Eurovision 2026 – musicology blog

[The next day] results v my predictions

So, even though I was right here in Vienna, soaking up the vibes, this wasn’t my best prediction work! All my top 3 made the top 10, but although I loved Bangaranga, I didn’t see its runaway success coming!

Top 10 at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Grand Final (Vienna, 16 May 2026)

Live song analysis from May 16, 2026

Welcome to the Eurovision live musicology blog, now in its 16th year. For context, here’s the 2020 10-year corpus research summary, and the archive of all the posts in reverse order.

Tonight I’m pleased to welcome my wonderful research team, who put together a whole lot of the data, chord sheets, and commentary. I’m co-blogging with my colleagues Rafi Waters, Dasom Chung, and Dr John Pierce O’Reilly, who provided additional research, as well detailed work on the chords, with general research and fact-checking. I’m also grateful to the estimable Ralf von Appen, my academic host here in Austria, who has provided invaluable additional insight into ESC research, as well as two song form analyses (included in the blog).

As always, I’ve provided commentary on each song, so you can follow along with the show, or (later) watch the embedded videos. And I’m going to try to predict the winner, before voting begins, then leave the prediction up here for posterity when the votes are in.

Americans – the show goes out live at 3pm Eastern time on Saturday May 16, 2025. You can watch live with a free Peacock TV account.

Europeans – you know the drill.

* I have actually pre-blogged everything based on the Spotify Eurovision finalists playlist and national finals / official videos, but the blog is published on the day of the final (before the show and voting begins) so should be read live alongside the show as it is broadcast.

The blog is purely about songwriting and music – I don’t comment on any political or social issues, or anything to do with the running of the contest (apart from quoting from the rules from time to time).

Here are my predictions for 2026, made at 4.41pm Vienna time, before the show starts:

1. Finland
2. Greece
3. Australia

01 🇩🇰 Denmark • Før Vi Går Hjem

Søren Torpegaard Lund • 130 • Cm

Songwriters: Clara Sofie Fabricius, Søren Torpegaard Lund, Thomas Meilstrup, Valdemar Littauer Bendixen

Verse: Cm | Cm | Ab | Ab | Bb | Bb (C-Bb-Ab-G walkdown)| Fm |
Pre: Cm Bb/D | Eb | Ab | Ab | (x2)
Chorus: Cm | Cm | Cm | Cm | Ab | Ab | Cm | Cm |

And we’re off! The show opens with this thoroughly competent and well-sung electro-pop offering from the Danes. Nice mashup of performance styles — opera diva meets disco queen with just a hint of goth.

Søren sells the song really well, balancing the vocals and choreography and thankfully concentrating more on the former. There are some solid melodic motifs in the song – the verse’s “Min krop den skriger / Kan du høre den?” (minor third, descending), the pre chorus rising 8th notes “Kys mig tag mit hjerte knus det igen” (3344557321), the transitional “Glemmer at vi vågner og fortryder igen” (555522321), and the super-dramatic title hook peak of “Før vi går, før vi går Før vi går, før vi går hjem” – descending the minor scale in fragments.  These sections all work well and are bolted together in predictable form – verse, pre, chorus, repeat, with double chorus to end it. Using the 3 minutes, to the second.

Four on the floor kick drum hits on verse 2 with a delicate hint of a reggaeton groove until the end of chorus 2, and of course full on electro-disco beats in the final choruses. It’s a song of dangerous love (I’d classify it as an ‘autumn’ love song) – the protagonist is conflicted between desire and recurrent heartbreak  “Kiss me, take my heart, break it again / The heart knows what it wants / Just let it decide”.

The “Før vi går” is the closest we get to a repeated title hook, and although it’s powerful, I’m not sure it’s catchy enough to capture the stadium. I’m saying top 5, based on it being mainstream-appeal enough to catch votes from both constituencies, but it’s not quite remarkable enough to win.

92%

–

Før vi går hjem
Min krop den skriger
Kan du høre den?
Jeg burde sig’ nej
Sagd’ det var sidste gang
Men du har mig
Ja du har mig

Du er så syrlig
Du smelter på min tunge
Helt ustyrlig
Jeg så freaking dum
Men du har mig
Ja du har mig

Kys mig tag mit hjerte knus det igen
Men please sig den her aften aldrig vil ende

Vi la’r natten stå i flammer og glemmer os selv
Holder om hinanden til vi brænder ihjel
Glemmer at vi vågner og fortryder igen
Før vi går, før vi går
Før vi går, før vi går hjem

Tror jeg forsvinder
I neon lys og røg
Natten binder
Mig til dine øjne
Sig du har mig
Du har mig

Kys mig tag mit hjerte knus det igen
Men please, sig den her aften aldrig vil ende

Vi la’r natten stå i flammer og glemmer os selv
Holder om hinanden til vi brænder ihjel
Glemmer at vi vågner og fortryder igen
Før vi går, før vi går
Før vi går, før vi går hjem

Kys mig tag mit hjerte knus det igen
(Knus det igen)
Men please sig den her aften aldrig vil ende
Før vi går hjem

Kys mig tag mit hjerte knus det igen
Hjertet ved hvad det vil
Bar’ lad det bestemme

Vi la’r natten stå i flammer og glemmer os selv
Holder om hinanden til vi brænder ihjel
Glemmer at vi vågner og fortryder igen
Før vi går, før vi går
Før vi går, før vi går hjem

Vi la’r natten stå i flammer og glemmer os ѕelv
Holder om hinanden til vi brænder ihjel
Glemmer аt vi vågner og fortryder igen
Før vi går, før vi går
Før vi går, før vi går hjem

Before We Go Home
My body is screaming
Can you hear it?
I should say no
Said it was the last time
But you’ve got me
Yeah, you’ve got me

You are so acidic
You melt on my tongue
So out-of-control
I’m so freaking dumb
But you’ve got me
Yeah, you’ve got me

Kiss me, take my heart, break it again
But please say this night will never end

We let the night go up in flames and forget ourselves
Hold on to each other till we burn to death
Forget that we’ll wake up and regret it again
Before we go, before we go
Before we go, before we go home

Think I’m disappearing
In neon lights and smoke
The night binds
Me to your eyes
Say you’ve got me
You’ve got me

Kiss me, take my heart, break it again
But please, say this night will never end

We let the night go up in flames and forget ourselves
Hold on to each other till we burn to death
Forget that we’ll wake up and regret it again
Before we go, before we go
Before we go, before we go home

Kiss me, take my heart, break it again
(Break it again)
But please say this night will never end
Before we go home

Kiss me, take my heart, break it again
The heart knows what it wants
Just let it decide

We let the night go up in flames and forget ourselves
Hold on to each other till we burn to death
Forget that we’ll wake up and regret it again
Before we go, before we go
Before we go, before we go home

We let the night go up in flames and forget ourselveѕ
Hold on to each other till we burn to death
Forget that we’ll wake up and regret it agаin
Before we go, before we go
Before we go, before we go home

—

02 🇩🇪 Germany • Fire

Sarah Engels • 120 • Em

Songwriters: Dario Schürmann, Luisa Heinemann, Raphael Lott, Sarah Engels, Valentin Boes

Intro: Em D | Em
Verse: C D | Em (x4)
Pre: C D | Em | C D | A | C D | Em | C D | Em
Chorus: C D | Em
Bridge: Em

Eurovision had its years of Reggaeton (they missed it in the 90s but by the time of Despacito ~2017 they couldn’t ignore it any more). In the 2020s it’s taken more of a back seat – we don’t hear the full-on Puerto-Rican “Boom, ch’boom CHA!” with the big snares, but rather hear a rhythmic allusion to it in the drums and vocal phrasing – both in the Danish song we just heard, and in this offering from Germany.

The Germans usually take Eurovision proper seriously. They’re in it to win it. German musical history? Ethnic instruments? Deutschsprachige Liedtexte? Vergesst das alles – wir brauchen einen Hit.

We’re hearing Sarah’s vocals live in the show, of course, per the rules, which are:

• Lead vocals must be performed live on stage. Lip-syncing is not permitted.
• Backing tracks and pre-recorded elements [may] not replace or unduly assist the live vocal performance.

Here, of course, the chorus needs that double-tracked vocal unison. So I think they threaded the needle fairly (and to be fair most artists tonight are augmenting the lead vocal in some way).

Musically, this is a standard Aeolian-mode ESC fare for the most part, although kudos for that very cool Dorian mode A chord that lands on “crave it til you could take it but you don’t”, which adds colour and flavour to an otherwise predictable set of changes (and there are only 4 chords in the whole thing). Lyrically, the theme is super clear, and summed up with the opening line of verse 1 – “Boy, I’m out of your league / Nonsense, what you′ve been doing to me”. So it’s a classic don’t-cheat-on-me-because-I-don’t-need-you-all-that-much sentiment. And in case there is any ambiguity, she is holding a flamethrower (which I assume she borrowed from the Fins).

78%

Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more

Boy, I’m out of your league
Nonsense, what you′ve been doing to me
Just know that I could take my revenge
I could go out with all of your friends

I could fake it ’til I make it, but I won’t
If you crave it, you could take it, but you don’t
I don’t want it, I don′t need it
And I won’t let you repeat it
You just play until you break it and it′s blown

I’m on fire, fire
You’re a liar, liar
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more
Like a vampire, you hide
And come out the night
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more

I’m on fire, fire
(I′m on fire, fire)
Stop denying, ‘nying, no lying, lying no more

Just wait a minute, you′re gonna see
That you won’t find another like me
You′ll come around and I’ll be too late
‘Cause I won′t do the same old mistake

I could fake it ′til I make it, but I won’t
If you crave it, you could take it, but you don′t
I don′t want it, I don’t need it
And I won’t let you repeat it
You just play until you break it and it′ѕ blown

I′m on fire, fire
You’re a liar, liar
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more
Like a vampire, you hide
And come out the night
Stop denying, ‘nying
No lying, lying no more

I′m on fire, fire
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more
Like a vampire, you hide
And come out the night
Stop denying, ‘nying
No lying, lying no more

I’m on fire

I′m on fire, fire
You’re a liar, liar
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more
Like a vampire, you hide
And come out the night
Stop denying, ‘nying
No lying, lying no more

I′m on fire
I’m on fire
Like a vаmpire, you hide
And come out the night
Stop denying, ′nying
No lying, lying no more

—

03 🇮🇱 Israel • Michelle

Noam Bettan • 116 • Dbm
Songwriters: Noam Bettan, Omri Bar-Hod, Stav Beger

Intro: Ebm | Abm | Bb | Bb
Verse: Ebm | Bb7/D | Dbø7 | Eb7 | Abm | Abm/G | Gbø7 | Bb7
Ebm | Bb7/D | Gb/Db| Eb7 | Abm | Abm/G | Gbø7 | Bb7 | (extra bar)|
Pre: Abm | Ebm (x3) | Abm Bb | (add 3 bars of Bb before final choruses)
Chorus: Ebm | Fø7 Bb7 | Ebm | Fø7 Bb7 | Gb | B F° | Ebm Abm | Fø7 Bb7 |
Post: Ebm | Abm Bb | x2
Bridge: Ebm | Ebm | Abm | Ebm Bb | Ebm | Db | B | Bb |
Outro: Gb | B Abm | Ebm Abm | Fø7 Bb7

If Everybody Wants to Rule The World had a baby with Someone Like You it would sound like this. A deep, angst*-filled song of love and loss – and Noam’s vocal is filled with the protagonist’s regret. The Chanson is strong in this one; check out those diminished chords (Mac – option-shift-8 – you’re welcome). There are ii-V changes all over it. I particularly love the Gb major glimmer-of-hope “mais je t’aime” in the chorus (and the start of the outro) where just for a moment (one bar of 12/8) our heartbroken storyteller remembers the powerful feelings of joy he and Michelle shared. A moment of major-key happiness… and then the minor-key cycle consumes him, ending with calling her name into the void.

