Eurovision Season 2018: In Defence of SuRie's 'Storm'
My favourite song at this year's Eurovision Song Contest is SuRie's 'Storm' representing the United Kingdom. There, I've said it. I hear so many people on the Eurovision Facebook groups bashing this song that I so often feel like I am the only person within the Eurovision community that highly rates this song. Even within British fans, I constantly find myself trying to explain to people why this is the best entry we have sent since Jade Ewen in 2009, so I'm just going to bite the bullet and use the voice that I am lucky enough to have with this blog in order to fight my corner.
I should start by saying that I rarely support the United Kingdom at anything. I support the French football team, the Sri Lankan cricket team, Canadians at the Winter Olympics. Andy Murray and the Summer Olympics are the only time you will see me flying the Union Jack. In fact, I normally enjoy Eurovision for having the opportunity to support a country based on the quality of the song and my desire that they succeed at Eurovision. When the dust had cleared on the selection process, there was only one song left standing for me and I love it. I have read too many people criticising this song and I'm tired of it because I think she will surprise everybody on May 12th and here's why.
To start with, it's an easily listenable song. Whilst many of this year's favourites blast their message and purpose home fiercely, 'Storm' invites you in gently and rises gradually. It is for this reason I think that everybody I have showed the song to enjoys it. They don't think it's brilliant, but it's certainly an easy listen and not bad. Added to this, as the British national final demonstrated, SuRie can perform the socks off this one. Now, as many people in the British Eurovision community have been saying, she is fantastic and I for one would love to not only listen to the music she makes in the future but I hope she returns to do Eurovision again. Nevertheless, she breathes a life into this song that is gentle, optimistic, hopeful and so beautifully genuine. As a British Eurovision fan, I find it incredible to see how genuine our entries from this year and last year have felt in comparison to 2015 and 2016. They aren't the greatest songs of all time, but they are sung with heart and passion by singers who mean every word and that's not a bad base for us to work from.
Next I will say that in a post-'Love, Love, Peace, Peace' Eurovision world, Eurovision songwriters are looking for new topics to take on. This year's Finnish entry takes on anxiety, this year's Israeli entry takes on feminism, but my favourite theme that songwriters are exploring is hope. Last year, I cheered OG3NE on to an 11th placed finish for the Netherlands with 'Lights & Shadows', a song so tinged with hope that it transcends anything about the production that might feel dated to make said hope simply infectious. Be it not for a bum draw in the Final, that song would definitely have done better than it did. Moving to this year, the revamp to 'Storm' has made the production of the song not only current but optimistic. Whereas the original of the song was beautifully moody, the revamp has turned the song into an anthem that as we saw during this year's British National Final is beautifully singable. Try saying those words "storms don't last forever", I kid you not, it actually feels nice.
Whilst I'm on this topic of lyrics, will everybody please stop hating on the lyrics of this song. I am a writer myself and yes, the lyrics are not the most creative or professional of all time, but with all due respect, lyrics have rarely mattered at Eurovision. Do lyrics serve the song? Yes. But look at the fact that both the last winners sang songs where the chorus was in a foreign language. Look at the years before that and find me a song that is lyrically perfect (I'll wait). Finally, look at this year's favourites and tell me which of those songs has fantastic lyrics. Eurovision ISN'T about lyrics, it's about vibe, it's about atmosphere and as Salvador put it last year, it's about how the music makes you feel. Whilst I fully buy that 'Storm' isn't everybody's cup of tea. Can I please just put out there for the record that I love it. I have put the song on repeat, whilst I'm out, whilst I'm in, when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm frustrated, when I'm optimistic. It makes me feel like there's hope hidden within a difficult-looking future.
As a fantastic book on Eurovision history by Christ West says, Eurovision represents a marker for Europe and the feelings and atmospheres of different countries around Europe. As somebody who has lived in London for the last three years, let me put it out there things are looking pretty bleak here. We don't have a majority government, we don't have a plan for how we're leaving the EU and we are arguably the most divided country in Europe at present (ironically since we have the word 'United' in our name). I believe that 'Storm' was chosen to represent the UK not because it was the best song of the six that the public were offered but because it is how the British people feel right now, this is what we want to hear, we do still believe in chasing rainbows because that's how dark things have gotten here. I have a theory that when Eurovision comes around, that 'Storm' will chart better than all previous British Eurovision entries since Blue because it could easily go to radio and it is the song that many members of the British public want to hear right now.
