ESC Covers start the Eurovision 2024 countdown from position 37 to the top place. We are using the review of Morten Thomassen from Norway. ESC Covers google translated it from Norwegian to English.
This is a blog entry and represents only writer Morten Thomassen’s own views.
It is said that size should not count, but in the ESC context I wonder if that is not a little true after all, because you almost have to feel sorry for the small nations that participate and who, despite a solid effort on stage, get very bad paid by those who watch.
Sarah Bonnici brought with her very ESC-experienced people on the composer side for her song, but to no avail, she got the last place in the second semi-final and for a change those who put odds on this very fact actually missed, there she was in the place almost final place actually.
Open the semi-final 2 show and everything was given to the young lady and she gave us a terrific show that literally sparkles and really there was not much to put one’s finger on.
Vocally it’s absolutely within, well I would almost say very good and there is little doubt that the lady can dance and swing her body parts.
The problem probably lay in the fact that it was so resoundingly similar to things we have seen before and performances that were probably a few notches better than what we got to see from Miss Bonnici’s side, moreover I feel a bit that she spends so much energy on the performance to be perfect that she forgets that a little charm is also needed to get through the TV screen.
And the ESC audience seems to be super strict against songs that have a little too many similarities to songs that have been given icon status for their performance in previous years and this year it was obviously this island state that was to receive the most severe punishment in that area.
After three years without a place in the final, of which the last two were in last place in their semi-final, maybe this country has to come up with something distinctive that can also attract the public, or bring Chiara back in, it’s also worth a try perhaps?
Featured image – Sarah-Louise Bennett EBU