Spain SPAIN 2018 - Alfred & Amaia - Tu canción

[cegs5]

I don't see anything special on this. Amaia is a boring performer with a common voice hyped by the Spanish media hungry for a new talent show icon who can help them to sell their gossips aka news..
Alfred's made-up voice and gestures are just annoying, he tries too hard, doesn't look natural, it's uncomfortable to listen and watch. The song itself is just another ballad, forgettable. The staging (which can be changed ofc) was tacky and cheesy (Maltese high levels of 90s and 00s!!!) honestly who believes in tv show romances nowadays? Perhaps 10-years-old girls, nvm.
Just 2 points for now because it could be worse.

 

[QwaarJet]

I can't make my mind up on this. It promises much and delivers so little. The staging is also terrible. Alfred's gurning is cringe-worthy, and the whole choreography is cheesy.

It's not bad though, so 5 points atm.

As for it's odds, and the hype...it's Spanish fans. What else do you expect?

 

[Realest]

I decided to downgrade my 2 Points to a 0. The Spanish Fans shouldnt have been so selfish and think instead what Europe wants to hear. It reminds me somehow on the horrible Cheesefest from 2013.

 

[carl1]

It's cute even though a little cringe. I'm not a big fan, but I don't hate it like last 3 Spain entries.
Juries may push it out of the bottom 5.

 

[Jonaxh]

People who like to trash this song: take a chill pill!

Like last year with Salvador, I couldn't care less about the result! A lot of people said tha the song was boring, a snoozfest, it will be last in the semi final... I knew that it could go that way. But I felt proud of the song we were sending! And I think many Spanish people are feeling this way. It's a magical song. I will surely vote for it in May. If it gets last place, who cares?

Be proud of Almaia! Be proud of their song! I'm sure they will do their best!

 

[Ezio]

Comparing my first reaction to this song

The song that I wanted to win the least. 4 points.

with my first reaction to Salvador

12 puntos

 

[ParadiseES]

As for it's odds, and the hype...it's Spanish fans. What else do you expect?

Yes, we have nothing else to do but spending our salaries in the odds and we don't care if we lose our money. I wonder where all that money was every year before, when Spain has never been high in the odds. Tell me more.

 

[cegs5]

It's a magical song

The only magical thing I saw was the piano. It kept playing the whole time even when Alfred stood up and left it alone to start overacting his love for Amaia as if it were a Mexican soap opera... only tears and a illegitime child were missing.

 

[John1]

Was Edurne as high as Alfred and Amaia in the betting odds back in 2015?

 

[hunty73]

This isnt the same as Portugal last year and doesnt try to be.If people want to know the real genre of this song they should read what RainyWoods had to say.He nails the genre exactly.Its orchestral pop really,piano,horns,violins and orchestra that works toward vocal harmonies.Its roots are more Burt Bacharach ,Close to You performed by The Carpenters shows how these songs are structured and how the melody works in them.Tu canción is more contemporary in that it runs the melody at a higher pace and uses a very powerful bridge.
This song doesnt pretend to be anything it isnt.Its a genuine song of the genre,very well written.The person who wrote this knows exactly how to structure a song like this because it is close to perfect for the genre.
People saying Amaia is average know nothing about young female vocalists.She is a very talented singer,with lots of potential.
This song could flop if staged wrong,no doubt about that,but it could also do very very well if they get it right.Alfred needs to lower the facial expressions,camera work needs to be intimate rather than cheesy and it needs to be 100% genuine,no props.The song is good enough.The artists are good enough,its all down to the Spanish delegation now.If this fails it will be the delegations fault.
Spain put on a very good show,they brought forward a great bunch of young artists and they provided a very nice winner.Im in the well done Spain camp,and im very much looking forward to this at ESC.

 

[JonnyWest]

^ you said everything that I think and even more people are clearly overreacting with the negativeness

 

[Jonaxh]

This isnt the same as Portugal last year and doesnt try to be.If people want to know the real genre of this song they should read what RainyWoods had to say.He nails the genre exactly.Its orchestral pop really,piano,horns,violins and orchestra that works toward vocal harmonies.Its roots are more Burt Bacharach ,Close to You performed by The Carpenters shows how these songs are structured and how the melody works in them.Tu canción is more contemporary in that it runs the melody at a higher pace and uses a very powerful bridge.
This song doesnt pretend to be anything it isnt.Its a genuine song of the genre,very well written.The person who wrote this knows exactly how to structure a song like this because it is close to perfect for the genre.
People saying Amaia is average know nothing about young female vocalists.She is a very talented singer,with lots of potential.
This song could flop if staged wrong,no doubt about that,but it could also do very very well if they get it right.Alfred needs to lower the facial expressions,camera work needs to be intimate rather than cheesy and it needs to be 100% genuine,no props.The song is good enough.The artists are good enough,its all down to the Spanish delegation now.If this fails it will be the delegations fault.
Spain put on a very good show,they brought forward a great bunch of young artists and they provided a very nice winner.Im in the well done Spain camp,and im very much looking forward to this at ESC.

