After winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, with "Heroes", I quickly became a fan of Måns Zelmerlöw. After buying his extensive collection from iTunes, Cara Mia struck me as a hit, and the music video is attached to his debut album "Stand By For...". This launched him in Sweden, top of the chart, a new star was released in the world. Eight years on and he represented Sweden and won the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Måns Zelmerlöw's debut music video, Cara Mia, may seem old, but it's refreshing with ghostly images, definitely defining music videos since 2007.
Måns Zelmerlöw is my Thursday Revisit this week after reviewing his latest music video for song "Fire In The Rain". Having came fifth in Swedish Idol 2005 and winning the first season of Let's Dance (Swedish Strictly Come Dancing / Dancing With The Stars), Måns Zelmerlöw is a household name in Sweden, with a number of hit singles, albums and Christmas tracks, this guy can sing. But internationally success seems to be far out of his reach. He entered Melodifestivalen 2007 with this song, and came third overall. The song soon climbed up the Swedish charts and hit number one for four weeks. I bet he didn't think he'd go on to win Melodifestivalen eight years later, let alone winning the entire Eurovision Song Contest 2015. This song was written by Fredrik Kempe and Henrik Wilkström.
The music video is mainly narrative, a very young Måns Zelmerlöw is obviously thinking of a girl he likes. The start shows him calling her up using a rotary dial-style phone.
As he performs the song, with his usual air and vibe, you can tell how much he has changed. Here he seems timid imagining being with a girl he loves.
This catchy song pushed him into success, given him the confidence he needed to become the star he is now. Acting is on point, so love-lost he felt the emotions of the song.
The actress or love interest is unknown, but plays an important role in the video, connecting with Måns Zelmerlöw, we feel the passion between them.
Overall, a great narrative video, with a perfect typical performance behind it. Nothing exciting or new, nothing we haven't seen plenty of times before. Just a plain average music video, with such a catchy song, that I'm disappointed it wasn't an international hit.
DNCE releases their second single from their debut EP. This Joe Jonas fronted band has already had a global hit "Cake By The Ocean", but instead of releasing new music and their potential new album, they have opted to release this instead. Perfect promotion for their upcoming album, it shows their diversity as a band. DNCE show the start of a relationship between Joe Jonas and Ashley Graham, pushing the boundaries of media concept, and showing the progression of a couple by suggesting to leave a toothbrush at his place.
DNCE is a four piece band consisting of Joe Jonas, Jack Lawless, JinJoo Lee and Cole Whittle. They hit the scene with "Cake By The Ocean" that has charted well all over the world. This follow-up shows the diversity of the band, but it isn't a commercial success, unsurprisingly. More of a slow ballad, this Maroon 5 style song is nonetheless catchy, perfect for an EP or album track, and all right for a single, but I'll be surprise if they manage to promote it globally. The song was written by Ilya Salmanzadeh, James Alan Ghaleb, Joe Jonas and Rickard Göransson.
Directed by Luke Monaghan, DNCE follows on from "Cake By The Ocean", again including a narrative and performance piece. Joe Jonas takes central character in the love story, as a frontman usually does.
The love interest is played by actress and model Ashley Graham, the video has received acclaim because it presents a body-positive image, since Ashley Graham is a "plus-size" model.
Quite dark and dank, the performance isn't as exciting as their first single. The band gels well together, that is clear and this ballad is performed well. It just has no energy behind it, but that may be due to the song.
Ashley Graham and Joe Jonas are amazing actors, creating this beautiful relationship that feels completely real. Similar to Nathan Sykes' "Give It Up", this expands this relationship, proving that this is more than just sexual attraction.
Overall, a similar feel to "Cake By The Ocean", and no doubt will get comparisons. More mellow and more of a story, this is a music video that will become a classic. Perfect in every way apart from the performance because of the song being more of a ballad. The narrative could've been a bit more in-depth, nothing surprising, just a sweet video.
Ending my Eurovision Special with last year's winner, as we expectantly await Jamala's "1944" music video, if she ever releases one. Måns Zelmerlöw returns with this stunning new track that is sure to melt hearts around the world. Not quite as amazing as "Heroes", this lovely song suits any soundtrack. A very visual video that allows us to stare at Måns Zelmerlöw's torso all day long (even if he's fully clothed, unfortunately), with a backstabbing love story like a Fire in the Rain.
Måns Zelmeröw is a household name in Sweden, He hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, alongside Petra Mede. He came fifth in Idol 2005 (Swedish Idol), and went on to win the first season of Let's Dance (Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing With The Stars). Having won the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, with "Heroes", he was the fan-favourite with a very visual cute performance, this single fails to follow-through. The song is extremely lovely, but nothing special. It was written by Simon Strömstedt.
The visual music video incorporates a narrative during a performance, this works amazingly and really shows that Måns Zelmerlöw is current in the music industry. He may not be banging out global hit after global hit that destroys the charts around the world, not yet anyway. What we can count on is him defining stage productions and music videos, shaping the world into the new future, him and Russian entrant Sergey Lazarev, are the ones to watch. The latter's "You Are The Only One" music video is visually and technically amazing, just like this video.
