EUROPE – The annual oikopanel review and votes for the Eurovision Song Contest participants begins. Today we present you the positions 42 to 33 as voted by the editors and affiliates of oikotimes.com: Fotis Konstantopoulos, Morten Kaiser, Luka Popovic, Jaime Solloso, Victor Cruz Lafuente, Olivier Rocher, Anastasia Bachas, David Hache, Geoff Lozano, Fred Medeiros, Darren Tompsett, Kyirakos Gold and Elias. Let’s see though how our editors feel about the overall participants in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest. Today we present you the overall review by Anastasis Bachas from Greece and Jaime Solloso from Spain.
ANASTASIS BACHAS FROM GREECE
I must confess that this year is much more interesting compare to the last year’s contest, at least to my eyes and ears. Last year it was only Sergey Lazarev and then mostly ballads and songs that was hard to listen again unless you don’t see the full of graphics performances…a bad effect that the victory of Mans Zemerlow brought. I have the feeling that the first semifinal this has more interesting songs than the second one, was hard to decide for my 12 point at the second one and at the same time I wanted a couple of 12 points for the first semifinal. The north is pretty week this year. Iceland Norway Denmark I think they won’t even make it to the final and Sweden has a really “only ok” song that is not going/willing to win and I think will not go well at the final.
The surprises this year comes from the south. Portugal and Greece will definitely get the attention at the semifinals and will easily pass to the final. This year we have a Great surprise from Italy. It’s the worth to win song for me ,music lyrics and fun! We could say it’s a pretty obvious that he can make it… but we said that last year for Russia as well so we need to wait a bit more. I also want to mention how much i like the ballad from Georgia and the “definitely radio hit” from Estonia. About the big five thank God that Italy since her come back is almost every year “big” something that the United kingdom seems to forget!!! This year is 20 years since Katrina and the waves brought the trophy back to Great Britain and it seems that they don’t really care to have it back! About Spain I think that, after all ,the song is gone be a nice summer hit. And finally I have a question. Is Valentinna Monetta entering the Eurovision book of records? Fourth participation so far and I believe in her ! I believe she worth to pass to the final this year (as well) and to encourage small countries like San Marino to become big even for a while!
JAIME SOLLOSO FROM SPAIN
After last year’s questioned victory, this year offers a less glamorous line-up. To me, most songs sound the same. There is a departure from the traditional pop song, with more ballads present this year but they all seem to carry the same melancholy. My clear winner is Italy, for no other reason than from the moment it took Sanremo by storm, it has been a clear hit, a memorable tune with fantastic lyrics, that’s ultimately what we should want from a Song Contest. Croatia, France and Greece take my second place as each of those is unique in it’s own way, yes, they aren’t as classy as Italy but they do have the makings of a good song. I know the criticism of Greece will be, “it’s the same pop style song” but I like those songs.
My losers this year are Serbia, Montenegro, Armenia and United Kingdom. The first three are disappointing, the shock value or need to repeat the formula of previous contests is not lost in these entries however United Kingdom is disappointing for many reasons. Firstly for a country with a rich history, it feels like they’ve removed any talent from their entry. I expect much more than something which would be acceptable for breakfast television.
I think Portugal will do well, he’s a talented singer with good experience but I don’t like the song. It’s too slow and for me, too boring. Germany this year is disappointing, it’s as if they’ve returned to the 90s and chose a bad version of Lena. Australia have also dropped a gear, this year their song is so far removed from last year’s quality song. Same can go for Sweden, who don’t seem to want to win this year. Their song is ok but not, for me at least, a winner.
Special mention to Spain. Apart from the national selection chaos, which should not have happened, the song is something I’d expect from a television theme tune, it’s just not Spanish. Also, surfing is something niche in Spain, not a national activity like it is in other countries, so it seems to be catering to the wrong crowd. There are also far better singers in Spain and even if he has talent, it feels too pushed. Either way, whatever is decided, a lot will depend on the jury and on the political element which should not be present at all in Eurovision. The whole saga of Ukraine and Russia, takes away from their entries. It’s a song contest and the nationalism element is childish, frustrating and annoying. I still expect a good contest and ultimately the fun, the frolics and the magic must live on.
OIKO[PANEL 2017 RANKS 22-15
| 15. LATVIA | 78 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 16. PORTUGAL | 74 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 17. ICELAND | 69 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| 18. MONTENEGRO | 69 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| 19. BELARUS | 67 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 20. IRELAND | 67 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| 21. ROMANIA | 67 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 22. DENMARK | 66 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
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DENMARK — 8 (6th)
ROMANIA — 12 (2nd)
IRELAND — 10 (5th)
BELARUS — 3 (39th)
MONTENEGRO — 6 (21st)
ICELAND — 8 (11th)
PORTUGAL — 6 (29th)
LATVIA — 8 (7th)
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