Hungary, Boggie, 2

Yesterday the Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of musical unprofessionals — took a train to Budapest and visited the iconic St Stephen’s Basilica. After we’d explored the historic church, we wandered out into the square and reviewed Hungary’s Eurovision 2015 singer Boggie and her song “Wars for Nothing”. Did we agree with her message of peace? Or did it get us in a fighting mood? Read on to find out…

Hungary’s Eurovision 2015 song

Reviews: Boggie with “Wars for Nothing”

Bogdan: Take note, Russia. This is how you write a peace song. “Wars For Nothing” proves that less is more. Boggie is a sensitive and charismatic singer and she will unquestionably transmit her heart-felt message loud and clear to the Eurovision viewers. Also, and very importantly for this song, the backing vocalists do a fantastic job and they deserve as much credit as Boggie. Now, if only they can do something a bit more interesting with the staging…

Score: 9/10

Hungary, Boggie, 4Robyn: What a buzzkill. I appreciate the sentiment of the song, but it’s delivered in such a serious, heavy-handed and – worst of all – boring way. Ok, so that’s partly due to the genre of music, and it could have the potential to be very moving when all the singers join in. But if the A Dal performance is anything to go by, just when the song starts to get going, it ends. And it doesn’t even come close to showcasing Boggie’s talents. I would not be surprised if Hungary doesn’t qualify with this.

Score: 3/10

Padraig: Boggie owns it live! Her A Dal performances were filled with raw emotion, and despite the delicate exterior you could sense an innate resoluteness. Unfortunately it all falls away on record. Without the stage show and Boggie’s enchanting eyes, it all feels a bit limp and lacklustre. But then we must remember that the studio version of “Rise Like a Phoenix” was far from impressive, and look how that did! I’ll add this to my ever growing stable of dark horses.

Score: 7.5/10

Mike: I am a sucker for sentimental songs and Boggie nailed it. Her A Dal performance was amazing, with a woman watching her world struggle with itself. The more she sings, the more people start singing together with her. I know it’s silly for me to think a simple song is a guarantee for world peace, but after seeing what Conchita has done for the LGBT community, I feel like Boggie’s song could effect some change. I hope we will all be in Budapest in about 13 months.

Score: 10/10

Angus: The song might be “Wars For Nothing” but all I can think on Hungary is that A Dal was for nothing. Boggie’s song has a brave message and delivers it simply. Way too simply. There’s only 30 seconds where the song chimes cohesively and hits you with power and that is just too little to stand out from the competitive crowd in semi-final one.

Score: 3/10

boggie-hungary-wiwibloggsDeban: It’s called a Song Contest for a reason! The one minute silence, although justified with chimes, angers me in equal measure. Unsuitable for radio, a big stage or the Euroclub, it begs the question – what is the purpose of this entry? There have been countless peace songs that have voiced their message at Eurovision without losing their commercial and radio appeal. Boggie pretends to be credible, but I’ve sussed her out. She’s myopic!

Score: 2.5/10

Kristin: Pardon me, but I am extremely bored here. No doubt that Boggie is a good performer and a good singer, but I just doze off every time I try to listen to this song. I know that the message is very important and I’m down for that, but it’s wrapped up in a dull melody that leaves nothing. A very forgettable ballad for my part, but I do wish Boggie all the best.

Score: 4/10

Boggie’s winner’s interview after A Dal final

 

boggie-adal-hungaryChris: I’m sorry, but this song is terminally dull. The only way this song is going to stop wars is if it puts everyone to sleep on the battlefield. It’s actually too earnest for its own good and the staging, as it stands, takes far too much focus away from Boggie. This is a shame particularly as Boggie (as a performer) is very engaging. I just keep finding myself wanting it to end. Absolute buzzkill.

Score: 3.5/10

William: I believe in peace and I believe in Boggie. Eurofans may write this off as forgettable and dull, but on the big night I am sure the purity and simplicity will stand out. It harks back to the great anti-war songs of the Vietnam War era and carries the power of a million machine guns and tanks. Staged with clever camera angles this will tug on heart strings.

Score: 6/10

Patrick: This is probably the one song which many people think will be forgotten, but which will actually soar in the final. Boggie is a treasure of the Hungarian music scene and the country can be proud. She is pure and sweet and those bright brown eyes are unbelievably strong — just like her voice. It’s like she doesn’t even have to try and the voice just oozes out – this is a real artist! The song itself is beautiful – simple but amazingly touching.

Score: 9/10

Boggie – “Wars For Nothing” live London Eurovision Party

Our jury consists of 29 people, but we only have room for 10 written reviews. Here are the remaining 19 scores. 

