How boring Old Europe would be without Eurovision and we do not know what Twitter and the rest of social networks would be without the festival. The grand final of the 67th edition of the most followed song contest in the world is held this Saturday and at this time the eurofandom has no nails left to bite making cabals on who will rise with the precious Crystal Microphone.

It is well known that Ukraine should be at this time hosting the 37 countries competing in 2023 since last year its Kalush Orchestra swept Stefania, a song that, unfortunately, far transcends the musical and has become an exciting anthem that both in the invaded country and in much of the Old Continent inspires a feeling of victory against the Russian aggressor.

The war, the damn war, has forced the United Kingdom to host Eurovision, which has already experienced two exciting semifinals at the Bank Arena in Liverpool, where they have already dismounted 11 opponents of the competition. The city of the Beatles is overturned with the contest as it had not been seen in other venues for years.

26 countries are going for all in an edition with many novelties, such as having dispensed with the professional juries in the semis, which presumably has caused some nonsense such as Croatia's pass to the final – which does not take long for the EBU to reflect if it is willing to let freakism stain the image of the contest again. Beyond that, the favourites of the year have not disappointed, with a Scandinavian power that does not fit without surrendering, although Spain has plenty of arrows to fight battle.

Orwell once said that international sports competitions were a way of waging war without shooting. The Eurovision contest always launches cannon shots of tolerance, diversity and waste of fun, although the candidates who go for all are prepared for months as the best of the hoplites of ancient Greece.

Surprises always gives us Eurovision, and this Saturday will not be less. But to play is to win, and whoever signs this advises the reader not to lose sight of these five candidacies.

Loreen: Sweden

The already winner of Eurovision 2012 with one of the best hits of all time, Euphoria, can only snatch the triumph this year the handicap that entails being the most favored for months. That or – the spirit of Marcel Bezençon, the creator of Eurovision in 1956 – that the sandwich maker crushes it in the middle of the performance. Now we explain it for the uninitiated.

Loreen is an international star. I wish many more countries realized that bringing artists with so many tables to such a demanding contest is the best guarantee of success. And he tries again for the Eurovision triumph with Tattoo, another musical stroke made in Sweden, the country that best knows how to make mainstream hits that anyone likes. The very special timbre of voice of the singer of Berber origins is hypnotic and makes her song much rounder.

And then there's that very important thing at Eurovision: the staging. Loreen's is one of the most amazing of this edition. Of course, there is a but: those who have seen his performance at Melodifestivalen – the contest through which Sweden chooses its representative every year – will not be able to help but feel some disappointment. The concept in Liverpool is the same, but come to less. It has been impossible to bring to the British city the formidable structure of two giant panels weighing 1.8 tons that required 16 technicians for its rapid live assembly.

As an alternative, Loreen acts on a much smaller device, which is what has been baptized as the sandwich maker. It is still very cool on screen, but there is no comparison.

Käärijä: Finland

If anyone can overshadow Loreen, it's Finnish rapper and songwriter Käärijä. Of him it is possible to say that phrase that was falsely attributed to Lola Flores: "Neither sings, nor dances, but do not miss it". Cha cha cha, his song, is a frenetic, unclassifiable subject. Everything in Käärijä's proposal makes Eurovision so great. Finland is crazy with its representative, who has these days placed his famous green bolero jacket punch on statues in the country such as the sculptures on the facade of Helsinki Central Station.

During Käärijä's three-minute performance it is impossible to blink. If he already surprised during his election in the UMK, the Finnish national final, the staging prepared with great ingenuity for Eurovision makes this song that is about party and absolute disinhibition on the dance floor even more fun and powerful. Pure spectacle, it is the catchiest of this year in the Festival. It has all the ingredients to win.

Blanca Paloma: Spain

The most unanimous comment these days among the patriotic Eurofans is that, whatever the Elche is, it is not possible to be more proud of a representative. There will not be many variations in its staging in Liverpool with respect to the number that was marked at the Benidorm Fest. But the pack was already perfect then. Eaea, his lullaby halfway between flamenco and electronics, is one of the songs of more quality musically speaking of this edition.

And how the White Dove sings. And how confident she steps on stage and how she transmits her art... The top five in the bets does not get off, which is still an entertainment. Spain has taken carrerilla in the contest and should not vary strategy, whatever happens this Saturday.

Marco Mengoni: Italy

Ojito with him. First, because it is Italy. Any follower of the contest knows that there is little more to say, since the transalpine country can always give the bell. But, in addition, Marco Mengoni has everything to get a start. Like Loreen -or Pasha Parfeny, from Moldova-, the singer from Viterbo also repeats Eurovision experience, in his case after sweeping San Remo.

His proposal, Due vite, is the antipodes of Käärijä's Cha cha cha. Theirs is a classic Italian ballad. That we have heard songs like that a thousand times? Yes. But we will not tire of listening to them a thousand times more. It is quality, pure and hard. And, above all, Mengoni is at his best as an artist: voice, interpretive sensitivity, tables, magnetism ... How can the stitches not rain down on him?

So much is enough and he is left alone with his ballad that even in the rehearsals it has been suggested to the RAI that it dispense with the couple of dancers who accompany him so that they do not subtract a second of prominence. Each theme needs its most appropriate staging and realization. And in this case, as the Pantoja would say, all the spotlights have to focus on Mengoni with very first close-ups.

Tvorchi: Ukraine

At this time, one of the great unknowns is what position the Ukrainian standard bearer electronic music duo will reach. Heart of Steel, his song, is very good. And no one escapes the merit that the delegation of the attacked country, in the middle of the war, has to maintain the high level that has characterized its Eurovision record.

The two members of Tvorchi excite, of course, when they explain the difficulties they have had these months to rehearse. Now, its candidacy is far behind that of Kalush Orchestra. There would be no justice in a result that would put Ukraine on the podium this year. And let's not say that the televote repeats the current of extraordinary sympathy of 2022 and makes the country get the Crystal Microphone again. Nothing would do more damage to the Eurovision Song Contest.

  • Eurovision
  • Articles Eduardo Álvarez

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