Voter 16: Calum

Saara Aalto’s “Domino” is a powerful pop ballad released on 16 February 2018 as part of her international debut album Wild Wild Wonderland. It was one of three songs she performed in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) 2018, Finland’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

🎵 Song Overview:

• Genre: Pop

• Length: 3:00

• Writers: Saara Aalto, Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren, Johnny Sanchez, Will Taylor

• Producers: Thomas G:son, Johnny Sanchez

🎤 Theme & Lyrics:

“Domino” is a love song that uses the metaphor of a domino to describe the overwhelming and unstoppable force of falling in love. The lyrics express how being with someone can knock you off your feet emotionally, like a domino falling in a chain reaction.

“When I’m with you, I’m hit and I’m falling, oh / I fall like a domino.”

The song builds with emotional intensity, combining soaring vocals with dramatic instrumentation, making it a classic Eurovision-style power ballad.

🏆 Eurovision Context:

• “Domino” competed in UMK 2018, where Saara Aalto performed three songs.

• It finished second in the competition, with 159 points, behind the winning entry “Monsters”, which went on to represent Finland at Eurovision 2018.

I need to catch up properly with the first half of this (have only skimmed it last night) so will probably just wait until the end to comment on everything but happy to see Tokio doing quite well at the (a little over) halfway stage, hopefully looking good to at least be my first top 10 finish in one of these - although I have my sights set on my rival Escala which I just knew was going to be Chez blocking my first choice artist xx

On 16/07/2025 at 00:02, Calum said:

12 Only the Young - I Do

10 Dami Im - Gladiator

08 Aiden Grimshaw - Misty Eye

07 Cher Lloyd, Mic Righteous, Zeph Ellis & Ghette - Dub on the Track

06 Reggie ’n’ Bollie feat. Ironik & Lauren Murray - Rock With Me

05 Danity Kane - Damaged

04 Amelia Lily - California

03 Diana Vickers - You’ll Never Get to Heaven

02 Tove Styrke - Borderline

01 Lauren Alaina - Ladies in the ‘90s

Calum’s votes mainly giving some of the mid table a lift, but keeping it close at the top.

1	I Trance - Agnes	77	?
2	Borderline - Tove Styrke	72	?
3	You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers	67	Tafty
4	Kashmir - Escala	59	Chez Wombat
5	Blood - Equador	58	Roba.
6	Bloodstream - Tokio Myers	53	Brer
7	Racing Cars - Ruti	48	?
8	Gladiator - Dami Im	46	?
9	Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye	45	King Rollo
10	Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East	43	ChrisJK
11	I Do - Only The Young	43	Mangø
12	California - Amelia Lily	41	awardinary
13	Domino - Saara Aalto	38	Calum
14	Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd et al.	37	Dobbo
15	Damaged - Danity Kane	35	Scene
16	Misty Eye - Aiden Grimshaw	35	Herbs
17	Alone By Heart - Clara Van Wel	30	?
18	Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina	28	?
19	Breathe - Liberty X	22	Jade
20	Creep - Dannii Minogue	20	?
21	Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy	18	gooddelta
22	Rock With Me - Reggie ‘n’ Bollie et al.	12	AllStarBySmashMouth
23	Think Of You - Christina Grimmie	1	uhsting

Next is Cody

Voter 17: Cody Piastri

Lauren Alaina’s “Ladies in the '90s” is a nostalgic, upbeat country-pop single released on October 15, 2018 as the lead track from her EP Getting Good 

The song is a tribute to the influential female artists of the 1990s who inspired Alaina’s own musical journey.

🎵 Song Summary:

• Theme: The lyrics celebrate a time when female artists dominated the radio, and Alaina reflects on her childhood growing up with their music. It’s both a personal homage and a broader commentary on the changing landscape of women in country music.

• Musical References: The song name-drops iconic tracks and artists across genres, including:

  • Country: “Strawberry Wine” (Deana Carter), “Breathe” (Faith Hill), “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” (Shania Twain), “Cowboy Take Me Away” (Dixie Chicks), “Fancy” (Reba McEntire)

  • Pop/R&B: “…Baby One More Time” (Britney Spears), “Say My Name” (Destiny’s Child), “No Scrubs” (TLC), “Genie in a Bottle” (Christina Aguilera), “Vogue” (Madonna), “Wannabe” (Spice Girls), “You Oughta Know” (Alanis Morissette)

• Production: Produced by busbee, the song blends catchy pop hooks with country instrumentation, creating a fun and radio-friendly sound.

