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

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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

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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.