Posh on Israel

Noa & Mira Awad - There Must Be Another Way 2½/5
Good voices and I like the Arabic bits. Overall are the verses much stronger than the chorus which then gives a dull impression of the song and the performance on stage is just plain and a lot of walking around from side to side and back and forth. Shame as it was a good idea on paper for once pulling the peace-card when sung in both Hebrew and Arabic.

Ilana Avital

An angel has landed on Youtube and uploaded a lot of Eurovision stuff I have never seen online before. Thanks to him/her, I can share one of my all time favourite Israeli national final entries.

I always had a soft spot for Ilana Avital (who of course should have won hands down back in 1987), and even if she may not be exactly spot on ever single note throughout this big belter, I love this song!

Enjoy and love! (But watch out for the hard note after the bridge...)



Ilana Avital - Ahavati ha'achrona - Israel NF 1991
9/12

Boaz - hit of the year?

A quick sniffing around on the net makes me wonder a bit about Saturday's final. I am getting a feeling that the entry I really under-estimated so far is Israel. I always liked, but never thought it would do particularly well, and not even pass on to the final.

Just like I did with the lovely Shiri Maimon three years ago.

And the key element this time again lies in a magnificent performer. It seems the entire continent is cracking up for handsome Boaz and his beautiful voice. The keyword analysis for this blog shows that the single most used search term to find this blog was Boaz. Also on other sites, it seems to be quite a lot of talk going on in connection to Israel.

The buzz is on Boaz, so to speak. Could this mean a top five finish on Saturday?

Semi 1: not too bad, eh?

I can hardly remember what countries I predicted beforehand, but we did predictions also after seeing the entries on telly, and then I had a new bunch of songs.

The ones I thought
Israel, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Greece.
Not too inaccurate, I must say. I had two things wrong and eight countries right. I am particularly happy about Ireland and Estonia losing out, proving there are still things such as sensibility, taste and fairness in the world.
I feel genuinely sorry for the Netherlands - this time they really deserved going through. And I wonder if Andorran television is beginning to have second thoughts about entering the ESC.

But the finalists!

ISRAEL
Fantastic to have them through, as Boaz sang very sweetly and the song is enchanting. Also good to see that being drawn as #2 doesn't automatically stop you.

AZERBAIJAN
They did well live, but I thought the cocktail would prove a bit too much for the average viewer. It seems the average viewer is capable of more than I thought.

NORWAY
I got really nervous about Norway as they were in the last envelope. For a while, I thought they had failed and was prepared to cry bitter tears. Maria was brilliant and sang really well.

POLAND
There is something about Isis Gee that is a bit scary: especially the teeth and the drop of sweat that came off her during the song. But she sang like a marvel and the song is truly worthy of a place in the final. Most probably the choice of the jury, though.

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
The stars of the night! Wonderful, brilliant, wacko, hysterical and very, very good. They can still win it!

ARMENIA
A video went around Youtube of Friday night's rehearsal, where Sirusho sang quite flatly all the way through. Tonight she sounded a lot better, and danced with more gusto. But it feels like the director of the show is not her best friend - lousy camera work on this one.

FINLAND
What happened here? Finland in the final for the third year running? I don't understand a thing, but it is good for the domestic ratings. I am contented. But I hope Teräsbetoni won't do too well, for the sake of next year's national final.

ROMANIA
Classy and good, but I had hoped for something more. Even more drama and prettier clothes. But still, surely a contender for Saturday night.

RUSSIA
I don't think the stage show really worked. Frenetic, too many things happening, too much acting. I just get bored and distracted, but it was expected that people would like this.

GREECE
Just like Armenia, the director seemed not to be too keen on this one and missed the big trick with the book. Wouldn't surprise me if it was tonight's winner, though. Better vocal performance than the Greek final suggested.

Now it is time to head for bed, more analysis to follow tomorrow...

Perrelli International

Just realised I forgot to blog Charlotte's video clip when it was finally ready (only half a year too late to reach the preview shows), but this is what it looks like (unless it is only visible in the Nordic countries):



Charlotte Perrelli - Hero - Sweden 2008

Not bad, and quite classy, but also a bit too static for my taste and less spectacular than I had hoped for. And didn't they steal the general feeling plus an idea or two for Dana International's old "Diva" video clip? I guess the two former winners can cat fight it out down there in Belgrade...



Dana International - Diva - Israel 1998
1/25

Posh on Israel

Boaz Mauda - The Fire In Your Eyes 2/5
Middle-of-the-road-songs are the most difficult to review as I can’t think of anything to say. Boaz has a nice voice, the song penned by Dana International is okayish and the obligatory Israeli backing singers do their bit. Unless Miss Diva herself turns up on stage during the broadcast this will just be another bland number.

It sucks...

It is really horrible not to be going to Serbia now that everyone is going and rehearsals have started. This is the first Eurovision I miss out on since 2003, and I do not have a good feeling about it.

Don't give me no "the show is better on telly anyway", there is no consolation what-so-ever in that.

And don't think I am a spoilt brat either. I just couldn't afford to pay it all by myself this year, and also, given the amount of work I have done for several broadcasters in the past, it feels a bit sad not to be called in by anyone this time around.

It is nice to be in demand, you see.

But you can't cry yourself through Eurovision week because of this. I will have to come back with a vengeance next year (in Switzerland).

Until then, I cheer myself up with some upbeat Israeli schlager, working similarly to electric shock treatment. If Yardena doesn't get you energetic, I'm afraid nothing will...



Yardena Arazi - Muzika nish'eret - Israeli NF 1982
2/12

Becks on Israel

Boaz Mauda - The Fire In Your Eyes 3/5

I wonder if the Israelis ever miss the good old days when they could just shake up some energetic dance troop and have them go berserk over some old schlagered-up folk tune and make juries all over the continent go ga-ga with pure happiness and vote them straight into top five at least?

I bet they do.

Israel has had quite a bit of problem making the televoters warm to their songs for the past ten years or so. Apart from the breathtakingly good Shiri Maimon, Israel has been nowhere near top five since 1999.

Despite the effort of getting top singer Boaz and the songwriting talents of former winner Dana International, I doubt this song will do the trick either. I take the liberty of doubting it will even make it to the final.

It is a haunting melody line, beautifully sung, but I wonder how many viewers will remember it come the time to vote. Israel has had really, really bad luck, being drawn together with some unspectacular songs, and I am not sure this one is dynamic enough to stand out from the lot this early on in the running.

In the final?
No. But I wouldn't mind being wrong on this one.

Boaz Mauda for Israel

After two far from successful attempts (pointless soul followed by nuclear irony), Israel wants to return to form and make a splash à la Shiri Maimon in Belgrade. IBA internally selected Boaz Mauda, of Pop Idol fame, to perform five songs of which the audience selected one lucky winner.

The winner "Ke'ilo kan" is penned by nobody lesser than 1998 Eurovision winner Dana International, who is arguably a better songwriter than singer. The israeli entry is a pleasant little song, unfortunately lacking in the hook-department. On a first listening, there is nothing to grab at and hold on to. I wonder if Israel won't have a sweaty evening on the night of their semi.

But young Boaz is something of a male Shiri Maimon. The boy has the looks as well as a very pleasant voice, and if he manages to flick on his switch on the big night, he could be the certain something that Israel would need to lift them into the final.



Boaz Mauda - Ke'ilo kan - Israel 2008