Spain SPAIN 2023 - Blanca Paloma - Eaea

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[MooseShoes]

Watched the live performance again and was mesmerised. Would never have imagined it, but I'm giving points to .

I can totally understand not getting this; I didn't get it until the live performance. But I do think this is a risk worth taking.

 

[Fluke]

Whoa.... i was totally unprepared for this, i did not expect Spain doing something like this at all. It's like a blend of "Telemoveis", "Fulann", "In corpore sano" and "Suus"..... so much to take in. At first i couldn't find the beat, it's not that strange, but it's 6/4 and there's no obvious first beat most of the time. Anyway, certainly gonna be one of the most exciting entries this year. I can keep my avatar now!

 

[cegs5]

Escportugal just released the amount of televotes in the spanish final:

1. Blanca Paloma - 9 898 votes (28,28%)
2. Agoney - 9 515 votes (27,19%)
3. Vicco - 6 030 votes (17,23%)
4. Megara - 2 908 votes (8,31%)
5. Karmento - 2 371 votes (6,77%)
6. Fusa Nocta - 1 755 votes (5,01%)
5. Alice Wonder - 1 543 votes (4,41%)
7. José Otero - 977 votes (2,79%)

It was a close call, but if Agoney had won the televote it wouldn't have changed the result.
In another article, escportugal points out that there where less 81% votes than last year in the spanish final.
This year the amount of votes was 34 997 in total, while last year there were over 192k votes with Tanxugueiras getting 70,75% of those votes.
While I do think that last year's Benidorm Fest had stronger songs, it must be taken into account that this year the televotes were more expensive, calls from landlines and sms were 1.45€ and calls from cellphones were 2€.

I read earlier in a Spanish media thst the share and ratings were much lower than last year's. Semifinals figures were very disappointing too.
I think it's because last year Tanxugueiras got a full support from their region, Galicia, where people felt more commited as it was a chance for their language and culture to be showcased.
Also, I differ about the quality of songs. Last year they were more memorable and diverse.
RTVE is doing well anyway, but they must do some necessary changes to make the selection more appealing. After a great success with Chanel in Eurovision, they couldn't capitalise it in better tv ratings.
They missed the opportunity to make Benidorm Fest a festival of national interest and are risking to keep it as a fanbase event only.

 

[HarryUK]

Maybe viewing figures were considerably lower this year because BF was a mess last year and people voted with their remotes

Now this year's was far less chaotic, people may return next year

 

[Franzilein]

Definitely grabs your attention immediately, and after it grabbed you, it never let go. What a strange, but not unpleasant experience. So much (musical) tension that never really gets dissolved, even at the end. Bold choice, Spain. Curious to which place the journey will take you this year.

 

[I bims]

It is mesmerizing... but I don't really see it doing well in May.
Personally, I like it but I don't love it. It's not something I will really go back to and care much about emotionally (I don't speak spanish and I'm to lazy to look the lyrics up, so I have no clue what she's saying). I don't know how to rate this tbh. Maybe

The low ratings are sad. But I think people might still be bitter how last year turned out and without the pull of a big name with a large fanbase, there's not much hype. The festival is still too new to stand on its own. And expensive voting + little impact on the outcome will be the main factor that people didn't vote. We're in a global recession, people don't have money to burn like that for a tv show that made it clear that the public vote doesn't matter.

And low ratings in general aren't a surprise, tv stations are struggling with their ratings because our viewing habits changed. To even attempt to start such a new show is a bold move. Let's hope it still works out in the end.

 

[Edweis]

First review of the season, I'm totally behind all ESC-related events this year but I'll try to keep tabs on the official entries at least.
So I gave . I'm not sure it's something I would listen to on repeat a lot of times as it's a little too linear for my liking, but this is definitely what I expect in ESC, especially from one of the big 5 who doesn't have to fear getting stuck in the semis. It's digging for traditional music and mixing it up to give it a more modern twist, 100% approved. Great live performance too, vocals are top-notch.

 

[Simon]

I couldn’t possibly rate it yet without knowing the lyrics, but I kind of imagined it as a devil-worshiping coven in a song circle! I think I’m way off!

PS: I’d actually like to see that.

 

[Bobjan FR]

I discovered the song by watching the semi-finale : i have been impressed by the performance, and i like the song a lot. I'm afraid it could flop anyway, but i keep hope that the effect would remain the same in eurovision.

 

[HayashiM]

Fulenn had a nearly universal positive approval in the bubble, while Eaea is a lot more divisive, and I dare say that's a good sign. I really like this as a choice, it's very Spanish as seen from foreign eyes, it has the traditional meeting the modern sound, it's what I want to see countries sending to Eurovision. Blanca is a Performer and she definitely deserves to go... even though she probably will have even stronger songs in her catalogue at some point in her career. I wish there was a tiny bit more going on, perhaps introducing a short and more dynamic part à la Shakira's Ojos Así.

Result-wise, it's definitely not a bottom 5 act, and most probably not a top 5 one either. The juries won't forget it, the televote might, depending on the running order. Still, it had by far the best potential of the lot (btw, Benidorm 2022>>>>2023), even though Megara was my n°1.

for now.

