Now, this was one of my favourites from this year's Eurovision Song Contest. This was totally one of my frontrunners to win the whole thing until I saw the rehearsals and their staging - that completely dropped any chance that they had; believe it or not, staging can change the whole outcome. Timebelle represented Switzerland with their song "Apollo" gaining 97 points, placing them 12th in the second semi-final; they got 49 points in televoting and 48 points in the jury vote. The music video is classy and shows the trio as a great professional group; on stage, it was a totally different story and just didn't connect well with both the viewers at home and the juries. Watch the trio Timebelle perform this song in a classy building, looking incredible as leaves cascade down them before they meet up with old people and get them to dance in the Eurovision 2017 "Apollo" music video.
Timebelle are a three-piece group consisting of Miruna Mănescu, Samuel Forster, and Emanuel Daniel Andriescu. They used to be a five-piece group and attempted to represent Switzerland at Eurovision previously in Die Entscheidungsshow in 2015, they placed second, just missing out. They returned as a three-piece, this year and won the contest. Unfortunately, they didn't make it through the second semi-final. The song was phenomenal, and is still one of my favourites; however, the staging totally ruined the whole thing and I am disappointed with Switzerland on the whole decision of the stage production. Regardless, I'll continue to support Timebelle, and I hope they continue making brilliant music. This song was written by Elias Näslin, Nicholas Günthardt, and Alessandra Günthardt.
The trio worked with Next Generation Media for this music video, which was filmed in Romania. It's set inside a very classy old building, and the trio looks completely classy and stunning throughout, especially Miruna Mănescu. I really wished they used this theme on the Eurovision stage, I'm sure that it would've given them the much-needed points to get through to the Grand Final.
There are a few scenes spotted throughout this music video, the main performance piece where the trio is seen dressed in black; then there's the scene with the old men and women, some of which are couples, clearly waiting for Timebelle to turn up and get the party started - which is exactly what they do towards the end of the music video; and, then, there's the falling leaves scene, which is just beautiful throughout.
If anything, this music video easily represents Timebelle in the most perfect way. I will forever keep on wishing they had brought this to the Eurovision stage, this is exactly what should've been shown. The song is about following your dreams, fighting for them, and getting them in the end because you never gave up. This is the sort of music we all need to encourage us to keep fighting, me more so than others because I've been very up and down lately.
Overall this music video is perfect in every way. It's relatable, it's different, it's stunning, and it's something I'm more than happy to watch again and again and again. Timebelle may not have made the Grand Final, they may not have won the competition, but they've definitely turned me into a fan, and I believe I'm not the only one. I can't wait to see what they release next.
This was the whistling song in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 and it's definitely upbeat, which definitely helped overall. Sebalter entered for Switzerland and managed to get them 64 points placing the country 13th, which is pretty good going. This cute number will definitely cheer you up, unless you're like me and can't whistle at all, and so can't whistle along with everyone else. Sebalter is the "Hunter of Stars" as he whistled his way through a hotel as a concierge and a hotel chef, as well as the Eurovision Song Contest, finally winning everyone over including his boss.
Sebalter, real name Sebastiano Paù-Lessi, was originally a part of a group called The Vad Vuc, who went on to release three albums before he left to pursue a solo career. He entered Die Große Entscheidungsshow, which is Switzerland's national selection process, in which he won in 2014. The song did well at Eurovision and even did well in charts around Europe after the contest. Sebalter went on to release an album and a follow-up single but has since not released anything new. The song was written by Sebastiano Paù-Lessi.
The video was directed by Nick Rusconi and was filmed at Hotel Royal Splendide in Lugano, Switzerland. Quite tongue-in-cheek and definitely upbeat to go with the song, Sebalter plays a comical character and really shows his acting abilities, and slight dance moves.
Working inside of a hotel, Sebalter releases singing energy in front of unexpected guests, and his very unhappy boss. Even worse, is when he is in the kitchen making spaghetti and it flies through the air and lands on his boss, which was obviously going to happen. But finally, after joyfully playing his song up and down the corridor on the luggage cart, he settles down, playing his song and wins his boss over.
A great happy performance piece with a very obvious yet comical narrative piece. Overall this video is great fun and hilarious. Yet the song has a hidden meaning behind the deceptive lyrics and it is quite emotional. Yet they've focused on the happy sound of the song and the cheerfulness of the song is why it did so well at Eurovision.
