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 Ireland‘s internally select act Lesley Roy and her song “Story of My Life”. Did we want to hear her story? Read on to find out!
Lesley Roy – “Story of My Life”
“Story of My Life” review
Åri: I don’t see how this got this much support from the fandom. I think this is the worst Irish entry since 2016. It’s repetitive and annoying, feels over-produced. I feel like, for most of the song, Lesley is screaming at me, beseeching me to like her song. This song tries to give a “we are young and stupid” song, and instead gives a “fellow kids” feeling. Also, I can’t begin to explain just how outdated this sounds. Now, after I’ve listed everything I absolutely hate about this, why is this a 2.5? Because when I’m in the right mood, this becomes fire.
Score: 2.5
Calvin: Put P!nk’s “Perfect” lyrics, Katy Perry’s “Firework” mood and the bridge of “Teenage Dream” in a blender and you’ll have Ireland’s song of 2020. If you ever have to define what a guilty pleasure is, just play this song. That being said, it’s nothing negative to be compared to such songs, even though they were released over a decade ago. It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but a few upbeat, easy-listening songs are good for the whole competition.
Score: 8
Jonathan: The highest score I gave during this Wiwi Jury was 9. One of the three I awarded goes to Ireland’s Lesley Roy. Is the song slightly dated? Yes, 100%. But, if you’re going to pull from a previous era of music for your entry, then early 2010s Katy Perry is a great way to get me on board. Like for many, this genre of music is slightly nostalgic; but, more importantly, it fills you with joy and makes the listener want to dance around like nobody’s watching. Add in an inspirational message of self-love plus Lesley’s energy, and this is a song that I’ll be putting on repeat for months to come regardless of what anyone thinks.
Score: 9
Natalie: Ok, I just love happy sugary pop. I completely understand that this song is dated and completely underwhelming considering the hype around Ireland this year. But, still, OMG! It makes me want to dance so much! It’s so jam-packed with energy and is so frickin’ defiant. It’s as though Lesley knows she’s singing silly a late-2000s pop song at a music contest but she doesn’t give a damn! She’s gonna sing loud and proud, she doesn’t care what you say! I love this so much and if SingStar Eurovision comes out, this better be in it.
Score: 8.5
Tobias: I also get an early Katy Perry vibe in this song. Now that doesn’t mean it’s something good or bad, it just doesn’t do anything for me. It is an OK song but that’s about it. “Story of My Life” is that typical girly pop-song that I can would expect to hear as an intro of a teenager movie or something. But Ireland — you can do better!
Score: 5
Lesley Roy – “Story of My Life” rankings
In the Wiwi Jury we have 22 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
| Angus: 6.5
Antranig: 6 Barnabas: 4.5 Bernardo: 6.5 Deban: 4 Esma: 5 Florian: 5.5 Lucy: 6.5 Luis: 5.5 |
Oliver: 5.5
Pablo: 7 Renske: 6.5 Robyn: 5.5 Ron: 6.5 Sebastian: 4 Tom: 7.5 William: 6.5 |
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 3.5 and a high of 9.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 6.03/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
Ireland – 10/10 (2nd/41)
Ireland 0/10
I don’t understand the “low” rating of the wiwijury. But that’s how it goes, all a matter of taste. I have liked this song from the start and every time I listen to it, I agree on my former opinion about it. Very good job Ireland. Left side of the board.
This song really isn’t my taste, whilst I admire it’s enthusiasm song of the lyrics seem a little cringe to me. It’s like when your mum tries to be cool for you.
Everyone is making the same comparisons for this, but I’m a little surprised no one has mentioned Ireland’s entry from 2009, Et Cetera. They’re kinda similar to me, but I remember it had a largely ‘meh’ reaction, even supposedly at time for this music. I was never super fussed on it but I watched it the other day and enjoyed it more than I remember
I absolutely adore this song. Every detail in the music video seems planned in a way to express freedom, individuality and LGBT+ rights, down to the most subtle like the trans flag coloured balls (blue, pink and white). Lesley’s voice is gorgeous and despite not being technically the most talented based on what I can tell from just this one song, her tone is just incredible and I’d say she has one of the most appealing voices out of everyone. The song itself is an absolute bop and though the lyrics may not be the most impressive, this is a… Read more »
I grew up with this sort of music so, I do like it a fair bit, it is divisive because of the fact it takes from a musical style that is now since passed. But, Lesley is a competent performer and would of killed this live, Juries would of crucified this but, the fair weather viewer who isn’t obssesed with the contest and watches every reveal and National Final will vote for this as it’s something familiar and gives people comfort so the Non-ESC obssessed fans or fair weather viewers would of voted for this in droves and would of… Read more »
It’s a guilty pleasure for me! 7.5/10!
