Denmark was on a high at Eurovision, having won the contest in 2013, and subsequently hosting the following year. However, by 2015, Denmark found themselves stuck in the semi-final for the first time since 2007. Pop-rock band Anti Social Media were selected to represent the nation with their song, The Way You Are, but it didn’t resonate with international viewers, and more importantly the voters. What went wrong?
Rewinding back to 2015, I was certain this was going to surprise fans and qualify to the final. Beyond that, I didn’t really understand why this was underappreciated within the fan community, and to an extent, I still don’t. This is such a catchy song, and totally uplifting. Even watching again now, I still love the energy brought by the group.
While I feel slightly less passionate about this song now that some time has passed, I would still place it in a qualifying position. Looking back at that semi-final, I would have happily swapped this out with Hungary or Armenia. It might not be the most revolutionary song, but there was so much feel-good energy within the performance that it made Denmark far more memorable than a number of the semi-finalists competing alongside them. The melodies were simple but catchy, and I could easily recite the chorus after not having heard the song for years.
The visual performance was simple, and perhaps could have benefitted from a few changes. The stage design mixed with the patterns on the LED screens didn’t help the group to stand out, and certain camera angles didn’t help. It also doesn’t help that every shot from the audience perspective is covered with fans flying flags, covering almost the entire screen. I can understand one or two shots to show that energy from the audience, but there were far too many of those shots.
Overall, I still think this was robbed of a qualifying position. The song is catchy, and it was well performed vocally, however the visual performance didn’t deliver. If I had to give it a rating now, I’d say it’s a 7.5/10.
Profile
Year: 2015
Country: Denmark
Artist: Anti Social Media
Song: The Way You Are
Final Ranking: 13th in the Semi-Final