Anthony: 6.5/10

Denise: 5.5/10

Francheska: 2.5/10

Josh: 3/10

Judit: 6/10

Liam: 5/10

Luis: 9/10

Marek: 6/10

Mario: 8/10

Max: 1.5/10

Mikhail: 3/10

Ramadan: 2/10

Renske: 6.5/10

Rezo: 3/10

Sami: 0.5/10

Sinan: 5/10

Sopon: 4.5/10

William C: 1/10

Zach: 5/10

To reduce potential bias, we drop the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. We removed a low of 0.5 and a high of 10.

WIWI JURY AVERAGE: 4.83/10

SEE OUR CURRENT EUROVISION 2015 REVIEWS AND RANKINGS

35 Comments
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CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

@Alex: Given that they rated Giannis ‘John’ Karagiannis’ song quite low, one perception seems to be reinforced here: No bells + no whistles = no good. I think someone said, of a song like this, that it will stand out because it doesn’t stand out the way other songs do. That’s why I think “less is more” will have a place in the final. Some songs don’t necessarily have to have bells and whistles to be good songs. And this is a good song.

WhyNot
WhyNot
8 years ago
Francisco
Francisco
8 years ago

I think this is a lovely song and I really like her, she is so charming. It’s an intimate song, very touching.

Maltish
Maltish
8 years ago

@Deea: I don’t think people hate the message. They hate how it is presented. Russia ( 2013 and 2015 ) all had a peace song, yet it was also on it’s own right a good song. Hungary ( 2014 ) also had a good message about child abuse and ounce again it was also a great song. On the other hand “Wars for Nothing” is a sleepy drivel which while having a very good message just doesn’t cut it as a song.

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

This song barely escapes my own Bottom 5 tbh.

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

@CookyMonzta: I think it’s likely that the public at large will like it more than the Eurofans. I mean, if people went crazy voting for “The War Is Not Over” in 2005, I see no reason why they wouldn’t vote for this song. I’m not sure how the jury will see it. Boggie’s voice is really good, but the jury does care quite a bit about the song too.

Honestly, it’s sad that an anti-war message is seen as clichéd rather than timeless. This is the kind of reminder that people need every now and then.

Deea
Deea
8 years ago

I have nothing against people disliking the tune or her voice, but I can’t understand those disliking the message because it’s sad. Yes, it is sad, but it’s the true. Music isn’t always about a fairy world but also about real life. And in real life Europeans are dying in wars for nothing in this very moment. And those who would rather ignore this fact and seek Eurovision songs that present a phony perfect world, have some serious issues to deal with.

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

The title of the song is great! It made me want to listen. Then I listened. Now I don’t like it.

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

BIG STEPBACK from Hungary! It is a shame that they had a couple better choices in their selection but they opted for this. It is not awful, it is cliche and boring but at least it’s honest in contrast with Russia.

I wish the best of luck to Hungary and fingers crossed they reach the final, although it is quite unlikely to happen

Ian
Ian
8 years ago

This would get a 1/10 from me. And the 1 point is because it has a good message.

Jerome
Jerome
8 years ago

3.5/10 When it was first announced that Hungary would be represented with “Wars For Nothing”, I liked it. The message in this song is powerful and I originally thought that the song was good. However, as more entries became known, this song just descended down my Top 40. While I do enjoy listening to songs that have harmonisation and are of the acoustic genre, it does not match the message of the song which is powerful (think of András Kállay-Saunders with “Running”). He had a memorable song with an important message, while Boggie is just missing that memorable song. If… Read more »

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
8 years ago

This is a huge step back for Hungary in terms of Eurovision. Over the past couple of years, they had built up a lot of credibility but have thrown it away for an overly-sentimental and instantly-forgettable non-song. The sad thing is that it might actually do well on the night and end this year’s competition as a SONG contest.
3/10

Mckenzie
Mckenzie
8 years ago

Actually it’s not a bad ssjkdfbnjsbgvkñslbn… oh sorry, I fell asleep on my keyboard!

wozzeck
wozzeck
8 years ago

Now this is a dark horse. Don’t come in a month saying that y’all always knew.

Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

Hungary just send the most depressive songs they can find now. At least this is a very calm, gentle song. 6/10.

Brown
Brown
8 years ago

This is sooooo underrated. I hope they pass to the final. I’ll vote for them in the semi-final.

Maya G
Maya G
8 years ago

“A Dal”?
More like “a dull”

Deniz
Deniz
8 years ago

6/10

She is a beautiful woman and her face and flashmobideas are adorable.