After their amazing JESC entry, I thought Ireland had finally found a direction to work towards that could result in them bringing something competitive but still maintaining the spirit of Ireland. Instead, we got this. like so many Irish/UK songs at Eurovision, the lyrics in English sound less convincing than those delivered by many other countries writing in English as a non-native language. Everyone’s covered the obvious influences on this song but none of them are artists/styles that I think need emulating in 2020. It isn’t in the bottom pack of songs I dislike this year but it hovers just… Read more »
Banshee was my winner, it was so magical tbh. I wish Ireland would sing in Irish at Eurovision proper, the language is so beautiful.
Trust me, it’s not so beautiful when your struggling to learn it and get into the honours class in secondary school lol
Haha maybe not, but at least to my foreign Australian ears it sounds beautiful, especially when sung.
I liked it but it was a bit meh.
If Lesley does come back next year then I hope she tries something a little different.
I’m more intrigued though by what ThisIsPopBaby was going to do with the staging. I really feel that they where the true Irish entry.
I hope RTÉ get ThisIsPopBaby for 2021, weather that includes Lesley or not remains to be seen. I do think ThisIsPopBaby would be better suited to ELM.
Ireland 4/10
Well said Tibor! I don’t get the “dated” comparisons of the 2010s or 2000s with this song – it is not as if Katy Perry or Pink or Kelly Clarkson or Avril Lavigne invented this sound – you can trace it back further to The Bangles, The Beatles into blues, etc, etc, etc. I’ve said this before, but I think it is people of a certain age who react negatively to such songs – my guess is the age range 18-30 because you inevitably react badly to songs you liked when you were say 8-12 as they are no longer… Read more »
For me personally, it is the difference between Agadoo by Black Lace and Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana – only 7 years apart. One is very cool to say you liked growing up and the other one isn’t. Take Little Big for example. If I was say 21 and Agadoo was 10 years ago, I would be like “oh my God, this song is awful, so cringe and dated, because I would have been resenting that I liked Agadoo as a youngster. But now I’m a bit older, I can acknowledge that Agadoo is a good pop song for… Read more »
As to female rock, I think you can go back to Suzi Quatro and Patti Smith in the 70s and possibly even further but my knowledge gets a bit sketchy after then. The point is for me music draws on influences that have gone before – very little if anything is “entirely” new so to say a particular sound copied artists from the past is a moot point.
Janis Joplin and Grace Slick when it comes to ’60s female rock.
However, I don’t get your point, Kosey. We can trace the origins of the modern pop/rock music to the ’60s and maybe even earlier, but it doesn’t mean that “Story Of My Life” sounds like Patti Smith’s or the Beatles’ song. Those were important steps in the evolution of the music, but the evolution didn’t stop there and “Story Of My Life” clearly sounds like it was influenced by the music from 80s and beyond.
I think what I am trying to say is calling something dated is largely meaningless, since to a lesser or greater extent all songs lend from the past. I think it is much more a matter of personal taste as to whether you think something is dated or not, as opposed to whether it is good or bad merely by reference to what has gone before. For example, I would call Poland’s entry “dated” but this is more to do with the style of music not being to my current taste rather than the song being bad because it mimics… Read more »
I’m 21 and I’ll never be embarrassed about my 12 year old listening habits. Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne and I’ll throw in Big Time Rush. They were successful for a reason I still love fun songs and why be embarrassed about something most liked at the time and brought you joy? That’s others problems not yours. Now excuse me, I’m off to stream Teenage Dream again.
