It’s the time of year when the Post-Eurovision depression is in full swing, but there’s no better cure than to reminisce! Together with ESCDaily Editor, Dennis Van Eersel, we will be discussing each of this year’s competing nations – from their results to how we think they could improve in the future!
Poland
Predictions, Personal Scores and Results
Anita:
Prediction: Non-Qualifier
Dennis:
Prediction: Non-Qualifier
Results: 14th place, Semi-Final
Did Poland live up to expectations?
A: We certainly didn’t expect big things from Poland this year. And they delivered on that. With possibly one of the weakest songs of the year, and a performer unsuitable for that song, it’s hard to expect a spectacular result. If anything, I think 14th place was far too high for Poland.
D: Yes. But that is not a good thing. Poland came up with one of the weaker songs and performances of the year, and thus was a non-qualifier. As predicted.
How do you personally feel about the song for Poland at Eurovision 2021?
D: I like songs with a touch of the 80’s as much as the next one, but this was very retro. And by that I mean: dated. Combined with the performance of a singer acting like he is very cool, but in fact it all came across as if he was playing a part, doing an act. The 14th place in the semi was still higher than it deserved to end up with, if I’m being honest.
A: Recently, the songwriter of the song released the song as she intended it, and I have to say… I just don’t like the song. It was retro but not in an appealing way. Totally dated. Perhaps it could have been boosted with a stronger singer, but overall, not a song I’d listen to again, at least not in a hurry.
Could Poland have done anything different?
A: If the nation was convinced by this song, they should have chosen a different singer. If they were convinced by the singer, they should have chosen a different song. The match was not made in heaven. It felt like the performance version of ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ and it honestly just felt cringey to watch. The vocals weren’t great, and the song didn’t require a lot of big notes, but even still it felt like a struggle. It was definitely a shame knowing that Alicja could have delivered an incredible ballad and cruised through to the final.
D: I fully agree with you on Alicja, that she would have been the better choice. Rafał is perhaps a big name in the Polish music industry, but in the rest of the continent no one knows him. It’s one of the biggest ‘mistakes’ a nation can make at Eurovision. Overestimating the impact a popular artist within their own borders could make in the rest of Europe.
What can Poland do to ensure success in future years?
A: The question I’ve had about Poland in the last few years is why the nation can deliver strong Junior Eurovision results, including two recent wins, but yet Eurovision seems like such a struggle. For Junior Eurovision, they rely on Polish songwriters, and the talent is so strong. So why does Poland need to outsource the songwriting duties for Eurovision? They have so many talented singers, and talented songwriters, so why isn’t that coming to the surface? I just think their approach right now is questionable. I think they might be better off opting for a public selection with artists submitting their own songs.
D: When looking at Poland’s results in recent years, I thought they would be a bit better than what they actually were. Even though they made it to the final on several occasions, they almost never made the impact to have a top-10 result. Despite being a big nation with a lot of talented people in it, it just doesn’t come out at Eurovision. Anita’s idea of opting for a public selection seems like a good one to change things up.
Which was better, the live-on-tape performance or the actual performance?
A: I actually think the back-up-tape is better, although the performances were very similar. There seems to be more commitment in the back-up-tape, but overall both performances lack that je ne sais quoi. It didn’t help that many nations had that retro vibe this year with neon lights, so Poland just didn’t stand out. Either way, the nation would not have qualified.
D: I agree that the back-up tape is slightly better but it still has some awkward aspects to the performance, because it just has to do with Rafał’s style and how he is working the camera. Both performances were clear non-qualifiers.