It’s sung in a mix of Hebrew (home language), French (nod to Chanson, and French has the coolest heartbreaky vowels IMHO), and English (mainstream appeal). Smart move, and feels authentic in context.

In terms of song craft and performance presentation, this is very fine work.

* I’m writing this from Vienna, so trying to crowbar in some German words unnötigerweise.

[Verse 1]
מישל זו אהבה רעילה, אני באפלה
?איך השארת אותי בצל
כוכבת בלי תהילה, משוגעת גדולה
אני קם ונופל
Oh, Michelle
Je ne sais plus quoi faire
Tu étais ma lumière
Dieu j’t’en supplie réveille-moi
J’ai plongé dans le noir
Ramène-moi de l’espoir
Et ma mademoiselle

[Pre-Chorus]
Alors je danse, danse avec les maux
Tu me verras rire, rire à nouveau
T’es ma douleur, j’n’étais qu’un décor
J’ai crié, crié, crié

[Chorus]
Michelle
Je te laisse partir, adieu ma belle
Je te laisse partir, mais je t’aime
La reine des problèmes
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle

[Post-Chorus]
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

[Verse 2]
Walking down Florentin
Ocean eyes, memories
I (I), I’m losing my mind

[Pre-Chorus]
An angel, but is it hell?
Trapped in your carousel
‘Round and ’round (‘Round and ’round)
Under your spell

[Chorus]
Michelle (Michelle)
Je te laisse partir, adieu ma belle
Je te laisse partir, mais je t’aime
La reine des problèmes
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle

[Post-Chorus]
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Ooh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Ooh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)


[Bridge]
ואולי בסוף יהיה לנו טוב
מתפלל עלייך שתזכי לאהוב
בין דמעה לדמעה יש מי שישמע
יש מי שישמע

[Chorus]
(Michelle)
Je te laisse partir, adieu ma belle (Michelle)
Je te laisse partir, mais je t’aime
La reine des problèmes
Ooh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

[Outro]
Oh, je t’aime
Ma reine des problèmes
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle
–

[Verse 1]
Michelle, this is a toxic love, I’m in the darkness
How did you leave me in the shadows?
A star without fame, a great madwoman
I rise and fall
Oh, Michelle
I no longer know what to do
You were my light
God, I beg you, wake me up
I plunged into the dark
Bring me back some hope
And my mademoiselle

[Pre-Chorus]
So I dance, dance with the pain
You will see me laugh, laugh again
You’re my pain, I was only a decoration
I screamed, screamed, screamed

[Chorus]
Michelle
I’m letting you go, goodbye my beautiful
I’m letting you go, but I love you
The queen of problems
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle


[Post-Chorus]
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

[Verse 2]
Walking down Florentin
Ocean eyes, memories
I (I), I’m losing my mind

[Pre-Chorus]
An angel, but is it hell
Trapped in your carousel
‘Round and ’round (‘Round and ’round)
Under your spell

[Chorus]
Michelle (Michelle)
I’m letting you go, goodbye my beautiful
I’m letting you go, but I love you
The queen of problems
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle

[Post-Chorus]
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye-aye (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Ooh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
Ooh (Oh-oh, oh-oh)

[Bridge]
And maybe in the end, things will turn out well for us
Pray on you that you will deserve to love
Between tear to tear, there is someone who will hear
There is someone who will hear

[Chorus]
(Michelle)
I’m letting you go, goodbye my beautiful (Michelle)
I’m letting you go, but I love you
The queen of problems (Ooh; Oh-oh, oh-oh)

[Outro]
Ooh, I love you
My queen of problems
Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle

87%

04 🇧🇪 Belgium • Dancing On The Ice

Essyla • 118 • D

Songwriters: Alice Van Eesbeeck, Barbara Petitjean, Emil Stengele, Nicolas d’Avell
Main riff: D Eb // D Eb G F#
Riff in verse & pre-chorus
Chorus: D | Gm | Eb | D | (version of Andalusian cadence)

Eurovision uses two different musical scales as signifiers to the rest of continent of folky authenticity. The milder one is the Aeolian mode (more on this in the always-linked ‘deux points’ blog from my friend-in-musicology Milton Mermikides. The stronger one is this – Phrygian Dominant, aka Spanish Phrygian (Kim Petras / Sam Smith Unholy, and a similar scale (Byzantine/double harmonic major) in Dick Dale’s oldie Miserlou aka the Pulp Fiction riff. These scales feature a major third and a minor second, which to my British rock-bloke ears sounds Eastern European, perhaps Egyptian / North African. It’s been picking up steam in ESC songs in recent years, although some countries (particularly Greece) come back to it fairly frequently, including this year. To pop-encultured ears, I guess many people will hear ‘spooky’, ‘disjointed’ and maybe ‘threatening’.

Essyla certainly leans into this, and the vocal style, scale choice, and lyric all send us the same message of some sort of power, barely restrained. Taking two lyrics in isolation “I got that summer on my skin” and “Ice cream melting on my blue jeans” could be part of a 60s Beach Boys song, but the chorus lyric and musical context give us plenty of clues about the protagonist’s inner darkness. “dancing on the ice / Where everything dies / Frozen to the bone”.

The title hook isn’t bad, but I’m not sure the song is strong enough to place high in the rankings, not least because the message of empowerment vs darkness seems a bit fuzzy.

84%

I got that summer on my skin
It burns, it lives, it burns within
That wheel is hot and I’m driving
Rain’s a goner, but I’m sinking
I’m gonna burst, I’m gonna scream

[Pre-Chorus]
I want love
But I’m not loyal
Call me queen
Though I’m not royal
Want to go
What if I’m all alone?

[Chorus]
I keep dancing on the ice
Where everything dies
Frozen to the bone
I keep dancing on the ice
‘Cause I feel alive
I’m satisfied

[Post-Chorus]
Keep dancing on the ice
Keep dancing on the ice

[Verse 2]
Got King Winter in my back
Gotta keep going on the track
Sunscreen that sticks on wet bodies
Ice cream melting on my blue jeans
Melting on my blue jeans

[Pre-Chorus]
I want love
But I’m not loyal
Call me queen
Though I’m not royal
Want to go
What if I’m all alone?

[Chorus]
I keep dancing on the icе
Where evеrything dies
Frozen to the bone
I keep dancing on the ice
‘Cause I feel alive
I’m satisfied

[Post-Chorus]
Keep dancing on the ice (Keep dancing, keep dancing on the ice)
Keep dancing on the ice

[Bridge]
Hey, heh, hey
Woah

[Outro]
I want love
Keep dancing on the ice
Call me queen (Keep dancing, keep dancing on the ice)
Want to go
Keep dancing on the ice
I want love (Hey)
Keep dancing on the ice (Hey)
Call me queen (Keep dancing, keep dancing on the ice)
Want to go (Hey)
Keep dancing on the ice (Hey)

05 🇦🇱 Albania • Nân

Alis • 110 • Cm

Songwriters: Alis Kallaçi, Desara Gjini

Intro: Cm | Cm Bb | Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab | Fm | G |
Verse: Cm | Cm (Bb)| Ab | Ab | Fm | Fm | G | G (x2)
Pre: Cm | Bb | Fm | G | (x2)
Chorus: Cm | Cm | Cm | Cm Bb | Ab | Ab | Fm | G |

Choral intro melody. Don’t think about Like A Prayer. I said DON’T think about Like a Prayer.

This is an excellent example of the kind of music that you only get in Eurovision – big choral chants with Hans Zimmer epic drum stabs. It’s underscored with a rumbling 3:3:2 “tresillo” rhythm “BA-ba-ba-BA-ba-ba-BA-ba” on the drums, with swirling strings and Orff-ian chanting choirs. It’s epic (actually more epic than Estonia’s lightweight power-pop anthem Too Epic To Be True, knocked out in the semifinals last week). The lyric theme is the titular Nân, and the eternal bond between mother and son (Northern British readers – Nân doesn’t mean nan. It means mam).. The metaphor could be life/death (she waits for you beyond the grave, implied by the final verse) or mother country (she is always a constant “we still see your shadows”) or possibly just the story of a bloke who left home and can’t keep his apartment tidy any more (Warm messy living / Books on the floor). It’s sincere and anthemic. Full marks for commitment!

