Moldova: Anna Odobescu – Stay

Martin: It’s a common trait among ESC fans to look for rip-offs or plagiats (sic) even when there are none. For a while after 2014, every male-female ballad in any genre was denounced as a CATS clone, for example. But there’s really no denying it: this year’s Moldovan entry is just the 45 of “Fight” played at 33 speed. (Super modern reference for all you Spotify kids, there.)

A lack of inspiration is no crime where ESC is concerned, of course – none of us are here because we’re fans of daring musical innovation – but if you’re going to tread an established route, you need to do it with some style.  Regrettably, “Stay” is every bit as pedestrian and everyday as the “seen it a million times before” song title suggests.

If Anna can bring some of the preview video’s telenovela drama to Tel Aviv, then I suppose there’s still an outside chance of her nation’s recent qualification streak continuing. But realistically, this feels more like the last time the producers put Moldova on third in the running order – exactly where you hide a song that’s perfectly fine at what it does, but that gives you no reason to actively vote for it above better examples of the genre.

Felix: The song sounds theoretical. And in theory, I might like this, but in practice it’s just too much of a construct to reach me on an emotional level. At least I do remember the song, so it could be worse. Upper edge of my lower third.

Shi: I kept forgetting to write a response and then I kept forgetting that I still needed to write one. I suppose that says a lot. Having said that: this was the most sensible choice in their selection and it’s not a bad song, really, it’s just there. And she is a screen-friendly, strong performer. Qualification? Stranger things have happened.

video and title image source: eurovision.tv