After a rough national final where one of the other contestants completely forgot her lyrics, Germany chose Malik Harris’s “Rockstars.” As one of the big 5, Germany is guaranteed a spot in the final. Ursula’s Thoughts: I feel like I should appreciate this song and Malik Harris as a musician, however it’s just not a … Continue reading Germany’s “Rockstars”

Greece chose Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord to represent them with “Die Together” through an internal selection process. Greece will perform in the first semi-final. Ursula’s Thoughts: This song runs into the issue of getting lost in all of the other female soloist entries. It does seem like Amanda Tenfjord is doing a better job than many … Continue reading Greece’s “Die Together”

Through a national selection process, Iceland selected “Með Hækkandi Sól” by the group Systur, which, you guessed it, is a group consisting of three sisters. Iceland performs in the first semi-final. Ursula’s Thoughts: This song feels timeless in the it-could-have-been-released-in-any-of-the-last-5-decades sort of way. I like it. It’s groovy and folksy, but it doesn’t have the … Continue reading Iceland’s “Með Hækkandi Sól”

On a Late Night Show one-off, Ireland chose “That's Rich” by Brooke. Ireland will perform in the second semi-final. Ursula’s Thoughts: This song is pretty good and Ireland knows how to utilize what appears to be a small budget very effectively from the music video to the staging.  Christa’s Thoughts: This pop song's classic, saccharin … Continue reading Ireland’s “That’s Rich”

Israel chose Michael Ben David and his song “I.M” through the Israeli production of X Factor.  Israel performs in the second semi-final. Ursula’s Thoughts: I am a big fan of this song and performance. The flamboyant sass, the aesthetic, the vocals, the instrumental breakdown that makes sure everyone knows that it's Israel’s entry, this song … Continue reading Israel’s “I.M”

Italy, this year’s Eurovision host country, chose “Brividi” by Mahmood and BLANCO through their national final, the Sanremo Festival. Fun fact: the Sanremo Festival predates Eurovision and is the music festival that Eurovision itself is based on.  Mahmood previously competed in Eurovision in 2019, finishing in 2nd place. This time he appears with BLANCO. In … Continue reading Italy’s “Brividi”

Through a national selection show, Latvia chose Citi Zēni’s “Eat Your Salad.” This song has gained traction on social media for its irreverent environmental message, and particularly on Tik Tok as a soundbite with its first line: “Instead of meat, I eat veggies and p*ssy.” Ursula’s Thoughts: This song is funny and dangerously catchy. I … Continue reading Latvia’s “Eat Your Salad”

Through a national final, Lithuania chose “Sentimentai” by Monika Liu. Lithuania performs in the first semifinal.  Ursula’s Thoughts: Honestly, at first this was one of my least favorite entries. However, as I have continued to listen to it, it has really grown on me and has stood out against some of the more generic songs. … Continue reading Lithuania’s “Sentimentai”

Through a national selection process with over 20 entries, Malta chose Emma Muscat to represent them in Eurovision. Although Emma Muscat competed with a different song in the national final, she will be competing in Eurovision with “I Am What I Am.” Malta performs in the second semi-final. Ursula’s Thoughts: For me, “I Am What … Continue reading Malta’s “I Am What I Am”

After a canceled national final, Moldova chose Zdob și Zdub & Frații Advahov’s song “Trenulețul” to represent them at Eurovision. Trenulețul, meaning train, is about the railway through Moldova, which can be seen represented in the music video. This will be Zdob și Zdub’s third participation in the contest since their first performance in 2005. … Continue reading Moldova’s “Trenulețul”