Posh on Moldova

Nelly Ciobanu - Hora Din Moldova 3½/5
Talk about energy on stage! This will get far! My mind instantly starts wandering back in time to “Moja stickla” (Croatia) in 2006. That went fairly well back then and now Moldova will score very well indeed with the Eastern countries while West won’t get it at all. As usual.

Posh on Moldova

Geta Burlacu - A Century Of Love 2½/5
Pleasant easy listening jazz with good singer that tends to get lost in a competition like this. Reduction marks for her horrible English. It’s difficult to understand what she’s singing at times. Relaxing atmosphere with the sofa and quilt on stage but what’s with the teddy bear?

Shape it up, shekerim

After an intense day at work, I have not seen a single rehearsal clip today, but some rather trustworthy sources keep feeding me with reports stating that the Swiss rehearsals was an impressively grand disaster of almost cosmic dimensions. I hear talk that not a single note was placed in its right spot and that the Meneguzzi voice cracked totally more than once.

This wasn't supposed to happen. I had him as my winner and now I don't know what to think. Most confusing.

But on the other hand, real professionals take the opportunity of singing badly during the first rehearsals to improve greatly when the cameras get switched on for real. Wonderful singers like Natalia Barbu and even the majestic Sopho Khalvashi broke their voices during the initial rehearsals in Helsinki, so why shouldn't Paolo? Andorras Gisela clearly held back as well. There is no point in doing your best when you are just practising angles.

Maybe I will have to end up agreeing with everyone else who seem to think Ani Lorak is the thing this year, and she will blow everyone else off stage. Could very well be. I still find the song too weak, but she is breathtakingly professional. And Kyiv was nice, wouldn't mind going back there. (Did I mention that I am definitely going next year...?)



Ani Lorak - Another Little Shot - Ukrainian NF 2005

Becks on Moldova

Geta Burlacu - A Century Of Love 2/5

I am a firm believer that Eurovision should be open to every genre. Therefore I cheer when we have new styles in competition: I was happy when rap was new, when we had rock, when we had folk music. And of course I am happy to see some quality jazz here as well.

That said, I may not be all that sure that the Moldovan delegation has a winner on its hands. This song is pleasant, easy-going and enjoyable on record, but hard to get into action on-stage. Soap bubbles is not necessarily the hook needed to break through to the viewers.

The presentation provided in the previews is a bit lacklustre, and maybe the entire thing will light up in Belgrade. Especially is the stage appearance is a bit re-worked. I am positive, but remain in doubt that this would be a heavy scorer.

In the final?
No. I think Moldova will miss the final for the first time. But a fine tune it is.

Moldova's Century of Love

Moldova selected and they didn't go at all the way I thought they would. Jazzy Geta and her funky bunch were selected, mainly thanks to the two juries at hand.

A somewhat surprising choice, and, given Lithuania's poor result in 2007 with a similar style, probably not a qualifyer come May. But top marks for Moldova doing their own thing and providing somebody who can actually sing.



Geta Burlacu - A Century Of Love - Moldova 2008

Moldova selects tonight

For the forth time, Moldova will send a representative to Eurovision, and I am happy they keep trying. Out of their three previous entries, they have managed to provide two songs I am really weak for. (And the third is one of the worst entries ever. Let's not even talk about it, shall we?)

Out of the submitted entries, a jury picked out 12 songs, that will be performed in reverse order as how popular they were with the jury, and now the televoters will select the winner.

Or will they? Moldova is a country well-known for its corruption, but maybe that runs on higher levels than a silly song contest?

You can listen to all the entries at the webpage of Tele-Radio-Moldova, and keep in mind that these are rough demos, often made with old synthesizers and without larger budgets. Don't worry, I am sure the winning song will be shaped up before they ship it off.

1. LUISIA ZNAMENSKY - Don't decieve my heart 1/5
An interesting voice meets an interesting production in a song that leaves no room for them to dance properly. Good intentions, but not an entry that will convince many listeners.

2. ELENA DEMIRDJEAN - Living Creatures 1/5
A happy little Disney-like song about the joy in keeping pets. One friendly advice for the future: if you are unable to pronounce words like "creatures", you can put other words into your lyrics instead.

3. SCROOM - Jane 1/5
The electric guitar sounds like an angry wasp. That is not the way to win my heart. A fair attempt to write punk pop à la Andorra last year, but this ditty has nothing going for it really.

4. GALINA SCODA - Your Own Vision 1/5
In Moldovan English, "Your Own Vision" and "Eurovision" are pronounced the same. Starts out well, and gives you the idea of a tounge-in-cheek entry, but turns very serious in the choruses. Supposed to be fun, but ends up tedious. Galina sings well, though.

5. DANA MARCHITAN - Your Name 3/5
Take note now, children - what is about to follow is called a "hook". It is a clever device that clever songwriters use to make it easier to remember their songs. This may not be the strongest song under the sun, but feels very refreshing after the first four and feels original and catchy enough.

6. JAY MON - Point Of View 3/5
A bit of polishing and a good stage show could do wonders to this song, and then this singer, sounding a tiny bit like a young Moldovan Tom Jones, could be in with a chance. The beat and drive is far from unpleasant.

7. CATRINA PISLARU - Dance With Me 1/5
The arrangement ran away from some old Yugoslav national final in the 80's and we have not missed it since. The verse is somewhat promising, but the chorus is so repetitive and simple that it kills any potential even before the first minute is over.

8. CRISTINA RUJITCAJA - You Make Me Feel Crazy 2/5
Again, the whole thing starts promising and then it can't live up to the expectations. This could have been a late single from the Corrs, if you replaced the guitars with violins, but the final result is not convincing enough.

9. GETA BURLACU - A Century Of Love 2/5
Time for a jazzy break, a laid-back song in the same vein as last year's Lithuanian entry. Pleasant indeed, but in desperate need of a chorus or any kind of dynamics. It keeps going and going without getting anywhere. A shame, but not a bad attempt.

10. EDICT - I Belive 1/5
Radio rock without a single trace of finesse. Not badly sung, but again lacking a chorus anyone would care for.

11. ALEXA - We Are One 3/5
If your Melodifestivalen favourites have been songs like "Mi Amore" or "Etymon" or any Bobby Ljunggren-disco, then this is the one for you. Predictably, Alexa is the big favourite on the message boards of ESC Today, but I don't know. I miss a bit of beating heart and something slightly more genuine. Not bad, but not what I would hope for.

12. OLIA TIRA - Always Will Be 3/5
The favourite of the pre-jury will close the show and I have to agree with them. Despite an accent the Cheeky Girls would envy, this is the one that gets me hooked. At first I found that old-fashioned bass sound annoying, but when they let the chorus loose, I find myself rather liking it; bass and all. Given some re-working and an improved arrangement and this will go even higher in my estimation.

My prediction:
Olia Tira will win it, the eurofans will go boo, Moldova will make it to the final, the western newspapers will write a lot of rubbish about the East taking over... Yeah, that's the way it will happen. Or so I think.