Denmark's moment

The Danes selected a standard eurosong on Saturday in the style of a duet between Chanée and N'evergreen called "In a moment like this". I haven't decided yet what I think of the choice as I've only heard the song once and none of the other entries in Dansk MGP. Perhaps it was the best song on offer? Perhaps it's even better than that dire Ronan-song from last year? Still not sure if it's good enough. I only know one thing - we won't be going to Copenhagen next year.


Denmark 2010 - "In a moment like this"

Oh, I just found a recap of the Danish songs on youtube. Quite bland but they might be better in their full 3 minutes?!

Posh on Denmark

Brinck – Believe Again 2½/5
How far apart can two legs be on a stage? Come on. It looks weird. In this weak semi Denmark will qualify but only because the competition is so shite. The song is probably ok but I grew out of this style in 2001 at the same time as Ronan Keating became boring. He is of course the composer here and personally I feel sickened by Brinck’s Ronan-complex.

I Believe Again in Dansk MGP

Who was in the Danish jury this year to select what 10 songs were going to battle it out last night? I'd like to congratulate them on their great taste. Never have I seen such a good Danish final. There were only 2 songs I didn't like. As always some songs were lowered by the live performance (hey Trine I'm talking to you...) but over all a high standard of songs.

DR had the same system as SVT will use for Melodifestivalen. Very exciting on the verge of giving people nervous breakdowns. First showing all 10 songs. Then 50/50 votes from a jury and the viewers to select 4 songs that battle each other two and two - head to head. That leaves 2 songs in a superfinal with one winner.

I was thrilled to have my two favourites among the four but lost the smile when they had to go up against each other. (When this will happen in MF, which is bound to happen, I'll be a total wreck!) Sukkershok and Hera Björk both deserved to be in the superfinal. But since I know the composers for "Someday" I was ecstatic for them to win the duel. Unfortunately they then lost against Ronan Keating in the end. Still so, so proud of them for a 2nd place in Denmark!!!

Yes, Ronan Keating won Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. He is one of the composers for "Believe Again" and anyone can hear that. Brinck even has serious Keating-complex which makes him sound like a decent karaoke copy. That's my view at least. The song is 3 plus but don't ask me to sing it for you as I instantly forget it after the last note. Will probably work ok in Moscow but it's not really my cuppa.


Winner. Brinck - "Believe Again"


2nd. Hera Björk - "Someday"

Nordic points

All five Nordic countries were in the final for the first time since 2000, which is a great achievement in itself. We should all be proud and happy about it, but then it is in our nature to hope for more than just initial success.

Norway made us all proud and defended the Nordic flags in the top five of the scoreboard. Maria had great luck in the draw, but more importantly she sang very well and managed to be totally likeable on stage. A strong chorus that deserved to be Norway's best showing since 2003.

Iceland at #14 is a tiny disappointment as well. I thought the song would reach out and grab more people in the end, but making it to the final for the first time since 2004 should be enough to keep the icelanders happy. And they did beat Denmark in the last round of votes. Rightly so, may I add. Danes are lovely people, but all their last entries (including this one) leave me totally cold.

Leaving people cold is apparently what Sweden did also. Taking this contest more seriously than the EBU themselves, a second consecutive 18th place is very hard to digest. I don't for a second think that Charlotte or "Hero" deserved to go so low in the ranking, but the points talk frankly: this passed the voters by. Not even the Nordic neighbours spilled points over it. There is something in the Swedish recipe that passed its date of expiry, without the Swedes noticing. Being elegant, cold and impeccably produced won't take you far anymore. I just hope people realise that Charlotte is not the one to blame here - it just didn't work out. Sometimes the world is like that.

Finland had managed to whip up a frenzy on home ground, thinking Teräsbetoni could actually win the grand final. As soon as the initial disappointment goes away (who would be happy with a 22nd place?), the Finns will calm down and feel satisfied with being in the final for the third year running. And, hopefully, get the message from Europe: rock was really fun for a while. But now we would like something else.

Posh on Denmark

Simon Mathew - All Night Long 2/5
Simon was seriously off-key in rehearsals while practising some questionable dance moves to look cool. To me they only looked forced and clichéd. And last year’s German singer wore the same look much nicer by the way. The song in itself is ok but way too repetitive and slightly boring.

Danish Flesh

According to dear friend and blog colleague Torbjörn Ek at Aftonbladet, the Swedish press is beginning to heat up towards the Danish contribution in Belgrade. Maybe not that much because of the song, but because of the better-than-average looks of Simon Mathew.

Well, the boy can sing. And he sure has the looks.

But Denmark, really! What about the song? They used to be good at this, but their song this year is boring and predictable beyond belief. Thinking about all the good songs Denmark used to reject in their finals makes me go all shakes and tear-eyed. Where is Sanne Gottlieb and her songwriters when you need them?



