Beginning of the busy season

First EuroSunday of this year! Last week I didn’t post because nothing much happened (just one semifinal from Malta) but this week was definitely more busy, with one song presentation and four semifinals.

Switzerland presented their song, “Il pleut de l’or.” It’s not bad but it doesn’t strike me as a winner, even with only three songs known now.

Malta had their fifth semifinal, and none of the songs really impressed me at first listen. “Euphoria” and “Hypnotized” show some promise, though.

Finland had their first semifinal. My favorite “Anastacia” qualified to the final, and it’s probably my favorite song remaining in their preselection, along with “Love at the first sight” which is in a later semifinal. “Anastacia” won the semifinal with over half the vote, so it’s definitely got a big chance to be the final choice. My other favorite from this semifinal, “You Don’t Know Tomorrow” didn’t qualify.

Iceland also had their first semifinal, from which two songs qualified to the final. “The one” is a sweet ballad that I could see do well, but I’m less thrilled about “Out of Sight.”

Norway had their first semifinal, and two songs qualified. The first, “Make My Day,” didn’t grab me immediately but like with Maria Haukaas Storeng’s song in 2008, it is not unlikely that it will win the national final. “The Dragontower” was a bit of a surprise, since it’s so BROOTAL and METAL. It’s always a pleasure to see some metal in these preselections, since it so clashes with the idea of what Eurovision music is, yet it’s not a mean-spirited parody of the contest. Always, it’s interesting to have songs with mythological themes such as this one.

Next week brings semifinals in the same countries that had semifinals this week.