The Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — is reviewing and rating the 39 competing songs in Eurovision 2021. Next we head to host country The Netherlands where Jeangu Macrooy has “Birth of a New Age”. Did we feel his message? Read on to find out!
Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age”
“Birth of a New Age” reviews
Lucy: In what is possibly the greatest song to ever grace Eurovision lyrically, Jeangu has given us a taste of Suriname, and the joy of celebrating your history and where you are now. From the moment I first heard this, I had my breath taken away by the sheer happiness radiating from Jeangu’s performance. It contains an important lesson in history which many of us need to learn and understand, whilst introducing many viewers to new sounds and stories. Between “Grow” and “Birth of a New Age”, Jeangu Macrooy is a one of a kind Eurovision artist. Perfection all around.
Score: 10
Natalie: I get that this song is so polarizing but I’m firmly on the “yes” end of this song. It’s such an important and timely message, and I love the shamelessness and confidence of it. The incorporation of Suriname music and language is super welcome, and I love to see it at Eurovision. It’s very well produced and heartfelt, and I’ve no doubt Jeangu will give it all. I really applaud the Dutch broadcaster for going for such a talented and determined performer from Suriname this year, and I really hope Europe gives him the recognition that he deserves on the big stage
Score: 8.5
Diego: Jeangu Macrooy had the freedom to sing whatever he wanted, but he chose to be himself by drawing the musical connection with his homeland. But this hasn’t been executed in a memorable way. “Birth Of a New Age’ sounds flat. Also, it contains a persistent beat which I find really annoying. Also, how will he capitalize on all that cultural heritage that he wants to show the world on stage? This song will have a hard time finding its way near the top of the Eurovision Grand Final.
Score: 5.5
Oliver: From the traditional to the modern, Jeangu pulls inspiration from an eclectic range of reference points, fusing genres for an altogether mesmerising experience. The composition of “Birth of a New Age” is astounding. In parts, it’s so simple — the piano is nothing more than one note played repetitively throughout — but that’s what makes it so great. Jeangu doesn’t need huge romantic swells and embellishments to dress up his songs. His artistry speaks for itself. And lyrically, it’s perhaps one of the best tracks of the season, with a crucially important message at its core. There could be a slight issue with the choir part, and how this will translate on stage with the rule of six participants. But otherwise, this is another fantastic entry from The Netherlands.
Score: 8.5
Renske: There is something in “Birth of a New Age” that reminds me an awful lot of “Outlaw In ‘Em”. Again, the Netherlands is sending a song with an amazing message, but due to its symbolism, it might be hard to understand for viewers. Songwise, Jeangu delivers one of the most interesting and appealing songs of the year. It combines music from his home country with typical sounds we would expect from a Eurovision entry. “Birth of a New Age” is very current as well, discussing both the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic, but in a fashion that does not feel pushy.
Score: 8.5
Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” rankings
In the Wiwi Jury we have 24 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
| Antranig: 6
Calvin: 6.5 Deban: 7 Erdi: 1.5 Esma: 7 Jonathan: 8 Jordi: 5 Josh: 8 Julian: 2 Kristín: 8.5 |
Lauren: 10
Luis: 9 Pablo: 6 Robyn: 7 Ron: 4 Sebastian: 7 Tobias: 4.5 Tom: 8 William: 6.5 |
We have removed the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. This is to remove outliers and potential bias. We have removed a low of 1.5 and a high of 10.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 6.86/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
Yes it is my country but YESSS I love it.. Great rhythm, message, voice, melody.. People are purposely sleeping on this, not expecting anything from the host but it’s a great song.. Let’s see what the final performance shows
Beautitful song that speaks to Jeangu’s heart. it’s about origin and roots. Very ethnic and not so Dutch. It’s a celebration of being yourself. Well done Jeanguu!
I really hope it does better than expected (perhaps juries can help?) i don’t see it getting more than 15 points in televoting.
