Yesterday the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals — travelled to the picturesque town of Bad Mitterndorf and enjoyed some time at a relaxing health spa. The next day, while taking in the valley scenery, we reviewed Austria’s Eurovision 2015 act The Makemakes and their song “I Am Yours”. Did the bearded gentlemen win us over? Or were we anything but theirs? Read on to find out…
Austria’s Eurovision 2015 song
Reviews: The Makemakes with “I Am Yours”
Padraig: As with so many acts this year, The Makemakes have been lumbered with a song that’s beneath them. “I Am Yours” is a safe bet for the home country. It’s credible and there’s no way in hell that it’s going to win. But we’ve heard this busker/singer/songwriter schtick so many times before. The song is beyond derivative. Which is a real shame, especially when you consider that this is the same group that gave us the fabulously funky “Million Euro Smile”.
Score: 4/10
Sami: This must be the cheesiest song I’ve ever heard in the history of Eurovision. It feels so unoriginal and has elements from so many songs, mostly from Coldplay’s “The Scientist” – but this is a million times worse than that. I also dislike his voice a lot and find it rather annoying. Being the host country, they might just miss the bottom five, where it really belongs.
Score: 0/10
Angus: The Makemakes sing, “I Am Yours”, but I’m not sure I want to be theirs. Someone should have told these boys that putting a beard on a song doesn’t always make it infinitely better. And, unfortunately for “I Am Yours”, no amount of facial hair is saving this.
Score: 2/10
Bogdan: I feel like I’ve heard this song before. Not only does it sound like “The Scientist”, but also like “Let It Be” and “The Greatest Love of All”. Not saying it’s plagiarized, just a tad lazy and common. Mind you, the masses might enjoy the familiar sound, but I am positively bored. And I am glad that the piano is burning at the end.
Score: 3/10
Mike: This song has annoyed me from the beginning. We all know the host country knows how to rock the stage every year but I can’t imagine myself enjoying this performance in Vienna. His voice is grating, the tempo is too slow and the whole song sounds like something exciting will happen in the next ten seconds, but in the end you realise you have spent the whole time waiting for nothing. Maybe we can push the whole band including the piano into Farid Mammadov’s soundproof box, but otherwise this will be my toilet break in the final.
Score: 5/10
The Makemakes “I Am Yours” live at London Eurovision Party
Chris: So, Austria clearly don’t want to win two years on the run, but I don’t think that “I Am Yours” is a complete throwaway host nation song. I really quite like The Makemakes and they’re a safe, solid band with a safe, solid song. The song as a whole isn’t memorable, but the chorus sticks with you and I can’t see Austria being embarrassed in the final with this.
Score: 6.5/10
Sinan: This year’s song from Austria is nice, but if we compare it to last year’s song, it’s not. Nothing grabbed me. A classic rock ballad (if I may say so). I expected much more from the host country of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015.
Score: 5/10
The Makemakes “I Am Yours” live at Eurovision In Concert
Deban: Heartfelt rock ballad sung with passion, power and angst. A different flavour to what Austria has offered the contest previously. This marks a welcome treat. However, there isn’t any obvious hook to latch onto. One must never underestimate the importance of memorability. Also, the impact of this is best felt in an intimate lounge, making it somewhat unworthy for such a big stage.
Score: 4/10
Robyn: I quite liked this song at the national final but since then I’ve cooled on the whole hatbeard aesthetic. It’s ok – a soulful love song, performed with great emotion – but it’s all rather safe. But then, after Austria’s big splash last year, perhaps it’s time for them to take it easy and send a nice, safe song in their host year.
Score: 6/10
William: There have been moments on the Eurovision campaign trail where I thought these guys were dead sexy. But more often than not I wanted to give them a good bath and a haircut. I blow just as hot and cold about their song. It’s atmospheric, but not suited for the atmosphere of Eurovision, and it creates a mood, albeit one that induces a minor coma. If this were a contest for lounge music they’d be my winners. But I want something more for Eurovision.
Score: 3/10
First impression: The Makemakes “I Am Yours” review
Our jury consists of 29 people, but we only have room for 10 written reviews. Here are the remaining 19 scores.
