Salut! The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — has landed in Chisinau. We’re ready to have some delicious ciorba — a sour but nourishing soup — to go with Moldova’s funky Eurovision 2017 entry — “Hey Mamma” from SunStroke Project. Are we ready to thrust our hips like Epic Sax Guy? Or is it better to put the sax down and eat instead? Read on to find out…
SunStroke Project – “Hey Mamma”
About SunStroke Project
SunStroke Project is made up of violinist and songwriter Anton Ragoza, saxophone player Sergey Stepanov and lead vocalist Sergey Ialovitsky. Together with Olia Tira, they represented Moldova at Eurovision in 2010 with the song “Run Away”. They only managed to reach 22nd place, but their performance went viral globally thanks to Stepanov’s energetic thrusting on stage during his saxophone solo, which earned him the nickname Epic Sax Guy. “Hey Mamma” marks the band’s second time representing Moldova at Eurovision, after winning the national selection O melodie pentru Europa 2017 in February.
“Hey Mamma” reviews
Kristin: Sunstroke Project (heart emoji). This is pure delight through and through. Funky beat, mandatory solo from Epic Sax Guy and Sergei’s amazing vocals give this song an edge that cannot to be found anywhere else. “Hey Mama” is entertainment with a capital E, and the boys look super relaxed and just ready to goof around and have fun, and as always, they simply ooze charm and stage presence. This is a slam dunk. BOOM!
Score: 9.5/10
Zakaria: It’s been seven years since Epic Sax Guy conquered the world with his epic dance and it’s so satisfying to see him back, along with Sunstroke Project, with yet another crazy and entertaining song. “Hey Mamma” is fun, infectious, instantly catchy and will certainly get everybody dancing in the arena and at home. This should give Moldova their first qualification in four years — and deservedly so!
Score: 7/10
Chris: “Hey Mamma” is enjoyable: what more can it really ask for? This clearly isn’t a Eurovision winning song — but it’s doubtful SunStroke Project have any intention of that. The use of Epic Sax Guy actually feels very clever: you can’t not have him, he has a chance to shine, but doesn’t dominate. Moldova could yet make a pleasant splash on the final leaderboard.
Score: 6/10
Deban: Sunstroke Project has dated very badly. Their continuous use of the Epic Sax Guy is abuse of a one-trick pony. Their sound doesn’t travel beyond their landlocked republic. As I rush to put other songs on repeat, “Hey Mamma” gets played in full solely for critiquing purposes only.
Score: 3/10
Robyn: SunStroke Project have solved the modern pop dilemma — what to do on stage during the instrumental pop drop. The solution is to give Epic Sax Guy a solo and all is good. “Hey Mamma” is a catchy modern dance track and this Moldovan trio brings entertaining dance moves and plenty of joy to their performance. I’m not sure if they’ll qualify from semi-final one, but they’ll surely get everyone bopping.
Score: 7.5/10
William: Contemporary and on-trend, “Hey Mamma” balances crazy and mainstream to great effect, creating a real earworm of a tune that could make the most uptight listener undo his collar and tap his foot. The saxophone against the electro backing sizzles and the lead singer’s vocals balance sexiness and vulnerability perfectly. As he begs his mother-in-law for a bit of peace, you can’t help but cheer him on. Witty, catchy, infectious — this deserves a spot in the top ten.
Score: 8.5/10
Sami: I am so happy to see Sunstroke Project back. Sadly, the song is just not as good as their entry from 2010. Still, this is one of the best and by far the most entertaining act this year. The song makes you dance and puts a smile on your face. It is a bit cheap — and that might put the juries off — but I hope the televoters send enough votes Moldova’s way so we see Epic Sax Guy and the crew in the final.
Score: 9/10
Steinunn: This is Moldova in a nutshell. Crazy lyrics that make no sense, weird dance moves and an infectious song hook. Thank the lord that the outcome is good. It’s far from being the best song in this year’s competition, but it sure is one of the most entertaining. Sunstroke Project seem like guys that don’t take themselves too seriously and they will most definitely show us how to have a good time on stage. Plus they have Epic Sax Guy. Enough said.
