Back in November, Minus One were selected as Cyprus’ Eurovision 2016 representatives. At the time of the announcement they revealed that they would collaborate with Swedish Eurovision legend Thomas G:son. And now we finally get to hear the result of their collaboration, with the official release of Minus One’s Eurovision song “Alter Ego”.
When the band revealed the title of the song, fans predicted that we would see, as the title implies, another side of Minus One — their alter ego. And indeed we have! They are edgy and arty, and seem to have updated their sound. It’s a pleasant surprise and we are getting really good feels with this one.
“Alter Ego” avoids the pitfalls of so many rock songs at Eurovision. Rather than sounding derivative and familiar, it’s fresh and original. The video is like a three-minute art piece, replete with edgy clothes, gorgeous cinematography and a wolf.
wiwibloggs spoke with Minus One ahead of the song’s release. This is what the band had to say:
The song was a collaboration between us and Thomas G:son. He visited Cyprus back in November, we met, talked about what and how we think the song should be and immediately we realised we were on the exact same page with everything about it. We exchanged our views and then we started rehearsing, coming up with ideas. Thankfully, the internet makes this kind of working from a distance easier.
The ideas were sent back and forth up to the point that a base and structure was decided, along with all the little ideas, melodies and lines that make up the song. After that we travelled to Sweden and in the studio we recorded everything, adding and removing, as a lot of work is done there into finalizing a song. We were amazed from the quality of the studio, sound and of course the work of sound engineer Thomas Plec Johansson and are really happy and excited with the result.
Alter Ego: Our first reaction
Minus One interview
So what do you think? Will “Alter Ego” be a hit in Stockholm? Share your thoughts below!
straight in my 1st place…well done cyprus! 12 points for you from Lithuania!!!!!
Nicosia 2017 maybe 😉
This is very good, but the first time I heard it there was something very, very familiar about the chorus – check out the chorus of Ask Embla’s (brilliant) ‘Legion’ and see what you think. Just an observation, and not a criticism – It’s still a very strong entry.
@Eugene I’m not trying to say that every rock song should do well or have more rock songs in the contest. Many people believe that Eurovision should be a pop or a ballad song contest (yes, I’ve seen people telling this and broadcasters are doing exactly the same). Any genre is welcomed! Cyprus, in my opinion, is a country that its main goal is to qualify at first, and if it qualifies, is enough. If it is meant to do well in the final, we will do it, if not, it’s ok. Just qualifying is enough (for the moment, at… Read more »
“There are no other rock songs in the past 11 years.”
Oh I ***CAN’T WAIT*** to hear the reason Finland 2015 doesn’t qualify as a rock song.
@Eugene
Fogot to mention
Moldova 2007 – 10th place
Georgia 2011 – 9th place
Turkey 2011 – didn’t qualify
There are no other rock songs in the past 11 years. Any time we had a rock song, it did really good. Sweden isn’t much of a rock country in Eurovision!
Glad you like your “rock” song, Eurofans. For me there is not enough room in my head to do all the eyerolls this piece of Swedish disco garbage deserves. If this is rock, I’m Jimi Hendrix. One of my least favorite Eurovision songs of all time.
@EugeneESCUK: This is pretty much a safe “pop” song that appeals to the masses though, as evidenced by the generally positive reaction between the eurofans… I don’t think it fits in with most of the other entries listed by Vanton…
I love this one so much. It’s amazing. Could it win? I dunno, but I hope so.
SO. DAMN. GOOD.
My favorite so far.
SF 1 is definitely stronger than SF 2!!! 🙂 This song is a big suprprise, because last year Cyprus sended a very boring and bad song. My top:
1. Ukraine
2. Iceland
3. Austria
4. Italy
5. Spain
6. Cyprus
7. Switzerland
8. Malta
9. Bosnia&Herzegovina
10. Denmark
11. Albania
12. Belarus
13. Belgium
14. Ireland
15. Georgia
My top 15:
1-Spain
2-Iceland
3-Belgium
4-Ukraine
5-Switzerland
6-Cyprus
7-Italy
8-Denmark
9-Malta
10-Austria
11-Ireland
12-Albania
13-Bosnia & Herzegovina
14-Belarus
15-Georgia
the song is good… which kinda infuriates me because the greeks will probably give their 12 points to cyprus… AGAIN.
i love cyprus entry this year and in my top 3.
my top 3 are:
1. switzerland, 2. malta and 3. cyprus.
It is no secret that amongst us Greeks, Cypriots have dominated the modern music scene, and good for them because they deserve it! While Tsaknis’s awful Argo will represent us in the fall, Minus One can easily make the top 10 and even win!
Mpravo sthn Kypro! Lemesos 2016!
Please be good “live”, please be good “live”, please be good “live”. 🙂
Since two hours ago, this is my favorite entry. All the rest – got to the hell, you’re really bad music! 🙂
Yes, this is good, and unexpectedly so given Minus One’s unremarkable song last year. My main criticism is the lyrics – the title is more interesting than the entirety of the lyrics, sadly. But everything sounds great apart from that.
^_^
Just love it!
