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We are gonna do our best to get people hyped because theres really nothing like Eurovision.
Charlie:A couple of important disclaimers: This is purely musical analysis.
Nate:Were gonna do those in order from No.
1, based on the likelihood that bookmakers have given each song of winning.
The odds may change by the time of broadcast, but heres where they stand now.
The melody feels like its ancient.
Nate:Its givingGame of Thronestechno.
I love the feel, especially when we get the 12/8 bass line at 0:49.
I feel like its a whole new genre.
Nate:deadmau5 goes to Westeros.
Its worth noting that Queen of Kings also has a specific vision of womens empowerment.
Nate:As does the whistle note Alessandra gives us about two minutes in.
Charlie:That is a beautiful moment.
Oh, I love whistle tone.
Nate:Thats one way to declare your power: Let me hit this ridiculously high, otherworldly note.
It feels indebted to the recent work of Rosalia, among others.
Were not flamenco experts, but suffice to say, the rhythmic complexity here is stunning.
I imagine the live performance of this is gonna be spectacular as dancers build off those rhythms.
La Zarra, Evidemment (France)
Charlie:Very cinematic.
Nate:Thats a very dramatic start and then we go into this more traditional French style.
And then if we keep listening, we get an entirely different sonic landscape, four on the floor.
What are you making of this the split personality of this track?
Were hearing two important genres in the world of French music.
The opening reminds me of the essential French genre thechanson, which people associate with someone like Edith Piaf.
Its very characteristically French to me.
Charlie:So we get this traditional song style to begin with and then we go into French disco.
And France needs a banger of this magnitude because they havent won in 45 years.
Theres even a moment in the song where Lara kind of speaks to the nation.
She asks France, Did I manage to sing the greatness of France?
Shes asking, Am I doing us justice?
Charlie:It wouldnt be Eurovision without a bit of national pandering, but that is a great moment.
That song used traditional harmonies and instrumentation.
This is more in line with contemporary electronic music.
Charlie:Though, like Stefania, its also tackling the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The rhythm is very disjointed.
It pulls and pushes and is never quite in time.
Its disorienting, its discomforting.
Theyre capturing this historical, somber moment appropriately in the production of the song.
Nate:Now this is why I watch Eurovision.
Charlie:Theres a big heavy-metal scene in Finland, but here its blended with other electronic elements.
You put those in a cauldron and stir and you get Cha Cha Cha.
This is like a football anthem.
Charlie:I love that auto-tuned moment.
Its such a ridiculous contrast to the RATM-style spoken vocal earlier.
We go into pure pop, a singalong-in-the-stadium vibe.
Nate:Cha Cha Cha has a little something for everyone.
She is a proven contender, and seems poised to perhaps be crowned yet again.
Her voice is spectacular.
This song is in many ways a textbook on how to make a Eurovision hit.
It doesnt have any of that grandiose rising emotive quality that the vocal picks up in the pre-chorus.
Youve already heard that melody, and its drilling itself into your ear.
It has way more energy.
The song is ostensibly two melodies that we keep hearing back to back to back.
Theres some other stuff in there too, of course.
But actually youve heard it all before.
Nate:Now, Charlie, Loreen is the bookmakers pick, but what about you?
We just listened to six phenomenal tracks.
Which one would you vote for?
But Charlie, I think we both know what our pick is, right?
Charlie:I do love Ukraine, but this year its Cha Cha Cha.
Nate:Cha Cha Cha.
Thats what were gonna be singing.
