🗳️ Our ESC250 2024 votes: Rory

Voting for the annual ESC 250 celebration closed on the 10th of December 2024, and now we have a nervous wait to find out the results! The event is hosted by songfestival.be, with the results revealed on the 31st December 2024 on EFR12 Radio to close out the year. Find out more about it here!

While we wait to find out the official results, members of the TES team will be sharing their votes for this year and explaining the reason for their picks. This time it’s Rory’s turn to reveal how he voted.

The Rory rationale

Much like my previous attempts at drawing up a top 10 list for the ESC 250, I have mostly kept my list roughly the same. I have, however, switched up some of the entries, due to some new arrivals thanks to the 2024 Contest. I did also strive to find a song in each decade I liked, but when Eurovision had its golden age in the 1990s, it’s somewhat tougher to find more old-school entries, but I tried my best!

1 point: “Tii” – Neiokõsõ (Estonia, 2004)

Kicking things off is Estonia’s offering to Eurovision in 2004. Sung in the Võro language, this was the only time that the minority language was represented at the Contest. There’s also a bit of a primal feel to this song that really just speaks to me, and the group of women just singing in unison sets something off in me that I just love! To think this only just missed out on the final in 2004 is crazy, but I am looking forward to the day Estonia sends something even remotely similar to this.

2 points: “Sanomi” – Urban Trad (Belgium, 2003)

If you’ve ever compared my previous rankings, you’ll notice I am a fan of some dark mix of electronics, folk and a heavy beat. “Sanomi” is just a perfect encapsulation of this all, with a sprinkle of quirkiness with it being sung in an imaginary language. The way this was just POINTS off winning the competition outright doesn’t sit well with me. When Belgium goes dark, it pays off for them, so I’d love to see a song like this come back soon, but that might just be wishful thinking.

3 points: “C’est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison” – Amina (France, 1991)

Amina makes yet another appearance in my rankings with a track that is just so timeless and beautiful. It’s been a long time since France sent something to the Contest that honoured a singer’s culture so much (Alvan and Ahez aside). Amina’s vocals are the standout element of this song, and the music is just so pleasant to listen to, you feel almost uplifted. While the lyrics strike a deep and philosophical tone, you feel almost at peace after listening to this. And there are only so many songs that have such an effect, especially over 30 years on from its initial participation. Merci bien, Amina!

4 points: “O Jardim” – Cláudia Pascoal (Portugal, 2018)

My winner of the 2018 Contest, I regularly fall in love over and over again with “O jardim”. Cláudia’s whispery vocals bring intimacy and sincerity to the track, honouring Isaura’s grandmother’s legacy with beauty and delicacy. An absolute travesty it came last, and quite possibly one of the best host entries of all time. Plus, does anyone feel the song has a similar musical structure to London Grammar’s “Hey Now“? Just me?

5 points: “Doomsday Blue” – Bambie Thug (Ireland, 2024)

This is the first of two tracks from this year’s Contest to make an appearance and, I mean – wow. It was so bold of Ireland to even consider sending a non-binary witch to Eurovision, and trust me – the papers had a field day. But I have never felt more proud to be represented by a singer with such a clear and artistic vision. They were in full control of what they wanted and – despite the chaos of the Contest – Ireland is so incredibly proud of them. I really hope that this marks a turning point for Ireland’s fortunes in the show; Lord knows we need it!

6 points: “Sama” – Justyna (Poland, 1995)

Another one from the 90s, “Sama” encapsulated the meaning of the phrase ‘ethnic ballad’. Justyna’s unique vocal delivery – especially with those enormous high notes – really bring the rather subdued instrumentation to life. Subsequent performances have shown Justyna can do it decades later, but it’s song like these that I believe Eurovision peaked with.

7 points: “In corpore sano” – Konstrakta (Serbia, 2022)

Making a surprise return to this year’s ranking for me is Konstrakta’s “In corpore sano”. This song is still incredibly poignant as it talks about the need for a distinction between health and beauty, and done in a way that people still want to dance to. The guitar riffs and synth drum beats are almost hypnotic as they draw you in, as Konstrakta and co leave you hooked on every word with their minimal delivery. I still religiously listen to this song, even two years on – and while I appreciated her PzE track this year, this song will always reign supreme in my mind.

8 points: “1944” – Jamala (Ukraine, 2016)

In a shock twist, Jamala is no longer my winner here as this song drops down to third place! SHOCK AND HORROR! I can’t deny – Eurovision was forever changed when Jamala sang this song in Stockholm, and the waves from her win are still being felt to this day. And with phenomenal songwriting skills and a powerful story to tell, how could it not? “1944” will forever divide opinion on whether politics should be included, but remember, each passing year, the meaning of these songs become more relevant. As time as gone on however, I have struggled to listen to this as much as I used to. But let it be known that Jamala will always be a permanent highlight in my top 10 for years to come!

10 points: “ZARI”- Marina Satti (Greece, 2024)

I have always been a firm fan of Marina Satti, even before she was selected to represent Greece in Malmö. With tracks like “Mantissa” and “TUCUTUM”, I was expecting something that we haven’t heard from Greece in YEARS. And boy, did she deliver. This is by far and away, my most listened to song of the year, with my Spotify Wrapped telling me that I’ve listened to this 693 times over the course of 2024. “Zari” is so powerful with its heavy blend of tradition and modernity, and Marina oozes stage presence and confidence. Already, Eurovision has given Marina such a push in her international career, and I cannot wait to see what else she has for us in 2025.

Special mentions

Before I reveal my 12 points, I would like to give a special shout-out to a few entries that came so close to making my top ten. They are:

• “Visionary Dream” – Sopho (Georgia, 2007) – Typically was up high in my rankings, but this year I had to shake things up. If I could have put 11 songs in my Top 10, it would be there.
• “EAEA” – Blanca Paloma (Spain, 2023) – So often, my favourite song of the previous year’s Contest doesn’t feature in my Top 10 the next year. But my love for Blanca Paloma will continue well into the future!
• “Moja štikla” – Severina (Croatia, 2006)

And the 12 points from Rory go to…. “saudade, saudade” – MARO (Portugal, 2022)

I am thrilled to announce that MARO is now my #1 Eurovision song for 2024, with one of the most beautiful songs to have been written. This song chronicles the beauty and heartache of the entire concept of “saudade”; so much so that people now understand the entire concept of the word. Having now seen this song performed live in Lisbon in the grand Teatro Tivoli, this song has brought me a host of emotions: joy, sadness, love, mourning, saudade itself. Now, I connect it to one of the best times of my life and I really hope that MARO knows how much of an impact this song has had on my life. Muito obrigado MARO – obrigado pelos todos!

Listen to our collective ESC 250 playlist on Spotify

Enjoy our collective ESC 250 playlist on YouTube

Now that Rory has revealed his votes for ESC 250 this year, what do you think of their picks? Who received your 12 points this year? As always, please let us know what you think by commenting below. Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Bluesky for all of the latest Eurovision news.

News Source: That Eurovision Site

Photo Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU