The Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — is reviewing and rating the 40 competing songs in Eurovision 2022. Next we review Germany, who have chosen Malik Harris with “Rockstars”.
Were we idolising the song? Read on to find out!
Malik Harris – “Rockstars” (Germany Eurovision 2022)
Review: Malik Harris – “Rockstars”
William: Malik really tugs on heartstrings with this one. “Rockstars” starts softly and sweetly — the only grit coming from Malik’s gravely voice. Ninety seconds in, he seems to press pause on the music and launches into an extended soliloquy. He admits to getting lost in his own doubts and flaws and recognises that time has tamed his free spirit. His growing anger over it all gives the song its emotional crescendo and one well worth the wait. The soft exit takes us back to the beginning and gives the song a nice rounded quality. This may not break new ground, but the ground it covers is very well served indeed.
Score: 7
Sebastian: Does “Rockstars” have a place at Eurovision? Perhaps, but there is something so produced and Americanised about “Rockstars” that makes it feel so inauthentic. Malik is a solid performer, and that’s ultimately what has sold the package. Perhaps it’s fatigue from the American Song Contest, but this German entry is unfortunately not going to gain tailwind in Turin. Malik will no doubt express his feelings well on the stage as he has in all live performances.
Score: 3
Pablo: There’s honesty and an earnest quality in this that no one can deny, as Malik is a great performer with a story to tell. “Rockstars” is a nice track that’s easy to listen to, but that’s also its crutch. It lacks a certain punch and edge on the parts it’s supposed to hit. It’s a story of melancholy with a hint of angst, and it feels somewhat offset by the wholesome undertone of the chorus. I’m more than happy to see this in the contest, but for it to properly work, it needs to lean on that storytelling aspect and do so without hesitation.
Score: 6
Natalie: Thank god you selected this Germany. I was just thinking we needed more sentimental ballads by men. At least this one tries to be modern and interesting in a sea of bleh this year. I can see a lot of people falling in love with Malik this year, he’s a talented performer and seems like a really nice guy. But it’s hard for me to get into this song. Just not for me maybe.
Score: 2
Ron: “Rockstars” is a very pure and simple song. There’s nothing revolutionary or out of the box here but it does hit you with its honesty. Malik is a very emotive and charismatic performer, and you can really feel the emotions he is delivering in every word and every line he sings. The song feels very sincere and many people can identify with its message and lyrics – we are all rockstars in a way. Unfortunately, in a huge field of 40 songs at Eurovision it doesn’t stand out that much, although it does have its merits and it’s a great track that Malik can sure be proud of.
Score: 6
Germany Eurovision 2022 ranking
In the Eurovision 2022 Wiwi Jury, we have 18 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
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Angus: 3 Antranig: 5.5 Cinan: 5 Deban: 5.5 Jonathan: 4.5 Josh: 5.5 Lucy: 4 |
Luis: 6 Oliver: 3.5 Renske: 5 Robyn: 4.5 Suzanne: 7.5 Tom: 7.5 |
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 2 and a high of 7.5.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 5.09/10
What do you think of Germany’s Eurovision 2022 entry? Share your own score and review for Malik Harris’s “Rockstars” below!
The big 5 going big this year.. but Germany is not. Still, I think this can scratch some points and end up not being last (hopefully). Nothing more to say about it. 5/10.
Sorry Germany, this year you won’t have company in the big 5 zero points club.
It’s very B.o.B., and that’s very 2010ish. I think it will get enough support to avoid a very low finish
So much better than last year’s entry. Unfortnately, (1) it employs the same 4 chords that so many songs have employed since even before the Beatles’ “Let It Be”, and (2) his vocal performance is likely to be lost amid those who are doing spectacularly on the bookies’ boards at the moment (Ochman from Poland, for one). Even worse if he is given a very early singing spot in the final. He will need a Michael Schulte type of stage performance (which earned him 4th at ESC 2018), to avoid the possibility of earning Germany’s third-straight ZERO-POINT televote score in… Read more »
5.5/10 I feel like ‘Rockstars’ is something we usually see from the UK… a safe entry that isn’t bad just not memorable or interesting. I do love how personal this song is to Malik and I guess the rap part is a little different, but that doesn’t make this an outstanding song.