I just can’t believe that some people online turned such a powerful phrase, Yu no man broko mi, into a misheard joke omg.
I adore this song. Every time I listen I find something new in it. Lyrically, nobody else comes close, and every time I hear that line “born in resilience” I get goosebumps. I am so proud that this will represent the Netherlands and to see the power of that beautiful video, placing a celebration of Black identity, history and culture in a building built with the proceeds of colonialism. I don’t care if it comes first or last, having Jeangu there on the night is a victory already. This is the most important song to be on the Eurovision stage… Read more »
I feel quite ashamed I’m not really into it. I can appreciate the quality of this song and the skills of Jeangu as an artist. Musically, it is refreshing and kind of uplifting. Lyrically, it takes on hot topics from a hopeful and poetic point of view. Certainly, it is one of the songs I’ve listened to the least this year. Thought now in this third or fourth listen I’ve seen something different in it and has grown a little bit on me. For that matter, I had to adjust my top a little. Tbh, I don’t know how the… Read more »
I really don’t get this song… it’s a total No for me
I think is better than Germany…(concerning the last place). This reminds me 80ties live aid for Africa. Totally lolly entry…
It really bothers me that Tobias, apart from a few songs, gave really low scores to most of the songs who have been scored thus far. I get that not every song is your cup of tea, but atleast give it the merit it deserves instead of bashing the songs into the ground.
i totally agree. i understand ranking some songs low but he has done it on every single country aside from his own
It’s his opinion??? People are allowed to rate songs however they choose to lol.
no one said they cant but i mean come on… why even watch eurovision if you dont like any of the songs let alone contribute to a blog about it
This lyrics, the rhythm and Jeangu’s voice are a fiest. Uplifting and touching to the core.
Jeangu is a great artist, and kudos to him for presenting an entry that is genuine. He will never win Eurovision with this, but so what? 7,5/10
Why would he write a song to win eurovision? This isn’t the purpose of the host country’s entry/
This song is in my top 3 this year and easily is the most underrated song of the year to me. But then again, I’m not white. Maybe the average Eurovision fan has a harder time connecting to the song because the lyrics are simply harder to relate to for them since most ESC fans are not people of color and do not experience the things described in the lyrics.
Honestly the amount of ignorant comments I’ve seen on platforms like youtube and the inability to appreciate the song’s musical elements while praising other so-called “ethnic” songs just proves to me that I’m probably right. The song’s simply too black for some folks to enjoy apparently.
I think you have a point. I liked Grow last year and personally this year’s song has grown a lot on me that it’s in my top 20 (and I’m not of color!). Instead of the message maybe people are too busy focusing on the broccoli (like brownie cake for Voda, which I also thought was heavily underrated)?
Gold star.
People should stop saying ‘the hosts don’t care if they do well/they don’t want to win’.
of course all countries want to do well, especially if you’re hosting it is humiliating coming last.
The Dutch broadcaster gave the artistic freedom to Jeangu to select the song (it didn’t go through a committee like last year) and kudos to them for that.
On average, the host country doesn’t do as well. It’s a known fact.
Unless it’s Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg or Spain!
On rare occasions. In the case of Ireland, RTÉ even said that they would refuse to host if they won in 95. Pretty sure Israel had the same idea in 1980 when they won again that they didn’t host.
Ever since those days, the hosts have always entered safe songs for obvious reasons.
They won again in 1996, though, and it didn’t stop them. It’s actually great how Ireland won four out of five years and always made the contest look different each time. They’re probably still paying for it, of course…
Haha don’t you know it, hence why we have t even come close since lol
Well they made sure of that with Eddie Friel! My Lovely Horse may have done better! It was a close thing again in 1997 (with a dreadful song). Netherlands took up the baton in 1980, lo and behold they were “paid back” with victory in Tel Aviv 2019.
