She has a fire in her chest and will represent Romania at Eurovision in Rotterdam.
And now Roxen has presented a revamped version of her entry “Alcohol You” in her official music video for Eurovision.
The major sonic change comes to the climax and final chorus of the song. If the original studio version left some fans wanting more, the new has been beefed up. In the revamp, “Alcohol You” builds to an explosive ending. Extended notes are added, new strings dial up the urgency and percussion heaps intensity on proceedings. In short it adds oomph, where before some may have found it lacking.
“Alcohol You” music video
The music video begins with a spiralling shot. It zooms to Roxen, juxtaposed against a neon sketch of herself.
The lyrics of the songs swirl around her, with light effects growing as we build to the first chorus. Roxen’s eye contact with the camera is sparing and she only looks down the lens at key moments to heighten intensity.
In the second verse, the neon outline of the Roxen sketch becomes a fixed image. Shimmering lights and smoke effects give the video an almost underwater feel.
Pulsing lights build into the revamped climax. Roxen reaches out to the camera, with a hypnotic stare that almost pierces through to the viewer. She chases the camera as it retreats and her glance lingers as the camera fades to black.
This is a simpler video than other narrative or choreography driven efforts, but it is all the more effective for it. Instead “Alcohol You” and Roxen herself are centre stage.
Romania at Eurovision 2020
Romania has been drawn to compete in the first semi-final.
“Alcohol You” will be performed at some point in the second half. After two years stuck in the semis, Roxen will doubtless be keen to make it to the Grand Final.
What do you make of the revamp? Do you like the music video? Let us know in the comments below!
Switzerland and Romania will go for the Trophy ! Best Songs this year !
Some of the comments here and not only, makes me feel sick to my stomach ,it shows the level of education you received home.You should be ashamed of yourselfs.Grown up adults comenting like that ,im sure your parents must be very proud of you all.Attitude of a child .
Vous êtes dégueulasses de dire celà la Roumanie à toujours été un pays favorit , méritent même plusieurs fois de gagné a l’Eurovision et si cette année elle peut le faire Roxen est capable de tout cette chanson évoque bcp de choses pour elle , alors avant de critiquer etc.. comprenez la chanson elle est pas enfantine etc.. elle a dû vécu et celà se voie.. bref good Luck m’y country ???
first she sabotages Cherry Red now trying to change her song. give up you won’t win this year with your crappy vocals and childish lyrics . and in general big child hope she flops and won’t even qualify.
Beautiful song, good luck from israel!!! it is always better to be little bit underdog and surprise in the money time
Is she the only singer this year singing in cursive?
I litteraly cant?. When alcohol you won most of the people werent happy and were complaining about how it didnt have a boom moment/cresendo/climax. Now that they added that the most vocal are the comments that say that they wanted the soft emotional ballad and the original. God people..the poort girl doesnt even know what to do now..
I think we just want a happy medium, a balance between monotony and too much crescendo. However, most of us including myself are not musical experts, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.
But why?? I loved the soft emotional vibe, now it feels like they added a layer of ‘pain’ but it feels much more fake. Gives me the same feel the live performance had, it was too much, and the simplicity of the song was what sold it for me. Now I for sure prefer Bulgaria.
but the “fake news” is still there #disappointed
This is how you do a revamp. Potential winner alongside Switzerland, Malta, Australia and Bulgaria.
Australia.. No!
Australia, Norway, Malta and Lithuania
good one 😀 winner of Junior Eurovision maybe when the song belongs at.
It is still beautiful. I’m in love with this song and can hear it on repeat. Good luck Roxen and Romania.
This is my personal winner. Beautiful melody and distinctive voice, unconventional chorus. I hope it will do well in the competition 🙂
Wanna hear a random story about this song?
My sister just got divorced from her husband today after 12 years with no child. It felt sooo heart breaking, i came home opened Youtube and this song was just uploaded on ESC channel. I clicked play and literally started crying to this. This feels so close to my heart right now, i think it’ll forever remind me of this horrible day ughhh.
Sorry for not liking this entry before, this seriously feels special to me now. *starts crying* 🙁
Feels like the climax is forced. Not sure if turning from a ballad to a mid-tempo was actually that good idea. It will struggle to get to the TOP10 now.
Still in my top 5. The revamp doesn´t really damage, more a compromise towards ESC.