IRELAND – It’s a nice little tribute to the 2000s pop music. It’s fun, upbeat and unpretentious. I don’t think it has much layers and it’s pretty straightforward on what it is – a light empowerment song. It puts a smile on my face, but doesn’t leave a lasting impact. Unlike several other recent Irish songs, this feels like a deliberate throwback instead of an accidentally dated song. I like how they are now exploring different styles. It would probably be a part of my ideal top 26, but it would struggle to get my 10th place in it’s semi.… Read more »
I don’t like this. 36th place of my top. Call me boring, but this is one the most uninteresting songs of the year. This comes from the 2010’s. It’s old-fashioned. And the it’s built on so many formulas… The instrumental sounds like a Katy Perry’s/Pink’s filler song, her voice is a bit annoying (and her live version was not good) and the lyrics are so cliché. The only part that I kinda like is the final, but, meh… Sorry, Ireland, for me it’s a no. It might have its public – and it’s has a nice feedback, but I really… Read more »
This would’ve been right up my alley 10 years ago, and it somewhat still is. Ireland’s entries are usually hit or miss for me (more miss than hit), but I love this one and I play it a lot.
Guilty pleasure of mine. Absolutely love the nostalgia i get from it. Good song in general.
Overall: 7/10
One of my major guilty pleasure, I’m mean I was growing up, when Katy Perry, Pink and so on were played a lot, so I like this song because of it. Though that live performance on that late night show – wasn’t it tbh. But again this brings a smile on my face so I really like it.
My Rate: 7/10
My Top:
1. Belgium 9/10
2. Portugal 8/10
3. Italy 8/10
4. Russia 7,5/10
5. Ireland 7/10
6. Cyprus 6,5/10
7. Moldova 3,5/10
8. Macedonia 3,5/10
What makes me love this song it’s the nostalgia it brings me. I was, and still am, a very big fan of songs like Since U Been Gone, Hot ‘n’ Cold, Behind These Hazel Eyes, Girlfriend, I Kissed a Girl, Firework, Complicated, So What… and Story Of My Life takes me back to all of them. It makes me want to lock myself in my room, turn up the volume of my loudspeakers as high as possible and just jam to it like crazy. I don’t think I can get bored of it in a very long time.
I’m not a fan, it’s interesting to listen, but I don’t want to listen it on repeat. It would be interesting to see it on stage, although I’m not so impressed with her live performance.
6/10
This song was clearly not meant for me. It doesn’t evoke any nostalgia and I don’t really get its charm. To me, “Story Of My Life” feels like a hammer banging me over the head 132 bpm. It’s loud, shouty and tremendously irritating. It gives me a literal headache every time I listen to it. It’s admittedly catchy though, and the message, while corny and tired, is still quite valuable. 4/10
I’m not into this type of songs anymore, but I appreciate the effort.
Depending on my mood, SOML sounds sometimes primarily dated, but more often takes the shape of a guilty pleasure. A path in the good direction for Ireland after last year’s disaster.
01. ITA 9,5
10. BEL 7
11. MOL 7
13. POR 6,5
17. IRE 6
19. CYP 6
25. RUS 5
34. MAC 4,5
13. Ireland – 8/10 – wham, bam, thank you (Lesley) ma’am. This has an infectious spirit, an in-your-face attitude that gets you up on your feet and cheering along with it from the very first second. A brilliantly defiant and empowering message underlying it, the pop-rock sensibilities giving it a stand-out driving force not seen elsewhere in the competition. I find myself sticking two fingers up to the world whenever this comes on.
It could feel a bit dated cause the late 00s and the early 10s are still recent but I would say it feels more retro than dated. I found it really enjoyable and catchy. The only live performance she offered was a bit underwhelming though. And I also believe WELOVEPOP would have made a circus as the live performance and ruin the whole entry. We’ll never know, I suppose. 11. Italy – Diodato – Fai rumore (6.75) 13. Cyprus – Sandro – Running (6.75) 14. Belgium – Hooverphonic – Release Me (6.75) 16. Ireland – Lesley Roy – Story of… Read more »
Credit to RTÉ and Lesley for putting together something uplifting and uptempo. For those of us who enjoyed the late 2000s, this song hits all the right buttons for us. Should it win a song contest in 2020? – probably not. But that doesn’t take away the energy, the nostalgia and the empowerment that the song gives. Even the primary school based “na-na-na-na-na” in the Chorus feels right for this song. Lesley is allowed to be who she wants to be as an adult, and no-one can tell her what to do, so yeah, absolutely, say na na na. (And… Read more »