Meet the team: Sadie Trent

Here at The Euro Trip we're always looking for new members to get involved with our various projects. Lets find out more about the newest member of The Euro Trip team... Sadie Trent!

"Hi there my name is Sadie, I am 23 years old and I am from Somerset in the UK, the region that is known for its cider. I have lots of free time, so Eurovision is my main passion, but I am also into Journalism, film making and photography, I like to tell stories in my work using these forms of media. Besides Eurovision I am a majorette, and have been for the last 14 years on and off, and I am in my local famous night time carnival.

I have been a Eurovision fan ever since I can remember, my parents watched in 1997, which is the last year that the UK won, and they made a big fuss of it, and I fell in love with it. I first properly understood the contest in 2003 when it was held in Riga, but 2004 was the best year for me, as Ruslana won the contest for Ukraine. I have had the pleasure of meeting Ruslana last year in Manchester, when she performed 2 concerts for the local Ukrainian community there.

My favourite 2016 entries were Walk on Water (Malta) and Sunlight (Ireland), but in the history of the contest my favourites are Wild Dances (Ukraine 2004), Shady Lady (Ukraine 2008) Love shine a light (UK 1997), Making your mind up (UK 1981) and La det Swinge (Norway 1985)."

The Euro Trip is back! Listen now...

Episode 22 of The Euro Trip is here, featuring new music from Norway, The Netherlands and Moldova. There's also a look back at Eurovision 2016, what we know about next year's contest, and also the chance to join our debate as we crown the best Eurovision anthem.

Happy listening! x
 

What could Eurovision 2017 look like?

Elliot Harris examines what we know already about Eurovision 2017...

Eurovision 2016 happened nearly two weeks ago, and already lots is happening in preparations and conformations leading into Eurovision 2017. Of course we know the contest will be held in Ukraine following Jamala’s victory.

As of May 25th 2016, 15 countries have confirmed they will be participating or very likely competing in Eurovision 2017, stand outs on the list include Bulgaria, who seem intent on a return after the success of their comeback year. Poli Genova guided them to fourth in the grand final after a two-year absence from the contest and Portugal, who withdrew from Stockholm 2016 due to poor results and “to rework and improve their selection process”

Estonia, Finland, Hungary and Sweden have all confirmed their participation and began working on plans for their national selections also, which will remain the same as previous ears – Eesti Laul, UMK, A Dal and Melodifestivalen respectively. Norway have also confirmed they will be back in 2017 after failing to qualify for the final for the first time since 2011 with Agnete and Icebreaker.

Estonia will be back after their last place finish in Stockholm

Although not confirmed it is looking a Croatia will be returning to the contest, following the success of Nina Krajlic and her efforts taking them back to the final for the first time since 2009, it is also heavily rumoured they’ll be internally selecting their act the same way as they selected Nina, hand picking The Voice: Croatia winner again like with Nina, if this is to be believed it is looking as it will be Series 2 winner Ruza Janjis will be flying the Croatian flag in Ukraine, although no official confirmation has made by HRT at this current moment of time. 

Ireland and Switzerland, despite having poor runs of form in the semi finals off late have also had their head broadcasters confirm their return. Ireland have failed to qualify for the final the last three times, last qualifying in Malmo 2013 where Ryan Dolan then placed last in the final and Switzerland only qualifying for the final twice in the last ten contests, coming dead last in their semi finals the last two attempts with Melanie Rene & Rykka.

Big Five nations France, Germany and Spain have all confirmed they will be returning to the contest, it was another disappointing year for Spain and Germany as Barei and Jamie-Lee finished 22nd and 26th respectively in the Grand Final, with NDR announcing with their participation conformation “More work and focus has to be directed on the song” France on the other hand enjoyed a fantastic result, placing 6th in the final and just four points off a top five finish, their highest placing in the contest since 2002.

France enjoyed a fantastic Eurovision result in Sweden this year

On the flip side, mircrostate Andorra have announced they have no intention of participating in Ukraine only really saying it is not logistically possible but failing to go into any specific reasons for this reasoning, Andorra last made an appearance in Eurovision back in 2009 and failed to make an final in six attempts. 

Montenegro have also hinted at a possible withdrawal from Eurovision2017 on social media. The announcement came via Facebook after the EBU released a statement saying Jamala has not gained an unfair advantage despite 1944 being performed at an small event prior to the contest or its announcement in the Ukranian selection, the song at the time was titled “Us Crimea” when translated into English. 

Eurovision powerhouse Russia are currently on the fence and debating their involvement in Eurovision 2017 with it being hosted in Ukraine. This is due to ongoing disputes first and foremost between Russia and Ukraine and The Crimea region, to which has led to war since 2014 between the nations. Also Russia had complained about Jamala’s entry “1944” wich highlighted the deportation of thousands of Ukrainians out of The Crimea region under Joseph Stalin’s ruling, one of whom was Jamala’s grandmother, Russian ministers had complained the song was politically charged and an attack on Russia and an attempt to tarnish the nations name, however this complain and dispute was thrown out by the EBU and the song was allowed to compete in original form with no adaptation to the song of lyrics. Also, on the morning of the jury Grand Final, NTU publically announced they would not be competing at Eurovision 2017 if Russia and Sergey Lazarev had won, so would Russia withdraw out of retaliation and spite? It is currently unknown. No countries who have competed in Eurovision 2016 have officially withdrawn from Eurovision 2017 at this present time.

Will Russia withdraw next year?

Australia, despite their own contest spin-off, Asiavision, have apparently been discussing details about a return in 2017, this is heavily due to be believed because of their second place finish in Stockholm. However, for Australia to be able to participate they require an invitation from the head delegation, NTU.

