Article from CHRIS HOCKMAN of the USA
After the high and the buzz of Eurovision dies off, thoughts start to turn toward the following year, and with that in mind it seems a good time to look at what 2017 can predict looking to 2018.
Even More Ballads
Sure, it sounds impossible to have even more ballads in Eurovision but the trend continued in 2017 and with the top two songs both being ballads and ballads having better luck in the semi-finals than pop or dance songs there is sure to be even more of them in 2018. 43 ballads maybe a bit of a stretch but it could well be a year with over 30 of them.
Returning Artists
The success of Sunstroke Project showed a new way for countries to exploit the new voting system in Eurovision, bring back a fan favourite. In Epic Sax Guy Moldova brought an icon of the contest back, that fans loved, of course it helped that they had a good song that got people dancing. The success of Moldova must leave Sweden wondering, surely selecting Loreen would have had them as a strong contender.
Kids
There were three entrants under 18 in this year’s contest, with one of them, Bulgaria’s Kristian Kostov managing a phenomenal second place finish for his nation. That suggests the trend of younger singers will continue in 2018, given youth is no barrier to Eurovision success.
The Big 5 Struggle
I know it doesn’t sound like the Big 5 struggled this year but the bottom two were both Big 5 and remember who the overwhelming favourite to win the contest was? Italy and France certainly under performed what was expected and that could well be due to not performing in the semi-finals. The EBU tried to change that by having them perform at the jury show but that still hasn’t changed anything for those five.
Changing Tie Break Procedures
One word, Spain, their disappointing result can largely be put down to the way the tiebreak was decided, ignoring what the fans wanted left a bad taste in the mouth of all the voters, leading to him being booed and punished. Look for all countries in 2018 selection season to go with a public vote to break a tie.
Pre recorded vocals
Never before has there been a time closer to Eurovision ditching the restriction against pre recorded vocals. With Norway being allowed to use their backing track including pre recorded vocals without a protest means it’s going to be hard to argue against such use going forward, 2018 could be the year the floodgates open.
Swearing
These last two are the most unlikely but after two Melodifestivalen songs contained swearing, why not ditch the rule. Heck I Can’t Go On originally had a swear word in it and it was probably a better song. Eurovision is hardly a family show when there are lines like “wet dreams, wild nightmares, I surrender” in it.
Fewer English songs
This idea is always floated when a non-English song wins Eurovision, but it never eventuates, 2008 did not have any more songs in non-English languages than 2007 so it seems doubtful but no doubt that will be a topic coming in to 2018.
No doubt all of these ideas will be wrong, but what do you think will happen in 2018? Leave us a comment below.
