ESC United Mod Team
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Latvia LATVIA 2024 - Dons - Hollow
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WHY is this of all songs growing on me I hate this style of song 
jatojo
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We're back to my 4's here. The voice is flawless, but since it's a song contest and not a singing contest, I can't give this entry many points. The melody is rather dull, and the "another believer" part of the lyrics doesn't appeal to me.
Mainshow
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WHY is this of all songs growing on me I hate this style of song
Same, it's radio pop for the str8s.... but dunno, it's growing on me as well - his voice is very mesmerising and captivating - I think tha this entry is somehow underappreciated by fans (right now). I can totally see this qualify atm.
This needs to get the Alika treatment. His voice is on point every single time.
The problem is that if Latvia qualifies, then Georgia might not... unfortunately for me, Switzerland staying in the semi is out of the question
The problem is that if Latvia qualifies, then Georgia might not... unfortunately for me, Switzerland staying in the semi is out of the question
ESC94
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Today it was time for at the ESC kompakt songchecks 2024.
esc-kompakt.de
The verdict of the bloggers:
Benny - I don´t warm up with Dons voice at all, sounds very sqeaucky to me. Due to this and otherwise this doesn´t get me at all and touches me zero emotionally.
Berenike - If I were to listen to “Hollow” completely naively, I would have no hesitation in giving the song a good score due to Don's beautiful deep voice and the impressive heaviness (in an absolutely positive sense) of this ballad. Now, however, there's another Dons song that ranks very high in my personal all-time top: “Pēdējā vēstule”. And “Hollow” is far away, which I can’t really get out of my head.
Douze Points - I would definitely like Latvia to make it to the ESC finals again. And I'm pleased that a local star, Dons, has thrown his hat into the ring. But the ballad is at best mass-produced, the structure is almost predictable. With the right staging it could just be enough for the finale.
Flo - Phew, the almost three minutes really drag on. Dons has a powerful voice that should really hit home. But “Hollow” is just very sluggish and, to put it positively, “unspectacular”. There is hardly any development and Dons hardly reaches me emotionally.
Manu - Last year, Latvia had my personal favorite entry and narrowly missed the final. This year the nationally known Dons should finally make it. Dons has a very interesting voice, his song “Hollow” is written in the well-known ballad pattern. I'm torn and want to like "Hollow" more than I currently do. The verses certainly capture my interest, but the chorus lacks that. There is no big climax, instead the song somehow ends in emptiness - which makes it interesting again. Currently in my midfield.
Max - I don't know why I like the ballads so much this year. Actually, I'm not a fan of the genre at all. But I really like the few ballads that are at the start. It's the same with Latvia, even though Don's song ranks behind the quiet songs from Serbia and Israel in my ranking. Still a very solid contribution from Latvia! Don's voice is simply the highlight here and fits the song perfectly, which sounds very American.
Peter - Well, is “Hollow” enough for the finale? “Hollow” seems more “a bit shallow” to me, to use a punch. Dons' voice is great, one would have liked him to have a more independent and exciting song. “Hollow” ranks somewhere between “boring” and “lengthy” for me. Vocally strong, dramaturgically average.
Rick - Even before “Hollow” had won the preliminary round, I thought it would be a very strong contribution for Latvia that could easily reach the ESC final. But now, unfortunately, Dons is pretty much lost in the field of participants, and I don't think that the number will be successful in Malmö. Nevertheless, it is a very high-quality and well-made song that somehow seems particularly strong due to its simplicity. I also like Don's voice - but unfortunately that special something is missing.
at the ESC kompakt songchecks 2024.
ESC-Songcheck kompakt 2024 (28) – Lettland: „Hollow“ von Dons - ESC kompakt
Mit einem seiner bekanntesten Sänger will Lettland in diesem Jahr zurück ins ESC-Finale. „Hollow“ heißt die dramatische Pop-Ballade von Dons, der damit den lettischen Vorentscheid Super…
The verdict of the bloggers:
Benny - I don´t warm up with Dons voice at all, sounds very sqeaucky to me. Due to this and otherwise this doesn´t get me at all and touches me zero emotionally.