We could see a country debuting in Eurovision 2017 – Kosovo. The nation which declared it’s independence from Serbia back in 2008 has contacted the EBU about participation in the forthcoming contest and that the broadcaster RTK had been invited to the Eurovision Committee and whether they participate is solely on the decision of Kosovo, this has sparked questions of Serbia’s stance in the contest if Kosovo are to compete due to the friction between nations, but in recent months Kosovo have also become a member of UEFA and FIFA, making the nation eligible to play in World Cup and European Championship qualifier matches in the future it’s only a matter of time before the nation joins Eurovision.

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Opinion Piece: Ukraine have won, now what next?

Editor of  The Euro Trip, Rob Lilley, gives us his initial thoughts following Saturday's contest...

Congratulations to Jamala and Ukraine, the winners of Eurovision 2016. But this is the result that changes everything. "1944" is unlike any song that has gone before it in the history of this great song contest, and the fallout from its success continues to be felt across Europe.

Jamala won with a massive 534 points, finishing ahead of Australia and Russia

Minutes after Ukraine won it was immediately clear that Russia were unhappy with the result, something which was massively exacerbated by the fact that they were the clear winners of the televote on the night. Officials from the Russian broadcaster have even called for their nation to boycott next years contest, something which could happen. Indeed should the contest be held in Kiev, as seems likely, the contest will be hosted by a city Russia doesn't even consider the capital of Ukraine.

But when Russia can normally rely on the support of Eastern Europe to back their song, this year was different. Sure the voters at home still supported Sergey, but the Juries across Europe were very much agreed that he wasn't the deserved winner,

Furthermore the contrast in the televote and the jury results in 2016 provide probably the most confusing part of the contest. Take Poland for example, where they were placed second bottom with the jury and third with the voters at home. The new voting system exacerbates this contrast in opinions between the two on a very public scale. Should it be 50/50 between the two, should we go back to the only system, or should the televoters or juries have a bigger say? All of these questions are likely to be debated long into the future ahead of next year's contest.

Michal was the big winner of the new voting system

But for now lets look at what we know about 2017. For one, it is clear Ukraine will host the contest. Fair play to them, it is their right to want to show their nation in a positive light, especially after all the negative reaction they've received over the last few years. But lets remember for a moment the reasons for all that bad press. They are at war, sure not in Kiev or the majority of the country, but can the safety of fans, the press and associated delegates be assured given the current situation in the country? I for one would like very strong assurances from the Ukrainian broadcaster and government before planning any trip.

That said, 2017 is already a very exciting prospect. We are returning to Eastern Europe for the first time since 2009, and that means we will get a very different contest in style, vibe and genre than the last few years. Looking back in history, the contests hosted in the East have presented us with some of the most memorable moments, look at the way in which Eurovision managed to straddle both Europe and Asia in Istanbul in 2004.

The Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kiev is venue most likely to host the contest

The Eurovision scene is also likely to look very different by the time of the first semi-final on 16th May 2017. Russia may have withdrawn and some other big countries could join them, and then we're likely to have some debutantes too. Kazakhstan seem likely to be appearing for the first time next year, Turkey are returning, and we could have a surprise or two. Kosovo perhaps?

For the next few months we can dream, dream of our perfect contest - and that's exactly what I plan to do.

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Eurovision 2016: Top Ten Leaderboard

Before the 2016 Eurovision competitors took to the stage, The Euro Trip jury (Elliot, Emily, James, Noa and Rob) rated all 42 songs from this year.

Now we have the Grand Final line-up, what are their predictions for this year's top ten placings?

1. France - Amir "J'ai cherche"

2. Russia - Sergey Lazarev "You're the Only One"

3. Spain - Barei "Say Yay"

4. Australia - Dami Im "Sound of Silence"

5. Cyprus - Minus One "Alter Ego"

6. Germany - Jamie Lee "Ghost"

7. Bulgaria - Poli Genova "If Love was a Crime"

8. Hungary - Freddie "Pioneer"

9. Croatia - Nina Kraljic "Lighthouse"

10. Serbia - Sanja "Goodbye"


What do you make of these rankings? Let us know and tweet us yours to @theeuro_trip.

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Eurovision 2016: The Nordic Blood Bath...

For the first time in Eurovision history, Sweden are the only Nordic country in the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest. But why?

Elliot Harris looks at what could be a turning point in the region's relationship with Eurovision.

Agnete couldn't secure Norway a place in the Grand Final with her song "Ice Breaker"

Scandanavia – a region in Northern Europe known for fjords, the Blue Lagoon and the birthplace of modern day flatpack furniture, but they have also dominated. In the last 10 years a Scandinavian nation has won Eurovision five times, Sweden twice (2012, 2015) then Finland (2006) Denmark (2013) and Norway (2009) and for a long time they seemed untouchable, as a region, more often than not, if not winning, qualifying into the Grand Final and being high on the scoreboard.

But this year, which is slowly becoming a year of firsts, threw up another one which no one before the contest saw coming, for the first time since the introduction of the semi-finals back in 2004, no Scandinavian country entering at the semi-finals has qualified for the Grand Final, meaning Sweden and young Frans, will be flying solo for Scandinavia after Agente of Norway, Greta of Iceland, Sandjha of Finland and Lighthouse X of Denmark were all eliminated in the semi-finals.

