Romania’s ‘It’s My Life’ a knocking Eurovision each-way bet
Published:Denmark – represented by 15-year-old Emmelie de Forest’s rendition of ‘Only Teardrops’ – is set to become the first ever Eurovision Song Contest entry to go off odds-on for victory and as a result there’s plenty of value to be found below them in the field. Your humble tipster has a 100 per cent record at Malmo 2013, having booted in three odds-against qualification outsiders, and one of them, Romania, is fancied to make the medal places at a farcically generous 50/1.
For all the dubious gimmicks employed to curry favour in the second Eurovision semi-final, there were few songs to truly assault the imagination like Romania’s entry.
Finland’s cynical song-ending Lesbian kiss and Switzerland’s bewildered nonagenarian double-bass player – the oldest entrant in Eurovision history – paled into insignificance behind the jaw-dropping falsetto which Conservatorio di Milano graduate Cezar switched to effortlessly 30 seconds into ‘It’s My Life’.
Shortly afterwards the kind of beat that would have surviving members of the ‘Disco Sucks’ movement stuffing their ears with cotton wool is unleashed, causing several writhing gymnasts to appear from under the fronds of Cezar’s voluminous skirt.
It’s the kind of track that has the half-life of a plutonium fuel rod and will have been mercilessly gate-crashing the consciousnesses of anyone unfortunate enough to watch BBC3’s coverage of the second eliminator all day.
This quality will stand it in good stead from a relatively early 14th of 26 draw, with the song likely to flower inside voters’ heads as the second half of the contest unfolds. Just one of the last 10 Eurovision winners (none of the last nine) has been drawn before the half-way point in proceedings.
Cezar – also known as “Cezar The Voice” – was compared to some-time David Bowie muse Klaus Nomi by BBC pundit Ana Matronic and his unusual vocal style will ensure that ‘It’s My Life’ remains memorable above the swamp of forgettable europop and ballads on offer when it comes to voting time.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
