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 Senhit, who was returning to represent San Marino, this time with “Freaky!”. Did we want to get freaky with her? Read on to find out!
Senhit – “Freaky!”
“Freaky!” reviews
Bernardo: Pleasant to the ears, a retro vibe with a charismatic and competent performer. Not my cup of tea, but don’t hate it completely. I could see “Freaky!” pull a Serhat — qualifying for the final and getting a decent amount of points. I could also see it crash and burn in the semis. It’s one of those songs. Kudos to Senhit who is able to milk this song to the maximum.
Score: 3
Esma: San Marino appears to have a very special relationship with disco music. Thanks to 2016 and 2019 star Serhat, the country has put itself on the map as a nation who appreciates a fun disco track. This genre is not necessarily my cup of tea, but I appreciate the happiness of this song – cheerful songs are quite rare these days. I am sure Senhit would have brought a party on the Eurovision stage in Rotterdam.
Score: 6.5
Jonathan: Never underestimate San Marino’s love for a disco banger. “Freaky!” is certainly fun and it’s nice to see Senhit return with something completely different from her 2011 entry. I can get on board with the first two minutes, but the spoken-word breakdown does somewhat grate on me and cheapen the overall entry. All in all, it’s a song that I’d happily listen to if it came on, but I perhaps wouldn’t purposefully hit the play button myself.
Score: 6
Oliver: It is always nice to see a Eurovision participant return to the competition, especially after almost a decade from their last performance. Senhit’s song is an unbelievable contrast from her previous entry, going from a warm, gentle ballad to a whacky, bizarre pop song. While I appreciate the attempt, “Freaky!” seems to be trying a little bit too hard to come across as cool and hip. Furthermore, the composition itself feels underdeveloped in comparison to some of the other entries that were submitted to the competition this year – maybe some fine-tuning of the track could have elevated the number to another level.
Score: 4
William: On its own, “Freaky!” would be a dated disco track not fully revamped for 2020. But in the hands of Senhit — who serves sass, attitude and an unbridled sense of joy — the song becomes an anthem for living life on your own terms and having one hell of a time as you do it. Throw in the very editorial visuals, which portray Senhit as queen of hedonism, and this suddenly feels like the soundtrack to a lush and rather sinful Vogue Italia spread. A brilliant example of how visuals and ambition can change the game.
Score: 7
Senhit – “Freaky!” rankings
In the Wiwi Jury we have 22 jurors but only have room for five reviews. The remaining scores are below:
| Angus: 4
Antranig: 6 Åri: 3 Barnabas: 7 Calvin: 6.5 Deban: 5 Florian: 5 Lucy: 7 Luis: 6.5 |
Natalie: 5.5
Pablo: 5.5 Renske: 6.5 Robyn: 5.5 Ron: 4.5 Sebastian: 6.5 Tobias: 2 Tom: 4 |
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 7.5.
Wiwi Jury verdict: 5.38/10
What do you think of this song? Share your own score and review below!
I will give a 5/10 for this
San Marino – 8/10 (15th/41)
San Marino 1/10
I understand what you are saying but it is not true that San Marino does not have its own music industry, it simply shares it with Italy, given its language and culture. The songs you can hear on Radio San Marino are Italian, mostly Sanremo entries and other hits sung by Italian artists (besides the international hits). Without forgetting that Little Tony, one of the most successful singers of Italian music, was from San Marino. I would like San Marino to always send Italian singers (or San Marino singers, even if it’s not easy) and songs in Italian, this would… Read more »
Why do people downvote comments that are positive? I mean you may not like the song, but why downvoting people that like it?
As for the song, I can absolutely understand why a lot of people don’t like it, cause it’s one of those entries that can not appeal to everyone.
However, for me personally, it’s one of the best San Marinese entries. I just love the whole vibe of the song and it became one of my guilty pleasures. It puts a smile on my face, every time I listen to it. 🙂
Yeah, the downvoting’s really bizarre! What someone hates might be someone’s personal favourite, so not sure why people do that!
I think some people look at the upvote/downvote as an agree/disagree button. Often people won’t just say “I like a song” and leave it at that, they’ll state some points to back their view up and I think it is the points that people are disagreeing with rather than the right of the person to have the opinion. It’s very common and I don’t read too much into it. For example, when I posted that I thought Moldova was great and deserved a spot in the top 5 it ended up at about -10!
It’s ironic that my post made it to about +3. Does this mean everyone practices what they preach?
Honestly, “Freaky” is in the top 3 San Marinese entries ever after “Complice” and “Vola”. I mean, it isn’t a masterpiece but it is enjoyable. Senhit is a bit crazy but she is also very charismatic. I’m sure she would have delivered a great performance full of colors and dynamism. I think San Marino really stood a chance of qualifying this year. 4. Romania – Roxen – Alcohol You (8) 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… Read more »
SAN MARINO – I love this microstate at ESC and I love Senhit’s fierce personality! However, Freaky is a weak attempt at copy-pasting all of their previous efforts of making the dated disco music a guilty pleasure. The key fact they forgot about is that when you replicate the same formula, it loses a fresh touch of a true ”bad gem”. What’s left is as predictable as any Swedish mainstream pop, minus the production value or semi-sensical lyrics. These are vaguely sexual, yet very tame and childish at the same time. I still feel a giggly tingle, but I feel… Read more »
Disco, plus a great artist who I admire. Sadly the use of the word “freaky” recalls bad memories for me of being bullied. For that reason alone, this song is not in my playlist.
