Party for everybody- DANCE.

"Welome back Noogie!!!"

Thank you. Thank you very much. Sit there.

So bowled over was I by a certain German missy's winning performance that I have been unable to bring myself to do anything for the last three years other than spin around and work on the timing of the victory speech in my karaoke satellite, making it difficult to read, type and so on. But what a great result 2010 was for the contest, for music, for Germany and for the euromoments team.

Looking forward rather than back, the 2013 selection season is already in full swing complete with the inevitable the girls aloud rumour-mill, threats of yet another Ralph Siegel-instigated humanitarian atrocity, incomprehensible belarussian lyrics and more incomprehensible swedish decisions at melodifestivalen semifinals. Yet through all the angst and missed gems, the bêtes noires and even with the sadness of being without Turkey, Bosnia and Portugal this year, I don't doubt that SVT will bring us a great show in an elemental blast of earth, wind machine and pyro.

But tonight, all eyes will be on Ireland for our melodifest-equivalent, the annual Eurosong dramarama which, as the ancestral homeland of your euromomenters, holds a special place in our hearts.  I for one cannot WAIT to watch Ryan Tupperty looking like he'd sooner opt for an unsedated colonscopy over another year of this carry-on performed in a studio with the atmosphere and acoustic of a carpet shop featuring an entirely unrelated interlude interviewing a bemused Martin Sheen.  Yet tune in year upon year we do religiously in the vein hope that statues will cry and miracles may happen to relieve this, the longest drought in Irish eurohistory.

Now, of an evening at EMHQ, I have argued through red wine teeth that ireland needs to forget about national finals.  We're a small country with a small music industry, the best of which just does not see eurovision as its market therefore why bother diluting our efforts struggling to come up with multiple songs year upon year for a national final when we could court and flatter a hand-picked national treasure with a direkt-til-globen style pass and focus our energies in coming up with one great song?  Nonetheless, hopefully 2013 will be the year that proves me wrong so I'll have a look at what's in store...

1.  Inchequin - Son kez
The concept behind this turkish-irish fusion food always sounded like it might end in gastroenteritis, and indeed the end product may hold the record for the shortest time ever for a eurotune to make me gag.  It essentially unimaginative pub-rock with some celtic-oriental instrumental breaks stuck on here and there to distract from the fact that this really won't cut the mustard in malmø.  The lyrics are dreadful.  Mr Inchequin's voice is strained even on the studio recording, and i'd be surprised if it came across well tonight.  Also, why in hell does it remind me of this classic??



2.  Aimée - Crashing Down
This piano backed ballad finishes at it starts with a lack of much else going on in between.  Its success or failure will depend on Aimée's charisma on stage.  It sounds like she has a good voice, but I'm not sure that even a haggvist-dion-vissi sing off could make this song anything better than pleasant.

3.  Zoë Alexis Bohorquez - Fire
The first real contender, this is a dancey girl-pop with a TOWIE style video and could be sung by katy perry or rita ora.  Not going to win a prize for originality, but I would happily serve this to Michel.

4.  Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives
With an ethno-house verse breaking into a poppy anthemic double-chorus, this linda martin mentored song is my unashamed favourite.  Vocally it sounds challenging and I doubt the late late studio will do this aspect any favours, but if it makes it to Malmø, it will be my favourite Irish entry for years and a definite contender for top 10.  The celestial video even features an endorsement from a certain Donegal international superstar and serial tea maker.  Worth a watchin'...

5.  Kasey - Kiss me
"I'd kiss her anywhere she likes" said one commenter.  Hard to know what to say about the song though - the elements seem to be there but it just sounds a little empty?  With no video, it's the most difficult to judge how well they can present it live.  It is the unknown quantity and may surprise.

Predictions?  I think Ryan Dolan will clinch it.  But it's far from in the bag...

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