Sanne Gottlieb - Uden dig - Denmark NF 2000
3/10



Sanne Gottlieb - Tog jeg fejl? - Denmark NF 2001
=6/10

Becks on Denmark

Simon Mathew - All Night Long 1/5

As previously stated, Bulgaria is doing everything in their power to develop the contest and make a difference. Denmark are trying, on the verge of self destruction, to do the opposite.

So let me start with the good parts. Simon Mathew is a star - charming and goodlooking with a good voice. The production is good and the whole thing sounds quite OK. But apart from that everything is just horrifically wrong. The song in itself is a whiter shade of pale and repeats itself until your brain turns to mush.

And, worst of all, this is not a temporary glitch, this is a pattern. Ever since the 2002 fiasco with a modern-sounding piece of pop, the Danes have aggressively stuck to being old-fashioned, outdated, plastic and irrelevant. And it doesn't suit them at all. Next year I would hope for almost anything from Denmark as long as it doesn't sound like this.

In the final?
No, probably not. But on the other hand, I never saw the genius of their 2005 ditty either.

Queen Birthe

I am so wrapped up in work this week, and that is the main reason for the lack of updates from my side. But miss Posh, what is your excuse?

However, I must make at least one statement per day, or I would feel ill. So I will treat you all to Queen Birthe, one of my overall favourites. I have loved every inch of her ever since she won the 1989 Danish final, the first one I followed via radio. I had heard a few of her songs before, and loved her winning entry from the opening bar.

So, here are three out of Birthe's five MGP entries. To quote Posh: Love them or die. Birthe deserves your love, and lots of it.



Birthe Kjaer - Vil du med? - Denmark NF 1986
2/10



Birthe Kjaer - Hva' er du ude på? - Denmark NF 1987
2/10



Birthe Kjaer - Vi maler byen rød - Denmark
3/22

Wonderful Kirsten!

More Danish nostalgia... I got so inspired by Gry... But seriously, anyone who had heart would love Kirsten Siggaard. This wonderful, wonderful singer, who delighted us so many times in the 80's and represented Denmark no less than three times in the ESC as part of the duo Hot Eyes.

She took part in the Danish heats no less than seven times, solo and with Hot Eyes, and all of the songs are well worth spending some time listening to over and over again.



Kirsten & Sir Henry - Og livet går - Denmark NF 1983
7/10



Hot Eyes - Det' lige det - Denmark 1984
4/19



Hot Eyes - Sku' du spør fra' no'en - Denmark 1985
11/19



Hot Eyes - Si' det som det er - Denmark NF 1986
4/10



Hot Eyes - Farvel og tak - Denmark NF 1987
5/10



Hot Eyes - Ka' du se hva' jeg sa - Denmark 1988
3/21



Kirsten Siggaard - Inden længe - Denmark NF 1990
=6/10

Danish candy

After all the semi finals and stuff this weekend, let's treat ourselves to a blast from the past. This is one of my favourite Danish rejects ever - mother and daughter team of Vivian & Gry.

Too good for Denmark, unfortunately. But a fantastic song. Way better than Gry's "Kloden drejer".



Vivan & Gry - Vi ska' leve - Denmark NF 1985
6/10

Denmark, please

Again Denmark has selected a song for Eurovision and yet again I stand here with my mouth hanging open. The Danes present at the event seem to be madly in love with this singalong, and I don't understand a bit what makes them all worked up like this.

The Danes are our brothers, we love them and cherish them. But lately, I have no idea what they are up to. To my ears, "All Night Long" sounds more like a jingle telling the kids that their tv-shows are coming up than a pop song. It is a very anemic little thing with very little going for it. A pleasant rhythm, I will give it that much. But there is no chorus, just an endless repeat of the words "All Night Long". It feels like it goes on all night long.

If everyone is just bonkers about Simon Mathew singing, then I can clearly understand them. He is an asset - he has the looks, the voice, the presence... Everything but the song, in fact. This is the kind of waste of talent that Austria normally does: good singer, hopeless song (Manuel Ortega, anyone? Eric Papilaya?) and not a chance in the entire Universe to score into the final.

Sorry Denmark. This won't do. Find something that will shake us up a bit next year. Safe and boring doesn't become you.



Simon Mathew - All Night Long - Denmark 2008

What is wrong???

There has been some decision-making going on in Europe tonight. And what is Europe up to? What went wrong on this grand continent?

I will write a more clear analysis on the Estonian final once I have seen the recording, but let's just state the obvious: the Estonians have selected a nauseating piece of nonsense that won't do anyone happy anywhere.

I just came back from the ETV studios only to find that Denmark has chosen yet another magnifically dull ditty and that Lithuania opted for an operatic ballad.

My jaw is hanging down somewhere between my knees, but thankfully I am too tired to really bother with it. I just close my eyes, count to ten and hope the slovenians will stay in their right minds tomorrow.