Poland POLAND 2025 - Justyna Steczkowska - Gaja

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[Mrm]

Justyna is coming for GOLD!

 

[Yoozek]

Justyna is coming for GOLD!

I'd say top5 is likely if she fixes what needs to be fixed and jury buys it. They usually dump us cause there's too much going on in our performances. Or they think they're tasteless while ppl love it.

But the level of her vocal skills? Best this year, possibly this decade.
Just like with Zlata and Rona Nishlu in 10s

 

[NikolaiMoller]

This should win it all

 

[hijirio]

The only female act of the semifinal 1 (if you consider Albania a duo)

 

[Ted Talks]

Am I the only one who is confused that people are still buying she is singing the song ‘live’ in the national performance video?

I keep seeing ‘amazing vocals’, ‘best ever singer’ comments etc and yet that performance is mimed and assisted to within an inch of its life. Isn’t it obvious?

She may be able to sing it live, but definitely not like that - and definitely not as perfect as that. Feels like people are going to get a rude awakening in May when it doesn’t sound a thing like the national final ‘performance’.

 

[ayzelto]

This is getting top 10, isn’t it? With only a few songs left to be released and seeing the level this year…

 

[Yoozek]

Am I the only one who is confused that people are still buying she is singing the song ‘live’ in the national performance video?

I keep seeing ‘amazing vocals’, ‘best ever singer’ comments etc and yet that performance is mimed and assisted to within an inch of its life. Isn’t it obvious?

She may be able to sing it live, but definitely not like that - and definitely not as perfect as that. Feels like people are going to get a rude awakening in May when it doesn’t sound a thing like the national final ‘performance’.

Hahaha

 

[Ted Talks]

Hahaha

Want to elaborate or at least enter a discussion rather than mock?

 

[Yoozek]

Want to elaborate or at least enter a discussion rather than mock?

I don't want to spoil your surprise in May,
Her first reaction after watching the performance was to say "oh, I could've sung that better, well next time, I was stressed af"

 

[Ted Talks]

I don't want to spoil your surprise in May,
Her first reaction after watching the performance was to say "oh, I could've sung that better, well next time, I was stressed af"

If she sings live as well as that ‘performance’ in May, then fair play but it’s just baffling people are ‘buying’ a fake performance as a live one.

Are we realistically meant to believe that a woman spinning round and flinging herself here, there and everywhere as she did in the national final performance had flawless vocals like it’s being portrayed as?

If people actually think that is genuine live singing, then my word I am shocked by people falling for it so easily…

 

[Yoozek]

If she sings live as well as that ‘performance’ in May, then fair play but it’s just baffling people are ‘buying’ a fake performance as a live one.

Are we realistically meant to believe that a woman spinning round and flinging herself here, there and everywhere as she did in the national final performance had flawless vocals like it’s being portrayed as?

If people actually think that is genuine live singing, then my word I am shocked by people falling for it so easily…

The point is, it wasn't flawless. Listen closely. The only playback there was the dude.

But I get it, last few years with Blanka and Luna there weren't any expectations really. They sucked. This time however, we're aiming for the impossible

 

[Ted Talks]

The point is, it wasn't flawless. Listen closely. The only playback there was the dude.

But I get it, last few years with Blanka and Luna there weren't any expectations really. They sucked. This time however, we're aiming for the impossible

And therein lies the delusion I’m seeing repeatedly from people.

‘There was playback, but it wasn’t her’. ‘OMG, so flawless’, ‘She wouldn’t use playback’ etc, etc.

No one is denying she sang during that performance (even I will concede she sings in parts) but there are large parts of it where she is clearly miming as her vocals while being flung around are too perfect to be real.

Either she is miming, using playback or is the best singer the world has ever known (and it definitely isn’t that last option btw).

 

[Yoozek]

Well that one would definitely make her laugh.

 

[RainyWoods]

Am I the only one who is confused that people are still buying she is singing the song ‘live’ in the national performance video?

I keep seeing ‘amazing vocals’, ‘best ever singer’ comments etc and yet that performance is mimed and assisted to within an inch of its life. Isn’t it obvious?

She may be able to sing it live, but definitely not like that - and definitely not as perfect as that. Feels like people are going to get a rude awakening in May when it doesn’t sound a thing like the national final ‘performance’.

The funny thing is that the national final performance of Gaja was far from Justyna at her best. I'm glad you thought it was perfect but it really very much wasn't. It was off time a bit at the beginning and the sustained notes were shaky due to her movements.

Go on youtube though and you'll literally find hundreds of live performances where Justyna sings close enough immaculately, including no less her 1995 Eurovision entry where she was much, much younger and less experienced. Was she miming here?

Or take her winning reprise performance of Gaja where she's impromptu calling out to the audience, and taking on some notes differently than she usually would. She sounds gravelly even during the second verse. I suppose she must have been miming again, to a different backing vocal this time especially prepared to trick people like me?

Another example, my favourite Justyna song, Wracam do domu. Go to 4:50 for the money note if you don't want to listen to the whole song. That's live, and that's how gifted this lady is.

