Boys, Boys, Boys

With the bookies already predicting that the winner of Eurovision 2012 will come from either Scandinavia or Russia it’s time to look at who the best of the Boys, the Girls and the Groups and who may surprise and wrestle the title away from Sweden’s Euphoric Loreen, the troupe of Babushkie from Russia or Denmark’s sailor hat wearing indie-pop princess Soluna Samay.

Let’s start with the Top 5 boys…

5. Malta – Kurt Calleja – This is the Night

It’s criminal that Malta have never won Eurovision – they turn up year after year with some cracking pop songs or ballads but have gone home empty handed every time.

This year will be no different but Kurt Calleja’s gay-anthem in waiting “This is the Night” is a nice little pop song which should qualify from the semis into the final.

Pros: No-one’s really doing high energy pop this year and the semis are strewn with bucket loads of ballads. This may play into Mr Calleja’s hands as his pop song will stand out from the crowd. As this was one of the first national finals to be won this song has been known for a while and he’s been doing the right thing and shopping the song around Europe.

Cons: Malta’s best results have come when they’ve been represented by the power-house voice of Chiara (2nd in 2005, 3rd in 1998) and without her they’ve missed the final the last couple of years. Last year’s entry was a high energy pop song and it did not make the cut which does not bode well.

Prediciton: Will make the final…just.

Watch Kurt Calleja here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LdsAsnjVwE

4. Lithuania – Donny Montell – Love is Blind

The only Baltic state not to have won the contest Lithuania have again sent a great entry to the contest. Donny Montell is a cute young thing who’ll have the GMG (Gays, Mums and Grans) vote on his side. The song shifts from billowy ballad a third of the way in and gets a little dancey almost (not quite) electro. Again, this entry will benefit from the ridiculous amount of solo female ballads.

Pros: He’s young and a bit too cute for words, he's blindfolded in the performance and he’ll have some block voting on his side – assume good votes from Latvia, Estonia and Russia.

Cons: His voice is not the strongest and if his vocals falter he’ll be left behind in the semis.

Predicition: Qualify for final ONLY if his vocals stack up

Watch cute Donny here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk4X8EWnpeA

3. Estonia – Ott Lepland – Kuula (English Translation – Lonely)

Estonia has only won Eurovision once and has sent some really strong entries to the competition in the last couple of years. Getter Janni’s “Rockerfeller Street” was a hot favourite to take the top prize last year but the song faltered in the final. Ott Lepland’s “Kuula” is looking to better Janni’s result and make the final with a heart-felt ballad that does not need an understanding of Estonian to be able to interpret the emotion. Lepland’s vocals are really solid and he’ll be able to bring a tear or two to the eyes of the crowd in Azerbaijan. He gets additional points for his shiny suit.

Pros: In a year of solo female ballads a solo male ballad will stand out.

Cons: In a year of ballads this may get lost in all the belting and vocal gymnastics.

Prediction: Qualify for final and will finish in the bottom half.

Watch the shiney suit here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmV3ByIdKJo

2. Norway – Tooji – Stay

After the big disappointment, and one of the big shocks, of last year’s competition where Norway’s entrant Stella Mwgambi did not make the final the Norwegian public took notice of what gets votes. So, this year they’re sending Norway’s answer to Sweden’s Eric Saade, who took home bronze in last year’s competition, with the hoodie clad Tooji. This entry stands out for a couple of reasons – it’s probably the most high energy entry for the entire competition with a great Middle Eastern style beat and it’s sung by a hotter than hot man-child.

Pros: One of the “biggest” songs of the year there’s a lot going on in this song. It’ll stand head and shoulders above all the ballads. It’ll get good support in voting from Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, the UK and Ireland which will see it sail into the final. He’s hot so the girls will be dialling in big time.

Cons: We did this last year with Eric Saade…he won’t win because we’ve seen this all before.

Prediction: Sail into the final. Finish Top 6.

Watch Norway's Eric Saade here..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdHnenxPPnc


1. Germany – Roman Lob – Standing Still

Roman Lob won Germany’s national selection competition “Unser Star fur Baku” with this surprisingly good entry. Roman’s vocals are impeccable and the song is a perfect pop ballad and reminiscent of Ed Sheerin. He’s a good looking lad too so this will work in his favour. Staging will be very important for this entries final standing as we’ll only see it once (in the Final) which could be to its advantage but may be its undoing. This is one of the best constructed songs behind Sweden’s Loreen or Denmark’s Soluna Somay and deserves to do well.

Pros: Does not have to qualify so it’s already in the final. It stands as one of the best ballads of the competition (either Male or Female) and Germany can afford to host the final…

Cons: As it will only be performed in the final and if the production is not up to scratch if could finish in the bottom half. Don’t expect the “bail me out” voting from the 2010 competition when Lena’s “Satellite” won.

Prediction: If he produces a solid performance this could finish Top 10

Watch Germany's Herr Lob here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAhwNNBoC34


Still to come: Best of the Girls and Best of the Groups.