Team Wiwi's Top National Final Songs of ESC 2018 (5-1)

national final songs margaret asanda renaida tamar kaprelian emmy liyana

Our countdown comes to a close. Over the last week, we’ve been counting down Team Wiwi’s top 30 national final songs of the Eurovision season. There’s been shocks and surprises along the way, but we’ve narrowed it down to just our top five.

What will join Eric Saade’s “Sting”, Margaret’s “Cool Me Down” and Kerli’s “Spirit Animal” as this year’s winner? See the results below:

5. “Poison (Ari Ari)” — Tamar Kaprelian (Armenia)

Tamar Kaprelian’s Eurovision return has been pretty much on the cards since the moment the 2015 final came to a close. And with the revamped Depi Evratesil opening that opportunity up, the former Genealogy singer brought an all-star team together to try and make it happen.

“Poison (Ari Ari)” brought a modern pop sound with some traditional Armenian realness. It became one of the most anticipated songs of the year — which made its semi-final elimination all the more shocking.

4. “Legends” — Asanda (United Kingdom)

The highest ranking song from a UK national final in our countdown ever, and for good reason. Asanda’s “Legends” got everyone excited even before its release, with rumours of it being a BBC favourite rumbling ahead of release.

Serving true sass and attitude, it would have been something very different for the UK. Live though, some of the studio magic was lost, and Asanda was swept up in the power of “Storm SuRie”.

3. “All the Feels” — Renaida (Sweden)

Only the winner of Melodifestivalen will get the chance to perform their song four times. Unless, of course, you’re Renaida. The former Idol star racked up over 1 million votes in her semi-final, yet still ended up having to fight through Andra Chansen.

Technical difficulties meant she performed twice in the final, on her way to a strong 9th place in her debut. And clearly, those performances — and that style — meant she gave Team Wiwi “all the feels” indeed!

2. “In My Cabana” — Margaret (Sweden)

Margaret just misses out on becoming a two time winner. “Cool Me Down” went Europe-wide in 2016 even without Eurovision, making Margaret a known name in Sweden. So it was no surprise to see her as an artist in this year’s Melodifestivalen.

“In My Cabana” might not have been the absolute hit that “Cool Me Down” was, but the Swedish production certainly upped things live. With slicker staging and a better mix of backing vocals, Margaret proved she belonged on the Melfest stage. If she gets the song and staging together, could she be stopped?

1. “OK ou KO” — Emmy Liyana (France)

It says a lot about the strength of the French field that, in its first year, Destination Eurovision is just one song short of matching Melodifestivalen. But perhaps most importantly, France takes the number one spot thanks to Emmy Liyana.

The former Voice star was one of the highlights of the semi-final round. In the final, she upped her game even more. She arguably stole the show with an incredible duet alongside Slimane. Then, she took to the stage with an army of doppelgangers for “OK ou KO”.

With a reserved aggression and an incredible voice behind it, this was a standout track from the first few beats. The outcry when Emmy finished low in the public vote showed just how much international support the track had. But there’s no room for disappointment here: Team Wiwi has crowned the track our favourite national final song of the year!

So there you have it: France takes victory in our countdown. And for four straight years, a different country’s song has topped the list! Is “OK ou KO” your national final favourite? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below.

Check out all of our top national final songs posts here

Chris Halpin

Chris has been a Eurovision fan since 1997, when he entertained his family with an all too enthusiastic commentary over Katrina and the Waves' victory. Today, he does much the same on the internet, including on his Twitter, @KatsJonouchi. Keep up with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by liking our Facebook page and by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs.