Social networking and song selections
Merry Post-Xmas, folks!
Here’s a little belated gift for you: TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST FROM ebj, LIKE IT ON FACEBOOK!!!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eurovision-By-Jaz/168490799853930?ref=sgm
And when you’ve done that, head over to Youtube if you haven’t already, and have a look and listen to the latest ESC 2011 song to be chosen. Or watch it right here – it is Albania, the performer is Aurela Gaçe, and the song is “Kenga Ime”.
Keep in mind that the last two Albanian entries were performed at the national final in Albanian, but had been translated and tweaked into English for Eurovision purposes, so this is something that may well happen to Aurela’s ethnic effort by May. I did, but I have to say this song is decent the way it is. I really like the instrumental beginning, and the sound of the verses. The chorus is powerful though it does got a bit shouty – but the plus side of that was it made it obvious that Aurela can cut it live, which is one more worry off our chests for her country’s appearance in Dusseldorf. I won’t say too much more as I plan to review all 41 songs in March/April ’11 (check the EBJ archives if you missed the 2010 reviews!), but at this stage I ‘d give “Kenga Ime” 7/10. I like it, some parts more than others…but right now it’s not The One for me, and I don’t think it is as good as Juliana Pasha’s “It’s All About You” from Oslo (Juliana, BTW, has recently won Kenga Magjike, one of Albania’s premier music festivals, by duetting with 2006 entrant Luiz Ejili. Youtube that too, it’s a great song. So congrats to her).
I am disappointed that Kejsi Tola not only didn’t win, but couldn’t even qualify from Friday’s semi, with her song “Prane”, a more sedate number than her last from Moscow but, in my view, equally as good. But there’s always a chance that Aurela will enlist the services of The Blue Man to amp up her stage presentation. I can see that! Can’t you??? You can’t. Oh.
What we can ALL see, I’m sure, is the rapid approach of Romania’s national final next week, which I am v. excited about, as I really like over half of what’s on offer. Looking around on the net, the popular ones seem to include Claudia Pavel and Mihai Alexandru, whilst the general consensus is that “My Facebook Girl” is not going anywhere near Germany (phew!). I mean, I heart Facebook as much as the next person (as you can see from my wee plug for EBJ’s page at the top of this very post) but that does not mean that that next person, whose name might be, say, Dan, should go and write a song about it and enter it into a Eurovision preselection. Nil point, Dan, nil point! I’ll have a poll up to gauge your opinions of Romania’s musical buffet later on in the week. Please tell me if you actually like “My Facebook Girl” *shudder* – I’d love to know what the helium balloon you see in it.
I hate to blog and run, but I have quite the amount of leftover turkey to consume. What a chore!
Waiting for R O M A N I A ! ! !
Jaz x
eurovisionbyjaz.com 
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