San Marino is sending a Spanish band this year – Megara, the electro-pop-metal outfit who almost won Benidorm Fest last year with the delicious Arcadia. 11:11…is not as good:
Now, some of the best songs in this year’s Eurovision are genre-benders that mix a whole bunch of influences together – Switzerland, Ireland, Greece. One might say that 11:11 is doing the same, but it comes off less as a delightful melange than as a bit of a mess. Looking at the lyrics, for example, I feel like Megara can’t decide whether they want II:!! to be a fun party song, or a “see what you’re missing now” post-breakup kiss-off song.
And watching the video above is just tiring. I’m a Certified Old in the Eurovision fandom, but this whole concept just seemed like it was written by kids who were on too much sugar and caffeine. Their idea of edginess is to have people giving the finger to the camera and some hints of sex on desks? YAWN. Bambie Thug is casting actual hexes, and these Hot Topic goths just look like toddlers in comparison.
Those of you who know me from Twitter may note that I have not been a Megara fan since they were announced. Yes, I will cop to being salty about the results of San Marino’s National Final, where Megara narrowly beat Italian pop icon Loredana Berte. Berte was specifically invited to participate in San Marino’s National Final after her performances in the Sanremo Festival this year. She brought the delightful Pazza, a ‘take me as I am’ song which she performed with the weight of every single one of her 70-plus years. Musically, I can see why Megara prevailed, but from a performance point of view? The rasp, the arm gestures, the throwing the head back – Loredana is leaving ever bit of her fragile self out there on that stage for us. And the narrative of her wanting to go to Sweden to annoy ex-husband Bjorn Borg is also irresistible.
So are Megara bad? No. But are Megara as good as other things that are out there, both in Eurovision and out of it? Maybe, but not with 11:11. I really wish they had come back and won Benidorm Fest with a better song.
dudepoints.fun 