THIS!! xthank

 

[VikingTiger]

I am always particularly interested in what Spain has to bring to the contest.
Tu cancion is definitely not the worst I have heard from Spain, and a big step up from last year.
I tend to like ballads. And I tend to love classic, down-to-earth (no dramatic screaming please) ballads in spanish. But this one doesnt really do it for me. The chorus is actually quite rememberable, and not too bad. But my big problem is the two singers voices... especially Alfred's voice. I find it too strainy at several parts during the song. Amaia has a sugar-sweet voice showing no edge in this song. I find the two voices not fitting each other very well. It all comes out just too-nice, too-sugary, too pretty.
All in all I find this quite in the middle of the road.

 

[znajta]

I love the song. I have the feeling Spain will do well. It's a improvement after Manel.

 

[Sultana]

In the year of Reggaeton and Latin Urban music dominating in the world's music stages Spain decided to pick cheesy song instead of ass shaking hit which could, at least, stand out

As to Tú canción, song is charming, way tooo cheesy tho, singers look cute enough but the kiss in the end is rly the thing missing otherwise it all looks too friendzone-ish Not the best so far and not the worst, at least I can remember the tune

 

[RainyWoods]

Betting odds agree with [MENTION=9441]RainyWoods[/MENTION] it seems..but i really don't see why! just look at results in the poll here.. :?

I like their vocals..but I think this will be bottom 5.. :?

It's because Eurovision fans are notoriously fickle. If only we could just judge songs as songs, and not be looking to compare everything, but unfortunately that seems hard. It happens every year, often with songs sharing little to no similarities to the previous winner/popular entry. Like in 2012 when Loreen apparently invented dance music, with poor Cascada the next year who'd been doing her thing since 2006 getting mercilessly attacked by fans for copying "Euphoria" and jumping on a bandwagon.

As Hunty explains and I mentioned before as well, "Tu canción" is orchestral pop or chamber pop as it's sometimes called. "Amar Pelos Dois" is a jazz waltz (thanks wiki). Both songs feature piano and strings, and that's where the similarities of any real worth start and end really. When we see a peculiar looking long haired man hunched over singing jazz whilst doing Mr. Burns hands, maybe then will the accusations of copying be justified. Unfortunately my San Marino 1 in 360 application got lost in the post though.

One thing I will say however is I thought people would have opened up a little bit after last year, if even just a smidgen. I feel probably some of the disdain comes from this longing for a particular type of music from Spain, and expectation for them to provide it. I don't quite understand the predictions of absolute abysmal failure for this entry though. It is as though people haven't been paying any attention these past few years. I think the jury alone will eat this up and I wouldn't rule out the public either.


I wish I was a betting man. I said that "Suus" would go top 5 back in 2012. I said that "Rise Like A Phoenix" would win the very day it was revealed. I said "Maybe" would reach the final. I said "1944" was a winner the moment it was revealed... and if only my heart could've placed a bet last year, but I admit even I didn't believe my favourite Eurovision song of all time could actually win the contest. All those songs I mentioned there touched me, and "Tu canción" does too. I'm close to besotted with it actually. Once I fully accepted that undeniable sugary sweetness of the package which was quite easy (I am a San Marino fan after all), falling in love with this was second nature. It's incredibly high quality, sincere, and perhaps the most luscious ballad the contest has seen. I can't think of a previous entry that swirls in it's splendour in quite the same way. This to me is a special entry. I hope that some of you will warm to it eventually.

 

[lavieenrose]

I said "1994" was a winner the moment it was revealed

I'm so here for that song actually being about Nancy Kerrigan

 

[ZoboCamel]

It's because Eurovision fans are notoriously fickle. If only we could just judge songs as songs, and not be looking to compare everything, but unfortunately that seems hard. It happens every year, often with songs sharing little to no similarities to the previous winner/popular entry. Like in 2012 when Loreen apparently invented dance music, with poor Cascada the next year who'd been doing her thing since 2006 getting mercilessly attacked by fans for copying "Euphoria" and jumping on a bandwagon.

