Retturndam Part II: Better or Worse
A few months back, I took a look at all the confirmed returning artists (at the time) and attempted to predict whether they would return stronger or weaker. With all the songs selected for 2021, let’s take a look back at those predictions and how it has actually turned out. Vasil, James Newman and Lesley Roy hadn’t been confirmed at the time but interestingly will likely get on just as well or as bad as last year. Uku Suviste and The Roop also won their ticket back so won’t feature here.
Australia- Montaigne
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Loser
Well Montaigne has gone for something more distinctive this time around, but an entry that’s divisive in the wrong ways and even more challenging vocally, which was already a problem last year. Semi one is packed and this will have a very hard job getting through, compared to last years more borderline effort.
Austria- Vincent Bueno
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Winner
Vincent is certainly more competitive this year and has brought an entry more liable to receive those jury votes he’ll need to get through. Whilst still a dull song, the production is more up to date and the whole thing is more respectable.
Azerbaijan- Efendi
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Loser
Our first act to fall into the lesser version trap, Efendi tries and fails to recreate the televote magnet that would have been ‘Cleopatra’. ‘Mata Hari’ is a disappointing follow up and Ictimai TV seem to have lost interest in the contest again.
Belgium- Hooverphonic
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Winner
Whilst not a certain qualifier and in a tough field still, ‘The Wrong Place’ is a more likely qualifier than ‘Release Me’ and will also perform much better should it reach the final.
Bulgaria- Victoria
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Yeah, I’m happy with this. I said it would be a closer decision than you would think given they were favourites at the time of cancellation and they’re not too far of the pace in the odds again, but there is more of a jury crowd to compete with this year which is where they may have shone last time around. It’s narrow, but I have to side with loser even though they could still win the whole thing!
Czech Republic- Benny Cristo
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Loser
It’s close here and whilst a mess was made of ‘Kemama’ in the revamp, there was at least a hook there which is less than can be said for ‘Omaga’. It’s fine to listen to, but more reliant on staging to create that memorability if it wants to escape semi two.
Georgia- Tornike Kipiani
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Well, this was always going to happen. Tornike will be pleased to hear ‘Take Me As I Am’ was my personal favourite of the year (and could have got mid table in the final). He will be less pleased to hear ‘You’ is my personal 35th place of the year (and a certain NQ). Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on my mother…
Greece- Stefania
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Winner
Sometimes an artist isn’t quite ready for Eurovision and I think that was the case with Stefania who will be better able to sell this on the big stage. The end result may turn out a fairly similar high mid-table but ‘Last Dance’ is the stronger song.
Iceland- Dadi (og Gagnamanid)
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Another one that was only ever going one way. Whilst I personally prefer ‘10 Years’, this is again another lesser version, facing a much harder task to get the one thing that pushed him near the top of the odds: Hype.
Israel- Eden Alene
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Israel had already released their entries by the time I published the original article so in all fairness, this wasn’t a hard one to call. The choice of ‘Set Me Free’ only made this easier as does the fact the rest of the second half of semi one is pretty strong. A promised extensive revamp is unlikely to change this too much.
Latvia- Samanta Tina
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Loser
No, Samanta didn’t go for something more normal as I thought, with her entry this year being just as jarring and it’s presentation more un-votable.
Malta- Destiny
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Winner
Whilst ‘All Of My Love’ was no bad attempt, Malta have upped the ante this year and gone for a high risk approach. There’s more here to like (and dislike) and they’ve certainly captured the imagination more. How well that will transfer to the Eurovision stage is another matter, but people are talking about this as a winner in a way no-one last year was.
Moldova- Natalia Gordienko
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Winner
I’m prepared to be cancelled so I’ll just say now I personally preferred ‘Prison’ to ‘Sugar’ but there is no doubt Natalia will do better this year. My main worry was that she wouldn’t get that dream team backing this time around but Kirkorov stuck around seemingly intent on making her the next big star in Russia.
Netherlands- Jeangu Macrooy
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Hmmm, this is up there as downgrade of the year by a returning artist. He’s coming from a good place again, but his entry this year is compositionally miles behind ‘Grow’ and the Netherlands will doubtless be another host to flounder in the bottom 5.
Romania- Roxen
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Winner
This might be a controversial one, but whilst I thought Romania would underperform their odds last year, the opposite could be true this. There’s something about ‘Amnesia’ and Roxen may have improved too. There’s a fitting lack of memorability to the song so a strong staging is needed, but I’ll stick my neck out for this one.
San Marino- Senhit
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Winner
Senhit must have found a big wad of cash down the back of her couch as she has gone for one from the top shelf in terms of song and thrown Flo Rida in there for good measure. It’s still unclear if she’ll be able to get him to Rotterdam but there’s enough to ‘Adrenalina’ to qualify and score well without him. Obviously a winner.
Serbia- Hurricane
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
As expected it’s more of the same from Hurricane although the standard may be a bit lower, whilst the female bop field has grown. Yeah, this is looking more precarious than last year’s was and even that wasn’t a sure qualifier.
Slovenia- Ana Soklic
Verdict Before: Winner, Verdict Now: Loser
From forgettable Balkan ballad to forgettable gospel ballad. Neither are of qualification standard but ‘Voda’ was the more authentic and suited Ana much better.
Spain- Blas Canto
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
Well, as I said, predicting a bottom 5 song to be worse the next time around can pretty much only happen with Spain. ‘Voy A Querdame’ somehow has less to vote for than ‘Universo’ but is helped somewhat by Germany and The Netherlands taking massive steps backwards, although France - their would be saviour from the bottom spot- are well clear of the bottom places this year. All things considered, this is still a bottom 5 so has to be considered a loser here and if it takes a year and you’re still revamping.
Switzerland- Gjon’s Tears
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Winner
‘Tout L’Univers’ works better as a contest song than ‘Respondez Moi’ and Gjon finds himself higher in the odds this year. All things considered, I don’t think the improvement is that big as the bar was already set high. In terms of results, this should likewise be solidly top 10 and benefits from a lower standard at the very top this year giving him more hopes of that victory.
Ukraine- Go_A
Verdict Before: Loser, Verdict Now: Loser
‘Shum’ is perhaps crazy enough should it be staged correctly to attract more neutral support than ‘Solovey’ would have, but has suffered with the revamp and the potential loss of Belarus does not help their hopes of making the saturday night. There’s still qualification hope, but Ukraine are looking more shaky.
So, I make that 8 winners and 13 losers and 13/21 predictions I’m happy with. How about you? Who’s back stronger/weaker for you? Feel free to comment below.