So a moment of enlightenment came and I thought this would be a good idea for a thread in this forum (it may have happened before mind you). I wanted to get an idea of how fondly people look back on their debut entries and how far they have come since that contest. Like myself, you probably didn't have much idea how you would get on and what sounds were most popular in the Buzzverse, but you no doubt adapted and tried new approaches as you started to gain some experience of the contest.

 

What do you think of now when it comes to your debut? Is it one you look back on with pride or is it something you wish you could take back? How well do you rate it against the rest of your BJSC entries to date?

 

Discuss.

My first entry was a live version of Delta Goodrem's Believe Again, which is one of my top three songs of all-time. Although I wish I hadn't sent the live version from Austrlian Idol (?) and had just gone with the studio version (but not the video version, as the video wasn't even out at that point and the radio/video edit cuts the track down horribly).

 

I don't have any regrets about it otherwise as I could have only opened my account with Delta, and I sent my favourite song by her.

 

It was a different time though, 2007, I had no connection with the contest or how much I would enjoy it, so it's a weird one to look back on as I barely remember voting in it. It was also a contest full of very well known songs (the first few were until it found its groove and the rules/point of the contest being about music discovery were better understood), so I was quite happy in retrospect to not have just sent something like Born To Try, but at the same time it didn't go down that well, 17th out of 24. Better times would come, with a win by the fourth contest <3

Zanmatony's beginnings started in 2016, for BJSC 89, where, without prior research or inspiration, we went for a forgotten minor hit from the year 2000 by Dutch singer Amber. Originally released in 1999, the chosen song previously charted at #34 in the UK. The song and artist did not have any particular importance to Zanmatony but it was where we decided to begin. I think I recall having the song on a CD that came with a Smash Hits magazine many years before.

 

BJSC 89 Entry (October 2016)

Host City: Carellis, Persephonia

==============================

Artist: Amber

Song: Sexual (Li Da Di)

 

Origin: 🇳🇱 Netherlands

 

Original Release Date: 1999

 

 

Grouping: Semi Final 2 (30/33)

Result: 23rd (DNQ)

Points: 47

Votes: 10 (1x12)

 

Votes Given:

Semi Final:

+12 Kero Kero Bonito – Trampoline {Lomaja} [QUALIFIED]

+10 Red Velvet – Russian Roulette {Daehun} [QUALIFIED]

+8 DARA – K'vo Ne Chu {Dobago} [QUALIFIED]

+7 Steve James feat. RKCB – In My Head {South Danaelanda} [QUALIFIED]

+6 Cobi – Don't You Cry For Me {Mulgracia} [QUALIFIED]

+5 FEYNMAN – 1-800MYLOVE {Jadakissnia} [QUALIFIED]

+4 Water Juice feat. Audrey Graham – In Love {Buzzjack Mountain} [QUALIFIED]

+3 SMILO – Young Again {Sandebörg} [QUALIFIED]

+2 Genevieve – Show Your Colors (PLS&TY Remix) {Summericia} [QUALIFIED]

+1 Jane XØ & Dannic – Undone {Cadelicia} [QUALIFIED]

 

Final:

+18 Kero Kero Bonito – Trampoline {Lomaja} [23rd]

+15 Superwalkers – Lost (As I Am) {Suedeonia} [29th]

+13 FRANKIE – Gold {Hushkanukia} [10th]

+12 Perttu feat. Alexandra – Waves {Greenfroze} [30th]

+11 DARA – K'vo Ne Chu {Dobago} [8th]

+10 Cobi – Don't You Cry For Me {Mulgracia} [7th]

+9 Steve James feat. RKCB – In My Head {South Danaelanda} [41st]

+8 Red Velvet – Russian Roulette {Daehun} [26th]

+7 Alyss – T S I E R {FSR Rontvia} [9th]

+6 FEYNMAN – 1-800MYLOVE {Jadakissnia} [14th]

+5 Genevieve – Show Your Colors (PLS&TY Remix) {Summericia} [40th]

+4 SMILO – Young Again {Sandebörg} [22nd]

+3 Sophie Beem – Skyline {Aeroche} [3rd]

+2 Maan – Give You All I Got {Yehesi} [5th]

+1 Jane XØ & Dannic – Undone {Cadelicia} [31st]

Votes Received:

Semi Final:

+12 {Daehun}

+7 {#00274E}

+5 {Buzzjack Mountain}

+5 {Dobago}

+5 {Sandebörg}

+4 {Kylienips}

+4 {Tartford}

+2 {Lomaja}

+2 {Brechtoria}

+1 {Bignia-Zaragovina}

Ten different participating nations gave Zanmatony a total of 47 points in the semi final, but it wasn't enough to qualify, and we finished 23rd out of 33 entries in the semi final. In hindsight, it wasn't the best choice of debut but we didn't know at the time we would still be here some 48 participated contests later...

