ESC Crystal Ball has returned and leaked this “song”… and it’s pretty terrible. Even leaving aside the fact it’s Israel, it sounds like an X Factor winner’s single from Georgia in 2007 They also seem to have simply changed October Rain to Hurricane in the chorus but the lyrics convey the same message, I can’t believe if the last iteration was rejected this is allowed, disgusting
March 10, 20241 yr Author They've been pretty accurate as a source before, but the song is really just so bad that I have to wonder if that's what they're really presenting us with. And filled with political implications even with the lyric changes. Which most songs from Israel would be given the context, but they probably argued on precedence of recent Ukrainian songs rather than recent Belarusian songs. Or something similar. apart from everything else, really sucks that the contest is getting its reputation dragged through the mud for such a mid-ass track.
March 11, 20241 yr (Unfortunately), the song itself does actually scream winner. Though the dislikes are already more than the likes themselves, silent majority exists. If MacDonald x Shapiro managed to debut higher than Nicki, I'd say Israel has a 3/1 odd of winning the contest. Netherlands and Scandinavia (at least Sweden) might give them +12, I fear.
March 11, 20241 yr I think it will be a big hit too. She has REAAALLY good English, really good vocals, and it's the type of balmad Eurovision lives.and tbh - whilst this prob makes me sound thick - I had to listen to a reaction video to understand how the lyrics were political!! On first listen, it just sounded like any breakup song to me!!!
March 11, 20241 yr Author I think it will be a big hit too. She has REAAALLY good English, really good vocals, and it's the type of balmad Eurovision lives.and tbh - whilst this prob makes me sound thick - I had to listen to a reaction video to understand how the lyrics were political!! On first listen, it just sounded like any breakup song to me!!! I mean, quite apart from nearly the only lyric change being replacing 'October rain' with 'hurricane' such that it almost seems insulting that the first was rejected and this was accepted, it's still a word that metaphorically indicates struggle and tragedy which is exactly the soft power image that Israel is aiming for. But then through this context nearly any Israeli entry would be political (hey, it's almost like everything is political because it's so hard to take things out from their background context especially when it's performing on stage for and dressed in the colours of a nation-state), it's just the same as Russia 2014/2015, being able to whitewash for a moment their controversial actions with a ballad that presents them in a good light.
March 12, 20241 yr Even if I try and be objective about the song and leave aside “politics” (genocide), her vocals are nasal in places, although good at the end with the whistle notes, I can’t see why the juries would go for this as a ballad over say France or Serbia which both are better crafted ballads. That’s not to say only one ballad can do well, but ballads tend to need jury support and I don’t see it for this. It’s really not an exciting song that has anything going for it in a year that is stacked with attention grabbing songs, unique genres, great stagings and performances… it will have to be the political “buzz” that carries it for sure. A lot of countries also have something that has a great cultural stamp all over it, such as happy hardcore/gabber for the Netherlands and cumbia for Italy where Latin music is popular. This is just a generic ballad that could sung by anyone of any country. On the night where it really comes down to the first impression of a song, as naive as I may sound by saying that, I don’t see this doing it at ALL. I’d be remiss to say it will completely flop, which just dampens the whole contest even more than them being in it at all, but I just fail to see this winning or even coming close. I mean, quite apart from nearly the only lyric change being replacing 'October rain' with 'hurricane' such that it almost seems insulting that the first was rejected and this was accepted, it's still a word that metaphorically indicates struggle and tragedy which is exactly the soft power image that Israel is aiming for. But then through this context nearly any Israeli entry would be political (hey, it's almost like everything is political because it's so hard to take things out from their background context especially when it's performing on stage for and dressed in the colours of a nation-state), it's just the same as Russia 2014/2015, being able to whitewash for a moment their controversial actions with a ballad that presents them in a good light. Yeah exactly, they’ve left the same song as before basically and just changed the reference to October 7, so ostensibly it sounds like a personal crisis rise above type song, but it conveys the same whitewashing message they wanted to convey, it’s just very thinly veiled now behind a generic message which sadly will work to some extent.
March 29, 20241 yr Author @1773651395440267494 ah... This is both the most they could do and not enough. You may have noticed but I'm losing interest in this year precisely because of Israel (and Azerbaijan). Haven't even listened to all the entries yet, it's not fun to engage with this hanging over the contest. Thankfully pretty much all of the artists I'm emotionally invested in for the contest are on this letter, and Bambie and Olly at least have posted personal statements indicating that basically this joint statement is all they can officially say.
March 29, 20241 yr I get the sentiment that they could say more, they definitely could go further than that, but a lot of people are hounding the artists for this statement and honestly… what does that achieve? How does that help the cause, much less anyone in Palestine? These artists are under strict contract, it’s sadly not as simple as them just making a stand and withdrawing because their hands are tied by the broadcasters they are representing. I mean for one there are artists who haven’t said anything at all on the matter, plus the energy people are using to barrage the likes of Olly and Bambie could be so much better used if directed to anything that actually raises awareness of, donates to, and directly helps Palestine.
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