What’s this? Greta Salóme’s “Wildfire”, taken from the soundtrack of the animated movie Ploey – You Never Fly Alone.
When did it drop? In January, although the film was only released during the summer months in many territories, including the UK.
Tell us more: It’s more anthemic folk-pop from the “Hear Them Calling” singer – as the saying goes, when it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Salóme has proven herself to be a dab hand at the genre, and this time proves no different.
Clever use of instrumentation creates a sound effect that mimics the call of migratory birds, apt given the song’s movie tie in. Speaking of which, Fly The Nest – as it was called in the UK – tells the story of Ploey, a young chick left behind by his family who have migrated south for the winter. He must overcome dangers posed by birds of prey and pet cats, while simultaneously making friends with foxes, gulls and other wild creatures.
Ploey — You Never Fly Alone (Trailer)
This tale of both darkness and hope is reflected in the “Wilfire” lyrics. Greta opens by singing, “I run and run / But still I’m tethered to my fear”. But by the chorus it’s all changed, “Clip my wings / Now watch me fly”. A guest spot from local rapper Tiny adds an urban juxtaposition to proceedings.
And the music video? The official clip stars both Greta and the animated Ploey. Bathed in blues, reds and purples, the “Never Forget” songstress performs alone in a dark studio. She dons tribal-style face paint while talon-like false nails adorn her fingers. This dark and almost gothic imagery is at odds with the bright movie scenes which pad out the remaining run-time.
The animated Ploey gives Tweetie Pie a run for his money in the cuteness stakes, as he embarks on a mission to find his family and save his friends.
Greta Salóme feat. Tiny “Wildfire” (Official Music Video)
Greta Salóme at Eurovision: Greta is a two-time Eurovision veteran, representing Iceland in 2012 and 2016. In 2012, she and Jónsi sang “Never Forget”. Despite being a major fan favourite, the song languished on the lower right hand side of the scoreboard in the final.
Four years later, Greta returned as a solo artist with what was arguably an even bigger fan favourite – “Hear Them Calling”. And so, there was much shock when she missed out on the final completely. Regardless, our Wiwi Jury loved it, awarding an average of 8.37. Here’s what Robyn said:
“Hear them Calling” is one of the strongest entries Iceland has entered in years, with Greta’s skilled songcraft shining. While the staging is obviously inspired by the projection mapping of “Heroes”, it’s brought enough of its own character, that dark, mysterious Nordic vibe. The staging needs a little work (Greta spends too much of the song in darkness, and the false ending kills the flow), but assuming that’s all sorted out, this could easily be a contender for the top 10.
What has she been up to since? Greta’s continued to regularly release new music, including “ROW” and “My Blues”. On the latter, she even managed to recruit Game of Thrones actor The Mountain to star in the music video. Aside from her own material, she’s also written for others, including Raya’s “Crazy” which featured in the UK’s national selection for Eurovision 2018.
What do you think of “Wildfire”? Does it make you want to watch Ploey? Let us know in the comments below.
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How can tiny little Iceland produce such a successful animation movie? Whole Iceland is like a quarter of London.
Icelanders, why are you so good at everything?!
Haha, now if they just channel all that creativity into getting back to the Eurovision final! 🙂