Score: 7/10
In our Wiwi Jury, we have 38 jurors but only room for eight reviews. The rest of our scores can be found below:
Anastas: 6.5/10
Andy: 4.5/10
Angus: 6/10
Anthony: 8/10
Antony: 5/10
Antranig: 7/10
Bernardo: 7/10
Bogdan: 7/10
Dayana: 8.5/10
Edd: 7.5/10
Erdi: 3/10
Forrest: 7/10
George: 5/10
Jacob: 8/10
Jason: 7/10
Jordi: 6/10
Josh: 7/10
Jovana: 5/10
Luis: 7/10
Marek: 6.5/10
Matt: 6/10
Mikhail: 5.5/10
Natalie: 4.5/10
Padraig: 7.5/10
Patrick: 5.5/10
Renske: 8.5/10
Rezo: 6/10
Sinan: 8.5/10
Stanislav: 9.5/10
Tobias: 5/10
Before calculating the average score, the highest and lowest scores are dropped. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 3 and a high of 9.5.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 6.67/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
You might call it cheap, but everyone likes that from time to time. Hey Mamma is one infectious track that doesn’t shy from being goofy and crafting a hilarious story with it. All the lives transmit that sense of effortlessness and fun and Sergey’s vocals are incredible; I feel he is extremely underrated in that regard. It can fall down into repetitiveness, but with the correct show, Moldova will be back on track to being the qurky little country that we all know and love. They are back doing what they do best and they should be rewarded for that.… Read more »
If Sunstroke accentuate the COMEDIC aspect of this song on stage (as they do in their music video), and do it well enough to amuse the public without the public losing the message in the song, they will qualify, and I would think they will finish somewhere between 14th and 18th.
They improved since 2010, obviously. I hear good intro with tropical house notes and epic sax guy is still a highlight of the song. However, being another for-fun track they didn’t made it sleek in production (oh and that video is pure trash), which I believe is important. Another thing I dislike – MCing, yet it annoyed me in their live perfomances. This year I don’t feel this, but I can understand it as a qualifier. It closes my top of songs I can stand or enjoy. My 30. | Void there
Personal rating: The song is entertaining to some degree and I am sure that I’ll enjoy the live performance. Musically, the song is nothing special, it’s a simple melody surrounded by the same instrumentation as any other Sunstroke Project song in recent years. The lyrics are close to cringeworthy. [I’d also ike to add something HIGHLY superficial: Sergei Yalovitsky became a hottie over the last eight years – sometimes, a haircut and a beard can do miracles!] 5.5/10 Prediction: I’d like to see Moldova in the final, mainly because Sunstroke Project have a different approach towards Eurovision than all the… Read more »
This is as good as a fun song, or “vanity song” if you will, gets.
02 Norway | 04 United Kingdom | *06 Albania* | 08 Bulgaria | 11 Serbia | 12 Sweden
14 Denmark | *15 Moldova* | 16 Poland | 18 Latvia | 19 Cyprus | 20 Iceland
23 Greece | 24 Czechia | 25 Armenia | 26 Netherlands | 27 Belarus | *29 Finland*
33 Montenegro | 34 Israel | 35 Georgia | 36 Germany | 37 Malta | 38 Spain
*40 San Marino* | 41 Romania | 42 Slovenia | (33 Russia)
One of my favourite up-tempo songs this year!
It’s entertaining, full of energy, humour and a saxophone slaying! It’s good, fun without being cheap! I love this!
I believe they’ll qualify and probably be around 15th in the final!
I’ll give it a 8!
I really like it. Sunstroke are so much polished than last time around. Vocals are better, more confidence and the song is entertaining. What is not to like?
Fun and I love that a song like this is in competition this year… But, I just don’t seem to enjoy it as much as others, that’s why I’m giving it a 5,5. Hope they will do some great performence and I wish Moldova is going to be in Final. I also do not like that dance moves ..
6/10
This is in my top 5 – fun the whole way through. 8.5/10
Italys Song is old, fr.o.m. 80-90s. Romanias Song is from 30s. Portugals frrom 40s. Moldova is morden Song, and so mutch better. 7/10
Actually, all the songs are better, hence Celebrate Diversity.
