2016 JESC Reviews – Belarus – Alexander Minenok – Muzyka Moikh Pobed
Belarus has participated in every edition of Junior Eurovision, since it began back in 2003. In the early years, Belarus proved that they had what it took to win the contest, not only once but twice, with a 2nd place in between their two wins in 2005 and 2007. They have also come 3rd twice in more recent years, and are often in the top 5. This year, Alexander Minenok is participating with the song Muzyka Moikh Pobed, which means Music is My Only Way.
This year, like previous years, I think Belarus has gone severely under the radar. For me, this is a song that I haven’t taken much notice of since it was chosen in the Belarusian national final, however upon further listen, I think this will do better than what I, and probably many, expect. This is similar to the entry from 2013, which was completely under the radar for me, and yet Poy so Mnoy sung by Ilya Volkov ended up in 3rd place with an upbeat song similar to this.
I think this song is cool, in a Junior Eurovision way, and Alexander has a lot of confidence on stage as shown by his national final performance. This is a song that grows on you, but with a solid stage performance with the energy of his NF performance, I think this could be a silent achiever. The song has the catchiness that both audiences, and more importantly this year, the juries will appreciate, especially (potentially) Jedward, who I’m sure can relate to the energy that Alexander has.
The chorus is no doubt catchy, but the song has some modern elements through the bridge with a slight dubstep feel. The last chorus is punchy and memorable, and I think with a really great stage performance that this song will exceed my expectations and possibly continue the success that Belarus has in Junior Eurovision.
