Switzerland usually send interesting entries, and Franca di Rienzo’s “Nous aurons demain” (We Will Have Tomorrow) is curiously engaging in the sense that musically there isn’t much going on, but di Rienzo’s voice carries the listener along. The lyrics seem to express hope for the future, but there feels like a darker undercurrent here I don’t think I fully understand even with the translation hand. I’m not sure how to explain it, but there’s something mysterious about this song I find appealing — I just hope the live version isn’t too far away from this recording.


Continuing Belgium’s running of sending the same artist back again, Bob Benny is back for his second tilt after Fud Leclerc’s third entry last year. “September, gouden roos” (September, Golden Rose) is very disappointing, hitting all the cliches of a dramatic ballad including the slowed-down, big note ending. We’ve already heard this kind of song too many times at Eurovision before.

Norway sends back Nora Brockstedt with “Sommer i Palma” (Summer in Palma) for her second outing at the contest; this time it’s a more subdued song than “Voi voi”. So subdued, in fact, that I’m hoping I’ll be able to stay awake when I watch the performance. The song stays at the same level throughout, which is not always a bad thing, but this time there isn’t even much of a refrain to hold on to, it’s just three-and-a-half minutes of mood.