Finland brought a bit of rock back to the Eurovision Song Contest again in 2014. Finland is renowned for their rock contributions to the Eurovision Song Contest, after all, Lordi did win with "Hard Rock Hallelujah" for Finland back in 2006. Softengine managed to get 72 points, placing Finland 11th in the Grand Final, just missing out on the top ten, but as I've said time and time again, 2014 was a competitive year. A pure performance based music video for "Something Better" from Softengine, showing the energy they have on stage.
Softengine were a five piece rock band at the time of this music video, consisting of Topi Latukka, Ossi Mäkelä, Henri Oskár, Tuomo Alarinta and Eero Keskinen. The band is currently a four-piece rock band, as Eero Keskinen left the group to follow his career as a lighting technician. As a four-piece, they have gone on to release an EP and some new singles; apparently, album number two is just around the corner. This song was well received at Eurovision 2014. It was written by Topi Latukka and Henri Oskár. The band competed in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2014, the national selection for Finland's entrant into the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, and they easily won.
The music video is a pure performance piece. I don't usually have a problem with these sorts of videos, as long as they're good, but Softengine fails to excite the viewers. Considering they would perform on the Eurovision stage, a pure performance-based video isn't exactly great promotion for the song.
There's not an awful lot to say about this video. The band seem quite static as the camera spins around them. The low angles fail to capture the audience in, and doesn't make for a pleasant viewing.
There's nothing else I can comment on. This video doesn't draw the audience in and they performed so much better on the Grand Final and the Semi-Final than they did in this music video. It's just not engaging enough.
Sandhja was the entrant for Finland this year, and is next on my Eurovision 2016 Special. Finland's answer to Kiesza, I was expecting this to do well, but her vocals wasn't quite on point on the night and the song was was easily forgotten during the first Semi-Final. With a score of 51 points, placing her 15th, Sandhja didn't have much chance. However I liked the song, hence why it's on my blog. Sandhja gives a memorable performance in this music video for Sing It Away, featuring great backing dancers and a visual narrative.
Sandhja, full name Sandhja Kuivalainen, has already established a fan base in Finland, with two studio albums already released, she is making her own impact. Sandhja has Indian roots and she flew out to Guyana and Jamaica for inspiration on her second album, that was released last month. This competition has given her some international exposure, even if the song didn't make the Grand Final. Sandhja won the Finland national selection through Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2016.placing first in the jury vote and third in the public vote. The song was written by Sandhja, Milos Rosas, Heikki Korhonen, Petri Matara and Markus Savijoki.
Released under her vevo account, Sandhja's music video is mainly performance-based. Taking place in a children's playground park, where Sandhja shows her club dance moves whilst surrounded by a group of backing dancers, much like she was during the Semi-Final.
Sandhja has a classic performance vibe about her, definitely reminding me of Kiesza's "Hideaway". She looks great and the song is definitely catchy, the video and the song has girl power vibes throughout.
The short narrative scenes suggest that you should let your imagination go wild, and that dreams do come true. The child who is drawing a picture of a horse and a rider, is then seen in the future riding a horse.
The video is inspiring and teaches kids to go after what they want in life, and not let anyone get in their way. Just Sing It Away.
Overall a great performance piece, that should've been replicated well at Eurovision, but coming on first didn't help all that much and her nerves unfortunately got the better of her. The narrative side is short but inspiring. I can't wait to hear more from Sandhja.
Krista Siegfrids came to prominence in The Voice Of Finland, in which she got eliminated in the first live show. She competed in the Finland's national selection which is called Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. Where she won with this song. controversy came up with her performance as she kisses another woman on stage. Her reasons for doing this is that she wants Finland to legalise same-sex marriage. This caused a stir in Turkey, who had pulled out of the competition this year, as they didn't show the contest due to the kiss. Although Krista Siegfrids didn't do as well as she should've done in the contest, this song has charted in some countries, and it is such a catchy song, maybe she'll become an international star.
"Marry Me" was written by Krista Siegfrids, Erik Nyholm, Kristofer Karlsson and Jessika Lundstróm. The song was definitely one of my favourites, it's so catchy that after one listen you just want to sing-a-long. I really thought this song was going to get top five, at least, so I was stunned at it's placing.
Finland came 24th out of 26 countries in this years contest. Krista Siegfrids gained just 13 points, this should've got a lot more. France gave 3 points, Germany gave 1 point, Denmark gave 2 points, San Marino gave 3 points and Israel gave 4 points. So this song along with Ryan Dolan's "Only Love Survives" were the shock surprises, why were these songs not voted for? However it was such a tough competition this year.
This music video is great to watch. Krista Siegfrids reminds me of Ke$ha, and I could definitely imagine Ke$ha singing this song. The whole concept reminds me of Katy Perry's "Hot n Cold". However it's fun, exciting, different and samey all at the same time.
There's a narrative, with a wedding performance. The narrative is interesting. She's idolising her boyfriend, asking him to propose to her. He looks vulnerable, as if he doesn't know what he wants, and she's this wild, crazy girl who he can't handle. How did he take this long to propose to her?
The flirtation between her and her friends is different, showing that she's comfortable with who she is, and she will do what she wants. told you she's crazy, but in the amazing crazy way. At the start she writes in her notebook: 'I'm not obsessed I'm just a woman!'. She kidnaps her boyfriend, and then performs at her wedding, where he FINALLY proposes.
Her performance at the wedding is fun, exciting and totally different. It makes me think that I'm watching a musical, and she's singing on the way up the aisle and then her guests dance, that made me laugh lots. She has so much energy, crazy freaky energy, that will be awesome on stage at one of her concerts. I really want to see her live now.
Overall a very catchy song worthy of a top five Eurovision placing, instead it landed near the bottom for unknown reasons. The music video, is fun, energetic and full of everything I want. I have a little problem with kidnapping the guy, it's happened too many times in other music videos, and surely there could have been a more original idea, but apart from that, a narrative, a performance... What more do I want? Definitely the best music video I have reviewed from Eurovision 2013 SO FAR... Can any others top this one?