Have I just watched some Sia promotional video? This certainly isn't anything professionally official, and yet is is classed as the official music video for the Switzerland Entry into the Eurovision Song Contest, which came 18th in the second semi-final with only 28 points. Actually a really nice song, but the performance totally let itself down. Rykka performs side-on during this emotional song that is not portrayed visually at all, but is definitely better performed than her Eurovision performance, although visually it isn't.
Kicking off my Eurovision 2016 Special is Rykka, real name Christina Rieder. She comes from Canada, and originally released acoustic folk music under her real name, She soon developed a taste for pop music and Rykka was born. She is on a new path now and although she failed at Eurovision, it may not be the last time we see her, clearly she's a trier, and triers always come on top, eventually. The song is about standing for love at the end of the world. It was written by Christina Maria Rieder, Mike James, Jeff Dawson and Warne Livesey.
This music video is completely bland. Rykka stands out purely because there is nothing else in the video, just black space.
Rykka is put on a spotlight, but there's nothing to watch because she isn't even looking at the camera, and as for performance vibes, they are aimed the wrong way.
There is just nothing to this, nothing for me to comment on, and I am pretty sure Rykka is a much better performer than she is in this music video. She showcased that during the Semi-Finals, apart from her awkward knee-bending that made no sense whatsoever. However, great song that would've done well if not for the performance of the song.
Takasa, are a six piece band. They were originally called Heilsarmee, but due to the Eurovision rules that forbid political and religious content, Heilsarmee had to change it's name to Takasa since Heilsarmee is German for 'Salvation Army'. The name Takasa is a Swahili verb meaning 'to purify', but it has also come to attention that Takasa is an acronym for The Artists Known As Salvation Army, which is amazingly clever. They consist of Sarah Breiter, Jonas Gygax, Katharina Hauri, Christoph Jakob, Emil Ramsauer and Michel Sterckx. Their age difference is surprising, Sarah Breiter is just 22 years old whereas Emil Ramsauer is 95 years old, making him the oldest musician to perform in the Eurovision Song Contest.
"You And Me" was written by Georg Schlunegger, Roman Camenzind and Fred Herrmann. The song is about love and endearment, and I really thought this was going to make it through to the final. It makes me feel happy and I just want to play it again as soon as I hear it. Takasa (known as Heilsarmee back then) competed in the Swiss national selection show called Die Grosse Entscheidungs Show, where they won with this song. I just cannot believe they didn't get through to the final.
Switzerland took part in the second Semi Final. They came a respectable 13th out of 17 countries, beating one of my favourites PeR whose song was "Here We Go" for Latvia. Takasa gained 41 points. They got 6 points from Finland, 2 points from Malta, 1 point from Bulgaria, 5 points from Iceland, 3 points from Greece, 2 points from Armenia, 6 points from Hungary, 3 points from Norway, 2 points from Albania, 10 points from France and 1 point from Germany.
This music video has little to it, but I can't help but laugh at some of the things that is going on. Emil Ramsauer is picked up on the way, he's posing as a hitch-hiker, hoping to get to Malmö, Sweden, where the Eurovision Song Contest was held this year. They manage to fit him in the car, and even put his double bass on the back of the car.
I like how it shows they go on a journey to get to Malmö, Sweden. And surely they've already done that competing in the national selection. But this is a journey in a compact car that seems to have only five seats... How does six people safely drive in a five seater car? Maybe someone's in the boot?
The various scenes out of the car include picking Emil Ramsauer up, going the wrong way, having to push the car, singing and playing their instruments on the ferry, passing people on the street, as well as the men standing on the side, surely they're not doing what we all think they are... It's against the law in England and Wales, deemed under the Public Order Act 1986. But it still makes me laugh, especially when they leave one of them behind, reminding me of Tim Berg's (Avicii's) "Seek Bromance".
Overall it's a perfect song, one that makes me want to sing every time I hear it, one I want to give to people to make them happy as well, this band is in such a good mood, and I don't think they'll ever stop being happy. The music video includes their happiness a lot. I like the use of the journey, who knows how long it took them, but even I would have found it difficult to keep happy after that, yet this band manages just fine. They use green screen during the scenes inside the car, but it's so good to watch you don't even realise. The song is about togetherness, and although it is portrayed between a relationship, it can be seen in a friendship kind of way.