• Music Video: Premiered on May 29, 2019, featuring Alaina as a quirky spokesperson on a 90s-style shopping channel, showcasing retro products and fashion

• Chart Performance:

  • Peaked at #40 on the US Country Airplay chart

  • Reached #49 on the US Hot Country Songs chart

Thank you Calum! 🙏Hoping to finish top 10 at this point lol.

On 16/07/2025 at 09:15, Cody Piastri said:

12 POINTS | Damaged - Danity Kane

10 POINTS | Breathe - Liberty X

08 POINTS | Gladiator - Dami Im

07 POINTS | California - Amelia Lily

06 POINTS | Borderline - Tove Styrke

05 POINTS | Domino - Saara Aalto

04 POINTS | Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East

03 POINTS | You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers

02 POINTS | I Trance - Agnes

01 POINTS | Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye

I thought Damaged was too cheap for this... that's not fair

Back to just 1 point in it now, with an extremely tight mid table.

1	I Trance - Agnes	79	?
2	Borderline - Tove Styrke	78	?
3	You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers	70	Tafty
4	Kashmir - Escala	59	Chez Wombat
5	Blood - Equador	58	Roba.
6	Gladiator - Dami Im	54	?
7	Bloodstream - Tokio Myers	53	Brer
8	Racing Cars - Ruti	48	?
9	California - Amelia Lily	48	awardinary
10	Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East	47	ChrisJK
11	Damaged - Danity Kane	47	Scene
12	Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye	46	King Rollo
13	Domino - Saara Aalto	43	Calum
14	I Do - Only The Young	43	Mangø
15	Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd et al.	37	Dobbo
16	Misty Eye - Aiden Grimshaw	35	Herbs
17	Breathe - Liberty X	32	Jade
18	Alone By Heart - Clara Van Wel	30	?
19	Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina	28	Cody Piastri
20	Creep - Dannii Minogue	20	?
21	Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy	18	gooddelta
22	Rock With Me - Reggie ‘n’ Bollie et al.	12	AllStarBySmashMouth
23	Think Of You - Christina Grimmie	1	uhsting

Next is vibe

Voter 18: vibe

Dannii Minogue’s “Creep” is a sultry, electro-funk track from her critically acclaimed 2003 album Neon Nights. The song exemplifies the album’s fusion of dance-pop, electroclash, and post-disco, and showcases Minogue’s bold, sensual persona.

🎵 Song Summary:

• Theme: “Creep” is about seduction, desire, and magnetic attraction. The lyrics describe a charged encounter where temptation and physical chemistry dominate. Minogue uses vivid imagery and innuendo to convey the intensity of the moment:

“Creep up to me, take a deep drag on me / 'Til you're high, I'll make you feel so good inside” 

• Musical Style:

  • Produced by Korpi & Blackcell, the track features sleek synths, funky basslines, and hypnotic rhythms.

  • It draws from American electro-funk and R&B aesthetics, contributing to the album’s club-ready vibe 

• Album Context:

  • Neon Nights was a turning point in Minogue’s career, praised for its cohesive sound and daring production choices.

  • “Creep” fits into the album’s overarching themes of nightlife, sensuality, and empowerment, and has been described as one of its standout deep cuts

Omg thanks Cody! ❤️

On 16/07/2025 at 13:05, vibe said:

+12 Damaged - Danity Kane, Making The Band, 10 29/01/2008

+10 Breathe - Liberty X, Popstars, 13/05/2002

+08 California Amelia Lily, X Factor UK, 07/09/2014

+07 Gladiator - Dami Im, X Factor Australia, 08/08/2014

+06 Racing Cars - Ruti, The Voice UK, 05/04/2019

+05 Blood – Equador (Bo Bruce), The Voice UK, 28/10/2016

+04 Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina, American Idol, 15/10/2018

+03 Domino - Saara Aalto, The Voice Of Finland, 16/02/2018

+02 I Trance – Agnes , Swedish Idol, 28/06/2019

+01 Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East, X Factor UK, 04/12/2015

A second straight maximum sees Danity Kane flying up the leaderboard. Also with a very strong run of scores lately is Dami Im, who was 2nd from bottom at one point.

