EUROVISION 2019 REVIEW: THE NETHERLANDS - Duncan Laurence - Arcade

Welcome back to another review!

Today, we take a look at 'Arcade' by Duncan Laurence, the current favourite to win the contest as I write this blog. Do I believe its hype is deserved?

Here are my thoughts:

What I Like: Bravo, The Netherlands. This must be the biggest Eurovision glow up year-on-year that I've ever seen. 'Arcade' is a stunning song and you can tell Duncan wrote the entry without Eurovision in mind. It is a delicate and authentic number what oozes emotion and really portrays Duncan's emotion in the best light and stirs emotions unlike any male ballad has done in the contest in a long time. The lyrical content here is really fantastic. The metaphorical references to loss and grief linked to an arcade and the whole 'game over' reference are genius and it adds that extra layer of authenticity to the entry and makes every element feel creative. The production fits the entry perfectly too, its spacey but still manages to strike you with its powerful flourishes as we enter the chorus, stirring that emotion even further. I'm also in awe of Duncan's voice and how he has written the entry to adapt to his vocal capability. Duncan's vocal adds that extra layer in creating a haunting and gripping atmosphere in which he uses his high-pitch register to his best advantage. This is truly fantastic.

What I Don't Like: I will say I'm nervous about Hans Pannecoucke staging The Netherlands' entry yet again. He hasn't ever created a stage show I've enjoyed, but this is such a stripped back song hopefully there's no way it can be spolied and I can't really criticise its potential staging if we haven't seen it yet, so at the moment I have no problems with this one.

Prediction: The Netherlands are almost guaranteed finalists so let's focus on where they will place in the final for this one. I do think it has a genuine shot at winning but I don't see it being a sure fire winner, in fact I even see other entries winning over 'Arcade' at the moment, especially when other male ballads that are big favourites could steal votes from Duncan in the final. A definite top 5, but they will have to pull something spectacular out the bag in Tel Aviv to pull away from the other contenders as it stands.

Final Score: 10/10

Summary: A delicate and rousing entry performed by a true artist. This song has an identity and an authenticity that cuts through above anything else and you can really tell Duncan has poured so much thought and emotion into this entry which adds that extra element many others don't have. In summary... this could be our winner.

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