Finally, when all of this is said and done, I would like to put out there that I have faith in the BBC to be able to stage this song well. The last time the BBC messed up the staging of their act was 2010 (sorry Josh) and they have learned their lesson since. Last year, the staging was so good that it arguably won us 3 or 4 places in the rankings. We don't have screens this year which means we will see a different staging to the one in Brighton. However, as SuRie is such a competent and infectiously hopeful and happy performer, this will ultimately end up being in the British favour on the night. I think the key to staging this song will be the lighting. I believe that with a good lighting show and some close camera angles, the staging can really stand out and highlight SuRie's performance to the rest of Europe even more!
Look, I'm not saying it's the greatest song of all time. I'm not saying it's the greatest British entry of all time. I'm saying that I love it! If this was the entry from any other country, I would be picking up the phone and voting for it. Yes, the United Kingdom is unpopular, but let's be honest and say that there is a lot of dross around this year and even if subtly, the British entry has identity as the song that will inject hope, optimism and feel-good vibes into the Altice Arena and onto everybody's screens. Before you dismiss this song again and we go back to whining about how it will finish last, I encourage readers to listen to it again with everything I have said in mind. Don't just listen to a minute, listen all the way until the end and tell me there's not something about SuRie and the energy of this song that is infectious and that will come across as infectious on the night with the right staging. It is ironic that I have hope in a song where the pre-chorus goes "I still have faith, I still believe in chasing rainbows" but fuck it, I do believe in chasing rainbows.
SuRie, go make the British public proud, sing your heart out and get this message of optimism and hope across to all Europe. There are many people highlighting that this song is the favourite to finish last but I don't buy that argument for a second. A top half finish is my hope, a top 10 finish is a job very well done and in my wildest dreams, I even imagine what it could be like if this won. I don't expect everybody to hold my opinion, but I am just asking everybody who reads this to give SuRie a chance and wait until after she performs this live on the night to judge her, her song or the current state of the United Kingdom at Eurovision. For now, just listen to this song and remember even deep in your heart that "storms don't last forever".
I should start by saying that I rarely support the United Kingdom at anything. I support the French football team, the Sri Lankan cricket team, Canadians at the Winter Olympics. Andy Murray and the Summer Olympics are the only time you will see me flying the Union Jack. In fact, I normally enjoy Eurovision for having the opportunity to support a country based on the quality of the song and my desire that they succeed at Eurovision. When the dust had cleared on the selection process, there was only one song left standing for me and I love it. I have read too many people criticising this song and I'm tired of it because I think she will surprise everybody on May 12th and here's why.
To start with, it's an easily listenable song. Whilst many of this year's favourites blast their message and purpose home fiercely, 'Storm' invites you in gently and rises gradually. It is for this reason I think that everybody I have showed the song to enjoys it. They don't think it's brilliant, but it's certainly an easy listen and not bad. Added to this, as the British national final demonstrated, SuRie can perform the socks off this one. Now, as many people in the British Eurovision community have been saying, she is fantastic and I for one would love to not only listen to the music she makes in the future but I hope she returns to do Eurovision again. Nevertheless, she breathes a life into this song that is gentle, optimistic, hopeful and so beautifully genuine. As a British Eurovision fan, I find it incredible to see how genuine our entries from this year and last year have felt in comparison to 2015 and 2016. They aren't the greatest songs of all time, but they are sung with heart and passion by singers who mean every word and that's not a bad base for us to work from.
