The 2017 EBJ Eurovision Excellence Awards | Part 1 (The Artists + The Songs)
As O.Torvald would say, it’s TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME! The trophies have been polished, the red carpet has been unrolled, and I’m ready to start giving out my Eurovision Excellence Awards to the countries, artists and songs that competed in the 2017 contest.
The ceremony will take place in three parts (since I went a little crazy with the amount of awards this year). Following on from this first installment will be The Performances, then The Show + The Results – but today, I’m acknowledging the musicians and the music that made 2017 so awesome…and in some cases, the opposite. You’ll also find out the full results of five People’s Choice Awards, with the rest to be revealed in Part 2 and Part 3. Thanks to everyone who voted in the PC polls, by the way – there were more of you than I expected, and I’m so grateful for your input. I hope you’re happy with the outcomes, but if you’re not you can’t blame me. #offthehook.
Now, without further ado, I’m going to get the first lot of EBJEE trophies off to their new owners before they get dusty. Sit back, relax and enjoy (or get outraged by) the awards for The Artists + The Songs!
THE ARTISTS
Honourable Mention/s Robin Bengtsson, Salvador Sobral Winner Imri Ziv
He may be hot in an ‘I spend longer in front of the mirror each morning than any girl I know’ kind of way – but hot is hot, right? Those eyes! That smile! Those biceps! Those abs! I won’t go any further down because a) I like to keep things mostly non-smutty around here, and b) you get where I’m going, I’m sure. It’s rumoured that Israel’s finest Imri has a thing for Anja Nissen – and who could blame him – but if she spurns you, Mr. Ziv, it’s highly likely that I’ll be available as a consolation prize.
Honourable Mention/s Amy Vol, Lisa Vol, Shelley Vol (O’G3NE) Winner Anja Nissen
Speaking of the stunning Anja, here she is as the winner of the Hottest She Award (imagine how attractive the kids would be if she and Imri got together!). I couldn’t really choose anyone else despite the tough competition, since I have a massive girl crush on her. She’s the ultimate blonde bombshell, drop-dead gorgeous from top to toe…except when she appeared on the Kyiv stage during rehearsals in that notorious and absolutely hideous circus/swimming costume. But NOBODY could have pulled that off (not unless they were a clown competing in the Synchronised Swimming event at the Olympics). Anyway, I’m bowing down to your beauty, Anja!
Honourable Mention/s Ilinca, Ksienija Žuk Winner Alma
Apparently Alma has a certain je ne sais quois (both the French and Hera Björk puns are intended) that gave her the edge over the other nominees, though not by much. This award probably isn’t what she’d like to have won recently, but the fact that so many Eurofans would be happy to call her their BFF has to be flattering.
Honourable Mention/s Francesco Gabbani, Kristian Kostov Winner Nathan Trent
I have one thing to say about this result: YAAASSSSS! Well done guys, on voting an actual Mr. Nice Guy (nice guys finish last on the televote, but not overall) the winner of this year’s Mr. Congeniality EBJEE. Nathan Trent is a precious angel sent to Earth to bring pure happiness and light into all of our lives, and anyone who dares dispute that should be burnt at the stake. Or be ignored, one of the two.
Honourable Mention/s Kristian Kostov, Sunstroke Project Winner Jacques Houdek
I’m not sure which Jacques to give this trophy to – they might have to share custody of it like a pair of divorced parents with their only child. Regardless, this is an award well deserved by a man – yes, just the one…I’ll let the joke die now – who managed to bring both incredible talent and a LOT of laughter (hvala, Hrvatska, for the comic relief) to this year’s Eurovision. Like Conchita’s facial hair, Jacques’ two voices made him instantly memorable and almost overshadowed every other aspect of his entry. We’ll never see a duet quite like this again.
Honourable Mention/s Nathan Trent, Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson Winner Sunstroke Project
Picking a winner for this award was a no-brainer for me, but I did very briefly ask myself which nominee’s concert I’d be the most keen to sit through. The answer, of course, was Sunstroke Project’s – though technically, I wouldn’t be sitting through it so much as dancing my ass off through it. All three of the guys are party-starters in their own right, and look like they could happily live on stage. They’re energetic, enthusiastic and charismatic, and can get even the most stubborn butts off seats without even trying. Born to entertain? Heck yes.