65%
(Ta dish se nana po ju pret)
(E nana ju po ju përcjell)
(Nana në prag aty ngel në derë)
(Dy javë, dy vjet, iku kjo verë)

Zemra po dhemb
E lotin mezi po e mban
Ju tash po ikni
Do qani pak
Do harroheni
Për jetë ma t’mirë, e di

E ne na duket, shohim hijet
Në korridor ecin me vrap
Dëgjojmë zërat, hala n’oborr

E qeshun me t’madhe
Hap dritaren, e askush
Nuk asht aty
Marr t’shtroj për t’fjet
N’divana e n’tok
Baj za, askush s’përgjigjet

Ta dish se nana po ju pret
E nana ju po ju përcjell
Nana në prag aty ngel në derë
Dy javë, dy vjet, iku kjo verë

Rri e kujtoj
Kyt vend që dikur s’pat qetësi
Rrëmujë e ngrohtë
Gjithë librat n’tok
Shpejt u ba ftohtë
Shkretinë e plot

Ta dish se nana po ju pret
E nana ju po ju përcjell
Nana në prag aty ngel në derë
Dy javë, dy vjet, iku kjo verë

(Ta dish se nana po ju pret)
(E nana ju po ju përcjell)
(Nana në prag aty ngel në derë)
(Dy javë, dy vjet, iku kjo verë)

(Ta dish se nana po ju pret)
(E nana ju po ju përcjell)
(Nana në prag aty ngel në derë)
Dy javë, dy vjet, iku kjo verë

Kur po vjen, moj nan
Se malli m’than
Po moѕ u mërzit
Nana kа me t’prit


(Know that mother waits for you)
(She waves you down the road)
(Still standing at the doorway)
(As two weeks, two years, this summer, too, is gone)

My heart is aching
I can barely hold the tears
Now you are leaving
You will cry a little
Then forget
For a better life, I know

We still see your shadows
Running down the hall
And we hear your voices, echo softly in the yard

A great big laugh I hear
I open up the window
But no one’s there
I make the beds
On sofas and the floor
I call your name, no one answers

Know that mother waits for you
She waves you down the road
Still standing at the doorway
As two weeks, two years, this summer, too, is gone

I sit remembering this place
Once it never slept in peace
Warm messy living
Books on the floor
Suddenly it turned cold
A desert remains

Know that mother waits for you
She waves you down the road
Still standing at the doorway
As two weeks, two years, this summer, too, is gone

(Know that mother waits for you)
(She waves you down the road)
(Still standing at the doorway)
(As two weeks, two years, this summer, too, is gone)

Know that mother waits for you
She waves you down the road
Still standing at the doorway
As two weeks, two years, this summer, too, is gone

When are you coming my child?
This longing burns inѕide
But worry not
Mother will be wаiting for you

06 🇬🇷 Greece • Ferto

Akylas • 150 • Eb

Songwriters: Akylas Mytilinaios, Orfeas Nonis, Theofilos Pouzbouris, Thomas Papathanasis
E Phrygian Dominant riffs, moving between Eb and E.
Verse 3 and 4: Ebm – Db
Final piano ballad bridge: Fm | Eb | C | Db Dbm | Ab | Eb | Fm | Eb

Wow. This is on another level. It’s some kind of masterpiece of musical form, and it breaks all the rules. I’ve included here a diagram made by my estimable German musicologist friend Ralf, that demonstrates just how form-breaking Ferto is. Verse 3 and 4 have completely different melodies from Verse 1 and 2. There’s no chorus, but a sort of EDM ‘Core’ section. The title appears in 3 different sections. There’s a repeat of Verse 4 after the second sorta-chorus (who repeats Verse 4?!). There’s a bridge with an opera bit, followed by 3 bars of no music, and then a single outro with no repeats.

The instrumentation is also its own journey – from filtered percussion techno synths, we move to a melodic theme played on a Pontian Lyra (aka Kemençe of the Black Sea), a Greek/Turkish instrument. Ethnic instrument from home country? so far, so Eurovision. But then when that section returns after verse 4, the lyra melody is played on 90s chiptune video game sounds.

The Ferto of the title broadly translates to “gimme” or “bring it”. It’s a song about greed and acquisitiveness, or possibly an ironic song about greed and acquisitiveness, consisting mostly of lists of things of value that the narrator wants or has. It’s the closest thing to a hip-hop braggadocio lyric in this year’s contest, although just before the end it skips into a (musically completely unrelated) section where he sings to his mother about growing up in poverty.

Ferto is breathtaking in its scale, ambition, and execution. Deserves to be in the top 3 – could possibly win.  

94%

Prépi na péxo, den tha páo páso
Mi ambicion es fuego, nunca fracaso
No hay limite, todo lo arraso
Kinigáo ta páda méhri na ta ftáso
Thélo éna stéma ki énan thróno na kátso
Ena block epitagón ke check se ólus na grápso
Fére mu éna potó pu thélo na xedipsáso
Férta mu óla óla páli den tha hortáso

Real estate, férto
Sashimi tuna, férto
Hrisó rolói yialí designer su léo férto
Leather palto, férto
Ke escargot, férto
Rally cars, yacht me stars su ípa férto

Férto, férto, férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)
Su ípa férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)

Je veux le sommet, pas juste un pas,
Rien ne me suffit, je réclame tout ça.
Akómi ki óla den ine arketá
Thélo tósa polá pu den ine aptá
Thélo dóxa eoniótita ke leftá
Rúha epilégmena pu ne tóso akrivá
Na fonázun to ónoma mu tóso dinatá
Ke na horévo, horévo óso páo psilá

Diamond rings, férto
Cuban links, férto
Submarines, jet machines thélo opóte férto
Gi ki uranó, férto
Ton kósmo ólo, férto
Endós ki ektós planíti, an den to ho férto

Férto, férto, férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)
Su ípa férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)

Thélo dóxa eoniótita ke leftá
Rúha epilégmena pu ne tóso akrivá
Na fonázun to ónoma mu tóso dinatá
Na léne férto mas Akyla, férto

Kíta mama, ósa sterithíkame paliá
Niótho pos tha kataféro
Na prosféro
Mi mas lípsi káti xaná
Des me mamá, agorázo na klíso kená
Tha su páro ke séna polá
Spítia amáxia ke exohiká
Vévea… an kerdíso…
Whatever, katálaves… opóte…

Férto, férto, férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)
Su ípa férto
Férto mu, Férto mu, Férto (etc)
Su ípa férto
–

I’ve gotta play, I’m not folding
My ambition’s fire, I never fail
No limits, I wipe it all out
I chase everything until I catch it
I want a crown and a throne to sit on
A checkbook stack, writing checks on everyone
Bring me a drink, I need to quench my thirst
Bring me everything, everything, I still won’t be full

Real estate, bring it
Sashimi tuna, bring it
Gold watch, designer shades
I’m telling you, bring it
Leather coat, bring it
And escargot, bring it
Rally cars, yacht with stars
I said bring it
(Bring it, bring it, bring it)

Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it (etc)
I told you, bring it
Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it (etc)

I want glory, eternity, and cash
Hand-picked clothes that cost too much
I want them screaming my name out loud
Saying “Bring it to us, Akylas, bring it”

Look, mama
All the things we went without back then
I feel like I’m gonna make it
Give back, make sure we never lack again
See me, mama
I’m buying things to fill the gaps
I’ll get you everything too
Houses, cars, and summer homes
Yeah, if I win
Whatever, you get it, so…

Bring it to me, bring it to me, bring it (repeats)
I told you, bring it

61%

07 🇺🇦 Ukraine • Ridnym

Leléka • 120 • E

Songwriters: Adama Cefalu, Jakob Hegner, Jaroslaw Dschus, Wiktorija Leleka

Intro: A B | C#m B | E | Amaj9 | E | C#m B | E | Amaj9 | E
Pre: C#m | G#m/D# | E | A |
Chorus: C#m G#m | E | A | E | (x2)
Bridge: C#m (vamp) C#m | B | A | E |
Inst: C#m | D#5 | E | A | C#m | D#5 | E | A | B |

Leléka (Wiktorija Leléka) brings us a stunning and deeply authentic vocal performance here – she is the real deal, having founded the successful Ukrainian jazz-folk band that bears her name. The voice is wonderful to listen to in all its flavours – from the melodic vibrato-free clarity of the verse, to the dynamic build of the pre “Виш’ю, виш’ю”, to a restrained first chorus, to an even more restrained (almost whispered) second chorus. But this is Eurovision, and towards the end of that 3-minute window all ballads must have a peak, to set the Wiener Stadthalle on fire. We get a lyric clue just after the bridge “…We’ll see the trees grow even taller” and Wiktorija smiles as she hits the high E5. Then F#5. G5. G#5. Surely no more? B5. C#6! E6!

And then we’re into the final chorus, and the dynamic power is fully unleashed.

It’s a song of hope, unity, and one-ness, sung with technique and sincerity by an established artist at the top of their game. I loved it.

92%

[Verse]
Green into rust, trust in the change
Everything fades, be that as it may
Red into dust, cut from the branch
Leaves in the flames, nothing is safe

[Pre-Chorus]
Виш’ю, виш’ю
Виш’ю нову долю
Виш’ю, виш’ю рідним
Найріднішим

[Chorus]
When we oppose our fears
And turn all our woes to cheers
I know the roots still carry water
When all the seeds we’ve sown
Blossom and lead us home
We’ll see the trees grow even taller

[Bridge]
Нову долю виш’ю (Виш’ю, виш’ю)
Рідним, найріднішим (Виш’ю, виш’ю)
When we oppose our fears
And turn all our woes to cheers
We’ll see the trees grow even taller
Ooh…

[Chorus]
When we oppose our fears
And turn all our woes to cheers
I know the roots still carry water
When all the seeds we’ve sown
Blossom and lead us home
We’ll see the trees grow even taller

[Joe’s commentary here]

76%

08 🇦🇺 Australia • Eclipse

Delta Goodrem • 65 • Dm/Em

Songwriters: Delta Goodrem, Ferras Alqaisi, Jonas Myrin, Michael Fatkin

Intro/Verse 1: Bm (vamp)/ Bm | Em7 | F#m7 | Gmaj7 | Gm6 Asus4 A |
Pre: Dm | Bb | F | Am7 (x2)
Chorus: Dm | Bb | F/A (Am) | C (x2)
Verse 2: Dm (vamp)/ Dm | Gm7 | Am7 | Bbmaj7 | C | A/C# |
Bridge: Dm (vamp)/ Dm | F | G | A(7) then KEY CHANGE
Pre 2: Em | C | G | Bm7 (x2) 
Chorus 2: Em | C | Bm7 | D (x2)

Count the chord sheet above at 65BPM. This song pretends to be a ballad until the beat drops just before the 1-minute mark, when there’s no mistaking that the kick drum is 4-on-the-flooring us at 130. It’s fantastically slick composition, getting us elegantly from Bm (intro) to Dm (pre-chorus 1) and eventually to Em (pre-chorus 2) without the joins being easy to hear.

Q: “Delta – do we have time for a little piano recital after verse 2?”

