Georgia is currently the only nation to have won three editions of Junior Eurovision. The nation is well acquainted with the Top 10, and hoping to keep with that trend is Niko Kajaia. The 10 year old will sing ‘Let’s Count the Smiles’ in Paris.
Anita:
Song + Vocals
Georgia is one of few nations that really understands the assignment at Junior Eurovision. Looking back at their history, their entries are always unique in one way or another, while remaining accessible for all audience ages. Usually Georgia is high on my list, but this year, I’m struggling to connect with the song.
There are aspects of this entry that I enjoy, but they are overshadowed by the lack of clear melody. With multiple listens, you would start to understand the nuances of the song, but on first listen, the structure is very ambiguous. Without a killer chorus, or memorable verse, what will the audience grab onto and hold with them when it comes to voting?
The saving grace will likely be the live vocals. A short clip was published showing Niko rehearsing, and vocally, he is extremely competent. This could be a huge drawcard for the juries.
Performance + Act
It won’t just be the live vocals that saves this mish-mash of a song, but also, Niko’s charisma. I think we can expect a very charming performance. Georgia is usually on the ball when it comes to staging their Junior Eurovision entries, so I expect that this will have a catchy stage performance as well.
Conclusions
This entry ticks some boxes, but not all. I expect a strong vocal performance on the night, but the song doesn’t really have a lasting effect. For the first time listeners, this might be a difficult song to digest. With that said, it’s not easy to guess where this will land on the night.
Rating
5/10
Dennis:
Song + Vocals
The Georgian song is a bit retro and that has been something that fares well at Junior Eurovision in the past. It has a nice authentic vibe but it’s also a bit repetitive and slow in the build-up. Not much happening in the song as the three minutes progress.
Performance + Act
Nikoloz has a sweet and charismatic appearance. Georgia has selected their children on this feature a lot in the past and this works great for them. Because while the song is not super interesting, I believe with his performance this boy manages to give it something extra.
Conclusions
Georgia has found yet another charismatic and sweet child to perform at Junior Eurovision. This has given them a lot of success in the past already. To take the top spot I would say this song does not have a strong enough hook and it’s a bit repetitive in the negative way. However, the performance by Nikoloz could compensate for that a lot.
Rating
6/10
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