BJSC 98 Host Country: Quintessa Overview Making our first voyage to Quintessa, the aim was to keep the strong run of results going as we certainly couldn't afford a DNQ. At this point I was winding down on my personal charts era which would discontinue at the end of 2017 but still had a few gems that I felt needed unearthing to the masses. The contest was won by a quite frankly ridiculous 123 point margin by Medhelnia, their entry amassing 454 points in what must be one of the highest totals ever (Sigala's 'Easy Love' with 477 I still believe retains that record to this day). Extremely impressive considering it was their first ever victory after several close calls previously. But what became of our 20th entry...? Dobago's Entry Result: DNQ (21st in Semi) Now this really was a sucker punch result, not just because of it only narrowly missing out on qualifying but because it was a song I had been loving for most of the year. It was initially planned to be our 94 entry before we stumbled across Mariko, thereafter rebounding around our potentials shortlist before finally being unleashed. From memory I think this track I rather shamelessly pinched off a fellow member's personal chart, although if I had to guess it was moth09 who was not nor has ever been a BSJC contestant to my knowledge. I tend to enjoy Middle Eastern sounding entries with their unique instruments and this song combines that with a delicious psytrancey underlay, one perhaps not one as ostentatious as others which had been entered in the grand looming shadow of Free Tibet. I had reasonable expectations for this entry and it did score a pair of 12 points in the semi but it just didn't have enough of a wide appeal. I feel it may have snuck through with a lucky semi draw in another contest overall but them's the breaks sometimes. Winning Entry Country: Medhlenia I realised before posting that I don't think I'd ever listened to the original version of this so I duly fulfilled that obligation. Indeed, years before Taylor Swift carried out her own namedropping of the legendary actress, we had this from one hit wonder Clare Maguire. The original is a decent, heartfelt ballad but lacked an oomph which this version certainly brought to the table. In a time where Jess Glynne had not long prior been dominating charts and airwaves alike with upbeat piano house, it wasn't much of a surprise to see this perform well, although I still feel now as it did at the time that its points total was rather incredulous. I did point this, in fact giving it more (7) that the previous contest's winner but that was more a product of it being a weaker contest. It's a very nice listen, still retaining the superb vocals but complementing them with more engaging production, however it's not one I've ever rushed back to hear. 18-Pointer Country: Aeroche Whenever the eternal discussion arises as to what you regret not sending despite having a golden opportunity, I immediately jump straight to Brianna's 'Lost In Istanbul' but then we also have this banger which I always forget I knew well (and had charted) a fair bit before its eventual introduction to the contest. That said, there was always something about it that just didn't quite get me fully onboard so it was never truthfully a legitimate potential of mine. It's a very airy and summery bop with delicate verses building into a euphoric explosion of joy that's undeniably hard not to make your day feel just that bit better. As mentioned I had charted this song a while before the contest so it certainly had a head start on the competition but on reflection it really was a case of there simply not being any songs I preferred, as I would put this as one of my weakest 18-pointers from my early years competing. My 15 was Yalla, which at the time set a new record for best improvement in performance from the semi to the final, with my 13 being the overtly provoking but undeniably catchy Mi Mi Mi. Truth be told there's not a single song from this contest that's massively stayed with me, and to bring this summary full circle back to the Lost In Istanbul comparison, Born Ready also finished 4th overall.
Finding this song quite annoying now.
