19. Tafty - Æ MAK – Let’s Do It

Tafty admittedly found this quite a tough theme, but this was a good pick by Berlin-based artist Aoife McCann, an up and coming artist who again I couldn't find a lot online about but has made a living off experimental music and opened for the likes of Tune Yards and Django Django, described by her as “Fleet Foxes and Sylvan Esso taking mushrooms at a Summer gaff party.” it has a great sultry feeling and I like the way it expands as the track evolves. I couldn't find a keyboard shortcut for that character so sorry for not inclusding that in the copy-pasteable list x

On 05/09/2026 at 12:28, Tafty said:

12 POINTS | Janet Jackson - What About

10 POINTS | CHARLOT - Time Travelling

08 POINTS | Ennaria - UGLY

07 POINTS | Indiana - Smoking Gun

06 POINTS | Ashnikko - Liquid

05 POINTS | Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

04 POINTS | Purity Ring - imanocean

03 POINTS | Thunder Bae - ARCHANGEL

02 POINTS | Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids

01 POINT | The Real Group - Chili Con Carne

70; O FUTURE – I Forgive You

69; 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris (King Rollo)

58; Nadah El Shazly – Ghorzetein (uhsting)

55; Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide

54; Natalia Lafourcade – Azul (Chez Wombat)

50; Army of Lovers – Israelism (Mango)

49; Daniela Lalita – Pisoteo (Juan Carlos)

44; HMLTD – Stained (Jaz13Music)

42; Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) – Sympathize (matto)

42; Ashnikko – Liquid

41; Lido Pimienta – Marea

40; Thunder Bae – ARCHANGEL (Jade)

39; The Real Group – Chili Con Carne

38; Ennaria – UGLY

37; Purity Ring – imanocean (Jimwatts)

34; Black Boboi – Red Mind

33; Goldielocks – Provocateur

32; Ruusut - Yhen Toisen (Pavi)

32; QT – Hey QT (Dobbo)

30; JMSN - Soft Spot

28; Janet Jackson - What About (vibe)

25; Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

23; CHARLOT - Time Travelling (WoW73)

22; Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids (Spiceboy)

22; Indiana – Smoking Gun

18; Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

17; FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel (AllStarbySmashMouth)

16; Mulaa Joans – Members Only (DaTilt)

12; My Brightest Diamond – Pressure (Julian_)

12; Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

10; Æ MAK – Let’s Do It (Tafty)

07; Diet Cig – Scene Sick (Scene)

Tafty sadly is second from bottom and in tandem with that, he largely ignores the top contenders, but it does allow some lower down contenders like Ashnikko to make more of a impression.

Just now, RobBot said:

It is interesting that so many thought to go Latin for art pop, I’m not sure where the immediate correlation is there but I also very much understand it. I guess it is left field to the type of mainstream pop you hear on the UK/US radios.

ROSALÍA's impakt I fear

(I was initially looking for an artist similar to her but I couldn't find anything x)

20. Nine 3/4 - Ane Brun - Don't Run and Hide

One of the contenders this evening, Nine sent this song from former BJSC winner and big name in underground Norwegian pop, Ane Brun, Sami in origin but singing mainly in English. This song was released in 2020 in the depths of lockdown from her album, After the Great Storm. An intimite, beautifully atmospheric song that is sparse in style yet still creates an uncanny feeling mainly through the melancholy sound of her voice and swirling strings.

On 05/09/2026 at 14:03, nine¾ said:

Hi, my votes:

12 Mary Ocher - Sympathize (feat. Your Government)

10 CHARLOT - Time Travelling

8 Indiana - Smoking Gun

7 Mulaa Joans - Members Only

6 Suki Waterhouse - Back in Love

5 Lido Pimienta - Marea

4 O FUTURE - I FORGIVE YOU

3 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris

2 Ashnikko - Liquid

1 Natalia Lafourcade - Azul

74; O FUTURE – I Forgive You

72; 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris (King Rollo)

58; Nadah El Shazly – Ghorzetein (uhsting)

55; Natalia Lafourcade – Azul (Chez Wombat)

55; Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide (Nine ¾)

54; Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) – Sympathize (matto)

50; Army of Lovers – Israelism (Mango)

49; Daniela Lalita – Pisoteo (Juan Carlos)

46; Lido Pimienta – Marea

44; HMLTD – Stained (Jaz13Music)

44; Ashnikko – Liquid

40; Thunder Bae – ARCHANGEL (Jade)

39; The Real Group – Chili Con Carne

38; Ennaria – UGLY

37; Purity Ring – imanocean (Jimwatts)

34; Black Boboi – Red Mind

33; CHARLOT - Time Travelling (WoW73)

33; Goldielocks – Provocateur

32; Ruusut - Yhen Toisen (Pavi)

32; QT – Hey QT (Dobbo)

31; Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

30; JMSN - Soft Spot

30; Indiana – Smoking Gun

28; Janet Jackson - What About (vibe)

23; Mulaa Joans – Members Only (DaTilt)

22; Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids (Spiceboy)

18; Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

17; FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel (AllStarbySmashMouth)

12; My Brightest Diamond – Pressure (Julian_)

12; Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

10; Æ MAK – Let’s Do It (Tafty)

07; Diet Cig – Scene Sick (Scene)

Nine has said she has previously only finished 10th here and she could well be on track to beat that, but can she go all the way? The top 2 remain the same and closely locked for now.