Honourable Mention/s Blanche Winner Kristian Kostov
This was one of the smallest categories for 2017, and two of the teens ended up monopolising most of the votes – 91%, in fact. Contest runner-up Kristian beats Blanche yet again, and if that’s partly due to his more confident handling of the whole Eurovision experience – as well as his higher placing on the scoreboard – then I’d say it’s the right result. Still, anyone so fresh-faced who can get up on such a big stage and sing their fully-functioning, youthful heart out deserves a high five. Great job, kids.
THE SONGS
Honourable Mention/s Gravity, Lights and Shadows Winner Perfect Life
Now, I’m not accusing anyone of plagiarism here. Even if a song is almost identical in some way to another, it doesn’t mean it was purposely plagiarised. Still, you have to wonder about that oh-so-familiar sound layered underneath the lyrics of Levina’s Perfect Life. Everyone has heard David Guetta’s Titanium, and I find it hard to believe that anyone could come up with a beat and riff combo so similar and not think ‘Hang on…I know this from somewhere.’ TBH, it’s a shame that Perfect Life doesn’t sound even more like Titanium – i.e. that it didn’t ramp up and become an equally powerful dance banger.
Honourable Mention/s Amar Pelos Dois, Beautiful Mess Winner Grab The Moment
A predicable pick? Probably not. But Grab The Moment has a set of lyrics that are interesting, full of clever rhymes (no love/above level stuff in sight) and SO neatly phrased and tightly packed. It’s wordier than I usually like my songs to be, but the rap-like delivery helps make it the modern pop masterpiece it is. Plus, there’s loads of room for lyrical interpretation, which is right up my alley as a former English major. This is my highlight: ‘Getting kinda heavy on my shoulders, try to stand straight but I’m boneless, got a pocket full of prose while I’m walking on my toes and I’m coping with a map that is roadless.’ Remind yourself of the rest here.
Honourable Mention/s Skeletons Winner Space
As much as I’m confused (rather than amazed) by “thorn jeans”, I can’t go past Slavko’s Space as the 2017 song with the most WTF words. It’s not that they don’t make sense, because they do. They’re just so…erotically charged. Not to mention all over the place – there’s a ton of space references, obviously, but one minute the lovers in question are Bonnie and Clyde and the next they’re possessed with superpowers. I commend the line in the chorus that connects writing a story with body language *slow clap*. But ‘Wet dreams…come into me from within’? TMI, Montenegro.
Honourable Mention/s Lights and Shadows Winner Amar Pelos Dois
This is a very subjective award, hence why I didn’t make it a People’s Choice. It’s for the entry that I personally didn’t rate too highly pre-contest, but grew to love between then and now. I never disliked eventual winner Amar Pelos Dois, but I didn’t love it and I definitely didn’t get the hype surrounding it (why was it second in the odds? I had no idea). For some reason, though, when I saw Salvador’s performance in the first semi final, I ‘got’ it. I was teary-eyed, my heart was warmed and I finally fell in love with the simplistic, romantic beauty of the song. Better late than never.
Honourable Mention/s Dance Alone, Verona Winner Occidentali’s Karma
This trophy doesn’t have to go to a song that was hyped by fans and then under-performed according to expectations, but this year it is. Occidentali’s Karma was predicted to be a runaway winner by a lot of fans in the lead-up to the show, racked up more views on YouTube than any entry preceding it, and stormed to victory in the OGAE Poll. And then, just like France did last year off the back of winning that poll, it finished 6th. As soon as I saw Francesco’s final performance, I knew that my gut feeling of months previously had been right – Italy wasn’t going to win. Falling away from the top five, for a song with so much expected of it, this was Sognu all over again.
Honourable Mention/s I Can’t Go On, I Feel Alive Winner Hey Mamma
It was the most successful dance track to take part in the Kyiv contest, and now the Sunstroke Project’s Hey Mamma gets another gong to add to the our engraved with ‘Moldova’s Best-Placed ESC Entry Ever.’ I have zero complaints about your choice here, people! There’s something about a good bit of sax that makes dancing more or less irresistible, and as such I can guarantee that this song will frequent the official Euroclub playlist for years to come.
Honourable Mention/s Occidentali’s Karma Winner City Lights
And it’s Belgium by a millimetre! The standard of preview videos was pretty high this year, and I personally wouldn’t have chosen City Lights as my favourite. Still, I can’t fault its stylish, slightly unsettling (in a good way) vibes. The isolation of being ‘all alone in the danger zone’ is expertly brought to the screen, while the titular lights have a mind of their own. Overall, it’s just as cool as the song.
