Ooh what was Blushgate?! It rings a faint bell, was it a double confirmation controversy?

See this is what I like about these retrospective thread discussions, different people have different evoking memories.

I believe you've given me a few 18's over the years (including one I remember from last year) but would imagine this would still remain your fave!

TP4Y's 'Blush' initially got vetoed due to having been shared heavily on plug.dj beforehand (which was very common in that era - including my own winner in BJSC 74 oop! - so was controversial for an example to suddenly be made of it). The veto got overturned after the controversy but led to a crackdown on the practice of sharing songs like that in private before entering them. (Though it's still allowed to post potentials in your national thread as people still occasionally do)

I have just remembered one other song I gave 18 to from you which I would rank ahead of 'The Legend' actually but #nospoilers x

Hmmm that reminds me of another similarly controversial veto now with Medhelnia, I believe he once posted the lyrics of a chorus to a song in his thread which was basically akin to revealing his entry. Think this then led to the legendary "Thank GOD I didn't get vetoed" / "oops I got vetoed" comments thereafter...

BJSC 87

Host Countries: Pupok & Yehesi

Summary

2 countries both having a stellar 2016 joined forces in hosting the 87th edition. We were approaching our 10th contest very quickly and intended to save an absolute personal favourite for that so we were on the look out for more recent songs which piqued our interest. Step forward...

Dobago's Entry

Result: 10th

I was very much more on the pulse of continental charts back in 2016 and felt more of an affinity to Eastern European styles and influences. I don't recall exactly where I came about this song but it was one which grabbed my attention almost immediately and eventually became the first foreign-language entry I sent. What starts off as a rather unassuming piece then turns up the bass accompanied with very peculiar, cranky sounding instrumental sections. I felt this had the potential to be very wide appealing but as it transpired it receive the exact same score and number of votes as The Legend, with lots of high scores but plenty of snubs too. Despite that it scored Dobago another top 10, the fourth in six contests and second back to back. I don't quite have the same love for it as I did at the time but it's still an enjoyable listen in the right mood.

Winning Entry

Country: Cor Lupus

I believe this song broke the record for highest ever score in a semi-final. Whether or not that record still stands I couldn't confidently say. On top of that, it was another rare 400+ points scorer in the final. However, much like with Sanctuary, it was one I did not vote for, which ended our run of voting for every winner since. Again, it's a track with a very striking chorus but for me, there's not much else to get behind. I'm not mad about Alisa Xayalith's vocals and the production is a bit pedestrian. But very clearly I was in a tiny minority with this one as it won by over 70 points, earning Cor Lupus their first victory with aplomb.

18-Pointer

Country: Botanikka

Botanikka did not have to wait long for their next Dobagan maximum pointer! Just 2 contests after Lost On You here we have another great entry from them although this has categorically not stayed with me to the same effect (certainly doesn't work in its favour not being on Spotify, my main method of music consumption). Straddling dance and pop absolutely flawlessly, with its sultry vocals effortlessly carrying the song from section to section and a neat Bang Bang easter egg sample tucked away in the middle. The production absolutely is the highlight though, I love tracks like these that just let the power of the production do its thing. This was a really fun one to revisit, just a shame I can't add it to my playlists. Aside from Tell Me we really enjoyed NEIKED's Sexual, entered just a couple of months before becoming a UK top 10 hit (damn Ramrynia were also on fire that year) as well the brilliant classical-pop crossover I Do and the manic, chaotic HATEFUL LOVE. I would have to say Ilumbarada might possibly top them all though looking back. Strong contest this one!

Tell Me :wub:

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen to it as well as I have kinda forgotten about it lol, but oh wow I just realized how well the sample was used on this track. Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul’ who?!

'Ja Kem Nis' was a bop and think I pointed that highly.

'Give Love A Try' is fab too, been a while since I listened to it but it was my 2nd potential after Dennis Sheperd's 'Dive' the month I sent the latter!

16 hours ago, Roba. said:

'Ja Kem Nis' was a bop and think I pointed that highly.

'Give Love A Try' is fab too, been a while since I listened to it but it was my 2nd potential after Dennis Sheperd's 'Dive' the month I sent the latter!

Indeed you did, you were the only country who gave it an 18! (Had to double check that you were known as Aeyundoré back then)

Ah we're up to The Naked and Famous... I'm tempted to say that's been the entry out of everything that I really thought should have been a veto, I remember thinking it was a surefire winner from the moment I saw the list - but I do think that sometimes alt entries can make it through as a result of a lack of vocal support despite the act being a big-ish name. Same would apply for Cut Copy when they were entered.

I don't recall many of the other tracks in the thread since I last commented - I must confess that the vast majority of tracks fade into obscurity for me quite quickly after a contest has ended. There's probably usually only about 10-15 tracks a year that really stick with me

BJSC 88

Host Country: Cor Lupus

Summary

We went back to where we made our debut a year ago and it was our 10th contest, hence we had already pre-planned our entry. Something that would go on to be somewhat of a trend-setter for the nation thereafter. This contest was notable for the appearance of 2 now well established artists, in fact both currently residing in the UK top 10 at time of writing! One of which would achieve a significantly better result (more on that shortly).

