Oh yes, it's that time of year again

Eurovision 2011!

I love the whole giant spectacle of the thing, all the voting and the over-the-top performances and etc. And I love seeing videos from foreign countries. Even with the ridiculous amount of hours I spend on the internet and half-assedly following some music news, I feel I don't see nearly enough videos/etc from artists that aren't from the US/Canada/UK (some, but not lots).

So anyways, Eurovision - I like it, but I don't really follow it, so I was just thinking to myself earlier this week that I should probably look up when it is/was if I wanted to post about it again, feeling like it was about time - and lo and behold on Friday I stumbled upon an article in the HuffPo about Norway's entry - "Haba Haba" - Stella Mwangi.

This is a super happy song, and the video is very simple (she walks around, gaining followers in an impromptu quasi-parade) - but so catchy, dance-alicious, and straight-up infectiously cheery that I feel it could go all the way. I really like it. Besides the joyful song, everyone just looks really happy in the video, and she looks beautiful and glowing in her orange puffy dress... And if you read the aforelinked article, you can learn that the song has a lovely meaning/importance as well (she is the daughter of political refugees, so immigration/journey/struggle, some of the central lyrics are in Swahili, etc). Very heartwarming. And I am sometimes cynical and jaded about 'happy' music, often find it cloying or just too sappy; my taste generally runs to the less jubilant and more reflective/mopey. So for me to admit to liking a happy song is rare. But I would buy this immediately (if I could find it on iTunes, which I can't, is it not released here yet? Or something? Are we just behind the times?)  to put on some of my happier playlists (woefully short).







Ukraine: "Angel" - Mika Newton has a nicely shot video for a kinda meh song. Keep your eyes peeled for the man in the half shirt and the peek of interestingly manscaped chest hair. He's like an acrobat (breakdancer?) in the circus? Then there's a vaguely menacing man in a top-hat? Points for being amusing.




Then there's this little number where she may or may not be a hawk? Like flying in the sky. "Feel the passion" - Aurela Grace (Albania). Some of the aerial shots are really lovely, if you overlook the fake flying and etc. The bridge she stands on is also nice. Song is pretty boring.




This one - "Running Scared" - Eldar & Nigar (Azerbaijan) - also has pretty scenery, even if the song is kinda forgetable. I like the shot where they pass each other in the cable cars. It's a nice touch. I have to say he looks like a 16 yr old smaller-eyed version of Elijah Wood, and she looks a lot older. But the video is nicely executed and the song is not bad.




Bulgaria - "Na Inat" - Poli Genova - goes for a kind of harder pop, and it wasn't in English, which I like. More local flavor. According to other version on YT "Na Inat" means "For Spite" - which kinda comes across in the video a little, even if you don't know Bulgarian.




Sweden - "Popular" - Eric Saade - goes for a nice trashy Eurobeat techno number about yearning to be popular - but hey, it features a "Dance Battle" so I am all for that. Unfortunately, the video is a little dark and hard to make out all the dancing.




Israel - "Ding Dong" - Dana International - she is renowned for both her personal life (Israel's first drag queen, trans) and for winning the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest with "Diva".  This song is a solid pop number, and the video, with her swanning around in various outfits (I like the red dress against the white with the cherries), is fittingly glam, yet still rather understated. I don't know that I can take any song seriously that features the words 'ding dong', but I guess it refers to bells/silent prayers, so it's not as silly as the title might lead one to believe at first glance.




On a completely different track is "With Love Baby" - Witloof Bay (Belgium) - who do an a capella  song, in a very retro/classy style. Beatboxing break at 1:30! It's kinda groovy and fun. I like it a lot, and I think the video is good with the dancing, and the b&w to color changes (love the blue/coral), trying to keep it interesting. Certainly striking in tone and style, especially compared with some of the other more generic pop songs.




Anyways, that's about all I have patience for right now. I encourage you to explore the Eurovision channel on YouTube, because it's worth it - some ok songs, a lot of glam, the chance to see entries from tiny countries you may not otherwise know anything about - and for the LOLZ (outfits, sets, weird performances, etc).