Finland – Monsters

If there were a contest to crown the Spirit of Eurovision, it would be won by Saara Aalto. She’s got an amazing voice, looks fantastic in sequined catsuits, and, more importantly, is a total Stan of the contest. She recently held a one-woman show pre Eurovision where she performed old Eurovision songs with special guest stars like Ari Olafsson. Saraa GETS IT.

So I’m pleased to report that her song, the video of which looked like a comedown from a goth circuit party, delivers. It’s a danceable banger. It’s got a shoutable chorus. And it’s got enough flexibility at the end to let her do some runs and trills just to show how unexhausted she is after all that dancing.

Watch. Relax in the hands of the master. Let Aalto deliver a Eurovision performance that will be fun and memorable. And let’s all smile at a song that will still get people singing along when this comes on at a Eurovision club night five years from now.

UPDATE: After watching the live performance of this at the semifinal jury show, the Better Half was slightly confused by the backup dancers. “Are they Nazis?” he asked? I looked at the grey militaristic uniforms and black leather bands and the obvious fascist implications and ignored all of that. “No,” I replied. “They’re just making some BDSM references.” He didn’t believe me. “Well, Nazis were monsters,” I replied. Horrible defense, I know.

Is this potentially a problematic fave? I think it depends on how much you interpret the dancers as fascists with whom Saara is making friends. I don’t. I just wish she had kept the over the top goth babies that appeared in her music video. But I trust Saara Aalto to be extra without being needlessly controversial (*cough* Waylon *cough*)

TWITTER JOKES YOU SHOULDN’T BOTHER MAKING BECAUSE THEY’VE ALREADY BEEN DONE BETTER BY THE EUROFANDOM: No jokes here. The Eurofandom is mostly saying stuff like ‘Slay, Queen!’ (And she does. Let’s not leave that in doubt.)

SHOULD YOU TAKE A PEE BREAK DURING THIS PERFORMANCE: No, dummies!