Getting Off the Fence: My Top 10 (Part 2)

Yesterday I started the countdown for my top ten in this year’s Contest, which you can catch up on here. Today will see any impartiality I may have been previously clinging onto cast asunder as I share with you my top 5 songs at this year’s Contest.

5. FRANCE 🇫🇷

Madame Monsieur – Mercy

Despite being one of the very first songs we had confirmed for this year’s Contest the popularity of Madame Monsieur has not dwindled, in fact it’s only getting stronger. It is a highly emotive song and even with my fairly basic grasp of French the message comes through. If the whole Altice Arena joins in with the hand motion in the final minute that could be your ‘Salvador moment’ for 2018. There is the potential for the staging to go too far in the story telling but if they can keep it stripped back France should be there or thereabouts come 11:15pm on 12th May.

4. MOLDOVA 🇲🇩

DoReDos – My Lucky Day

The Contest needs songs like this. We welcome a diverse range of songs, that’s what makes for an exciting and interesting Contest. However, come Saturday night you’ve had a bit to drink and you fancy a big daft upbeat number… up steps Moldova! There are so many similarities to Golden Boy from 2015 for me. Both flew under the radar pre-Contest, both combine catchy pop with an Eastern sound and hopefully My Lucky Day will have just as lively a stage show. Bring on the mirrors!

3. HUNGARY 🇭🇺

AWS – Viszlat Nyar

You want a diverse range of musical stylings? ✔️ You want to hear more native languages? ✔️ You want key changes? ✔️ I completely understand why this song isn’t to everybody’s taste but for many watching at home and in the arena this will be the highlight of the whole show. I wanted to compile this list before we saw the Lisbon staging but it’s hard to forget the sneak peak we had earlier in the week. Even in that short, poor quality clip the lights and pyro bring an empty Altice Arena to life. This is one mouth-watering prospect and needs to be there in the final.

2. ITALY 🇮🇹

Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro – Non mi avete fatto niente

It’s hard not to compare this year’s Italian entry to the French song previously listed. Neither are overtly political (and therefore not breaking any rules) but both tackle the biggest issues our world faces today. Although for many it will be the latter tugging the heartstrings it’s the Italian song that wins out for me. The first time I saw the video with the lyrics I teared up. The raw emotion that both Meta & Moro convey through their voices is stunningly powerful. I don’t think it will go down as well as France on the night but it’s a song I’ll always keep close to my heart.

1. AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺

Jessica Mauboy – #We Got Love

When all is said and done, if an upbeat catchy pop song comes along it’s always going to feature pretty high in my rankings. However, a month ago this would not have been right at the top. It was only after seeing the live performance at the London Eurovision Party was I fully converted. I have probably listened to this song at least 5 times a day every day since. I can’t pinpoint anything particularly outstanding but I simply cannot resist it’s upbeat feel, it cuts through the usual cynicism and just brings me great joy. And if you’re looking for a story: Mauboy first Ozzie on the Eurovision stage, returns four years later, takes their first win, returns to first Asiavision triumphant. We’ll find out if that comes true in just two weeks’ time.