IS’s talent experts Tatu Onkalo, Sanna-Leena Santapakka and Anna-Maija Naakka ranked the performances from the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday. It was topped by Sumen Karija.
9.5. 8:00
1. Norway: Alessandra – Queen of Kings
Tatu: Alessandra had explosive energy in the Norwegian Fives final. When I saw him live at the song’s preview event in Amsterdam, the song sounded surprisingly vulnerable. If and when he recreates the bone and core of his performances at Liverpool, this is sure to be one of the crowd favourites.
Sana-Leena: The song has quickly become a trending sound on TikTok, and the peppy dance track will definitely make it to the finale. The problem may be the same as last year’s viral song in Norway: In the end, the song doesn’t have the depth that would move many listeners.
Anna-Maija: Feminist Viking Techno gave me chills the first time I heard it. If live shows and high-pitching matches take place, it will battle with its neighbors Finland and Sweden for the top spots.
2. Malta: The Buskers – Dance (Our Own Party)
Tattoo: For me, despite its name, this song is one of those songs that never ends up on the dance floor. Terrible place to perform for such a nimble, exciting song after Alessandra!
Sanna-Lena: Unfortunately, this handsome boy from Malta is at the back of this year’s armada of handsome boys and doesn’t really stand out in any way. Technically, a really meritorious rally, but it’s stuck in one place from start to finish.
Anna-Maija: Nothing to do with it, but the rhyming pair is the better sweater. Even if it’s a really catchy song, you’ll quickly forget it.
3. Serbia: Luke Black – I’m Sleeping Now
Tattoo: The World manages to tell about pain in an elegant and suitably funny way. Bring in some much needed drama in this year’s slightly dreamy songs. Here’s to a good show, and we have the surprise of the race on our hands. Serbia is an underrated reformer of knowledge!
Sana-Leena: An ear-dropping rally. At first, the robot figures on stage and Luke Black’s swagger make you laugh, but you soon realize you’re getting into it. This is in my mind and may be the dark horse of the race.
Anna-Maija: A mesmerizing and captivating song that you totally have to listen to. I only missed the last big gear at the end of the song.
4. Latvia: Sudden Light – Aija
Tattoo: Was it written as a lullaby for a baby? Okay, nothing wrong with that, but I’m a little bothered by the topic of sleeping away from all the horrors of the world.
Sanna-leena: in a way, a really beautiful song that, if sung in Finnish, might echo somewhere in the modern domes of Kallio. Unfortunately, this is quite a “let’s get more piña coladas out of the fridge” moment. I can’t tell any way to separate these boy bands this year.
Anna-Maija: Nice rhythmic joke in the beginning, but then I lose interest. Nice basic rant, but this year it’s not enough.
5. Portuguese: mimikat – oh heart
Tatoo: A woman bound by love gives a three-minute cabaret performance. Canoeing is actually a fun boost in between.
Sanna-Lena: Mimikati has a captivating stage persona and the song entices her to stomp her feet and wave her imaginary or real skirt. Even without translating the lyrics, it becomes clear that we are now singing about love.
Anna-Maija: It’s funny, it works better when you hear it than when you see it. Could it be the sweet voice and language of the singer? Positively memorable, but not exactly breaking the bank.
6. Irlanti: Wild Youth – We Are One
Tatu: So different, so similar… Sweetie.
Sanna-leena: This shoutout to the stadium is at the top of the boy band’s list, probably because the sun has been shining in Finland for a while and you can already smell the summer festivals. I wish Ireland continued success.
Anna-Maija: It starts off with a slight U2 vibe, which raises expectations, but ultimately falls into the easily forgettable category. This type of message can be found in at least one five-song song every year, and it’s not the worst, but it’s not the best either.
7. Croatia: Flight 3 – Mama SC!
Tattoo: the object of ridicule will be unclear to anyone, but is there really any benefit from it? For me, in the end, it’s just a roar and a rose behind. To the fridge!
Sanna-Lena: Even though The Cure in Croatian will echo in your head, the live version of this song is a harsher experience than not. Once goes as a funny number. In this political situation, it is possible that the song may suffer in the final as well.
Anna-Maija: It’s not amusing, it mostly just causes embarrassment. Quite a mixed bag in all respects. no further.
8. Switzerland: Remo Faure – Watergun
Tatu: Switzerland seems to specialize in these young, sweet golden cucumbers. You can listen to it as a beautiful message of peace or as an interpersonal drama, too much for my own taste.
Sanna-Lena: A beautiful singing voice and a sad boy can be comforted by the fact that Switzerland is unlikely to fall into war immediately. Technically, the song moves like a train, but in the end, I still want a better hook. This supersoaker tends to be a bit messy.
Anna-Maija: After the unicorn, the most confusing song name. The boy has a beautiful singing voice, so it could have been used more in the song.
