Whip out a can of crazy, spray-paint it with a rainbow and then turn up the volume. That’s the delightful formula Romania’s Ilinca & Alex Florea followed during their first rehearsal at Eurovision 2017 — and it really worked.
Oozing happiness at every turn, this was three minutes of feel-good fun. The LED background moves through a series of cartoon images, including a row of toy soldiers and cannons against the sky. At one point the words “Yodel it” appear in a playful font and bold colouring. But perhaps the most high-impact moment comes when Alex runs off stage and wheels on a cannon. Sometimes he simply pushed it, but at one point he actually climbed on and straddled it, continuing the party vibe with his fist pumps and attitude.
Many will say that yodelling is a gimmick. That is true. But, as Ilinca proves on this vast stage, it’s also a talent and a gift. “Yodel it!” works even better than at the Romanian final. They fully embrace and commit to this, which makes you want to do the same. Despite having regional tones it’s strangely accessible — everyone likes to smile, right?
Like Poland in 2014, this could climb the televote everywhere owing to its wild perspective and execution. That it does so while remaining family-friendly makes it even stronger.
Ilinca feat. Alex Florea — “Yodel It!”: Reviews and Reactions
Romania: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2017
Romania: First press conference 2017
Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews
Read all of our Romania Eurovision news here
Photo: Eurovision.tv (EBU)
THANK YOU ALL!!! for every word good or bad about Romania..this is good for them!! So keep up!!! Lol
Dear WIWI please remove these offensive language ,include mine aswell ..Its already getting ridiculos.
Mmm… I see you yodelled it out… 🙂 I actually agree, well done! I knew there was some hope for you, after all. The problem of course is that WIWI would have to erase more than 80% of the comments relating to Romanian entry, because one cannot give one’s opinion about that entry without being attacked by an army of trolls (or maybe only one person behind all those different nicknames). Yes wiwi, please erase.
Everyone and anyone is entiled to their opinions without being offensive and nasty…One thing is an opinion and another thing is being nasty.
Dear adriana, I couldn’t agree more. I see you have come to your senses. What comes goes around comes around. Maybe one should think twice before calling anyone nasty names to start with.
I did but not before reading the nasty things .Anyway anyone in his/her right minds should think twice before comenting on someting.Just because we dont like a country song we dont have to call it names ,freaks etc.Im nervous for UK how they will do ,but im not turning my anger towards others singers thats not nice and definitely not mature either.
Good girl
What the hell is Romania’s problem with Eurovision?! 2017: mixing yodeling and rap, with a girl who can’t hit a note and a guy dressed as a gangsta who can’t rap. And now they bring canonballs, like that was not tacky enough. Bad taste!! 2016: a creep singing like a monk from 6 centuries ago (thank god we were spared of that one because Romania can’t even pay their bills) 2015: that one was actually more or less acceptable. 2014: pale copy of Swedish schlagger with a ridiculous hologram 2013: a creep opera singer dressed as a vampire Etc. Do… Read more »
In spite of the harsh language ;-), well I actually agree with that comment (except for 2014) and there are many more examples prior to 2013.
You are probably not from the country that has the dancing monkey this year, right?
1) I’m not, I’m Corsican. 2) So what if I was?
1) That explains a lot, Corsicans are famous for having strong opinions. 2) Your name sounds Italian and many Corsicans have an Italian heritage. The Italian and Romanian songs this year are more similar than not. Eurovision needs fun, happy songs too – it cannot be only a contest of who is better howling his/her sadness at the moon, like in the Nordic culture.
Just read today in the Metro uk ,that the bets on Romania song was suspended,because people was betting like crazy on Romania song.
It’s true that Romania is climbing and the outlook is to climb even more and at least surpass Australia in 6th position. It makes a nice bet because the odds values were still relatively low, which would make a nice net win, if Romania were to win the contest.
On your earlier very tasteful comment, I see your brain must be exploding right now of so much yodelling or you are plain stupid. Probably both. Never ever have I said that is not going to pass, it still is an awful song, as many other awful songs has passed in the past.
And I am not going to cry about it, because thank God there are so many better songs this year. So, relax girl, this little thing you call a song won’t ruin my evening.
