Finland

Lose Control Waldo's People

"I don't wanna live a lie - is this my reality?"

Given the 1990s were by and large a barren wasteland of popular music in Eurovision, it's no surprise that some countries are still playing catch-up. With your choice of genres limited to about three by ideas of what would appeal to the juries, anything resembling contemporary chart material stood out at the contest, and was generally frowned upon, only making a breakthrough towards the end of the decade when the focus shifted to televoting. One country that tried - and failed - to break the mould sooner was Finland, whose 1994 entry Bye Bye Baby was sapped of all strength by the orchestra and finished a miserable (if uniform) 22nd. With the bass blasting and few if any concerns about the music being messed up in Moscow, our 2007 hosts will be hoping to fare better with Waldo's People and Lose Control.

Drawn at the tail end of the 1st semi, one in which they have very little direct competition, you'd have to think Finland's chances of qualification were fairly high. Ironically, Lose Control is almost as conspicuous in this field as Bye Bye Baby was in the ballad-heavy line-up at the Point Theatre, which may work in its favour considering it is followed by three comparatively demure entries and is likely to receive as vocally solid a performance as it did on each of the many occasions it was repeated in the national final. Its only real rival is Bulgaria's Illusion, but taking into account that song's chances of going pear-shaped, Finland could trounce them convincingly. Even if you're not a fan of the '90s revival they're peddling, you can't deny the ease with which the chorus sticks in your head after hearing it just the once.

The big challenge facing Waldo's People in Moscow is related to a Bulgarian entry, but not this year's: similar in sound and style to 2008's DJ, Take Me Away, the problem Lose Control may have is overcoming the audience's all-too-obvious apathy for pretty much anything which emulates another era. Since they have a more memorable song, Finland will have to hope that the televoting masses aren't so dismissive, but the general lack of support the country receives means it is probably the worst-placed of the last five in the 1st semi to make it to the final. Should they fall at the first hurdle, I hope it doesn't discourage the Finns from trying different things: having exhausted their hard rock potential with their last three entries, they should be looking to bring something new to the contest. Even if 'new' only means 'the nineties we never had'.