The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — continues to rate and review the 41 songs that had been selected for Eurovision 2020. Next up, we take a look at Cyprus’ internally selected act Sandro with his song “Running”. Did it make us want to run towards the song or away from it? Read on to find out!
Sandro – “Running”
“Running” reviews
Bernardo: “Running” tries do be edgy and commercial but it screams random song on a club dance floor at midnight. The production aims high but feels middle-of-the-road. Sandro, though, is a different story. He does a lot with the little he has. Kudos for that. He has the charisma to win the trophy with the right song. Unfortunately, this is not the one.
Score: 2
Esma: Cyprus is continuing its successful Eurovision streak. The charismatic Sandro delivers a catchy pop song, which fits right up Cyprus’ alley. ‘’Running’’ is a contemporary production with a danceable beat that builds up towards a peak. This song would make the audience in a club go wild and the Eurovision audience in Ahoy Rotterdam would have loved to dance to this. Sandro’s vocals are very powerful, but I feel like this song might not give him the opportunity to showcase all of his vocal skills.
Score: 8
Natalie: We all know dark pop music is becoming more and more of a trend every year. And I love a thick bass, so I’m not complaining. We also know that Cyprus has been sending killer pop music of late, and while this isn’t up there with Fuego, it’s got style and it’s good that they’re trying something with a bit more substance than sex and fireworks. I like how the emotion builds and the strings come in. But I feel like “Running” doesn’t quite come together as well as it could. After a while, it becomes a bit of a mess without a clear direction. But it’s still good pop music that could really become something great with a good performance.
Score: 8
Ron: “Running” is a powerful track that feels quite familiar yet incomplete. What’s missing? I can’t put my finger on it. The production is cool and the lyrics are nice. Sandro is a great singer and we have already seen him impressively perform this song live in Stockholm. But despite all the power in it, this track still feels among the average songs of Eurovision 2020.
Score: 6
Tobias: In recent years Cyprus has impressed a lot in Eurovision and 2020 is not an exception! “Running” sounds like an expensive production in which Cyprus has put a lot of effort in to make a contemporary song. I can totally see this being played on the radio and see a remix of this song being played in the clubs. I am sure the team of Cyprus had an impressive idea of staging and I think this song would benefit more with a staging working a lot with light and LED effects. This song requires visual effects to become even more powerful.
Score: 7.5
Sandro – “Running” rankings
In the Wiwi Jury we have 22 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
| Angus: 4.5
Antranig: 6 Åri: 4 Barnabas: 4 Calvin: 6 Deban: 5.5 Florian: 5.5 Jonathan: 6 Lucy: 5 |
Luis: 4
Oliver: 7 Pablo: 7 Renske: 6.5 Robyn: 5.5 Sebastian: 7 Tom: 6 William: 7 |
We have removed the highest and lowest scores prior to calculating the average. This is to remove outliers and potential bias. We have removed a low of 2 and a high of 8.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 5.9/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
Cyprus – 2/10 (40th/41)
Cyprus 1/10
I think this entry has been criminally underrated. A cute contemporary song very nicely presented. Could be the Austria 2018 and farm professional jury votes. And not a Replay of Fuego. Have been trawling through the entries and this has been my first pleasant surprise so far.
I’m usually not a fan of this kind of music, but I’ve become pretty fond of this song. Not amazing but it isn’t terrible, either. It would’ve been a qualifier for me, but probably not enough to be left-side-of-the-board good.
the only thing I often wonder is how the staging woulda been done… I can’t quite picture it at all, for some reason
Y’all are sum delusional hoes. Issa bop
Cyprus is my Absolute Favourite!!! and he can sing those notes so well live
10/10
This one is interesting because it is likely one of the most modern tracks of 2020. This is Gorgon City, Meduza, Jax Jones, in line with all the big EDM hits at the moment. But thing is they are more about the DJ and the song than the singing. Staging would’ve be crucial to bring this one’s strengths out.
The song is okay; I particularly like some of the clash harmonies, and how the third minute develops. Also, the singer is so attractive that it is not hard to imagine this as sex club music. However, the arrangement is so empty towards the start of the song, so the mystery doesn’t grab me and I don’t feel much from the music itself. It’s like there’s a string track missing, or the arrangement is incomplete somehow. Difficult to pin down.
Usually I love upbeat songs but this is awful and such a copycat imo
2/10
Sorry,I don ‘t like this song at all.
I actually don’t know why everyone is hating on this. Maybe it’s because it’s not a typical ESC song or something but it’s decent. A 7/10
It sounds very empty… this and North Macedonia were my biggest disapointments of this year imo. It’s still fine, but kinda doesn’t stand a chance in it’s semi. 6/10
If they keep him (I don’t think they have to, he did not really deserve to be picked internally in the first place) let’s hope he will make the most of the situation by finding a song that sounds less like meandering for no puprose after all after the first chorus.
Rank 34/41
3/10
The “Hmm hmm hmm” part is one of the worst ideas I’ve ever come across in an ESC entry. I really don’t think there’s a lot to like about this song as it is really repetitive, especially lyrically, and overall, it is pretty forgettable. Also, I watched Sandro at New Wave and he wasn’t the most convincing vocally or performance-wise. I think this would’ve undone a lot of the good work that Cyprus had done in the last couple of years.
If Cyprus was able to get away with “One Thing I Should Have Done”, I think they can get away with this as well.
If Greece had been voting in SF1, I’m sure they’ll have still gotten their pts.
