Wiwi Jury Swiss Edition: Mélanie René with “Time to Shine”

Earlier today the Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — made their second stop in Switzerland, landing in the country’s second most populous city, Geneva. After having a look at the impressive Jet d’Eau water feature, they gathered to talk about the next act in Die Grosse Entscheiundgsshow, Mélanie René. Did she light up our worlds with “Time to Shine“, or did she leave us in the dark? Read on to find out…

“Time to Shine” reviews

Chris: A brooding, powerful song. There’s something very different and appealing about “Time to Shine”. Melanie has said in our interview with her that this is a very personal song and it’s clear that she really connects with her work. I don’t think it’s necessarily right for Eurovision and that middle guitar solo is a bit of an odd choice, but it could be the “something different” the Swiss need.

Score: 7.5/10

Sopon: With the dark techno style, I was hoping for something like Nina Sublatti’s “Warrior”. Sadly, we get a mess of “I don’t believe in myself” lyrics in a string of words that seems to have no end, getting mumble-jumbled along the way. Yuck.

Score: 1/10

Sami: The intro is so great that it makes you want more than the song is actually is. Melanie’s voice is very interesting and you just have to listen to the song until the end. The lyrics aren’t anything too original and nobody would remember the song after a 25-song final, but as its own piece it’s an okay song.

Score: 6/10

Deban: Yet another Eurovision entry with “Shine” in the title. The arrangement and instrumentation here has DRAMA and a lot of potential for great things. However, Melanie’s saccharine smiles and meek disposition are somewhat misplaced. She isn’t believable or memorable. In “Time To Shine” she stalls and ends up drowning in her own track.

Score: 4/10

Ramadan: I find the structure a bit weird, but cool. She has stage presence, and the song is totally my style. I already have the song on my iPhone. As soon as I listen to the song, it catches my attention with the lovely dark opening. Time to Shine is one of my favourites in the national selection. But there is something missing. This song seriously has potential and with a good revamp, I can see this doing well in Vienna.

Score: 7/10

Patrick: I hate techno but here it’s really working! “Time to Shine” is probably my favourite out of the Swiss bunch of no-winners. Mélanie has it all – the voice, the look (she is hot) and the song. It’s a mix of techno meets pop meets gospel and the result is really nice! I really don’t like the guitar solo in the middle of the song — it doesn’t work with the rest. All in all though, a suitable song for Eurovision!

Score: 8/10

Robyn: If you’re going to use the Lorde trick of a stripped-back, minimalist production style, you have to have a really strong song at the heart. Unfortunately “Time to Shine” is just a run-of-the-mill, forgettable Eurovision anthem, and all attempts at a modern production style are further undone by the ’80s-style guitar solo. Ain’t no shining happening here.

Score: 2/10

William: I love the opening — it’s dark and stirring and even a little avant-garde. Mélanie René shows flashes of Lorde in the production, which melds electro, rock, Goth and dance all in one. I don’t question her ability. This lady is a talent. But I do question whether I would download this. Actually, I wouldn’t. It just leaves me a little cold.

Score: 5.5/10

Renske: The beginning of the song was very, very bizarre. Then her voice surprised me and it was actually good until the chorus began. The chorus definitely lets it down after the first minute of the song. After a while, this song also gets a little bit boring.

Score: 6/10

Zach: It’s interesting, and I find myself on the “Like it” end of the spectrum. the song’s style is very unique, I quite like the backing track, and the vocals are extremely on point here. However, it feels like the song is missing something. It could be a very powerful anthem, but it comes up short in the end. If it wins, I suggest a re-working with ultra powerful vocals emphasized more.

Score: 6.5/10

Josh: The instrumental opening of the track reminds me of a Sia or Lorde track. Unfortunately the vocal doesn’t really suit the mood of the song. A mediocre ballad at best. Doesn’t resonate with me at all.

Score: 4/10

Anthony: Having sat through all 8 hours of the Expert Check stage, this eventually became one of my favourites, so I’m glad Mélanie was chosen as one of 6 finalists. She delivered a haunting but fantastic live performance. It really is her “Time To Shine”.

Score: 8/10

Angus: Quite like Malta’s Amber there’s something just not quite right here. I’m not sure if the tempo needs speeding up or slowing down, but something is out of whack. The addition of the guitar solo also seems really bizarre in an otherwise mellow and percussion backed ballad. With an element or two stripped away, Mélanie’s voice might shine and she might actually find the decent core of this song.

Score: 6/10

The highest and lowest scores have been removed before calculating the final scores to avoid bias. We have removed a high of 8 and a low of 1.

The Wiwi Jury Verdict: 5.7/10

You can read all of our reviews and rankings for Die Grosse Entscheidungsshow by clicking here. You can also keep up with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team from wiwibloggs.com on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of Mélanie René