 

As for where I would rank it now, I don't think very highly in fact. I would even suggest it would be somewhere toward the bottom of my favourite entries to date. I can't say I regret sending it but it does feel like I could have chosen something better that I would personally have enjoyed more than a song some 17 years old at the time of the contest.

Good topic! My debut entry was pretty random in the grand scheme of Dobagan history but we had to start somewhere. Basically I was considering joining BJSC back in 2015 and at this time I was compiling and posting a Personal Chart in the relevant forum. I had a vague idea of what sort of songs would potentially do well in this contest but was waiting until I found one that was... let's say a bit quirky? And that was Badpojken - Johnny G (The Guidetti Song) which was essentially an I'm An Albatraoz soundalike (which I knew had a few fans on the wesbite).

 

I didn't necessarily have any expectations but I surprisingly received a reasonable amount of hype (which could be attributed to the fact other people were just generally welcoming to a new participant). Despite that, the odds were blanket predicting a DNQ (with all 6 made at the time predicting it not to qualify) however it scraped through the semi in 19th and ended up finishing 36th in the final, receiving over 100 points. This was a pretty decent start to BJSC life, especially after finding out that it wasn't common for a country to qualify for the final on their debut and let's say it laid the foundations to settle on somewhat of a certain 'sound' of entry thereafter. Of course this specific contest was the infamous BSJC 78 with Aquafina-gate so that largely and rightfully dominated the Buzzverse headlines at the times.

 

In the whole repertoire of my entries it definitely ranks somewhere it the bottom half but I will always remember the track fondly for the reasons above. Even despite it being about a Manchester City player!

Actually just made a post about it recently in my own thread, so I'll just repeat that here but basically still kinda shocked and gagged and gooped that it not only DNQ'ed but also came 3rd-to-last lmao.

KILIAN & JO feat. ERIK RAPP

Suburbia

 

 

Contest: Buzzjack Song Contest 103 [CIII]

Date & Place: March 2018 in Åsnesia, Tinnmark

Results (Final): Did Not Qualify

Results (Semi): 28th out of 30 songs (27 points)

Results (Overall): 54th out of 61 songs

 

Trivia / Accolades:

- First ever entry for Mosquetania

- Also the First Entry in the Main Contest and for me overall

- First non-qualifying entry

- Lowest placement in a semi final (tie)

 

 

'Suburbia' was my very first entry and I for sure thought I had a hit on my hands. But looking back now, 6 years later and I... still think I was robbed. Honestly this is SUCH a banger, and to be reminded that not only did I not qualify but I was literally scraping the bottom of the barrel is honestly SHOCKING for me. This hits SO hard and knowing how many dance fans there are in this game it's strange to be reminded that they all either were in the wrong semi or just slept on this masterpiece. This is one of my all time favourite songs and it still gives me goosebumps. Deserved to not only qualify but based on the songs I remember from that final it would have been a well deserved Top 5 entry (totally not biased and all that), personally I feel like it would have been a deserving winner but I suppose we all feel that way about our entries every time lmao.

 

The song has such a sexy beat that makes me feel the urge to actually make my way to a club in Berlin despite being close to 5 years sober now. There is just something about this song that is legit filthy but beautiful at the same time, and it just makes. me. feel. things. If anything I think I love this song even more today than I did back in 2018.

