EUROVISION 2019 REVIEW: POLAND - Tulia - Fire of Love (Pali Sie)

Welcome back to my reviews of Eurovision 2019!

Today, we turn to Poland, who after their first NQ since their return in 2014 last year turned to an internal selection, with Tulia and 'Fire of Love (Pali sie)'.

Here are my thoughts:

What I Like: Disclaimer before I begin this segment: this is definitely one of the hardest reviews of this year for me to write, which is why I've left it until near the end to allow my thoughts to strengthen, but I'm still so undecided. Some days I'll love Fire Of Love, then others I find it irritating, so this might make for a messy review lmao.

Anyway, the positives. I love that Poland are back to sending songs that strongly represent their cultural identity. I can see this being an entry that the Polish viewers are proud of and it does feel like a credible entry for them that feels true to the country, unlike Gromee which managed to flop hard in the semi-finals last year. Their technique of white voice is truly fascinating and unheard of to ears outside of Poland, and I admire the fact that they are taking such a risk here. You can hear the power of their vocal, which is almost like a chant as they sing this song. Its so loud that in every Eurovision interview you watch this year, you can hear these girls which is such a scream. Also, they have delivered us some promising live performances so far that definitely sell the song in the right way and have actually sounded better than in the studio cut, so I think there are elements of this entry to enjoy.

What I Don't Like: Okay, now to the parts I don't like. As I'm writing this review I'm feeling not so positive towards the entry, I'm running on 4 hours sleep and honestly this comes across as irritating. This song really does seem to depend on the mood of the viewer and what their initial response to white voice will be, which is worrying if they want to stand a chance of making it to the Grand Final, so there's no doubt Poland are taking a risk here. The music video is also totally out of line with how they should have sold this song. Its black and white with a lot of slow-motion shots that just lack any wow-factor, and I think its a shame that the song didn't get repackaged visually in any way considering it has been out since November and this video wasn't really remarkable then either.

Prediction: I'm suspecting a non-qualification again here for Poland unfortunately. I really think its a matter of the semi-final draw here and not Tulia, though. They are in the semi-final of the risk and are one of the first acts to perform, ultimately washing out any votes from people looking for something 'different', not to mention for those wanting something more typical Eurovision, the white voice and unique structure of this song is going to turn a lot of people off. Furthermore, Poland seem to have struck real bad luck with countries with a big Polish diaspora mostly voting in the other semi-final, who I think would've absolutely connected and voted for their home country with this entry.

Final Score: 6.5/10

Summary: A unique and intriguing native sound for Poland that catches my attention, for better or for worse. They manage to stay mainly static but can fill the stage with colourful, floral LEDs and traditional costume. Sadly, luck is not on their side and I can see this just missing out on a spot in the grand final.

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