It’s here! It’s tomorrow! It’s the Eurovision Grand Final!!
There are seven entrants this year who don’t have to fight through the semi-finals process: the “Big Five” (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK), the host country (Austria for 2015) and as a special guest this year, Australia, because apparently they’re all big Eurovision fanboys?
Sometimes the automatic finalists kind of seem like they’re not even trying, like since they get a pass to the finals no matter what they just kind of send something that is not the top of the game. (Engelbert Humperdinck, I’m looking at you.) This year, though, they mostly seem like pretty good entrants — good songs, and where there aren’t good songs, there are good (or at least interesting) videos.
Australia — Tonight Again — Guy Sebastian — If Australia wins this year, they get to be in next year’s contest, too. With this song, they actually have a chance. This is such a fun dance song, with broader appeal than some of the other ones and a really good feel to it. I also love a good brass line, too.
Austria — I Am Yours — The Makemakes — OK, I lied. This is neither a good song nor a good video. It seems kind of retro but in a not great way? I guess they do set the piano on fire there at the end, but it’s not totally engulfed so it’s sort of like, why bother?
France — N’oubliez pas — Lisa Angell — This is the Frenchest of French entries. She’s in the sky? People are on a beach? It’s super arty and makes no sense because I’m not French enough and they’re not going to deign to explain it because I should just really learn French already.
Germany — Ann Sophie — Black Smoke — I think I’m thrown off by her bad outfit, but I can never get into this song too much. It’s singable, though, and that’s something.
Italy — Grande Amore — Il Volo — I love this. I love everything about this. I love the song, I love the conceit of the video, I love these guys, I have a great love for this entry.
Spain — Amanecer — Edurne — This song is highly forgettable but the video is AMAZING. She’s some crazy singing sorceress who turns into a tiger in a fantasy world! I would watch the heck out of the TV show for which this would be the theme song.
UK — Still in Love With You — Electro Velvet — Another one of my very favorites this year. They’re both so super adorable in a super British way. I really dig the weird blacklight rave in the middle, I love the awkward scat session, I love that “Oh yes?” he does. This is just great. I know a lot of people don’t like this one but it really is in my top 5 of songs that just make me happy when they come up.
But She Had Wings 