I'm with you on Tu Cancion – it feels realms apart from Salvador – though I think fans had at least a little more merit in comparing Cascada and Loreen. From memory, most of the complaints there were less "it's the same genre" and more "its chorus uses the exact same chords, very similar melodies and very similar timings, to the extent where the two can be overlayed and sound almost like it's meant to be singing in rounds".

I still don't know how much I'd agree with that sentiment myself – they're certainly similar, though I'm honestly not sure how much of that is just due to genre conventions and sheer coincidence – but regardless, I think the "Loreen apparently invented dance music" bit is somewhat of a strawman argument. Instead, I'd probably just point to the obvious and say that despite some possible similarities, it wasn't a huge issue because they ended up as very, very different packages by the time it was all translated to the Eurovision stage.

When we see a peculiar looking long haired man hunched over singing jazz whilst doing Mr. Burns hands, maybe then will the accusations of copying be justified.

This entry in Hungary's selection seems, to my eyes, to be at least part of the way there. Again, it might just be coincidence mixing with confirmation bias; people are, after all, always keeping an eye out for songs similar to the previous winner. But it's got some similar elements (a young man singing an old-styled, stripped-back ballad with closed eyes and Mr. Burns hands while avoiding the camera), and I've heard some criticisms of Salvador-copying being lobbed around for it, so I was curious as to your thoughts there (and am also just wondering, out of curiosity, whether you like it or not).

I don't quite understand the predictions of absolute abysmal failure for this entry though. It is as though people haven't been paying any attention these past few years. I think the jury alone will eat this up and I wouldn't rule out the public either.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm hesitant to call it a possible winner, as I'm not sure it pops quite as much on first listen as other recent winners, but it certainly feels like it's got the potential for success if Spain doesn't go all Spain with the staging and make it end up around 20th. And I mean, bloody Azerbaijan 2011 was considered an engaging enough duet to win; surely this is no worse

I wish I was a betting man. I said that "Suus" would go top 5 back in 2012. I said that "Rise Like A Phoenix" would win the very day it was revealed. I said "Maybe" would reach the final. I said "1944" was a winner the moment it was revealed... and if only my heart could've placed a bet last year, but I admit even I didn't believe my favourite Eurovision song of all time could actually win the contest. All those songs I mentioned there touched me, and "Tu canción" does too.

As somewhat more of a betting man myself (albeit a very small-time, cautious one), I'm starting to think I should set aside one or two "Rainy bets" each year to try and catch these things early. Though I might have to make some exceptions here and there if I don't want to end up with super-long-shot bets on Albania and the like in most years

Unfortunately my San Marino 1 in 360 application got lost in the post though.

Clearly the biggest drama of this year's NF season. Nul points to the postman, Rainy for San Marino 2019, Eurovision at Valentina's House 2020.

 

[Ausesken]

In the year of Reggaeton and Latin Urban music dominating in the world's music stages Spain decided to pick cheesy song instead of ass shaking hit which could, at least, stand out

It's important you take into account the context and reputation of reggaeton in Spain before thinking that it was an obvious choice. Reggaeton has clearly a bad reputation in this country; it tends to be very sexist, banal and in general bringing a message we don't want in our society. Therefore, the image we usually have of a big fanatic of reggaeton is someone superficial, not very clever and many times with bad manners. There are millions of jokes about reggaeton and people that listen to this music genre. While I don't like prejudices, I can understand that people don't want to be represented by it. It's a shame, as Lo malo is precisely a feminist song, but still many people think it's too superficial.

 

[cegs5]

It's important you take into account the context and reputation of reggaeton in Spain before thinking that it was an obvious choice. Reggaeton has clearly a bad reputation in this country; it tends to be very sexist, banal and in general bringing a message we don't want in our society. Therefore, the image we usually have of a big fanatic of reggaeton is someone superficial, not very clever and many times with bad manners. There are millions of jokes about reggaeton and people that listen to this music genre. While I don't like prejudices, I can understand that people don't want to be represented by it. It's a shame, as Lo malo is precisely a feminist song, but still many people think it's too superficial.

Yet reggaeton (and trap) is the most popular music genre in Spain. I think that reputation is spred on social media and it's politically correct to say so in public but in the end people listen to it and dance it in parties. They buy and eat reggaeton. I can go even further and say it's the way some Spaniards pretend to look better over latinos as well, but that's more deserving for a sociology essay.

As for Lo Malo, it wasn't a good piece of reggaeton, it lacked of 'flow', the singers didn't fit the genre either, it looked forced, plastic and clumsy and that is the main reason why it was not chosen imo. I believe Spain can easily send reggaeton if the song is catchy enough.