Anthony: 6/10
Denise: 3/10
Francheska: 7.5/10
Josh: 4/10
Judit: 3/10
Kristin: 7.5/10
Liam: 3/10
Luis: 9/10
Marek: 6/10
Mario: 3/10
Max: 5/10
Mikhail: 4/10
Patrick: 6/10
Ramadan: 4/10
Renske: 7.5/10
Rezo: 6/10
Sopon: 5.5/10
William C: 4/10
Zach: 3/10
To reduce potential bias, we drop the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. We removed a low of 0 and a high of 9.
Mark my words:
Wait and see until you experience their live performance
They CAN deliver a little performance that surpasses the studio cut as I witnessed at LEP.
Sure this is not Disney princess pop but hey there is room enough for everyone!
I was not to keen omit first but after seeing their live performance I am convinced and converted.
Please do well!!
Loved the package. Not an instant winner but has appeal to a wide demographic and may just squeeze in to the top 10. 6/10
A tuneful ballad with a bearded singer
Oh that was last year’s winner but it was fab
This year’s bearded singer is singing a nice enough song but don’t think it will stand out in the crowd. It is already in the final but don’t see it getting lots of Deux points .
1. Broody song composition with a distinctive character from other entries this year
2. Great Vocals
3. Love the piano
A Dark Horse that may creep into the top 15. Lots of naysayers out there!
Austria always sends the tackiest songs and this one is no exception. Cheesy, corny and silly. Unimpressed
So harsh for such a harmless song. On what planet does it deserve 0/10?
I say about 6/10, it’s definitely not their worst song (2012).
This has really grown on me, 4.69 is definitely too low, guys.
Severely underrated – I think, song wise, this is actually one of the strongest in the whole competition. It’s one song that will definitely impact the radio. Maybe that’s why I’m partial to it, because it’s hit-material.
I think (and hope) that this is going to be like the Netherlands last year. They probably won’t get 2nd place, but maybe be somewhere in the top 10.
This song is clearly very divisive. Half of you guys say you love, half of you say you hate. hahaha. To me this suggests it’s not a winner. I’d probably give it a 2.5/10. And that’s just because it relaxes me a little.
I think this is so underrated. Saying that it’s unoriginal while praising some other songs which are the epitomy of unoriginal is quite a hypocrital behaviour… for me this is nice and could end up in top 15.
I actually think this is the best Austrian entry in years :’) I really love it, I’d give it a 7 or a 7,5.
Not my cup of tea at all. I’d rank it 36th or 37th out of the 40 songs TBH.
Now this is a quality entry, not that Disney crap from Iceland that got an 8.15… Would have still preferred JSB tho.
I’ll say again what I said with regard to Boggie’s song: “Less is more” will have a place in the final. Twice I have evaluated all 40 songs (and their videos, because all the would-be jurors are likely to watch those as well), and twice this came out #11 on my card. I expect them to finish in the top-half.
It seems that retro is in this year. A lot of songs with heavy doses of nostalgia to them.
“just a man on a piano is so boring”
William, you’ve clearly already forgotten that Raphael Gualazzi was second in 2011. And what about Udo Jürgens in 1966 ? The Makemakes are a nice link to that performance.
I like it for the reasons the Wiwibloggs corporate do not. Bogdan, I also feel like I’ve heard this song before. I am reminded of the first third of Bohemian Rhapsody. That’s a very good thing. Deban, the staging can make it intimate, just as it did for the The Common Linnets last year. Voters are watching on TV, not in the hall. And will someone tell Sami that it’s now becoming cheesy to dismiss a song as cheesy. In any case a bit of dairy is good for y’all.
I definitely like the song. Not sure where the jury is coming from on this one being generic… couldn’t they say that about something like Walk Along or Unbroken instead? But no, this one isn’t a female solo act…
This is going to do a lot better than the jury and other comments suggest. This has a lot more mainstream accessibility than some of the songs that the jury rank highly. I really like this song and it is a refreshing change from a lot of the offerings this year.
9/10
“The cheesiest song I’ve ever heard in the history of Eurovision”…. Seriously Sami?! You mustn’t have been listening carefully to the past 59 years! I’m not really a fan of this song but it’s far off from being the cheesiest ever in a competition that is definitely not lactose intolerant!! I always respect other people’s opinions when I disagree but I’m struggling on this occassion, sorry!
I find this song pretty meh. Don’t hate it, don’t like it. And the guys dont come across as particularly likeable, at the promo events they always look disinterested.
To me this is just a deja vu of Norway 2010: safe, not actually bad but not really good either, from a host country, will finish in the bottom 10.
