The first of the 2015 songs have been covered in Afrikaans. It is Cyprus 2015 and a new female singer from Cape Town recorded it, Karla Christene. The title is WAT EK MOES DOEN (What I have to do)
All posts by Roy van der Merwe
NEW AFRIKAANS COVER OF GEORGIA 2013
Two years ago Georgia’s 2013 Eurovision entry WATERFALL was covered in Afrikaans by Karlien van Jaarsveld as UITKLOPHOU. Now there is another cover of this song. The group ROMANZ who started singing together in 2008 decided to break up as group and each of the 4 members are now busy with solo careers. Sony released a GREATEST HITS as a farewell CD. It is a double CD with 40 songs, 35 of them coming form their previous CD’s with 5 new songs, one of them WATERFALL in Afrikaans. It has new Afrikaans lyrics and is called WATERVAL which is the Afrikaans title of the original.
SASCHA REVIEWS VIENNA…SEMI 1.2
The final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 is just over 1 month away away and this year’s Eurovision artists are hard at work promoting their entries. You’ll have seen the videos or heard the songs (you can find them all here) and I am sure you all have your own personal favourites.
I’m am taking a look at all the songs in this years contest and providing some brief thoughts. If you agree or disagree, why not add your comments at the bottom of the page.
In order to avoid personal bias, I’ve decided to review the songs based on their semi-final. So in part 2, we’re looking at the second half of Semi-Final 1 (plus 2 of the songs already qualified for the Grand Final).
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Serbia | Beauty never lies – Bojana Stamenov | Score | |||||
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| This is a strong entry by Serbia this year. It is also the first time ever that they are performing the song in English. Bojana has very strong vocals, but the song is VERY big and I hope she can pull it off on stage every night. I think this should easily qualify for the finals. It probably won’t win the contest altogether, but should become a classic at Eurovision parties for years to come. |  |
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Hungary | Wars for Nothing – Boggie | Score | |||||
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| This is the kind of song that tends to do relatively well at Eurovision. The simple and pleasant voice with backing guitar singing about making the world a better place. Unfortunately I feel we’ve had this type of entry a few times too many now. It is placed between 2 songs in the semi-final with much more of a stage presence, so they will need something to make the viewers take note of Boggie if they hope to make it to the final. |  |
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Belarus | Time – Uzari & Maimuna | Score | |||||
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| For me, this is a great Eurovision song. Something you can sing along too, and also has potential for great staging with the violinist in the hour glass. The vocals are quite strong although a little more attention could be taken on the diction of the words. I would love to see this song qualify for the finals, and with a professional staging, I think Belarus should be able to make it to the Saturday night. |  |
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Russia | A Million Voices – Polina Gagarina | Score | |||||
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| I absolutely love this song. It is everything I want from a Eurovision ballad – the slow buildup, the strong vocals, a good message (even if it does come from Russia), the big notes….this is certainly one of my favourites. It will easily qualify for the Final (although this will probably be met with the usual boos from the audience). |  |
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Denmark | The Way You Are – Anti Social Media | Score | |||||
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| This is unmistakenly Danish. Slightly retro, but yet slightly modern. A good little vote earner from many of the countries around Europe, it is sure to make it to the final. I don’t think it is strong enough to win, but it is a pleasant song that you can tap your foot to. |  |
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Albania | I’m Alive – Elhaida Dani | Score | |||||
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| In a year with a number of “Angst-Ballads”, I think this is probably one of the strongest. Elhaida has a fantastic voice and this song is a very strong entry from Albania. It is one of the few songs that I end up singing to myself after I hear it which should hopefully help Albania in the results. I’m Alive, is certainly a better entry than the one Albania had originally selected, and hopefully changing the song will end up working out in Albania’s favour. |  |
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Romania | De la capât (All over again) – Voltaj | Score | |||||
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| Romania is very often one of my favourite entries, although this song is a far departure from their usual high energy songs. It is a very high-quality soft-rock song and should be performed brilliantly on the night, given the quality of the artists. It’s not the type of song that usually sets the scoreboards on fire, but I do enjoy it, and it will be included in my Eurovision playlists from now on. Hopefully Romania will be rewarded on the night for entering this very high quality song. |  |
