This week, the show is also about the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. This year's Eurosong takes place in southern Swedish city of Malmö, courtesy of Loreen and Tatoo. But since this is Balkan Express and not Polar Express, we will refrain from saying that it was all a set-up and that Kariaa should have won handily. We could say that, but we won’t.
At any rate, last year was pretty amazing when it came to Eurosong contestants from the Balkans. Specifically, Slovenians Joker Out and Croatians Let 3 were hyped up to no end and earned some serious traction. And while Let 3 placed respectable 13th, Joker Out milked an entire North European tour of that one appearance and vastly increased their fanbase.
But that was last year and this is this year. And this year it is Raiven who represents Slovenia. Veronica is an electro poppish track that got a lot of airtime back home. But her selection also came with a bit of a scandal as she wasn’t as much seleced as she was appointed to represent the country as the entire national contest was cancelled, allegedly for financial reasons. At some point even the state anti-corruption agency got involved. Still
As it was the case for many years now, most Eurosong contestants are split into two semifinals. One will take place tonight, the other on Thursday evening. Tonight, it is not just Raiven who will partake but also Baby Lasagna. And although he looks entirely inedible, this musician/producer who goes by Marko Purišić in civilan life, did am up-tempo track which is fine, if it weren’t for the fact that it smells very much like last year’s attempt by Finland and Kaarija
Balkan Express usually deals with music from former Yugoslavia. But it we stuck to that standard in today’s show, it would all really be mercifully short. Namely, Teya Dora for Serbia is the last ex-Yugoslav representative in Malmö. Ramonda has a vaguely Norse-looking video and the track sounds like noveau spiritualism.
Seeing how none of the other four countries that emerged from Yugoslavia partake in Malmö, we must now turn our attention to other Balkan countries. This year marks Albania’s 20th consecutive Eurosong appearance. They never placed higher than fifth, which – to be honest – is a very respectable result. Maybe this year they’ll go even further.
Greece will join the party this year, too. After all, it is their 50th birthday with Eurovisog contest. Marina Satti developed a uniqe style: a melange of Arabic, Greek and wider Balkan influences.
Which brings us to the last track of this weeks Eurosong contest. Namely, Austria. Some will say that Austria as a Balkan country defies the original purpose. Then again, people in Munich, Germany, will often point to Austria and say yhat the Balkans begins at the German-Austrain border. As for us, we think Balkans is a state mind
And that’s all the time we have for today, Check out Eurovision tonight and then Thursday and Balkan Express will be back next week.
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Balkan Express brings you the latest and/or the greatest in music from the Balkans. On air every Tuesday at 11am on Ara City Radio, it is hosted by Aljaž aka @pengovsky who once did the world a solid and vowed never to sing again in public. Which is how he ended up doing radio.