France has joined the list of countries who will be revamping their song ahead of Eurovision 2020. Singer Tom Leeb has revealed that his entry “The Best of Me” will be revamped ahead of Rotterdam — and it’s getting a new title as well as a new sound.
Tom announced the news on Twitter, with a bilingual message.
En route pour l’ #Eurovision2020, avec une nouvelle version ! ??
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Let's go to #Eurovision2020 with a new version! ??#MonAlliée #TheBestInMe / @EurovisionF2 #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/7uGZ4MO0Kz— Tom Leeb (@TomLeebOfficial) March 12, 2020
Tom revealed that the new version would be “a little more acoustic”. This follows a live acoustic performance of the song last month. The performance at a French radio station was met with praise from fans, some of whom called for Tom to take this arrangement to Rotterdam.
The stripped-back version brought a warmth to the performance, something that wasn’t as obvious with the bombastic orchestral arrangement of the original studio version. The live acoustic version was also closer to the sort of folk-pop that Tom usually performs.
It remains to be seen how similar the new version of the French Eurovision entry will be to the earlier live acoustic version.
From “The Best in Me” to “Mon Alliée”
The song will also get a new title. The English name will be dropped in favour of the French “Mon Alliée” — that’s “My Ally” and referring to a female.
It’s not known if “Mon Alliée” will contain more French lyrics than “The Best in Me”. However, in recent days a version of the song leaked with mostly French lyrics but the same orchestral music.
Last month the French Minister of Culture Franck Riester criticised the song’s English lyrics. He dramatically said “the English chorus broke my ears a little” but also accepted that the song choice was made independently by France Télévisions.
Franck Riester has since been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is working from home as he recovers.
The release date of “Mon Alliée” has not been confirmed, but it is expected to be in coming days.
What do you think? Is moving to a more acoustic version a good move for France? Should the song include more French lyrics? Share your thoughts below!
I hope that the new version will be released anyway, despite the cancellation of the competition, and that it will still be a great success.
I also hope that Tom will come back to make the contest next year with another song (all 2020 contestants should have the right to come back if they wish)
(finally not doing “Destination Eurovision” will have saved us money and avoided some problems related to corona)
they are really in panic mode…
still gonna be on the right hand side of the scoreboard so 0_0
Ah
oh no.
I actually like the acoustic version.
What is happening?
I hope it’ll be more than just “a little more acoustic” 🙂
As boring as it is, the old version is better
nooo the old version was so much better that this acoustic, pls give it back 🙁
it’s better this way !
I mean… you can’t do wonders with this song anyway so there’s not going to be any miracle. However I’m just happy that the delegation took the bad reviews into consideration. but I was wrong about them and I’m happy about that 🙂 from a french eurofan.
he had a month to change the song entirely, oh well
Lipstick on a pig.
So it‘s gonna get even more boring?
Too little, too late…
is it too late for love?
He might make the revamp sound romantic and my heart may not handle it.
Whatever the results, I am happy that the delegation is listening to feedback instead of being entitled.
But Eurofans are such a mess I already know that despite having a tantrum to change the song to an acoustic and more french version they will bitch and complain.
I kinda dream of a surprise ok result just so they can shut up.
So much better. Still a little cheesy but much less than the bombastic first version. A good revamp
Great decision from Team France who can listen to feedbacks from fans but overall from french people advices. This proves they absolutely care about Eurovision and want to achieve the best way they can. THANK you!
So If a country choose a song and see the reactions, they can revamp 34 Times? I dont like it.
What are you talking about ? it will be the only revamp the song will have. The song as not be revamped before
I know. I just feel some countries like the czech republic are doing a revamp then maybe choose the old one. Its like the Mamas win and then revamp it to a song that no one voted for. Just my opinion
This is the one revamp everyone was hoping for. My only bigger criticism is that the announcement of the revamp came only after 9th of March and without a song to back it up. It feels like more of “building the tension” when things should be rolling.
Maybe it will be like last year with Roi and we won’t be able to hear the final version until rehearsals. Last year, we weren’t disappointed so everything is still possible now.
Either that or the one we had the year before that with Belarus. Alekseev’s song went through so much surgical procedures that it became a shell of what it once was by the time we got to rehearsals.
Bottom 5 for France this year, no matter what they do it’s imminent. The song is simply outdated and very boring. But he’s cute
Influenced by Gjon. He must have been criticized not featuring any French lyrics at all, but the Swiss act does, thus the new title, few French words and a slower version.
You can’t improve what was already a mess.
The revamp was released on the 11th already! It’s somewhere on the French web.
Its not the revamp, its the radio version with more french for the quotas. If you song doesnt have a percentage of french, it’s considered as an international song and put in international category and got lost because of big hits. With more french it’s in francophone category and as more chance to be a success.
The sound of silence…
No, no, no!!! The original was so much better with the build up!! For fck sake!!
yes it was, I also liked the old one than this new version 🙁
Good job from the French team. Taking feedback and making changes.
Such a beter version…it really makes him shine and be more relatable…improves the song as well. I’m hoping for more French lyrics, that is, at least one chorus in French.
Cool, I loved the acoustic version he did a few weeks ago… so I can’t wait to hear the revamp.
Positive moves by Tom and team!
I’m still hoping that he will have a good song. I hope Tom will deliver well.
Interesting. Let’s hear how the new version works out.
I didn’t like the acoustic version. It was completely boring. At least the original had a cheesy quality to it and was actually memorable. This is like Serhat 2016 all over again.
It’s a shame for Tom because he is clearly a passionate musician and has a great singing voice, not to mention how handsome he is, but is lumbered with this song that he will have to walk on stage and perform despite fans singularly saying it should be changed and despite the reality that he likely could have written something more suitable himself.
I copy what Jimmy wrote. This.
Hopefully it won’t be as bad as it is now. I never ever listen to the best of me. It’s a whole skip! They shouldn’t have chosen it in the first place since I’m sure better songs must’ve been up for the chance. I mean the song came first right? I don’t know how they could’ve picked it over so many others. That doesn’t matter anymore though. What matters is France trying not to be in the bottom. Fingers crossed it’ll be better.
They should revamp all of it, completely and radically.
And change the lyrics, and the music, and the singer, and the country, and the contest!!!!!!
It’s heading that way 😐
Indeed.
And Europe, the planet, universe, and the whole galaxy
gosh if you dont like it dont listen to it and in general dont watch this contest if you dont like it
So don’t watch this contest if you don’t like it omg
This is a joke how many revamps can there be? It’s a bit unfair. You chose the song and announced you will represent with it that should be final decision, not completely change everything…
Nothing about it is unfair.
Who cares, the song is dull as a dishwasher and I’ve heard enough boring Acoustic songs that’s invaded radio last few years(thanks Ed Sheeran) honestly this year’s Eurovision is the weakest songwise since 2008, too much mediocre/meh songs and there isn’t a single song that is totally remarkable. Iceland & Lithuania are hella overrated too and Russia has only added fuel to the fire of the common Western perception that ESC is a camp gimmicky joke event. I wouldn’t be too upset at all if Eurovision 2020 gets cancelled cause of the coronavirus, if so I just hope Rotterdam stays… Read more »
Then maybe don’t watch eurovision it seems it’s not for you. It was made to reunite all nations, party, celebrate and have a good time.
I thought the audio had been out for over a week now. Or is this a second revamp?
Honestly just change it to completely in French and be done with it.
The one we heard with mostly French lyrics is the alternate version and that was out for sometime now on France apparently.
It’s possible we could still hear the almost-all French lyrics in the actual revamp. 🙂