Starting with the negative: Germany is again making that old Big 5 country mistake and sending to Eurovision something that’s nice, but nothing more than nice. Since Spain and the UK (finally) shaked things up, this may mean trouble. Now the positive: it isn’t nearly as bad as some try to make it look. Malik is a charming performer, “Rockstars” is easy on the ears and the rap part is surprisingly palatable for a larger audience. Nobody will make fun of this entry, very few people will dislike it, but… who’ll actually vote for it? 5.25/10
The last line is the exact problem with German entries, both when they send something safe and when they send something awful (hello, 2021). Assuming that the average televoter may pick up the phone for 3-5 songs maximum, who’s not going to have five songs that they like more than “Rockstars”?
Exactly. And though I can see juries liking it, they have so many good ballads this year, that I wonder how many points would be left for an entry without big notes or an emotional climax. Eurovision’s scoring system is good to define the winner, but terrible to define the last place. And I guess Germany can be the one paying the price this time.
This get a lot of negative comments …Okay it’s not the best song in eurovision but it’s not so extremely bad as many are saying.
It’s grown on me- although he still has that very current ‘I have a piece of chicken caught in the back of my throat as I sing’ thing happening. It’s not a winner, but it’s tolerable.
honestly, germany is my last place this year. i haven’t found a single thing i enjoy about this performance other than the staging which is decent and elevates it. otherwise, i find it cringy and the lyrics are void of any real emotion. and i also dont like maliks vocal style at all, it sounds like cursive singing
5.09 too harsh. I agree with Suzanne this time.
Germany should do better every year. They have big stars interesting in ESC and they unfortunately prefer newcomers with flat songs. I dont understand it, but this song is underrated. This is typical German pop. It has pure and nice melody with nostalgic feeling. It doesnt need anything more. German music scene is amazing and they can bring absolute bangers every year. But they can make cool songs from easy melody too. I think they will be high this year. This song has a soul.
Unpopular opinion? It’s not as bad as people make it to be.
We don’t really have to say anything else about the German national final process, right? There wasn’t much to choose from there and the broadcaster didn’t give the public much to consider. So one year removed from having an all-time horrible entry, Germany are back in their Black Smoke, Perfect Life…”we’re not bad but dear god we don’t want to give you a reason to vote for us” zone again. It’s so safe and inoffensive…and completely forgettable. It’s slow and it’s low-key. The lyrics are heavy enough to suggest some sort of meaning but not well thought-out enough to really… Read more »
Rating: 4.5/10.0
I would have LOVED for Felicia Lu to represent Germany (PLEASE come back one year!) but this song has definitely grown on me, not as much as some songs though.
Thats just harsh. 5.09? Its not that bad.
I would give it a solid 7/10.
I honestly won’t be surprised to see a 0 points from the televote. I’m really struggling to see a scenario in which the audience in any country places this in their Top 10 on Saturday. I think two consecutive years with no televote points is already a record but three would be quite spectacular.
Sorry, the song is not brilliant for sure. But I don’t see it having a lower score than Jendrik’s I don’t feel hate last year.
But that is how statistics work… songs like this don’t get high scores in fan votings. Hopefully the actual result will be better 😀
But maybe that is the chance to convince the NDR that they are on the wrong way…
Honestly, these scores are too harsh.
i don’t think this song will come last as many eurofans expect. while its result won’t be brilliant, it’s a trendy-sounding song with nostalgic vibes by a capable performer. it’s nothing special, but malik sells it well.
Could be a small dark horse of the “poors”.
This might be quite unpopular, but I kinda like the song and it will be on the left side of my particular scoreboard. Compared to previous entries from Germany, there is some improvement, originality, and Malik delivers a relaxed, natural performance that brings a different style, rap, to the esc stage.
Totally agree. Not necessarily a winner but great step in the right direction.
Has grown a little bit on me since it was released. It was my second fav in the German NF. I kind of agree it is average but it has some emotion that made it stand out in the NF against other average and bland poppy tunes. It reminds me of “You Let Me Walk Alone”, a song that’s still one my favs from Eurovision. It, in fact, has some references to childhood too. The problem is that “Rockstar” doesn’t make an impact as “YLMWA” did. This is mainly because of Michael Schulte’s voice and stage presence… and Malik isn’t… Read more »
Even though I can tell that the song is genuine, I just feel nothing listening to it. The rap feels random and pointless and the chorus is forgettable and poor. 34th/40. 3/10.
Ooft that is harsh. I have enjoyed his live performances and he seems authentic. The rap segment reminds me a bit of Eminem. I hope he doesn’t come last.
My score would be 6.5/10.
Germany – Although it is the weakest of the Big 5 this year, I still think it’s pretty good! I do fear that it’ll be a repeat of last year though… probably will get some jury points but I don’t think that it’ll do well in the televotes. 🙁 It feels very personal which I appreciate, and Malik seems like a great guy so I wish him luck. 5.5/10
Germany 5,5/12
Utterly forgettable. This year’s favorite to end last in the final.
