These are Joost Klein’s biggest competitors: ‘No viewer will be bored with this act’ | Show

In the distance it does Teresa & Maria in terms of style maybe just too much reminiscent of Stefania by Kalush Orchestra, which won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022. And of course, Ukraine has a little more favor factor in many European living rooms because of the war. Yet this year’s Ukrainian pair is not just because of that violence. Among Eurovision enthusiasts there are quite a few fans of rapper Alyona Alyona and singer Jerry Heil, who deliver this mantra with conviction, with Heil’s compelling howling song as the trump card at the end.

For the Eurovision Song Contest they enlisted the help of an illustrious compatriot, director Tanu Muiño. She was in charge of the ‘staging’, the putting on of the act. Her resume is one long one namedropping of stars who hired her: from Dua Lipa and The Weeknd to Katy Perry, Harry Styles and Jennifer Lopez. A dangerous combination in Malmö.

Marko Purisic, aka Baby Lasagna, has taken the style from the video clip to the Eurovision stage. Traditional costumes and crocheted dresses give an atmosphere to this act that is musically different than you would think based on that. It is one lump of energy with influences from Rammstein to Linkin Park.

The title has no meaning, it just ‘sounds’ nicely into the rhythm. Nevertheless, the song stands for something; it is about (young) people who leave Croatia in search of a better destination.

Musically and visually it is a steamroller going through Malmö at full speed, including fireworks effects. Only the cat from the clip is missing, according to Eurovision rules live animals are prohibited on stage. Dancing animated cats compensate for that shortcoming. An entertaining part of the song: a real piece of techno that the band members accompany with a vertical sawing movement.

A strong song combined with a clear and special message. TheCode is about the personal development of Nemo, who struggled for a long time with the fact that he felt neither woman nor man. The solution was to crack the code; Nemo is non-binary.

They sing about the liberation this has brought in a pop opera in pocket form, in which Nemo also raps. It contains musical hooks that stick with listeners, but it would not be the first time in recent Eurovision history that Switzerland has failed in the stage presentation.

Nemo wears an outfit where Joost Klein’s can be called modest. Hen wears a pink feather headdress around her shins and upper body that takes away the attention from the otherwise beautifully composed and very personal song.

There seems to be a fear of ballads this year among the participating countries. Not surprising, because they usually do less well with the public and since last edition that is fully responsible for which semi-finalists are allowed to advance to the final battle.

France, which, like Germany, Italy, France and Spain, belongs to the ‘big five’ and is therefore assured of the final, does not have to have that fear. After all, in the final, the professional juries are involved and the audience only plays half the role. Slimane therefore automatically stands out with his somewhat turgid ballad Mon Amour. It’s the only song of its kind among the other favorites.

The former winner of the French Voice is already a celebrated artist in his own country and has also achieved success in Belgium. Mon Amour is a sweet call for a little more love and although it is beautifully and strongly sung, the bombast is a bit too thick. Nevertheless, Slimane is a candidate to be reckoned with.

With musical parents, Angelina Mango (23) was partly gifted with her singing talent. Her mother Laura Valente was a singer with the band Matia Bazar, known for Ti Sento. Her father Giuseppe performed under the stage name Mango and died in 2014 after suffering a heart attack during a performance.

La Noia, which stands for boredom in Italian, sounds cheerful and is musically based on cumbia, a Latin American music and dance form. Angelina Mango, already a star in her own country at the age of 23, sings that boredom is not necessarily bad for a person, it offers room for introspection.

She dresses it all up with a beautiful staging, Eurovision jargon for the design of the act. Roses and thorns are the backdrop to a tasteful act in which there is a throne of thorns and the singer is surrounded by dancers in special costumes. Vocally they also perform convincingly. No viewer will be bored with this act.

– Read all about the Eurovision Song Contest on the Song Contest section of this site.
– Wonder when Joost Klein will take action or why Australia is actually participating. Read it all in the most frequently asked questions about the Eurovision Song Contest.

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