A: “Well, all right, but you’d better drop the kick back in on bar 5, and we’ll need to leave time for a final key change and a massive dynamic lift with floor-tom fills and choral backing. And I’ll be taking some diva bits at the end, possibly going on for one note longer than the rest of the band”.

This is another strong song from a nation whose love for Eurovision cuts both ways. Great stuff.

90%

09 🇷🇸 Serbia • Kraj mene

Lavina

Songwriters: Tamara Živković, Darko Dimitrov, Vladimir Graić

Intro: Abm | Fb | Dbm | Eb
Verse : Abm | Cb5 | Bbdim | Eb | (x3)| Fb | Eb |
Chorus: Abm | Fb | Dbm | Eb |

Sludgy goth-metal. Fine, but it needs to be more interesting than this. There’s no variation of harmonic rhythm (i.e. the chords change every bar), so the dynamics have to do all the work. And the band really do go for it, but the songwriting here isn’t going to catch the voters’ attention. That chorus begins with seven identically-pitched, identical 8th notes, and proceeds scalically and far too slowly from there. Believe it or not, this is a winter love song – the spurned lover, dumped and yet, ominously “Što više dajem manje imam te” (“still saving a place for you beside me”). Too dark for some people, I fear.

62%

[Uvod]
(Ja još ti čuvam mesto kraj sebe)
(A ova jednostrana ljubav ubija me)

[Strofa 1: Luka Aranđelović]
Toliko trebalo je
Da potonem u naručje
Podle, stare navike
Srce si otvorila
Uzalud poklonila
Iz nemara da zgazim ga

[Predrefren: Luka Aranđelović]
Kako da ti pokažem da stalo mi je
Naravno, pre ili kasnije, srušiću sve

[Refren: Luka Aranđelović]
Ja još ti čuvam mesto kraj sebe
A ova jednostrana ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim se
Što više dajem manje imam te

[Strofa 2: Luka Aranđelović]
Zašto me gledaš s visine
Dok zovem u prazno
I odgovaraš glasom tišine
Da ipak je kasno
Ne mogu još dugo ovako
Da puzim i molim i klanjam se
Tu si bila kad bilo je lako
Dok mislila si da sam (Savršen)

[Refren: Luka Aranđelović]
Ja još ti čuvam mesto kraj sebе
A ova jednostrana ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim sе
Što više dajem manje želiš
Me

[Postrefren: Luka Aranđelović]
Ne želiš me

[Instrumentalna pauza]

[Refren: Luka Aranđelović i Pavle Aranđelović, Luka Aranđelović]
Još uvek sanjam da si kraj mene
A ova nemoguća ljubav ubija me
Zar ne vidiš koliko lomim se
Što više dajem manje želiš me

[Intro]
[I’m still saving a place for you beside me]
[And this one-sided love is killing me]

[Verse 1]
It took so little
For me to sink into the embrace
Of mean, old habits
You opened your heart
Gave it in vain
For me to carelessly trample it

[Pre-Chorus]
How can I show you that I care
Of course, sooner or later, I’ll tear everything down

[Chorus]
I’m still saving a place for you beside me
And this one-sided love is killing me
Don’t you see how much I’m breaking
The more I give, the less I have of you

[Verse 2]
Why do you look down on me
While I call into the void
And you answer with the voice of silence
That it’s already too late
I can’t go on like this much longer
Crawling and begging, bowing down
You were here when it was easy
When you thought I was (Perfect)

[Chorus]
I’m still saving a place for you beside me
And this one-sided love is killing me
Don’t you see how much I’m breaking
The more I give, the less you want me

[Post-Chorus]
You don’t want me

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]
I still dream that you’re beside me
And this impossible love is killing me
Don’t you see how much I’m breaking
The more I give, the less you want me

10 🇲🇹 Malta • Bella

Aidan • 81 • Ebm

Songwriters: Aidan Cassar, Joep van den Boom, Sarah Bonnici
Intro: Ebm | Bb7 |
Verse: Abm7 | Db7 | Gbmaj7 | Ebm7  (x2)
Pre: Abm7 | Db7 | Bb7(/D) | Ebm | Abm7 | Db7 | Bb(/D)
Chorus: Ebm | Abm | Gb | Bb (x2)

Solid old-school love lament from Aidan and his co-writers. It has shades of mid-century café jazz for the first minute or so – the upright bass plucking half-bars, with the guitars and strings providing the answering 2s and 4s. The string arrangement is lovely, and by the time we’ve got to the end of the first pre-chorus it’s just starting to get predictable, when…

We suddenly change gears and we’re in sweeping, swooping 12/8 time. Or maybe we always were? It’s clever; the chorus reveals the swinging 12 feel, and the verses hide it. The tempo is almost exactly the same between the sections, although the rhythmic approach is different – 8s to triplets.

In the chorus we get some Maltese to go with the Italian title “Che bella, jien hawn għadni nistenna”. Which is just as well, because “I’m still waiting here” doesn’t rhyme. And then after the always-necessary-unless-you’re-French dynamic lift towards the end, there’s a delightful quiet chorus repeat that serves as an outro – classical guitar, light strings, solo voice. Elegant.

82%

[Verse]
Hello, my friend, is it the end?
I don’t recall the time you said goodbye
Hello, my friend, I’m feeling blue
I gave it all, you took me by surprise

[Pre-Chorus]
What if our worlds align again?
Right by the summer sky, my friend
I hope you know it’s fun to love again
And if you’re feeling cold tonight
I’ll meet you here now, don’t be shy

[Chorus]
Che bella, jien hawn għadni nistenna
I’ll keep holding onto you
After all of this time it’s you, and only you
Bella, forsi taħseb ftit fija
All the nights that you danced with me
By the sea, they’re calling me
Che bella

[Bridge]
Bella, bella, bella, bella
Bella, bella, bella
Bella, bella
After all this time it is you
Ma che bella, bella, bella
Bella, bella, bella, ah

[Pre-Chorus]
What if our worlds align again?
Right by the summer sky, my friend
I hope you know it’s fun to love again
And if you’re feeling cold tonight
I’ll meet you here now, don’t be shy

[Chorus]
Che bella, jien hawn għadni nistenna
I’ll keep holding onto you
After all of this time it’s you, and only you
Miskin min hu bħali, miskin min hu hekk
Irbaħtli l-battalja, int Jean la Valette
U tliftli kull sens, qed inħoss id-dinja ddur bija
Che bella, u ħallejtni nistenna
I’ll keep holding onto you
After all of this time it’s you, and only…
Che bella

11 🇨🇿 Czech Republic • Crossroads

Daniel Zizka • 133 • Bm

Songwriters: Daniel Žižka, Viliam Béreš

Intro: Bm6 | B | G | B |
Verse: D | B | G | B | Em | B | G A | E G F#
Chorus “Mother”: Bm F#m | E  G A | B F#m | A G |
Breakdown “Crossroads”: Bm F#m | G  Em E | Bm F#m | A G | B | B
Verse 2: Em | B | F#m G | B | Em  G A |

A heavily metaphorical eco-anthem, although this isn’t fully revealed until the end when “Mother” becomes “Mother Earth”.

There are some interesting chords, including many lovely resolutions to the B major chord here “voice unknown”, “open water”, “too many ways”. And the E major (“without a map”) is straight out of the Wicked Game melancholy changes. I really liked the back and forth between major and minor tonality, and the melody leans into many of these by emphasising the major third. It’s all very floaty and reverbed, which is a great soundscape for Daniel’s clear tenor, but it lacks dynamics. But even though the producer adds an ominous snare riff as the outro gathers pace, I suspect it may be too late in the form to keep people’s attention on the night. Good production, and strong vocal, but maybe not enough range to capture everyone?

72%

[Verse 1]
Follow a voice unknown
Learn how to swim in open waters on your own
A jar hollow won’t reach the ocean floor
Where foreign fields and tangled strings unfold

[Chorus]
Mother, I’ll get lost without a map
There’s too many ways
Inside this vicious spider web
Crossroads, patterns and exceptions interwoven

[Verse 2]
I’m amazed how well we get unwell
Then trade our pain for metal frame
Oh, I gotta find what’s out there

[Chorus]
Mother, I’ll get lost without a map
There’s too many ways
Inside this vicious spider web
Crossroads, pattеrns and exceptions interwovеn

[Bridge]
We are creatures wired well for this space
We’re the human race
Oh, we try our best to operate on pure love and rage
Ungrateful child in a golden cage
For Mother Earth, man cannot change

[Breakdown]
Oh, crossroads

[Outro]
Yeah, yeah

12 🇧🇬 Bulgaria • Bangaranga

Dara • 133 • F#m

Songwriters: Darina Yotova, Anne Judith Wik, Monoir, Dimitris Kontopoulos

Pre: C# | C# | F#m | F#m | A | A (…) C# | C# | F#m | F#m | A | A | C# | C# |
Chord loop: C# | F#m | A | C# |

Dara is a big star in Bulgaria, with multiple #1 hits on their chart, and spreading her music across the Balkans. She’s also in The Voice of Bulgaria. Bangaranga was the first song I heard of the 2026 batch, and this techno-banger has lots to catch your ear – some sort of (Bulgarian?) reed instrument sampled and chopped, tempo change sections / accels, Reggaeton beat moments, a really great filtered synth bass sound. And Dara herself, who owns this performance with confidence, in the floating sung sections as well as the spoken title hook. Which, as Dara herself says, means “an inner feeling that everything’s going to be all right… everything is possible”. It’s self-empowerment writ large and loud, delivered with sass and class. Wonderful.