What could of caused this we wonder. Although none of the four countries eliminated had a perfect qualification record (Only Norway and Sweden advanced from the semis last year) there were still some strong entries from this region, with Greta Salome’s folksy Of Monsters And Men style “Hear Them Calling” a huge fan favourite and dark horse for the title and who’s elimination sparked tremendous outcry and distain amongst Eurovision fans across the continent, same for Agente with the song “Icebreaker” performing in the second semi-final, many were certain and convinced we would hear Mans and Petra shout Norway at some point but alas it never came.  Even our head producer Rob dubbed it a contender for the title when it first was selected back on Super Saturday (27th February)

So it begs the question, have the Scandanavian countries become, dare I say it, lazy in selecting their artists? All five nations have national selection formats, and they have all turned out winners or top 5 finishers in the past, so has the standard dropped in Scandinavia? Are they relying on their allies too much to vote them through? Norway and Denmark performed in semi-final 2 and Iceland and Finland semi-final 1, with Iceland and Finland having the added bonus of Sweden voting in semi-final 1 also. Or are the Eurovision voters getting sick of Scandanavia dominating and look elsewhere? 

Remember five of the ten winners have been from the region. Or on a less negative note, have the rest of continent just rose their game and their entries? There are arguments for both sides and right now I don’t know why all four countries have been eliminated and I guess we never will know.

All we know for certain is come Saturday night Frans will not have his neighbourly friends in the green room with him which could work in Sweden’s favour, with only Sweden representing Scandavia, the likes of Finland and Norway won’t have to decide who to award the highest mark to -Sweden or Denmark like they have in previous years, and considering those four countries account to 96 points in the top marks Sweden could have a nice little nest egg there in case they fall short in our countries and regions.

Well there we go – 5 Nordic/Scandinavian countries began Eurovision 2016 and one is left for the final, will the same happen next year? We don’t know but this could the start of a shift in Eurovision dominance just maybe I can pack for a warmer climate for Eurovision 2017, unless we return to Sweden again! 

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The Euro Trip interviews Rykka (Switzerland)

Ahead of Saturday's Grand Final, our own Noa had the chance to chat with the Swiss entrant for Eurovision 2016, the lovely Rykka.

Was it your idea to enter the selection with the song or did some one have approached you to enter? 

I had just spent all year working on my new record, and I thought it would be an amazing adventure. I was right, it worked! I have a lot of new music that is all ready to go. 

So "The last of our kind" , Can you explain  about the message of the song and how did you come up with the idea to write about this message? 

The message of The Last Of Our Kind is to always stand up for love above all. Stand up for yourself and for people and other beings who can’t stand up for themselves. Standing up for love also sometimes means to go against your own ego and really search to find the truth.

We already know you are Swiss-Canadian, how do you think that mix of being influenced by both cultures comes out in your singing /songwriting? (sorry if that question too deep haha) 

I grew up in a community where everyone I knew had a guitar. I’m wildly inspired by my peers in both Switzerland and Canada.

What are your plans for the performance and staging in Stockholm? Is it gonna be similar to the national final one, or did you completely change it? 

Yes! It’s different than the one at the national preselection in Kreuzlingen. Of course there will be surprises! I’m working on a dress with LYN Lingerie, it will be a collaboration. LYN x RYKKA! I’ve had meetings with the team at the Swiss Television SRF and worked on the style and mood and what will happen on stage with them. It was really a team effort, and it was so great to be so involved, I love that stuff!

Who are you inspirations when it comes to singing\songwriting? 

I love St.Vincent, Goldfrapp, Fleetwood Mac, Hanne Hukkelberg… It’s a wide range, but I like music that is a little bit weird and not so mainstream. I think that even though I tried to make a pop record, it’s still pretty weird J

Final Question : What can we expect from you after Eurovision ? any plans for new music,a tour perhaps? 

I’ll release my brand new record and tour with my band.

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Find out more about Callum! Our brand new member of the team...

Meet the latest member of The Euro Trip team!

"My name is Callum Rowe and I’m just about still clinging onto my teenage years.

I’ve been a Eurovision fan all my life having always made an effort to watch all the shows, but it took me until 2013 until I started to follow the Contest all-year-round. It was Emmelie de Forest’s victory that converted me to become a so-called Eurofan and I’m happy to live with that label attached to me.

 

I discovered after Emmelie’s victory that there was a whole different side to Eurovision that 99% of people don’t realise there is; host city selections, Semi-Final running order allocations, national selections and so on. These all opened my eyes to everything else that goes on before the three main shows in May.

Eurovision brings together 40 or so nations and their differing cultures, music genres and performers, but it also brings Europe together as a whole. It’s an event that everyone can watch together with their friends and family and enjoy the music on offer. That’s what Eurovision is all about to me; the element of happiness that we can all feel when we are with the people we love and music from across a continent is played and performed. What’s not to love? It’s beautiful!

My favourite song from Eurovision is A Monster Like Me by Mørland & Debrah Scarlett. The mystery of the ballad from the first line when Mørland sings of a secret from his youth which builds to a crescendo of himself and Debrah singing at the top of their voices sends shivers down my spine each time I hear it"

Eurovision 2016: First Run Through - Semi Final 1 #2

In this blog Elliot Harris gives us his views on the first run throughs from the songs in the second half of Semi Final 1. You can find the link to PART 1 here.

Gabriela Guncikova – I Stand – CZECH REPUBLIC

Kicking off day two of rehearsals were the Czech Republic with Gabriela’s rather simple ballad and the staging somewhat reflected that. There was a lot of pink, a lot of purple and the geometric triangles and shapes which have been a staple in her promotion in the run up to Stockholm, she was in a simple white dress also which changes into different colours from the lights, one moment it was white, the next it was purple. Gabriela’s staging the wowed a lot of people on social media and if it all goes right on the night is looking like a certain finalist qualifier rather than someone on the borderline.

Minus One – Alter Ego – CYPRUS

Minus One were a outside dark horse for the title leading into Eurovision 2016 and they have a song worthy of winning, however there is a lot going on stage, lots of flashing and colour changing lights, the other band members apart from the lead vocals are all in cages, giving a somewhat Manga (Turkey 2010) feel, digitally projected wolves appear on the LED screens also, vocally sounded ok as well, I’m sure pyrotechnics and smoke will be added in for later run through also as that is the one thing I expected from Minus One – fire!

