This week Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) the Irish Broadcaster announced the 6 songs competing in Eurosong. This is the selection show which will determine Ireland’s entry at Eurovision this year.
Each song was ranked 1st to 6th with the amount of points given for each position below:
1st - 12 points
2nd - 10 points
3rd - 8 points
4th - 6 points
5th - 4 points
6th - 2 points
16 members of the Aussievision team have listened to and ranked the songs. Here are our results in reverse order.
6. Public Image Limited - 'Hawaii' (64 points)
High: 10 points from Samuel Lows: 2 points from John Christian, Steven, Laura, Mike, Ted, Hayley, Josh and Hugo
"I am usually incredibly cynical and wary when Eurovision countries send acts that had their greatest success in the 70s and 80s like John Lydon did with the Sex Pistols (I’m looking at you BBC, Engelbert Humperdinck and Bonnie Tyler.) However, this song was honestly a most pleasant surprise. This quirky and unique ballad makes me feel as relaxed as I would be having a holiday in Hawaii – it couldn’t be more different to John’s more well-known style of music. Also the fact that this song is a love letter to John’s wife who suffers from Alzheimer’s tugs at my heartstrings, given I have several relatives suffering this condition. " ~Samuel. 5. K Muni & ND (Kofi Appiah and Nevlonne Dampare) - 'Down in the Rain' (78 points) Highs: 10 points from Kyriakos, Fleur and Mike. Lows: 2 points from Samuel, Tim, Guy, Dale and Estelle.
"I love the rhythm, beat, the rapping and the very catchy chorus!" ~Kyriakos. "Wow, I usually don't go for rap songs but I really like this. To my surprise, I have ranked it second. It's accessible enough for the average listener to enjoy it without it being it alienating. It is definitely contemporary. I really like the story of the song discussing the hardships of their musical experiences This would be is a welcome entry for Ireland." ~Fleur.
"I’m so glad to hear this genre represented in the selection. It blends RnB with a very British-style rap. Lyrically it doesn’t feel the strongest. Especially with the ‘rinse & repeat’ chorus. Overall it works for me." ~Mike.
= 3. CONNOLLY - 'Midnight Summer Night' (124 points)
Highs: 12 points from Fleur and Hayley; 10 points from John Christian, Laura, Guy, Dale, Ted and Justin. Lows: 2 points from Kyriakos; 4 points from Samuel, Tim, Mike and Estelle
"Ooh, I love this!!! Really impressed with the selection this year but this one is my favourite. Connolly's voice is stunning. I really like the instrumentation too. It's a lovely little package that has the potential to get Ireland back in the final." ~Fleur.
"So this was the first of the Irish songs I listened to an I instantly loved it. I am already a fan of moody and atmospheric sounds of artists like Laura Marling and Lana Del Ray, and to me, Connolly is also in that category. I am not really sure if it is a competition song, but there is something very magical about it, it is just gorgeous!" ~Hayley.
"It might be, but I am completely apathetic about this entry." ~John Christian.
"‘Midnight Summer Night’ is less of a song and more of a vibe. Fortunately for CONNOLLY, those vibes are immaculate. This song is so atmospheric and dreamy, and I’m keen to see how it translates to the stage." ~Laura.
"This song really appeals to my musical taste and will probably get the biggest run in my playlist, however I'm not sure it's the best competition song from the line-up. Connolly has a great melancholic vocal style however, which could create a really engaging performance if done well live. The writing and production on the song is high quality and I think it boarders the indie and main stream pop sound beautifully. " ~Guy.
"There is so much potential here! This is really atmospheric and kind of anthemic with a Coldplay meets 90s Irish vibe. Unfortunately it's just too repetitive otherwise it would be my 12 points." ~Dale.
"A nice atmospheric track which may not translate as well as I'm hoping on-stage. I like the lyrics and the narrative this one constructs, and this is definitely a more distinctive entry then we're used to from Ireland. I just worry that, without clear "vote for me!" moments, this could get lost in a line-up." ~Ted.
"This is a personal favorite, as the entire ambiance of the song is kinda my mood at the moment. It’d be great if this were chosen and even better if it makes it to the Final, but I’m just glad this was shortlisted for Ireland." ~Justin.
= 3. Wild Youth - 'We Are One' (124 points)
Highs: 12 points from Kyriakos, Guy, Tim and Ted.
Lows: 2 points from Fleur and Justin; 4 points from Dale.