86%

Bangaranga
Come alive
Surrender to the blinding lights
No one’s gonna sleep tonight
Welcome to the riot

Come alive
Surrender to the blinding lights
No one’s gonna sleep tonight
Welcome to the riot

(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran) Blindin’ lights
Welcome to the riot
I’m the bangaran

(I am) I’m the bangaran

I’m an angel, I’m a demon, I’m a psycho for no reason
I’m a mover, I’m a teaser, I don’t follow, I’m the leader
Let me hype you, hype you up, let me hype you up, I’ma, I’ma
Let you get so hooked, I’ma leave you shook

Come alive
Surrender to the blinding lights
No one’s gonna sleep tonight
Welcome to the riot

(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran) Blindin’ lights
Welcome to the riot
(I, I, I, I) I’m the bangaran

(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga, I’m the bangaran)
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga) I’m the bangaran
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga, I’m the bangaran
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga; I am) I’m the bangaran

Close to the edge I can feel it inside
Bodies on bodies and sparks ’bout to fly
I, I, I’m ’bout to lose my mind, mind

(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran) Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga
(I’m the bangaran, bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga)
Blindin’ lights
(I’m the bangaran, bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga)
Welcome to the riot

I’m a rebel (rebel), I’m a danger (danger)
I’m a mover (mover) for a freedom
Let me light you, light you up, let me light you up
Come on, let me pull you in ѕo deep, I’ma leave you weak

I’m the bangaran
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga, I’m the bangaran)
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga) I’m the bangaran
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga, I’m the bangaran)
(Bangaranga, bangaranga, bangaranga) I’m the bangarаn (Ooh)

13 🇭🇷 Croatia • Andromeda

Lelek • 117 • Ebm/Fm

Songwriters: Lavina Stjepanović, Ante Pecotić, Branimir Mihaljević

Intro: Ebm
Verse: Ebm | Db | Bb | Cb |
Chorus: Ebm | Db | Cb | Bb | (then same loop twice in double time)
Bridge: Ebm | F | Gb | Bb |
Last chorus: Fm | Eb | Db | C |
Outro: Fm

Full-on anti-war anthem! Explicit geopolitical lyrics are not allowed in Eurovision, but this protest against subjugation, militarism, and authoritarian power is generalized and humanist enough for no specific nation to take offence. There are no pop cliches in here at all – and not a snare drum backbeat to be heard. It’s just a big choir with a big orchestra, protesting loudly against injustice, with a hint of threat: don’t make war, or the chanting henna soothsayers will come for you! Well done, Croatia, for serving up something authentic, sincere and powerful. It’s not the kind of song that often wins the ESC but I’m glad that Lelek’s team are going for the art here.

84%

[Strofa 1: Korina Olivia Rogić, Lelek]
Dok pališ svijeću, pitaj svoju baku
Zašto je kćeri rađala u strahu
Zašto su mnogi odabrali groblje
Nisu naše majke iznjedrile roblje

[Strofa 2: Judita Storga, Lelek]
Mnoge su suze potekle kô rijeka
Zašto se piše povijest ispočetka?
Sinovi naši nisu podanici
Da l’ vas noću bude iz kolijevke krici?

[Predrefren: Lelek]
Uzmi me sebi, kraljice Zemljo
Tvoja je duša, njima sam tijelo

[Refren: Lelek]
Vodi me do zvijezda, porušenih gnijezda
Tamo gdje uz krike isprate vojnike
Vodi me do zvijezda, daleko od pogleda
Andromeda

[Strofa 3: Marina Ramljak, Lelek]
Sve urezane ožiljke do kosti
Ni jedna majka neće vam oprostit’
Na stolu srama zlato sa đerdanâ
Dok peru ruke krvlju naših rana

[Most: Judita Storga, Marina Ramljak, Lara Brtan, Lelek]
Izdajice

[Predrefren: Lelek]
Uzmi me sebi, kraljice Zemljo
Tvoja je duša, njima sam tijelo

[Refren: Lelek]
Vodi me do zvijezda, porušenih gnijezda
Tamo gdje uz krike isprate vojnike
Vodi me do zvijezda daleko od pogleda
Andromeda
Vodi me do zvijezda, porušenih gnijezda
Tamo gdje uz krike isprate vojnike
Vodi me do zvijezda daleko od pogleda
Andromeda

[Završetak: Lelek]
Andromeda
Andromeda…

–

[Verse 1]
As you light a candle, ask your grandmother
Why she gave birth to her daughter in fear
Why so many chose the grave
Our mothers did not give birth to slaves

[Verse 2]
So many tears have flowed like a river
Why is history written all over again
Our sons are not subjects
Are screams from the cradle waking you up at night

[Pre-Chorus]
Take me for yourself, Queen Earth
The soul is yours, to them I’m a body

[Chorus]
Lead me to the stars, to the shattered nests
There where, amid screams they send off soldiers
Lead me to the stars, far from all eyes
Andromeda

[Verse 3]
All the scars carved down to the bone
No mother will forgive you
On the table of shame, the gold from necklaces
While they wash their hands in the blood of our wounds

14 🇬🇧 United Kingdom • Eins Zwei Drei

Look Mum No Computer • 127 • Bm

Songwriters: Sam Battle, Thomas Stengaard, Lasse Midtsian Nymann, Julie Aagaard

I love everything about Sam Battle aka Look Mum No Computer. In interviews he’s interesting, articulate, and smart. He has his own museum of the obsolete, and builds his own synths, including one made of Furbys (Furbies?) as well as the ‘Kosmo’ modular synth that makes up the sonic palette of the UK’s entry. And here, he’s co-writing with some fine, fine Scandinavian writers.

But I fear this song isn’t quite giving Eurovision voters what they crave. It’s just too postmodern and… well, British. And I suppose I’m a bit hypocritical here, loving the Greeks for keeping it Greek, but getting judgy on my fellow Brits for keeping it sorta cockney. And to be fair, this is smart songwriting, and a consistent and fun lyric theme. Eins Zwei Drei tells the tale of an office worker suffering existential crisis because of his meaningless daily grind, the solution for which is “if only there was a language I could count in that would make me feel better (oh ja!)”. And the Britishisms are all there “I’ll pay you can owe me / that’ll be a pony [£25]”. BTW Americans and all other Europeans here’s a lookup table for 19thC cockney expressions for money. As a cultural Brit, I get it completely, and really enjoyed it. But the Brits here are throwing postmodernism at the ESC again, like when we fielded Engelbert Humperdinck in 2012 with “Love Will Set You Free”, or the meta-titled “I Wrote A Song” in 2023, or the knowingly camp “Flying the Flag (For You)” in 2007 (singers as flight cabin crew, serving up double entendres).

Britain – the Europeans take this seriously. They write songs that they want people to like, dance to, chuckle at. When the UK fields a good song with a great vocalist, there is still a chance for us (2022’s Space Man being the best recent example).

As I write this from Vienna, I just got back from an academic seminar at the University of the Performing Arts (mdw) where a bunch of Austrian masters students had a pre-vote on the songs from France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and UK. They scored for Emotion, Ohrwurm (“Earworm” or “catchiness”), Gesang (“Vocals” or “singing”), Musik, and Einzelsong (“Best individual song”). UK bombed in every category. Here’s a pic of their presentation slide, which I took from the audience during our ESC song research presentation.

Platz fünf is a close translation of nul points. The Austrian students were, shall we say, unconvinced.

It’s not that Eins Zwei Drei isn’t a good song, or that it isn’t well delivered – I love 90s period Damon Albarn as much as the next guy, and the modular synth thing is very cool. But it just doesn’t translate, in every sense.

60%

15 🇫🇷 France • Regarde!

Monroe • 95 • Cm

Songwriters: Monroe, Yacov Salah, William Rousseau
Intro string arps: Cm | Fm | Cm | (G)
Rest of song: Cm | Fm | Cm | G |
[3:09] Ab | Fm | Cm | G | C

[Overheard in a French music publisher boardroom, January 2026].

L’équipe française de composition : « Vous allez voter pour notre chanson à l’Eurovision cette année ? »

Les Français : « Pourvu que ce ne soit pas encore une chanson à la française… Vous savez bien qu’on se fait massacrer à chaque fois qu’on envoie une chanson comme ça au Concours Eurovision de la chanson. Et n’oubliez pas que les votants détestent toujours quand on chante tout en français. Tous les gagnants ont au moins un refrain en anglais. »

L’équipe française de composition : « Pas de chanson ici. Notre morceau a des voix lyriques, il est en 12/8, c’est un solide mid-tempo à quatre-vingt-quinze BPM, il y a de la batterie, et Monroe est pratiquement américaine. »

Les Français : « Donc on est d’accord ? Pas de grande chanson française entièrement en français sur les mystères de l’amour. D’accord ? »

L’équipe française de composition : « Bien sûr. »

Monroe: «J’ai cherché ton amour… dans tous les faubourgs »

Les Français: « Mais enfin… »

93%

—

Quand tout s’illumine
Dans tout Paris
Que les rues se vident
Je reste ici

J’ai cherché ton amour
Dans tous les faubourgs
Je chante tous les jours

Regarde-moi, regarde-toi
C’est ça l’amour, ça te foudroie
Regarde-moi, regarde-toi
C’est ça l’amour
Tu ne seras jamais perdu

Allez viens, je peux t’emmener
Là où c’est fort, fort de s’aimer
Allez viens, tu n’es pas fou
Dans ma poitrine, tu rythmes mon pouls

Allez viens sous la pluie battante
Je dirai aux gens qu’il est présent
Je dirai aux femmes, aux hommes, aux enfants
Je dirai au monde dans chaque chanson

J’ai cherché ton amour
Dans tous les faubourgs
Je chante tous les jours

Regarde-moi, regarde-toi
C’est ça l’amour, ça te foudroie
Regarde-moi, regarde-toi
C’est ça l’amour
Tu ne seras jamais perdu

C’est ça l’amour
Il est partout
Il est là, là, là

Regarde-moi, regarde-toi
C’eѕt ça l’amour, ça te foudroie
Regаrde-moi

Look
When everything glows
Across all of Paris
When the streets fall silent
I stay here

I searched for your love
Through every neighbourhood
I sing about it every day

Look at me, look at yourself
That’s what love is, it hits you like lightning
Look at me, look at yourself
That’s love
You will never be lost

Come with me, let me take you
To a place where love burns strong
Come with me, you’re not crazy
Inside my chest, you set my heartbeat

Come with me into the pouring rain
I’ll tell everyone it’s real
I’ll tell women, men and children
I’ll tell the world in every song

I searched for your love
Through every neighbourhood
I sing about it every day

Look at me, look at yourself
That’s what love is, it hits you like lightning
Look at me, look at yourself
That’s love
You will never be lost

That’s love
It’s everywhere
It’s here, here, here

Look at me, look at yourself
That’s what love is, it hitѕ you like lightning
Look аt me

16 🇲🇩 Moldova • Viva, Moldova!

