Disclaimer: contains opinions. All opinions stated belong to the quoted person, and do not represent the views of ESCUnited as a whole.
Hello everyone! I hope everyone dealt well with their Post-Eurovision Depression (or just *depression*) over the summer. JESC has arrived to awaken you from your -fancy word for summer hibernation incoming- Eurovision Estivation as the Juniors close off the 2024 season and usher in the new 2025 Adult season. As per Spain’s commendable second place last year, they hold the honours of hosting the 2024 contest in their capital Madrid.
Our senior reviewer Boris leads the charge, and is joined by our returning writers Alexandros and Holly, as well as our new writers Rebecca and Sam. What opinions do our quintet have in store? Well, read around and find out.
As stated, we shall go over all 17 songs in running order, spread over five updates. In today’s update, we’ll take a closer look at Italy, Estonia and Albania.
#01: ITALY
Simone Grande – “Pigiama Party”
Languages: Italian & English
Title in English: “Pyjama Party”
Music & Lyrics: Pablo Meneguzzo, Alex Uhlman & Luca Mattioni
THE REVIEWS:
ALEXANDROS – 4 – “Unfortunately, I’m not very impressed, but I can totally see the Italian elements. Since this is a children show I’d like to see more of what they listen to, and I’d love to see Italy brining something totally different that is not on the table in JESC.”
BORIS – 7 – “These songwriters deserve some credit. “Pigiama Party” is a fun, catchy tune which manages to bring thematic truths (“platonic love conquers all”) on a level that should appeal to children without pandering to them, or lecturing their parents. *This* is how you songwrite for JESC (I bring this up now because examples of how NOT do JESC are to follow in later posts.) The energy in the clip is off, though. It’s a reverse “Pletenka”; Where Ivana and Magdalena were visibly having a blast bribing glum-faced children off the streets in Skopje with candy, everyone at Simone’s sleep-over appears to have the time of their life except for Simone himself. The young man oversells himself in the clip, there’s no ignoring that. Moreover, while I like the track, the studio cut is also *heavily* autotuned and peppered with key changes. Is this composition maybe too challenging for its own good? What the Italian team should do is support Simone to ensure he’s able to perform his song, because an inappropriate level of social awkwardness can make his chances go up in smoke.”
HOLLY – 7.5 – “The line between “JESC songs” and “adult Eurovision entries” gets increasingly blurred every year, but this is quintessential Junior Eurovision joy and I’m absolutely here for it. Infectiously optimistic, current without trying too hard, and a chorus that will lodge itself in your head for days”
REBECCA – 6 – “A really cute way of projecting a message that we’ve all heard a million times before. Pyjama parties are a distant memory for adults like myself, so this song has a bit of a nostalgic twist to it that makes me smile and bop my head along. The ending of the song is a bit underwhelming as it doesn’t seem to go anywhere, but overall this is a nice entry.”
SAM – 5.5 – ““Pigiama Party” sounds like the songwriters dug up a half-finished party anthem from 2015 and reworked the lyrics to make the song kid friendly. The result isn’t completely terrible – the melody is quite catchy – but the problem with “Pigiama Party” is that it’s too grown-up and too juvenile at the same time. A kid’s slumber party is a slightly silly framing device for a club anthem trying to make bold statements like “love is the answer.” Grande recently performed the song live for the first time on Radio2 Social Club, and while his voice is fantastic, he didn’t look entirely convinced by the song he was singing. In any case, it should be a fun way to kick off the show, but it may not hold up well against more the polished pop bangers in the competition.”
STATISTICS
Total score: 30/50
Highest mark: 7.5 (Holly)
Lowest mark: 4 (Alexandros)
Percentage: 60%
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#02. ESTONIA
Annabelle – “Tänavad”
Languages: Estonian
Title in English: “The Streets”
Music & Lyrics: Sven Lõhmus
THE REVIEWS:
ALEXANDROS – 5 – “So… the melody and the meaning of the music video really confused me. However, I really liked the fashion sense in the video. I think I need to listen to it a few more times to understand it better. Overall, it’s not bad, and with more listens I will like it more.”
