Eurovision Song Contest 2023

One thing that struck me after last night's show was that certain songs stuck in my head for various reasons. It was the same for the National contest but nowhere near as strong. I was backing PIL because it was a heartfelt song but Lydon shat the bed with his performance so he rightfully crashed out. Of the rest the ones I remembered afterwards were the two guys rapping and Connolly. I liked the two lads who rapped but we wouldn't get far with them. Rap doesn't have the record in Eurovision to get them over the top. Connolly was a good song, an earworm and atmospheric. Funny I've heard Wild Youth's song more but can't remember it at all but can still recall a snippet of Connolly I listed to last week. Problem was that she didn't sing well on the night. Maybe her bad performance or RTE's fault but if she'd won there was ample time to sort out all that in rehearsals and it would have been fine. We got where we are though because a band with an inbuildt fanbase steamrolled everybody else and I think while I readilly admitted John Lydon didn't deserve my vote, I'd doubt the WY contingent were that discerning.

We need to go back to a jury vote with a national and international jury. Also, and more importantly, the shortlisted songs need to get put on the general radio station playlist nationally if we're going to vote as the general public. We need to give songs a chance to grow on us and make an informed decision. Really either allow the public vote to be well informed and based on giving the songs proper listens or just axe the public vodt altogether. Personally I think public voting should be binned across the board for Eurovision as a whole but we are where we are now and you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Wide coverage for the shortlisted artists would benefit them as well and give them a good platform to build on. I really suspect I'll never hear from the two rappers again and most outside an interst in Eurovision would recognise the name Connolly by now. Indeed I've already forgotten the other entrants outside of PIL and the two I mentioned.

Also Ireland’s lead singer looked like he was bursting to use the toilet when he suddenly broke into that dance (after he eventually came down the stage steps)

All kind of bizzare from beginning to end

I thought Connolly was a full time musucian? In that case it was doing a disservice to her to have her perform it. I believe that if they gave whittled the selection down to six songs then what we should be voting on is the full package so, in Connolly’s case, work with her and a panel of professional singers to select a professional singer and maybe help disuadevan enthusiastic amateur from doing it all themself. Realky, support the entrant to put the best foot forward in the interest of their song and our hopes as a country.

Right now it sounds like if you get through to the final RTE tell you good luck and you’re let get on with it. Even tge earlier comment about the head of the Irish delegation letting your man off with wearing the gold suit sounds like an absolute cop out. Surely those discussions should have been happening the week after qualification.

99% don't have a fuking clue what anyone here is talking about because this "controversy" only happened in a few sad sack culture war holes like Boards is becoming.

It was a non story and the reason we lost is because they were a non story of a band. Absolutely forgettable and anonymous.

Ahead of tomorrow's final, Finland's odds shortening across the board while some of Sweden's odds have drifted. Could we see Kaarija just edging out Loreen? Israel have really shot up the pecking order into 4th now, probably end up as 3rd favourite in the end. France meanwhile are gone out of contention according to the bookies after that dreadful clip on Tuesday's show.

No music tonight... take the Eurovision v Coronation quiz in the Daily Mash.

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-entertainment/coronation-vs-eurovision-which-is-the-better-watch-cast-your-vote-20230512235057

Who is this Paul McCartney? A nobody in Eurovision terms.

Its Jedward and Sonia.

En mycket god morgon, Europe!

(That’s ‘A Very Good Morning’ in Swedish)

;)

Spain in fifth?!?!

Sweden aren’t all that this year. They’ll do well but it’s bland relative to others. Can’t see them pulling off the sim.

I'm listening to Brendan O'Connor show on radio and he has Jedward on.

RTE (and Jedward who were on 'the panel' on the Late Late Eurosong show) are still saying Ireland's song was the right song...

Apparently, Connolly was too young (this from Jedward!)

RTE and the tv/radio in-group will NEVER NEVER change!

Take it off RTE for the love a'God.

Come on Finland, Belgium, Australia ye are all a bit bonkers but in a good way.

Lithuania, France, Italy I hope ye pick up some jury prizes for vocals on those torch songs.

Slovenia, Norway, Austria, Germany, UK, Spain, Portugal I hope ye have fun on the big stage.

Moldova stop trying to summon Sauron.

Albania stop hassling me. There was drink taken and I dont remember how many sheep I promised for which daughter.

Sweden I hope ye dont win as I think trading too much on past glory.

Slavia Ukraine elsewhere - ye have bigger battled to return all your country to be like those picture postcards.

Dads set your alerts for Poland and Israel.

I'm actually missing the show tonight as I'm going out and no, I don't go out to stare at a telly all night (!) though I might be back in time for the voting.

My favourites, in no order, are:

Serbia (music/beat is great, singing meh)

Portugal (just great fun, great voice, no stupid awkward overboardness)

France (Ah, nothing beats a chanson in French, mind you she'd want to control the high note)

Honourable mentions for:

Italy (I take it back about it being boring, I had only heard a clip!)

Finland (rubbish really, but I predict a club banger this summer)

Estonia (really, really, really good voice)

Have a ball/excruciating time!

Austria is extremely catchy but coming out first is not a good spot seemingly.

Australia I love too (fingers crossed for a top 10).

Realistically it looks like a two horse race between Finland and Sweden, I would prefer Finland, I can see the public voting for them, but juries will likely go for Sweden.

Yeah Connolly was inexperienced but as long as she was happy to be the song writer it was up to RTE as the broadcaster and custodian of our Eurovision flame to help her. So either give all the acts a few weeks boot camp on stage direction and vocal training or else give her some options for professional singers to take the song on and let her work with them to get it sounding as good as possible.

I hate the Popstars, whatever Idol format but to be fair those kids get training and actual skills imparted to them over their few weeks on the shows. The sad thing is they ended up being well rounded profession karaoke artists but maybe a though for a show is once the six songs are selected, do a six weekly episode show with them all going through boot camps or work on staging their entry. We’d get to know the acts and the songs. Important too to keep any bs phone voting out of it. I do know they might be a pain for a well known seasoned performer but at least everyone is putting their best foot forward then.

I also think that where there’s a band with an inbuilt fan base like wild youth there should be a handicap system in place, so every vote for WY counts as half a vote or something. Really it was very unfair on the other entrants. Again a Developmrnt show might counter this as well.