Satoshi • 135 • Dm

Songwriters: Vlad Sabajuc
Intro: Am | Am | Am | Am | F | F | Dm | Dm |
Refrain: Am | Am | F | Dm | (repeat)
Verse: Am | D | Am | B | (x2)
Pre: Am | Am | F | G | (x2)

The title probably rules out victory before a note is sung. Now that’s out of the way, let’s enjoy this excellent and high-spirited slice of harmless patriotism. Satoshi (aka Vlad Sabajuc) brings all the energy here, and the lyric is awesome. There are seven languages here: Moldovan/Romanian (“Patria-mamă”), English (“Welcome to Moldova”), Spanish (“qué pasa”), Italian (“E una e nova”), French (“Asseyez-vous”), Latin (“In vino veritas”), and Hawaiian (“aloha”). I particularly love “Salute a tutti / Moldova is on duty”.

And the best bit – you can scan most of the chorus to the Beach Boys’ Kokomo.

Try it now (same words, same rhythm, just shout louder) :
Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya

Bermuda, Bahama, come on, pretty mama

Key Largo, Montego, baby, why don’t we go?

Eurovision at its most fun. Well done, everybody.

88%

—

[Refren: Satoshi]
Viva Moldova, aloha, adio, vida loca
Soroca, Europa, Palma de Mallorca
Salute a tutti, Moldova is on duty
E una e nova, welcome to Moldova
Moldova, aloha, adio, vida loca
Soroca, Europa, Palma de Mallorca
Salute a tutti, Moldova is on duty
E una e nova, Republica Moldova

[Strofa 1: Satoshi]
Patria-mamă, te amo, forever ne cheamă
La lucru, la zeamă, noi trecem vamă
Familia e baza, mi casa es su casa
Asseyez-vous la masă, şi spune-ne qué pasa

[Pre-refren: Satoshi]
Undeva, undeva, între praf și stele
Suntem noi, rătăcit stringând spre ele

[Refren: Satoshi]
Viva Moldova, aloha, adio, vida loca
Soroca, Europa, Palma de Mallorca
Salute a tutti, Moldova is on duty
E una e nova, Republica Moldova

[Post-refren: Satoshi]
Welcome to Moldova
Republica Moldova

[Strofa 2: Satoshi]
Doina, te quiero
Hora, te quiero
Limba română, moldovano vero
Vibe-ul mereu Maria Mirabela
Focul din vatră
Doga, Vieru
Peace, Europa
Hasta la vista
Asta e viața, nu mai fi tristă
In vino veritas — vine Moldova
Noroc, Cin-cin, Terra Nova

[Punte: Aliona Moon]
Dorule, dorule, du-mă, dorule
Dorule, dorule, du-mă, dorule
Dorule, dorule, du-mă, dorule
Dorule, dorule, dor-

[Refren: Satoshi]
Viva Moldova, aloha, adio, vida loca
Soroca, Europa, Palma de Mallorca
Salute a tutti, Moldova is on duty
E una e nova, welcome to Moldova
Moldova, aloha, adio, vida loca
Soroca, Europa, Palma de Mallorca
Salute a tutti, Moldova is on duty
E una e nova, Republica Moldova


[Outro: Satoshi]
Welcome to Moldova
Welcome to Moldova

17 🇫🇮 Finland • Liekinheitin (Flamethrower)

Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen • 140 • Gm

Songwriters: Linda Lampenius, Pete Parkkonen, Joonas Angeria

Intro: Gm | D7/F# | Bb/F | D7 | – then chorus anticipation that hovers around Gm & Cm
Verse: Gm | Gm | Eb | Eb | (x2)
Pre: Eb | F | Gm | Cm | Eb | Eb | F | F |
Chorus: Gm | Eb | F | Dm | (x2) Eb | Cm | Gm | F | Eb | Eb |
Inst: Gm | Bb/F | Eb | Cm (x2)

One of the archetypes we identified in our 2020 Netflix-funded ESC research was “Euro-pop” – the 120BPM+ electro banger. This is one of those, but with more introspection (Pete) and virtuoso violin hooks serving as the sorta-chorus (Linda). It’s a pretty subtle tweak to the main formula, and it’s a thrill-ride of song form and dynamic builds.

Don’t be fooled by that strangely long 27 second intro – per Ralf’s excellent form analysis, this is an overture. The orange bit foreshadows the instrumental breakdown before the final chorus. The purple bit is the lead-in to the chorus. The dark blue bit is the 2-syllable repeated descending hook “Sä oot, sä oot” that precedes the violin part. And we get all of these previews before verse 1, so when the same melodies show up later, we feel the familiarity.

And then the ending is ALL dynamic and pitch ramp – what Ralf has marked as “Escalation!” in his form chart above. And it certainly escalates. The violin creeps up microtonally as the mix just gets louder for 8 bars. And then everything stops one 8th note before the final downbeat – leaving the audience with a “what just happened?” feeling. Check out the tiny moment of silence before the Stadthalle goes wild.

Liekinheitin is my prediction to win. It’s between the Fins and the Greeks IMO. Will the voters go for [this very well done version of] the Euro-pop banger? Or will they throw all their chips in for the chiptune-opera-folky-ballad-rap Greeks? We will soon know!

95%

—

Ois viisaampi häipyy täält
Miten tunteet vois jäädyttää?
Sä oot, sä oot
(Liekinheitin)

Samas illas, savuu ilmas
Etin ihmisjoukost sua
Puhut muille, sun tutuille
Oot ku et ees tuntis mua
Vähän outoo, ettet sä kato mua silmiin
Ku viime yönä et saanut musta käsiäs irti
Vaik saan sult runtuu
Niin se hyvältä tuntuu

Ois viisaampi häipyy täält
Mut tulel vielkin leikin
Miten tunteet vois jäädyttää
Ku sä oot liekinheitin?
Saat mut palamaan
Saan sust palan vaan
Oot niin kuuma, mut jääkylmä
Sä oot, sä oot
(Liekinheitin)
(Liekinheitin)

Pariin iltaan en sua kii saa
Voiko ihminen kuolla kiimaan?
Aina kun ollaan iho ihoa vasten
Mä saan sust palovammoja kolmannen asteen
Oh dear Lord, saanko viel yhen kasteen
Kun syntiä taas teen?

Ois viisaampi häipyy täält
Mut tulel vielkin leikin
Miten tunteet vois jäädyttää
Ku sä oot liekinheitin?
Saat mut palamaan
Saan sust palan vaan
Oot niin kuumа, mut jääkylmä
Sä oot, ѕä oot
(Liekinheitin)
(Liekinheitin)
(Liekinheitin)

Flamethrower
I should be wiser, I should leave
How could I freeze the way I feel?
You are, you are
(A flamethrower)

Same old night, smoke in the air
I’m looking for you in the crowd
You’re talking sweet to your friends
Pretending you don’t even know me
Kinda strange you won’t look me in the eye
When last night you couldn’t keep your hands off me
You treat me bad but damn
It feels so good

I should be wiser, I should leave
But I’m still playing with fire
How could I freeze the way I feel?
When you’re a flamethrower
You set me on fire
But you’re never fully mine
Oh so hot, yet cold as ice
You are, you are
A Flamethrower
Flamethrower

Nights go by, can’t reach you
Can a person die of heat?
Every time we’re skin to skin
You give me burns of third-degree
Oh dear Lord, one more absolution
For I have sinned yet again

I should be wiser, I should leave
But I’m still playing with fire
How could I freeze the way I feel?
When you’re a flamethrower
You set me on fire
But you’re never fully mine
Oh so hot, yet cold aѕ ice
You are, you are
(A flamethrower)
(A flamethrower)
(A flаmethrower)

18 🇵🇱 Poland • Pray

Alicja • 125 • Cm

Songwriters: Alicja Szemplińska, Wiktor Waligóra, Hotel Torino
Intro: Cm | Eb/Bb | Fm Gm | Cm G7 | (loop)
Verse: Cm (vamp with step down in drone bass F-Eb-C)
Refrain: Ab | Bb | Cm | Cm | (loop)
Bridge: Cm (vamp)

You know from the title what this is going to sound like, at least to start with. Belting diva vocals sit atop a genre-typical gospel B3 organ, backed by a massive choir, for the first minute.

And then it’s a soul-trap-rap middle section for most of minute two, until the second chorus shows us that the choir part from chorus 1 really does work over these drums. There’s a long-ish bridge, which hangs around for 12 bars (too long IMO), leaving not quite enough time for the ramp up to the climax, although Alicja does a good job of injecting a lot of power in the final bars, taking us all the way up to a belting G5 for the outro.

It’s very well performed, but the song is not remarkable or crowd-pleasing enough to place in the top half, I’d say.

65%

—

[Verse 1]
Freedom, just freedom
Won’t you give it all to me?
Lay down all my struggle
And bring back the missing piece, the missing piece of me
Lord, are You givin’ up on me?
‘Cause I’m not givin’ up on me
Thought You would forgive my sins
You told me to pray (Pray)
So I gotta pray (Pray)
I gotta just pray, pray, pray

[Verse 2]
Pretty girls rock
I’ve been on my shit, now it’s pretty on top
You ain’t my loss
Step down, take five, now I’m the boss
I’ma go, move fast
Take this style, take this class
Make the money when you run with me
They told me, “Go, shake that ass
Take that off, two steps back”
Why it always feel the same?

[Pre-Chorus]
Someone come gеt me out of here, gеt me out of here
I guess I gotta fight ’til nobody can hurt you

You might also like
Rosa
Bandidos do Cante
YA YA YA
JONAS LOVV
Eclipse
Delta Goodrem

[Chorus]
In my era, no more errors, so stay out of my way
Droppin’ all them number ones with white gloves on my hands
Honey, I’m trying to stay where the sky ends
Paving my own ways with one important phrase

[Post-Chorus]
Pray (Pray)
Pray, yeah (Pray, pray)
Pray (Pray)

[Bridge]
I think you need a sip of holy water, mm
Don’t want no problems with my mother’s daughter
Scared, scared, now I guess I’m takin’ over
Ayy, ayy, trickery ain’t nothing new
From page of your news
There ain’t nothing you can do
Nothing you can do, ooh

[Chorus]
In my era, no more errors, so stay out of my way
Droppin’ all them number ones with white gloves on my hands
Honey, I’m trying to stay where the sky ends
Paving my own ways with one important phrase

[Post-Chorus]
Pray (Pray)
Pray, yeah (Pray, pray)
Pray

19 🇱🇹 Lithuania • Sólo Quiero Más

Lion Ceccah • 125 • C#m

Songwriters: Atvara, Kaspars Ansons, Patrisha

Verse: G# | G # | A | G# (x2) F#m | A | E | E | F#m | A | G#
Chorus: C# | C# | F#m | F#m | A | A | G# | G# | C# | C# | F#m | F#m | A | A | C# B | A | G#m F#m | C#m |
Bridge: B | B | F#m | B | F#m | F#m | C#m/E | D# | C# A |

My entire 2379-day Duolingo Spanish streak has been leading up to this moment. Alas, the Lithuanians are several steps ahead of me – this lyric contains six languages: Lithuanian (“Tai gąsdina”), Spanish (“Sólo quiero más”), English (“Even if we’re living in a mad world”), French (“Comme dans un vieux film”), German (“Ich will einfach mehr”), and Italian (“Voglio solo di più”).

