Enlarge image
Isaak sings “Always on the Run”: “That was a pound”
Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa
When Barbara Schöneberger invited the evening's winner onto the stage again, Isaak Guderian had one thing in particular in mind: "I have to pee so much that you can't even imagine!"
The fact that Schöneberger spontaneously had a saying from her grandmother ready - "Now you don't have to!" - was once again an example of how the presenter can chat her way through practically any situation in life. But the singer immediately gained further identification points with the audience with his confession.
“A lot of anger, a lot of doubt, a lot of disappointment, but also a lot of hope” is what his song contains, Isaak said in the introduction video before he went on stage in the Berlin-Adlershof television studio with start number 3 to register for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest apply.
His track “Always on the Run” is a powerful perseverance pop song about feeling average yet special. Written with a songwriting team from Finland, Austria and Spain, its “Run-na-na-hey” refrain quickly catches the ear; As a small production gimmick, a kind of elephant trumpet appears occasionally in the sound.
But the fact that this song ultimately came out on top both with the juries of music professionals from eight countries and with the TV audience was probably primarily due to Isaak's delivery and appearance. The singer walked across the show stage as if it were an ordinary Friday evening and presented his impressive vocal power. Finally, a disarming smile into the camera and a wave as the standing ovation resounded in the studio.
“Unbelievable” competition
»That was a pound! Wow!” exclaimed ESC legend Mary Roos, who was in a great mood – the 75-year-old had represented Germany at the Grand Prix in 1972 and 1984 and apparently already noticed that someone could follow in her footsteps. Isaak fits into the ranks of international singers like Rag 'n' Bone Man or Lewis Capaldi, who may not correspond to the classic pop star beauty ideals, but who win people over with emotional power.
The competition was “unbelievable,” the newly crowned winner emphasized at the end, exaggerating a little. But anyone who got through previous preliminary decisions that were reminiscent of school theater talent shows had to admit that the NDR, which was in charge of ARD, had actually managed to get together a viable field of applicants this year - and also knew how to present it well.
The ESC Bubble favorite Ryk from Hanover sang his song “Oh Boy” to the best friend you fell in love with, with a deep triangular cutout to light effects between shadows and blue-red flashing spotlights. The production by the Dutch Bodine Monet was of international class, beginning her song “Tears Like Rain,” composed by ESC professionals, in a kind of forest of leaves. It was pulled to the stage ceiling and from then on floated above it as a kind of crown of thorns, before a shower of lights poured out at the end.
But the juries and audience were neither lastingly convinced by such optical effects, nor by the relatively big names that were supposed to conjure up ESC history. Marie Reim, the daughter of Matthias Reim and Michelle, wore a red dress inspired by that of her mother, who sang "Who Love Lives" for Germany in Copenhagen in 2001. Marie Reim's smash hit "Naiv," in which she was surrounded by half-naked dancers, may have come across as a bit cheap.
Max Mutzke was perhaps a little too self-confident, coming eighth in Istanbul in 2004 with the Stefan Raab composition "Can't Wait Until Tonight": "He'll do it again and he'll do it even better," he introduced himself in the preview film. But even though he was at his best vocally and the stage production, reminiscent of Michael Schulte, was harmonious, Mutzke's song "Forever Strong" turned out to be very average. In the end he came second with the juries and the audience and tipped his broad-brimmed hat to Isaak.
A somewhat bolder choice would have been the Neue Deutsche Welle electro song “Katze,” which was trimmed to be suitable for memes and which the Munich-Mannheim duo Galant performed in front of noisy television sets. What was noticeable was that the title polarized the international juries - one first and two second places were next to the penultimate places. According to the attention logic of the ESC votes, which German delegations often complain about, which punishes the good average but rewards what stands out, this might have brought in points.
In any case, Isaak emphasized that his winning song was “ideal for the ESC because it is simply real. Because he doesn't try to be anything he's not." At least the few outliers in the sad German ESC record of the past few years radiated this authenticity. Hopefully he will be able to maintain this charisma on the giant stage in Malmö. And perhaps the NDR team can think of something more for the video wall than random digital rays that are reminiscent of an illustration of the “information highway” from the 1990s.
Routine last place jokes
28-year-old Isaak Guderian lives in Espelkamp, an East Westphalian community designed as a refugee town after the war, whose biggest musical claim to fame so far has been being the birthplace of Heinz Rudolf Kunze. Isaak took part in the talent show “X Factor” in 2011, then made a living as a singer at weddings and company parties before Corona forced him into the Hartz IV system. At least that's what he told Jens "Knossi" Knossalla, whose online format "Show Your Talent" Isaak won in 2021. Since then, Knossi's management has also been looking after him.
But now the ESC delegation from NDR is taking over, and despite the rumors that they would rather hand the task over to another ARD broadcaster soon, they showed with this preliminary show that they are still interested in Eurovision. The fact that Barbara Schöneberger focuses primarily on herself, her outfit and some kind of toothache between routine last-place jokes is accepted with some calm - as are the uninspired couch conversations with Florian Silbereisen or Riccardo Simonetti.
In the end, it counts on May 11th in Malmö in front of an audience of millions worldwide. Germany with Isaak will not be among the favorites there, the betting odds that collapsed after the preliminary decision already indicate this. But the role of the underdog suits Isaak. And the expectations at home are now low anyway, so he can only win.