Then stop moaning,the page is full with your coments.
Well and with yours as well, and not very interesting ones, to say the least
Seriously you do need some medical check-ups
I am perfectly fine. After your yodel diet (and that seems the only song you like…) you must do some treatment.
I actually like:
Italy
Sweden
The Netherlands
Austria
Bulgaria
Estoania
But your to thick to conprenhend.
Then there is hope for you. You might get through your yodel crisis. And why should I be too thick to comprehend?… Only because I don’t like the yodel thing?… And BTW, I think you are the one to have to see a shrink, as apparently you enjoy insulting people in the web (quoting: “cry babies”, “morron”, “stupid”, “to thick to conprenhend). And you could also check your spelling…
And i wont stop till you wont get out of this page..You dont like it its ok make a coment or 2 but dont fill this page with your stupidity,because you sound like a broken tape and yes your stuppid.I wish wiwi will check the ips of all this repetitive coments from you and another 2 .Everyone who makes a pozitive coment towards this song you always reply with one negative.Get a life and move your frustration somewhere else.
Waw. You do sound angry, women. I have an advise for you: Put yourself in corner in the tube and yodel it out, girl. You might even get some pocket money from by passers, which you can use for your shrink sessions.
http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/02/eurovision-song-contest-romania-yodel-into-eurovision-title-contention-with-a-bang-6611787/
For entertainment value I love it. We need songs like this!
But for song quality though not so much..Kitsch is kitsch and will always be so!
So, remind me… why do we “need” kitsch again?
Nr 2 on the odds semi 2 list, thats a joke. If another land have this song, people should hate it. Its a silly silly song.
Yes, number 2 and soon number 1. People actually like the joke entries made for fun, and for good energy, it’s called entertainment. Not all of us want to watch a funeral on the Eurovision stage, dear
About the comparison to Poland, I agree that this can do better than expected in the televote!
To be honest, I never liked Poland 2014. But I perfer Romania to Poland for sure!
I’m not sure if I like the canons. In the near future yes, but for now, I am not a fan! It feels weird.
Canons represents explosion of joy, my dear Angie, I’m a fan 😀
Didn’t see that coming. Loving the cannons and 100% adore this song.
Byhistoria Song is sooo bad, its abig joke. I gonna be so glad when its not going to the final
We like jokes, they are made for cheer people up. I guess you will cry for this qualifying instead of your favorite entries who may not…. Booo hooo, cry me a river :((
Or to make people puke
Almost all the countries until now came with bland stagings, nothing new, I mean 6 or 7 use the singer’s face on the backdrop?
Romania is crazy and you might hate it. But it dares, takes a risk to bring you a smile on your face.
Won’t win, of course, and many people will bash it. But it will make you happy, give you faith and forgot about the daily routine of our ordinary life.
They came to Kiev with love for all of you. Let’s not start a war and insult each other. Kisses :*
Bart, have a pill and watch Romania go through the semifinal!
I think I will need a lot of pills just to listen to that thing. And yes, I know it will go through the semifinal, I am realistic. It doesn’t make it good.
On top of everything else, this act is soooo 2000´s. If you want to attract young people with that… good luck!
Days ago a cargo ship carrying sheep from Romania sinked a Russian military vessel. It was an accident of course but is one of the funny stories that make Romania’s charm. Just like the song we send this year. Hai noroc! (Na zdorovie!)
There is a big difference between fun and ridiculous. And this is just that – ridiculous. This is not only the worst song of this year, this will be one of the most ridiculous moments in Eurovision history and for sure the wrost song of Romania ever
pfff worst song of the year, well juries might kill it, but televoting will save it 🙂
That doesn’t make it good. Many awful songs were saved by televote
This is your opinion, others here obviously disagree. It’s a catchy and delicious moment, right after the Snoozefest Malta… Oh wait, there’s another snoozefest after Romania, and that is The Netherlands…. So Yodel it will stand out, and the haters can’t do a thing about it….
Yes, this is my opinion and I am very proud of it. And it seems to be the opinions of many others, including 2000 plus people that participated in OGAE poll- Romania 17th… take that for popular song… Romania is so desperate to win… Could they even afford to organize the ESC? I mean, they even didn´t paid their dues last year, right?
show me the figures from last year, and then show me the figures from this year (2017)
do you know anything about the debts, or are you just bluffing ??????????