My top 10: 1) GER 2) LTU 3) GEO 4) ROM 5) BEL 6) BUL 7) ITA 8) MLT 9) ISR 10) SUI
Good job with the rewamp, song clearly needed the climax. But it feels a bit unprepared… as if they rushed to make that change. It can be improved so that it’s more smooth. I think the live can be really, really good!!
So people were complaining that the song has no climax ,now it has and still not happy ,tipical of some Eurovision moaners.
You’re right but climax or not it’s beautiful.
Man I was hoping they’d change the “fake news” line with the revamp…the song STILL makes me think of Trump.
To me, it makes the song more interesting. I wonder if people will badger her with uncomfortable questions about it, though.
This revamp is misplaced imo. The concept of the song is to be more lyrical so I think a classical instruments or more melody would’ve fit better. But it’s their call. That kind of music or singing is not my thing, but I think Romania still has a big chance to win if the staging passes well. Wish them luck!
I personally don’t like this song and never understood the hype centered around it.
We’ve been criminally underrated for 2 years, let us have something now lol
Lol. Not to be a party-buzzer, but heard she lacks vocals to bring the song alive. Is this true?
What break? I’ll vote for a song in the finals that I deem fit to win. If you’re excusing her for not having the perfect vocals by providing excuses such as burden of representing Romania, that’s not my issue. I want an objective/fair answer: Can she vocally slay this song live or not?
I wasn’t impressed with her videos in YouTube, hence the question. Please stop dramatizing it.
I like the song but I really don’t understand why I do xD
this revamp sucks. completely unnecessary.
This climax towards the end feels very forced. Its doesn’t feel genuine to the rest of the song.
Useless revamp, it won’t qualify either way. It’s just too boring!
Iesi
Out of curiosity, what songs do you like this year? Every single article I see you in, you have nothing but negativity to spew about literally all songs of literally all genres.
The revamp wasn’t necessary but I don’t mind it, I hope that she will be able to hit those high notes.
Still don’t get the final choice of the song…. really. There were good ones.
The video really works for me. It gave me chills. There’s a Billie Eilish quality to it for me. I think Roxen could win if the stage performance captures the haunting, haunted nature of the song. No smoke machines, no gimmicks. I would have Roxen in the centre with a contemporary dancer.
Roxen needs 5 backing vocals, no dancers, but the graphic from the video and a big piano to sit on like in another version of their videos, and that’s all!
Why did they have to ruin this song too?
Are u a Cherry Red fan?
Romania and Belgium, man. If they can make the final, I’ll be happy as a clam. All I ask.
7 of my favorites are in the first semi and I’m already trying to get used with the idea that I’ll lose at least 1 or 2 of them, as it usually happens.
Belgium, Romania, Australia, Ukraine, and Ireland are giving me worried twinges in my stomach. I’d like a universe where they all make it.
The first 4 you mentioned are my biggest concerns right now. I want them to qualify along with Lithuania, Norway, Israel, Sweden and Malta. And we know one spot is for Russia, I hope they do enough to deserve it.
Somebody’s going to be going home that I really don’t want to go home. It’s inevitable now. And I feel like we might not have even a vague idea of whom until the live shows.
Romania is trying very hard not to qualify, I see.
Wow, goosebumps, the revamp has elevated it. The more powerful drums and the stronger vocal crescendo really accentuate what was already an emotional song. This is going to be a contender for sure.
Countries wasting their time and money to pay revamps. The winner is already known. #Moscow2021
You’re right. Clearly, forcing Russia to enter a competition is unfair since it implies there’s a chance another country could be better. Russia should either pull out so they can’t be beaten or the other countries should pull out so they can’t beat Russia. Only fair. Do you know how Eurovision works?
Ivanov, are you for real or just trolling? Either way you are pathetic.
If he is a troll, he’s a pretty good one. He was here last year, too, so I have to give him credit for keeping up at it for at least a year.
(That said, if he isn’t…well…)
Haha! As far as I know Russia is hiding their song in the bushes! Keep it there. I will not vote for it! It’s disrespectful to play like that with the fans. Russia brings more strategies than simply to join the party and have a good time! Bye, Russia!
The song is ok but her stage presence was disappointing to say the least. She needs to perform much better
I think she got more comfortable during the show. Thinking of it as a long game, it was important for her to have that night. If the song was internally selected, it would be very hyped and she would have trouble to match the expectations in Rotterdam. Now she knows what she needs to improve. And I believe she can get there.
