HUNGARY– LIVE BLOG of A Dal 2017 Final

from 20:25 CET!!!

Hungary– Join us today at 19:30 CET for our LIVE rolling blog of the A Dal Final 2017 where 8 acts will compete for a place in Kiev and  go on to represent their country in Eurovision 2017. The Final  is being beamed live from Budapest.

You can watch the show live Online at mediaklikk.hu at 19:30 CET. Just refresh our page here to get the views, comments and points of view from Andrew Main who you will know from previous musings  here at Eurovision Ireland and his sparkling charm and witty repartee should keep you entertained… or bored to hell, who knows!!

The 8 Acts tonight are :

1. Joci Pápai – Origo
2. Gina Kanizsa – Fall like rain
3. Gigi Radics – See it through
4. Soulwave – Kalandor
5. Gabi Tóth – Hosszú idők
6. Leander Kills – Élet
7. Zävodi + Olivér Berkes – #háttérzaj
8. Kállay Saunders Band – 17

There will be two rounds of voting. During the first round, the jury will determine the Top 4 entries that will advance to the second round. Tonight, the voting system will be different from that used during the Heats and Semi-finals. The jurors will reveal their points after all the songs had been performed. Soon we will find out who will succeed in taking on the Hungarian golden ticket from Freddie who finished 19th in the Grand Final last year.

So sit back and get ready for Andrew to give you his spin on tonight’s offerings from Hungary – JUST REFRESH THE PAGE for the up to date comments – at your own risk!

ROLLING BLOG

Welcome to the Final of A Dal 2017. The show begins and we are introduced to the artists and then the jury for tonight. The running order is as set out below and was announced just before the show started.

Song 1 – Gabi Tóth – Hosszú idők

The first song of the Final and we have a very dramatic performance from Gabi. She has dancers on stage with her. Lots of flag waving and pyros during the performance. The song has deep ethnic sounds in there too and the vocals are good too. No votes from the juries at this stage tonight. The jury like her traditional style of music and think tonights performance was her best yet.

Song 2 – Soulwave – Kalandor

Soulwave up next and they got through on the televote in the Semi Final. I find the start of the song very weak and underwhelming but once it kicks in it gets much better. I love the guitar feel and it reminds me in parts of Kedvesem which I loved. It certainly has a certain charm with a bunch of guitar strumming lads singing a catchy tune. I don’t expect the jury to have them in their top 4 tonight. The jury think both the song and the band are very loveable. The also think the song could get lost and there are better vocalists in the Final tonight.

Song 3 – Gigi Radics – See it through

Gigi has a great voice and sings a lovely gentle ballad. This is very standard jury fodder in Eurovision and would do well I think if it went. Gigi has changed her dress to a silver spangly outfit. Perfect vocally and a feel good song for me. Her performance is mesmerising. The jury think this is the best female performance and here vocal was perfect and she has to go to the Top 4 so the public can decide whether to send her to Kiev.

Song 4 – Kállay Saunders Band – 17

WE see the return Kallay Saunders with his band trying to go back to Eurovision for a second time. A song about teenage sex and drugs is certainly a bit controversial this has a heavy almost dirty R n B feel to it. Its an ok song as it goes but the performance is a bit static and unimaginative and the song is a tad repetitive. If he gets to the top 4 his name may be enough to have a chance but I am not convinced the jury will give him the nod. The jury thinks he is a role model and strong vocally and the whole performance works well.

Song 5 – Leander Kills – Élet

Now we have a bit of heavy rock. Now I actually quite like this and brings me back to stuff I used to listen to when younger. I love the lead vocalists gruff vocals and it gives this song the stand out sometimes needed in a competition like this. A gentle start soon jumps out at you into a heavy rock anthem. Whether this will wow the jury enough to give it the edge over other vocally good performances will be the question.

Song 6 – Zävodi + Olivér Berkes – #háttérzaj

Well we have two blokes and a piano that goes on fire. Its a very empowering ballad and its sung really well. The performance is certainly good and the backdrop effects combined with the fiery piano certainly give it a memorable enough edge to it. But and its a big but for it is a little bit on the boring side if I am honest. I would be a little bit surprised  to see this hit the top 4 tonight. When the lead singer hits the highest notes its quite painful to my ear.

Song 7 – Joci Pápai – Origo

First time I heard this a few weeks ago I was a bit underwhelmed but I have really warmed to the song and the performance. I love the ethnic eastern influences and this sounds like it should be a Turkish entry. Lovely performance and I even do not mind the rap as it just adds to the charm and feel of the song. It is a big favourite with the jury and the crowd are clapping along to this all the way. This is a serious contender for sure.

Song 8 – Gina Kanizsa – Fall like rain

We finish the night with a piano oriented ballad. Very gentle and uplifting. We have a dancer doing the fan dance and twirling around all over, a tad distracting for me. The vocals are sweet and perfectly fine. This is more of a throwaway song for me with no big moment at all.

So we have heard all the finalists and it was a varied bunch for sure. The juries will deliberate and give us their scores which will decide which 4 songs will move forward to the final round of voting by the public.

I would choose Joci Papai, Gabi Toth, Gigi Radics and Kallay Saunders Band.

All the artists come back on to the stage. Joci Papai is top, Zävodi + Olivér Berkes are second then we have Gigi Radics and Gina Kanizsa making up the top 4.

So we now have a voting period for the public to vote their winner of A Dal 2017 and send one of these artists to Kiev.

Another run through of the 4 songs but I reckon we are getting close to a result here in Hungary. Indeed we now have the artists waiting anxiously on the stage. The jury give their final thoughts. Papai Joci get the nod from 2 of the jury.

The winner is Joci Papai with the song Origo.

Not a surprise in Hungary and good luck to them in Kiev.

Author – Andrew James Main

Source: Eurovision Ireland, LTV