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Georgia | Warrior – Nina Sublatti | Score | |||||
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| I love Nina’s voice, and at first the song sounds like it had great potential, but unfortunately I am not sure if the song quite does it for me. It is slightly too repetitive and I find myself not really paying attention by the end of the song. Hopefully Georgia will be able to keep our focus through the staging but for me, I think this song is in danger of not qualifying. |  |
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Austria | I am Yours – The Makemakes | Score | |||||
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| I think this is a very confident entry for a hosting nation. Something that won’t win, but is good enough to make them proud. It is obviously inspired by the great bands of years gone by, but yet still feels current, meaning it should appeal to both the younger and older generations. The Makemakes have a good stage presence and perform with confidence which should see Austria quite high on the scoreboard. | |
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United Kingdom | Still in Love with you – Electro Velvet | Score | |||||
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| Easily one of the most controversial entries this year. After some promising hints from the BBC, fans were expecting something very modern, only to be surprised by a Charleston. I personally really love this song for Eurovision. Having seen Electro Velvet perform the song live, they certainly have the vocal ability to provide a great performance on the night. And the song is so different from any other this year, that is should stand out. Hopefully the BBC will be able to come up with some really innovative staging, was the song really does need more than just 6 people of stage and some flashing lights. I doubt that it could win, but I suspect that it will fare much better than the UK’s songs the past few years. | |
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SILWER REEN – AFRIKAANS COVER OF LATVIA 2012
Here you see the cover of SILWER REEN (Silver rain), the Afrikaans cover of Latvia 2012, originally sung as BEAUTIFUL SONG by Anmary. Janine is the South African artist.
SE PA MEJ – AFRIKAANS COVER
Steven Sterling has recorded an Afrikaans version of the 1995 Eurovision song of Sweden, SE PA MEJ of Jan Johansen. The song will soon be available on Itunes for download. Here is the cover Steven made for it and which I hope Jan Johansen will like when he gets a copy in Vienna.
OGAE Rest of the world voting – first result
OGAE Rest of the world will send one inclusive vote to OGAE International to be published first on the OGAE website but because we have several individual countries inside R O W, we have allowed them to vote as a country as well and we will publish such votes if we receive a voting picture from such a country. We got the first such voting picture, from our members in COSTA RICA and here is how these members have voted.
NEW SUB BRANCH INSIDE OGAE R O W
As of today, we have a new sub branch inside OGAE Rest of the world.
We welcome OGAE R O W – CHILE and hope they will enjoy being part of us.
Jeff is busy with a new page on our website which will focus on activities inside each of the sub branches, especially those in LATIN AMERICA.
HOW TO BE A WINNER
If you as a fan of the Eurovision song contest, want to be in line to win one of the compilation CD’s especially created to celebrate the 60th EUROVISION show, this is what you will have to do.
There are about 100 copies available for ordinary fans although the majority will go to OGAE Rest of the world fans/members but there will be some available to other fans.
You have to go to our page CONTACT US and write your name and e-mail address and then say which of the 6 compilations you would like to get if you are a winner, so you say compilation 2 or 5 or whatever.
Then you indicate
1 – if you are a member/fan of OGAE Rest of the world or NOT
2 – whether you are going to be physically in Vienna as it is much easier handing the compilations there to people
That is all you have to do – so enter and good luck to be part of a small group of people who will have a very special souvenir.
In total there are just 180 compilations but 67 are being handed to the artists taking part in the Vienna event and about 13 go to other specially identified people. So just 100 ordinary fans will walk away with one such souvenir.
EUROVISION 60th CELEBRATION – COVER SIX
And finally the last cover, this time with a bridge from COLOMBIA.
EUROVISION 60th CELEBRATION – COVER FIVE
It is time for the 5th cover in our series of the 6 compilation CD’s of celebrate the fact that EUROVISION has reached 60th shows. Our theme is bridges and Gerry of the USA designed a fantastic series of covers, using famous bridges in 6 Rest of the world countries. These 6 were picked as they present the 6 countries with the most members of our club. We already has South Africa, Australia, United States of America and Costa Rica. Would you have guessed correctly from which country comes the 5th bridge? It is Venezuela
