Italy ITALY 2019 - Mahmood - Soldi

[Schlagerman1]

I will add my thoughts on the whole "Buuhuuu juries killed all my favorites and choosed a rap song" kind of thing. I did listen to Ultimo and Il Volo, not bad songs either, but out of the three I liked Mahmood the most. It had the most interesting hook out of the three and it had a deep message. I also add that it was pretty well performed for being a rap song in such a dignifying contest as San Remo tries to be. Italy is a country that is going through a lot of changes and have had economic chaos which noone is sure how things will end. I think people and jury members (which are people just like us here on the forum as well, not robots or anything) of course is thinking about what is happening, not only in the country, but also in the continent as a whole. With wars knocking at the doors to Europe, economic instabilities, brexit, riots in France and the immigration which people have all kinds of opinions about, it feels shaky and this song really speaks about the injustice that exist, not only in Italy, but in many countries all around the globe.

Add also that the contest is being held in Israel, so it might be an interesting idea for the juries to think Eurovision for a moment and have the thought "Here is our chance to get a song that might get a little recognation...just for the fact that he is half Egyptan". I don't say it is fair or anything, but it is surely a statement, or a publicity stunt to use this oppurtunity and select him for the contest (cause to be honest, I think Ultimo and Il Volo wouldn't have done that well in Eurovision, top 15 maybe, but not top 10 though, and I am not sure that Mahmood will either, being in a rather unusual genre for the contest).

It is nothing wrong having a little politics in Eurovision. It had always been in the contest and always will be, and I think it makes the contest more meaningful, in many ways.

Anyhow, we will never know for sure why and how it won, but he is going to Eurovision and I am still applading the daring choice that Italy once again has made. It jumps up to my 2nd place at the moment, behind an another singer with north african decent, Bilal for France.

 

[Ausesken]

Or.......could be that the juries just liked the song as much as many people here! And you can’t deny that, whether you like it or not, it outstands and it’s different.

 

[lacrymea]

Just heard it a few minutes ago and instantly liked it. It's a 10 for now, but I'll probably upgrade it later on.

 

[Schlagerman1]

Or.......could be that the juries just liked the song as much as many people here! And you can’t deny that, whether you like it or not, it outstands and it’s different.

Yes, of course, that was what I meant with "They are people like everyone else on the forum".

 

[mauve]

You could see it this or that way. Fact is that the televoters (almost 50%) wanted to see Ultimo. He had almost Mahmoods and Il Volos televotes together. The public won't feel represented. I can understand the people being frustrated, even though I don't want to change now anything. Vote is vote. There are always happiness and disappointments.

 

[Euterpa]

yes, and big question is WHY? he really got small number of televotes in such a big country and popular Festival..and they played some dirty games in voting..this spoils my joy of SR 2019! 1 My heart will break in pieces..

Ok, here's an input from someone whose boyfriend is Italian and hears stuff... The thing is, Italy is currently in a political mess. Most migrants that come to European shores, come to Italy. Consequently, Italians have become very anti-immigrant and xenophobic, even. This is proven by the fact the current, recently elected goverment is made of a coalitian that is very anti-immigrant and often makes racist remarks. They even want all Roma people to be deported from the country! The reason why Mahmood got so many little votes from the Italian people watching at home is - he is half Egyptian. The comments in Italian on YouTube are ugly. I've seen 0 negative Italian comments that are targeting the song. Negative comments are targeting Mahmood, the fact that he is of "Arab origin". They are attacking him, and they don't even know where's he from. They claim he wants to make Islam more attractive to them because he mentions Ramadan in his song. Some insulted him based on his "Morocco roots". They don't listen to the song at all, they don't hear his real message. They have no idea that his mother is Italian and that he is born and raised in Milan. It doesn't matter to them. When my boyfriend was telling me that fascism is rising in Italy, I didn't believe him. I didn't want to believe him. Unfortunately, here we are. I usually don't like to get into political stuff, but...the politics is the biggest reason for this...

 

[florinho21]

what will be eurovision without all the drama #loveit

 

[Ausesken]

What a shame tbh...

So... is he going to Eurovision or not?

 

[randajad]

Obligatory Eini Draamaa reference

 

[Realest]

You could see it this or that way. Fact is that the televoters (almost 50%) wanted to see Ultimo. He had almost Mahmoods and Il Volos televotes together. The public won't feel represented. I can understand the people being frustrated, even though I don't want to change now anything. Vote is vote. There are always happiness and disappointments.

But everyone who can calculate a bit should know that with a 50/50 Vote, not everytime the TV-Winner can be the overall Winner. If Juries werent allowed to overvote the Public, they shouldnt be introduced at any Competition.

Btw. lets not forget that Salvador and Netta also werent the Publics Choice and we all know how it ended.

 

[mauve]

What a shame tbh...

So... is he going to Eurovision or not?

In case he should really withdraw - what I don't believe - it won't be Ultimo or Loredana. Maybe then Il Volo.

 

[mauve]

But honestly … why ARE we talking about withdrawal? Did anything hint to that? Any press or whatsoever?