The song itself is pretty, but it should have more to it. It us very slow.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

Not to mention that the Wiwi jury and the bookies also thought just as lowly of “Kedvesem” 2 years ago, low enough to be a non-qualifier (I thought it would finish top 10), and it ended up 10th

EF0912
EF0912
8 years ago

The song is so simple and the message is good. That being said, simple verges on the edge of boring. Her vocals elevate the song but not enough.
6/10

WTF
WTF
8 years ago

Bogi Dallos’s “World of Violence” had just as good of a message and it was a much better song… Even Kati Wolf would have been a better choice. This one is a non-qualifier for me.

Franco
Franco
8 years ago

Boogie looks so adorable and sweet, but the song is just a “NO”.

BB
BB
8 years ago

This song will sail trough the final.Why? The jury’s will love it.In a year with so much songs what are similar this will really stand out.It is memorable, beautiful and simple.The girl delivers beautifully and people will respond to this.It is very underrated and maybe doesn’t do well on eurofans and tops but on the night will be the big surprise.Hungary choose very vise again.This song wasn’t favorite in the pre-shows in Hungary either but when it came on the night it was the absolut winner with a lot off votes.I think it will happen the same in Viena and… Read more »

Mario..
Mario..
8 years ago

I didn’t like much the song of Kati Wolf…Boggie’s was definitely much better than her song…4 Kati Wolf to make a comeback in A DAL with such mediocre song was really let down 4 me…I wanted her to represent Hungary in the Vision but NOT with such weak song though…If she had went to Vienna’s Vision instead of Boggie she would not have had a great result….I believe that Boggie’s song has more potentials 4 a possible better result.. And thank god that Adam Szabo did not win over Boggie with such boring lame song.. The best song in A… Read more »

Mario ~ My Vision of Gay Love..
Mario ~ My Vision of Gay Love..
8 years ago

I really like *Wars 4 Nothing*…Its one of my most favorite songs! <3 🙂 I have the hungarian entry 3rd in my top4 the 1st semifinal & in my top10 overall <3 🙂 I hope that Hungary will manage to qualify at least to the final…It is seen as outsider on the SF unfortunately.. It deserves to be in the final alone.. 4 the record I like it even more than last year's that finished even 5th! Plus Boggie really looks rather sympathetic & friendly…She wins me with her pleasant persona too <3 🙂 There are other countries that although… Read more »

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
8 years ago

@Alex: If the public doesn’t like it, the juries will. Bet on that! It is one of my top 10.

Boggier
Boggier
8 years ago

The song is beautiful and strong. It has so important message and it will be a dark horse. I will vote for it in semi-final. I hope you too! 🙂

Leo
Leo
8 years ago

At first I thought it was a nice song, but after a few listens I have got bored of it. I still think it could qualify though and while it can’t see the televoters voting it in the top ten, the juries may rescue it.

Darren
Darren
8 years ago

Oh Hungary 🙁 Ever since Hungary’s return to Eurovision in 2011, they have really been in top form…Kati Wolf, Compact Disco, ByeAlex and Andras Kallay Saunders were brilliant and totally deserving of their placing 🙂 I thought it was only a matter of time until we saw a Eurovision in Budapest..but I dont think it will be 2016. I was really disappointed when this won A Dal, I think its a complete step backwards and definitely will not qualify, it does not deserve to. The song is boring and pretentious, Every year, there is at least one peace song, (usually… Read more »

Lovely Ehaida!
Lovely Ehaida!
8 years ago

0/10 I hate this song. 😀

jimm
jimm
8 years ago

at first listen i hate this song, then it really started to grow on me and now is in my top 15. the reviews of the song in the a dal segment were higher, anyway i think is so overrated and gonna surpirse everyone when boggie make it to the final

Easpag
Easpag
8 years ago

This is the sort of song that is either made or broken by the live performance. With a great live performance(almost guaranteed) and the small stage working in her favour, Boggie may soar into the final and up the leaderboard.

However, I’m assessing the song itself and not it’s potential. On the night, it might climb into my top 10 with the whole package, but right now, it’s pretty dull to me. 4/10

Alex
Alex
8 years ago

The most underrated song in ESC this year

day one
day one
8 years ago

This song is such a buzzkill.
Think about almost all of Hungary’s entries that have qualified for the final especially since 2011. They have all been dance songs except 2013 But that had a nice video and cute staging and was a big surprise but even that had more energy than this.
When you watch Eurovision you want to be entertained with powerful energy filled songs not bored and driven to suicidal thoughts.

Why didn’t Kati Wolf win?

Maltish
Maltish
8 years ago

I agree with the score. Though sadly I also agree with Patrick’s first comment.