The Wiwi Jury — our in-house team of music unprofessionals — starts its journey through Austria ahead of the Wer Singt Für Österreich 2015 final this Friday. We start our journey in the host country with some skiing. The view from the mountains is amazing and the cold winds are telling us to go to a little alp where we reviewed Zoe with her song “Quel filou“. How did our jury react? Do we like French Chanson in Austria? Read on to find out.
ZOE – “QUEL FILOU”
Deban: Reminds me of Anna Rossinelli. That’s a great thing! I love the folk vibe. Exuding with ease and nonchalance in equal measure, “Quel Filou”takes on a different approach. It captures a breezy Parisian cabaret moment, and runs with it. Bravo!
Score: 7/10
Max: The title of this song sounds like a rich, cream-filled pastry – but like the song, once you get halfway through it you’ve had enough. It’s a sweet little song by a sweet little singer and I really respect her for using a language other than English and German. The chorus is most definitely the best bit, with a hook that drags us in like fish bait. But the winner? I think not.
Score: 6/10
Chris: Zoe is a wonderful singer, but I can’t help but feel that this a little bit too on
the nose. It feels like something that would fit in somewhere within the film 8 femmes, almost as a pastiche of what a “French song” should be. I wouldn’t be sad to see this qualify all the same, but I feel that Zoe could do better.
Score: 7/10
Anthony: Classy with a hint of that French je ne sais quoi feel to it, hinted by her backing team going for the French beret look. Zoe has delivered it with such pizazz and really connected with the audience. And she’s looking very suave in her suit! I’d be happy if she represents the host country this year.
Score: 8/10
Robyn: Of course Austria is going to have a sassy chanson performer. It sounds like a parody of a typical French song, a bit too perfect in its execution to be real. It also feels a bit like a reject in a Belgian national final, with not enough going for it to be representing Austria.
Score: 6/10
Denise: She seems like a pro on stage, – what a presence! I kinda like the song, but I think the chorus is the weakest part. Zoe has a lovely voice and I’d rather hear hers than the voices of the background singers.
Score: 7/10
Mikhail: It’s a great and catchy song. I love this old French style. It reminds me of walking through some narrow streets in the old town, enjoying the bright sun and smiling. The song is full of positive energy, which is amazing. However, it simply might get lost in Vienna.
Score: 7.5/10
Judit: It’s something special, what I wouldn’t expect from Austria. Lovely song, good voice, like in a cabaret. Although I’m not sure it would be the perfect choice. It might get lost in the final.
Score: 7/10
Patrick: She is a charming person and she has a lovely voice. The only thing I really don’t get is the French – and that’s why we probably won’t send it. It’s a great song, no doubt about that – for her age she really acts like a pro, and all in all it’s nice. But the French is not what Austria needs in Eurovision. High points from France but will the other countries vote for it?
Score: 6/10
WIWI JURY AVERAGE: 6.80/10
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I love that song and its story.I would love it if Austria sent that entry,but I doubt it.Anyway,I have discovered a nice singer with a lovely song.It has made my day.Thank you Austria,and thank you Zoé!
Yeah, I didn’t get all those comments about Austria singing in French, when almost everyone sings in English regardless of whether it’s an official language of the country! Just like people complaining about a Spanish-language song in the Finnish selection…
“Oh no why would Austria send a french song?” – *only sends english songs*
French from Austria could be lovely.
I love when Latvia sing in Italian and Cyprus in French. <3
Quel Filou fills the hole left in my heart when Licia Chery didn’t win in Switzerland.
Perhaps the biggest appeal this song has is the fact that it brings Klezmer music into the forefront, knowing that this genre has had a revival throughout Europe especially in the last couple of years, so having this folk music combined with references to a Woody Allen movie jazzy soundtrack set in Paris make it sound nostalgic with a modern twist (a bit like Croatia’s 2008 entry ‘Romanca’ by kraljevi Ulice and 75 cents were able to gather professional musicians and revive the soundtrack of their youth and former generations)
It’s got that soothing French feeling ambiance, but it never transcends into anything more than an exercise in style and imitation.