 

[i anixi]

I´m sorry but is my first of the season. These were three veeery long minutes for me ,this painful howling without any structure feels like listening to a fire alarm, afterwards you still have a irritating whisteling in your ear.

I don´t see this repeating the success of "SloMo" to be honest, it feels more like 2022 for me. Many fans will love this but people in front of the TV who don´t know anything about this kind of music and have no time to look up in literature on how "culturally valuable" this is will just be confused.

Better luck next year, this is really nothing for me.

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that tastes differ and all that crap but after reading your text I was left wondering about another simple and well known truth which is that taste can , and should , be developed and taught as it is liable to evolve with learning making better persons out of us
We can not enjoy what we do not comprehend and the more things we enjoy, the more chances we get of being happy.
So when you use words like "howling" and lack of structure or "fire alarm" I wonder again whether you have any idea of how ignorant that makes you sound. This kind of music is part of a big European country's traditional and very well known heritage all over the world. It's quite unique in the world and even as a citizen of a neighbouring country I can safely say we have in Portugal nothing remotely similar. I understand Eurovision doesn't usually prizes niche or traditional ethnic sounds. Juries are generally asked to place comercial international tracks first and I daresay that is many individuals' point of view as well. I'm kind of sorry about it, but hey, I'm used to it already. That's globalization overall.
Still it's a multiple nationality show , and when you've got the chance of getting your teeth on a pearl like this which, though traditional, has got a contemporary twist, the least you can do is make an effort and, on the way, take advantage of the ride and educate yourself. Only a tip

 

[ESC94]

I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that tastes differ and all that crap but after reading your text I was left wondering about another simple and well known truth which is that taste can , and should , be developed and taught as it is liable to evolve with learning making better persons out of us
We can not enjoy what we do not comprehend and the more things we enjoy, the more chances we get of being happy.
So when you use words like "howling" and lack of structure or "fire alarm" I wonder again whether you have any idea of how ignorant that makes you sound. This kind of music is part of a big European country's traditional and very well known heritage all over the world. It's quite unique in the world and even as a citizen of a neighbouring country I can safely say we have in Portugal nothing remotely similar. I understand Eurovision doesn't usually prizes niche or traditional ethnic sounds. Juries are generally asked to place comercial international tracks first and I daresay that is many individuals' point of view as well. I'm kind of sorry about it, but hey, I'm used to it already. That's globalization overall.
Still it's a multiple nationality show , and when you've got the chance of getting your teeth on a pearl like this which, though traditional, has got a contemporary twist, the least you can do is make an effort and, on the way, take advantage of the ride and educate yourself. Only a tip

And just because something is traditional and part of countrys history I have to like it?? Let me think about it: NOPE!!

It's kinda funny that you write that everyone can have it's own opinion but your text basically says that if you don't like it you're ingnorant and so on.

And don't worry, I'm very happy on how my life is going, it was good before I heard that song and it's still good without it.

 

[i anixi]

And just because something is traditional and part of countrys history I have to like it?? Let me think about it: NOPE!!

It's kinda funny that you write that everyone can have it's own opinion but your text basically says that if you don't like it you're ingnorant anddl so on.

And don't worry, I'm very happy on how my life is going, it was good before I heard that song and it's still good without it.

Well, if you couldn't even understand what I was talking about how can you really be expected to understand anything? At all... I rest my case

 

[ESC94]

Well, if you couldn't even understand what I was talking about how can you really be expected to understand anything? At all... I rest my case

I understand a lot more than you think and I totally accept that you like it. But FOR ME this ist just unpleasant to hear and I'm allowed to say this without being called stupid/ignorant for not liking it!!

 

[Sammy]

Do I have the wrong impression or is the language that people use to express their dislike vis a vis the spanish entry harsher than in the case of other „edgy“ or „difficult“ ethno-entries from recent years? I didn‘t check but words like „wall of noise“ etc. were less frequent if used at all for instance in the case of Poland 2019.
Not to get me wrong: Nobody has to force him/herself to like something, but it seems to me that the tone is particularly mean when it comes to this one.

 

[ayzelto]

Do I have the wrong impression or is the language that people use to express their dislike vis a vis the spanish entry harsher than in the case of other „edgy“ or „difficult“ ethno-entries from recent years? I didn‘t check but words like „wall of noise“ etc. were less frequent if used at all for instance in the case of Poland 2019.
Not to get me wrong: Nobody has to force him/herself to like something, but it seems to me that the tone is particularly mean when it comes to this one.

I cannot agree more with you. The point of this whole discussion is the approach of some “statements” I am reading here. I personally don’t get offended by them, but I wish they were said in a different way.

 

[empo21]

I understand a lot more than you think and I totally accept that you like it. But FOR ME this ist just unpleasant to hear and I'm allowed to say this without being called stupid/ignorant for not liking it!!

I don't thing they're calling you ignorant for not liking the song (that's totally fine), but for the way you choose to describe traditional music/sounds that the song is based on.

 

[ESC94]

I don't thing they're calling you ignorant for not liking the song (that's totally fine), but for the way you choose to describe traditional music/sounds that the song is based on.

Sorry but that's just the way it sounds for me.

 

[pjelacki]

 

[HarryUK]

I do like it - but it almost feels empty, like it doesn't go anywhere? That alone makes me think this could flop... but it's different, culturally on point and sung very well - so who knows...