Switzerland Eurovision 2017 reaction

After listening to the six finalists in Die Entscheidungsshow — Switzerland’s national selection contest — I know this much is true: Switzerland is not winning Eurovision 2017.

But following two last-place finishes, with Melanie Rene’s (un)enchanting forest in 2015 and Rykka’s smoking bra and pee-pee dance in 2016, that’s probably not the goal. Instead broadcaster SRF is looking for a song solid enough to pull the country back into the final, which would go a long way in encouraging artists and songwriters in the years ahead.

But can Freschta, Ginta Biku, Michèle, Nadya, Shana Pearson or Timebelle do that? We wanted to find out so sat down, listened to the songs and filmed our reactions, which you can watch below. Sadly we aren’t on anyone’s payroll, so our reactions are totally candid.

Switzerland: Entscheidungsshow Finalists 2017 (FIRST REACTION)

Readers’ favourites

The video showcases what we think. But what do our readers think? You can read all of their comments on the initial announcement post. You can also check out the current standings of our poll “Who should win Switzerland’s ESC 2017 Entscheidungsshow?”

Since December 7 we’ve received a total of 1,291 votes. Our readers are voting for Timebelle in droves and the band currently enjoys more than 50% of all votes!

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Talk about a landslide. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. They won our poll back in 2015 by a huge margin, and ultimately lost out to Melanie Rene.

Read more Switzerland Eurovision news

15 Comments
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Yasi
Yasi
7 years ago

@cheesecake: That’s no surprise to me. I always assumed they won the televote. But then they must have at least been third with the juries. (Thanks a lot, juries -.- That’s why I actually hate them. You robbed Switzerland a spot in the final which they probably would have got with Singing about love) Timebelle has the best song of the six and I want justice for their loss last year.

cheesecake
cheesecake
7 years ago

Interestingly, an article about Timebelle in a local newspaper revealed that they actually WON the public vote two years ago. Mélanie René therefore went to Vienna thanks to the jury, while many thought she won over the viewers with her “Chandelier” cover.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

Good luck to all of them – 6 great singers! I agree that “Apollo” is lyrically the most interesting song and should probably win (with better backing vocals). 🙂

Stephanie
7 years ago

I didn’t like “Singing About Love” in the 2015 selection, but I love “Apollo”. I still wouldn’t mind Ginta if the vocals get a little more polish, but right now Timebelle is Switzerland’s best option

Anthony Ko
Editor
7 years ago

@Lianne –

It’s actually within the rules and happens quite often that a song can be recycled through various national finals. “Apollo” has never been released commercially before September 1st 2016, so it’s valid to be used this year. It’s kind of the “Anouk Rule”, since she’s the most famous example of it – she briefly sang Birds on Dutch radio about 3 years before it appeared at Eurovision, but it was never commercially released.

Lianne
Lianne
7 years ago

If “Apollo” was featured in 2015, wouldnt it be removed from eurovision if it won the NF? BTW LOVING these reaction videos, please make some more!

Rhy
Rhy
7 years ago

Timebelle’s song is really enjoyable and nice, a good staging at Eurovision could lift it but nothing more from eventually qualifying, I can’t see much people voting for it. While Ginta could really challenge at Kyiv with a good revamp and staging, it could qualify and do well, it’s a proper dance-pop track that Europe could enjoy.

Z24
Z24
7 years ago

Even if Timebelle is the frontrunner, there is something really… unfitting about Apollo. For me, it’s very obvious the song wasn’t made for them, and comes across as fake and recycled. There is no band dynamism like Singing Of Love had.

That being said, I agree with William’s top 2. I slightly prefer Ginta Biku, there is potential for a nice revamp and it would be a good change of pace for Switzerland.

escAU
escAU
7 years ago

yeee go ginta and timebelle

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

@Krzysztof Poland – ”Make Eurovision Schlager Again!”

That made me laugh 😀

Paul D.
Paul D.
7 years ago

Those poll results are actually my current top, being ”Apollo” and ”Cet Air La” the only ones that I really like, although I’m fond of Freschta voice

Adam
Adam
7 years ago

I love Apollo so much for some reason. I just love the way the vocals are harmonized, i don’t really care much for the tempo and rhythm of the song. I hope they win! They could at least get 13th – 20th place in the GF

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

Am I really the only one who loved Ukraine 2011 regardless of sand art or staging?

The thing about Swiss finalists, as I said, is that all of them are in the range of mid-level, mid-tempo pop songs. None of them is bad, but all of them will struggle through finals when more memorable songs kick in.

mocosuburbian
mocosuburbian
7 years ago

apollo is good but why have a basic midtempo love ballad when you could have
s c h l a g e r

Krzysztof Poland
Krzysztof Poland
7 years ago

Timebelle is one more time an overhyped fanwank that will lose to a better second-placed-in-the-poll song. Go Ginta and Make Eurovision Schlager Again!