I personally detest the song, can’t even listen to it until the end.
5/10
Sometimes, I wonder how much countries care about winning the final. After all, Eurovision is so unpredictable, and the results get skewed by non-performance factors. Nobody can have high hopes of winning; however, what nobody wants is to be knocked out in the semi-finals because that’s embarrassing. Thus, I sometimes wonder if, when countries automatically qualify for the final, it’s automatically mission accomplished so they don’t worry about having a winning song.
A few listens to say ‘meh’, one more to like it, another to hate it. 3.5/10.
This is definitely not going to give Austria their 3rd Eurovision. Honestly, I think that they will be very lucky to rise above 20th place. Although, this could do a Robin Stjernberg with the juries strangely enough. But definitely a bottom 3 with the televote.
But it wouldn’t shock me if Austria finished last as the host country.
@ Eugene, winning songs from National Finals are more likely underwhelming on the actual ESC stage than they were before. We will see many negative surprises again this year. NF winners are prone for disappointment, whereas internally selected songs are not. Eurovision stage is too big for many new artists at first attempt and they only one chance to impress. Aram MP3 last year delivered very shaky vocals and this year I have already a list of entries which I expect to do poorly (e.g. Lithuania). When the performances are over and the voting begins, a handful of winning candidates… Read more »
i really like this song, they trully sound as an american band doing american music and i love it that way, not all the songs needs to be buublegum pop eurovision-style. the voice of the singer for me is the best his year and i hope austria do well again
So underrated. Not among my TOP favorites but it’s still a decent song. I can’t believe you call it cheesy and safe and give it a low rate, and then praise the Icelandic entry.
@ Jericho: talking bout worst songs from host countries ever, here’s the actual winner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRlrn8R1T8
No clue what @Oostenrijk is smoking. This song is headed for the bottom. Not even votes from Armenia — hahahaha — will save it. Perhaps the worst song from a host country ever.
I need to add something, as I just dared to click on the Wiwi review clip and I wholeheartedly with Patrick. There is no backlash in Austria at all on the Makemakes, I haven’t met anyone who was complaining about the choice. Still, DAWA would have been a great choice too (but I think they are also arrogant and not open for Eurovision), there song was great. Of course no one in Austria thinks we can win anytime soon, we are not Sweden who wants to force victory. I Am Yours was at #2 in the Singles Charts, Conchita Wurst… Read more »
The song of our host country of our Vision Austria is unfortunately from my least liked songs…It is not a truly bad song but it doesn’t leave me impressed..
But i think that Austria will gonna do good enough or great for reasons adding this one of being the host country..
But i do not see Austrians winning again two years in row in home soil with this entry..
It might even finish inside the top10 but i really do not think that it can claim the victory..
Plus these guys look non sympathetic & thats a disadvantage too..
3/10
Kinda hard to succeed from their last year’s entry. Compared to Conchita Wurst, this is way too safe. This isn’t a standout song because I’ve heard it so many times in other songs, so I’m not really drawn to listen to it as much as other entries.
I like it, its not in my top 10 but Id put it maybe 15th to 20th. It is a safe song and Im sure it will rack up a few points as host nations usually do quite well, but it wont win and its obvious that Austria wont be hosting again in 2016. I really hope that Austria dont return to their old ways now though, its a shame seeing them lose out on the final every year. If the makemakes where in a semi final, I dont think it would qualify, but decent attempt, easy to listen to… Read more »
It’s a good song, and more professional reviewers and music critics praise the song as what it is. I know this is wiwi and this song isn’t cheese-dripping nor camp or glam enough. It will definitely work with the audience outside the Eurovision fan bubble, Common Linnets were hated by the gays too and yet juries and viewers let the points rain down on them. Finally, we have an actual band at Eurovision which makes bearable sounds. I would definitely see scores coming from Armenia and Azerbaijan, both completely made themselves look like fools last year with the voting. Armenian… Read more »
Great song!
I like it… I underrate them on my Top 40 that i posted in YT…. They are going to give a big surprise, maybe a Top 10 finish
I actually really like this song. I don’t know why, but it just makes me smile every time I hear it! The lead singers voice hits me every time on that high(ish) note. I have no rational explanation as to why I like this song, I just… do!
8/10
I think this is gonna be the surprise this year.
6/10
Nice fire piano and good qualtity song. But not really standing out enough.