1	I Trance - Agnes	81	?
2	Borderline - Tove Styrke	78	?
3	You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers	70	Tafty
4	Blood - Equador	63	Roba.
5	Gladiator - Dami Im	61	?
6	Kashmir - Escala	59	Chez Wombat
7	Damaged - Danity Kane	59	Scene
8	California - Amelia Lily	56	awardinary
9	Racing Cars - Ruti	54	?
10	Bloodstream - Tokio Myers	53	Brer
11	Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East	48	ChrisJK
12	Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye	46	King Rollo
13	Domino - Saara Aalto	46	Calum
14	I Do - Only The Young	43	Mangø
15	Breathe - Liberty X	42	Jade
16	Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd et al.	37	Dobbo
17	Misty Eye - Aiden Grimshaw	35	Herbs
18	Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina	32	Cody Piastri
19	Alone By Heart - Clara Van Wel	30	?
20	Creep - Dannii Minogue	20	vibe
21	Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy	18	gooddelta
22	Rock With Me - Reggie ‘n’ Bollie et al.	12	AllStarBySmashMouth
23	Think Of You - Christina Grimmie	1	uhsting

Just 5 voters to go and we’re coming to CowTzy next.

Voter 19: CowTzy

Dami Im’s “Gladiator” is a powerful pop anthem released on 8 August 2014 as the second single from her third studio album, Heart Beats 

The song blends mid-tempo pop balladry with themes of female empowerment, love, and resilience, and showcases Im’s dynamic vocal range.

🎵 Song Summary:

• Theme: “Gladiator” is about fighting for love and self-worth. While the lyrics describe a woman determined to win a man’s heart “like a gladiator,” Dami Im has explained that the deeper meaning is about fighting for confidence, self-love, and personal strength 

• Lyrics Highlight:

“Never gonna give up, I won’t let nobody harm ya / I will fight for your love like a gladiator.”

• Musical Style:

  • Produced by Trinity (Johan Gustafson, Fredrik Häggstam, Sebastian Lundberg)

  • Features airy tribal beats, layered harmonies, and a soaring chorus

  • Critics compared it to the work of Katy Perry, Sia, and Pink 

🎬 Music Video:

• Directed by Young Black Youth, the video features a fantasy storyline where Dami trains to become a warrior destined to vanquish evil.

• It includes special effects, martial arts, and Korean cultural elements, drawing comparisons to Mulan and Avatar 

• Dami described the video as “very special,” involving stunt work and a male stunt double dressed as her 

📈 Reception:

• Debuted at #11 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart

• Certified Gold for sales over 35,000 copies

• Praised for its catchy production, empowering message, and vocal delivery

Saara being cheated just like she was by Matt Terry and the UK public

13 hours ago, CowTzy said:

+12 5 Kashmir - Escala, Britain’s Got Talent, 25/05/2009

+10 7 Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd, Mic Righteous, Zeph Ellis & Ghette, X Factor UK, 07/11/2011

+8 3 Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy, Star Academy, 23/01/2006

+7 17 Blood - Equador (Bo Bruce), The Voice UK, 28/10/2016

+6 18 Bloodstream - Tokio Myers, Britain’s Got Talent, 12/10/2017

+5 14 Borderline - Tove Styrke, Swedish Idol, 09/10/2014

+4 11 Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye, All Ireland Talent Show, 06/06/2014

+3 22 Racing Cars - Ruti, The Voice UK, 05/04/2019

+2 15 I Do - Only The Young, X Factor UK, 07/08/2015

+1 23 I Trance - Agnes, Swedish Idol, 28/06/2019

And the lead has switched between the 2 Swedish pop stars once again, but with a few others still in with a shot with 4 to go.

1	Borderline - Tove Styrke	83	?
2	I Trance - Agnes	82	?
3	Kashmir - Escala	71	Chez Wombat
4	You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers	70	Tafty
5	Blood - Equador	70	Roba.
6	Gladiator - Dami Im	61	CowTzy
7	Damaged - Danity Kane	59	Scene
8	Bloodstream - Tokio Myers	59	Brer
9	Racing Cars - Ruti	57	?
10	California - Amelia Lily	56	awardinary
11	Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye	50	King Rollo
12	Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East	48	ChrisJK
13	Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd et al.	47	Dobbo
14	Domino - Saara Aalto	46	Calum
15	I Do - Only The Young	45	Mangø
16	Breathe - Liberty X	42	Jade
17	Misty Eye - Aiden Grimshaw	35	Herbs
18	Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina	32	Cody Piastri
19	Alone By Heart - Clara Van Wel	30	?
20	Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy	26	gooddelta
21	Creep - Dannii Minogue	20	vibe
22	Rock With Me - Reggie ‘n’ Bollie et al.	12	AllStarBySmashMouth
23	Think Of You - Christina Grimmie	1	uhsting

 

Host votes coming next!

Thanks for the 12's Rich and Chez! 'Blood' doing really well. Expected top 2 currently. Glad Dami has picked up.

Voter 20: Julian_

Clara van Wel’s “Alone By Heart” is a poignant and introspective song that showcases her talent for emotionally resonant songwriting. While detailed official commentary or reviews are limited, the lyrics and tone of the song suggest themes of emotional resilience, heartbreak, and self-discovery.