All I know is that Romania did not participate last year because it has not paid its dues for the EBU… Romania could have saved some money, and not participate at all, to send this thing…
the debts came from sport events, so not participating in esc could not save anything
Just shut it ,ffs.
Well that hurts, right?
It doesnt hurt ,but you sound utterly stuppid and repetitive ,but you just dont know yet.
Well you must be stupid not to accept other people’s opinions. Too much yodeling I guess
Lets see after the semifinal if your still a cry baby ,you morron.
sorry, that song is painful to listen to. I actually need to mute the voice. I ADORE and LOVE Romania. My own father was from Romania – but this song is UGLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And no matter how you wrap it, no matter what staging you give it – when you put a lipstick on a pig, what you end up having is…..a pig with lipstick:)
Brilliant , they are in my top3
1. The Netherlands
2. Austria
3. Hungary
4. Denmark
5. Macedonia
6. Malta
7. Ireland
8. Romania
9. Serbia
You mean:
1. The Netherlands = 1 p
2. Austria = 2p
3. Hungary = 3p
4. Denmark = 4p
5. Macedonia = 5p
6. Malta = 6p
7. Ireland = 8 p
8. Romania = 10 p
9. Serbia = 12 p
?
In that case, I agree.
Although I’d give Romania 12 points if I were you…
Bye!
The best fun song,all haters should kiss my butt.Fed up with you drama queens.
Yess, tell ’em girl!
Okay all 9 are released! After the 1st rehearsal:
1. Romania
2. Malta
3. Austria
4. Netherlands
5. Hungary
6. Ireland (they need to drop the hot air balloon)
7. Denmark (vocally good but staging is too generic)
8. Serbia
9. Macedonia
This is just tacky… I hope they stay in the semi.
Off-Topic but i need to share this act with you.
http://www.rtve.es/television/20170502/salvador-sobral-interpreta-amar-pelos-dois-exclusiva-para-spain-calling-internacional/1533861.shtml
I cant wait watching this entry stays in semifinal
You wish, lmao
Ugh… Every year there has to be a joke entry like this. I really hate such novelty acts. They should get back Ovidiu or Voltaj.
They should go back to Malina Olinescu 1998, but she is dead, dead and buried.
Suicide or accident. Fell from high floor.
I just hope that juries won’t let it go through the semifinals, because the song is so painful.
how much exactly?????????
Hopefully they will classify it with zero point and we won’t have this horror in the final
I hated this song since day 1 and this staging is just TOO MUCH! :s
too much is not enough, i want more and i’ll have more, because those cannons will have real confetti and after romania will be the first break because will last so long to clean the stage.
Why do you think that juries won’t like this?
Her voice is beautiful, performance is amazing, innovative, full of energy, I really like this. Sure qualifiers!
Definitely qualifies ,just to keep the drama queens moaning :)))))
william : ”it’s so crazy you respect it”
i like they didn’t choose the simple way of charisma and chemistry
they need to be memorable, some countries care about that more than about winning
Come on people, are we on Denmark’s 2007 entry? Too much drama queens commenting on this song. It’s amazing, fun, cheerful, cute and catchy so it gets my vote. Not “deep” songs like Australia but this is the spirit of the contest
Targu Mures 2018
I’ve read your comments about Croatia and you said you are from Poland. Snake.
This is the tackiest thing in the history of tacky things.
Says the drama queen….
It’s fun AF! We need this in the final!
With Denmark and Ireland left (Ireland’s been leaked on IG but need to see a little more)
1. Romania
2. Malta
3. Austria (swapped after a few more listenings, Malta is slightly better)
4. Netherlands
5. Hungary (he seemed neevious)
6. Serbia
7. Macedonia
ugh
i hope this is the last year that songs like this show up in the contest
what kind of songs do you want? boring, philosophical, deep songs that it ends and you must ask when will begin???
