After a brief experiment with an internal selection (Blas Canto for 2020 and 2021), Spain is back to a national final format, albeit more a national final than a talent contest like in years previous. This is a step in the right direction in my opinion, since it’s good to be able to include both up and coming and established musicians in the mix.

Azúcar Moreno — “Postureo”
Speaking of established artists, my first review is of a group very familiar to the Eurovision community, given that Azúcar Moreno represented Spain in 1990 with the song “Bandido” which is notorious for having to be performed a second time on the evening due a technical error resulting in the backing track beginning at the wrong place. In any case, this effort retains several elements of their initial entry, with a thumping beat, simultaneous singing, and rhythms that could only be Spanish in origin. The production has been modernised of course, but my issue with this is that it feels so stereotypically Spanish that it doesn’t have much that would grab people’s attention.

Blanca Paloma — “Secreto de agua”
Slow-moving, ominous-sounding ballad that never really goes anywhere. Which is a shame, because Paloma’s voice seems capable of more than just her eerie musings. There’s some tension in the early parts of the song that I expected to resolve as a gear shift towards a dramatic climax, but this never eventuates. The lift in the second minute is more or less as far as it goes in terms of progression, and it’s barely a change of pace at all. This might be a pleasant song for a dreamy evening, but it’s not Eurovision-material.