If the singing at the national final was perfect, as you stated, then maybe you'd be onto something but it really wasn't. Impressive still? Yes, absolutely, even with the imperfections. I'd bet everything on Justyna singing live because I've seen so many of her performances over the years (largely thanks to @Genesis) and know exactly what she's capable of. She's just this good.

 

[Ted Talks]

Comparing a Eurovision performance from 30 years ago where no playback is allowed to a national final performance with clear playback and say ‘look, she’s amazing’ doesn’t cut the mustard for me.

Ah well.

You like her as a singer, fair enough. I’ve not got an opinion on her as such, it’s the passing off of a pretty fake mimed and assisted performance as ‘live’ that doesn’t sit well with me.

I think most of all it’s her fans though. There’s a weird cult like vibe coming off them both on here, the national final YouTube performance and online. Feels like only positive things are allowed - and frankly that’s not for me.

If she does well in May, good for her. If she doesn’t, part of me might take some joy in that.

 

[AliceEsc]

Not the biggest fan of the song, although I may have scored it a little too harshly. I was focusing more on the things that I don't like than on those that I actually like. The question isn't if she's singing live, she sounds live to my ears at least. The question is if she's singing parts in English, for that I'm not sure.

 

[RainyWoods]

Comparing a Eurovision performance from 30 years ago where no playback is allowed to a national final performance with clear playback and say ‘look, she’s amazing’ doesn’t cut the mustard for me.

Well, to be fair, some kind of mustard should be cut at least a little there, as I made the effort to link you to a performance from early on in Justyna's career that was 100% live (Eurovision before pre recorded backing tracks were even allowed), and she hits all of those obscenely challenging whistle notes and such more or less perfectly, along with a later performance of one of her songs, Wracam do domu, where again, she sings astonishingly challenging notes live. Putting aside for one moment whether her national performance was mimed or not, there's tonnes of proof out there showing us what Justyna as a vocalist is capable of. If you could accept that, it would be easier for me to argue my point. "She may be able to sing it live, but definitely not like that" well, I'm showing you that she is capable of singing live like that, actually much better, if you'd watch the videos I linked.

You like her as a singer, fair enough. I’ve not got an opinion on her as such, it’s the passing off of a pretty fake mimed and assisted performance as ‘live’ that doesn’t sit well with me.

The thing about this opinion is that you're absolutely certain of it, even as I put forward to you things that display she can sing live at this level (like the a capella short where she sings the Gaja chorus sustained note with no music better than in the performance where she's moving) or how even as a fan, I admit that the performance was far from perfect, that it was actually rather shaky in parts, quite obviously because of routine.

Did you accuse Nemo from 2024 of miming as well, as last I remember they were running up and down a spinning top, going all over the place whilst keeping extremely strong, operatic vocals, more controlled than Justyna even? Their vocals I feel were much closer to this "perfect" that you yourself seem to be calling Justyna here, more so I feel for the sake of your argument. When you actually view the performance objectively, the vocals weren't perfect. Every sustained note with movement could have been better.

Feels like only positive things are allowed - and frankly that’s not for me.

You can say what you want of course, but you're just bound to get responses that counter your opinion because there's so much evidence out there of what Justyna is capable of, and to call the vocals from the national final performance perfect is just not true. I feel the need to hammer that part in. The Gaja performance was impressive but far from perfect, flawless etc. If she was indeed miming as you stated, it would have been to a rather imperfect backing track.. which would be a bit odd, wouldn't it?

If she does well in May, good for her. If she doesn’t, part of me might take some joy in that.

I do hope you'll come back regardless after her Eurovision performance to let us know what you think then.

 

[Yoozek]

Well, to be fair, some kind of mustard should be cut at least a little there, as I made the effort to link you to a performance from early on in Justyna's career that was 100% live (Eurovision before pre recorded backing tracks were even allowed), and she hits all of those obscenely challenging whistle notes and such more or less perfectly, along with a later performance of one of her songs, Wracam do domu, where again, she sings astonishingly challenging notes live. Putting aside for one moment whether her national performance was mimed or not, there's tonnes of proof out there showing us what Justyna as a vocalist is capable of. If you could accept that, it would be easier for me to argue my point. "She may be able to sing it live, but definitely not like that" well, I'm showing you that she is capable of singing live like that, actually much better, if you'd watch the videos I linked.



The thing about this opinion is that you're absolutely certain of it, even as I put forward to you things that display she can sing live at this level (like the a capella short where she sings the Gaja chorus sustained note with no music better than in the performance where she's moving) or how even as a fan, I admit that the performance was far from perfect, that it was actually rather shaky in parts, quite obviously because of routine.

Did you accuse Nemo from 2024 of miming as well, as last I remember they were running up and down a spinning top, going all over the place whilst keeping extremely strong, operatic vocals, more controlled than Justyna even? Their vocals I feel were much closer to this "perfect" that you yourself seem to be calling Justyna here, more so I feel for the sake of your argument. When you actually view the performance objectively, the vocals weren't perfect. Every sustained note with movement could have been better.