"I love how anthemic this song is!! it has great build up and it is so different for Ireland. This is going to sound so good live." ~Kyriakos. "Ireland definitely punches above its weight when it comes to pop and rock boybands, and Wild Youth can certainly continue that legacy. This song is anthemic and makes me nostalgic for the early 2000s when this genre of music was commonly playing on the radio. One of the band members Conor O’Donohoe has written hits for The Script, and I can hear that in ‘We Are One’. I also can’t help but think this would have made a great theme song for Eurovision 2013 given its title." ~Samuel. "There’s a real…… youthfulness to this song (pun unintentional). It just sounds so fun and extraordinarily anthemic. I feel like I can see the visuals to the performance already which sounds like it’s got a direction to go down . Out of the 6 songs I found this one most memorable and the one that stuck with me most. I think this is Ireland’s best chance at a great result." ~Tim. "The lyrics are... sure something, but this feels anthemic and gets a good vibe going. I also think this manages to clear the hurdle of being authentically Irish - while people often tend to focus on language or folk music in this respect, U2 is one of Ireland's biggest musical exports as well. Perhaps not a winner, but I could definitely see this qualifying depending on what else ends up in Ireland's semi, which would be a big step up." ~Ted.
2. Leila Jane - 'Wild' (134 points)
Highs: 12 points from John Christian, Steven and Estelle; 10 points from Tim, Hayley, Josh and Hugo. Lows: 4 points from Laura and Fleur.
"It is a very bop song, maybe THIS would break Ireland's curse of non-qualification." ~John Christian. "A decent voice, a likeable artist in Leila and a rousing beat *just* make 'Wild' my choice for douze points. I do question whether this entry has shades of a certain Lesley Roy though, with the positives and negatives that that may entail." ~Steven. "I enjoyed the slow build up of this song, it’s a relatable, emotional, yet feel good song with a catchy chorus. I think this could go far in the competition and I’m excited to see it performed live." ~Estelle. "This is a pretty decent pop song that has a good hook to it and is recognisable. The vocals sound strong and I think it should do well on the night. It may be a little safe but I think that’s a good direction for Ireland to head down." ~Tim. "What a great track - good production, lovely voice and beautiful lyrics. This song would lend itself to some pretty good staging (as long as Ireland don't overcook it)." ~Hayley. "Catchy and cute, I enjoy this, although I think it might struggle to qualify due to lacking impact on repeat listens." ~Josh. "Velvet vocal tone. Builds nicely to the choruses, which is super catchy. A really nice studio track with some nice production elements, I eagerly await how this translates live." ~Hugo.
1. ADGY - 'Too Good for Your Love' (148 points) Highs: 12 points from Laura, Dale, Mike, Josh, Hugo and Justin; 10 points from Steven and Estelle.
Lows: 6 points from Kyriakos, John Christian, Guy and Hayley.
"‘Too Good For Your Love’ is a BANGER. That drop in the chorus makes me dance every time. I hope I’m dancing to this at the Euroclub in May!" ~Laura. "This isn't doing anything new but I enjoy what it's delivering! It's upbeat, fun with a nice club beat that has a hint of Eastern European / Maruv brass. This is the one I wanted to listen to again." ~Dale. "This song gives me a nice clean start, shows a build and delivers on what it promises. This has a very pan-European sound and would have broad appeal if it won this selection. It’s not the most original piece of music, and I worry about it it translating live." ~Mike. "Maybe this a little too similar to mid 2010’s era Example, but I like it a lot. I’d love to see if ADGY can bring some dance moves to the stage and give the performance the same fire that Brooke brought last year. With the public vote being the sole decider in who qualifies this year, Ireland could be in with a chance." ~Josh.
"This has the most impact for me out of the selection, and it feels the most Eurovision-y. Very catchy, and I like the beat. Gets a bit predictable on the studio, but this lends itself to dancers galore. Not setting the world on fire but my favourite of the bunch and something I can see elevating live!" ~Hugo. "I think of all the songs on offer, it’s structurally the most likely to get somewhere. I can’t imagine him dancing as needed, but with a proper presentation this could get Ireland back in the Saturday night show." ~Justin. "A decent dance track that gets the heart racing and could go off if performed well live in an arena. The “too good for you” lyrics may also resonate." ~Steven. "Love this! A real upbeat number which I could see opening the show on Grand Final night. Lots of potential here for some great choreography, I’m very interested to see where this song goes. " ~Estelle.
Eurosong 2023 will be held on February 4th, you can listen to all the entries on RTÉ's website.
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