So, either Silvan, Emmanuel or Seemone for me. I´m happy what so ever, Doutson is Ok too. But the love France have for Bilal Hassani, I do not understand at all…
Björn
Etikettarkiv: destination eurovision
Destination Eurovision 2019 Semi 2
So the second semifinal of the French selection to Eurovision Song Contest took place yesterday and what do we take from that? First I wonder how the production was thinking when they selected what songs to be presented in the two semifinal heats. The first one was far from as good as the second one. Around 6 songs in the second semifinal might have been among the top 4 if they participated in the first semifinal.
We can also hope that the quality of the songs in the second semifinal stop Bilal Hassani from representing France in Tel Aviv in May 2019.
So what about the entries yesterday? The first entry Gabriella “On church encore” a huge favorite among the expert jury kind of passed me without any emotions at all. It was just a bad song and a lot of bad singing.
“La voix d’Aretha” performed by The Divaz strikes me as a clear winner as soon as I heard it. A feeling based on the first song of the evening and the songs from the semifinal 1. But as you will see later on in this blog post more good songs turned up during the night. But still, nothing bad to say about this entry. A bit repetitious with the “Respect” line over and over, but its not unusual in Eurovision to repeat phrases.
UGO and his “Ce qui me bless” a entry hard to place, I kind of liked it but I´m not sure its a Eurovision winner. Not a bad song, nicely performed and one of the songs I think might have gone to the final if he sang in the first semifinal.
Tracy de sà went French/Spanish/English in what we might call a rap attempt. I think this song will climb the charts after the selection but as a Eurovision song not my cup of tea.
“La Promesse”, Emmanuel Moire, a actual artist who released and charted well in the past in France and you can notice is as a fact. This guy is not an amateur. The song, again, I´m not sure it is a Eurovision winner but for sure a hit song in France. Well worth the points giving to him during the night. An amazing performance (but even if the jacket is fake try to make it look more like a real one for the final) taking the subject serious compering to the joke of the song “Roi” from semifinal 1 with the same kind of message. Will en dup high on my list during the final next week.
Noémie and her “Ma petit famille” a what my friends will say is a typical Björn song. And I really like this song, it made me happy. It is not meant to do much more I suppose, dance, be happy and enjoy. Really really a sad thing she was completely ignored by the international juries and the public.
The ballad of the ballads “Tous les deux” performed by Seemone might be the most French song this year, it is so French that even if she would perform the song in English, Russian or Japanese you know this is French. And its beautiful, I do not want to take the tune away from Seemone but I can’t stop thinking how Isabelle Huppert would have performed it even if Seemone made it perfect and beautiful. This is a song that actually can win Eurovision. Not something I would have guessed if it want for Salvador Sobrals win a few years back. The only little little thing I don’t liked about this song is that at the end the word “Papa” went a bit too repetitive. It took away maybe 5% of the total magic of this ballad, but its for me. Again a song I will put high on my list next week.
Doutson “Sois un bon fils” also very French as French music sound today, and kind of how a lot of hit music sound here in France and I kind of like it. It is not special enough but nothing wrong with it.
“Madame la Paix” by PhilipElise Also sounded French but not in a good way I ended up to stop listen after around 1 minute it did not reach out to my taste in music at all. Will be interesting to listen to it on CD cause I have a feeling it will grab me more with headphones on than live on TV.
So My final list from Semi 2:
- 01 Emmanuel Moire
- 02 Seemone
- 03 Noémie
- 04 Doutson
- 05 The Divaz
- 06 UGO
- 07 Tracy de Sá
- 08 PhilipElise
- 09 Gabriella
#Gabriella #TheDivaz #UGO #Tracydesa #EmmanuelMoire #Noemie #Seemone #Doutson #Philipelise #destinationeurovision
Time for the update
So time to update you all on the past weekends BIG event, the first semifinal of Destination Eurovision. First of, last year was the first year in ages France had a national final and it was a puppy production with a firm goal to find the best song to send to Lisbon 2018. And now in 2019 they stepped up a bit from 2018 but still the production need some changes to force France to watch it.
