EUROVISION 2019: NATIONAL FINALS TOP 10

Hello and welcome back to my blog!

Before I begin predicting the outcome of this year's 41 entries at the contest, I've decided to take a quick look back at those entries that unfortunately didn't get the golden ticket to this year's contest with my top 10 national final entries of 2019. It was a strong year in many national finals, so I can confidently say I love all of these!

Let's get started:

10) KAZKA - Apart (Ukraine)

This one has really crept up on me since Vidbir. This song's instrumentation is really magical and I love the traditional elements that are intertwined in 'Apart', taking us on a mystical adventure that sounds bliss to my ears. I will say that the vocals really aren't what they should have been live for this one, but in the studio cut I'm going back to this a lot and can see myself continuing to play this as the year goes on.

9) Raiven - Kaos (Slovenia)

I do think Slovenia made the right choice in Sebi, but oh my how iconic would it have been to have Raiven at Eurovision with this batshit number. 'Kaos' feels like Raiven's nod to SOPHIE with the chaotic electronic instrumentation blended with Raiven's angelic vocals. Plus that middle 8 is just the soaring boptastic moment that the entry needed. It'll never be on the same level as Zazarim, but I'm still obsessed with Raiven and her REM era and would love to see her at the contest one day.

8) Lumevärv & INGA - Milline Päev (Estonia)

I adored 'Milline Päev' right from the beginning when we first heard the Estonian batch this year and it great to see it become the underdog as Eesti Laul progressed. This song is pure joy and INGA is the perfect performer for this entry. The piano elements combined with the synthtastic production adds that extra angelic element to take the song to the next level and I'm still playing this song to death on my Spotify. A shame this isn't going to Eurovision as I do actually believe this is the best option Estonia had along with Sandra Nurmsalu.

7) Oscar Enestad - I Love It (Sweden)

I've already spoke about 'I Love It' in my Melodifestivalen blog but this one has really stood the test of time. I get that Sweden wanted to take a slightly different direction this year, but last in the semi-final, really? THAT was undeserved. Something about the production of this track is just perfection and I love the androgynous and glossy aesthetic that Oscar paired the song with in his performance. This is a real earworm and hasn't left my playlist since I first heard it, and has slowly grown to become my overall favourite from Melfest this year.

6) D'Sound - Mr. Unicorn (Norway)

I still have absolutely no idea where the 'Mr. Unicorn' theme comes from, but I loved this entry. Not only does the entry have real high budget and quality staging from Melodi Grand Prix, it has an infectious chorus that grabs me in each time, and clearly the jurors agreed that this deserved better! It just drips in that expensive Scandi production and that's exactly what I love about this entry. This was my favourite before the show and it still managed to raise my expectations at MGP, and I'm still loving it!

5) Aysat - Comme une grande (France)

I was really happy with the choice eventually made, but damn Aysat would've been a great choice. This is such a classy number and I still can't get over how underrated this was. She works the camera and crowd, and even though I don't speak French her characteristics throughout sell it to me and make me understand every word which is so important. Not to mention the biggest point of all, this is such a colossal banger and I refuse to stop getting my life to it when it comes on shuffle.

4) Aly Ryan - Wear Your Love (Germany)

Continuing with the classy theme, one of the biggest pop bangers of the year for sure was 'Wear Your Love'. This would've absolutely been the best choice for Germany and I'm still gutted that we won't see it at the contest. I can't get enough of the sensual brass and poptastic production that runs throughout this sultry number. It's selling me that international pop sound that would've got points from across Europe and beyond and Aly Ryan seems like the perfect candidate to sell me this almost fashion-esque number. Also she had a cute little treadmill workout going on while performing on stage so who's the REAL winner here?

3) MARUV - Siren Song (Ukraine)

If we're talking about the biggest robbery of the year of course this one wins. MARUV rightfully won the ticket to Tel Aviv but after tons of drama in Ukraine she sadly won't be going to the contest, so this feels like the perfect time to talk about her and the banger that is 'Siren Song'. After MARUV was announced for Vidbir I immediately fell in love with MARUV's other work and she's possibly my new favourite artist right now. I love how her music is so unashamedly slutty but also at the same time enpowering and just iconic. A true performer and I am itching to see her live one day. Anyway, Siren Song was purely robbed and I will continue to stream it and her other material as the months and years go on.

2) Ingrid Berg Mehus - Feel (Norway)

I know, I'm as shocked as you are, but as it stands 'Feel' is one of my favourite national final songs of 2019. Last week I actually took the time to listen to the entry and something clicked that had never clicked before and now I'm in love, both with Ingrid and her charm as a performer and the song as a whole. This track has a lot of elements in its production that I often gravitate towards which is topped off by the best part of the track, the violin solo. That violin solo is pure bliss to my ears and is how you do a violin solo, take notes Alexander Rybak! I feel like I should be in an enchanted forest as I listen to this sublime piece of music and I can't get enough of it. This was absolutely deserved of a place in the gold final and honestly if I had it my way I'd have this stunner of a track at Tel Aviv.

1) Electric Fields - 2000 and Whatever (Australia)

Okay, my number one should come as no surprise, the electrifying '2000 and Whatever'. This to me was the obvious and only choice from Australia Decides and I spent that whole Saturday crushed by how close it came to winning the whole thing. Can you imagine seeing this at Eurovision and how iconic it would have been? This would've took Australia's culturally diverse history at the contest so far to the next level and it would have got the crowd going crazy, and I hope that Electric Fields are internally selected or decide to try represent Australia again, because one day I do think they'll get there and in the meantime I'll continue to enjoy their other fantastic work including this gem.

There you have it, my favourites from those that didn't quite make it! Do you agree, are there any entries I should've included that ended up missing out? Comment below and do of course leave a like. You can also follow me @ESCTBy for more Eurovision ramblings. Thanks for reading!