The question has been asking for years: does RTVE really want to win the festival again, more than five decades after its only victories (with Massiel and Salomé)? The candidates to represent it this year suggest a renewed interest in trying, given the improved general level compared to previous editions. We review the 14 finalist songs (selected from the total of 886 received), which will compete from January 26 to 29 at the Benidorm Fest. Objective: to reach the final of the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, on May 14 in Turin.
Azúcar Moreno, ‘Postureo’
Veterans on the attack: Encarna and Toni Salazar restore the positive meaning of ‘postureo’ (eager to “test & rdquor; the“ fire & rdquor; of their object of desire: “give me that waist, my temptation & rdquor;) and show off their southern power at the stroke of electro- flamenco with arabic borders. His second Eurovision bid after the honorable fifth place in 1990 with ‘Bandido’.
Blanca Paloma, ‘Secret of water’
Although it starts with mystical ‘jonda’ like the Rosalía from before, this song mutates into a ‘new age’ song with a beautiful melodic twist and atmospheric density, with which the Elche Blanca Paloma cries out to unravel an unfathomable mystery. This poetic composition sounds in the closing credits of the docuserie ‘Lucía en la cobweb’ (TVE).
Chanel, ‘SloMo’
Make way for dembow, a tropical rhythm related to reggaeton, here in the sensual voice of Chanel Terrero, a Cuban by birth who settled in Olesa de Montserrat at the age of three and here warns us of her intentions: “ready to break hip” , break heart ‘& rdquor ;. The song’s songwriters include Keith Harris, author of several hits for The Black Eyed Peas.
Gonzalo Hermida, ‘Who would have said it’
Baladón with a swirling chorus and in ‘crescendo’, with heartfelt metaphysical speculations on “what could not and what could be & rdquor ;. A canonical letter, somewhat conventional, from this man from Cádiz whom Sergio Dalma and Malú have signed as a composer on their latest albums.
Javiera Mena, ‘Guilt’
It is surprising to see the audacious Chilean creator (based in Madrid), an artist with a 15-year career in this competitive setting. ‘Culpa’ stands out in this lot with its defiance of moral conventions, “far from good, far from evil & rdquor ;, on a galloping electro-pop open to the vocal turn with ‘autotune’ and the gothic touch of the church organ.
Luna Ki, ‘I’m going to die’
One of the most original proposals is this crossing of K-pop with ‘punkie’ guitars and trapper vocals in which Luna Górriz, from Barcelona, points out ways of a ‘dark’ diva coming from the future. Song about getting by through the shadows of the dependent relationship, self-medication and raving.
Marta Sango, ‘You are still on my mind’
‘Triunfita’ from the 2018 vintage, the Malaga-born Marta Sánchez Gómez slides a glance at an old love, wrapping it in a beautiful eighties pop of synthesizers and pastel colors. Forced balances between nostalgia and self-esteem: “You are still in my mind / although now you go with other people / that I don’t find interesting / With what I had, I had enough & rdquor ;.
Rayden, ‘Calle de la Llorería’
This subject has crumb, although its intense narrative is of uncertain decoding among the European audience. Wrapped in clapping hands and percussions, David Martínez radiographs modern evils defending insecurity and vulnerability, and sending offenders already offended “to cry on Calle de la Llorería & rdquor ;. Well, someone had to say it.
Rigoberta Bandini, ‘Ay, mama’
The converted Paula Ribó, ex-The Mamzelles (“envàs, on vas? & Rdquor;), skillfully vindicates motherhood and breastfeeding in public spaces (“ I don’t know why our boobs are so scary / without them there would be no humanity or beauty & rdquor 😉 invoking the pictorial image of Delacroix’s Marianne. Long and invasive chorus about a pop ‘Eurodance’ with high expectations.
Sara Deop, ‘Make You Say’
An urban dance artifact, bilingual (English-Spanish), although lacking a hook that gives it distinction among these finalists. The Mallorcan Sara Deop, granddaughter of the Colombian sports announcer Édgar Perea, will assert her beautiful voice, which she already exhibited four years ago (when she was only 13) on the ‘La Voz kids’ shuttle.
Tanxugueiras, ‘Earth’
This trio of ‘pandereteiras’ by Teo (La Coruña) intends to bring Galician to Eurovision and moves a piece in favor of the co-official languages (and beyond: repeats the phrase “non hai fronteiras & rdquor; in Catalan, Basque, Spanish and also in Asturian) on the back of a powerful traditional song, the alalá. If they ended up going to Turin, it would be the first time that RTVE attended the festival in a language other than Spanish.
Unique, ‘Best’
A ration of pharaonic pop with telluric drums roll and echoes of Coldplay, that of this ‘boy band’ of mixed origin (an Andalusian, a Mallorcan, a Madrilenian and a Dominican) and bearer of ambitious messages: the song, dedicated “to the humanity & rdquor ;, thus in general, invokes collective self-esteem, since “we were never good at crying, hey, hey & rdquor ;.
Varry Brava, ‘Raffaella’
Cunning move, that of this horny band of fans of Barry White and Mina, when they make the ball to the host country with a sympathetic tribute to Carrà under the sign of the mirror ball and whose lyrics combine some “pa-pa-pa- para & rdquor; very camp with cañí rhymes: “I love you / bullfighter & rdquor ;. Happy song with many possibilities.
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Xeinn, ‘Eco’
The Madrid-born Alejandro Agudín will try his luck with this modern pop number, with electronic fibers and self-pitying chorus: Xeinn feels “like a doll, a zombie behind an echo & rdquor ;, searching the corners for his better half. But we will not underestimate it: one of his co-authors turns out to be the Swede Thomas G: son, who scored Loreen’s victory with ‘Euphoria’, although that was ten years ago.
Reference-www.elperiodico.com