
Dark Scandinavian indie with a strong synth presence.

Catchy melody, and the vocal is pretty solid too… Just as you would expect from Scandinavian pop!

“I wrote this song together with Joakim Buddee while i was going through a breakup from a relationship that I thought was for life. Hold It Against You is about leaving and moving forward with no hard feelings but at the same time exist in all that pain.”

Utterly joyous Swedish indie that sends me back to listening to The Strokes on my way to school in ’01.

It’s the start of Eurovision week (i.e. the world’s biggest music show), and for someone who follows the show for the fun rather than the music, this year I’ve been surprised by the number of countries submitting songs that could easily be on radio playlists.
Here’s some which have stood out to me – and as it happens, these are the main favourites to win…. Maybe Eurovision is starting to push for more current sounds again?
Duncan Lawrence – Netherlands (intense, minimal ballad with haunting elements).
Mahmood – Italy (my personal favourite this year from a talent who was featured in the past, this is punchy pop with angst).
Katerine Duska – Greece (the most beautifully melodic indie pop, along the lines of Florence & The Machine with a distinctive vocal).
Conan Osiris – Portugal (the most conceptual and idiosyncratic song this year, this feels better suited to an art installation at Tate Modern than Eurovision).
Michela – Malta (if Dua Lipa had a go at Eurovision, this would absolutely be it).
Hatari – Iceland (this has caused the biggest reaction this year- nothing is off limits with this group… It’s a bold electro/ goth/ synth sound that makes an impact from the start)
John Lundvik – Sweden (gospel pop with a mildly euphoric edge).
Luca Hänni – Switzerland (this is your standard bubblegum pop with big beats and catchy hooks).
And to be honest there’s a few more, but head on over to Eurovision’s website to check them out.
The Semi Final’s are on Tuesday 14th and Thursday 16th May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 18th May. It’s broadcast across most countries globally, so check it out!