With the live shows for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest starting tomorrow, we thought we’d have a little go at trying to make our own jury scores for this year’s contest.
Rules
The 37 countries competing this year have been randomly sorted into seven segments. Each segment will be voted on by 5 jurors. They have assessed based on six categories: Melodic Impact, Artist Presence, Individuality, Attention Drawing, Vocal Fit, and Lyrical Impact. Exact specifications of these criteria can be found below. Our five jurors have given a score of 1 to 5 on each of the six topics, allowing each juror to give a maximum of 30 points to each song. In total there are up to 150 points available to each song. Once every song and score has been presented a full breakdown with a ranking of all 37 of this year’s entries.
Additionally, all of our jurors were asked to give one positive, and one negative comment about each song in a constructive manner.
These are our personal opinions based on the criteria outlined. This is in no way attempt to accurately predict what will be the outcome of next week’s shows and should not be taken as such.
Countries And Jurors For Part Seven
The six countries that make up the seventh segment being voted on are: Sweden, Lithuania, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Germany, and Croatia.
The jurors voting in this segment are: Jazzi, Janek, Shiloh, Isabelle, as well as out guest juror Justas from Eurodiena.
Voting Criteria
Criteria 1: Melodic Impact
How lasting is the beat of the track. The more the beat stays, the higher the ranking.
Criteria 2: Artist’s Presence
If a national final is used, how their presence on stage affected the performance. If an internal selection was used, and no pre-party of other live footage is available then their presence is assessed based on their history.
Criteria 3: Individuality
How different is the song compared to the rest of the acts participating this year.
Criteria 4: Attention Drawing
How drawn in are you by the song. Are you waiting for it to finish, or completely engrossed.
Criteria 5: Vocal Fit
Assessing the vocal fit of the artist to the song rather than judging their technical ability in full. ie. X singer may have a wider range to Y singer, though singer Y may utilise the range better in their song and therefore should be ranked higher than X.
Criteria 6: Lyrical Impact
How lasting are the lyrics to you. Has listening to it left you singing the song.
The Results
Sweden
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 19 |
| Artist’s Presence | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | 3 | 5 | 22.5 |
| Individuality | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| Attention Drawing | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 19 |
| Vocal Fit | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 22 |
| Lyrical Impact | 3 | 5 | 2.5 | 1 | 3 | 14.5 |
Positives
Janek: Loreen is an amazing performer. Her stage presence is immaculate.
Shiloh: Loreen does this style of vocals really well — as we know by having heard her previous releases. Her experience as a performer also shows in her stage presence.Â
Justas: It’s an amazing package. Loreen is one of the best artists in Eurovision history, whatever or whoever she touches it becomes holy. The performance in Melodifestivalen was phenomenal and the song is emotional, catchy and grows nicely.
Jazzi: Vocally Loreen really gives it her all, you can also really hear the emotion in her vocals throughout the song which helps to build that connection with the audience. You can almost feel her “pain” in the choruses of this song.
Isabelle: Loreen’s voice is a treat, and is by far the best thing about Tattoo.
Negatives
Janek: The lyrics could be perceived as „basic”
Shiloh: Without Loreen’s vocal power and star power, this is ultimately a very generic song. I don’t think it would be memorable in another context.
Justas:  Lack of originality. This sounds like a mashup of ABBA’s songs and previous Loreen hits. If someone else would sing this song, it wouldn’t be a contender, but Loreen elevates it to another level.
Jazzi: Lyrically this is a bit simple, rhyming “pain” and “rain” is something we have heard a lot in the past, this should not matter at Eurovision however the power in this song is Loreen herself, and I have no doubts she will deliver a stellar performance at Eurovision.Â
Isabelle: The lyrics and melody are surprisingly clichéd and feel almost hollow, which is in such sharp contrast to the gorgeous texture and power of the artist’s voice and skill as a performer.
Lithuania
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Artist’s Presence | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| Individuality | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Attention Drawing | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 16 |
| Vocal Fit | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Lyrical Impact | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 17.5 |
Positives
Janek: The song stays In your head very easily
Shiloh: The placement of the Lithuanian lyrics within the song is compelling and made me genuinely curious to look up what they meant. Monika also sings them with a lot of investment.Â
Justas: Monica’s vocals are one of the best this year. And I love how this incorporates the Lithuanian heritage and our historical pagan magic with čiūto-tūto.