 

I gave my 18 points to FSR Rontvia's eventual runner-up/tied co-winner 'Lost Without You', which of course went on to be a huge hit IRL afterwards, while the actual winner (New Lexico) got 9 points from me. I don't recall the winner at all but it features Bree Runway who has released some solid stuff since. No doubt these were deserving of their eventual placements but for me personally 'Suburbia' has my preference by far. Other great songs that I spotted on my ticket include my 15-pointer Bishop Briggs (14th), my first introduction to Vera Blue (21st) who eventually represents my nation as well, and the same for Robinson (18th) who has since become a mainstay on my pop playlists. CXLOE (41st) is also someone I didn't realise I'd been introduced to so long ago. Finally, seeing the other finalists I'm a bit shocked to see I didn't give any points to KSHMR's 'Shiva' (10th) as it actually made its way onto my playlist in the aftermath. Don't know any of the other non-qualifiers at a glance, but no doubt there were probably some other injustices in this contest given how I fared.

 

My BJSC 103 votes:

+18 :: FSR Rontvia :: Freya Ridings - Lost Without You (Live At St Pancras Old Church)

+15 :: East Rukahavian :: Bishop Briggs - White Flag

+13 :: Lotunia :: FAUN - Federkleid

+12 :: Tartford :: Vera Blue - Lady Powers

+11 :: Bhangra :: Offer Nissim feat. Ania Bukstein - Rokedet

+10 :: #00274E :: Mai Lan - Blaze Up

+09 :: New Lexico :: Metroplane feat. Bree Runway - Word Of Mouth

+08 :: Daehun :: Riton & Kah-Lo - Fake ID

+07 :: FARC :: Miriam Bryant - Black Car

+06 :: Espen :: Flight Facilities feat. NÏKA - Need You

+05 :: Unovia :: Robinson - Nothing To Regret

+04 :: Buzzjack Mountain :: Ace - Heavensent

+03 :: Ramrynia :: Asmik Shiroyan - You & I

+02 :: Holland-Oats :: CXLOE - Monster

+01 :: South Danaelanda :: Elektronomia & JJD - Free

For my first contest I sent a singer I adore (Ciaran Lavery), and someone I've seen live 3 times).

 

It's a very sombre and melancholy song, but one that always made me feel

 

Whilst it didn't qualify, it was great to see it receive 12 points from one nation and 10 points from another.

our debut year barely counts as Danævii canon these days

first entry qualified but finished lowly in the final, then nine out of ten our following entries were DNQs

by 2013 we started getting a bit more competitive

It started back in August 2011, it was this:

 

Charice- One Day:

 

 

It was in BJSC 37, formly known as Usfland, this would finish 18th on our debut.

 

 

August 2015 was my debut, BJSC 76 I think and was this which we also qualified first time but came 32nd. Good track but would be outside of my top 30 entries nowadays (might be even further since last time I did my rank).

 

A Finnish rock song (appropriate) that is mid in both quality and title (less appropriate) and ultimately one of the least good songs I've ever entered. Same contest as Mack's Charice actually. Though the artist name bangs.

 

Basically a crisis of confidence and determination not to open my account with anything uninspired led me choosing between this and a few other songs that weren't really any better - the ones I didn't choose lost to history though I think one might have been entered by someone else a few contests down the line.

 

 

In one way it's nice that it's this one and not any of my other early entries because outside of this and my Nightwish entry I was uncharacteristically pop-leaning for most of my first year. Then again, it was my only DNQ for nearly a year, so the normal way of opening with a non-qualification.

My debut was 12 (!) years ago now in BJSC 42 with Kaskade feat. Skylar Grey - Room for Happiness

 

 

I still quite like it and rank it quite highly amongst my early entries, it's fairly basic dance pop and I wouldn't really send anything like it these days, I was more trying to gauge the styles of BJSC, but Skylar's got some great vocals and the production is quite immersive. Compared to the rest of my year, I honestly lucked out even though I only finished 28th/29 compared to the rest of my next eleven entries which were utterly disastrous with three last places and eight DNQs (seven consecutive), took me until my 12th contest before I reached the dizzy heights of 21st/30! To those new people disheartened by flopping, believe me I have felt your pain x

I debuted with... female-led Swedish pop that felt like it could've been ripped straight out of Eurovision. And, well, who can say my entries have really drifted far from that to this day?

 

 

A 4th place debut was great though! I had no expectations of what would do well, having only discovered that sub-forum in the month previous, and I didn't really know how to find unknown songs. Listening to it now though, it still bops and still feels completely in line with the ~Hendinian brand. If there is such a thing.