Dobago's Entry

Result: 30th

The version of this song I sent was not actually the one which I first discovered (although both are confusingly labelled as 'Original Mix' on Spotify), I believe on some random dance CD I owned as a teenager. However it had always been a favourite of mine and it was from an extremely underground artist (indeed one with apparently only 603 monthly listeners as of now) so I was almost certain it would fulfil both criteria of being something worth representing Dobago for a semi-important anniversary and being completely new to every single other participant. Whilst both versions are excellent, this one just has that edge with the slow, tranquil build up culminating in an exuberant fusion of sounds, switching between delicate, serene notes and heavy, pulsating synth sections. This song truly takes you on a journey which is a pretty common theme in a lot of my favourite songs, particularly instrumentals. Speaking of which, this was indeed the first instrumental track I sent, which would go on to become a recurring theme with many of my most successful entries which followed. This is easily in my top 5 own entries, so it rather pleasingly qualified and placed decently in the final.

Winning Entry

Country: N DNTN

Indeed, as alluded to in the summary, a then little known artist called RAYE smashed this contest with a track from of her very early EPs. And what a brilliant track this is. A frantic and frenetic slice of R&B that demands your attention right the way through. There's lot of intricacies I love in this, especially the crunching chords and accelerating ticking sounds littered throughout. I gave it 13 points and it still holds up incredibly well today. Truly a song that sounded ahead of its time and indeed it was only a matter of months before she had her commercial breakthrough featuring on Jonas Blue's By Your Side. It's always fun to discover artists through BJSC before they hit the mainstream and RAYE is one of many to fall under that bracket over the years.

18-Pointer

Country: South Danaelanda

It's no understatement to suggest this song had a MASSIVE advantage in the Dobagan jury, being taken from a much-loved album from a much-loved artist. But BJSC has its own set of rules that allows frameworks and the like to be loosened for anniversary entries, which it was for our good allies South Danaelanda as they were then known. Even despite that, this is a truly marvellous piece of work that encapsulates the best of Avicii. MØ of course was a well established act at this time as well and puts in a sterling vocal to top off this 8-minute modern house classic. 88 also had some fantastic stuff, another similarly long house song albeit most definitely the best discovery being that of Travelling Light. Then you had the mind-bending Scope which would have almost certainly rank above Shhh if re-voting today. And a final word has to go to an act by the name of Sabrina Carpenter with a strong pop effort in On Purpose. Wonder whatever happened to her?

Youth is one of my favourites from Dobago, love the tranquil piano bursting into harsh drops, it definitely captures the vibe of the title <3

BJSC 89

Host Countries: Jadakissnia & Persephonia

Summary

The penultimate contest of 2016 was another multi-country event, although neither hosted by last month's winner. Now there's quite the personal story with this one, I was away all week during semi-final voting but would be back on the final day to speed run through the songs and submit my votes (not ideal of course but necessary if I wanted to participate this time). So the plan would be to kick back on the Sunday evening and whip through the songs however it transpired the house had flooded so I clearly couldn't/wouldn't be staying there that night. Despite this I was committed to the cause and have distinct memories sitting in a fully-soaked bedroom to get some representative votes in before the slightly less important subject of working out what to do next. Can't say I ain't committed!

Dobago's Entry

Result: 8th

Part of the reason I didn't want to skip another contest this year despite travel plans was because of my entry. Sure I could have just gone with it for 90 instead but the vibe might not have still been the same a whole month later. Well, that and because I still had a reasonable chance of sneaking into the EOY top 10 with a few more strong results. So it was this slice of Bulgarian dance pop that fronted the nation, something I was very much into at the time. I had confidence in this entry, so much so that I was tempted to just skip the semi voting (even more so after the "circumstances" alluded to) in hope it would still progress even with a deduction. BUT THANK GOODNESS I DIDN'T as it would have actually DNQ'd after all despite ultimately finishing top 10 in the final and becoming Dobago's first ever repeat position. Big lesson learned there! It was in fact a strong contender for the win for a large part of the points revealing. Achieving 5 top 10 finishes for the year was an incredible feeling and left us on the brink of the EOY top 10 in 11th. I still enjoy this song although prefer a few of her other big hits in her homeland. Also #funfact DARA is the only Dobagan representative I have seen live, when she performed in London in late 2019 literally about a 5 minute walk from my office, fun times.

Winning Entry

Country: #00274E

This was quite a shock winner at the time and even looking at it retrospectively, for such a retro-sounding entry to actually scale the BSJC mountain was very commendable. Of course Crystal Waters is most famous for her massive 1991 hit Gypsy Woman but she had a string of follow-up smaller hits including this track released 4 years later. The version on Spotify is not the one I remember listening to at the time however this Youtube video sounds more like it with the harder production elements. It's a pretty fun track, very much cut from that typical 90s house cloth but that's no bad thing at all. I gave it 8 points and it would probably land about there if entered in a contest now.

