1) The Result
Continuing what has been a difficult few years for Austria at the contest, the initial hype around LUM!X and Pia Maria with their EDM track “Halo” failed to materialise on stage and they finished 15th in the first semi-final.
2) The Process
Another internal selection for Austria, who haven’t held a national final since 2016.
3) The Artist
Teya and Selena are both individual musicians in their own right who have been releasing singles for a few years each. They met in 2021 at talent show Starmania, which has a history of featuring singers who eventually end up at Eurovision (including Thomas Neuwirth as Conchita Wurst).
4) The Song
The catchy dance pop beat and infectious “Poe, Poe, Poe” chant serve as a playful juxtaposition to the rest of the lyrics, which satirise and critique the music industry’s attitude towards women, as well as how streaming services like Spotify underpay artists.
5) The Verdict
What a delightful song! Managing to be both batty and brilliant, this is easily Austria’s strongest entry in years. I’m not sure how the staging is going to work, but they’ll need some dancers alongside them in any case, as the choreography as shown in the video clip is an integral part of what makes the track shine.
It’s clear that I love this entry; I don’t think it will need any of my votes to qualify from the second semi, but it’s sure to feature on my list come the final.
My ranking: 4th
EUROVISION, SERIOUSLY 