Spain has has really stepped up their game recently and it shows. Production wise they seem to have gone all out. The show looks very good and so does the stage. After Chanel’s fabulous third place at the 2022 contest Spain has smelt victory and has shown not only us but mostly themselves that they actually can score well if they try. Granted Blanca Paloma didn’t score as well as we all thought she would last year. But at the end of the day they took a risk sending something very traditional and avant-garde and we love to see it! This year however it seems as if Spain is out to bring the fun to Eurovision. And I’m totally here for it!
Two semi finals and a final this Saturday will eventually lead to one winner, that will be chosen by a jury, a demoscopic vote and a public vote. 8 songs competed in Semi final 1 and 4 have already advanced to the final! I have watched all four qualifiers and written down my thoughts for you! And I have to say: I had loads of fun watching and reacting to these! Hope you enjoy!
Miss Caffeina – Bla Bla Bla
The lead singer Alberto is looking very stylish in a royal blue oversized suit. The performance starts off with the words BLA BLA BLA popping up on the screen and then switches to Alberto lying on what seems to be a big square box. He is flanked by three dancers in black with sunglasses and 2 guys pretending to play the guitar. The song is very fun and catchy and well produced. It’s a solid pop dance track that does what it’s supposed to: make you dance. The lyrics are quite simple which makes it easy to sing along. Not every song has to be about making the world a better place. Sometimes you just wanna have fun, and this song is just that!
At some point Alberto climbs down some stairs to get off of the box which honestly looks a bit messy. So they may have to rethink that. Or at least make sure the camera pans to the dancers or something. He sings it well but of course it’s not a challenging song vocally. The only bit of critique I would give it is that sometimes it felt as if the performance and the choreo was missing some energy. Other than that I’m not surprised to see this advance.
Sofía Coll – Here To Stay
This is the only song I heard before watching the semi final as it was causing somewhat of a stir on Eurovision twitter. Sofia starts off on a flight of pink stairs that are rotating. She’s wearing a grey dress that seems to be inspired by the 1800’s, combined with a big hat and some thigh high golden sparkly boots. I have to say she looks great! This too is a very fun and energetic pop dance track with an excellent hook that would definitely make the hall in Malmö go off! The song has a bit of spoken word in English which is a nice touch. Sofía sings she’s here to stay and honestly I wouldn’t mind it. This might be going on my playlist.
The performance is energetic with lots of choreo. She’s backed by 5 dancers who suddenly pull off Sofía’s dress to reveal a golden bodysuit that matches the boots. She has a little dance break towards the end and legs even go flying at some point! You can tell the crowd loves this. At the end she climbs back up the stairs and finishes on a high note, which wasn’t a 100% pitch perfect but she did just swing her leg over her head so she’s forgiven! This was fun! Definitely deserving of that ticket to the final!
Angy Fernández – Sé Quién Soy
I like when a song grabs you from the first note and this one does exactly that! Angy starts off on the floor in a white dress that shows off all her tattoos. She appears to be alone on stage until she gets up as the camera pans towards her and you suddenly see a couple of hands grabbing her by the head trying to pull her down but she fights them off. The backdrop here is very cool and somehow makes the stage look massive without it feeling empty.
The chorus of this song kicks ass! There is no other way to describe it. It’s very satisfying and really gives Angy a chance to show off her amazing voice! There’s some clear rock influences in here which are hugely amplified during the bridge when there’s this fabulous guitar solo. The crowd is loving it and honestly so am I! She has a long high note which contrary to Sofía she absolutely kills! The chorus is so incredibly catchy even though I don’t speak Spanish. I can’t help but hum along to the melody. This would be a great choice for Spain and I’ll be rooting for her!
Nebulossa – Zorra
Spain seems to love a bop cause just like the other 3 qualifiers this too is fun and uptempo. Has a bit of a disco feel. Nebulossa is obviously a well known and loved artist cause the crowd is cheering massively for her. She’s on stage with a guitarist, a drummer and 2 backing dancers who are dressed in nothing but a corset and knee high shiny heels! The staging is quite simple but effective with a red velvet round sofa in the middle on which Nebulossa crawls towards the end of the performance.
The dancers take out their whips at some point and all of a sudden it goes very Moulin Rouge. Which I should’ve gotten earlier by the setting and the red lighting. This is kinda like Spanish schlager only with a better beat. The crowd is loving it. And obviously so did the rest of Spain because Nebulossa ended up winning the semi. For me, however, the song is just a tad too dated. Though I have no doubt that this would be a bit of fun in Malmö, I doubt that it’s the right choice for Spain if they want that top 10!
So that’s it for semi final 1 of this year’s Benidorm Fest! I’ll be reacting to the second semi final qualifiers later this week! While you’re waiting for that, why don’t you have a look at our YouTube page where you will find our latest reaction video to UMK’s Windows95Man and their entry “No Rules”. There’s loads of content coming for you so stay tuned!