@Eugene
Turkey 2004 – 4th place
Norway 2005 – 9th place
Switzerland 2005 – 8th place
Finland 2006 – 1st place
Finland 2007 – 17th place
Finland 2008 – 22nd place
Turkey 2008 – 8th place
Finland 2009 – Last place but qualified
Turkey 2010 – 2nd place
Who said that rock songs, especially rock boy bands do fail??
Oh snap, Cyprus!!! Great work!
Wow, even with howling! Different is good. Go Cyprus. It would be great if this went on before Zoe’s. He He Ja Ja Ka Ka Ka
Me like many others wasn’t expecting much, but was positively surprised! Not bad Cyprus, not bad.
I’m not a rock guy, but I love this, it can do really well in the contest !
It’s very instant and with Cyprus drawed in the second part of the semifinal, even if it seems is going to be a tough one, I see this as a definite qualifier !
well I was going to hate it but it really ramps up at around 2:35 and then it gets good
nevertheless 1.Ukraine 2.Italy 3. Iceland 4. Belgium 5. Austria 6. Cyprus maybe? 7. Denmark 8. Switzerland 9. Albania 10. Spain (it started at #2 and has literally gone down every day thanks to a small group of really rude Spanish fans)
It has got a review on escsongreviews.com, along with the Ukrainian song: http://escsongreviews.com/2016/02/22/songcheck-2016-ukraine-cyprus/
Staged well, this could go close to winning.
Well done Cyprus!
My top 3:
1. Cyprus
2. Ireland
3. Ukraine
Here is my top 15 so far!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcGwz3wBsCY
I don’t like hard rock or similar, and as you can imagined, i was worried with the Cypriot song. But I was so wrong. I like it very much, it’s different and the same time is very good.
Very well done Cyprus, you did the right job.
@MGR, Cyprus 2016 is nothing like that poor excuse for a song.
Broken my top 3 though, quite an interesting song and should qualify for the final.
My top 7 (I don’t really like any of the other songs, bottom 2 are Ireland (last) then Belgium):
1. Albania
2. Switzerland
3. Cyprus
4. Italy
5. Ukraine
6. Iceland
7. Spain
I thought they would bring a dark gloomy metal like Lordi or Wig Wam. Well, didn’t see that coming. It’s a rock song with a class. Slay it!
OK. Not bad. Better than the ones selected so far (even your darling Ukraine).
But, where’s the refrain in this song? Hahahah
@ct_greece
Yes, underneath the blown up metal production this is still quite a formulaic pop song, but as you can see people fall for that sort of thing. It will probably be no different in May 😉
I like it but rock songs don’t have the best track record at Eurovision. Might just squeeze through to the final
This song is awesome! i’m loving it. I hope Cyprus get a nice score this year, with a good staging this will work really good.
@ NickC
Yes, as you can see from my comment below I agree with you. But judging from the cypriot final last year, their live is going to be good.
Sorry, but this is no Manga.
My complaint is that even though it’s very well produced, you can’t shake the feeling that ultimately it is a little vacuous and “swedish”. And a little too reminiscent of “Somebody told me” by the Killers…
WHAT! Cyprus has impressed me, what a powerful rock song!! My top right now (without Spain, my country) :
1. Italy
2. Denmark
3. Cyprus
4. Ukraine
5. Iceland
6. Belgium
7. Ireland
8. Malta
9. Switzerland
10. Bosnia & Herzegovina
11. Austria
12. Albania
13. Belarus
14. Georgia
@ Eugene
Mangga from Turkey came second and Athena 4th. You don’t get that high from diaspora alone. So there is definitely a market for this at the ESC.
LOOOOOOVE THIS!!! This is definitely going to be the song starting up the contest in the first semifinal!! Some proper awesome nice tunes and beats! Love it!
I think that the ESC audience is getting more diversified year after year and the trigger was Euphoria in 2012. Last year, a very new sound by Loic Nottet finished 4th ! So, no more ballads and songs radio not friend on ESC anymore. So, I think that Cyprus give an 20 years up choosing this rock modern entry this year. Luck Cyprus.
That’s why one shouldn’t judge before the song is revealed 😉
Fantastic song, easily in my Top 3 and this might actually end up in the Top 10 in Stockholm. Love it!
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my new top 5
1. Austria
2. Cyprus
3. Spain
4. Ukraine
5. Switzerland
I love it!! I gad low hopes for Cyprus but this is so unique (so far in comparison with other entries). I think if maNga can get 2nd, then this can at least be in the top 10
It sounds like Swedish metal… which it sort of is, written and recorded in Sweden. Well done, I’d say certain qualifier but they’re in a tough semi with the likes of Russia, Armenia, Bosnia, Greece, Iceland, Estonia, Finland… it will be carnage.
Very pleasantly surprised! Good job Cyprus 🙂
Thank you Minus One! Great entry for Cyprus! I think the UK just got obliterated, LOL
This is really good! I didn’t expected something like this from them, so happy! 🙂
Wow! It’s amazing! I expected something worse, but this will qualify for sure. I’m worried about Belarus (my 3rd), because they use the same theme, the wolf … and comparing each song crearly “Alter Ego” sounds better and has a better production than “Help you fly”. At least Belarus and Cyprus are in different semifinals, so I hope both qualify.