EUROVISION 2019 REVIEW: PORTUGAL - Conan Osíris - Telemóveis

Welcome back to my reviews!

Today we turn to one of my favourite countries, both in Eurovision and in general, Portugal. After possibly the best Festival da Canção in some time, have chosen 'Telemóveis' by Conan Osíris.

Here are my thoughts:

What I Like: I mean, where do you even begin? This is a high art experience that seems to have visited us from 2059. This bakes traditional elements into a futuristic non-linear masterpiece that I simply can't get enough of. From first listen I was hooked on this song's unconventional structure and vibe. What most people don't realise is Telemóveis is actually a song about a loved one who passed, and he tries to use his mobile phone to contact them in heaven but obviously gets no response. Therefore, he tries to shoot an arrow into the sky to reach them in heaven. With context this 'wacky' entry soon becomes no joke, and I actually becomes really meaningful and intriguing with the arrow and fairy-esque costume. However, I understand that this song is unexpected and its unpredictable uptempo beat juxtaposed with such a message may just present itself as a joke to a non-Portuguese audience, but honestly I don't care because I'm too engaged by Conan and this crazy performance.

Not to mention Conan is an ARTIST. His previous bodies of work are like no other and I love how he has translated his signature sound and performance to Festival da Canção , and hopefully to Eurovision. I love when people think outside of the box and give us something we haven't seen before, and Portugal have once again managed to do just that.

What I Don't Like: One real minor thing for this part. Similar to Salvador Sobral in 2017, Conan insists on singing this song differently each time and changing up the notes which I actually find annoying. He sings it just fine in the studio cut, it doesn't need to be switched up and sang out of tune. I hope he restricts that and just sings the song the way its meant to be when it matters.

Prediction: For as many people who love Telemóveis, there are going to be many people who are turned off by this one. This is by far the most unpredictable entry of this year, I personally love it and see a pathway through to the final for this one, but then Portugal's track record at the contest isn't the best and I worry this could just end up being too much for people who aren't prepared for such a dynamic entry. I'm predicting it will qualify, but I have absolutely no faith in that because this could swing either way.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Summary: A fantastic art piece that I'm overjoyed has made its way to the contest. Its unlike no other but in a fantastic way, and its a breath of fresh air to review songs that give you a lot to discuss. Whether you like it or not Conan and Portugal are taking a huge risk with this one and I hope that it pays off.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a like on this post and check out my other blog posts. Also, feel free to follow me @ESCTBy for more Eurovision ramblings!