Moldova in final, in final from 12 to 16 place.
On this song I am bit divided. My first reaction was… “OMG another horrible song…” But now it is growing on me and with the right staging it can actually be very funny and entertaining. If were the jury I would only make my mind with the life staging.
You’ll be using this one now right?? Why would someone do something like that!! It seemed like a personal vendetta!! But all users are aware of who are regular posters and who are Here just to demean others.To paraphrase “Keep the faith” and “you can go on”.
I just saw your reply now. Thanks, Aria.
Any comments made by the same nickname than mine are false (my original has a blue picture) So whatever is said in my behalf is not my doing. That happened in other wiwi posts (see San Marino, where wiwibloggs erased that comments). From now on I am not using it any longer.
Hello. I had replied to you in the Romania jury review thread; I hope you are okay. This is terrible what is happening.
Hey! I just left a reply in the Romanian jury review. Yeah I am fine! Thank you so much for your concern. I just wish wiwibloggs all the best!
*Eyes rolling intesifies*
@Monia: What’s your point?
Dramatic experience. Are you ok now? ;
:((
Well, no harm done, really. Thank you. Cheers
Poor guy, such a trauamtic experience… 🙁
Hi Colleen. No not really. I think that are far worse situations in life. Cheers
Hello L’oiseau, because I’ve heard you are living a very dramatic experience, hope you will be fine soon, stay strong, I’m posting here your favorite song. Don’t let the darkness win.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhaAbEabiy0
Well, hi Erin! That is really thoughtful of you. Thank you so much for following my comments and for the support. Of course, I love Salvador’s song but this one from Márcia has a special place spot in me, but I know it would have a hard time in ESC. Cheers 😉
@ L’oiseau
you are adorable, really!… (with no irony…)
Thank you! x
You really don’t remember me! When I’ve told you that you are passive-aggressive because you always attack the yodel.
But you had a different nickname…. You were yri!… So it is you that stole my nickname. What a dignifying action… Congrats.
Hey Robyn. Well no harm done really for me, but more for wiwibloggs. Of course, I think I will just lay-off for some days and let whoever is doing this cool off a bit. I guess the pre-contest weeks excitement is getting hold of everyone 😉 I just want to let you know that in the post on Australia’s and Cyprus OGAE votes there is a really nasty comment about you done by another forged nickname (possibly the same person) and about the whole wiwiteam. I am really sorry about this mess and thanks a million!
Here it is – from a guy who dislikes cheap song of Montenegro and loves several ballads this year – I totally love this song! 😉 Unlike San Marino, this song does go overboard with camp and is pretty unapologetic about it. The guys are very in-tune between them and the are having such a good time. The stage comes alive when they perform. The subject of the song is also very original. They have a specific topic and it’s nothing we heard about on ESC (at least not since 2007). Most importantly, it’s genuinely funny! 9 – UK, POL,… Read more »
Ahh, unfortunately we don’t agree on this one. 🙁
This song is polarizing, I get it. I usually love songs that are just funny – Moustache, No Prejudice, even Dustin the Turkey. I get these song are often panned and I get people can’t take them seriously. The point is – they shouldn’t. It’s mean’t for fun. I also often love heartfelt ballads and stuff many reviewers call boring. Actually, I often find myself less impressed by the standard pop, which is neither entertaining or emotional enough to hold my attention. Songs like ‘Unstoppable’, ‘In Too Deep’ or ‘I Feel Alive’, often just touch my not caring button. But… Read more »
Indeed. 🙂 I’m a music reviewer though, not a comedy reviewer. And this is a song contest, not a comedy contest. The song can try to be funny, but this one’s just too corny to make me laugh. The Wiwi jurors get it though, so maybe I just don’t have a good sense of humour, haha.