Ugh, I hope this is the last year when crying ballads show up in the contest. Eurovision is not about mourning (Finland, anyone?)… It’s also about dancing, partying and having fun! Not all of us are depressed who suffer in silence…
Romania is back in the game, baby! And is gonna slay, judging after the first rehearsal! Waiting for that climax when the cannons will shoot real confetti through the audience in the semifinal!
I must say, it is effective and I like the colour pattern. Once again, they show they can sing their lungs out. But is still not a good addition for the ESC for me.
Oh, silence people. Grandpa just woke up! Good afternoon, paps! Taken your medicine yet? Should be yodel you a lullaby? ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzzZ
Hey ‘Theo’, stop whining like a b****…just understand that music doesn’t need to be made of screams and strong beats, different persons have different tastes, STOP attacking who doesn’t like the song
Another grandpa? Oh…poor thing… Stop attacking our song, then ?
And you think that what L’oiseau said was attacking the song? Maybe that’s your problem, you don’t accept a different opinion, even a polite one…
Maybe it really is your problem if U repeat like a broken vinyl… U expressed your opinion, get over it. We’re sick of your mumbo jumbo…
”not a good addition for the esc”
are you for real? you only live once.
even with reencarnation you will still not remember anything.
can’t you enjoy anything that is….happy…fun…..what the hell..???
Fun??? Only if you define vomit, as fun…
i’m glad they keep the sheep. the snobs are stupid. who is laughing now?
they will do well, esc needs acts that don’t care about the jury.
This is exactly what ESC does not need. This kind of songs will never win and that is good. Only screaming tasteless camp-lovers can enjoy that awful awful song.
Such a good energy from Romania this year! This Yodel thing is just the perfect example of #Celebrating Diversity 🙂
The graphics seem to be messy on the first look, but the final product they sell…oh, well… I’m buying it! After the sleepy Malta this cheerful, colored number is just what we needed! Well done, guys!
The ones who wont like this song are the ones who have alot of drama in their lives and can t live without it..I love good vibes and this is the song who stands for fun and happiness.
Now this was an ignorant ass comment but I guess you’re 12 so no more replying to you.
I guess they gave up trying to convince the juries.
I don’t like it but people are going to vote for this.
Wow, Romania already climbing in the betting odds, on #7 for the win and going up. I predict knocking Australia from the 6th spot in the bets is just a matter of time…
Omg what’s up with the hate, everything about this is over the top in a brilliant way! Yodeslay It! 😀
Well done, Romania!
My unicorn wants its puke back XD
…said somebody who likes salvador. really?
Yes, i do like Salvador. Very much so. What does that have to do with my joking unharmful comment? People who seem so fond of a playful entry lack a bit of a sense of humour, i guess.The irony.
your unicorn can puke on salvador jacket and take it back
from there, if it wants it back, like you’ve just said.
have the sense of humour !!!! right ????
salvador is diabetical, so much sweetness can kill literally
Yeah… Sure… I don’t feed trolls. Have a nice day.
somebody else said ”have a nice day” and then again ”have a nice day”, yes i know.
Raclymea
Wow, this is… remarkable.
The song itself is kind of a gimmick so I guess that a VERY plain performance (like in the national final) that only relies on Ilinca’s and Alexa’s charisma would have actually been the better choice because it would help balancing out all the craziness. Then again… it DOES look entertaining.
if you’re doing a fun or joke act, you should go all out with every little detail
you can’t let it rely on Ilinca and Alex’s craziness on stage, i think the audience in Kiev will really like it 🙂 i can already see the waving flags with this performance
Such a crazy, funny act! I adore it! Positive energy and charisma, that should Eurovision be about!
Yes, the juries will drag them down. 100% qualifying though.
I don’t like it, but I can see a lot of people enjoying the performance.
Yodel It is a gimmick, a joke act for this year, but they are really committed to the gimmick/joke, i can see it being destroyed by the juries (as they Always hate the fun songs, same with Slavic Girls, Golden Boy), but this has the potential to do really well with the televoting
if you like it, the voting number is 05 🙂
The juries didn’t destroy Golden Boy in 2015. Israel was #7 with the public and #8 with the juries.
i think this could be like 15th with the juries something like that
Zoe is in the austrian jury, she might love this sort of performance 🙂
I think it will be lower than 15th. Something like Poland last year.