When the chorus lands it adds plenty of volume and pitch, but the relentlessly introspective lyric (and the vocal) leans too much on the bleak and not enough on the drama. I confess this is a personal bias – I just dislike lyrics that tell stories of a protagonist’s internal struggle without redemption, specificity, or anyone else in the story.

Fair enough if you disagree with me on the possibilities of a single-character drama, but even if you do, this long, languid buildup and too-late drum entry isn’t going to excite the crowd tonight, I fear.

77%

[Posmas 1]
Tai gąsdina, vaidenasi visur kur aš esu
Kas drįsta, tas klausia dėl ko aš gyvenu
Tai nežeidžia manęs jau seniai
Tai nežeidžia manęs jau
Vis iš naujo sukuosi, rūke tiesios krantai
Sako: “Į vidų žvelki ir rasi ko niekad neradai”
Kai viskas griūna gyvenimą pamatau
Ir kuo toliau žiūriu, aš tiesiog noriu daugiau

[Priedainis]
Sólo quiero más
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if there’re no more gods pray for
Sólo quiero, sólo quiero más
Sólo quiero más
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if we’re standing as the sky falls
Sólo quiero
Sólo quiero más
Sólo quiero más

[Tiltas]
Dolor y alegría, así es la vida
Gal lengviau būtų su subtitrais?
Comme dans un vieux film la doulеur
Crée la musique qui unit sans mots

[Priedainis]
Sólo quiero más
Evеn if we’re living in a mad world
Even if there’re no more gods pray for
Sólo quiero, sólo quiero más
Sólo quiero más
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if we’re standing as the sky falls
Sólo quiero
Sólo quiero más
Sólo quiero más
(Even if we’re living in a mad world)
Ich will einfach mehr
(Even if there’re no more gods pray for)
Je veux juste plus
(Even if we’re living in a mad world)
Voglio solo di più
(Even if we’re standing as the sky falls)
Aš tiesiog noriu daugiau

[Verse 1]
It scares me, haunts me everywhere I am
Those who dare ask why I’m alive
It hasn’t hurt me in a long time
It doesn’t hurt me anymore
I spin again, straight shores in the fog
It says, “Look inside and you will find what you never found”
When everything falls apart, I see life
And the further I look, the more I want

[Chorus]
I only want more
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if there’re no more gods pray for
I just want, I just want more
I just want more
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if we’re standing as the sky falls
I just want
I just want more
I just want more

[Bridge]
Pain and joy, that’s life
Maybe it would be easier with subtitles?
Like in an old film, pain
Creates the music that unites without words

[Chorus]
I just want more
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if there’re no more gods pray for
I just want, I just want more
I just want more
Even if we’re living in a mad world
Even if we’re standing as the sky falls
I just want
I just want more
I just want more
(Even if we’re living in a mad world)
I just want more
(Even if there’re no more gods pray for)
I just want more
(Even if we’re living in a mad world)
I just want more
(Even if we’re standing as the sky falls)
I just want more

20 🇸🇪 Sweden • My System

Felicia • 145 • Fm

Songwriters: Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy Joker Thörnfeldt, Thomas G:son
Verse: Fm | Fm | Eb | Eb |(x2) Fm | Db | Eb | Cm | Fm | Fm | Eb | Eb |
Chorus: Fm | Db | Ab | Eb | (loop)
Post chorus: Fm (x4) | Eb (x2) | Db | Db Eb |

Regular readers of this annual blog will know that a bet on Sweden is often money well spent. And this checks most of the boxes for Swedish Euro-pop – synthiness, fast tempo (145!), builds and drops galore, Aeolian mode (and implied Andalusian cadences), and perfect title placement at the end of a pitch-peak hook.

As regards costume, I’m not sure the post-COVID world is ready for a reminder of All. Those. Masks. But no matter, we have a beat drop to consider. And it’s an awesome moment, arriving at the end of the first (drum-free) chorus, after a vocal sample of the spoken-word title. Phaaaat techno filters-open bass, and you can hear on all the live performances (even the semis) that the crowd loves this bit, and then when the kick drum hits at 1 minute in, the cheering erupts. The bass features later as well, up at least 2 octaves for some of the crazy 16th-note high notes that precede the outro.

The lyric “my head, my heart, my body parts” gives me the ick – whether read through an explicitness lens or a dismemberment one. Maybe that’s just me.

But that outro! You can tell just from the YouTube ramp that the Internet agrees – this is the Best Bit. Mountains made of data don’t lie.

89%

[Verse 1]
I don’t even want you (Want you)
No, you don’t take up space
On any given Monday (Monday)
I’m forgetting how you taste
I killed the whole idea of you
Been dancing on your grave
‘Cause I don’t even want you
Then Friday screams your name

[Chorus]
‘Cause now you’re in my head
My heart, my body parts
You’re always coming back on the weekends
You’re in every touch
And thought and every shot
No, I can’t get you out of my system
(My system)

[Drop]
No, I can’t get you out of my system

[Verse 2]
Hate the morning after
Hate the way you make me feel
I am a disaster
I just need to fix myself for real

[Chorus]
‘Cause now you’re in my head
My heart, my body parts
You’re always coming back on the weekends
You’re in every touch
And thought and every shot
No, I can’t get you out of my system
(My system)

[Drop]
No, I can’t get you out of my system
No, I can’t get you out of my system

[Bridge]
If I deleted all the memories of you and me
And barricaded my walls
If I encrypted all my feelings for security
It wouldn’t matter at all

[Chorus]
‘Cause now you’re in my head
My heart, my body parts
You’re always coming back on the weekends
You’re in every touch
And thought and every shot
No, I can’t get you out of my system

[Drop]
(My, my, my system)
No, I can’t get you out of my system

21 🇨🇾 Cyprus • Jalla

Antigoni • 121 • C#m

Songwriters: Antigoni Buxton, Armin Gilani, Dimitris Kontopoulos

Intro: C#m | B | A |
Verse: C#m (vamp)
Pre: C#m | F#m | G# | A G# | C#m | F#m | G# | N.C |
Chorus: C#m | G# | C# | G # | C#m | B | A | G# |

Cyprus is well-placed, geographically, to do this mashup. There are elements of reggaeton (Puerto Rico via African diaspora – e.g. Larnaca to Cairo about 360 miles), the middle-eastern “Jalla” vocal melismas (Syria’s about 200 miles away), the Andalusian cadence (Malaga to Cyprus is about £50 right now), and of course the Phrygian Dominant riff in the post chorus (although Greece is 30 hours by ferry). And of course the Zurna (that we hear just before the outro) can be found all over the place, including Cyprus itself.

So there’s a lot of musicology to unpack here, but for me the track is at its best when we hear that Phrygian Dominant riff with the reggaeton beat in that last 40 seconds or so. It’s all very clearly bolted together, and the transitions are noticeable, but it’s done with a smile and a booty-shake and some humour. Middle-of-the-pack ranking.

82%

[Intro]
I’m dancing on the table, baby
Shake my hips to τσιφτετέλι
And they want jalla

[Verse 1]
Follow me into the music
Let’s dance the night away
I want to play with the rhythm
Moving left, right
And κούνα το κορμί σου
Shake your shoulders, hips, too
Ticka-tacka, one, two
Let your body move

[Pre-Chorus]
Hear the beat of the drum, got you feeling alive
Melody of the song got you hypnotized
Getting lost in the rhythm, but it’s never enough
Might just have you falling in love
Oh, they want

[Chorus]
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla (Jalla, jalla)
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla (Jalla, jalla)
I’m dancing on the table, baby
Shake my hips to τσιφτετέλι
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla, jalla
Jalla, jalla, jalla

[Post-Chorus]
Όπα, όπα, έλα, jalla
Όπα, όπα, έλα, jalla

[Interlude]
Κόρη μου, κόρη μου
Σάστου τζιαι φύαμεν

[Verse 2]
Let ’em stare
If they’re watching, they got eyes for me
We don’t care
If they’re talking, άηστους να λαλούν
Εννά τα πούν, εννά τα πούν (Woo)
Τζι’ άηστους τους να λαλούν
Εννά τα πουν, εννά τα πουν, πουν, πουν

[Pre-Chorus]
Hear the beat of the drum, got you feeling alive
Melody of the song got you hypnotized
Getting lost in the rhythm, but it’s never enough
Might just have you falling in love
Oh, they want

[Chorus]
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla (Jalla, jalla)
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla (Jalla, jalla)
I’m dancing on the table, baby
Shake my hips to τσιφτετέλι
Jalla, jalla, they want jalla, jalla
Jalla, jalla, jalla

—

22 🇮🇹 Italy • Per Sempre sì

Sal Da Vinci • 123 • Cm

Songwriters: Sal Da Vinci, Davide Petrella, Dardust
Intro: Cm | Ab | Fm G | Cm | (yes, it’s kinda ABBA)
Verse: Cm | Cm | Fm7 | Fm7 | Bb | Bb | Eb | Eb | Cm | Cm | Fm7 | Fm7 | G7 | G7 | Cm | Cm
Pre: Cm | Ab | Fm | G |
Chorus: Cm | Cm | Fm7 | Fm7 | Bb | Bb | Eb | Eb (G)| Cm | Cm(/Bb) | Fm7 | Fm7 | G | G | Cm | Cm |
Bridge: Cm | Cm | Fm7 | Fm7 | Bb | Bb | G | G |

Scene: a rehearsal room somewhere near Napoli

Piano player: “I want to borrow the intro from Money, Money, Money”

Drummer: “OK, but if you do that I’m playing Copacabana as soon as you’ve finished”

Guitarist: “We are family”

Everyone: “What are the chords?”

Composer: “Just go with I Will Survive for now, but stretch it out a bit”

Lyricist: “I’m getting married this week.”