I know right, I hid my Cherness SO well! 🤭

Started so well, top 3 at one point and just tumbled down the scoreboard since! 😭

This song was another beauty from Ane Brun, nice pick Nine.

Just to say, I had no idea she'd won BJSC. 😅

Lovely song here from Ane Brun. Not heard her one in the current BJSC yet to compare but looking to be a good month for her x

not the nine blank

21. Lee J_11 – Goldielocks - Provocateur

Certainly fitting the quirky vocal of the contest, Lee sends the second Finnish act here with this quirky indie pop number, the artist first received mainstream recognition with in 2025, after her song "Made Of" competed in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2025, Finland's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, where it placed second. Uhsting may know more x

On 05/09/2026 at 15:37, Lee_J11 said:

Hey Chez, please find my votes below :)

The propaganda is REAL!

12 Army of Lovers - Israelism

10 CHARLOT - Time Travelling

08 The Real Group - Chili Con Carne (I just couldn’t not

07 Ashnikko - Liquid

06 Purity Ring - imanocean

05 Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

04 Rusuun - Yhen Toisen

03 Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

02 Ennaria - UGLY

01 Lido Pimienta - Marea

HMs: Janet, O Future, QT, My Brighest Diamond

Some wonderful discoveries! ❤️

74; O FUTURE – I Forgive You

72; 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris (King Rollo)

62; Army of Lovers – Israelism (Mango)

58; Nadah El Shazly – Ghorzetein (uhsting)

55; Natalia Lafourcade – Azul (Chez Wombat)

55; Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide (Nine ¾)

54; Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) – Sympathize (matto)

51; Ashnikko – Liquid

49; Daniela Lalita – Pisoteo (Juan Carlos)

47; Lido Pimienta – Marea

47; The Real Group – Chili Con Carne

44; HMLTD – Stained (Jaz13Music)

43; CHARLOT - Time Travelling (WoW73)

43; Purity Ring – imanocean (Jimwatts)

40; Thunder Bae – ARCHANGEL (Jade)

40; Ennaria – UGLY

36; Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

36; Ruusut - Yhen Toisen (Pavi)

34; Black Boboi – Red Mind

33; Goldielocks – Provocateur (Lee_J11)

32; QT – Hey QT (Dobbo)

30; JMSN - Soft Spot

30; Indiana – Smoking Gun

28; Janet Jackson - What About (vibe)

23; Mulaa Joans – Members Only (DaTilt)

22; Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids (Spiceboy)

21; Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

17; FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel (AllStarbySmashMouth)

12; My Brightest Diamond – Pressure (Julian_)

12; Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

10; Æ MAK – Let’s Do It (Tafty)

07; Diet Cig – Scene Sick (Scene)

We may have been forgetting the Mexican spices for a while now, but we may be there as The Real Group are almost in the top 10, Army of Lovers get yet another jump up the table but not troubling the top 2 yet.

👀

Mexican spices nearly top 10 *.*

i only know goldielocks escaped dagny asylum after umk x

these results have been one giant meh fest rn

22. gooddelta - The Real Group - Chili Con Carne

So it was Rich that blessed us with this memorable a capella retelling of a chili con carne recipe, from a Swedish a capella group that have been through many lineup changes and cite Bobby McFerrin as an influence. The song was from their first full length English Language album in 1989 and could be seen as a metaphor for always remembering the spices of life, or they could have just been hungry, certainly weird and wonderful either way x

On 06/09/2026 at 13:20, gooddelta said:

12 Points: My Brightest Diamond - Pressure

10 Points: Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide

8 Points: Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids

7 Points: HMLTD - Stained

6 Points: JMSN - Soft Spot

5 Points: 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris

4 Points: Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) - Sympathize

3 Points: Nadah El Shazly - Ghorzetein

2 Points: Natalia Lafourcade - Azul

1 Point: Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

77; 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris (King Rollo)

74; O FUTURE – I Forgive You

65; Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide (Nine ¾)

62; Army of Lovers – Israelism (Mango)

61; Nadah El Shazly – Ghorzetein (uhsting)

58; Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) – Sympathize (matto)

57; Natalia Lafourcade – Azul (Chez Wombat)

51; Ashnikko – Liquid

51; HMLTD – Stained (Jaz13Music)

49; Daniela Lalita – Pisoteo (Juan Carlos)

47; Lido Pimienta – Marea

47; The Real Group – Chili Con Carne (gooddelta)

43; CHARLOT - Time Travelling (WoW73)

43; Purity Ring – imanocean (Jimwatts)

