ESC Etc.

Country: Slovenia
Artist: Raiven
Title: Veronika
Songwriter(s): Raiven, Bojan Cvjetićanin
Tempo: 135 BPM Mode: Minor Key: F Duration: 2:46

When news broke out that Slovenia had internally selected Raiven to represent the country at ESC, the Eurovision fandom more or less entered a state of euphoric meltdown. An eternal fave, Raiven had previously attempted to represent Slovenia at ESC on three different occasions, finishing 2nd, 3rd, and finally 2nd again. This time around, the song she submitted was apparently so good it caused the national delegation to altogether call off the national final, scoring so much better than any other entry submitted to effectively make the competition a waste of time and money.

I can see why. This track is aces. I’m partial to Raiven’s brand of electro/synthy/experimental pop in general, but at 2:46, this song is a great condensation of her artistic identity – grandiose, cinematic production, haunting vocals, unconventional structure (there’s no distinct chorus!), powerful lyrics. The titular Veronika is Veronika Deseniška, a historical figure in Slovenian culture accused of witchcraft and sentenced to death by drowning in 1425 by her father-in-law, a nobleman who disapproved of her marriage to his son. The track is however abstracting from this historical context to embrace a feminist message against patriarchal oppression:

“Who are you afraid of when you hide your desires?
You look into my eyes, your image glows in them
I’m a frameless mirror
I’m just a reflection of your fears”

The production builds on itself towards the end, weaving in operatic vocal acrobatics and the sound of rushing waters, as Raiven sings “I am, you are Veronika” until the production slowly begins to fades. It seems as though Loreen’s win last year might be ushering a new era – is ESC 2024 going to be the year of the dark bop? I am here for it.

Jury Potential: Definitely Top 10 if not better. Raiven’s vocal will be handsomely rewarded, and so will the lush, atmospheric production.
Televote Potential: It’s in Slovene, which is an automatic bonus, and if you don’t think Raiven will stage this within an inch of its life, be prepared to eat crow. The unusual structure of the song might make it a bit less immediate, but this is going to really stand out on stage, and I think voters will remember it because there’s not going to be anything else like it.