BORIS – 6.5 – “Not a bad dance track. A bit tame for Lõhmus (this comes right after the very delightful and ESC- *and* JESC-friendly “Serotoniin”), but the sound presented makes sense for Annabelle herself. A chill “let’s hang out” anthem is thematically sound for both Annabelle herself, and the Junior Song Contest. Estonia will have to capitalize on their staging and Annabelle’s charisma to sell “Tänavad” in this field, however; The track itself is not innovative enough to make a big splash on its own. “
HOLLY – 9.5 – “Estonia have been such a wonderful addition to JESC these past two years. The video clip is aggressively Gen Alpha, but I’m willing to look past the reminder of my rapid aging because the syncopated drum beats and rolling synths are unbelievably addictive. Her voice has a depth and richness beyond her years, and I will absolutely be blasting this every time I get in my car for the next six months.”
REBECCA – 7 – “Love the fast beat underneath the slower vocals. Has a retro vibe without feeling too dated. I could just close my eyes and enjoy the song the whole way through. The vocals are quite blended with the music, which makes me a little concerned about what this will sound like live…”
SAM – 7 – ““Tänavad” was the biggest grower for me. It’s not as immediately catchy as some of the other upbeat entries, and it may struggle to make a strong impression. However, the Y2K Eurodance vibes and fairly mature lyrics make it one of the cooler entries. A lot will depend on the live performance, as the song may not give its singer as many opportunities to shine vocally as some of the other entries.”
STATISTICS
Total score: 35/50
Highest mark: 9.5 (Holly)
Lowest mark: 5 (Alexandros)
Percentage: 70%
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#03. ALBANIA
Nikol Çabeli – “Vallëzoj”
Languages: Albanian
Title in English: “Dance”
Music & Lyrics: Endri Muçaj & Eriona Rushiti
THE REVIEWS:
ALEXANDROS – 7.5 – “In this example, we witness a delightful fusion of classic melodies that resonate with Nikol’s age. This is a fantastic song from Albania. I consistently find that they deliver exceptional songs and remarkable vocalists, but their challenge lies in their stage presence. I genuinely hope they rectify this aspect this time.”
BORIS – 7.5 – “A quirky ballad about protecting nature, presented with very excessive (but tasteful) floral imagery. A sophisticated, artistic aesthetic is all “Vallëzoj” needs to reach its full potential, conform with its music and lyrics. Nikol’s vocals are good, and the song is quite catchy for a native language ballad, with instrumentation reminiscent of those music boxes that have a spinning ballerina inside. “Vallëzoj” has enough qualities to make me believe it holds more promise than what Albania usually bring to the table as JESC; time to capitalize on the opportunity with a surprise top 10 in Madrid, I think!”
HOLLY – 7.5 – “The layering of instruments and sounds is captivating – I hear something new every time I listen – but I mostly love how none of that complexity detracts from what is essentially a showcase for a vocal powerhouse. You know when someone just has “it”? I can’t tell you what “it” is, all I can tell you is that she has “it”. What a star”
REBECCA – 6 – “A very striking voice and a mysterious, whimsical sort of tone to the song. The simple, fairytale-esque theme of the song and music video are a little basic but done in a way that it doesn’t feel too tired or cliché. Overall this sort of song is not for me, but Nikol’s vocals are very powerful and got my attention immediately.”
SAM – 9 – ““Vallëzoj” has sleeper hit written all over it. Çabeli’s incredible vocal control stands out in her national final performance, and I love the slightly raspy, jazzy quality of her voice and how she uses her lower register – the Amy Winehouse inspiration is obvious. The melody is one of the more memorable ones out of all the entries, with a hypnotic quality to it. It’s a very efficient song that still makes an impact.”
STATISTICS
Total score: 37.5/50
Highest mark: 9 (Sam)
Lowest mark: 6 (Rebecca)
Percentage: 75%
THE SCOREBOARD (3 out of 17 counted)
- ALBANIA (Vallëzoj) – 75%
- ESTONIA (Tänavad) – 70%
- ITALY (Pigiama Party) – 60%
ALBANIA takes an early lead in our collective ranking with a good 75% average. Can anyone top that? Stay tuned for tomorrow’s update as we weigh in on Armenia, Cyprus France and North Macedonia.
Do #YOU agree with our editor panel? Join the discussion on social media, our forum or in our discord!
Edit: Fixed Rebecca’s review for Estonia, and adjusted her score.
