So…yeah. I sat on this piece for a few days while I played and replayed these DDF songs trying to find three tracks I could justifiably discuss as viable options for Germany. Sometimes it takes multiples listens for a song to really come into focus, you know? Well…that didn’t happen. These aren’t bad entries, to be clear (a couple of them aren’t particularly good, but that’s a different matter): I would not call this a poor selection of songs. That said, taken as a whole, this lineup feels more like a solid EP of album tracks without a lead single. Even there, there’s a huge difference between a good song and a song that is actually competitive for ESC. I am afraid we do not have one such offering here, and within the context of a national final whose main purpose has shifted from “Let’s find an entry that can win the contest” to “let’s find an entry that can get us out of the bottom 5,” it all just feels a bit demoralizing.
I did find two songs I like which I think are worth discussing. Before getting into that, however, I would like to give a quick shoutout to a couple more songs which, for different reasons, also stood out. The first one is Naiv by Marie Reim which, in 2024, is probably the most schlager schlager that ever schlagered in the history of schlager. Seriously, I am delighted that something like this can still exist for what it is. That said, both in terms of production and visuals (the chains!!!), this is the equivalent of serving c*nt except they had to make it twice in the kitchen because they burned it the first time and then when it finally gets to your table it’s kinda cold and you don’t want it anymore because you ate all the bread because you were hungry and now you’re kinda full and bloated. The second one is Oh Boy by Ryk because it is a huge fan favorite and the most likely entry to win this final. It is a well produced track with a solid, captivating, Woodkidesque vocal. Ryk is very handsome, so there’s that too. Onto our fave tracks!
Bodine Monet – Tears like Rain
This is a very pleasant, current, catchy acoustic pop track with a nice beat and lyrics about finding the strength to get over the end of relationship. That’s it, but that’s something. It’s mainly one chorus repeated over and over for the duration of the song, but Bodine is adorable and she’s got a remarkably warm tone, and the overall vocal feels assured and effortless. I wish they had taken the time to add a verse, or engineer a tempo or key change to make it just a bit more eventful or special, but Germany doesn’t have to qualify out of a semifinal and I could see this be a niche fave for some in the final lineup, since I don’t anticipate any tracks occupying the same musical landscape (unless Clara wins Melodifestivalen, that is). If staged well, this could have a very respectable mid-table placement. Which…is better than a bottom 5 finish.
This is my favorite song here. I will be adding it to my playlist. “You used to buy me yellow roses/Who’d believe it if they told us/Someday they will outlive you and I” is the sort of lyric that will get to me at 1 AM when I’ve had a gummy and I’m in my feels. It’s a beautiful, delicate ballad with a subtle, effective vocal and a fairly interesting structure (including a very cool final key change). Great! Is it competitive at ESC? No. It would need to be completely remixed to build towards a much more bombastic final minute, and I don’t anticipate that happening. The standard for this type of ESC entry is and will always remain Alcohol You by Roxen, which featured a more assertive and modern production while still managing to caress your face like a whisper in the wind. This could also probably contend for a mid-table finish in Malmö, but I think more would need to gel for that to happen compared to the aforementioned track.
ESC Etc. 
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