Eurovision 2025 Reviews: Part 4
Armenia: Parg - "Survivor"
Armenia seem to have hit their stride in Eurovision recently. After a slightly patchy period in the late 2010s, including two consecutive non-qualifications, they have made it through every year since they returned in 2022, finishing in the top ten last year with "Jako". Notably, it was also Armenia that gave Eurovision arguably its biggest hit ever, with Rosa Linn's "Snap". This year, Armenia returned to using the national final Depi Evratesil to select their Eurovision entry for the first time since 2020, and this gave us "Survivor", performed by Parg (the stage name of Pargev Vardanian). It's a fairly simple, unremarkable song with the sort of English lyrics that make you wonder if any native speakers were consulted at any point during the writing process (which possibly becomes only more concerning given that there are ten people credited as songwriters on this). The whole entry does feel a bit like it was put together as an afterthought, a strange product of odds and ends left over from other (better) songs that ends up reading as a desperate attempt to save a decidedly half-hearted effort. It makes use of several popular elements in previous Eurovision songs: the anthemic chorus, the 'ethnic section' and rousing refrain, but I don't think it all comes together properly. "Survivor" has a real thumping beat throughout, but unfortunately I think that coupled with some of the lyrical choices ("I'm a survivor, stay aliv-er" springs to mind), it might end up coming off as clunky.
One thing I can't deny is that the song is catchy, with a rowdy and defiant energy that will definitely appeal to a portion of the viewing audience - there's not really much subtext to this, it's uncomplicated and I think that's fine. The Armenian elements in the middle of the song provide a nice contrast to what's going on around them, and I do trust Armenia to get it right on stage, so hopefully this could be one of the entries this year that is elevated when we get to Basel. However, it still feels for me like there's too much that could go wrong. Parg's vocals have seemed to be fairly good whenever we've seen him perform live, but due to the aforementioned energy of the song, I think a relatively small mistake or missed note could really throw this off, and I'm not sure whether Parg would be able to bring the feeling back if that did happen. The song isn't particularly challenging to sing, so if this does get to the final, juries will be expecting this to be executed very well. The performance at Depi Evratesil didn't fill me with confidence, and there are arguably several packages this year that match the jurors' criteria a bit more closely. This is sandwiched in between Latvia and Austria in its semi-final, both of which are likely to give much stronger vocal performances, so again I think this one will need to go perfectly on the night. And in all honesty, I don't think there's much else to say about this song. It's inoffensive, unlikely to be one that's remembered for years to come, and really, what you see is what you get. There's not much further down to go once you've heard the song a couple of times, and whilst I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing in itself, it does feel like a bit of a come down from the last few Armenian entries.
My Score: 5.5
Ukraine: Ziferblat - "Bird of Pray"
Ukraine is, without a doubt, a Eurovision powerhouse. With three victories under their belt and another six top-five placements, their track record is incredibly strong. They are also one of only two countries currently participating in Eurovision to have an unblemished qualification record from the semi-finals (the other being Luxembourg, which is a bit different given that they've only participated in one semi-final so far). I can't quite believe, given everything that's going on in the country, that Ukraine are still managing to organise such high-quality national selections and send a polished package to Eurovision every year. It's possibly worth noting that "Teresa & Maria", Ukraine's entry last year, was my personal winner, so whatever represented them this year was always going to have a lot to live up to, and that has ended up being Ziferblat, with the song "Bird of Pray". Ziferblat came second in Vidbir, Ukraine's national selection, last year, and this time made it one step further with a song mixing pop, rock and vocal harmonies. My first issue with this song is its title - what exactly is a bird of pray? I don't know if this is deliberate, and something that's been lost from the original Ukrainian, or if it's just a mistake that now can't be changed. Either way, it has thrown me off from the first time I heard this. However, this really does feel different from everything else in this year's contest, and indeed everything Ukraine have sent in the past.
The song starts very powerfully, with a sonic blast that creates an atmosphere from the first moment, a mystical tone aided by the aforementioned harmonies. It brings the listener in, and gives them a sense of intrigue about where the song is going to go. However, unfortunately, I think that is the best part of this song. The verses, whilst they do keep this atmosphere going, don't really build very much and it feels like the song takes a downward trajectory until we eventually reach the English-language section, which really isn't for me. Then we start again, almost repeating the first verse and then once more petering out. The verses feel rushed, like the group are trying to get to the chorus, but I think they would do well to flesh these out a bit more, put more of the focus on the Ukrainian parts of the song as that's where the group seem to feel more comfortable. The different energies of the verses and chorus mean that the song is very up and down, and whilst I do think it manages to avoid becoming incoherent, it definitely means that I sometimes struggle to feel at ease when listening to this. Ziferblat did write this themselves, and it's nice that their artistry shines through in the way the song is crafted. What's more, they do also perform this well, with their performance in Amsterdam being a particular indicator of this for me. I don't want to devalue this entry, but I do think that this may perform better in Basel than many fans expect, and I believe that some of that still comes from the built-in advantage of performing for Ukraine. I think the reaction to this song would be very different if it had be announced to be representing a different country. How well it can do remains to be seen, but for me, this is certainly not one of Ukraine's stronger Eurovision efforts.
My Score: 3.5
United Kingdom: Remember Monday - "What The Hell Just Happened?"
Now comes the time for me to review my own country's entry, and I think it's safe to say the UK has certainly had an interesting few years in Eurovision. So far this decade, we've had James Newman's infamous nul points finish, followed by an amazing second-place result for Sam Ryder, which paved the way for the BBC to host the 2023 contest in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine. Last year, Olly Alexander could only manage eighteenth in Malmö after failing to receive any points from the televote, and now the BBC's internal selection process has given us three-piece girl group Remember Monday, who will be performing "What The Hell Just Happened?" The song is a wild ride, leaning heavily on musical theatre inspirations as well as the Queen-esque melody that helped "Space Man" stand out so much in 2022. The members of Remember Monday have all got West End experience in one form or another, and this is evident in the way they command the stage, with dazzling harmonies throughout. Their live performances so far have been excellent, and have helped to build much-needed hype for this entry among fans - and I am hopeful that the staging in Basel will allow them to shine to their full potential. "What The Hell Just Happened?" is like nothing else this year; hints of Chappell Roan help it to feel current, whilst still retaining their British identity. In the era of pre-recorded backing vocals, I am hopeful that the girls' incredible voices will appeal to juries and possibly get into the top ten before the televotes are added. This is a clever move from the BBC, as one thing we see time and again with the UK is that we score better with the juries than the televote, the only exception to this since 2014 being SuRie in 2018, who managed a slightly higher televote score after a mid-performance stage invasion. Whilst I don't think this will trouble the very top of the jury rankings, it should bring in a strong enough haul to keep it away from the bottom of the table at the end of the night. We also, barring any last-minute illnesses à la Molly Smitten-Downes, shouldn't have the same problem with live vocals that we had with Mae and Olly.
As I've said already, Remember Monday are fantastic ambassadors for the UK and the BBC; in my opinion, their consistent enthusiasm and love for Eurovision, as well as the way they have thrown themselves in to pre-parties and an international promotional tour, isn't something we've seen from a UK act since Sam Ryder, and should help them out on the night. My primary issue with this package is the song. The main criticism from pockets of the fan community has been that it doesn't at times feel coherent, with the multiple genres incorporated in the music, and I've heard one person refer to the 'constant whiplash' of listening to what at times feels like several different songs in one, a feature that I'm not sure will help it with a first-time audience. Whilst this song feels a lot more musical theatre, Remember Monday's previous vibe has leant a lot more towards country themes (in fact, I discovered the group in 2021 through their country rendition of Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls") and this, whilst I wouldn't go so far as to say feels inauthentic, is definitely a departure from that. When Remember Monday were first rumoured to be the UK's artist this year, I listened to some of their recent releases (which were actually released during the eligibility period for this year's Eurovision) and one song in particular stood out to me, which was "Prove Me Right". The song is an incredible showcase of the girls' vocals, and is reminiscent of a very 90s, Wilson Phillips, sound which I don't think would have sounded out of place at Eurovision. Notably, the song is from an EP written by Remember Monday alongside a handful of British and American songwriters - and this writing dynamic is common to much of their back catalogue. However, "What The Hell Just Happened?" is written by Remember Monday alongside British and Danish songwriters who seem to have been brought in specifically to write a song for Eurovision - and I think this is where the BBC continues to get it wrong. We're still sending songs that we think will do well, rather than taking a proper risk and allowing artists to express themselves fully on stage. Every time I've seen a video of Remember Monday performing anything else, such as the cover of "Húsavík" they released for the Eurovision social media channels, I am filled with pride that these girls are our entry this year, and also a slight disappointment at the song they're singing. However, I do think this has potential in May, it's a step in the right direction, and Remember Monday definitely have a promising career ahead of them.
My Score: 6.5
Serbia: Princ - "Mila"
Serbia's track record in Eurovision is relatively strong. Since winning the whole thing on their first outing as an independent country in 2007, they've notched up another four top ten results since then, and have only failed to qualify for the final three times. This year, Pesma za Evroviziju returned as the Serbian national selection and has given us the song "Mila", performed by Princ. Princ previously appeared at PzE in 2023, finishing second behind Luke Black, but this year he has made it to Eurovision with a powerful Balkan ballad. "Mila" is an incredibly romantic song, about lost love and eventually accepting that you can't be with someone. Princ has shared that the song is about a difficult period in his personal life, and the emotion in this song comes through really clearly. It's at this point that I feel I must share that of all the songs this year, this is the one that has made me feel the most disconnected from the general fan community. "Mila" has not been received positively, and has been described by many as boring and dated. By contrast, this is one of my favourite songs of the year. I've said before on this blog that I do love anything sentimental, and I am partial to a Balkan ballad, particularly when it feels as heartfelt as this one does. Serbia have brought in the big guns in the form of Eurovision legend Željko Joksimović to produce a revamp of "Mila", which has only served to build up the atmosphere and the drama throughout the song. To me, this feels simple and classic, a moment of feeling in a year of fireworks (thanks to a certain Mr. Sobral for that one) and for that reason I think it is really going to stand out in the field. Serbia is competing in the second semi-final, and their only direct competition is arguably the Montenegrin entry, which I haven't reviewed yet but will give you a bit of a spoiler and say that I think "Mila" clears it easily.