Zoe – Loin D’ici – AUSTRIA

Eurovision’s sweetheart Zoe from Austria was next, and firstly the treadmill was not in sight today but she has already said the treadmill will be used in the final performance so there’s an addition for later in the week. As for the day itself Zoe came out in a gorgeous off colours pink/peach coloured dress with lots of layers, the staging behind was similar to the national final but toned down and altered as she explained to us in an interview. Overall her staging has bolstered her chances of qualifying.

Juri Pootsmann – Play – ESTONIA

Juri was next on stage and again it was similar copy and paster style from Eesti Laul for Stockholm, the colour schemes of red and blue interchanging was present again, this time whoever adding the suits of playing cards on the screens at times, decked out in a royal blue suit, the whole song and staging gave a very cool jazz club/James Bond style vibe, now where’s my Martini gone?

Samra – Miracle – AZERBAIJAN

Now it soon become apparent, mainly through people in Stockholm announcing Miss Samra is currently unwell which affected her first practice vocally, however the staging itself is still rather dull, the main colour scheme seemed to be beige and gold or that parts and in true Azerbaijan style, they have backing dancers which are not for a song like this, they all interact with the backing singers at times also, however from the footage seen it looks like they’ve learnt from last year and stay Samra during the whole performance so credit for them learning from their mistakes I guess.

Highway – The Real Thing – MONTENEGRO

Highway were next on stage and there footage looked okay, very apparent to what I personally expected, lots of lights, not too much going on, they have a female backing dancer which is shown in the music video also, she is illuminated in red for the performance, but although the staging is good and in some ways simple, although im expecting more smoke and pyro in future run through, there’s nothing jaw droopingly amazing to pull this through the semi and into the final.

Greta Salome – Hear Them Calling – ICELAND

Again not much has changed with this staging, the screen behind her is still present and the second chorus of her batting away the hands and the girl running into her remains, however she now starts on the floor and after the second chorus drops the to the floor. Also we didn’t see this but her Snapchat before Stockholm showed other walking and a camera circling her around the two minute mark in the song, again national final staging worked so need to fix it and if she hits all her cues and marks it’s a winner.

Deen & Dalal ft. Anna Rucher and Jala – Ljubav Je – BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Well…this was different. Bosnia are back after three years and they’ve come back with barbed wire and a giant of tin foil it looks like. Deen and Dalal are either side of the barbed wire fence reaching for each other, Anna is playing slightly infront and (sadly) Jala is still there for his literal 15 seconds of Eurovision fame, lighting is a simple blue and black scheme, will much change between now and next Tuesday? I doubt it and if so it’s being left behind.

Ira Losco – Walk On Water – MALTA

Lastly it was Ira’s turn, and they said it would be expensive and one to watch, she will be wearing a giant projection map coat on stage which will change – think Wiktoria in Melodifestivalen but bigger, colours wree changing from red to blues and yellows, the dancer from the video will be on stage giving some frantic and to be more blunt off putting dancing, that could harm her in the long run but it’s looking vocally and performance wise Malta will safely be in the final this time round. 

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Eurovision 2016: First Run Through - Semi Final 1 #1

Eurovision fortnight has begun! And we plan to bring you news from the rehearsals and our opinions for the duration. Here are Elliot Harris thoughts from day one from the 30 seconds clips released by Eurovision.tv.

Sandjha – Sing It Away – FINLAND

The opening song of Eurovision 2016 is coming from Sandjha, the funk soul diva from Finland, she shocked the continent when she won UMK over heavy favourites Saara Aalto and Mikaeel Saari and she did it again – with her rather risqué dancing and backing singers.
Let me explain, Sandjha, decked out in a pale blue open back jumpsuit, is there giving it her all like in UMK, the backing singers have lost the rather frumpy and mum like outfits from the selection and instead in all leather tops and trousers, and then suddenly it becomes Poland 2014 esque, we have Sandjha grinded on by one of her backing dancers and one of them lowering beneath her singing whilst making eye contact, is this what happens normally on a girls night out in Finland? This may be a shock tactic to push the male vote as right now Finland stand rather borderline but I don’t see this advancing.

Argo – Uptopian Land – GREECE

Argo followed and this was the first time I have heard any of their vocals or performance live and for what’s it’s worth, it was ok, I am not a fan of the song from the start but the staging elevates it SLIGHTLY for me. I am unsure if they will stick with this but all six members were wearing all white on stage whilst behind them a gold spiral with circling and flaring out golden shards on a black backdrop (I assuming to signify the sun they mention in their song) the traditional guitar style instrument is present on stage along with a large drum and some tradition dancing also, well I am to assume it’s traditional as the rest of the song fits that theme, overall, the staging and performance outweighs the song, so the jury may give it some of their lower marks but I don’t see the public pushing it enough to see it into the final.

Lidia Isac – Falling Stars – MOLDOVA

Lidia from Moldova had maybe one of the most stand out components from today’s run through, a backing dancer with an astronaut helmet! Yep, showcasing some Montenegro 2013 inspiration, the space man has followed her from the music video to Stockholm. Lidia practiced in a tan coloured knee length dress with white sneakers, although we can somewhat assume this is not her outfit for the big night, there was a lot more movement  think the big white dress may be gone and may be choosing the outfit style seen in her first music video. The staging looks Montenegro 2013 meets Lithuania 2014 in reagrds to the duo on stage and behind them as expected, an array of stars and blues and purples. I really love this song so hoping for the best.

