Copenhagen 2014: Rankings of the 37, Part 2: 31-26

And we're back with part 2 of the Copenhagen 2014 countdown. Six down, thirty one to go. Let's go!

Number 31!

Sanna Nielsen with "Undo" (Sweden). Much better than the Swedish song in Malmo, but still once again I have a Swedish ESC song towards the bottom. Why? Because of the dry nature, but it is still okay. Also note to people who compare this to that rubbish song by Ciley Myrus: don't you ever compare a true European artist to mainstream trash, ever again! Show some respect punks! Also respect her for finally making it to the ESC on her seventh attempt at the Melodifestivalen, the national ESC final of Sweden.

At number 30, it is Cristina Scarlat with "Wild Soul" (Moldova). For the third straight year in a row, Moldova has sent something dry to the ESC. It is an okay song nonetheless. Hopefully next year, if it happens, would like to see Zdob si Zdub come back; they had the best Moldovan song in the ESC with "So Lucky" in 2011. Also this song was heaps better than those two craptacular songs the country had for 2012 and 2013.

Question yourself: how well would Valentina Monetta do in her third consecutive ESC appearance? I actually found "Forse/Maybe" (San Marino) her best song ever. It seems that the San Marinese ESC committee kept her and probably were thinking, "make the final or no more ESC for us." And she finally made the grand final. From "Facebook" in 2012 to "Vola" in 2013 and now this year. A huge trip in the escalator of the journey that is Valentina Monetta. Ask and you shall receive. However on my rankings, I have "Forse" number 29. Very powerful, but dry and okay.

At number 28, it's the Andres Cantor with a goatee--Axel Hirsoux--with "Mother" (Belgium). It is still better than the crap that made the final last year with that Justin Bieber look a like (simply because Roberto Bellarosa looks slightly like Bieber or any of those artists those mindless sheeple girls listen to), but why didn't it make the final? It was also very powerful, but an okay song as well. Maybe his looks the reason? C'mon Europe, you disappointed me!

Ruth Lorenzo comes in number 27 with "Dancing in the Rain" (Spain). Here's a perfect ballad, but ranked it very low because of even more powerful stuff as you'll probably see in the days to come. Okay song nonetheless.

Herciana Matmuja comes in number 26 with "Zemerini I Nje Nate" (Albania). Okay song, but not as good as last year's song. Nothing special.

After two posts, here's where I stand:

37. Poland
36. Denmark
35. Belarus
34. Latvia
33. Macedonia
32. Austria
31. Sweden
30. Moldova
29. San Marino
28. Belgium
27. Spain
26. Albania

Twenty five big ones to number one! Where will Firelight land? Common Linnets? SEBalter? Elaiza? Even Suzy? Find out as the countdown continues!

Copenhagen 2014 Reviews: Hersi Matmuja "Zemerimi I Nje Nate"

Yes folks, it's spring time in the northern hemisphere. We all know what that means: EUROVISION time!

It is 40 days away from the first semifinal. This year, the 59th edition of the ESC is in Copenhagen. As the days are counted down, there will be my reviews of every entry one by one.

This year, 37 European nations will be present, down from 39 in Malmo 2013. Poland returns, and so does Portugal. Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Cyprus will try to regain financially for the 60th edition next year (ESC executive supervisor Jon Ola Sand (of Norway's NRK Television fame) said that he wants every nation involved in ESC for years to be there next year for that occasion, per an online interview somewhere online). Previous nations involved in the ESC--such as Slovakia, Czech Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina--also declined to return this year.

With that in mind, it's time to begin the country by country review of the entries, starting with "Zemerimi I Nje Nate" by Herciana Matmuja (pictured).

Hersi is the first entry I am profiling, and the reason is simple: Albania is the first nation alphabetically among the ESC participating nations this year. This song starts off good with some good guitar riffs (on the original version, not in the 'edited for EUROVISION version'), then it gets somewhat soft in melody and rhythm. She has an OK voice, an almost mainstream pop voice. I would think that this could be a borderline final qualifier as she will perform out of the first semifinal on Tuesday, the 6th of May. As far as comparing this with past Albanian ESC entries, I don't think it was good as the Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko collaboration from last year ("Identitet," which really rocked and should've made the final!). I've never been really enthralled from anything from this country in ESC, but this is yet another head scratcher here.

Up next: Aram MP3 "Not Alone."