Belarus: Alekseev – Forever

Martin: It’s strange trying to review a song objectively when even the people involved don’t seem to have a great deal of confidence in it. Having already been adapted from an earlier version by necessity, “Forever” just keeps on going through changes – the latest being a supposedly final version with a slower, more ballad-like build. Though apparently this might not be the final version after all, and we might be getting something punchier at the contest proper.

And yet nobody seems to be addressing the elephant in the room: “Forever” simply isn’t that good in the first place. The hookline is fairly catchy (and has an irritating habit of getting stuck in your head), but the whole package is unadventurous and ultra-generic both musically and lyrically, and Alekseev is far from the most persuasive of performers. Granted, his victorious appearance at the Belarusian final was clearly hindered by a less-than-amazing sound mix, but even the best stage show in the world would struggle to turn this into a serious contender. Add in the fact that Belarus is separated from some of its friendlier voting allies here, and qualification begins to look like an insurmountable obstacle.

Felix: Some people drop their favourite because of a slightly different version. People! Nothing is “ruined” here. The song didn’t change, just the production. But maybe that’s a sign that people care for productions more than compositions. I belong to the dwindling latter group and I love Belarus no matter what.

Shi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hvala,_ne!

video and title image source: eurovision.tv