Berenike - If I were to listen to “Hollow” completely naively, I would have no hesitation in giving the song a good score due to Don's beautiful deep voice and the impressive heaviness (in an absolutely positive sense) of this ballad. Now, however, there's another Dons song that ranks very high in my personal all-time top: “Pēdējā vēstule”. And “Hollow” is far away, which I can’t really get out of my head.
Douze Points - I would definitely like Latvia to make it to the ESC finals again. And I'm pleased that a local star, Dons, has thrown his hat into the ring. But the ballad is at best mass-produced, the structure is almost predictable. With the right staging it could just be enough for the finale.
Flo - Phew, the almost three minutes really drag on. Dons has a powerful voice that should really hit home. But “Hollow” is just very sluggish and, to put it positively, “unspectacular”. There is hardly any development and Dons hardly reaches me emotionally.
Manu - Last year, Latvia had my personal favorite entry and narrowly missed the final. This year the nationally known Dons should finally make it. Dons has a very interesting voice, his song “Hollow” is written in the well-known ballad pattern. I'm torn and want to like "Hollow" more than I currently do. The verses certainly capture my interest, but the chorus lacks that. There is no big climax, instead the song somehow ends in emptiness - which makes it interesting again. Currently in my midfield.
Max - I don't know why I like the ballads so much this year. Actually, I'm not a fan of the genre at all. But I really like the few ballads that are at the start. It's the same with Latvia, even though Don's song ranks behind the quiet songs from Serbia and Israel in my ranking. Still a very solid contribution from Latvia! Don's voice is simply the highlight here and fits the song perfectly, which sounds very American.
Peter - Well, is “Hollow” enough for the finale? “Hollow” seems more “a bit shallow” to me, to use a punch. Dons' voice is great, one would have liked him to have a more independent and exciting song. “Hollow” ranks somewhere between “boring” and “lengthy” for me. Vocally strong, dramaturgically average.
Rick - Even before “Hollow” had won the preliminary round, I thought it would be a very strong contribution for Latvia that could easily reach the ESC final. But now, unfortunately, Dons is pretty much lost in the field of participants, and I don't think that the number will be successful in Malmö. Nevertheless, it is a very high-quality and well-made song that somehow seems particularly strong due to its simplicity. I also like Don's voice - but unfortunately that special something is missing.
njdevils94
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HectorDM
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To be honest, Dons possesses an incredibly powerful voice that truly resonates - typically, I'm not a fan of ballads, but this year's entries from Latvia and Israel have genuinely impressed me.
One small wish for Dons: I hope he opts for the khaki suit he wore during the Latvian semi-final at ESC, rather than the blue one he chose for the Latvian final and his music video.
One small wish for Dons: I hope he opts for the khaki suit he wore during the Latvian semi-final at ESC, rather than the blue one he chose for the Latvian final and his music video.
It took some time for me to truly appreciate the song but now I am enjoying it quite a bit. I know it won't be easy but I would love to see it in the final. Also, kudos to Dons who is such a great performer.
6 points.
6 points.
Lumina
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I love his voice and Dons himself. He seems to be the perfect match for the song. The song itself could be a tad more exciting but overall, in this weak year, this is a very pleasant, immersive listening experience. I don’t like his blue stage outfit but hey, he may convince me why he had to wear it. 10 points.
Sammy
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For that it has to qualify first... He's still 13th in the odds in his semi.... I'm curious though to see how the whole performance will look like.
But the beginning reminds me vaguely of "Boys do cry" and that qualified even though many didn't think it would. So let's wait and see.
94ayd
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Second-to-last in televoting with just 11 bEare points.
jatojo
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I don't think so, but with a strong vocal, you're always in with a chance. Boring ballads have done pretty well at Eurovision recently. And in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix this year, a good singer performing a dull ballad made it to the final 3, even though the bookmakers had counted it out.
Wynnter
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Upgrading from to .
to .
lasse braun
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hey folks,team vēstulēs is here. 
allenakaalan
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OMG!! Latvia is my vindication pick this year!