Eurovision Throwback: Kati Wolf – What About My Dreams?

Hungary have had a mixed run at Eurovision, with some results hitting the Top 10, and others falling behind. Today we’ll be discussing the 2011 entry performed by Kati Wolf, titled What About My Dreams, which at the time was being labelled one of the contenders for the win. Although there were high hopes for the song, in the end, it didn’t quite make the impact on Europe’s audiences, finishing in 22^nd in the final. Was that a deserved result?

I could totally understand the hype for this song. With their last two entries in 2008 and 2009 failing to reach the final, and not participating in 2010, Hungary were back with a song that had real promise. It had this real tense and dramatic feel about it while still being a dance-pop song which is usually always a hit with Eurovision voters. With a promising song, where did this go wrong?

There were a few aspects to the performance which I think potentially could have been done a bit better. I think the staging was underwhelming for what the song was offering. The backing dancers with LED lights attached weren’t my favourite, I just found it to look a bit budget, but the real crime was the costuming. What were they thinking? Sure, Kati has some incredible legs, but can we even call that a dress? Although it was flattering to her legs, I don’t think this was the right dress to capture the feel of the song.

Overall, I think the most captivating moment of the performance was halfway through, when they’re zoomed in on Kati against a completely black background. She’s singing that part of the song in Hungarian, which is definitely a positive, and that fleeting moment was the one that impressed me the most for its simplicity and the way it allowed the emotion to be conveyed. It was a no-brainer to have flashing lights during the more dance parts of the song, but it was nice to see a contrast, if only for a few seconds. I do like this song, and I do think it deserved more than 22^nd place. With a more thought out staging concept, I do think it could have inched closer to the Top 10, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I’m giving this song and performance a 7/10.