 

[Schlagerman1]

Ok, here's an input from someone whose boyfriend is Italian and hears stuff... The thing is, Italy is currently in a political mess. Most migrants that come to European shores, come to Italy. Consequently, Italians have become very anti-immigrant and xenophobic, even. This is proven by the fact the current, recently elected goverment is made of a coalitian that is very anti-immigrant and often makes racist remarks. They even want all Roma people to be deported from the country! The reason why Mahmood got so many little votes from the Italian people watching at home is - he is half Egyptian. The comments in Italian on YouTube are ugly. I've seen 0 negative Italian comments that are targeting the song. Negative comments are targeting Mahmood, the fact that he is of "Arab origin". They are attacking him, and they don't even know where's he from. They claim he wants to make Islam more attractive to them because he mentions Ramadan in his song. Some insulted him based on his "Morocco roots". They don't listen to the song at all, they don't hear his real message. They have no idea that his mother is Italian and that he is born and raised in Milan. It doesn't matter to them. When my boyfriend was telling me that fascism is rising in Italy, I didn't believe him. I didn't want to believe him. Unfortunately, here we are. I usually don't like to get into political stuff, but...the politics is the biggest reason for this...

Absolutely, it is my understanding on the whole thing as well, and I have read also that Bilal in France has experienced a lot of the same stuff and that is unacceptable. I remember several artists having the same reaction in their contries, including Loreen in Sweden and Dami Im in Australia to name two in the recent past.
We are living in a time that hasn't been this politically chaotic since the 70s and back then it did also affect the contest, having a lot of political songs. Greece 76, Israel 74, Yugoslavia 74, Portugal 74, 75, 76, even Italy 74 and so on, all songs that touched the climate that existed in Europe at the time. Let's add the Eurovision 1990 in Zagreb, where roughly counted 80% of the songs were being about freedom and "the rebirth of Europe". It is nothing new, thinking the last years songs that also done rather well in the contest which also have had a political point of view.

But we shouldn't be afraid of political songs. Sometimes we need songs that touches our thoughts, making us think on how the world look. Don't get me wrong, I love romantic ballads, like Salvador Sobrals and I do enjoy a eurotrash song like Moldovas last year, but I also love when the songs do touch some political substance. This contest is really taking the temperature on Europe and it is the political songs that I can look back on in 20 years time and think "Yeah, now I do remember how the world looked like". The world looked very different in 1998 when the first transexual singer won Eurovision, and in 2018, a cute, slightly chubby girl from Tel Aviv sang a song that pinpoints the #metoo-movement. Two winners that really made a mark in history, whatever our feelings towards it, we just know that at that moment, Europe looked in a certain way and the winds were blowing in that direction. And that is the beauty of this contest I think, and something we will have to cherish.

 

[Ezio]

Soldi is really fantastic. I feel it deserves my no.1 spot already, but I have too much of a soft spot for Bilal Halali to take away the crown from him already.

Anyways, Italy never fails to deliver, it is the superior musical nation of Europe, no doubt about that. Although not every song in San Remo was great, especially one of those fan favourites. I was really disappointed by Il Volo, because I love opera, but "Musica che resta", well it doesn't stay with me. A very cheesy song by the book, I expected better after so many great songs from this fantastic trio.

Ultimo had a very good song, emotionally arousing, but not too original. Sounded like a big Italo ballad like so many, so I am happy he did not win, unlike him. I hope his true colours keep him away from Eurovision for good.

I also don't get the hype for Loredana Berté. Her husky voice I did not enjoy, her attire was totally tacky and the song overall good, but not heaven sent. Sadly, she herself, seems to overrate herself as well.

So, very happy for Mahmood. Funny, that Israel will host an Egyptian-born and a Maghreb immigrant born singer now. I hope there will be no scandal about something Mahmood might have said about Israel, Palestine, in the past.

 

[Antho]

I honestly don't care if the public doesn't feel represented. Last year they chose a song standing for people's rights all over the world and fighting against terrorism and now, they're being jealous and racist towards a guy because he has an Egyptian father and puts two sentences in arabic in his song? Like what the hell Italy? I'm pretty glad jury saved this, because despite all the drama, this is still the best song of SR this year, and by miles. He shouldn't withdraw in any ways, because hate shouldn't win.

 

[JonnyWest]

Obligatory Eini Draamaa reference

 

[Citelis]

All that makes me believe that Mahmoud can reach top 5 in the final!

 

[Milos-BC]

I really like it. It has class and it's memorable. I think this is the first song so far that has a potential for a really good result.

8 points.

 

[ESCREGION]

It seems that Italy will be for a 3rd year in a row in my Top5!!!
I LVE IT !!!!

10 points for now but soon it will grow on me to 12!!

 

[Ausesken]

I just watched this video:

So he basically complains because people spent money to vote for him, got many more votes than Mahmood, and it was useless because a bunch of journalists and ‘experts’ decided it all. Well, yeah, it happened here all the contrary of the French NF, but I think he knew how it worked before he accepted participating, didn’t he?