18-Pointer

Country: Bøtanikkä

One of the fun quirks I remember from 89 is that there were 3 Bulgarian language entries and the other 2 were among were favourites, indeed receiving my 12 and 18 points in the semi and final respectively. But undoubtedly it was this song that stood head and shoulders above everything else. Fusing together traditional choral folklore chanting with modernistic psytrance synths was an absolute match made in heaven for my ears. For such a short song this had so many elements of interest and performed remarkably well in finishing 4th overall. In fact the 3 songs referenced were only 1 sole point away from all finishing in the top 10 together, which would indeed have happened had the fantastic other 90s dance entry Deep by Marusha not just squeezed past the ethereal Temen Oblak for my 15 points at the line. Back to Stanga, the song left such an impression on me that it would considerably influence a future entry decision of mine. An undeniable out and out banger.

'Scope' by MssingNo finished third for me in 88, a new personal best, but it later transpired that it absolutely killed it in the semi, even beating RAYE at that stage - with 160+ points!! But I wasn't too mad about being usurped by 'Shhh' in the end as it was great, my favourite RAYE-related song until 'Escapism.' came along.

N DNTN and #00274E were the top two and I remember discussions happening behind the scenes about 152wild, myself in third place and Bray all coming together for a bumper hosting job, but that fell through in the end and just me and Bray took the reins. My involvement here stepped up a lot compared to my previous co-hosting job, e.g. making recap videos, so most of those entries are still burned into my brain from all that editing - including the Bulgarian trio! A good entry from yourself (wow at that BTS drama and dedication btw!) and 'Stanga' was an absolute banger indeed, within my medal positions too.

I couldn't wait to deliver those results when 'Relax' ended up coming 1st as it didn't seem to be on anyone's radar as a winning contender.

29 minutes ago, Jade said:

'Scope' by MssingNo finished third for me in 88, a new personal best, but it later transpired that it absolutely killed it in the semi, even beating RAYE at that stage - with 160+ points!! But I wasn't too mad about being usurped by 'Shhh' in the end as it was great, my favourite RAYE-related song until 'Escapism.' came along.

N DNTN and #00274E were the top two and I remember discussions happening behind the scenes about 152wild, myself in third place and Bray all coming together for a bumper hosting job, but that fell through in the end and just me and Bray took the reins. My involvement here stepped up a lot compared to my previous co-hosting job, e.g. making recap videos, so most of those entries are still burned into my brain from all that editing - including the Bulgarian trio! A good entry from yourself (wow at that BTS drama and dedication btw!) and 'Stanga' was an absolute banger indeed, within my medal positions too.

I couldn't wait to deliver those results when 'Relax' ended up coming 1st as it didn't seem to be on anyone's radar as a winning contender.

Wow would imagine a 4-way hosting effort would be quite tricky to coordinate! And yes those recap videos were especially great that contest when my deliberating time was at a premium 🙏

Yeah I always enjoy the contests with no obvious favourites, opens the door for a surprise winner.

always wished Temen Oblak had gotten a top 10... nah I kid, cool to get a slight mention as definitely one of my stronger entries back then. Stanga and DARA definitely made that a great contest for Bulgarians then <3

oh wow, voting while the house is flooded, that is some impressive dedication - I've had some close calls through the years but nothing quite as dramatic as that.

Zanmatony's debut contest was BJSC 89, and on our first time in the semi-final we gave a bronze medal to Dobago, and in the final we gave 11 points! A wonderful discovery for our debut contest.

K'vo Ne Chu' was another bop from you and gave 12 points to and in return you gave Genevieve 12 also!

I had completely forgotten about T2Kazuya but remembered that I gave it decent points (9) so just given it a relisten now and it is coming back to me, maybe now feeling a little of its time but still a banger

7 hours ago, Jade said:

I couldn't wait to deliver those results when 'Relax' ended up coming 1st as it didn't seem to be on anyone's radar as a winning contender.

I do distinctly remember feeling like that came completely out of nowhere when you shared the results with me!

(got a cheeky exclusive leak as I had been co-hosting x)

And yes the random domination of Bulgarian songs in that contest was quite iconic, 'K'vo Ne Chu' was not so much my cup of tea but the other two both got double digit points from me.

On 14/10/2025 at 20:20, awardinary said:

Zanmatony's debut contest was BJSC 89, and on our first time in the semi-final we gave a bronze medal to Dobago, and in the final we gave 11 points! A wonderful discovery for our debut contest.

Sad you didn't qualify on debut, you got 5 points in the semi from us!

On 14/10/2025 at 20:36, Roba. said:

K'vo Ne Chu' was another bop from you and gave 12 points to and in return you gave Genevieve 12 also!

We were certainly in sync quite a bit in this era of BJSC!

Stanga and Dara :wub:

Omg lowkey I kinda slayed in 2016!!!

I revisited this entry after Kai from EXO released “Rover” a couple years ago and I found out that she was a part of the writing credits 🧡 yeah that was a fun one