The next entry we are going to review for Eurovision 2021 is from Israel. Israel this year will be represented by Eden Alene with the song ‘Set Me Free’. You can take a listen to our in depth review down below:
A look into Eden Alene’s career so far!
Eden may only be 20 years old but she has already achieved so much. Eden won The X Factor Israel in 2018, she then went on to win Rising Star in 2020, therefore winning the right to represent Israel at Eurovision. Like alot of artists this year Eden had to wait a year to represent their country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Eden’s song was picked via a national final and it has been decided ‘Set Me Free’ is the song Eden will sing at Eurovision 2021.
Our takes on ‘Set Me Free’
Jazzi
Opinion: This is a decent pop song, however in such a strong semi final I feel this could struggle. There are a lot of upbeat female pop songs at this year’s contest. I do see this as one of the weaker ones, however Eden does show off impressive vocal talent throughout the song that may please the juries. I think in such a strong semi final Israel may struggle this year.
Overall Ranking: 32nd
Prediction: 8th-12th in the semi, around 20th in the final if it qualifies.
Rory
Opinion: If I’m being honest with this, I’m not entirely sure whether such a drastic revamp was entirely needed. Eden’s voice is easily the standout element in this song, and when she reaches those falsetto and whistle notes in the final 30 seconds of the song – I didn’t even know you could reach those notes! The song is now a lot more contemporary and I am quite thankful they got rid of the key change. However, in losing the hook in the older versions of this song, it does lose that character it had before. Israel will still give a good performance – there’s no denying that!
Overall Ranking: 12th
Prediction: 7th-12th in the semi-final. If it qualifies, 18th-23rd in the final.
Rosie
Opinion: Eden’s voice is as talented and joyful as ever, but I still remain let down by the Israeli selection process this year. Following on from Feker Libi was always going to be difficult, but ultimately her selection of songs was generally weak. She absolutely sells the revamp of this song, and her whistle notes are particularly impressive, but in a semi-final like this, I worry whether it’ll be enough to qualify, which is a huge shame. The staging will need to be memorable for the song to stand out to viewers, or else it risks becoming lost in the sea of strong female-led songs that semi-final one is.
Overall Ranking: 32nd
Prediction: 8th-13th in the semi-final, and the lower half of the right-hand side if it qualifies.
Let us know your thoughts!
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Photo Credit: Shai Franco