Freddie – Pioneer – HUNGARY

Not much to comment on about this, same format as the national final, three backing vocalists to the right of him and a person playing a giant drum off to the left, but it worked for A Dal so don’t fix what isn’t broken I guess, the floor also resembles lava at parts of the song I have been told although that was available to be seen in the footage Eurovision have released, guess it’ll be a nice surprise on the night for us.

Nina Kralijic – Lighthouse – CROATIA

A big favourite of mine this year and maybe the one I was most intrigued about their staging, going on the name and lyrics they could do a lot, or get a lot wrong and this was one of the most talked about staging’s of the day. Ok maybe not the staging but more so the outfit of choice. Nina has gone for this black and white huge thing with what look like Venetia ice cream ripples on the shoulders, giving her no shape and making her look like a badly wrapped Christmas present, thankfully it is ripped off her and will reveal a different outfit underneath, we don’t what the other will look like but if it’s as bad as that – Barbara Dex winner 2016. Apart from that crashing waves can be seen and the lighting is simple so maybe it looks like they are letting her voice do the talking, which is not a bad thing given Nina has some vocals on her!

Douwe Bob – Slow Down – THE NETHERLANDS

This looked like the most put together, nothing will change in the next eight days style of staging, very reminiscent of the video released with the song, a country western bar feel, I described it like an open mic in a Texas or Tennessee bar and it’s rather cute and clean. The screens behind them turned into clockwork pieces and gears at one point which is a nice touch for the song title, not sure if it improves or elevates the song at all, but at least it was well thought out and organised.

Iveta Mukuchyan – LoveWave – ARMENIA

Wonder Woman has arrived! I jest but Iveta was looking like she was missing half her outfit, opting for her outfit of choice for the big stage a simple black leotard and cape, I don’t mind it but looks rather simple, I joked it was to cover the bad song going on around her, the colours were a deep blue which seemed to engulf her which is a positive and her vocals were pretty good, doesn’t change my thoughts on LoveWave however and would prefer the cape round the waist as obviously a wind machine will be in effect.

Serhat – I Didn’t Know – SAN MARINO

Was as expected from San Marino since they went disco, five female backing dancers, some cheesy dancing, the screen behind him projects more female backing also, which is clever without breaking the six person on stage rule, I think it’ll be a big hit with the older generation for the fun and nostalgic factor but that’s it, also at the end of the song all the woman crowding round him and some looking at him almost lustfully is a little creepy, but I’ll be far too creeped out by then, sorry San Marino but think semi-finals in all you’re getting.

Sergey Lazarev – You Are The Only One – RUSSIA

Last of the day and the one everyone had been waiting, Sergey had wowed with his official video and again the staging was very wow, but familiar. A large rectangular on stage set and not using anything else, where have I seen that? All links to Mans’ aside, it’s a complex routine performed well and can see the time has been spent perfecting it and as usual his vocals, on point, his backing vocalists also shone, the dancing was slightly out of sync and needs tightening as do some of his on screen interactions, but on the televisions screens this’ll look amazing and no doubt ANOTHER top 5 finish for Russia.

We asked you guys for your thoughts on today’s staging highs and lows and Jack Walker from England has been in touch and said the following;

“Netherlands + Armenia were the stand-outs, Hungary + Moldova weren't bad either but a tad disappointed with Russia's staging”

Do you agree or disagree? Let us know and let us know your thoughts on the remaining 33 songs to reveal their staging and you can feature in our future blogs which we will bringing you DAILY during the Eurovision fortnight.

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The Euro Trip Opinions: Elliot looks at Romania's exclusion

On April 22nd 2016, the world of Eurovision was dealt a blow they had never experienced before and one I never, ever saw coming. For the first time in the history of the organisation, the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) had forcibly removed a broadcaster, from the EBU and in turn Eurovision, the country I am referring to is of course Romania, just three weeks before the contest.

News of worries that Romania would be removed from Eurovision surfaced when it was reported that Televiziunea Romania (TVR) the national broadcaster Romania had accumulated debt and therefore owed the EBU in the region of 14.5 million Euros on the 19th April, saying that had set a deadline for the debt to be cleared by the following day or face exclusion from the contest.

Ovidiu Anton had already been selected at Romania's entry

There had been no news of when this had been agreed prior but that the money owed stretched back as far as 2007. Now on the first reading of this, although I knew there’s no way they can clear this debt magically a day after it has become blatant public knowledge, but I never thought the EBU would carry through this punishment – at least for this year. But alas they have and the record equalling year of 43 participating countries are no more, and this will be the first time since their debut back in 1993 that Romania will not be participating and the first time since 2002 they will not feature in the Grand Final.

Since their exclusion there has been a lot of finger pointing and playing the blame game and opinions expressed over the decision from many, from the respective Moldovan and Russian participants Lidia Isac and Sergey Lazarev. As well as on social media, to the Eurovision community on social media, mostly through Facebook and Twitter, some blame the EBU for this, some TVR and some splitting the blame. However, Eurovision stars and fans all agreed  on a unified statement amongst everyone is there is one innocent bystander caught in the crossfire – Ovidiu Antion.

Ovidiu was due to compete for Romania, after winning the national selection in March with rock style dramatic track “Moment Of Silence” he was due to perform 12th in the second semi final. He had also appeared at several pre party events including London, where I attended myself and I have to admit, I was a big fan of the stage show esque drama of the song and live, he delivered the same power and emotion from the studio version, he was understandably upset by the decision and is now expressed and believed to be taking legal action against the decision, whether he sought legal action against TVR or EBU or both organisations are still not 100% clear.

