*** The Slovenian Alpine Express ***

I thought you were already FOTY. Who won last year then?

I just act as though I am to impress the newbies

Timothy is the current Foty

It was a unanimous decision decided by hems

oh right. I do like his stuff on twitter tbf

He certainly talks more sense on there

I think this is his parody account

Yeah, yeah, you`re all veru funny.
I would like to point out that I have only mentioned who FOTY is on one occasion; at the bottom of this year`s FOTY thread. I`ve been amazed at my own self-restraint, which has taken me by surprise, but I suppose when everyone else knows that I`m the best, there`s no need for me to keep shouting it!
Every, yes EVERY other time that it`s been raised, it was someone else (bear!!!) who raised it, and it would be bad manners on my part not to reply.

#unappreciative

Certainly not! I`m (secretly) delighted every time it`s raised, so I can revel in my moment again! And, don`t forget, `bribes and flattery` will go a long way with the judges, with every reference to FOTY kind of coming under the `flattery` bit. Keep it up, you`re miles clear on that front. Just pick a few winners, and your dream might come true!

Performing at the Amsterdam concert


EurovisionInConcert
‏@ESCinConcert   Next confirmed act comes from Slovenia! Welcome @MaraayaMusic!!

The Russian singer on board
Polina Gagarina
Today at 00:09.
Maraaya - Here For You - it's a really good song!)

12pts from Italia
.
http://eurofestivalnews.com/2015/03/30/eurovision-2015-intervista-esclusiva-ai-maraaya-dal-3-aprile-in-tutte-le-radio-italiane/

Comments on the staging
Marjetka  - This is the representation that we hear the song. And since it has had a positive response and that the song was immediately noticed, we will not change much. The white dress and headphones will definitely. Maybe not the same dress or headphones, but something similar. And above all, the violinist, who is the "show" of performance.

Plus hope of some radio airplay in Italy

WoW, should be 17.5 MAX

Given it'll likely get air play in Italy, what chance other countries in that region?  Hungary? Switz? Austria? Yugosphere?  I'm no expert on Slovenia and it's closeness with neighbouring countries but am all in on the song and am liking the poential this has got to maybe enter the psyche of central Europe between now and May 23

My personal fav song, think itll do very well

Mar 30, 2015 -- 3:25PM, five leaves left wrote:

The Russian singer on board Polina GagarinaToday at 00:09.Maraaya - Here For You - it's a really good song!)

Apr 3, 2015 -- 3:20PM, honestcl wrote:

Given it'll likely get air play in Italy, what chance other countries in that region?

ffs

This quote function needs sorting

Was just saying that it will be interesting to see if it does start receiving airplay in central Europe, as their 1st single was a hit in Italy, Germany and Belgium
Also lots of positive comments from the Yugosphere on youtube

..and we know the Russians love it

It's not just Polina who is a fan but it is polling very well on the Russian speaking facebook

http://vk.com/eurovision

I've just jumped off the Margy train and did a forward roll to break my fall. I love the song but when I weigh everything up I don't think it can win. Farewell Margy, I will be watching you.

Laid my 23
Sorry to see you jump off the train tommy
Every time I look for some value in the market I keep coming back to Margy

Maybe me and Margy can get together after the contest, I'll take her for a steak bake.

Some subtle changes to the Slovenian staging.......looks like the headphones have gone


http://youtu.be/J96S2K1B0do

Fig won't be happy

And I don't like her glasses. The cap must stay imo.

nice vid hems... yes a massive improvement imo

I hope they keep the socks

Even the less than jaunty cap can't stop it being #1 in Slovenia

http://music.okihika.com/SI/0

Are Maraaya’s gimmicks good or bad? I can’t decide.

It’s good to be remembered. But it would be better to be remembered for relevant staging rather than those headphones and the air-violinist.

Headphones are a reasonable gimmick.  Sticks in your head; a it's a trademark of sorts like Michael Jackson's white glove or Gabrielle's eye patch.

Air violinist is weird in normal genres but in ESC I think it's kind of quirky and right.  No doubt Graham Norton will make a couple of 'observations'

I agree about the headphones. I'm not totally sold on the violinist but it kind of works in Eurovision land

As for the dress I like the Miss Havisham look. I'd rather she went for something like the dress she wore during the performance with the flutist though. Far more flattering
Still retro but 1960's rather than 19th century

It's been a rather bumpy ride. Touched 75 at one point after the concert. The bloggers don't like it, but I don't care

I love these 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR-EvlRANPY
They're trying to electrocute the violinist, which will please quite a few fans

what's happened to this thing then? Out to 60.0!

Roger - I know somebody who snapped that 60!!!!!!!!!!!

A very very very very very very dangerous entry.

She is sonfident and will ask the crowd to join in - boxes ticked.

Confident lol

Apr 26, 2015 -- 5:00AM, SUNSHINE HEAD wrote:

A very very very very very very dangerous entry.

You are thinking of Splash

I loved it. Had it Top 3 at the start. I'm not loving it as much now as more of the obscure ones are growing on me!

New version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywUigxEYxAY

They won't all fit on the stage

Apr 26, 2015 -- 7:04AM, Roger De Bris wrote:

I loved it. Had it Top 3 at the start. I'm not loving it as much now as more of the obscure ones are growing on me!

Most people will only hear the song once or most twice if they watch the semi. Or 3 times if they win
All the recent winners have been very immediate. A few placed runners, the Common Linnets being the most recent example, have been growers, but immediate impact is the key to finding the winner

I really fancy Marjy even more in the new version video.

