Song 17. Blas Canto- Voy a Quedarme
I adore this heartfelt little ballad- it’s understated, genuine and truly touching. The song has a strong ‘Adele’ feel to it in that it’s kept minimal and exposed to put our full attention on the emotions. Blas’s voice is what really makes this song for me- so unique in tone yet so moving and sweet. The minimal instrumental works really well with this ballad, putting full emphasis onto Blas, yet the layering and building up of instruments throughout the song works too. It gets the perfect mood for this heartfelt love ballad. While I’m not a fan of the gap between ‘quedar-me’, I do adore the chorus- so subtle, yet so emotive and powerful. I’m not quite sure about the backing vocals- I feel the song would work better if Blas sang alone, letting that vulnerability feed into the song’s mood- but they do add some lovely harmonies. The big notes are stunning, and the quiet ending brings us full circle, nicely tying up the song. What I love about this song is how genuine it is- there’s no cliched tricks or massive, impressive show stopping moments. It’s a tender homage to a loved one, and the interplay between the gorgeous instrumental and powerful vocal line blend together to create something truly magical in its simplicity. This is so understated, and it works so so well. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this song.
Prediction: As much as the song’s simplicity makes it work, I worry it could get swallowed up by the bigger songs. Moreso, France and Bulgaria are also bringing emotive ballads- France going for the classical approach, Bulgaria for the contemporary. I worry Blas may struggle to stand out enough to get televotes, and don’t know whether juries will go for this. I’d predict 20-26.
Photo credit: Victor M. Escudero
18. Israel- Set Me Free
19. Czech Republic- Omaga
20. Belgium- The Wrong Place
21. Croatia- Tick-Tock
22. Norway- Fallen Angel
23. Denmark- Øve Os På Hinanden
24. Latvia- The Moon is Rising
25. Sweden- Voices
26. United Kingdom- Embers
27. Romania- Amnesia
28. Ireland- Maps
29. Serbia- Loco Loco
30. Poland- The Ride
31. Greece- Last Dance
32. Australia- Technicolour
33. Germany- I Don’t Feel Hate
34. Albania- Karma
35. Austria- Amen
36. Slovenia- Amen
37. Georgia- You
38. Estonia- The Lucky One
39. Portugal- Love is on my Side
The Euro-Vine 