The TVR Broadcast Centre in Bucharest, Romania

In the days that followed and when all the dust and initial shock had settled, Ovidiu was thrown a lifeline – albeit a bizarre one, from his country's neighbours Moldova. Moldova (who have awarded Romania 12 points in the final every year they have competed) had their broadcaster TVM (Tele-Radio Moldova) offer Ovidiu to opportunity to perform with Lidia Isac in her Eurovision entry “Falling Stars” turning it into a duet. Although I was unsure if this was even allowed at this stage, Ovidiu replied shortly after declining the invitation saying he also wanted to sing Moment Of Silence and he did not want to impact his hurt onto Lidia’s performance – I was all for a duet, so hopefully they might release one after the contest?

Earlier in the week also it came out that private Romanian channel Pro TV had requested the rights to broadcast Eurovision to the EBU, although this initial request was rejected.

Also as one final point the EBU is not just for Eurovision, they control all broadcasting of all events, so the Olympics in Rio De Janiero in a few months time, rhe European Championship in France just beforehand- Romania have no right to broadcast ANY of these events and as of when they can return to EBU status and Eurovision as a whole is a mystery, hopefully 2017 but I’m not putting my money on anything just yet.

Elliot. x

Don't forget you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too.

Eurovision Pocket Size Previews #8

This is it, the final part of our "Pocket Size Previews" as we attempt to rate this year's Eurovision entries in as few words as possible. How do we rate Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.


SERBIA - SANJA "GOODBYE"

Elliot - Not a fan of topics like these in Eurovision as feel cant dislike the song due to the message, but damn the woman can sing! 7.5/10

Noa - Amazing vocals skills by Sanja and such a powerful song with a strong message 9/10

Emily - in love with this! I wasn't so sure at first but after seeing her pre-party performances, I think she could even be a winner. Strong singer, strong song, lovely personality. 10/10

James - A tad cheap in terms of lyrics but I do love the emotion and message of the song. Not a bad choice, but it's not a troublemaker to the big guns at Stockholm. 6/10

Rob - Now I love a Balkan ballad, but this just isn't Balkan enough for me I'm afraid. 6.5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 39/50

SLOVENIA - MANUELLA "BLUE AND RED"

Elliot - Meh, what else can I say, boring 5.5/10

Noa - It's alright, kinda catchy but nothing special! 6/10

Emily - Not a fan of this one. I don't like country music and her voice isn't to my taste. 3/10

James - It's rather strange but could be a guilty pleasure to many. Unfortunately, I'm not as keen.4/10

Rob - I don't hate this as much as some people, it's very inoffensive and might sneak into the final. 6/10

TOTAL SCORE: 24.5/50

SPAIN - BAREI "SAY YAY!"

Elliot - Fun, funky, fresh makes me wanna dance! Love it! 9/10

Noa - Such a fun and cacthy song, love it! 8/10

Emily - Such a feel good song! She pulls it off so well, and her footwork really adds to it. 9/10

James - Absolutely brilliant! The revamped version filled any missing gaps this song had. Barei's vocals are on point, I love her style. I would love to see this Top 5. 9/10

Rob - Fun and catchy - what more could you want? This will look insane on stage and go big in the arena. 8.5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 43.5/10

Barei will sing 'Say Yay!' in Stockholm

SWITZERLAND - RYKKA "LAST OF OUR KIND"

Elliot - Very average song, left a bit bored by it - 5.5/10

Noa - I love this one! Very moderen and edgy and Rykka really improved her vocals live so sounds good 9/10

Emily - I liked this at first, but now I feel as though it's a little bit bland. Live version is better than the studio version though, which is a good sign. 5/10

James - Rykka is just fabulous. I love the song but I do worry for how it will stand out at Stockholm. But I do think Rykka is constantly improving, so very exciting!  7/10

Rob - Dull, dull dull. I'm also not very sure she'll be able to deliver live vocals on the night. 5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 31.5/50

SWEDEN - FRANS "IF I WERE SORRY"

Elliot - It's grown on me since Melfest but still head over heels for it - 6.5/10

Noa - They could send something so much better, this is kinda boring. 6/10

Emily - I don't despise it as much as I did when it won melfest, but I still find it a little bit dreary. It's the same sort of sound throughout and doesn't really go anywhere/do anything for me. 5/10

James - I like the beat but I find Frans' voice irritating. I think it's highly overrated too. 5/10

Rob - Sweden Sweden Sweden, from such a great song last year to something so so average. 5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 27.5/50

UKRAINE - JAMALA "1944"

Elliot - Don't like this song, her vocals and wailing really make me want to hit mute, like a bad Rona Nishliu - 3.5/10

Noa - Well the message is strong and her vocals are good but a little bit weird for the ear. 5/10

Emily - This one is in the middle for me. It's sort of catchy in that you can pick up the melody after one listen, and I love that she's introduced Tatar to the contest, but I'm not sure I like her voice overall. 6/10

James - Some people understand it and love it, but unfortunately it just sounds weird to me. 5/10

Rob - The message of this song is obviously very important - I'm just sure she has to wail it! 4/10

TOTAL SCORE: 23.5/50

Jamala will sing in Crimean language

UNITED KINGDOM - JOE AND JAKE "YOU'RE NOT ALONE"

Elliot - Inoffensive pop song, good song for the UK but not causing any upsets in Stockholm - 7/10

Noa - nice catchy pop song , I guess it's alright , not something that blows my mind.6.5/10

Emily - I'm very proud of our boys this year! They're such a blast to hear live, they clearly enjoy themselves and I think they deserve to do well! Their song is very well sung, their harmonies sound great and I think they can appeal to a teenage audience. 8/10

James - This is the 2nd biggest music export in the world? Why am I hearing the most generic and unfinished pop song then? Even Albania can produce a better pop song than this (with a lot of work, of course). 5/10

Rob - A huge improvement from the UK this year and a brilliant catchy chorus. The boys will do fine in Stockholm. 7.5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 34/50

Don't forget you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too, and stay tuned to find out our final leaderboard from Eurovision 2016.