9. Israel: Noah Kirel – Unicorn
Tatu: It tries to go smoothly, but the song starts to wander towards the end. And I really don’t understand why he’s a unicorn. However, there aren’t too many Belly songs available this year.
Sanna-Leena: While making the song, we first watched TikTok for three hours straight and tried to capture everything that could go viral, starting with the funny horn hand sign. The tempo is good, but towards the end the song is so simple that you are not sure what the song is about.
Anna-Maija: I understand why people like it, but the song sounds a bit comical: for me, a unicorn is a stuffed animal or a cute jumpsuit used in a fun tournament. A perfectly good song template ruined by a weird mix-up at the end.
10. Moldova: Pasha Parfeni – Sun and Moon
TATTOO: Where’s the ethnic-junk graphics from the world of fantasy, always good for me! It is good to dance in dance party. If you listen carefully, you may already have a little practice shouting the cha cha cha.
Sanna-Lena: This reminds me strongly of Go-A a few years ago, and if Pasha pulls off a sufficiently acidic stage show, there could be a surprise attacker here. Moldova is known for getting surprisingly high in the public vote! kill everyone!
Anna-Maija: I hope it’s going to be a good stage show, because my ears started rolling in between listening to it. Hypnotic ethnorhythms work.
11. Sweden: Lorraine – Tattoo
Tatu: I must be a bad Finn, but I think the song is amazing and I’ve listened to it a lot. I watched the performance at Melodifestivalen with mixed feelings of fear, will the wise men go to Sweden again, isn’t even Karija enough! Now that the first training pictures of Liverpool have emerged, my cynicism is starting to crumble too. The rapper’s hype is only growing, with Lorraine’s giant sarcophagus shrunk to a candy box. I’m starting to believe in the miracle of Liverpool!
Sanna-Lena: A little bit of Tatula feeling, can I also say that you like it? Not Sweden’s best, and although profanity is Lorraine’s strength, it is also her weakness: the song is compared to Euphoria and it falls flat. Great vocals and an impressively produced song though. Folks, pop songs have such a feeling, learn from them.
Anna-Maija: The song is good, but doesn’t live up to all the hype. It doesn’t compare to Euphoria by any measure, and the lyrics are pretty basic except for the tattoo part. Even those minor weaknesses are ironed out, with a great show and Lorraine’s voice.
12. Azerbaijan: TuralTuranX – Tell me more
Tattoo: The best part of this song is the luv luv luv-oo-oo-way drag in the middle. But now I don’t really go on my own, but stay in the “just nice” section.
Sana-Leena: I’ve heard the song many times and after listening to it for a minute, I can’t even hum a note. I don’t remember anything other than “the song where the twins are”. Completely immersed in the mass.
Anna-Maija: I got bored after 20 seconds. There’s really nothing much to say, so I’m hoping for something in the show to remember this.
13. Czech Republic: Vesna – My Sister’s Crown
Tattoo: The Empowerment Song Uses Four Different Languages, But This Time It Actually Works! At least it can take me into my world.
Sanna-Lena: A group of Slavic women singing about how someone is trying to tame a bad guy? It may sound calculative, but in the least I don’t care. The song works, especially because of its chorus.
Anna-Maija: I love it from the start and it works perfectly just for listening. Three minutes go by quickly with this song, and the chorus in particular gives you the chills. I hope for success on stage as well.
14. The Netherlands: Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper – Burning Daylight
Tatu: Now everyone hurry to the bathroom and pina colada line before Cariza!
Sanna-Lena: Oh my god, what a snoozefest this is. The only duet of this year’s Rishis and effectively puts all the listeners to sleep. The song goes nowhere and the band playing at the end of the music video is mostly laughable, it doesn’t seem to have any energy to pull it off.
Anna-Maija: You can listen to this for a minute and then go to the fridge before the climax of the evening. I expected the song to pick up towards the end, and perhaps demanded of it, but it remains a drag. Of course, both are singers with excellent voices.
15. Finland: Rapper – Cha Cha Cha
Tatu: Of course, everyone at an Amsterdam Viusu concert is encouraged to be in good spirits, but Karija lit the 5,000-strong Viusu fan audience into flames unlike any other. The Cha Cha Cha Drug is totally real, and this time victory is actually possible.
Sanna-Lina: Even though every year I cheer for Finland’s representative with the blue and white flag, Karija is one that’s ended up on my playlist for a really long time. Cha Cha Cha spins the dishes in Liverpool and I can’t wait to see how wild the whole arena goes. The most amazing part of this totally extraordinary drug is seeing on social media how people have learned Finnish just to be able to sing something other than cha cha cha.
Anna-Maija: Suomilasit or not, I’ve been flagging for this since the first hearing. A simply composed track that puts you in a good mood and gets your dancing feet tapping. Not to mention the stage show, which definitely won’t leave you cold, even if you’re not a fan. Karija’s personality is also attractive.
Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Semi-Final 1 to be seen on Tuesday 9.5. From 22:00 on TV1 channel.