The good thing is Roxen is also super invested in it. It seems she won’t have to move much on the stage, so: practice, practice, practice. She has a lovely voice, she just needs more control.
Unnecessary revamp. Her accent is too thick, I wish she sung in Romanian. I don’t like the new ending, it somehow doesn’t match the song (and I can sense Eilish’s “Bury a friend” there). I prefer the first version, I could feel it more and it was special. Now, it’s like every other Eurovision song with “somethin big” at the end. I loved the song, now… I don’t know.
Impactful, beautiful, now the song is fully completed. Well done, Romania!
It somehow reminds me to the revamp in the Spanish entry by Alfred and Amaia’s two years ago. Same type of Disney song destroyed by the fandom and at least it had a climax. I don’t get the hype now about the Romanian and Bulgarian entries.
The revamp was totally unnecessary, the song has an emotional climax, there was no need for a musical one. I also believe this puts more pressure on Roxen’s shoulders, because she now has a long note to hold. That said, it doesn’t change how much I like it. At the moment, Romania is fighting with Australia for the last spot in my top 10.
Then I recommend to take Australia instead of Romania 😉
It’s very close to me. Australia has the tiny advantage of being mid-tempo, while I already have 6 ballads in the top 10.
Why is everyone mad at this revamp? I think it’s better.
Revamp is much better. The problem I had with this song was that it didn’t go anywhere so this has fixed that for me and it may now be in my top 10. If we’re comparing I still prefer Bulgaria just because of the emotion I get from it, but as this is in a different semi they should both qualify.
As an HUGE fan of the original, i am actually a little dissapointed here. They have made an unique song more predictable, & more «Eurovision ish». I don’t mean this as negative, but taking this orchestra sound in the background & the high note at the end is very «Eurovision». It isn’t bad, like at all, but it isn’t the unique song i loved. I still find it Nice & likeable, and it is definitly in my top 10, but it’s not as unpredictable & cool as it used to be, & that is sad.. But i still hope for… Read more »
It’s better and less boring.
I prefer the old version, but I can see this revamped version doing better at ESC.
I think this song is a masterpiece regardless. These 15 seconds being a bit louder make no difference to me, quality-wise. I love this song so much and will vote for it regardless. Was this “revamp” needed? Not at all. But is it still beautiful? IMHO, a resounding Yes! 🙂
How do you view Bulgaria compared to Romania?
That’s a really good question, Mr Vanilla Bean. I don’t think they are that similar, apart from both being slower, more atmospheric and having alcohol-related titles. The more I listen to them, the more I see the melodies as different. I really love both of these songs. At this point, Romania is slightly higher on my preliminary list, but that doesn’t have to remain the case in a month or so. Bulgaria’s song is like a dark lullaby I am still discovering. I wouldn’t be surprised if either of them won this year.
Thank you. 🙂
This did’t need a revamp
Because they heard the Bulgarian song.
Completely unnecessary and weird ending, it ruins the vibe of the song. If you decide to go with song like this, just stick to that, you don’t need “dramatic ending” to please everyone (because that’s impossible) and to be more “eurovision-ish”.. Ending made to fit some flashy staging completely different to this vibe.. Shame, I loved this song so much.
One of the better entries this year. I’m probably influenced by the alcohol word play and the fake news line, though.
TBH, it’s basically the exact same song with a slight power-up before the end. The final verse “I will call you when I’m strong” is intact, which is important for the message. I like it just the same. Romania has something special and beautiful in their hands. I hope this does well!
How to ruin a song in two weeks
It’s a whole different song with the last chorus and I doubt she could pull it off easily with that live based on her horrendous performances in the national selection.
The only horrendous thing is your comment..I watched Romania final on youtube and it was nothing horrendous the way she sang.Music experts and fans across Europe say shes got a nice voice ,but hey if is not Cherry Red what else?lol
Yeah right. Cherry Red sucked live! Storm sounded like a trainwreck when she hit the chorus.
the strange thing in the romanian final was that she sang this song better then the others. Seems that she ONLY wanted to sing this. I think that is bad against the songwriters
I tend to believe that she sang this song better because the romanian fans wanted this song to win.
I don’t like the revamp. I feel like the final chorus was perfect as it was. Now it sounds very sudden and abrupt and feels like it’s from a different song. Hopefully it will sound better when she sings it live.