Switzerland, Sebalter, 3

Earlier this afternoon the Wiwi Jury—our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals—ate rösti accompanied with fried eggs and spinach on the shores of Lake Geneva. Then we reviewed Sebalter’s Eurovision 2014 song “Hunter of Stars”. Were we in awe as he pointed his bow and arrow at the Milky Way? Or did we want to shove his song in a Black Hole? Read on to find out…

“Hunter of Stars” reviews

Bogdan: Ah. One of my early favourites, Sebalter deserves to be in the Grand Final. And I have a feeling that his whistling and violins and clapping will gather enough votes to push him through. There is a resemblance to Alexander Rybak’s “Fairytale” which I think won’t escape the viewers, although SeBalter’s entry is a bit more mature and less catchy because of the complicated and at times nonsensical lyrics. I don’t mind the accent (actually I think it’s quite charming) and I find the singer very cute. That should earn him some points as well!

Score: 8/10

Angus: Okay so initially I misjudged this. I am suffering with major folk overload this year but Sebalter is the best of a bad bunch. The whistling is beyond catchy and adding in the clapping turns it up an extra notch. Unfortunately, if this makes the final I expect it to bomb as badly as Anna did in 2011. One year there’ll be justice for Switzerland like in 1988. But it won’t happen in 2014.

Score: 5/10

sebalter eurovision 2014

Vebooboo: Latvia’s cake song has a simplicity to it that makes it digestible within 3 minutes. This song, on the other hand, plays in a similar genre but is simply too much to swallow. The lyrics go so fast that even a native English speaker simply cannot understand them.  I just don’t know what to make of it, especially the erratic violin playing during the interlude toward the end.  This is one I hope exits early.

Score: 4/10

Francheska: It’s utterly nonsensical. I normally love Switzerland at Eurovision (I will defend 2008, 2009, and 2012 to death), but seriously, THIS? I mean, there are nonsensical songs that work for Eurovision (Ukraine 2007 and Russia 2012), but they have some grounding. This sounds like a hyperactive 10 year old wrote it. I do, however, appreciate the video’s criticism of Switzerland’s hospitality industry. At least he’s cute.

Score: 1.9/10

Deban: Heavily accented, and quirky, ‘Hunter Of Stars’ begs not to be taken seriously. I like the instrumental-heavy approach. The whistling intro and hand-clap bridge provide a vintage, but yet refreshing twist. I chuckled at the part that says ‘I feel your judgement’- Very apt, especially as it arrived at the exact moment I was thinking, ‘Will this track advance to Saturday’s show’? Hmm..I’m not so sure.

Score: 5/10

Katie: Well, this is nice. The whistling bit at the start is quite catchy and I’m absolutely fascinated by Sebalter’s ability to sing so fast! I can’t speak that fast and English is my mother tongue! It’s probably just me, but I find the music video absolutely HILARIOUS. Especially the part where he walks along the lobby doing the clicky-fingers dance. I’ll be so disappointed if he doesn’t bust a move on the Eurovision stage after seeing that. Also, he looks like Roman Lob. After 1:30 of watching the music video, I’m not even listening to the song anymore and I’m cracking up at the flying spaghetti and chefs with guitars! More so, the reaction to the flying spaghetti. You can’t make this up! Oh, it gets even better with the violin playing on trolley. In terms of the song, it’s pretty good. Different to all of the other songs but it’s not the best, Sebalter’s vocal abilities are limited. Please, become a comedian instead of a singer!

Score: 7/10

Switzerland, Sebalter, 1

Billy: “Hunter of Stars” is a boring entry and I’m completely indifferent to it. Sebastian needs to take an English class, or should I say un cours d’anglais. He really sounds like he’s singing in French. He also needs to ditch one particular instrument as it has transformed the whole song into a country one. To his credit I love the video-clip and those whistles at the beginning.