Visually great, we watch a love story between a guy and a girl as they ride a moped to various dates that they go on. She changes his style by turning his jacket inside out, and then at the end she doesn't turn up, and she's probably out with a new guy.
Interesting that it focuses on the girl being the confident one, proving that in relationships it can happen either way. A slight role reversal to what we are used to seeing in the media. There's very little substance to the narrative, but works well. It relates to the song, and is similar to fire in the rain.
Måns Zelmerlöw capture us in his performance as always, his beautiful face distracts us from the narrative story being displayed visually on his body. Technically brilliant, I love how the effects give us a new viewing every time we watch the video. The fire in the rain visual towards the end of the video, using effects around Måns Zelmerlöw, may only be a slight effect, but it's visually amazing and works well with the song.
Galantis is back, and is my Chart Monday review this week, because Drake is still sitting at number one with "One Dance" with no official music video. Setting the world alight, this Swedish electro duo are banging hit after hit after hit. This one focuses on bullying, a worldwide problem that will never stop, however Galantis shows that you can overcome bullies. Galantis uses their power in the music world to get across the message to stand up to bullies.
Galantis consists of Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw. Christian Karlsson is known as Bloodshy as well as a part of Miike Snow; Linus Eklöw is mostly known as Style of Eye. They have had banging hits "Runaway (U & I)" and "Peanut Butter Jelly". The former peaked at number four on the UK chart, which this song has matched this week on the official UK charts. Both members are established in their own right, behind the scenes, but together they are after chart domination, and are surely a global success, the future is bright for Galantis. This song is the first single from their upcoming second studio album. The song was written by Christian Karlsson, Linus Eklöw, Henrik Jonback, Nicholas Gale, Andrew Bullimore and Jimmy Koitzsch. Reece Bullimore provides the vocals to the track.
The music video is directed by Andrew Donoho. It plays on the whole bullying theme, not caring at all what others think. This is the perfect video to be played on music channels to get kids not worrying about being bullied.
Bullying is one of the top problems children have to face in the world. Either you are the bully or you're the bullied, either way it's in insecurity, and they are both very similar, it's just how you deal with it. Personally, I was bullied constantly. Enough that I didn't want to go to school, didn't want to leave the house, didn't enjoy life one bit. But I grew a backbone, realised this was happening to me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it, so I stop caring about it, it didn't make it stop, but it happened a lot less.
This is an inspirational video, and I wish it were out when I was a child to inspire me to keep going, to not let bullies stop me from continuing life.
The children are confident as they walk to the meet-up with amazing face paints. I hate face painting, I never wanted one as a child, but if the artist did face paint like that, then I'd be first in line.
A cute dance music video featuring children. A strength song and visual video, an inspiration to us all. Confidence should always be rewarded as well as courage. Galantis has once again proved themselves.
Australia took part once again in the Eurovision Song Contest, and did even better this year. Dami Im is definitely a future international star, she's ready to conquer the world and no doubt about it she will get there, hence why she's a part of my Eurovision Special. Proving they deserve to be in the competition, Australia won the Jury vote, and came an extremely intense second overall with 511 points. Dami Im performed amazingly on the Semi-Finals and at the Grand Final, definitely a front runner with that amazing beautiful voice, so much better than the sound of silence, a visual experience, the video doesn't match up as well as the staging on the Grand Final.
Dami Im is one of the top stars in Australia, originally born in South Korea, she moved to Australia when she was nine. Australia is taking the Eurovision Song Contest so seriously, that that is why they are doing so well, they are sending amazing act after amazing act and are definitely destined to win soon if they keep it up, and are allowed to continue entering (obviously). Dami Im was chosen by internal selection, winner of fifth season of The X Factor (Australia), she was thrown into the music world, a number one self-titled album soon followed with hit single after hit single. Causing waves around the world, she slammed into the South Korean charts. She is the future international star, she's has a taste of global fame with this coming second in the competition, now she just needs to ride the waves, because this amazing vocalist deserves to be heard worldwide. This song was written by Anthony Egizii and David Musumeci.
This music video is nothing compared to the amazing staging in both the Semi-Final and the Grand Final, the latter can be viewed below.
A pure performance piece, Dami Im is truly beautiful, destined to become an international star, her vocals are one point, she looks stunning and truly knows how to capture everyone when singing.
Encased in her world, you start to believe every word she's singing, missing a loved one, wishing they were beside her.
A contemporary dancer is shown in this video, perfect choreography mastered freestyle. The dancer breaks this video up, giving it the sense of lost and longing in which Dami Im is singing about.
A beautiful performance music video, that is lacking a lot considering the staging of her Eurovision Song Contest entry. Stunning, Dami Im sings effortlessly. This is one female singer we can't afford to lose, she needs to become a global superstar.