🎵 Song Summary:

• Theme: The song reflects on the experience of being alone not just physically, but emotionally—a solitude that becomes familiar, even internalized. The phrase “alone by heart” suggests a deeper kind of loneliness, one that persists even when surrounded by others.

• Lyrics Highlights:

  • “I know alone by heart / And it's not a funny thing” – introduces the central metaphor of emotional isolation.

  • “And broken hearts don't make a whole” – a reflection on the futility of trying to fix emotional wounds with other broken people.

  • “Water won't wash out the stains” – a poetic way of saying that some emotional scars are permanent.

• Musical Style: The song is likely acoustic or folk-pop in style, consistent with Clara van Wel’s earlier work, which often features gentle instrumentation and lyrically driven melodies.

Nice host entry, it deserved to do a fair bit better but this one was a pop battle, the singer songwriters have struggled more.

12 Equador - Blood

10 Ruti - Racing Cars

8 Tove Styrke - Borderline

7 Nolwenn Leroy - Nolwenn Ohwo!

6 Tokio Myers - Bloodstream

5 Agnes - I Trance

4 Aiden Grimshaw - Misty Eye

3 Daithi featuring Raye - Chameleon Life

2 Christina Grimmie - Think Of You

1 Cher Lloyd, Mic Righteous, Zeph Ellis & Ghetts - Dub On The Track

Commiserations to Escala and Diana

And that brings Equador right back into the running - it’s looking like a 3 horse race now.

1	Borderline - Tove Styrke	91	?
2	I Trance - Agnes	87	?
3	Blood - Equador	82	Roba.
4	Kashmir - Escala	71	Chez Wombat
5	You’ll Never Get To Heaven - Diana Vickers	70	Tafty
6	Racing Cars - Ruti	67	?
7	Bloodstream - Tokio Myers	65	Brer
8	Gladiator - Dami Im	61	CowTzy
9	Damaged - Danity Kane	59	Scene
10	California - Amelia Lily	56	awardinary
11	Chameleon Life - Daithi featuring Raye	53	King Rollo
12	Dub On The Track - Cher Lloyd et al.	48	Dobbo
13	Baby Don’t Dance - Fleur East	48	ChrisJK
14	Domino - Saara Aalto	46	Calum
15	I Do - Only The Young	45	Mangø
16	Breathe - Liberty X	42	Jade
17	Misty Eye - Aiden Grimshaw	39	Herbs
18	Nolwenn Ohwo! - Nolwenn Leroy	33	gooddelta
19	Ladies In The ‘90s - Lauren Alaina	32	Cody Piastri
20	Alone By Heart - Clara Van Wel	30	Julian_
21	Creep - Dannii Minogue	20	vibe
22	Rock With Me - Reggie ‘n’ Bollie et al.	12	AllStarBySmashMouth
23	Think Of You - Christina Grimmie	3	uhsting

jimwatts is up next

Thanks vibe for the 12 also! Yay top 10!

It could still go a few ways!

Thanks for the votes!

I’m impressed that on a few occasions where I guessed somebody’s artist incorrectly, they have given top marks to the song I predicted for them instead! At least I wasn’t wildly out.

1 minute ago, gooddelta said:

Thanks for the votes!

I’m impressed that on a few occasions where I guessed somebody’s artist incorrectly, they have given top marks to the song I predicted for them instead! At least I wasn’t wildly out.

That may be about to happen again 😝

Voter 21: jimwatts

Ruti’s “Racing Cars” is a heartfelt and introspective pop ballad released in 2019 as the lead single from her debut EP of the same name. The song showcases Ruti’s soulful voice and thoughtful songwriting, blending gentle acoustic instrumentation with emotional depth.

🎵 Song Summary:

• Theme: “Racing Cars” explores the idea of slowing down and appreciating the present, especially in relationships. It contrasts the fast pace of life—symbolized by racing cars—with the quiet, meaningful moments that often go unnoticed.

• Lyrics Highlight:

“Did you know what matters the most / Will take you by surprise?”

These lines reflect the song’s central message: that love and connection often come in subtle, unexpected ways.

• Musical Style:

  • Soft acoustic guitar and ambient textures

  • Minimalist production that highlights Ruti’s vocals

  • A mellow, reflective tone that evokes artists like Norah Jones or Corinne Bailey Rae

• Reception:

  • The song was praised for its sincerity and emotional maturity.

  • It helped establish Ruti as a rising singer-songwriter following her win on The Voice UK in 2018.