Score: 3.5/10

Padraig: Well this is awkward. Back during the talent cesspit which passed as a national final in Switzerland, I was so relieved to discover something listenable, that I may have been a little overzealous with my praise for Sebalter. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the guy. His cheeky chappy persona is infectious and I absolutely want to see him light up the final. However, in the intervening months “Hunter of Stars” folksy charm has worn thin and even the whistling gimmick seems a bit mediocre in comparison to Ukraine’s troupe of whistlers. If this is to succeed it will be on Seb’s roguish affability rather than the merits of the song.

Score: 5.5/10

Patrick: I was really sad that Sebalter won the Swiss National Final because my favourite was Yasmina Hunzinger. This song is cheap and a bit dumb and his voice is really not suitable for this. Grand Final for Switzerland? Yes, but only if Sebalter will perform naked! Bonne chance!

Score: 3/10

Wiwi: Sebalter fingers his fiddle with the best of them, and he knows how to purse his lips. How else could he whistle with such force and ryhthm? I like this song in the moment: It makes me tap my foot and the whistling is very catchy. But the moment Seb & Co. stop singing I stop humming, and I’m eager to hear the next act. For some reason this falls nicely on the ears and then falls away. Sadly that’s not enough to get my vote.

Score: 5/10

Switzerland, Sebalter, 2

All 19 members of our jury rate each song. However, we only have room to share 10 written reviews. Here are the remaining nine scores.

Anthony: 6/10

James L: 4/10

Mario: 4/10

Maxim Montana: 9/10

Mike: 1/10

Ramadan: 7

Sami: 7/10

Zach: 3/10

William C: 8.1/10

The highest and lowest scores are removed before calculating the final score. We have dropped a low of 1 and a high of 9.

Wiwi Jury Verdict: 5.12/10

You can check out our latest Eurovision 2014 reviews and rankings on the Wiwi Jury page. You can keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

26 Comments
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MoMo
MoMo
9 years ago

I stopped listening after 47 seconds

Ryan from NL
Ryan from NL
9 years ago

It’s not the song. It’s the guy.

Chesco
Chesco
9 years ago

This is pure and simple “high-camp”. Delightfully silly. I love the fact that they don’t seek to be taking themselves seriously, which is always refreshing. I hope it does well, but somehow, I doubt it, it is too silly to do well.

Armond
Armond
9 years ago

I just don’t get the whole thing. It won’t qualify. (2/10)

Margaret
Margaret
9 years ago

It’s one of my favourite songs this year. Very cheerful, puts a smile in my face. Why some comments and reviews here are so harsh? I really want Switzerland in the final.

Marcelo N
9 years ago

Most has been stated already. His accent, which is clearly Italian, the catchy/unnerving whistling, depending on which side of the spectre you stand at, the catchy song that may make you forget contains odd lyrics, and above all his personality. He brims with niceness, apparently not feigned, and that will work. Fair enough. I personally found it quite charming at the time it was released, but it has grown somewhat thin over the weeks. Glad his accent is improving (and I salute everyone around here for not destroying yet another singer with an accent… there’s more than English to this… Read more »

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
9 years ago

Compared to last year’s, I expected better. Heilsarmee/Takasa was waaaay better, but the juries threw the 95-year-old man, along with the rest of them, under the bus.

Lisanne
Lisanne
9 years ago

“Grand Final for Switzerland? Yes, but only if Sebalter will perform naked!”
Please make him perform naked.

Leon
Leon
9 years ago

Gives the feeling of a happy song, not sure what’s being sung after listening twice. The video helps to put over what it’s about, will be interested to see how they showcase it on stage. 4/10

Alex
Alex
9 years ago

Sincerely, he and his song annoy me. Like…a lot.

eurofan
eurofan
9 years ago

SEBALTER! You may come and whistle at me any day!

