One of the joys of Eurovision 2024 is having songs that play with the conventional notions of song structure. Some, like those by Mustii and Gate, seem like they could continue for far longer than the three minutes of the Eurovision rules. Others, like those by Marina Satti and Bambie Thug, seem to be a mashup of multiple genres. And Slovenia is sending Veronika, a song that…well, just listen to it.
It *seems* like this song follows a traditional structure – there’s a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, and then…breath. The song has an amazing buildup (as is fitting for someone with Raiven’s operatic voice) and then just ends abruptly, with no resolution. Bam! That’s it! Here are some bubble sounds! I hope you enjoy the next act!
It will shake awake any complacent viewers, that’s for sure.
After listening to this a few times (okay, about 30 times), I think I’m getting it now. One could put the English lit spin on it. Raiven is singing about Veronika of Desinić, a Slovenian noblewoman whose father-in-law was opposed to her marriage. He accused her of witchcraft. Although she was found innocent, she was later murdered by drowning. So the abrupt end to the song mirrors the abrupt end to Veronika’s life.
But honestly, I don’t think it’s as deep as that. I just think Raiven is an original musician who doesn’t give a fuck about the way songs SHOULD be structured. And she’s got the theory and training to back it up. This is a woman who, when not a pop star, is busy performing opera roles and winning harp competitions. And she’s had time to evolve since her early days in Slovenia’s national final, with more traditional (and delightful) pop bangers like Črno bel. And this is also not the first time she’s created something that’s not a stereotypical pop song. Remember her 2019 Dora entry Kaos?
And this is what I love about Eurovision. The stereotype is that it is a television show where people bring bright, candy-floss pop songs. And yes, that has been part of the contest and will be part of the contest. But over the past few years, it has also been a showcase for musicians who are bringing things that are on the more experimental side of pop, and proving wildly popular with the audience.
Raiven was an internal selection. She had the chance to write a song specifically for Eurovision, and the fact she’s bringing Veronika – a song which showcases her opera and makes a feminist point – says a lot about what matters to her. And what it means is that no matter what happens during Eurovision, she will be an artist whose career I will eagerly continue to follow. This song is good, but I’m more excited to see what’s next.
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