Ah yeah nice connection there re Netherlands and Israel, nice touch
Grow was a masterpiece but this 2021 song is also very good and meaninful. it speaks to his heart and it’s very important. It’s not another Swedish product pop song but a song that speaks about his origin and identity. Very brave of the Dutch broadcaster to give 100% freedom to Jeangu to select this song.
I really hope this doesn’t do as bad as we expect.
Not as good Grow, but still a damn good song.
I didn’t like the live performance of the song at all. It sounded too repetitive. That said I’ve “grow”n to not mind it. The lyrics are uplifting . It still needs less repetitiveness to make a mark.
5.5/10.
I don’t think this will get out of the 21-26 bracket .
And Slovenia less than 5… this is unfair
It’s alright, but 6,8 is way too much
“Grow” examined the role of time in a person’s life, “Birth Of A New Age” examines the role of a person’s life in time. After all, who are we but “the fruit, adorning the legacy of every forgotten revolutionary”? Whether it’s the Surinamese abolitionists or anyone in history who rebelled in some way against the society’s injustices or mischiefs, our lives are built on their heritage. Jeangu restores this tenuous link between the past and the present, honouring the courageous ones that came before us, and recognising the same strength within. Of course, “Birth Of A New Age” is rooted… Read more »
Best comment. Thank you.
Wiwjury overrating just because of political correctness, smart move!
Translation: I don’t like the song, and it involves a black man singing about oppression, so if it gets an okay rating it must be because of political correctness.
racist
Wiwi Juries’ current TOP 29 Italy (7.7) (=) Ireland (7.7) Cyprus (7.45) Finland (7.34) Ukraine (7.32) Russia (7.18) Sweden (7.14) The Netherlands (6.86) Greece (6.82) (=) United Kingdom (6.82) Croatia (6.75) Azerbaijan (6.57) Israel (6.45) Latvia (6.34) Belgium (6.16) (=) Czech Republic (6.16) Serbia (6.09) Albania (5.89) (=) Norway (5.89) Spain (5.34) Germany (5.14) Estonia (5.07) Austria (4.89) Denmark (4.84) (=) Slovenia (4.84) Poland (4.5) Portugal (4.32) North Macedonia (4.05) Georgia (3.82) My personal TOP 29 Italy (My 2nd) Greece (My 4th) Ukraine (My 7th) Belgium (My 10th) Finland (My 11th) Estonia (My 12th) Russia (My 13th) Serbia (My 14th)… Read more »
I really enjoy our entry this year. The fans have been too busy repeating the same dumb broccoli joke, but I think there is real artistic value in this song, both in lyrics and music. I really hope we’ll do at least better than bottom 5, so fingers crossed!
30) Netherlands –
First of all, well done to The Netherlands for bringing us something completely different. I think it was always going to be polarising, but I can appreciate the song being a little outside the norm for Eurovision. Whilst it’s not to my taste, I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who connect to this song and I wish Jeangu every success. 5/10
I’ve always felt that this entry will be more popular with the general public than within the eurovision fandom. I think Netherlands can be proud of their entry. It stands out and it sounds great in my opinion.
NETHERLANDS – Jeangu is an amazing singer and an even better poet. His lyrics are thoughtful and deep, without being pretentious or convoluted. The Birth of a New Age symbolizes the unity of people who had to protect their heritage for generations. The lyrics of their perseverance are incredibly strong and ooze dignity. They give us hope in a better tomorrow. The rhythm is authentic and interesting. The song is musically a bit too chill for its own good. This rebellion feels almost consistently intense throughout. If the chorus had more variety, this could have been grand. Considering the depth… Read more »
I think they did a good job on adding layer by layer until the climax with the percussion (one of my favorite bridges of the year), but I agree that the beggining could sound a little more engaging. Maybe using the same percussion from the ending, but in a more discreet fashion.