Nathan
Nathan
9 years ago

I’d like to correct myself that the International Musical Whistling competition is gone. The one I knew about back in early 2000 is gone, but the International Whistlers Competition is around in North Carolina:

http://www.whistlingiwc.com/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/05/03/toronto_whistler_blows_past_the_competition_at_international_contest.html – our Canadian placed 2nd in 2013.

Would anyone like to sponsor Sebalter to the International Musical Competition? I’ve got AIR MILES – anyone else got any other frequent flyer points?

Nathan
Nathan
9 years ago

Well, this is no Celine Dion winning-entry for Eurovision that’s for sure, and this is coming from my Canadian back-bacon mouth. I felt like I was transported to the set of Disney’s Suite Life of Cody and Zac. I wanted to join in with the pillow fight. I wanted to run out to purchase me an electric cello to play with this little ADHD munchkin-artist, whose lyrics I could not quite comprehend. I think this is a refreshing song – it’s not a winner – it may just pull through to the Finals. It’s the whistling that will win the… Read more »

Alex
Alex
9 years ago

Sebalter’s definitely one of my favorites this year. In the past two years, Switzerland has been in the televoters’ top 10 but the juries have kept the country out of the final. I see no reason for the juries to object this time. They put on a really good performance in Amsterdam. Whereas Takasa looked and sounded a bit awkward on the stage in Malmo, and Sinplus was just plain awkward all around (“swim against de strim”), Sebalter is far more convincing. I’d like to think Switzerland could be one of the surprise Top 10 entries just like Hungary was… Read more »

dave
9 years ago

If there is one song I hate this year its this one. That whistling get on my nervs even more than the terrible flute in Only Teardrops last year. Also the song is just stupid. 0 points!

ello
ello
9 years ago

YUCK!, 0.5/10

Jericho
Jericho
9 years ago

Yawn. 4,5/10

Z24
Z24
9 years ago

This guy is SO. HAPPY…. How?!

One of the better songs this year. Absolutely infectious and likeable. If Sinplus could fix their accents, I bet Sebalter can easily tackle his’. The live whistling adn the natural appeal to applause will help him and I hope Switzerland makes it. They have the song.

8.5/10

Dan RO
Dan RO
9 years ago

I actually love this song! It’s not the best, but it’s fun and it puts a smile on my face. I honestly expected better reviews from the wiwi jury, but…oh, well… It will go to the final, I’m sure

Frank Les Pays Bas
Frank Les Pays Bas
9 years ago

I think he will do what Malta did last year, this is the happy song with the cute smiling singer this year. There is a large fan base out there for this kind of entry.

Thiefo
Thiefo
9 years ago

Sebalter might not win Eurovision, but for me he wins the prize for the cutest person in the contest, he’s just like a little kid with a stuble. How can somebody don’t love that smile and silly, childish faces? I agree, the video is so fun, my favourite part is when they’re in the trolley and you can see the camera when they pass in front of a mirror haha. About the song, is refreshing to have a song that isn’t either a ballad, a dance track or has dubstep in it for a change, and I second Bogdan, I… Read more »

Timselvision
Timselvision
9 years ago

This was my favorite from the national final! I´m whistling it whole days. I love this entry. It won´t be in the final, I think, but it´s in mine. Like always actually. I love the Swiss entries, and I was serious mad that Armenia went to the final instead of Switzerland previous year… I liked 2012, 2007 and 2005 a lot (in 2005 Switzerland was my favorite and in 2012 my #3, just behind Sweden & Serbia) and there is so many unjustice done in the past years to Switzerland… Luckily their good entry in 2011 went to the final… Read more »

Alexander
Alexander
9 years ago

Billy’s review is nonsense. Sebalter comes from the Italian part of Switzerland, not the French part. If you’re going to be on a review jury, you should not judge people if you haven’t gotten your facts straight!

Easpag
Easpag
9 years ago

A pretty fair score.

Aleksi
Aleksi
9 years ago

Average song.

bav
bav
9 years ago

Good but not great.