After winning Eurovision this year, Italy is searching for their next trophy! Elisabetta Lizza represents Italy this year with the rock track, ‘Specchio (Mirror on the Wall)’ but will she deliver the nation their second Eurovision win this year?
Anita:
Song + Vocals
It’s not often that we see rock at Junior Eurovision, but after the global domination of Måneskin thanks to their Eurovision win, it makes sense that the nation is inspired by the genre. This is a decent rock song that still has the potential to appeal to a wide audience, as did Måneskin.
Specchio is a more theatrical style of rock, and that’s especially evident through the bridge of the song. The track features strong guitars which occasionally break in order to give Elizabetta a chance to deliver a more intimate vocal. This is a huge positive for the song, as there are distinct highs and lows, and it builds well over the three minutes. It’s hard to know what to expect for the live vocals, but if Elisabetta shows the same range during the live performance, this has a lot of potential to impress.
Performance + Act
It’s not just the vocals that Elisabetta has to nail, but also the performance style. Strong engagement with the camera will certainly come across well for television viewers, especially if she can convey the emotion of the song. I just hope that the performance isn’t so watered down that it takes the edge off the song. This is a strong rock song that needs a strong performance.
Conclusions
Will Italy win? I still have my doubts, but what I am certain of is that the nation will do well this year. Top 10 feels certain, but I can’t be totally sure on a Top 5 position. Since it’s not often we see rock at Junior Eurovision, it’s hard to know how it will be received on the night.
Rating
8/10
Dennis:
Song + Vocals
After the win of Måneskin it makes sense Italy also tries to win Junior Eurovision (again) with the use of a rock song. It’s one of the better songs and compositions in the contest of 2021, but also one of the harder ones to execute. After hearing the studio version, I think Elisabetta has a good chance to get a lot of points, but I need to wait for the rehearsals and actual live performance to be sure.
Performance + Act
In the video clip we see Elisabetta standing and carrying this song alone and she has the power to do it. Still, I would suggest helping her and include some other aspects in the act as well. Especially at the electric guitar solo near the end of the song, this would add a lot of extra power. If Italy nails that climax of the song visually as well, it could have the effect that many people remember the song at the end of the night.
Conclusions
Italy has potential to be a winning entry, and I believe many people see it that way. There are some doubts though and they lie in the tough nature of this song. It’s a strength but also a weakness. Whether Elisabetta can pull this off on her own is doubtful. But with the right staging and visual aspects, the Italian Junior 2021 entry has the potential to do very well in the contest.
Rating
8/10
If you support Italy at Junior Eurovision this year, vote in our Poll here.