6.86 too high
It’s a pity most people don’t pay attention to lyrics in Eurovision, because this is a perfect example of how to write a “protest song” filled with strong imagery and not sounding whiny, but victorious. The melody could be less repetitive, but I understand it was on purpose, since it sounds almost ritualistic. From the bridge on though, it peaks and it’s beautiful. Sadly, it’s probably too “world music” for most jurors and viewers, but Jeangu does a terrific job honoring his roots and showcasing his voice. 8/10
Couldn’t agree more.
Let’s put it this way: musically I really like it, lyrically is one of my favorite Eurovision entries’ ever. So, it’s sort of my “Non mi avete fatto niente” of this year. Not that I’m expecting it to do as well, but hopefully it will make a much bigger splash with the casual viewers than has done with the fandom. I’m glad it did well with the Wiwijury, maybe it’s a good sign, since I would normally think they (as a collective) wouldn’t appreciate this kind of music.
It’s hopeful to see how this song is dividing opinions. You love it or hate it. This is always a good predictor for success, since only lovers vote and haters have no tools in the score. Of course this song has a story to tell that many can relate to and that was only touched upon in a private way softly by Soldi. I never forget once my Polish colleague came to Holland 10 years ago and he did not dare to shake hands with our new employee from St. Maarten. He was dark, like so many people are in… Read more »
Not really. Its just meh. Neither love nor hate it
‘Yu no man broko mi, mi na afu sensi’. Literally: you can’t break me, I’m only half a cent. This line is so powerful, it comes from so much history and pain. I love that Jeangu is just going to stand there and sing it. Doesn’t matter where he will end up on the scoreboard, probably not that high but who cares.
Am I the only one who thinks this song has a better chance on a good result than grow had?
Grow was probably too subtle, so yeah, I agree
No, i disagree. Grow had more potential on staging and with juries too. The lyrics were so much stronger.
The lyrics of Birth will not reach the average jury/viewer and people will make fun of the broko mi lyric.
This was hands-down my favourite music video this year. It is so intelligently and tastefully subversive, and it completely (and beautifully) captures the message of the song: “What is missing from depictions of European history is an entire vibrant people. And we lived through a difficult history; but we have emerged stronger and we make Europe stronger.”
(I know this is not the point here, but this needs a shout-out.)
Scores from Tobia thus far: All but 2 countries have been scored with 5 and below. Average score: 4 Wondering if he is doing it on purpose, so that his favourite entries reach the top of the Wiwi Jury league 1) Sweden 2) Cyprus Latvia: 2.5 Serbia: 5 Sweden: 9 Belgium: 3 Norway: 4 Russia: 4.5 Czech Republic: 1.5 Albania: 2.5 Ukraine: 4.5 Azerbaijan: 5 Germany: 1.5 Finland: 3.5 Spain: 4 Cyprus: 7.5 Israel: 4 Estonia: 5 Croatia: 4.5 Slovenia: 5 Austria: 2 Ireland: 3.5 Denmark: 1.5 Greece: 4 Portugal: 5 North Macedonia: 3 Italy: 3 UK: 5 Poland: 4… Read more »
I am glad this got a decent score. I find it very underrated. A breath of fresh air
Netherlands 9/10 – absolutely underrated so far
His video is kick-ass, and I would expect him and his team to bring some of that energy to the stage. The song, however, is what brings his score down on my card. Last year’s song (and the way he presented it in the video) would have been a top-10 finisher for me. With this song, he’s likely to finish in the middle of the pack.
Oh wowww. You do you honeys, but really? The Netherlands 6,86/10? Ireland 7,7/10? Would you have given Belarus a 9 or what, had they participated? That is veeery delusional
Excuse me, Ireland’s song isn’t bad, I don’t get the unnecessary sly remarks all the time.
