The question keeps getting stronger and stronger. Is there anyone out there who could possibly knock Belgium off that first place? Literally anyone? With just fourteen entries to go, Belgium is still the only one to solidly break the 8.00 mark. However, today might have a contender, as we’re going Scandi today! The eternal love for Scandinavia may well be a threat to Belgium. Find out what we thought of Denmark and Sweden below!
DENMARK
Anti Social Media – The Way You Are
Peter: There seems to be a fair bit of negativity towards this one, but I can’t see why. It’s a jolly, catchy and inoffensive (inoffensive being the Danish speciality at Eurovision) piece of sing-along pop that will do better than is being predicted.
Score: 7/10
Dan: I was quite bitter when this was chosen as I was rooting for Cecilie Alexandra & Anne Gadegaard. However, the more I listened to it the more I couldn’t help but start to like it. If you’re a movie go-er – to me this Strangely resembles Marvin Berry & the Starlighters” from Back To The Future which isn’t a bad thing.
Score: 7/10
Nick: Oh no, Denmark. What on earth is this, even? Come on Denmark, you’ve got loads and loads of talent and somehow you keep on picking mediocre MOR stuff for Eurovision… Next.
Score: 2/10
Nathan: This was one of the strongest national finals this year and although this isn’t to some people’s taste, it is professionally performed. However, I’m not a massive fan and I can see this struggle to qualify.
Score: 6/10
Rodrigo: This is so refreshingly vintage that it’s hard not to love it. The music puts me in a good mood every time and the lyrics are simple but nice enough. On top of that it is very well performed, so I desperately want this to do well.
Score: 8/10
Simon: Trite and dull, but not at all offensive. Feels sure to end up mid-table and I’d be amazed if enough people love or hate it for me to be wrong.
Score: 4/10
Rinor: The 60s/70s tune is the only thing I value from this song. It’s just a bit dull to me, but I guess it’s catchy.
Score: 6/10
SWEDEN
Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes
Peter: I think some people can’t stand the idea of a foregone conclusion at Eurovision, or another Scandinavian win, and OK this might not be the most outstanding song in itself, but it is far and away the strongest, most competitive overall package (thanks in no small part to Måns himself) and is going to walk it on May 23.
Score: 9/10
Dan: Whilst I always tell myself at the start of the year that Sweden will probably send something average, they always prove me wrong. This is both perfectly produced and staged and Måns delivers the song superbly. Currently the one to beat according to the odds, and I think they’re right – we could be heading back to Sweden sooner than we thought.
Score: 9/10
Nick: Now this is good. Måns Zelmerlöw is obviously a brilliant performer, brilliant staging, brilliant voice. Sweden just scores for me this year. First time it’s my #1 since… 1961. The country intro, the full on pop for the rest. Yeah, I’ll have more of this!
Score: 10/10
Nathan: A contemporary radio-friendly hit, reminiscent of so much of Sweden’s international music scene these days. With a performance change enforced due to a plagiarism complaint, could this unravel one of the early favourites to win?
Score: 8/10
Rodrigo: Whilst it wasn’t my favourite to win MF (still weeping for Saade), this remains a remarkably strong entry, which is well performed and well staged, that is sufficiently contemporary and memorable not to be the one to beat. This is, without a doubt, Sweden’s contest to lose and if they do anything worse than top 3 I would be shocked. Eye candy factor surely will give it an additional pump.
Score: 9.5/10
Simon: Yes it is a good pop song, but it had already been written. I don’t mind it for what it is, but if I were performing it I’d be embarrassed for how obviously it rips off lyrics, instrumentation, production and chord progressions from David Guetta and Aviici.
Score: 5/10
Rinor: Sweden is in it to win it.. again! Yes, although a lot of people constantly seem to be divided when it comes to Sweden’s Eurovision success, I think when it comes to “Heroes”, we should all agree that it really is a fantastic pop song. It’s well performed, and most importantly, well sung. Mans is a great artist and he’ll do a great job in Vienna. Ah, and those 5 backing vocalists will totally help him rock that stage. I’m not super keen or a fan of Sweden winning it again, because Eurovision just simply needs to go somewhere cheaper!
Score: 10/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im7tybIFA5A
The story so far…
Poor Loïc, he’s been our #1 for so long, but nothing stops Sweden’s favourite, Måns Zelmerlöw. His song Heroes becomes our new #1 with a magnificent 8.64/10. With that, it’s the second country only to break the 8.00 mark. Those scores are scores Denmark can only dream of. With only some of us scoring it 7 or higher (Rodrigo, Peter and Dan), but also scores below 5 (Nick and Simon), they have to settle for a score of 5.71/10 in a current sixteenth place, right between Latvia and Ireland.
- Sweden – 8.64/10
- Belgium – 8.50/10
- Italy – 7.83/10
- Australia – 7.67/10
- The Netherlands – 7.00/10
- Norway – 6.92/10
- Azerbaijan – 6.92/10
- Greece – 6.75/10
- Iceland – 6.29/10
- Montenegro – 6.17/10
- Belarus – 6.17/10
- Austria – 6.08/10
- Germany – 6.00/10
- Russia – 6.00/10
- Latvia – 5.83/10
- Denmark – 5.71/10
- Ireland – 5.64/10
- Serbia – 5.43/10
- Czech Republic – 5.14/10
- Hungary – 5.08/10
- Malta – 4.83/10
- Lithuania – 4.79/10
- Israel – 4.64/10
- FYR Macedonia – 4.14/10
- Armenia – 3.71/10
- San Marino – 3.08/10
- Moldova – 2.79/10
- Finland – 2.17/10
Tomorrow we’ll be returning to the automatic finalists. Two of the few countries singing in their own language this year will be judged by our team: France’s Lisa Angell and Spain’s Edurne. Make sure you read that one!