Jazzi: The Lithuanian lyric “Čiūto tūto” hook throughout this song is extremely memorable melodically and something that stays with me when listening to this song and afterwards as well.
Isabelle: Monika’s voice is so textured and emotive, and matches the bittersweet lyrics perfectly. She’s able to uplift me and break my heart at the same time and I love that.
Negatives
Janek: The song could become very repetitive very easily.
Shiloh: As much as I enjoy it, it’s kind of an underwhelming song, with no one “big moment” that’s memorable or stands out.Â
Justas: If you remove the čiūto-tūto part, this is a very basic ballad. And I don’t like that there is little to no growth in this song – by the time the first chorus ends you pretty much heard it all. I would like it to start a bit slower and explode by the end.
Jazzi: The first minute or so of the song may not immediately grab listeners attention, especially on first listen – which could prove a problem for it, as on the night most viewers are listening to this song for the first time, as it does start off as a very soft and simple ballad.
Isabelle: This song is more of a grower than an instant favourite for me, which makes me worry a little about its chances in the contest.
Serbia
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 21 |
| Artist’s Presence | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 20.5 |
| Individuality | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 22 |
| Attention Drawing | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21 |
| Vocal Fit | 4 | 4.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 19.5 |
| Lyrical Impact | 4 | 4.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 18.5 |
Positives
Janek: Very unique and very risk taking. It’s nothing like Any Rother song this year.
Shiloh: The opening piano melody is haunting and memorable, and I enjoy how the synths repeat it later.Â
Justas: Studio version SLAPS. It’s my kind of music, I love listening to it everywhere. Instrumental is out of this world. I’m so happy with what Serbia been doing in Eurovision past two years.
Jazzi: Vocally the whispering throughout suits the creepy vibe that this song has going on, this doesn’t have any big or powerful vocals but this is actually a positive because it doesn’t need it at all, it wouldn’t suit the overall vibe that this song has going on.
Isabelle: The whole package is delightfully idiosyncratic, yet sonically lush and dreamy. It’s so memorable.
Negatives
Janek: Could be too messy for some and could easily die In a crown.
Shiloh: The breathy spoken-word sections border on a little too experimental and might be off-putting to some listeners.Â
Justas: Live performance doesn’t live up to my expectations. It is interesting, bus lacks an oomph, and I don’t connect to it. Also, it doesn’t sound as powerful in a live performance as in a studio version. Both with the idea of a performance and Luke’s stage presence and vocals.
Jazzi: This has taken a few listens to have a real impact with me – would be a worry as with Eurovision, most viewers hear the song for the first time on the night. Just a little unsure whether this song has that immediate instant impact needed at Eurovision.
Isabelle: I feel like Luke is still holding back from 100% full physical commitment in performance, and I’d like to see him break through that, because there’s a very slight disconnection imo.
Azerbaijan
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Artist’s Presence | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| Individuality | 4 | 2 | 4.5 | 3 | 2 | 15.5 |
| Attention Drawing | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Vocal Fit | 4 | 2 | 3.5 | 4 | 2 | 15.5 |
| Lyrical Impact | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
Positives
Janek: I applaud the artists Whiting the song themselves.
Shiloh: Its throwback style isn’t overwhelming to listen to and actually makes the song stand out in this year’s field of harder rock, synth, or pop-girl entries.Â
Justas: It’s a nice song, when it comes up in a playlist, it feels light and springy/summery. When I listen to it, I don’t really want to turn it off. Also, it’s nice that the duo wrote this song themselves.
Jazzi: This is very different from anything else in the contest, you can tell this is authentic to the artist hence the high individuality score, and a style that they are comfortable with, something Azerbaijan has not always got right in the past, so it’s nice to see them right this.
Isabelle: This is really pretty, and pleasantly nostalgic in its sound. I enjoy the gentleness of the vibe and the raw edges in the execution.
Negatives
Janek: It can easily die In the crown.
Shiloh: The melody isn’t memorable at all and I in fact had completely forgotten how this song went before listening to it again for this review.Â
Justas: Problem is, I never want to listen to it purposely. It’s unoriginal, uninteresting, and simply bland. Just an album filler song and in a strong semi as this year, it has no chance to shine and qualify.