I debuted with... female-led Swedish pop that felt like it could've been ripped straight out of Eurovision. And, well, who can say my entries have really drifted far from that to this day?

 

 

A 4th place debut was great though! I had no expectations of what would do well, having only discovered that sub-forum in the month previous, and I didn't really know how to find unknown songs. Listening to it now though, it still bops and still feels completely in line with the ~Hendinian brand. If there is such a thing.

This still slaps so hard. It’s an iconically good entry

I've debuted in BJSC 4!!!

 

I went with swedish eurodance group Da Buzz with their spanish-guitar inspired dance bop Wonder Where You Are...it was on brand with what I've always listened and loved, so didn't care how it will fare in the contest. It ended up finishing 14th which was great for a debut entry!

 

 

EDIT:

 

Just realizing now how on brand is the sound between my very first entry (Da Buzz) and my latest one (Loona)!!!

Edited September 25, 2024Sep 25 by Addy!

Im very much in the same boat as Rich in that my debut was also the debut contest and so the rules and concept hadn’t fully been ironed out at that point.

 

My first entry was Push The Button. I don’t think I’d have sent it now with the benefit of hindsight but i wouldn’t change the artist I sent for my debut. The Sugababes were and still are my favourite artist and I adore them thoroughly. I am so glad they they of all people spearheaded my venture into BJSC.

 

 

I mean not necessarily required but hey go

 

 

 

The contest was a different beast then and we also had a different name, Fotherington Islands, for the first two contests. It’s only since BJSC III that we have entered as Ashton or various guises thereof.

 

 

I had no idea what BJSC would come to mean or the impact it would end up having on my life way back in late 2007. It’s borderline pathetic to say BJSC changed my life but it did. I discovered so much amazing music I would never have otherwise heard of and that’s lead me to travel to different places to see my BJSC discoveries, make new friends and open up my mind to new music and in different languages. Ultimately I’m extremely grateful I just happened to be hanging around in the ESC forum during the off season in 2007 (especially as my first actual ESC was 2009!!!)

My debut was in BJSC 88 and we sent Lovers Friends by MOWE and Daniel Nitt:

 

 

I did spend a bit of time debating what to send - my first two thoughts were Youngr's 'Out Of My System' (which it turned out had already been sent) and NINA's 'Beyond Memory' (which I sent about half a year later and it did a lot better!) but in the end I decided to just go for a song I really liked at the time. It DNQ'd of course, but it's still a song I think fondly about a lot and one of my favourites of that year. And of course it comes with a bizarre quirky music video as pretty much every 2016 European dance song did :lol:

calling Cameron to get his moldy bread

 

 

Managed to qualify by the skin of its teeth. Finished near bottom 10. Somehow qualified for the TBO semis. The epitome of "I can do this all day" :cheeseblock:

 

I didn't know what the hell I was getting into and honestly after that contest I certainly didn't think I was gonna get to where I am now (and apparently neither did anyone else, I remember that poll y'all) 😅 We're already getting more electroclash thanks to Brat, it won't be long before we see progressive house-inspired bangers like this back into the pop sphere again

I matched my debuts placing with my most recent entry. Iconic x

 

Meant to Be Kind deserved so much better.

 

Omg LOVED your debut Cody! It does sound very dated now oops. Your best will always be Ghosts. I listen to that all the time!

Edited September 25, 2024Sep 25 by Cameron

the relatively humble beginnings....

 

 

a fairly under-the-radar DIY artist with a far-too-catchy electro goth tune - found via the Breaking More Waves blog (who described the track as "coming on like the sound of two lusty robots fucking")

 

still holds up nicely, certainly provides a heavy shot of nostalgia too given this is getting pretty close to TWELVE years ago now x

 

Made my debut over 9 years ago now after being too nervous to join for a while, time flies...

 

 

Last Lynx - Curtains

 

As Cody alluded to, a poll was started asking which of the BJSC 74 debutants would place highest before anyone even knew what our songs were :lol: I did indeed come out on top, but I feel like my predictions weren't that impressive once the songs were actually out there, as I finished 13th and remember that result being stronger than I was expecting!

 

I wouldn't say 'indie pop' is the first description that comes to mind with my nation nowadays but I still have a lot of time for my debut. <3