Malik feels really genuine and authentic, but the song just doesn’t do it for me. I’m left completely cold and empty of emotions. I really hope he’ll do a good result at the contest, but my vote won’t go for him. Sorry Germany.
30.Germany – I was all aboard the Eskimo Callboy hype-train. But this is actually quite nice. Some rap is always good to see.
By far the weakest Big5 entry and i think the majority can agree on that. As for the song, it’s painfully away from what i listen to. I really don’t like this. The safest song out of the safest NF won.. this can actually make Germany get yet another 0 from public and if that won’t be a desperate wake-up call, then nothing else can be.
Rating: 1/10 (37th)
What works about this song is that it is Malik’s very own story, so the emotions in it are quite real. However, musically-speaking, there are four chords, a few refrains and a rap. That’s all. So, for me the musical content is rather lacking. The strange thing is that after the rap and the pause, Malik sings about a “new start,” and I can’t help but feel this was an opportunity to do something different with the music. But instead, there’s more of the same melodies and four chords to “be who we are.” Maybe life really doesn’t move on… Read more »
Very nice and spot on review!
Yeah, I have the same sentiments about the song. The lyrical content and the performer’s personal attachment to it are above the musical aspect. As a package, it still ranks rather high on my list, but it is admittedly, as Vivian has put it bellow ”by a landslide the weakest effort of the big 5”. However, it says more of how good the others are than anything else. Also, note that I am the one who’ll put the lyrics and emotions higher on the priority list than many would, so those yearning for an innovative melody will rightfully put it… Read more »
I know that knowing all the song this one doesn’t holp up and pulls the big 5 down.. BUT I do like it and he’s great live.. Even the ‘Eminem’ part I’ve grown to like.. Probably end up around 20th place though..
By a landslide is this the weakest effort of the Big 5 and drags down what could possibly be the strongest Big 5 selection we’ve had in a while. This just… doesn’t resonate, nor does it stick around. Germany’s selection was a joke from start to finish, and even the most solid performance there can’t really keep itself standing on the grand final. Honestly, the German selection team would deserve another 0 points from the televote, as a nice hard punch to the balls at this point. It’s a 3/10 for me.
It’s the epitome of forgettable. Can’t stand it.
29. Germany: This is cute and has a pleasant melody but it never really grasped my attention and made me play it. I am not a big fan of his voice although it certainly fits the song’s vibe. There’s almost nothing wrong with this song but also nothing that makes it stand out. And this is not good news for its chances in May really.
28. Germany – Malik Harris – Rockstars – 6/10 – a song with some potential which is spoiled by a strange accent and being too much of an imitation of other artists. The angry part of this song is intriguing and almost hits the mark and I respect the desire to try something different but I have to file this under “what could have been” rather than “what is”. It still gets points for its passion and desire to engage the audience and I greatly appreciate and enjoy that Malik throws everything into his performance.
5,5/10 I really like the emotion Malik puts into this. The song is nice enough, too. I don’t see it making much of an impact, though. Another bottom 5 result for Germany?
Very likely, yes. Although it is much better than 2019 and 2021…
GERMANY – I tend to like nostalgic entries referencing how beautiful the past was. It wakes something deeper inside of me, as I tend to dwell on my past as well. In this case, I can feel these lyrics because Malik sells them in such an authentic way. I can believe that he sings from his own experience and that he cares about every word he sings. Even besides that, the lyrical content is heartfelt. The musical aspect is less striking, though. It’s nice, but doesn’t use as many variations as his passionate enunciation would like us to believe it… Read more »
To be honest, the lyrics in this song aren’t actually bad at all. In the Eurovision field, it’s probably in the upper half when it comes to the lyrical content. Still though, these thoughts don’t have to be conveyed in such a basic, uninteresting musical way.
As I said in my review, the rap section was something. That could’ve been a starting point but there’s just no bravery in the songwriting outside of it here.
There is a certain nostalgia here, which channels just the right amount of emotion for me to like it. Musically, I find it fine and easy to listen to, although, admittedly, very safe and predictable. There is a familiarity in this which makes me put it on a solid spot on my list, but as you said above, I do have far more than five songs I’d vote for ahead of it. Thus, this might not be the competitive choice for Germany. Then again, there wasn’t any in that finals.
7.5/10
Won’t there be any YouTube videos for the wiwijury this year?
I was just wondering about that. They may just be in print this year
Would be a shame…Videos are so much more enjoyable than reading these here.