You can say what you want of course, but you're just bound to get responses that counter your opinion because there's so much evidence out there of what Justyna is capable of, and to call the vocals from the national final performance perfect is just not true. I feel the need to hammer that part in. The Gaja performance was impressive but far from perfect, flawless etc. If she was indeed miming as you stated, it would have been to a rather imperfect backing track.. which would be a bit odd, wouldn't it?




I do hope you'll come back regardless after her Eurovision performance to let us know what you think then.

Trolls gonna troll, I think we can move on.

BY THE WAY

Did you see this one? It is one of the most famous polish songs, by one of the most tallented singers we ever had. And one of the most challenging. No one really dares to cover it, even the original singer's daughter gave it a try and failed miserably

I've never been a fan of Justyna, but since we live in Krakow, literally 100 metres from the convert venue she was supposed to perform here 25y anniversary as an artist - we've decided to give her a try.

Her whole concert was marvellous, she was singing, dancing, running around the crowd, she even read some tarot cards to few people to brighten the moods. But at the end, I think it was the last song, she said that she was always afraid of this one, but then came to the conclusion "well I guess I'm an idiot, I should give it a try, at least people will have something to laugh at"

Since that very moment, I'm her no. 1 stan.

 

[Ted Talks]

Calling someone who disagrees with you or has a different take on things @Yoozek doesn't make me a troll. It’s unnecessary, uncalled for and frankly pathetic from you.

@RainyWoods I’ve no issue with the discussion either you. You seem to have taken my discussion with you rather personally for some reason I don’t really understand.

I viewed the national final performance (as I do with all countries) objectively and that is the conclusion I came to. To try and say it wasn’t objective I don’t appreciate.

As for the Nemo comparison, I was dubious if they could perform The Code live after watching a couple of pre-Eurovision TV performances which were a little underwhelming and breathy. That then changed when there was one I saw where they could.

I’m yet to have that moment with Justyna, but maybe it’ll come.

I am consistent to myself as a Eurovision fan can be. And most fans are consistently inconsistent - that’s a part of the joy of the fandom. So if you understand that, that would be nice.

I never actively wish any artist to do poorly at the contest but their fans can play a big part in me no longer caring about them. Not you specifically, but the debate and unwillingness to accept different opinions can be rather off putting.

 

[RainyWoods]

@Ted Talks I can assure you I haven't taken it personally. I guess just as more of a challenge, seeing as your initial post came across as though you were stating something as fact which I just very much don't believe to be a correct view. If I believe strongly in something (as is the case here), I like to try my best to share my reasonings as to why. I felt that I could provide you with a couple of videos that show that the national final vocals which you think were mimed were far, far from Justyna at her best.

We're used to pre recorded backing tracks now at Eurovision, quite unfortunately. It would be an entire new low though if someone were to record shaky lead vocals to mime to them, especially someone as known for their capabilities like Justyna is in Poland. That would be two pre recorded versions no less, for the main performance and winner's reprise, which were both different.

The main part of our disagreement is the level of which Justyna sings during the performance. You state it was flawless, therefor impossible given the routine. I state it was far from flawless (even though she's capable of near perfection) which was an obvious result of all the movement. This is where I think objectivity does come into play, because no one can watch the performance of Gaja and say the vocals were perfect, flawless etc as you (and some of her fans) have. That's an exaggeration. Her voice shakes and cracks throughout during the moments it wouldn't be stable. The timing was off as well in parts of it. With that routine it will never be a perfect, clean vocal and it wasn't. That's the trade off for for having a performance like it. Your argument is based on the vocals during the live performance being without fault. They're just not, objectively speaking.

As for the Nemo comparison, I was dubious if they could perform The Code live after watching a couple of pre-Eurovision TV performances which were a little underwhelming and breathy. That then changed when there was one I saw where they could.

I’m yet to have that moment with Justyna, but maybe it’ll come.

The mildly frustrating thing about this is I've literally linked you to a short of Justyna singing the sustained note with no music, just standing still after the national final. Watch it and you will see she can casually hit those notes effortlessly, better and much clearer than during the NF performance.

So Nemo was indeed capable of doing all of these intense movements, acrobatics and daring tricks whilst singing incredibly well, whereas it's beyond the realm of possibility that Justyna would be able to also, despite her decades of experience and proving countless times, including at Eurovision previously, what she's capable of?



I mean, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree until May as I don't believe I can convince you, same for you with me (I'd need some evidence or better reasoning for a start). We'll find out how the song is performed at Eurovision this May.

I never actively wish any artist to do poorly at the contest but their fans can play a big part in me no longer caring about them. Not you specifically, but the debate and unwillingness to accept different opinions can be rather off putting.

I'd never wish an artist to fail at the contest unless they themselves are not a very nice person. It's true what you say about the fandom though in that there are a lot of people in the community that are unwilling to accept opinions different to their own. It's why I'd never make Youtube videos on Eurovision as then you'd have all the doughnuts in the comments insulting your entire family tree because you're not into their favourite entry, or you've dared to place it something like 5th in your ranking as opposed to 1st. It's why the only place I'm active is this forum. A large part of the fandom has become very toxic and pea-brained, quite sadly.