Ranking the songs of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 — Part 3 of 3

To read Part 1 of this three part series, click here.

To read Part 2 of this three part series, click here.

This is it! The final part of my three part blog series reviewing and ranking the competing songs of Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon, comprising my top ten songs in the competition this year. As mentioned in my previous posts, these rankings were made on April 18th and are not influenced by the ongoing rehearsals for the competition. What do you think about my picks? What song do you think is top dog at this year’s competition? Send me your thoughts — I would love to hear what you think.

10. Yianna Terzi — Oniro Mou (Greece)

Yianna Terzi is bringing the authentic Greek vibes back to Eurovision after the utterly forgettable This Is Love failed to make an impression last year. Oniro Mou didn’t resonate with me upon first listen, but grew in my rankings as I spun it more and more. Ethnic-tinged songs tend to be hit or miss at Eurovision, but Oniro Mou is whimsical yet enigmatic and keeps you engaged and hooked in for the full running time. It isn’t my absolute favourite song this year, but it is high up there and absolutely addictive. Call me pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable this song is — it is my favourite Greek entry since Aphrodisiac in 2012. After all the controversy behind the Greek song selection this year, I’m very happy with the song that ended up being the official entrant.

9. EQUINOX— Bones (Bulgaria)

Bulgaria has been hugely successful in recent years, with Poli Genova’s fantastic If Love Was A Crime placing fourth in 2016 and Kristian Kostov’s Beautiful Mess placing second last year. In the vein of Armenia’s Genealogy from 2015, Bulgaria decided to amp things up by composing a supergroup of five talented vocalists, mostly from Bulgarian backgrounds but not exclusively. When Bones was first released, I did not like the song at all. With repeat listens, though, it has grown on me a lot. And then, seeing the group’s live performances at Eurovision pre-parties, I think they will be able to live up to the hype. Their vocal harmonies are absolutely unreal and extremely powerful. While I’m still a bit iffy on the lyrics, and think they are nonsensical at times, this slice of dark pop is a surefire bet for another Top 5 finish for Bulgaria this year. Much like Belgium in recent years, Bulgaria is joining Sweden as one of the most reliable countries at Eurovision.

8. Jessica Mauboy — We Got Love (Australia)

Jessica Mauboy brought Australia to Europe for the first time as an interval performer at Eurovision 2014, so it’s fitting she is repping the country this year after three years of straight Top 10 finishes. While I am unsure of We Got Love’s ability to replicate the success of Dami Im’s incredible Sound of Silence in 2016, I think Australia is guaranteed another Top 10 finish this year. Despite being easy to label as slightly generic, We Got Love has Jessica’s fantastic vocals backing up the song and elevating it to a whole new level. As well, the simple but instantly memorable lyrics are bound to get the song stuck in people’s heads, which will help it stand out in a crowded field of songs when it comes time to vote at the end of the show. The song continually builds power and the pre-parties have shown that Jessica is a phenomenal live performer with natural stage presence, so expect this song to be a standout performance at this year’s competition.

7. Cesár Sampson — Nobody But You (Austria)

Austria could definitely challenge for a Top 10 finish this year. With mixed results since Conchita won in 2014, Cesár Sampson’s Nobody But You is a pleasant surprise this year. I have absolutely loved this song from the very first listen — it is immediately memorable and grabs your attention. A gospel-tinged piece of pop balladry that wouldn’t feel out of place in Hozier’s discography, Nobody But You stands out among a crowded field of entrants as a powerful and impactful track that feels like a genuine potential chart topper. Cesar is a phenomenal vocalist and charismatic performer, so I expect good things from him at the competition. With visually impactful staging, this could go far this year.

6. SENNEK — A Matter of Time (Belgium)

Belgium has been killing it at Eurovision for the past three years, and expect nothing less in 2018 as well. SENNEK comes from a humble background working at her local IKEA, but A Matter of Time has the distinct personality and vision of an artist who has been performing as their sole focus for over a decade. It is a powerful dark pop number and SENNEK’s vocals are distinct from any other female vocalist this year. Much like Conchita’s Rise Like a Phoenix, this is a song that I could imagine as a theme song for a Bond movie. With some inventive staging, I think this could challenge for a Top 5 finish. The biggest challenge will be SENNEK herself — she has had a few shaky performances at the pre-parties this year. I am worried that it will qualify for the final but not resonate with most of Europe, landing in the bottom half of the Grand Final. I sincerely hope I’m wrong though, as A Matter of Time is going to be spun on my Spotify playlist for a long time to come.