Another thing I wish to discuss here is the circumstances in which this won the Serbian national selection. Since last November, Serbia has been engulfed by protests, largely led by students, ostensibly as a result of a disaster at a railway station in which a concrete canopy collapsed and killed sixteen people, however, the cause has shifted to a wider point against government corruption and media censorship. The protests are still ongoing and have now spread to more than 400 cities and towns across Serbia. This spilled over into PzE as well, with multiple presenters pulling out of their roles due to their dissatisfaction with the handling of the protests by Serbian broadcaster RTS. Several artists also showed support for the protests during their performances. Princ was not among those, however, since being selected for Eurovision, he has shared support for the protests on social media, including showing himself attending one of the protests. I think it would be fair to say that whoever Serbia selected this year would have faced scrutiny, and Princ's initial silence probably didn't help his case in that regard - at least when it comes to the Eurovision fans. However, for the most part, the audience in May won't know this context and I think what they will see is a well-performed, well-presented ballad in a style we know so well at Eurovision. This feels authentic to the distinctive 'Serbian ballad' genre, which hasn't failed them so far, and I see no reason why it should this year.
My Score: 8.5
Sweden: KAJ - "Bara bada bastu"
Sweden: the country that many fans would argue 'gets' Eurovision more than any other. Loreen's second victory in 2023 meant that they drew level with Ireland on seven wins, and the machine that is Melodifestivalen continues to produce top ten results year on year. This year, several big hitters returned to the Swedish national selection, however, it soon became apparent that it was going to be a two-horse race between Eurovision 2015 winner Måns Zelmerlöw, and relatively unknown comedy group KAJ. Måns' song "Revolution" was a product of Sweden's tried and tested pop formula, and, whilst it may have lacked a bit of soul, I don't think there are many people who would deny that it's incredibly well-crafted. KAJ, on the other hand, were performing "Bara bada bastu", a celebration of the sauna performed with energy, humour and an infectious enthusiasm. Whilst I must say that I did slightly prefer "Revolution", I was neither surprised nor disappointed when "Bara bada bastu" won out in the end, and given the controversy that has subsequently arisen surrounding Måns, it may have been for the best in the end that he is now safely out of the spotlight. This song will be the first Swedish entry to be performed in Swedish since the language rule was relaxed in 1999 - specifically this song is sung in the Vörå dialect, which originates from the small town in Finland where the group had their beginnings. KAJ have been celebrated as a change of direction for Sweden, and head into Eurovision favourites to win, with huge support from fans in Sweden, Finland and the rest of Europe alike. I don't think it's particularly controversial to say that this is a novelty entry, something nobody would have thought could come from Sweden. However, I think this stays on the right side of 'joke entry', and carries the polish that we have come to expect from Sweden, whilst holding on to its light-hearted nature.
I have said that this is favourite to win Eurovision, and it has reached amazing levels of popularity with fans - and that is because at its core, this is a good song. But I will say now that I'm not sure how I would feel about this winning Eurovision. In a year that at times does feel a bit like a circus, I think it would be lovely for something a little more sedate to emerge as the winner and prove that slower songs can still succeed at the contest. This should do better in the televote than with the juries (again, not something Sweden are used to), and fans have suggested that this could get a similar result to Käärijä and Baby Lasagna, possibly garnering those few more jury points to get over the line. I do agree that this song should in theory be more jury-friendly than the aforementioned two, due to the polish I've spoken about and the fact that KAJ do perform it well, with strong vocals and stage presence. However, I do wonder if this is going to have such mass appeal outside of Northern Europe. This has been a working theory of mine for a while, and was only confirmed to me as more fan poll results came in. Sweden have been scoring significantly better with, admittedly their target demographic, than they have from many countries in Southern and Eastern Europe - I think that if anything holds them back in Basel, it could end up being this. I also do think that this package has been somewhat overhyped due to the sheer shock of it being sent by Sweden - would this be favourite to win if it was coming from Denmark or Iceland? Probably not. I'll end by saying that I think that KAJ have already won Eurovision, whatever happens in Basel. The success that they will continue to enjoy off the back of this journey should give them a huge career to look forward to after the contest, will probably end up dragging Melodifestivalen kicking and screaming in the 2020s, and, arguably most importantly, will put a small Finnish town, with its obscure dialect, firmly on the map.
My Score: 8
And with that we have passed the halfway point. Another range of opinions covered there, please do leave a comment or send me a message if you feel particularly strongly about anything I have said (whether you agree with me or not). Not long at all to go now until Eurovision, and I look forward to the last few sets of reviews, which are coming very soon.
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