The Eurovision Song Contest also did good things. Can you imagine a Sanremo that lasts only two hours and at 11 pm everyone goes to sleep? A show in which there are three conductors but they act as conductors because, since it is a singing competition, the songs are mainly at the center of the scene? This is more or less the effect of the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, which was broadcast on Rai 1 on Tuesday 10 May. Nothing new for those who follow the event, except for the fact that a festival organized like this, in Italy, is news in itself.
At 11 pm everyone went to sleep
There were three prominent conductors (Alessandro Cattelan, Mika and Laura Pausini), all three had to do with the tricolor show biz, but they didn’t go too far, because the format is international, the liturgy establishes it Ebu and there is no room for Italic gigantism. The show is there (with the traditional abundance of kitsch and some clever provocation), the music as well (the music of Esc, for lovers of the genre), guests are not lacking (from the ubiquitous Dardust to Diodato who recalls the victory ” mutilated »of Sanremo 2020 with Make noise) eppure… there is a limit in things.
Who goes to the final
Music, we said: Switzerland, Armenia, Iceland, Lithuania, Portugal, Norway, Greece, Ukraine, Moldova and the Netherlands will arrive at the final on Saturday, which have imposed themselves among the top 17 competing nations. On Saturday, in addition to the nations that will qualify with the semifinal on Thursday, they will have the opportunity to face the big five (Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain), seeded players who do not go through the two preliminary rounds.
Ukraine on pole for victory
But what music was heard at Eurovision? The competition began with the tribal kitsch of Albanian Ronela Hajati (Secret). A vaguely white soul atmosphere (more white than soul) for Latvia, represented by Citi Zēni dressed in pastel colors (Eat your salad), while Lithuania looks towards Mittleuropa in the 1920s with the Louise Brooks helmet by Monika Liu (Sentiments). Switzerland, on the other hand, is American following an idea of America that is no less retro: that of Marius Bear (Boys do cry). Not bad the Italo Disco revival of the Slovenians Last Pizza Slice (Disk). Nothing that Daft Punk did not already do ten years ago, to say it all. Audience ovation for the Ukrainians Kalush Orchestra, big favorites of the eve with theirs Stefania. And not for purely musical reasons.
The elegance of Portugal and Holland
Eighties mainstream hard rock in the colors of Bulgaria, represented by Intelligent Music Project co Intention. We also miss a solo a la Van Halen. A little daughter of Adele, a little bit of Florence + Machine is the Dutch S10 (The depth). To pay attention to the podium. The patchanka experiment of Moldova represented by violins, electric guitars and quotations from the Ramones by Zdob Si Zdub & Fratii Advahov (train). The Portuguese Maro is betting on the sophisticated pop of longing, longing. In the smell of world music. Acchiapponica ballad for Mia Dismic, Croatian pop star who internationalizes with the very audacious Guilty Pleasure. Denmark relies on Reddi’s sugary power ballad (The Show). The Austrians Lum! X and Pia Maria throw it into techno with the compulsive / obsessive Halo. Systur is a neo-country Iceland, grappling with the ethereal With the Rising Sun.. It is really true that, seen from up there, it is a whole other world. Ethereal also Amanda Georgia of Tenfjord, Greek but not too much (she is a naturalized Norwegian) who warbles Die together. “Give that wolf a banana” (Give that wolf a banana) is instead the dance imperative of the Norwegians Subwoolfer who update the old principle according to which it is enough to put on a mask to be liked by everyone. The polite folk of the Armenian Rosa Linn closes the picture (Snap).