Eurovision Pocket Size Previews #7

This year's Eurovision Song Contest is just a couple of weeks away, and we're nearing the end of our "Pocket Size Previews". Today we look at The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and San Marino.

THE NETHERLANDS - DOUWE BOB "SLOW DOWN"

Emily - I’m not a huge fan of country music, but I don’t mind this. It’s sweet and Douwe seems like a nice guy. I’d like to see how they stage this. Overall, I like it. 6/10

Elliot - Reminds me A LOT of R.E.M. lead vocalist, good singer but a dull, forgettable song in a field of 18. 5.5/10

Noa - Catchy song , reminds me of their entry in 2014 I like it , but nothing special 7/10

James - It's okay, but just isn't what we're used to hearing from Douwe, so I guess I'm just underwhelmed. 6/10

Rob - This song could go either way - either a non qualifier or a top ten in the Final. 7/10

TOTAL SCORE: 31.5/50

NORWAY - AGNETE "ICEBREAKER"

Emily - Absolutely love this one. Wasn’t sure on it at first as the transition from verse to chorus felt unnatural to me, but I still loved it. Strong song, strong performer with so much potential! 9/10

Elliot - Jarring verse to chorus change, shaky vocals in NF and seriously broken English in the song, not fan. 5/10

Noa - Lately this song really growing on me , I love it ! I like how uinique it is and how it changes in the Chorus 9\10

James - I'm in love! Agnete is gorgeous and the song and her vocals are a match made in heaven! But, I do think the song should be kept at a more consistent tempo as it sounds like three songs all into one. 8/10

Rob - When I first heard this I thought this could be a potential winner - I just hope Agnete is fully recovered. 9/10

TOTAL SCORE: 40/50

Agnete took part in the Norwegian version of Strictly Come Dancing

POLAND - MICHAL SPZAK  "COLOUR OF YOUR LIFE"

Emily - This has grown on me so much. I’m a big fan of Poland this year; the chorus is so catchy, Michal is a great guy and I think they should do very well! 8.5/10

Elliot - Sweet proper male ballad, would like it to do well but not holding my breath for its chances due to NF drama. 6.5/10

Noa - Perfectly made ballad , his vocals are very strong and the message is really beautiful. 8\10

James - It's dated & boring but Spzak has a lovely voice which was demonstrated well in Poland's National Final. 6/10

Rob - Not my kind of song at all - the lyrics are nice but just not really a fan. Sorry Poland. 4/10

TOTAL SCORE: 33/50

RUSSIA - SERGEY LAZAREV "YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE"

Emily - Another one I love. Probably my favourite Russian entry, very easily my number 2 after France. Cheesy, great looking guy, catchy. All I need in a song! 10/10

Elliot - Lot like Moldova, cheesy old school track but just performed a lot better, wouldn't be a contendor if wasn't Russia though 8/10

Noa - Really strong song ! a potential winner . his vocals are pretty strong live as well , he surely got it all !!! 10\10

James - It's catchy, gay-friendly, radio-friendly... PERFECT for Eurovision. But, I wouldn't say this is an absolute winner. 8/10

Rob - Back in the mid 2000s this was a definite winner - this will content with France for the 2016 edition. - 9/10

TOTAL SCORE: 45/50

Sergey attempted to represent Russia in 2008

SAN MARINO - SERHAT "I DIDN'T KNOW"

Emily - The joke entry of the year, yet somehow I really enjoy this, especially as they transformed it from the ballad to the disco version. It’s strange but I like it. 7/10

Elliot - Well...the disco makes it less dated, but its always a worry when your backing vocalists have more life and outshine you. 2/10

Noa - Well at least the changed it to the disco version and I found it very entertaining but a huge no . 3\10

Emily - Just very strange! But I have to say, the disco version does make it much more bearable. Still terrible nonetheless. 3/10

Rob - Well there isn't much to say about this is there? 2/10

TOTAL SCORE: 17/50

Our current top 3...
1) France - Amir "J'ai Cherche"

2) Russia - Sergey Lazarev "You're The Only One"

3) Iceland - Greta Salome "Hear Them Calling"


Keep a look out for the final part of our Eurovision Pocket Size Previews on the way soon, and don't forget you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too. 

Eurovision Pocket Size Previews #6

This year we're giving the 2016 Eurovision entries the "Pocket Size Previews" treatment, and reviewing them in as few words as possible! Up next Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova and Montenegro...


LATVIA - JUSTS "HEARTBEAT"

Elliot: Song is ok but Supernova staging was dull and needs a massive change before Stockholm 6.5/10

Emily: Definite grower for me! So modern with a memorable hook. Loving it, 9/10

Noa: Love it !! Catchy but at the same time brilliant! Justs got it all! a powerful voice and the look too. 9/10

James: This song sounds unfinished to me... The beat is quite modern, however. But, vocally it sounds strained and I worry for Latvia's qualification since they will be up first in the running order. 6/10

Rob: A good modern sound, this will stand out amongst the other songs this year. 7.5/10

TOTAL SCORE: 38/50

LITHUANIA - DONNY MONTELL "WAITING FOR THIS NIGHT"

Elliot:  Loud, generic song, too much noise not enough substance lyrically 6/10

Emily: Very cheesy. Live vocals are a little bit weak but not a bad song or performer. 7/10

Noa: I really love his voice but apart from that I found it hard to me to connect to the song 6/10

James: This song comes across too cheesy and I think it isn't the best that Lithuania can produce. It also comes across a bit like generic pop song and I think out of the 'generic' bunch, in the contest, it's one of the weakest. 5/10

Rob: Much better than "Love is Blind" and when this first came out I really thought it could be a contender... 7/10

TOTAL SCORE: 31/50

Donny Montell sang "Love is Blind" in Baku in 2012.

