{"id":67186,"date":"2023-11-20T00:02:53","date_gmt":"2023-11-19T23:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/songfestival.be\/?p=67186"},"modified":"2023-11-20T00:18:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-19T23:18:03","slug":"onze-redacteurs-verhoord-hun-favorieten-voor-de-esc-250","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/songfestival.be\/en\/top-250-2023\/onze-redacteurs-verhoord-hun-favorieten-voor-de-esc-250\/","title":{"rendered":"Our editors speak out: their favourites for the ‘ESC 250’"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are still certainties in life: every year-end is traditionally marked by an overdose of Mariah Carey and her unnamed earwurm, the Albanian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest and, of course, the end-of-year list of end-of-year lists: the ESC 250<\/em>. Meanwhile, the voting has been open for a week. We like to believe that the compilation of a top ten causes many Song Contest fans a (small) existential crisis every year.<\/p>\n

New songs are added every year that are also fresh to one’s memory. As loyal fans, do we allow ourselves to be seduced by the most recent songs that are still top of mind and may also still be played plenty in personal playlists? Can we judge in the same year whether the favourites of the last Eurovision edition are effectively new, modern evergreens? Dare we trade certain certainties, classics we were sure would never fall out of our personal top three, for younger newcomers?<\/p>\n

We feel your pain. We, too, as editors of Songfestival.be, drive ourselves to get bogged down in these arduous questions every year. This year, however, we openly weigh our choices with you and give you our personal top ten. Maybe we provide you with extra inspiration, maybe we push you further into a personality crisis. Our sincere apologies, but above all: enjoy this period full of Eurovision songs and the sometimes surprising favorites of our editors!<\/p>\n

Arne<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Every year, it is always a difficult choice to select just ten songs from the rich history of the Eurovision Song Contest. For this edition of the ESC 250<\/em>, I chose a mix of classics, guilty pleasures<\/strong>, and songs that have a deeper meaning for me.<\/p>\n

Take, for example, Stronger Every Minute<\/strong><\/em> by Lisa Andreas. The Cypriot singer was only sixteen when she enchanted the audience in Istanbul and viewers at home with her captivating ballad and angelic voice in 2004. One thing is certain; this will be the opening dance at my wedding party. However, I still need to find a partner, and the date for the celebration hasn’t been yet set either.<\/p>\n

Spots two, three, and four are occupied by some of my guilty pleasures. Hanna Pakarinen<\/strong> may not have been successful in her home country, but I still enjoy her song Leave Me Alone<\/em>, especially after a long day at work or when the neighbours are being too loud. The prize for the gay anthem goes to Euroband and their infectious hit This Is My Life<\/strong><\/em>. The nineties also produced a great song; you’d rather not mess with the ladies from Az\u00facar Moreno<\/strong>… or maybe you would. The Spanish girls seemed even angrier in Zagreb than the late Jenny Verbeeck towards her sister Rosa in Thuis\u00a0<\/em>– if you have no clue what this is about, do look it up, you’re in for a treat.<\/p>\n

At the top of my list, there are few changes compared to last year. Ott Lepland<\/strong> has become one of my favorite artists after his Eurovision performance. I even bought two CDs of his, which I eagerly sing along to in Estonian (even though I don’t understand a word) during a traffic jam on the E17 near Deerlijk. Danijela<\/strong> from Croatia gets ten points from me with what I consider the most beautiful lyrics ever in Eurovision. For the coveted douze points, I remain loyal to the Swedish blonde who introduced me to the love for the Song Contest: Charlotte – then Nilsson – Perrelli. Take Me To Your Heaven<\/strong><\/em> remains the ultimate Eurovision song for me.<\/p>\n

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My complete top 10 for this year:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

12 Take Me To Your Heaven<\/em> by Charlotte Perrelli (Sweden, 1999)
\n10 Neka mi ne svane<\/em> by Danijela (Croatia, 1998)
\n8 Kuula<\/em> by Ott Lepland (Estonia, 2012)
\n7 In A Moment Like This<\/em> by Chan\u00e9e & N’Evergreen (Denmark, 2010)
\n6 L’oiseau et l’enfant<\/em> by Marie Myriam (France, 1977)
\n5 Calm After The Storm<\/em> by The Common Linnets (Netherlands, 2014)
\n4 Bandido<\/em> by Az\u00facar Moreno (Spain, 1990)
\n3 This Is My Life<\/em> by Euroband (Iceland, 2008)
\n2 Leave Me Alone<\/em> by Hanna Pakarinen (Finland, 2007)
\n1 Stronger Every Minute <\/i>by Lisa Andreas (Cyprus, 2004)<\/p>\n

Dennis<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

This is very difficult<\/strong>! Compiling a list of my ten favourite Eurovision songs. How do I begin? How do I determine if an entry deserves a spot in my top ten? I have thought about it for a long time. Ultimately, I have chosen to create my list based on the impact that certain songs have had on me<\/strong>. The number of times I have played songs and the memories associated with certain songs have been the criteria for my ultimate list.<\/p>\n

My absolute number one since the day of its release is Last Dance<\/strong><\/em> by Stefania. For me, it is the perfect Eurovision song. The mysterious start and the catchy chorus make it the most played song in my Spotify listening history.<\/p>\n

A strong second place goes to the Estonian entry from 2015: Goodbye to Yesterday<\/strong><\/em>. A beautiful, calm song with a wonderful set of lyrics. The visual aspect during the performance on the Eurovision stage also greatly appealed to me. The interaction between Elina Born and Stig R\u00e4sta, the tear from the singer… I remain impressed.<\/p>\n

The rest of my top ten consists mainly of danceable pop songs, alongside my favourite entries from my own country.<\/p>\n