Honourable Mention/s Keep The Faith Winner Fly With Me
Some songs are just so much better to watch than to listen to – they just come to life when performed live. Artsvik’s Fly With Me, a song that is a perfectly good but not great audio track, was given the royal treatment for Eurovision, and that gave me a new respect for it. The backdrop emphasised the ethnicity of the song as did the choreography, while the pyrotechnics upped the drama. Excellent costume choices were the cherry on top.
Honourable Mention/s Space Winner City Lights
And now, vice versa! Belgium’s performances over the past few years have been epic, but there was a question mark over Blanche’s ability to command an audience and take control of her nerves. She faltered in the semi, but in the end pulled off a much, MUCH better performance in the final and earned her 4th place. Even so, City Lights is a radio dream rather than a live one. The slick production and disembodied, distant sound of Blanche’s recorded vocals (minus the distraction of her looking like she wants to run screaming off the stage) is what I love about the song, and it’s just not as impressive in the ESC context.
That’s all for today/tonight, guys. I hope you enjoyed the show, and didn’t get too drunk and end up tripping and falling into a stranger’s lap which turned out to be the lap of Jon Ola Sand. It’s very awkward when that happens, let me tell you.
Who would you have given these awards to? Are you shocked by some of the People’s Choice percentages? Can I discuss Eurovision 2017 right up until Eurovision 2018 without annoying you? Let me know in the comments – it’s free (although every swear word directed at me costs $50).
Until next time, when 2017’s performances will be in the spotlight…
eurovisionbyjaz.com 
7 Responses to “The 2017 EBJ Eurovision Excellence Awards | Part 1 (The Artists + The Songs)”
[…] to top 10 territory, guys and gals! Back in 2017 I handed this Norwegian bop my EBJ Eurovision Excellence Award for Best Lyrics, and that’s not all that’s inventive and ear-catching about it. JOWST has a way with words, but […]
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[…] JOWST, on the other hand, brought something uniquely 2017 to the contest stage with lyrics that I previously crowned my faves of the year. As much as I want to be loyal to Laura, I think I have to go with Grab The Moment because it’s a […]
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Reblogged this on Let Me Be The One.
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Nice awards – lots of effort put in, Miss B 🙂
My thoughts…
Hottest He – not really one I can comment on but I guess that Imri is a looker 😉
Hottest She – this was a difficult one for me, personally just went for Miruna but Anja is a hottie too. Who says that I couldn’t have a brunette AND a blonde 🙂
Miss Congeniality – would have gone for Ksienija but I suppose she and her partner came as a package…
Mr Congeniality – spot on there
Artists Gimmick – agree with the schizophrenic popera act
Born Entertainers – yep the brides and grooms win for me
Teen Act – I went with Blanche but I can see why Kristian got the nod. Ilinca would easily get into a club, still can’t believe she’s only 18!
That Sounds Familiar – I bow to everyone else’s judgement as I tend to just listen to Eurovision related stuff nowadays!
Best Lyrics – definitely Grab The Moment, I had never come across the ‘Law Of Jante’ until I had heard this song…
Worst Lyrics – yep, euphemism central!
Grower – it has to be Portugal
Fanwank – again, agree with Occidentali’s. A shame in a way but it was the only entry that I DIDN’T want to win in the Final, just so I didn’t have to hear gloating voices from certain fans and pundits for 12 months!
Dancefloor Filler – Not much competition this year…
Music Video – toss up between City Lights and Dance Alone for me but there were lots of good ones this year.
Better On Stage – Out of the five, agree. Might even go as far to say that Sweden needed the stage treatment more than most…
Better Studio – City Lights or Dance Alone again.
Looking forward to the rest of them 🙂
One question for now – you coming to Portugal?
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I’m glad you enjoyed the glittering, star-spangled (in my mind) ceremony!!
There were – as there always is – so many beautiful ladies in Kyiv. I definitely agree that Miruna is right up there. You’d probably have a whole lotta competition on your hands if you went after her 😉
Agreement on GTM having the best lyrics?? High five! I was/am expecting flak for that.
I wouldn’t feel guilty about not wanting Italy to win. I personally love it when the unexpected happens at the ESC (though Portugal’s win wasn’t exactly unexpected given what happened with the odds at the last minute) because I hate seemingly foregone conclusions. OK was so hyped, and we were all like ‘Which city in Italy are we heading to in 2018?’. So being secretly happy it defied expectations?? Totally justifiable IMO!
Good question re: Portugal. I am seriously considering it, though it depends on a few things going my way. Time will tell. Will you be making an appearance??
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Definitely my plan for 2018! Maybe a blogger meet could be on the cards… 😉
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YES!!! I like the sound of that.
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