40; Thunder Bae – ARCHANGEL (Jade)

40; Ennaria – UGLY

37; Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

36; JMSN - Soft Spot

36; Ruusut - Yhen Toisen (Pavi)

34; Black Boboi – Red Mind

33; Goldielocks – Provocateur (Lee_J11)

32; QT – Hey QT (Dobbo)

30; Indiana – Smoking Gun

30; Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids (Spiceboy)

28; Janet Jackson - What About (vibe)

24; My Brightest Diamond – Pressure (Julian_)

23; Mulaa Joans – Members Only (DaTilt)

21; Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

17; FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel (AllStarbySmashMouth)

12; Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

10; Æ MAK – Let’s Do It (Tafty)

07; Diet Cig – Scene Sick (Scene)

Rich gives 10cc a narrow lead again as we approach the end game, these two are still neck and neck.

Thanks Rich, I will now never forget the Mexican spices <3

Thank you for the points so far, especially Till, WoW and Spiceboy for 8 points each! I didn't have anything that I felt an ideal fit to this theme and sent Purity Ring more or less as a placeholder that I then stuck with. If nothing else I thought it might give me an elusive 20th place finish, though it's doing slightly better than that right now.

I went to Sweden earlier in the year and in a secondhand shop got a compilation from 2001, Absolute Music 38. I had the album on in the car a couple of months ago and it was mostly contemporary hits but this was on there too and stopped me in my tracks. It appears to be a 2001 re-recording of an acapella song that originated in the 80s and is now very famous among choirs who agree it is super hard to sing.

I love it and I knew I had to send it somewhere. But wasn't sure where it would fit, but this 'weird and wonderful' theme seemed to fit perfectly. Glad some people enjoyed it like I do, it's such an earworm.

23. HarryInnanen - Indiana - Smoking Gun

No stranger to song contests, Harry sent this cut from Indiana's early work way back in 2013, around the same time she performed for Queen Elizabeth II during the monarch's visit to BBC Radio 1, singing a cover of David Bowie's Heroes with The Script. Known best for her brief UK chart hit, Solo Dancing, this maintains the dark and alternative take on pop she specialises in. One fact I managed to find about her that we didn't already know is that in 2018, she sparked controversy when she released topless photos of herself, taken in front of a World War I memorial plaque. She later explained that she did not realise it was a war memorial and said 'Pretty sure those boys that gave their lives for this country would enjoy a casual bit of side-boob' well then....

On 06/09/2026 at 15:29, HarryInnanen said:

Hello,

12 // Purity Ring - imanocean

10 // Ashnikko - Liquid

08 // Army of Lovers - Israelism 

07 // HMLTD - Stained

06 // Ruusut - Yhen Toisen

05 // Janet Jackson - What About

04 // Nadah El Shazly - Ghorzetein

03 // QT - Hey QT

02 // Black Boboi - Red Mind

01 // O FUTURE - I Forgive You

Honourable Mentions

Mulaa Joan - Members Only

Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) - Sympathize

JMSN - Soft Spot

The Real Group - Chili Con Carne

FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel

77; 10cc - Une Nuit A Paris (King Rollo)

75; O FUTURE – I Forgive You

70; Army of Lovers – Israelism (Mango)

65; Ane Brun - Don't Run And Hide (Nine ¾)

65; Nadah El Shazly – Ghorzetein (uhsting)

61; Ashnikko – Liquid

58; Mary Ocher (feat. Your Government) – Sympathize (matto)

58; HMLTD – Stained (Jaz13Music)

57; Natalia Lafourcade – Azul (Chez Wombat)

55; Purity Ring – imanocean (Jimwatts)

49; Daniela Lalita – Pisoteo (Juan Carlos)

47; Lido Pimienta – Marea

47; The Real Group – Chili Con Carne (gooddelta)

43; CHARLOT - Time Travelling (WoW73)

42; Ruusut - Yhen Toisen (Pavi)

40; Thunder Bae – ARCHANGEL (Jade)

40; Ennaria – UGLY

37; Suki Waterhouse – Back In Love

36; JMSN - Soft Spot

36; Black Boboi – Red Mind

35; QT – Hey QT (Dobbo)

33; Janet Jackson - What About (vibe)

33; Goldielocks – Provocateur (Lee_J11)

30; Indiana – Smoking Gun (HarryInnanen)

30; Cher - You Better Sit Down Kids (Spiceboy)

24; My Brightest Diamond – Pressure (Julian_)

23; Mulaa Joans – Members Only (DaTilt)

21; Morgana - Fix Your Heart For Free

17; FiFi ZHANG and dazegxd - Fallen Angel (AllStarbySmashMouth)

12; Lisa Mitchell – Coin Laundry

10; Æ MAK – Let’s Do It (Tafty)

07; Diet Cig – Scene Sick (Scene)

Yet another top 3 score for Army of Lovers but the top 2 remain as close as ever, Ashnikko starts to threaten as well.

Hopefully I can reach 10 points. 🥲