Blog news and future Eurovision content

Hello everyone!

For the past couple (and I'm using that word quite liberally here) of years, this blog has been largely retired – apart from the occasional Eurovision-related posts, that is, which has been the only thing keeping me coming back to writing. I've since decided to start a new dedicated blog for any future Eurovision content and if you are interested, it's called Twelves Across The Board.

See you there!

Review of ESC 2022 - the Grand Final

After two exciting semi-finals, we've got our final line-up all figured out. Getting to this point has been a rollercoaster, truth be told; awkward hosting and jokes that don't land you already know to expect, but shaky camerawork, cheap-looking postcards, CGI taken from an early 00s music video, and a stage built around entirely around a rotating centerpiece that neither moves nor lights up is just unacceptable and a real embarrassment.

And why is the random water element at the front of the stage given so much screentime? I get that it's a reference to Italy's numerous and iconic fountains but seriously, they're turning half the songs into bathroom breaks with the constant cuts to the flowing water.

Well, life is full of interruptions and complications. And at the end of they day, this is a song contest, so let's just focus on the thing that really matters – the music. So which song will be the one snatch the Eurovision trophy? Let's take a look!

Review of ESC 2022 - Semi-final 2

 

Now that we've tackled the first semi-final, it's time to move on to the second one. Let's see what it has to offer!

Review of ESC 2022 - Semi-final 1

 

Another year has passed and it's May again, so you know what that means – it's Eurovision time!

Now, I think we all can agree that so far, 2022 has been rough. Which is exactly why in times like these, we need things like the Eurovision Song Contest more than ever: it's a celebration of unity, diversity, and a peaceful cultural exchange. Not to mention a whole bunch of fun!

So without further ado, let us take a look at what this year has to offer.

Final thoughts before the final show - ESC 2021

So, the semi-finals are over and we're now left with a roster of 26 finalists – 10 from each semi-final and then of course the Big Five along with host country.

The live performances always have an element of surprise and they can truly make or break a song. A mediocre song can truly come alive on stage and take everyone by surprise. On the other hand, perhaps the important notes don't go as smoothly as intended, or the stage presence doesn't match the song, or the vocals suffer from over-staging. And sometimes, there just aren't enough spots in a semi-final to go round (which was especially the case in the first semi-final). I was saddened to see some great songs not make it, such as Australia, Croatia, and Romania. I was also sorry that Iceland and particularly Australia had to rely on live-on-tape performances, as opposed to getting to perform at the actual event like all the others.

But that's the way the Eurovision cookie crumbles.

Anyway, one of these 26 entires will be our next winner – let's have a look at the final lineup!

Popheaval reviews ESC 2021 – Semi-final 2

 

Happy Eurovision week everybody!

Now that we've got the first semi-final covered, it's time to take a look at what the second semi-final has in store for us. The same logic applies here: I am not familiar with these songs or performers yet so the reviews are based on first impressions, the songs are listed according to the running order, and they will be rated on a five-star scale. Here we go!

Popheaval reviews ESC 2021 – Semi-final 1

 

Happy May, i.e. Eurovision month everybody!

Well, it's been quite some time since this blog was last updated – a whopping 6,5 years, to be exact! However, with the ongoing COVID pandemic affecting our lives globally and putting our lives on hold (and worse of course, at risk), and the Eurovision Song Contest finally coming back after last year's cancellation, this felt as good a time as any to give this whole blogging thing a go, even if briefly.

Let's take a look at this year's Eurovision entries then, shall we?

Röyksopp & Robyn get eerie on their 'Monument' music video

Following the releases of "Do It Again" and "Sayit", Röyksopp & Robyn have released a third single taken from their collaborative EP Do It Again (a review can be found here). The single in question is the incredible opening track "Monument", and a music video was shot as well. Directed by previous Robyn collaborator Max Vitali, the nearly seven-minute clip is a futuristic, surreal visual adaptation of the gloominess of the song, seamlessly matching its stylistic minimalism. It features the trio lying on a glowing white platform with two dancers performing an eerie routine, floating in space and finally being overshadowed by a giant upside-down pyramid. Rather than narrating a story, the music video seeks to convey an emotion and, in my opinion, does it quite stunningly. Check it out below:

New music videos from Katy Perry, Lana Del Rey

More has happened in the world of music videos.

First of all, here's the new clip for Katy Perry's latest single "This Is How We Do", taken from her fairly good pop record Prism. I'm still unimpressed by her choice for the next single (come on, why not give "International Smile" a chance? It's one of the best songs on the album!) but the music video is a very typical Katy Perry video. It's fun, with heaps of completely unrelated stuff - whatever is the connection between ping pong or basket ball players, watermelon fans, animated desserts and the retro aesthetics of the clip is completely beyond me. But maybe it's indeed 'just' a Katy Perry pop video and should be taken as such, so instead of troubling our heads about any deeper meanings, let's just enjoy the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink clip, rich with colours, De Stijl references, twerking ice cream cones and even a Mariah Carey impersonator.





Then there's also, of course, the ever so dramatic Lana Del Rey and the music video for her new single "Ultraviolence". The grainy clip looks as if it was filmed with an old iPhone and is like the audiovisual equivalent of an Instagram filter but I suppose that's intentional. There's lots of close-ups of her infamous lips - sometimes wrapping around her lover's fingers, sometimes a piece of a tangerine - while she wanders around in a garden, wearing a wedding dress. Well, you'd expect much more from her, but then again it's very Lana-esque anyway. Although to that extent that she's starting to resemble a parody of herself. But maybe that's just me.

Two new Madonna demos have leaked

Well, new as in 'previously unreleased'. As a matter of fact, the demos date back all the way to Madonna's Erotica sessions in the early '90s so nope, they've got nothing to do with her forthcoming, currently untitled 13th studio album. But now that I've got your attention, why won't you check them out? Sometimes outtakes are outtakes for a reason - the first one, "You Are The One", is a bit of a throwaway - but "Shame" is actually a pretty good tune that would've made a proper Madonna classic, had it been released. (Die-hard fans of her Madgesty may recognise the song titles from "the Rain tapes", a collection of demos from the Erotica era.)