5. Eye Cue — Lost and Found (F.Y.R. Macedonia)

Believe the hype. Eye Cue are bringing it this year for Macedonia. After the enjoyable Dance Alone was shafted last year, I’m happy that F.Y.R. Macedonia sent another upbeat pop track to Eurovision this year. I am a huge fan of songs with major tempo changes, from Agnete’s Icebreaker from a few years ago to Girls’ Generation’s phenomenal song I Got a Boy. The transitions from chill tropical reggae vibes in the verses, a subdued but building pre-chorus, to upbeat pop perfection in the chorus is a sensation. Marija is a phenomenal vocalist and really pulls together the disparate elements of the song with her powerful voice and endless charisma. I am a massive fan of this track and pray that it will make it out of the insanely competitive first semi-final.

4. Saara Aalto — Monsters (Finland)

Undoubtedly the best track that Saara Aalto presented at UMK, Monsters is a powerful track that is made for the Eurovision stage. The runner-up of The X-Factor UK in 2016, Saara has already proven that she is a strong vocalist that can win over an audience, and I expect further great things from her at Eurovision this year. The moody dark pop of Monsters draws you in, as does Saara’s unique and distinct voice. Her vocal highs in the last minute of the song are nothing short of goosebump-inducing and never fail to send chills down my spine. The complement of children’s voices singing the refrain “I ain’t scared no more” adds to the message of the song, of not letting monsters (literal or otherwise) get in the way of your achieving your goals and confidently living life to the fullest. I think people, young and old, will be able to relate to this song’s message. Finland has not had a great record at Eurovision in recent years, so I hope Monsters can help put the country back on the Eurovision map in a meaningful way.

3. Madame Monsieur — Mercy (France)

I love France’s recent history at Eurovision. Amir and Alma have sent fantastic, memorable songs the past two years and I was hoping for a threepeat this year. Madame Monsieur definitely delivered that with Mercy. A powerful song sung from the perspective of a refugee child that traversed land and sea with her mother for greater opportunities, this song doesn’t fail to well up my emotions. It is delivered with passion and conviction, while the repetition of Mercy’s name at the end of the song provides it with an anthemic quality that refuses to forget those who have undergone hardship while fleeing from the terrible circumstances they were dealing with at home. With Europe having such divisive opinions on the refugee crisis, and a rise in national populism in European politics, it will be interesting to see how politics may impact voting for the song. But for those of us with an empathetic heart and interest in songs that make us feel something, Mercy is one of the absolute pinnacles of Eurovision this year and one of the best entries in years.

2. Eleni Foureira — Fuego (Cyprus)

I absolutely adore Cyprus for sending Eleni Foureira this year. The Albanian-born Greek goddess is such a charismatic and talented performer and she knows how to bring the heat. Fuego is a slice of pop perfection that has a dynamic chorus, exciting instrumentation, and a refreshingly strong vision. The song’s music video is one of my absolute favourite clips for this year’s entrants and expands on the fiery and sultry vibes that are imbued in the song. I sincerely hope that Eleni and her team decide to bring the fire and go with a pyro-heavy performance that borrows from the dance sequences of the music video. When Eleni and her dancers get into it, it elevates this song into a perfect dance pop number that beckons back to Helena Paprizou’s My Number One. If the final perfromance is tight and well-choreographed, expect this to not only be Cyprus’ best performance ever at Eurovision, but also a serious contender for the crown.

1. Netta — Toy (Israel)

It’s the favourite to win Eurovision this year and for good reason. Netta is charismatic and talented. Combine that with a unique song, complete with a powerful and timely message, and you have a relevant song that is bringing something wholly original to a competition filled with standard tracks that don’t step outside of the box much. Focusing on female empowerment in the era of #MeToo, Netta passionately rejects the toxic masculinity that is pervasive in modern day society and sings to anyone who went through an experience where they were made to feel lesser than. It is a well-written song with insightful but also clever lyrical twists. And her use of a looper to turn a variety of sounds, including the clucking of a chicken, into something completely unique made this a standout from first listen. It only took that first listen for me to get behind Toy as my favourite track in the competition and a worthy winner of the competition. As long as Israel gets the staging right, they will likely walk home with the crown and avoid an Occidentali’s Karma-level disappointment this year.

That’s it for this year’s rankings. I am looking forward to cheering on all of the acts next week. Anticipate any big surprises or shocking upsets? Any Eurovision traditions you plan to honour this year? Let me know by commenting on this post.