First of all the show is slow. I notice from other TV shows here in France that most of them are a bit slow, its a lot of talking and so also in the French selection. I do not see the need for each artist to first sing a favorite song before they perform their entry and competing song. And the expert jury, no need for it. Speed up the production and people will find it more modern.
The songs then…
Naestro “Le braiser” Nothing wrong with the song, maybe a bit to much non Eurovision to be a good entry to send to Israel in May but I liked it. But they missed a chance to show the public Naestros amazing classical voice. Listen to “Bella Ciao” and you will hear a real hit. I placed him 3 at the end of the evening
Florina In the shadow” A favorite among the experts in the studio, Im sorry why? A OK pop song but without any personality or Oumpf. I placed her 8 at the end of the evening.
Chiméne Badi “Lá-haut” Obvious a artist known here in France, I have never hear of her before tonight and she sang her song in a box like Maltas Eurovision entry last year. The song, again, was OK but no drive. I placed her 5 at the end of the night.
Battista Acquaviva “Passio” The best song of the evening performed by a singer who most likely during weekdays work as a fire alarm somewhere. She can’t sing and even if I get the nude dancers and show it will never ever be something you want to hear again if not changing the singer. But, the French televoters loved it and OK I thought it was cause of the staging and the show but the song actually chart in France. The recording must be auto-tuned. And hopefully the recording sounds better. Love her name those placed her 9 and the end of the evening. All cause of the lack of voice.
Silván Areg “Le petit Nicholas” HERE France you have the perfect Eurovision entry. A catchy really good song, fun staging, good looking guy with a show and an idea behind his performance. This would work in Eurovision. My number 1 this evening
Bilal Hassani “Roi” The second surprise this evening. Obvious the people love this guy. And I have no idea why. First of all the song is so boring, the show is bad and if he at least could sing, but no. So why the hype? Who is this guy and why do France love him? Or is it so bad that for France Eurovision not a big deal so it is the gay public voting in the semifinals? A theory which dies when you also heard the experts loving him and the international jury loved him. What do I miss???? I placed him 7
Aysat “Comme un grande” OK first of all this is Eurovision, you need to write and record a real ending to the song and not tune it out, its sloppy and disrespectful. But over all a OK with a plus song. I do not mind she ended up in the final, I had her song 4 at the end.
Lautner “J’ai pas le tempe” A huge surprise again, but this time in the wrong way. A song that should have passed to the final but was voted out and that by the televoters. OK the production needed work it was to soft and needed some beat but the guys can sing and the song is catchy. My number 2
Mazy “oulala” A very uninteresting song not bad, competent production but not pop not schlager what is it. Placed her 6
When all the voting passed the final 4 going through to the final Aysat, Silván Are, Chiméne Badu and Bilal Hassani. And now to another thing I think France can change. Why, in the semifinal, present the votes? Now people know the televoters favorite or will something change until the final? But since Hassani won why would any of the others win in two weeks?
Very strange.
Björn
Destination Eurovision 2019
The French selection starts today and from the aired rehearsals it looks like they go all in this year. Show, backdrops and more Eurovision style from start. Looks really nice actually.
