Re: RUSSIA 2018 - Yulia Samoylova
The guitar line was a joke...
It's not much more ridiculous to think of surprising options than to claim she's only destined to sing unchallenging cheesy ballads.
Fortunately, some people out there still do whatever they like regardless of what they're told to do instead. Otherwise, I can't imagine how boring life would be.
They might have given her another standard ballad indeed, or maybe something else - more unexpected - which actually wouldn't be a bad strategy as far as the contest is concerned. It's not unrealistic to believe she could be credible in other music genres than tearful slow-paced songs.
In case you felt offended by my "ridiculous"-comment - I apologize!
Of course everybody is free to do, what he wants. It's just that wanting to do something and be able to do it are two things. Rock music involves naturally a lot of body action, not only when performing on stage but also to produce a credible sound. And that's something that is out of reach for her, no matter how much she wants to do that (if that was the case anyway, which we have not the slightest hint for, btw.). You also don't expect a squirrel to be a fantastic swimmer. That doesn't mean to devalue the squirrel.
Every vocal coach will tell you if your natural vocal register or timbre is suitable for a specific kind of music. And Yulia's voice is surely not a rock voice. It is too soft, too gentle, it lacks the rough, edgy nature. That has nothing to do with being boring - it's being realistic. Making her sing rock would come across like a bad clowns act, like she was doing a parody of rock. Her whole personality has NOTHING of a rocker! You don't just sing rock, that's a lifestyle!
If she wants to impress the biggest TV-audience with her act, she will take the song that matches best her capacities and the nature of her voice and that will be - very likely something slow or perhaps mid tempo, because her bodily restrictions will not allow her to perform a wild, uptempo, rhythmic or rocky song. Her last ballad was not tearful btw. nor did I say her next one will be. (or did you refer to my "cheesy", then you have a point
)
Russia has so meticulously designed her narrative / trademark as an artist and her act that they will not spoil her chances by giving her a song where she cannot do her best.
A part from this - I'm not a fan of hers musically and I didn't find her credible with her first attempt, but that's a matter of taste.