Next I will say that in a post-'Love, Love, Peace, Peace' Eurovision world, Eurovision songwriters are looking for new topics to take on. This year's Finnish entry takes on anxiety, this year's Israeli entry takes on feminism, but my favourite theme that songwriters are exploring is hope. Last year, I cheered OG3NE on to an 11th placed finish for the Netherlands with 'Lights & Shadows', a song so tinged with hope that it transcends anything about the production that might feel dated to make said hope simply infectious. Be it not for a bum draw in the Final, that song would definitely have done better than it did. Moving to this year, the revamp to 'Storm' has made the production of the song not only current but optimistic. Whereas the original of the song was beautifully moody, the revamp has turned the song into an anthem that as we saw during this year's British National Final is beautifully singable. Try saying those words "storms don't last forever", I kid you not, it actually feels nice.
Whilst I'm on this topic of lyrics, will everybody please stop hating on the lyrics of this song. I am a writer myself and yes, the lyrics are not the most creative or professional of all time, but with all due respect, lyrics have rarely mattered at Eurovision. Do lyrics serve the song? Yes. But look at the fact that both the last winners sang songs where the chorus was in a foreign language. Look at the years before that and find me a song that is lyrically perfect (I'll wait). Finally, look at this year's favourites and tell me which of those songs has fantastic lyrics. Eurovision ISN'T about lyrics, it's about vibe, it's about atmosphere and as Salvador put it last year, it's about how the music makes you feel. Whilst I fully buy that 'Storm' isn't everybody's cup of tea. Can I please just put out there for the record that I love it. I have put the song on repeat, whilst I'm out, whilst I'm in, when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm frustrated, when I'm optimistic. It makes me feel like there's hope hidden within a difficult-looking future.
As a fantastic book on Eurovision history by Christ West says, Eurovision represents a marker for Europe and the feelings and atmospheres of different countries around Europe. As somebody who has lived in London for the last three years, let me put it out there things are looking pretty bleak here. We don't have a majority government, we don't have a plan for how we're leaving the EU and we are arguably the most divided country in Europe at present (ironically since we have the word 'United' in our name). I believe that 'Storm' was chosen to represent the UK not because it was the best song of the six that the public were offered but because it is how the British people feel right now, this is what we want to hear, we do still believe in chasing rainbows because that's how dark things have gotten here. I have a theory that when Eurovision comes around, that 'Storm' will chart better than all previous British Eurovision entries since Blue because it could easily go to radio and it is the song that many members of the British public want to hear right now.
Finally, when all of this is said and done, I would like to put out there that I have faith in the BBC to be able to stage this song well. The last time the BBC messed up the staging of their act was 2010 (sorry Josh) and they have learned their lesson since. Last year, the staging was so good that it arguably won us 3 or 4 places in the rankings. We don't have screens this year which means we will see a different staging to the one in Brighton. However, as SuRie is such a competent and infectiously hopeful and happy performer, this will ultimately end up being in the British favour on the night. I think the key to staging this song will be the lighting. I believe that with a good lighting show and some close camera angles, the staging can really stand out and highlight SuRie's performance to the rest of Europe even more!
Look, I'm not saying it's the greatest song of all time. I'm not saying it's the greatest British entry of all time. I'm saying that I love it! If this was the entry from any other country, I would be picking up the phone and voting for it. Yes, the United Kingdom is unpopular, but let's be honest and say that there is a lot of dross around this year and even if subtly, the British entry has identity as the song that will inject hope, optimism and feel-good vibes into the Altice Arena and onto everybody's screens. Before you dismiss this song again and we go back to whining about how it will finish last, I encourage readers to listen to it again with everything I have said in mind. Don't just listen to a minute, listen all the way until the end and tell me there's not something about SuRie and the energy of this song that is infectious and that will come across as infectious on the night with the right staging. It is ironic that I have hope in a song where the pre-chorus goes "I still have faith, I still believe in chasing rainbows" but fuck it, I do believe in chasing rainbows.
SuRie, go make the British public proud, sing your heart out and get this message of optimism and hope across to all Europe. There are many people highlighting that this song is the favourite to finish last but I don't buy that argument for a second. A top half finish is my hope, a top 10 finish is a job very well done and in my wildest dreams, I even imagine what it could be like if this won. I don't expect everybody to hold my opinion, but I am just asking everybody who reads this to give SuRie a chance and wait until after she performs this live on the night to judge her, her song or the current state of the United Kingdom at Eurovision. For now, just listen to this song and remember even deep in your heart that "storms don't last forever".
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