In our penultimate review of the Big Five, we turn to Spain, who hosted the two-song, one-artist, many hours Destino Eurovision. Blas Cantó returns from 2020, this time performing Voy A Quedarme, which translates as “I Will Stay”. A charming, calming ballad – how do we think this will fare in Rotterdam this year? To hear our opinions on the song, have a listen below!
A look into Blas Cantó’s career so far.
Blas Cantó’s Eurovision journey began in 2004, where he came second in Eurojunior, the Spanish national selection process for Junior Eurovision that year. He later founded boyband Auyrn, who competed in the 2011 Destinó Eurovision national selection process, but again came in second. Their appearance launched a successful career before parting in 2016. Following this, Blas has had a successful solo career, including winning the fifth season of Tu Cara Me Suena (Your Face Sounds Familiar), and reaching platinum with his single Él no soy yo.
Blas was Spain’s entrant for last year’s contest prior to its cancellation. He would have performed Universo had the contest gone ahead.
Our opinions on “Voy A Quedarme”
Jazzi
Opinion: I think this song is simply stunning. I know some fans say this is a bit too simple, but I really like it. I hope juries will respect Blas’s vocal ability and reward it the merit it deserves. I hope the staging for this is quite simple and there is nothing too over the top.
Overall Ranking: 9th
Prediction: 16th-22nd.
Rory
Opinion: While I’d like to say that I love this song and what it does, ‘Voy a Quedarme’ is just a middle-of-the-road song that in the end leaves me feeling as nonplussed as I was when I went in. Blas gives a fabulous performance, and his vocal delivery is undeniably unique. However, this song is almost too bland for him. I understand the lyrical content and the message is an ode to his grandmother, but the “big ballad” vibe is easily thrown off for me as a result of the overproduction. ‘Memória’ would have been a stronger choice of the two, but I do fear no matter which of the two songs were chosen, Spain was going to struggle, and if it’s placed amongst two big favourites such as its Big 5 counterparts France or Italy, this will be left in the dust. It’s sad to write that, but there’s something going wrong with the Spanish approach that needs tweaking.
Overall Ranking: 36th
Prediction: 18th-24th in the final.
Rosie
Opinion: There are a few songs this year which fall into the category of “average song elevated by an excellent performer”, and Voy A Quedarme is one of them. Blas’ voice is wonderful to listen to, and he brings so much depth and skill to the song. However, the song itself I find struggles to be memorable, and I worry that in such a strong year, a song like this could so easily get lost, and there needs to be something very special about the staging to make it memorable to viewers, particularly because I expect to see other, stronger male ballads in the final this year. I never want to see a country do badly in Eurovision, but in such a strong year, even songs that are good will be at the lower end of the table.
Overall Ranking: 27th
Prediction: 18th-26th in the final
Let us know your thoughts!
It’s not just about what we think, we want to know what you guys make of Spain’s entry this year. To voice your opinion on “Voy A Quedarme” please vote in our poll below:
What do you think of Voy A Quedarme? Have a more detailed opinion? Let us know in the comments below or at social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Photo Credit: Juan Naharro Gimenez
