Yesterday evening the BBC set the cat amongst the pigeons in a stealth-move via the red button service on BBC One. Quietly tucked away trailing The One Show, this years launch event for the UK Eurovision bid was presented by Scott Mills from a 'secret location' somewhere in London. I would like to say that it was a much-awaited affair but this is after all; the Eurovision Song Contest in Britain that we're talking about. It was however, a very smart move.
Releasing the UK entry to the contest's core fan base has allowed social media to spread the word positively, rather than the press hounding our entry with the usual British "its all political" and "we're wasting our time" standard response. That said however, the press surrounding the announcement last night has actually taken on a more surprising tone with speculation that this song could actually bring home the (Danish) bacon.
Hailing from Leicester in the Great East Midlands, Molly Smitten-Downes was sourced via the BBC's Introducing programme which allows unsigned artists to get their work noticed. Her previous material is really quite special, particularly her haunting track "Never Forget". Here she proves that she means business when it comes to penning down a memorable tune.
I don't know about you, but this has an air of John-Lewis-Advert to me...
Her other credentials are also impressive, having provided the vocals to SASH's dance extravaganza, "Raindrops (Encore Une Fois)" - reaching number nine in the UK charts in 2006, as well as picking up the Best of British Unsigned Music award for the song "Strange Alien" last year, although this is somewhat irrelevant when it comes to being placed top of the table in Copenhagen this May.
What is relevant though is the song in question; "Children of the Universe". It is after all what all this hubbub is about. Does it have the ingredients of a Eurovision Winner?... In a word, YES! Have a listen to it here, and then we'll talk about it some more, shall we?
Lets run through the checklist...
Universally Inoffensive Lyrics... Check
Peaceful Message... Check
Catchy Hook... Check
Well Performed... Check
Sing-along-ability... Check
Big, Anthemic Finish... Check
Glitterball Staging... Not quite, but thats not necessarily a bad thing...
...there is plenty of opportunity to create a slick, polished performance with this song, and I can almost smell the on-stage fireworks as the track reaches its finale. A tasteful short blast on the Eurovision Wind Machine and the absence of a faffy dance troupe should see us in good stead. As long as the 'Beeb keep their eyes on the prize and create a staging that fits the song, I think we'll be alright and with Guy Freemen at the helm, this is almost a certainty. Take Emile De Forest's winning performance for Denmark last year as the template, but lets lose the viking drummers and nightie.
Now for those Brits who speak of the Eurovision with the same drone as a Scottish Bagpiper, I'd just like to clear up a few points. The arguments of "Oh its all Political" and "Nobody in Europe likes us anyway" is just simply a load of hot air. Lets take Germany as an example. When they won in 2010 after Mr Eurovision Stefan Raab was approached by the national broadcaster to turn the German Eurovision fortunes around, they managed to overcome an incredibly dismal past record. I hasten to stress that this is GERMANY! If ever there was a country in Europe with political and cultural cards stacked against them, no matter how historical they may be, then it is them. Here is how the UK and Germany had placed in the contest over the first 10 years of the millennium...
2000: Germany 5th/UK 16th
2001: Germany 8th/UK 15th
2002: Germany 21st/UK 3rd
2003: Germany 11th/UK 26th (Last)
2004: Germany 8th/UK 16th
2005: Germany 24th (Last)/UK 22nd
2006: Germany 11th/UK 19th
2007: Germany 19th/UK 22nd
2008: Germany 23th/UK 25th (Last)
2009: Germany 20th/UK 5th
2010: Germany WINNER/UK 25th (Last)
Average: Germany 12th/UK 15th
...so you see its anybody's game. Plus we now have a jury from each country who award 50% of the final score - something that the EBU (who organise the contest) introduced to counter such rumours of political voting that the UK seems to have forgotten about. Not only that, but this year the standard of the competition is also greatly in our favour with many of the songs already chosen falling well under par. Eurovision is still a SONG contest and as Germany proved, the best song that is most popular across the continent WILL win. Its as simple as that.
The reaction to our entry has been fantastic from those fans across Europe - the ones who will actually be voting for it. The same cannot be said for some of the comments made closer to home, which just goes to show how backward the British impression of the contest really is. No matter how fantastic of an entry Molly has, she will inevitably find it hard to drum up any kind of support from her home nation. Hopefully, if she achieves the ultimate and brings home the prize... this will all be about to change.
Finally the BBC have given us a song and a performer that we can be proud of on the Eurovision stage. Not only do the fans across Europe seem to love it already, but as an extremely talented SONGWRITER, Molly is sure to score well with both the voting public AND the international juries.
It really is an exciting time for British Eurovision fans... Lets hope we'll be showering Molly Smitten-Downs with jubilations and hosting the competition again next year - bringing about a wind of change for its perception right here in the UK.
Power to the People.
Amen to that.
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