Slovenia win the hugely respected escgo poll

http://www.escgo.com/2015/04/26/slovenia-wins-chatvote-2015/

TBF they've not had the best record over the years but did pick the 2 best winners of the last few years. Loreen and Lena

May 5, 2015 -- 8:26AM, five leaves left wrote:

Slovenia win the hugely respected escgo poll http://www.escgo.com/2015/04/26/slovenia-wins-chatvote-2015/

Serbia made the final ..but Armenia didn't

The train starting to show a little forward momentum. I'm sure these 2 will charm the press in Vienna...and hopefully charm the viewers too with their song and performance

Chuckle

I'll put you down as a shy Slovenian voter

I actually quite like the song, I just don't see it being good enough and can't see how they can improve it

Except ditching them ridiculous headphones

I love the headphones. She looks cute in them

A Croatian group who are massive in the Balkans have done a cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8h17T8nkAM

Should be 1.8

A train here for you Bex
It's not been great. About 20 when I started it. Matched @ 10 soon after. Drifted ever since

Whoa! Hold on there, bex! fll`s support is a positive, he`s good at this ESC malarkey. However, given my record at this, the fact that it`s my joint-favourite song and that I`m on it as well, is definitely a negative. Love the sixties vibe of it, The Seekers with a bit of Sandie and Dusty thrown in.

She's a good singer and delivers it well

The addition of the piano player and some psycho who thinks she's playing a violin totally wrecks it

I'm not convinced by the violinist but Raay tickling the ivories is a positive

Marjetka would also look better in something like the little silver dress she wore on the red carpet last night

Tweet Gav and ask him to pass on a message to the Slovs

lol will do

Have you read his site? the deluded always get me chuckling

I gave up when he rated Lithuania better than Estonia

Having listened to quite a few songs now I'm very surprised at the price of this. Its very catchy and commercial and is bound to be well up the i-tunes list after the semi finals which I feel is a decent indicator, better than any polls for sure.
I have given up trying to second guess jury voting but would have thought this would have to do well.

Definitely onboard.

The betting drift doesnt bother me at this stage - However I'd certainly like to see the price come in after the jury rehearsal on Friday.

Not a bad number and can see it doing well enough,top 6 maybe but slovenia traditionally find it hard to get votes and cant see them getting enough.Duets perform well (netherlands last year,azerbaijan winner in 11,even denmark when 2nd or 3rd 3 years ago)so i see Estonia and Norway definitely running into a place.Sweden very over rated and see them as a big lay(big red already),Itay will be hard beaten(will bring the house down with live performance),will go very short after performing.Spain only very big price country to have a chance.

Norway Top Nordic big play
Macedonia Top Balkan a great price too

Winner    Italy
Runner up    Estonia
Third      Norway
4th       Spain

Good to have you aboard Bex

If the juries are judging the song and performance then it should do very well

Certainly has an indie vibe, I'd like to see a short dress not the long one as in rehearsal, just doesnt seem to fit the feel of the song.
Violin/dancer seems surplus to requirements although doesnt annoy me or anything like it, I'd rather they emphasised the drum element as they did in the video, like a heartbeat.

Even if win seems unlikely at this stage its nice to have a song to root for and this deserves to finish well up the rankings.
Austria never had much reliable support until last year, I have given up entirely analysing diasporo seems a total waste of time now.

Austria only had support for one reason last year and we all know why

Homoist

I think the best song package has a very good chance of winning these days, ok it helps to have a voting bloc and for your song to be the standout from that bloc but I dont think its a requirement.
Lena winning for Germany is probably a better example

yea i see your point and it aint everything but alittle helps,lena was a decent tune and around 5/1 only weeks before hand.If its an excellent song i think you need no voting help but just good songs do.I like the song and she has an unique unusual voice and when she was 15-25 /1 i thought that was about her price.Its definitely big price at 50 and i would much rather be laying azerbaijan at that price than slovenia

Welcome to our little world, canthavehim.

#54 in Slovakia and #119 in Azerbaijan
This is going to storm the charts across Europe after tomorrow night

#chuckle

#marj

Marj very much playing to the tv audience than the arena, with lots of close ups
You can see the tv feed in the top right at times


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEuWxZUnlCQ

My c0ck says yes. Twitter says yes. My heart and head say yes and I'm not trading a penny even when it goes 1.8 after tonight
Onward to victory

But what does your gut say?

My gut says I shouldn't have had 2 blueberry muffins with my lunch

#94 in Sweden. This is going global tonight

Not quite global but doing reasonable business on iTunes
I was slightly disappointed tonight. Not with the staging, that is fine for the song, but Marj seemed very tense. She needs to smile more and give a warmer performance like she did at the NF

I was worried after all the negativity from the pundits about the staging but I think it looked fine and sounded great. Going to be hard realistically with the first half draw, would have stood out well in the second

Yes true. It's doing best of those tonight in the scandi countries. Bar Sweden obviously
A sickner that neither Slovenia or Israel can get a 2nd half draw. Any uptempo number in the 2nd half would have stood out a mile

#could

If they're out to produce the best show, which is their reasoning for picking the RO, then why not pick the entire RO

Didn't you think she looked tense bex? Even slightly fierce? Totally different to warmth I felt from her NF performance
Maybe I was just tense

Indeed. And yes a little anxious I think, wasnt a great look particularly at the start.

I think you have highlighted most of the good songs leaves its annoying when they dont end up even as great trading plays because of the draw.

I honestly think Sweden will win this easily, no matter the draw. Belgium, Estonia, Slovenia, Israel and Latvia all with major top 10 shouts

Possibly trying too hard
NF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFMv2LjuD2E

Tonight - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTuHbVKYgY0

NF a much softer and more relaxed performance

Maybe listening to those who said she needed more energy

I'm not all convinced by Sweden. He doesn't seem to be popular with the EBU. Easy to get him beat with a 4th or 5th overall jury score

#at