To celebrate this this start of the French Eurovision season I decided to present to you the France in Eurovision most played list. So here it is, the French entries played the most at “Chez moi”:
- 01 1977 “L’ oiseau et l’ enfant” – Marie Myriam
- 02 2016 “J’ ai cherché” – Amir
- 03 2004 “Il faut du temps” – Sandrine Francois
- 04 2001 “Je n’nai que mon âme” – Natasha St-Pier
- 05 2005 “Chacun pense a soi” – Ortal
- 06 1991 “Le dernier qui a parle” – Amina
- 07 2008 “Divine” – Sebastien Tellier
- 08 2017 “Requiem” – Alma
- 09 2010 “Allez Ola Ole” – Jessy Matador
- 10 2007 “Lamour a la française” – Les fatals picard
- 11 1990 “White and Black Blues” – Joelle Ursull
- 12 2009 “Et s’ il fallait le faire” Patricia Kaas
- 13 1994 “Je suis un vrai garçon” – Nina Morato
- 14 1989 “Je vole la vie” – Nathalie Paque
- 15 1995 “Il me donne rendez vous” – Nathalie Santamaria
- 16 1978 “Un, deux, trois” – Catherine Ferry
- 17 2014 “Moustache” – Twin Twin
- 18 1999 “Je veux donner ma voix” – Nayah
- 19 1993 “Mama Corsica” – Patrick Fiori
- 20 2011 “Sognu” – Amaury Vassili
So thats the top 20 French songs, all according to my iTunes Playlist. But still, the best French entry ever never went to Eurovision, 1974 when ABBA won, a year when France should have won, “La vie a 25 and (Y’a pas de Mai’s se faire du bien)” – Dani
Björn
The inner circle letter
So, to my friends whom received the Inner circle letter and log in here to check the dates and plans for the 2019 eurovision season. Two selections this year will be more out of interest than others, the French Selection and the Swedish one. So how will the party plans turn out?
French Selection – Eurovision 2019
12th of January French Semi Final 1
19th of January French Semi Final 2
26th of January French Grand Finale
The French Selection will most likely be watched at home live or streaming it later on. I guess I for sure will se the final live but the Selections only if any of my friends keep in touch and want to come over for some wine and watch the shows. So if you are into the French Selection, please let me know if you like to come over and see all the shows or just one of them. Hopefully this can be decided at least one day prior the event.
Swedish Selection – Eurovision 2019
2nd of February Semi Final 1
9th of February Semi Final 2
16th of February Semi Final 3
23rd of February Semi Final 4
2nd of March Second Chance Contest
9th of March Grand Final
More or less the same here as for the French Selection, I will without a doubt watch the semifinals and Second Chance contest either on the date or streaming later on. So feel welcome to check with me if you maybe like to come over for some Swedish MelloVaganza. But note, February and March, both months when I might travel for work so we will see.
The “almost” tradition to watch the Swedish Grand Finale with French Friends
On the 9th of March we have the Grand Finale and the past years since I’ve moved to Paris its been a small party with French friends in the sign of Eurovision Song Contest, Swedish Finger food and of course Champagne. And the final, if home, I will see live not stream it after… But again, it is in the middle of business travel season so I can only hope to be home. Like to watch the 2019 selection? Please let me know. Lets see if we can keep this tradition survive and expand.
The Eurovision Week 2019
The Eurovision Semi Finals take place in the middle of the week so the semis will be watched alone, no friends over. The dates for the semi finals 14th of May and 16th of May 2019.
The Eurovision Grand Finale from Tel Aviv this year takes place on the 18th of May and this need more planning and some time. The show can be watched from home of course, but also from some of the Swedish Bars and Restaurants in Paris as well as some years public viewed on big screens outdoors in Paris.
So the plans for Eurovision 2019 for now, please just mark the dates in your calendar.
Björn
best of 2018 – The French eurovision selection
So, in 2018 France went back to have an open selection again with semi finals and a final, televotes, international jury and experts voting. The song “Mercy” won and went as huge favorites to the Eurovision Song Contest in Portugal but did not live up to the hype. But since I have presented my top songs from the Swedish selection as well as the Eurovision, and now living in France, I want to present the most played songs from the French selection as well.
- 01 “La-Haut” Sweem
- 02 “I´ll be there” Enea
- 03 “Mercy (Single version) Madame Monsieur
- 04 “Jamais sans toi” Pheno Men
- 05 “Mercy (French remix) Madame Monsieur
- 06 “Rêves de gamin” Nassi
- 07 “OK ou KO” Emmy Liyana
- 08 “Mercy (English version) Madame Monsieur
- 09 “Lisboa, Jerusalem” Igit
- 10 “Tu me manques” Sarah Caillibot