MALTA - IRA LOSCO "WALK ON WATER"

Elliot: Better than Chameleon but not blown away by it, strong vocally however - 7/10

Emily: Another modern song that will no doubt do well. She’s a good live performer and I know Europe will love her if she ends up with good staging. 8/10

Noa: Wise choice to change the song! Catchy pop song and I like it 7/10

James: This song is alright, it has a nice tune but the sound at the beginning sounds a bit cheap and all I can hear is a copy of the song 'Hunger' so i'm a bit unconvinced. 7/10

Rob: This is great! I wasn't happy when I heard her original song would be revamped, but this is almost perfect. 8/10

TOTAL SCORE: 37/50

MOLDOVA - LIDIA ISAC "FALLING STARS"

Elliot: Guilty pleasure, style of song that made me love Eurovision 7/10

Emily: A very Europop song. I feel as though the higher notes aren’t as strong as they could be, but overall the song and performance is ok. 6.5/10

Noa: I love her voice but I found the song very trashy and basic . 6/10

James: I really like this song! It's perfect for Eurovision! It's fun and I think Lidia's vocals are going to keep improving. 8/10

Rob: Good old fashioned Eurovision cheesy - in the mid 2000s this could have won. 7/10

TOTAL SCORE: 34.5/50

Lidia Isac is off to Stockholm with "Falling Stars".

MOTENEGRO - HIGHWAY "THE REAL THING"

Elliot: See what they're trying to do, but it just comes off creepy, misogynistic and down right no. - 3/10

Emily: I struggle to think of anything good about this song. I’m really not a fan of the sound, and hearing it live at LEP reassured its 43rd place in my ranking as it bores me. 1/10

Noa: Nope,nope ,nope. Looks like they tried too much with the song and it turned up very bad! 3/10

James: It just sounds a mess. I don't understand the arrangement of the song at all. They do get 3 marks for their eye candy, however! 3/10

Rob: Just horrible - I don't even get what they're trying to do. 2/10

TOTAL SCORE: 12/50



Our current top 3...
1) France - Amir "J'ai Cherche"
2) Greta Salome "Hear Them Calling"
3) Cyprus - Minus One "Alter Ego"

Keep a look out for Eurovision Pocket Size Previews #6 on the way soon, and don't forget you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too. 

The Euro Trip's BIG Eurovision Party: We need you...

Lets be honest, we're all SO excited for Eurovision!

The world's favourite music competition is back in just a couple of weeks time, and to get you all in the mood we're throwing the biggest and best Eurovision party - want to know the best bit? You're all invited!

The Euro Trip's BIG Eurovision Party will be broadcast on Saturday 7th May, building up to this year's contest with interviews, gossip, this year's entries and so much more. 

But where do you come in?

Well obviously we want you to tune in on the night, get a pizza in and enjoy the wonderful world of Eurovision.

But that's not all...

We want you to be part of the show, by letting us know which songs you'll be supporting this year. Send us a short recording of you telling us WHO you are, WHERE you live, WHICH country you're supporting, and WHY? (Ideally around 10/15 seconds!)

You've got till Sunday 1st May to send over your recordings, and the best of them will be included in the show! 

Send them over to theeurotrippodcast@gmail.com and in the mean time, make sure you're following us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news about the show.

x

The Euro Trip interviews Greta Salome

Earlier this month Elliot got the chance to interview one of this year's favourites for the Eurovision title, Iceland's Greta Salome. She's already represented Iceland before, but what does she make of her chances this year?

Firstly, you competed back in 2012 with Jonsi, but what made you want to return to Eurovision and Songvakeppnin?           
                                                                                                                                                                                  Eurovision is such an amazing opportunity and a once in a lifetime thing that thankfully I get to experience twice.

2 - Where did the idea for Hear Them Calling come from?

I wrote the song and the lyrics in September and the message is about how we are exposed to negative voices and influences in today´s society and how we should focus on listening to the positive voices because they are the ones that will take you home, or wherever you belong.

3 - Does the song have any personal meaning to you?

 I think we can all relate to the message of the song so it is in a way a personal song.

4 - Can you reveal any changes to the staging, cameras, or even outfit from the national final for Eurovision?

We will stay true to the message but we will take the staging ever further on the big stage so be prepared for some pleasant surprises.

5 - You're competing in the first semi final - touted as the harder of the two, how are you feeling heading into Stockholm?

My only goal is to get the message of the song across so positioning is not the most important part to me.

6 - The tweaks for Hear Them Calling caught everyone off guard, but what made you decide to add and edit parts of the backing instrumentation?

I had the opportunity to record with the North Iceland Symphony orchestra and the amazing producer Þorvaldur Bjarni and Ash Howes. We decided to take the song to a different level and I´m so happy with the result.

7 - Both Never Forget and Hear Them Calling are reflectively dark and passionate songs, would you say that is your style when it comes to singing?

 I am a very passionate performer so I think that translates to my music.

8 - Iceland have never won the Eurovision Song Contest, but placed 2nd as recently as 2009, are you hoping you can do one better in Stockholm?

 I am only hoping that my song will reach or help at least one person with its message. Then I will feel like a winner.

9 - Can we expect any new music from you after Eurovision or concerts you wish to tell us about?

Yes, I am working hard on new material that will be released after Eurovision. I will be returning to Disney in June and then doing my shows.

10 - Finally, Hear Them Calling is proving extremely popular and a fan favorite all over Europe with the Eurovision fandom, espcially on social media, do you have any words or a message to our readers and supporters?

Thank you so much for your support and lets not listen to the negative voices around us and focus on the positive ones and be a positive voice to others.

Don't forget you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too.