The disco is strong here, and everybody knows it. I think this may be the only electric guitar I’ve heard so far (apart from the Serbians, who buried theirs in distortion and reverb). It’s jolly and good-natured, and the love promises here are in for the long haul: “Con la mano sul petto / Io te lo prometto davanti a Dio” (“With my hand on my chest / I promise it to you before God”), “Saremo io e te per sempre / Legati per la vita” (“You and I will be together forever / Bound for life”), and of course hook, “Sarà per sempre ‘sì’” (“It will be ‘yes’ forever”). Coming to a wedding near you soon.

90%

[Strofa 1]
È cominciato tutto quanto dal principio
Io che per te ero solo un uomo sconosciuto
Poi diventato un re dal cuore innamorato
Tu una regina, ora vestita in bianco sposa
Abbiamo sognato figli in una grande casa
E superato tutte le difficoltà
Perché un amore non è amore per la vita
Se non ha affrontato la più ripida salita

[Pre-Ritornello]
E si accenderà la musica e qui ti aspetterò
Il più grande giorno ti regalerò

[Ritornello 1]
Saremo io e te per sempre
Legati per la vita che
Senza te non vale niente
Non ha senso viverе
Con la mano sul petto
Io te lo prometto davanti a Dio
Sarеmo io e te da qui
Sarà per sempre “sì”

[Strofa 2]
So bene che è una grande incognita il futuro
Ma insieme a te non mi spaventerà perché
Costruiremo tutto, ma non alzeremo un muro
Litigare e far l’amore e poi che male c’è?

[Pre-Ritornello]
E si accenderà la musica, per te io canterò
Il più grande giorno ti regalerò

[Ritornello 1]
Saremo io e te per sempre
Legati per la vita che
Senza te non vale niente
Non ha senso vivere
Con la mano sul petto
Io te lo prometto davanti a Dio
Saremo io e te da qui
Sarà per sempre “sì”

[Bridge]
Soltanto “sì”
Per questi giorni e mille altri ancora
Un semplice “sì”
L’eternità è dentro una parola

[Ritornello 2]
Saremo io e te per sempre
Legati per la vita che
Senza te non vale niente
Non ha senso vivere
Con la mano sul petto
Io te lo prometto davanti a Dio
Saremo io e te accussí
Sarrà pe sempre “sì”

—

23 🇳🇴 Norway • Ya Ya Ya

Jonas Lovv • 132 • Bm

Songwriters: Jonas Lovv Hellesøy, Sondre Skaftum
Intro: B5 E5 | B5 E5 | (vamp 2-bar riff)
Verse: B5 E5 | B5 E5 | (vamp 2-bar riff)
Pre: G | D | A | E | G | D | A | F# |
Chorus: B5 E5 | B5 E5 | (vamp 2-bar riff)
Bridge: Bm (vamp)

Let’s rock! This intro has a strong lineage of people that cite the Rolling Stones as an influence (Black Crowes, Black Keys, Jet, Dandy Warhols, The Hives, The Strokes) and some who don’t (Arctic Monkeys). The pentatonic riffing is authentic, although the Pre-chorus’s short journey through the circle of fourths is a nod to more traditional ESC writing. The breakdown sets up one solo-vocal “Yaaaaa”, and then when we get to 2:30 and are feeling it’s repeats-all-the-way-down – a key change! Old-school!

Rock riff songs almost never win, but I for one am glad that the Norwegians don’t give a damn.

74%

[Intro]
(Ah, ya-ya-ya-ya)
(Ah, ya-ya-ya-ya)

[Verse 1]
You’ve been thinking ’bout love, how it got you so low
Baby I’m an animal, I got no self control
Left it right all over you and your pretty clothes

[Chorus]
I-I-I, I-I-I-I, I got some broken bones
I-I-I, I-I-I-I, I know it won’t let go ya-ya-ya-ya
Won’t let go ya-ya-ya-ya

[Verse 2]
Pretty little liar, put your makeup on ya-ya-ya-ya
Bang bang like you want it, like you know I’m gonna love it
Bang bang goes that broken heart
Bleeding right all over me until I fall apart

[Chorus]
I-I-I, I-I-I-I, I got some broken bones
I-I-I, I-I-I-I, I know it won’t let go ya-ya-ya-ya
Won’t let go ya-ya-ya-ya

[Bridge]
(Ah, ya-ya-ya-ya)
(Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
(Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)

You might also like
Northern Lights
eMMa (NOR)
Prayer
Leonardo Amor
Mother Nature
Eva Marija

[Chorus]
Go, ya-ya-ya-ya
Won’t let go (Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
Ya-ya-ya-ya
(Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)
(Ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya)

24 🇷🇴 Romania • Choke Me

Alexandra Căpitănescu • 124 • Ebm

Songwriters: Alexandra Căpitănescu, Marcel Botezan, Sebastian Barac

Intro: Ebm
Verse: Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Db | Db | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm
Chorus: Ebm | Ebm | Db | Db | Cb | Cb | Bb | Bb (x2)
Post-chorus: Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Ebm | Cb | Cb | Db | Db |

Serious people can disagree on who is the dominatrix in this relationship (who is supposed to be obeying whom?), but Alexandra’s title hook leaves no doubt about her protagonist’s very particular needs. It’s unfortunate that Choke Me has landed after Norway in the (randomized?) running order – two power chord-y rock tracks in a row – but to me it’s as memorable as the preceding song, maybe more so. The chorus is a vi-V-IV-III power chord descent (Andalusian cadence again – think Hit The Road Jack played really slow and loud through a Marshall head). I really liked the bonkers “dom, budupudom, budupudardom” postchorus falsetto melody, and the creative team obviously does too, giving it a full 6 bars, including 2 without drums, and then dropping it into verse 2 subtly. Alexandra really goes for the aggression and power that the character – and the arrangement – demands, and (at least in the pre-show stage performance I reviewed) didn’t push the vocals into singing sharp, which is a risk in a song like this.

Sadly, I think the titular sentiment expressed is perhaps a minority interest, and it’s hard to imagine this taking the televote.

72%

[Verse 1]
Phantom, you feel like a phantom
Why do you wanna tame me?
It’s hard to breathe in
Do you feel me?

[Pre-Chorus]
Do what I say
And don’t you ever betray me
You are here to obey me
Are you not?

[Chorus]
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control, I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
All I need is your love, I want it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me

[Post-Chorus]
Choke me
Choke me
Choke me

[Verse 2]
Save me
Inside I’m blazing
I want you to call me, call me, call me, call
My body is begging

[Pre-Chorus]
Do what I say
And don’t you ever betray me
You are here to obey me
Are you not?

[Chorus]
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control, I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
All I need is your love, I want it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me

[Post-Chorus]
Choke me
Choke me
Choke me

[Chorus]
All I need is your love
I want it to choke me, choke me, choke me
Born for you to control, I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me
Love me, make my lungs explode
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
All I need is your love, I want it to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me

25 🇦🇹 Austria • Tanzschein

Cosmó • 130 • Cm

Songwriters: Benjamin Gedeon, Ella Stern, Elias Stejskal

Verse: C5 | C5 | F5 | G5 (loop)
Pre: Ab | Ab | Fm | Fm | Eb | Eb | G | G |
Chorus: C5 | C5 | F5 | G5 (loop)
Bridge: Cm | Fm | Cm | G |(x2)

Austria – read the room! Has a song with a chorus this growly ever won? But for all its Eurovision inadvisability, I really love this track. Having spent all of this week with German-speakers, I think the idea of a Tanzschein (“Dance Licence”) is a self-deprecating playful take on German/Austrian clichés – an imagined bouncer or similar judgmental rules-enforcing character, judging others on the licensability of their dance floor expression. “Ohne Tanzschein werden sie Tiere bleiben” (“without a dance licence they will remain animals”).

The growled-rapped-sung German vocals and fat synths conjure 70s Kraftwerk, while the off-beat hit-hats and super-dry breakdown section are nod to what followed – Berlin 90s techno. The choral textures of the bridge carry us into safer ESC arranging textures, but not for long – the phat off-beat bass and literally unfiltered upper synths enter on the final chorus, and take us all the way to the end.

82%

[Strophe 1]
Steh’ vor dem Club (Ey), bin schon gespannt
Sag, hast du Lust auf einen Tanz?
Wir treten ein, mh, auf der Suche nach Ekstase
Doch hinterm Neonlichterschein liegt eine Tier-Oase
Und der Löwe versucht’s bei einer Gazelle
Der Hunger macht ihn böse und er rückt ihr auf die Pelle
Im Gehege geht er durch wie einе Säge
Ist bekanntlich nicht romantisch, er stеht nicht aufs Gerede

[Pre-Refrain]
Ey, ey, das kann doch gar nicht wahr sein
Die machen sich zum Affen und Tänzer seh’ ich gar kein’n
Ey, ey, ich hätt eine Idee, ein Konzept
Ja, das wär einfach perfekt

[Refrain]
Sie brauchen einen Tanzschein, da muss ich streng sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein, lass ich Sie nicht rein
Hab’n Sie einen Tanzschein? Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein, da komm’n Sie nicht rein

[Strophe 2]
Ich schließ die Augen, dann bin ich Clubbesitzer
Und auf der schwarzen Liste steh’n die Steroidenspritzer
Und auch wenn sie nur bell’n und eigentlich gar nicht beißen
Das ist hier die Regel, Hunde müssen draußen bleiben

[Pre-Refrain]
Ey, ey, so kann es jeden Tag sein
Wir tanzen durch die Nacht und Löwen seh’ ich gar kein’n
Ey, ey, draußen macht sich wer zum Affen
Doch der Türsteher sagt mit einem Lachen

[Refrain]
Sie brauchen einen Tanzschein, da muss ich streng sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein, lass ich Sie nicht rein
Hab’n Sie einen Tanzschein? Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein, da komm’n Sie nicht rein

[Bridge]
Der Gorilla in der Ecke träumt von seiner Pirouette
Er scheut sich vor den Blicken, die die Artgenossen schicken
Ich nehm ihn an der Hand, ja, bildet einen Gang
Wir schau’n uns in die Augen und jetzt fang’n wir an

[Interlude]
Ey, ey, ey, ey, du kannst mir vertrau’n
Ey, ey, ey, ey, hier ist alles erlaubt
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Wir hab’n uns doch lang genug versteckt

[Refrain]
Und alle wollen einen Tanzschein, sie wollen wie wir sein
Doch ohne Tanzschein werden sie Tiere bleiben
Hab’n Sie einen Tanzschein? Das soll kein Witz sein
Weil ohne Tanzschein, da komm’n Sie nicht rein