Wiwi Jury: Romania’s Florena with “Behind The Shadows”

The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — is back in Romania reviewing the 12 semi-finalists of Selectia Nationala 2016. Today we meet the youngest act of the selection: 16-year old Florena, with her song “Behind The Shadows”. Will our jury get behind her song or will they leave it in the shadows? Let’s find out!

Florena – “Behind The Shadows”

Florena – “Behind the Shadows” reviews

Antranig: The song is aptly titled “Behind The Shadows” — there’s a dark side to it and it’s interesting. I expect it to explode into life in the chorus and to be full of energy, but it lacks something to make it stand out. This would be a solid choice for Romania — it would have no trouble qualifying and a good revamp might get it onto the left side of the scoreboard.

Score: 8/10

Bogdan: Florena is one of those rare artists who can transform onstage, from the shy, fresh-faced singer, to the confident performer who is able to steal your heart and run away (away, away) with it. The song may not lead to an explosive, pyro-curtain worthy finale, but it keeps you hooked to its raw emotion. Florena is the underdog this year and I would love it if she won. Either way, a very strong Selectia Nationala debut.

Score: 9/10

Deban: A quality, yet understated entry which retains much of its power in the chorus. “Behind The Shadows” is current. Its production underscores the haunting magic in Florena’s vocals. The verses tell a beautiful story that leads to a catchy melody. This would do well both on the radio and at Eurovision.

Score: 8/10

Luis: Florena’s voice is dark and sultry, like her song. It might lack a clear climax, but I’m not really missing it, there’s something mysterious to this song that keeps all my senses on it from the beginning to the end. “Behind The Shadows” would be a very slick move for Romania, a country that normally goes for happier or lighter songs, in order to reassure their almost guaranteed qualification to the final.

Score: 8.5/10

Robyn: As a teen singer performing a modern, gothic-themed song, it’s tempting to compare Florena with Germany’s Jamie-Lee. But unlike “Ghost”, “Behind the Shadows” never feels like it fully gets going. There’s a lot of mood and atmosphere and Florena’s great vocals, but the song feels like it’s lacking some sort of emotional climax.

Score: 7/10

William: In a year of next to no ballads at Eurovision, this could do very well indeed. It’s dark, emotional and well-produced. She gives traditional balladry a modern update, with flashes of R&B and soul. This ends with a whimper rather than a bang — the perfect finish to what is a truly visceral performance. If she can carry this off live, she will definitely threaten M I H A I for the win.

Score: 8/10

In the Romanian Wiwi Jury we have 12 Jurors, but only space for 6 reviews. The remaining scores are below:

Dayana: 7/10

Denise: 6.5/10

Edd: 6/10

Patrick: 8.5/10

Ramadan: 9/10

Sami: 7.5/10

The highest and lowest scores are removed before calculating the final score. We have dropped a low of 6 and a high of 9.

Wiwi Jury Score: 7.8/10

The sole Semi-final of Selectia Nationala 2016 will take place on 4 March in Baia Mare. An expert jury will select four songs to advance to the final, while televoters will save two more acts. The winner will be chosen by 100% televote on 6 March.

Do you agree with Wiwi Jury? What do you think about Florena’s song? By the way, don’t forget you can still vote in our Romania 2016 poll!

For our list of Romania 2016 rankings, click here

For more Eurovision Romania news, click here