Ha ha including murder ? And I had the misfortune of seeing it being performed “live” a couple years back
big meh, but the jury would’ve saved this mess.
3,5/10
This is fundamentally different from “Fuego” and “Replay”, which is a huge plus for me already. It does have that 1990’s Eurodance vibes going on with the arrangement and everything, which I’m a big fan of. The lyrics are simple though but adds a depthness to a produced track. I think this also works well as an acoustic cover to allow Sandro’s vocals to shine.
I was really keen to see how this was going to be staged – I think it could’ve really lifted it. I’m gutted that we won’t see any of the plans for everyone’s staging this year. Unless Wiwiblogs can work their magic…?!!
Cyprus was a HUGE disappointment this year. The song is just so boring and there’s nothing special about it. If it was food it’d be kale or smth. Such a buzzkill…
Overall:1/10 (38th)
So, Antranig gives Fai Rumore a 2 and this a 6.
I respect all tastes and opinions, but this is nonsense, especially coming from a euroblogger..
“in my opinion” it’s more like Italy 2, Cyprus 10, I find Italy’s song very underwhelming and quite safe whereas at least Cyprus has changed it up and gone for something that stands out, with the deep house and deep sexy vocals in the verses.
This is being underrated. I can understand why people dislike it, but I was really surprised with this track. I was expecting a ballad, but Cyprus was able to reinvente itself in a very smart way. I mean, comparing with ‘Fuego’ or ‘Replay’, it’s worse, but it a good song. 16th in my top. The instrumental is modern, sophisticated and cool – and the bridge is so powerful! But I have to say that sounds like ‘Lose Control’ by Meduza, don’t gonna lie, but I just love this genre, so, I’m not really upset about its influences. His voice is… Read more »
Cyprus is a plastic song, but a good kind of plastic. Edgy, danceable, not that mesmerizing anyway. Middle-of-the-road qualifier.
01. ITA 9,5/10
10. BEL 7/10
13. POR 6,5/10
19. CYP 6/10
This one is a curious case for me. I enjoy it while listening to it but I just can’t remember it after all. It gets lost in my mind. Anyway, it is a modern song, uplifting and attractive. I’m sure they were preparing a killer staging for it. So I have no doubt it would have qualified in a sea of ballads. Probably it would have ended 17th-23rd in the Grand Final though. I do think it deserves a higher score. 11. Italy – Diodato – Fai rumore (6.75) 13. Cyprus – Sandro – Running (6.75) 14. Belgium – Hooverphonic… Read more »
Filler song for shopping malls which makes me totally indifferent, in the chorus even annoying. I’m sorry charismatic Sandro, but 4/10.
I listened to it twice and I don’t want to do that ever again. “Running” is an unpleasant mess of sounds trying to imitate a real song. It’s overproduced, shallow and structureless. I really hope Sandro gets a better song if he comes back (which will hopefully happen). I’m sorry Cyprus, but this is my least favourite entry this year. 2/10
Complete opposite for me ?!!
It’s great that you like it, I’m really happy for you. 🙂 It’s truly fascinating how much tastes can differ.
CYPRUS – I like that Cyprus went the other direction this year and electro-pop isn’t that prevalent in ESC. Sandro seems like a good performer as well. Unfortunately, the song feels very one-note. The production is obviously expensive, but it drowns his voice in a quite flat and repetitive chorus. There is a vague environmental message in there, but I don’t feel much emotion for the way it’s been presented. Like Sandro, the song ”keeps on running” around seemingly directionless. I like certain musical elements in the beat, but as a whole it feels very much like a background sound… Read more »
Italy 10/10
Belgium 8/10
Portugal 7.5/10
Cyprus 5/10
My Top:
30. Cyprus 5/10
31. Portugal 4.5/10
32. Belgium 4.5/10
A disappointment after Fuego and Replay. I don’t think that it would’ve qualified.
26th place: Cyprus – 6/10 – there are a number of elements that appear jumbled in this song. It is perfectly respectable, and I enjoy the refrain, although it feels unusually out of place for Eurovision – I can imagine this being part of an extended club mix. The structure, the beat and the vocal are all very contemporary. It reminds me of background music I might hear in a retail outlet. It doesn’t particularly hit emotionally or leave any sort of lasting impression.
18. Portugal
24. Belgium
26. Cyprus
28. Italy
The fact that cyprus is ABOVE italy is…..confusing
They are very different songs but they actually leave me with very similar feelings – they are pleasant whilst they are on but I have very little desire to press repeat.
I’m sorry but i hate this. It sounds so expensive that it is cheap, if that makes any sense, and is almost a complete copy of Lose Control by Meduza. It’s so blatant. You can say for example that Victoria was inspired by Billie Eilish, in style, but the song is her own with her own melody and vocals. Running, especially in the chorus, isn’t just inspired by Meduza but is directly lifted from Meduza, and it really really pisses me off. This would not have and should not have qualified.
Lowkey Cyprus would have qualified surprisingly. The jury would love the vocal and the modernness and the song is able to draw viewers in. Overall Cyprus had a 60% chance of qualifying. If they qualified with Hovig they would qualify with this
That’s too high. Expected lower than 5. Nominee for the most generic, flat and unmemorable entry of the year
I really enjoy this song, an amazing vocal, not entirely original but it’s just really edgy! Bravo Cyprus for sending something different than last year
1. Belgium 7
2. Cyprus 7
3. Portugal 7
4. Italy 5
I think Cyprus is one of the most underrated entries this year. Running is a real under appreciated bop!