Jazzi: I do worry about how memorable this song is, I do find once I have listened to it I don’t really remember the melody of this, which could be an issue in the semi finals in a field of 15 songs, in Eurovision you have to be memorable and leave an impression.
Isabelle: The song is so mellow and unexpected for ESC that I actually forget it’s competing, and I worry that might happen for the audience on the night too. The rap delivery also could use work as it feels a little under-confident at the moment.
Germany
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 16 |
| Artist’s Presence | 5 | 4.5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 19.5 |
| Individuality | 4 | 4 | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 18.5 |
| Attention Drawing | 5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5 | 3 | 22 |
| Vocal Fit | 4 | 4.5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 20.5 |
| Lyrical Impact | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
Positives
Janek: Chris has amazing vocals that will Stord out from the rest
Shiloh: I love how powerful the second chorus feels, there’s a really solid build to this song.Â
Justas: It’s bright, loud, hot, passionate, and quite memorable. For Germany to be memorable it’s automatically a good sign. For me this is a third best German song since 2014. Unfortunately, the bar is VERY low with them having 6 bottom 2 finishes in these years
Jazzi: This really stands out in this year’s contest, and I think this will also stand out in the contest to voters. Their stage presence in the national final was amazing despite being on quite a small stage. I am very excited to see how this is amplified up in Liverpool compared with the national final.
Isabelle: Another feast for the senses! The band has such a compelling presence and intriguing energy that translates into the song, which is just a heavenly blend of genres to my ears.
Negatives
Janek: The lyrics are too repetitive
Shiloh: While the lead singer sounds good in his hard-rock Lordi moments, the sections where he’s actually singing sound too low for him or like he hasn’t practiced them enough.Â
Justas: Even though I usually like these kinds of entries, somehow, I can’t really connect to this one. Also, this entry is quite similar to Australian one and this might divide the votes for both of them.
Jazzi: The lyrics in this are a tad repetitive in the chorus due to the same line being repeated twice and then a very similar line in the third line of the chorus, some people may lose interest towards the end of the song due to the one lone repeated over and over
Isabelle: My only criticism is that the lyrics are a little hokey in parts. But only in parts.
Croatia
| Juror 1 | Juror 2 | Juror 3 | Juror 4 | Juror 5 | Totals | |
| Melodic Impact | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| Artist’s Presence | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 20 |
| Individuality | 5 | 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 21.5 |
| Attention Drawing | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 21 |
| Vocal Fit | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| Lyrical Impact | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 |
Positives
Janek: Very well crafted lyrics and performance.
Shiloh: Say what you will about the song but the lead singer does perform well in this style. His vocal tone accurately conveys the vibe of the number.Â
Justas: I love how quirky this is. It’s like a classic joke entry from 2000’s, but it’s actually good. I love the anti-war message; I love how they look like bunch of dads/grandpas playing together for a very long time and having so much fun on the stage.
Jazzi: This will certainly stand out to viewers that are voting on the night, the way Let 3 present themselves on stage is extremely memorable and engaging, which will lead to voters picking up their phone and voting for this.
Isabelle: Let 3’s costuming always looks gorgeous and ESC benefits from an injection of unexpected shock-rock every now and then.
Negatives
Janek: Could easily be seen as a joke entry.
Shiloh: It’s not cohesive. The song doesn’t flow; there are too many melodic change-ups and they don’t work well together.Â
Justas: When you don’t know what’s this all about and you listen to “Mama ŠČ” for the first time it gives a terrible first impression. So it’s not going to be easy for Croatia to qualify from bloodbath such as SF1 this year. But if they make it and during Eurovision week it goes viral with more and more people getting used to it and get to know the message of this – Croatia can do very well in the final with the televote.
Jazzi: Â I do feel this feels like a mesh of songs in one a little bit and while some will find this highly memorable it has potential to also be jarring for some listeners, and it could lead to people just not getting it on the night.
Isabelle: I can’t enjoy the cacophony, sadly, because of how much the lyrics and performance lean into ableist and sanist tropes here.
What do you think of our scores? Are there any countries you’d score differently? As always, let us know what you think by commenting below. Also, be sure to follow “That Eurovision Site” on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok as we cover the rehearsals of Eurovision 2023!
Information Source: That Eurovision Site