No, it’s not bad by any means. It’s totally fine and inoffensive. But it doesn’t stand out in any single way. It’s totally unmemorable and it will be LOST in semi-final 1. In my opinion, this has zero chances to qualify and it actually competes for last place in the semi along with North Macedonia and Slovenia. Giving it a 7,7/10 when much more quality entries have been criminally underrated? Delusional. And I saw that in the Semi-Final 1 prediction YouTube video William and Deban mark Ireland as one of the four dead certain qualifiers. My reaction: *Kahmora Hall ‘Where?’… Read more »
I think you’re overexaggerating. Ireland is brilliant but I agree with you. The wiwi-juries overrated it…
It is a good song. But it’s not competitive at all
kinda surprised georgia’s song got like half this song’s score lol
I couldn’t be more sad that this out-of-the-concept song took almost a 7. I’m so so disappointed in the wiwi jury
it’s ok, take your Xanax next time.
I quite like this, much better than Jeangu’s attempt last year. The second half of the song is so powerful and Jeangu’s voice certainly delivers. I certainly never skip it when it comes on.
It won’t win, I don’t think we’ll be back in the Netherlands in 2022, but I think the hosts this year will get a solid respectable result. I hope this anyway. Usually the host country don’t really bother but Jeangu has delivered in my opinion. Best of luck Netherlands- 7/10.
lol it’s not a matter of winning, it’s a matter of whether it does better than bottom 5 or not.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t, it’s a strong product.
However the other voters react to it though is another thing. I can see juries getting behind it though.
It would be nice if people stop using the word “ethnic” only for songs that do not fit into the mold of Western European music. “Birth of a new age” or “Karma” are not more ethnic than “Voilà”. Each of this songs embodies the history and musical traditions of the country they represent.
sadly after “Grow” in 2020 this looks set to continue the host’s curse and score pretty poorly. I think this is bottom five. A brave attempt to try something different…but….
i don’t see any country that isn’t belgium giving it televote points but i think the jury will reward it
UK, Ireland and Australia would.
Also Germany probably
And Denmark
And Greece because of the singer
the juries can’t give points to everyone. I can hardly imagine juries voting for it. First of all, they will be voting for at least 4 certain entries (Switzerland, France, Bulgaria, Malta) and then 6 more depending on the performances and the age of the jury members. I hardly think Netherlands will make it to the Top 10 of any jury apart from Belgium perhaps.
For me it depends on the staging. If they will go for something colorful with some ethnic feel(like in the music video) it might get a decent amount of votes from juries and televotes. If it will be basic like his first performance, last place can be possible.
It takes courage to sing in a Creole language and with a very ethnic musical style in the ESC. Credit where it’s due.
exactly. well done to Jeanguu and Dutch broaadcaster.
Good luck to him! Wish him the best, it’s not often easy to represent the host country in Eurovision.
Sorry, but 6.86/10 is overrated in my eyes. It is for sure no bad song but to call that a 10/10 or a 8.5/10 …. is insane and a joke. Well ……I’m just an ordinary person and you Wiwiblogg guys are the “experts”……..we will see who is right.
they don’t claim to be experts lol they vote based on their taste as they should
No one said they were experts, not even them. Its their opinion which has the same value as yours. Only difference is that you follow their opinions.
25. The Netherlands: I appreciate the ethnic vibes and the message of the song a lot. The song is creative and interesting. Nevertheless, it can also get boring. We will have to wait and see what its final result in the contest will be but I am not optimistic about it.
27. Netherlands – Jeangu – Birth of a New Age – 5.5/10 – I love the spirituality in this track. The song is personal to Jeangu’s experience of life but universally relatable because we all have our rhythm and through it we become our own rebellion and build a new age for ourselves. That is an uplifting and inspiring message in anyone’s book. For me, this is perhaps the most angry song in this year’s contest (more than other obvious contenders such as Finland) and I like that it makes it obvious that this anger will be used for positive… Read more »
I love this song so much I always get emotional when listening to it especially the PHRASE IT’S A BIRTH OF A NEW AGE and YU NO MA BROKO MI