This is going to shock some of you: I really don’t like this song! 😮 Don’t read below if you’re sensitive. This song consists of three chords going “round and round” in circles with the violin and saxophone improvising house melodies over the top. The singer keeps singing cheekily to the worried “mamma” that everything will be fine with her daughter, which might be funny to some people, but to me just comes across as irritating. The only redeeming feature in this song is the “Epic Sax Guy,” but even he doesn’t improvise nearly enough to make this song work.… Read more »
We have very different review of this one, but I totally respect your opinion. B-)
I usually agree with your opinions, but not on this one: I really like Moldova’s song! 🙂 In any case, I enjoy reading your comments as I don’t have any musical training and it’s great to hear a more “technical” review. Thanks!
I was not sure of this at first but now I love it and want it in the final. It is just so much fun and different to everything else this year. I would not say it is a definite qualifier but I think we need a bit of epic sax guy in the final. Should do very well with the televoters so lets hope the juries like it too.
It’s fun. I don’t like the music video though, too dirty for me. Moldova will be back in the final for sure, the televote will love this.
6/10
Very cool song! It’s a good effort from Moldova. I hope it qualifies, and why not a top 10 finish?
There are similarities between Moldova and Sweden. Both uptempo and cheesy lyrics… “I can’t go on, I can’t go on, When you look so f…ing beautiful”
Very deep and inspirational lyrics from Sweden this year, indeed :))) Except that Moldova is not that high on the charts, while Sweden is (polls, betting odds, OGAE, wiwi jury reviews, etc). So what’s the catch? Any theories? Can someone explain? If it’s not political then what is? Oh, that’s right… Sweden is Sweden and gets votes anyway…
So, you didn’t rate ANY song 8 or above?
Perhaps Italy did.
But of course… Robyn gave 7,5 to Moldova and 9,5 to Sweden 🙂 I rest my case… Two similar songs, two of her favorite songs, but just because Moldova is a small, poor country can’t get bigger points and better reviews, rather medium ones. If it was the other way around, “Hey Mamma” from Sweden and “I can’t go on” from Moldova, of course “Hey Mamma” would have been higher in charts, polls, betting odds. Trust me guys, it’s all about countries and preferences. Politics to all levels, even on Eurovision polls… Robyn is from New Zeeland, right? In general… Read more »
@Geo: No-one can beat your arguments. 🙂
Amazing that we take this so seriously, haha! ESC reviewing is supposed to be fun. I personally don’t do politics – I rate everything musically, but yeah I’d understand Wiwi jurors incorporating a little “tongue-in-cheek” politicking from time to time, just for fun. 😀
It’s a great, funny song. Puts me in a dancing mood! Not all the songs in the world are so serious and masterpieces. There are songs like this one, funny and party intended. 9/10
This song is very bad for me, sorry, though I appreciatte funny and relaxed feeling which it brings. Singer has great energy and stage presence and what will draw wider attention is Epic sax guy of course, although I’m with @Deban here, it doesn’t work for me to use it once again, it is already seen.
5/10
I can’t understand why some songs are rated based in a musical analysis and others (like this one) are rated just because of sympathy. If you used the same standard for every song this one, would be a 4-5/10 being generous.
I was eagerly awaiting for this review! It’s not an amazing song and I don’t think it will do very well, but it’s a piece of fun, slightly cheesy but nonetheless great EDM with a bit of Epic Sax on the side. Sunstroke Project are a really charismatic trio with an amazing level of stage presence, and not only that, but they’re also nice guys. I hope this does well even if there’s a good chance it won’t.
fun song but my interest on it waned as time goes by.
I really like it. Its not a winner song, but surely top 15. we need that fun songs in this competition like Montenegros
When audience stops chatting and looks at the stage, you have the right song.
10/10
I love tongue-in-cheek sexual songs like this. It’s a bit dated, but better, more fun and more original than the other dated option (I Feel Disgusted by Imri Ziv). We need this in the final 🙂
As we speak, there’s a Robin Bengtsson ad below the comment box that says “stream I Can’t Go On on Spotify” lmao
Love this song. Irs so mutch better than…
Really now?? 6.67 for this dated and bad type of music??
Clearly no intention of winning in this song, but it is one that is fun to watch and wont disturb, if it gets at least a Top 15 place in the final.