Nice and funky, rather forgettable tho.
I quite like it actually, the opening is good but it doesn’t really go anywhere from there sadly. But Senhit is the life of this song and the one redeeming quality in this entry. This would have probably been good live, but I don’t think Senhit’s charisma would have put this entry in the Grand Final, especially when it has Iceland as competition in the quirky- category of entries. Say Na Na Na last year was a LOT better imo, it still deserves it’s spot in the final and you can’t tell me that it wasn’t iconic. This entry is… Read more »
What’s with the bdsm stuff in the video? Lol
Because their love is Freaky!
I don’t care what y’all say, but I just can’t hate San Marino in Eurovision! They are so likeable that it’s impossible for me to dislike them! It’s a 7 for me, it’s entertaining, not nowhere near my Top 10 or 15, but I love it!
Count me in, this is my 20th place and definite qualifier 🙂
For many years, I have rooted for San Marino at Eurovision, praying that the tiny nation would qualify for the grand final, and I remember how thrilled I was when they finally did, in 2014. I think everyone has a soft spot for San Marino at Eurovision, the microstate who always shows up, and has a voice and personality bigger than its population size. But when I now look back, retrospectively, at what memetastic San Marino has sent to Eurovision to date, one has to be honest with one’s self that there’s a clear lack of quality, competitive, musical entries… Read more »
Valentina Monetta wants to say hi!
Sanmarinese artists have been involved in their entry in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. And Senhit is Italian so only Serhat is the exception not the rule. Check your facts.
Lmao, Sanmarino phobia
Fun and not too serious, I believe Senhit would’ve put on a great show had the contest been able to go ahead.
Call me tasteless, but I just can’t help it – I really really like this track, and I’m not ashamed of it. “Freaky!” is 3 minutes of unapologetic fun enhanced by Senhit’s upbeat personality and confidence. In theory, this shouldn’t work – it’s a mix of dated production, uninspired music, questionable lyrics and adorably cheap visuals, yet it somehow does. I guess it’s just San Marino being San Marino – teetering on the edge of “fun” and “cringe” since 2008. And in my opinion this is one of their best entries ever. 7/10
I expected something worse than San Marino. Freaky isn’t even close to being a bad song. It’s catchy, energetic, makes you wanna dance everywhere you are. Senhit is a real artist. Can sing, can dance, can slay. This could go to the final. Please San Marino bring senhit back next year.
Overall:7/10 (20th)
This is miles better than Say Na Na Na. At least she can hit a note
This is the only bad entry this year. It’s dated, repulsive, cheap… I really like Senhit as a person, but I prefer her 2011 entry by miles, that at least had some class, this however zero. I never like to give negative comments, but I have to be honest, so yeah 🙂
My score: 2,5/10
1. Romania 10/10
2. Belgium 9/10
3. Portugal 8/10
4. Italy 8/10
5. Israel 7,5/10
6. Russia 7,5/10
7. Albania 7/10
8. UK 7/10
9. Ireland 7/10
10. Cyprus 6,5/10
11. Poland 6,5/10
12. Moldova 3,5/10
13. Macedonia 3,5/10
14. San Marino 2,5/10
I’m actually a big fan of disco music and am almost old enough to wear the “been there, done that” T-shirt when it comes to the heyday of the genre. However, as good as disco can be, there’s nothing quite as bad as when disco gets it wrong and that’s what this track manages to do. I thought Senhit was safe in delivering (what I consider to be) San Marino’s worst ever Eurovision entry in 2011 but little did I know, the only person who could beat Senhit in this area was Senhit herself. Easily, my last place in 2020… Read more »
I actually really like Stand by, especially considering the 2011 standards. Freaky, however, indeed is a mess.
Boooo. This song is way better than the jury rated it.
I know my music tastes can be rather dated, so this is right up my street. A fun feel-good song that for myself (and probably only myself) isn’t a guilty pleasure. Plus I just love Senhit in general, so… 🙂
I like this entry very much! Catchy song, easy-going vibe, especially because I am fond of dancing I like disco era aesthetics and video is just hilarious 😀 My guilty pleasure of the year.
7,5/10
I don’t find it dated. If you ask me, it has a vintage retro vibe on purpose.
41. San Marino – 2/10 – I want to like every entry… but sadly, I just can’t do it. For 2 years running, San Marino are my last place. I just don’t get the “feel sorry for the plucky underdog” mentality. This is a bad dance track that makes my toes curl and my body tighten in a fit of cringe-inducing exasperation. There is so much wrong with this, from the tired beat, the “super-jazzy” guitar/bass and synth brass, the lame lyrics, and the desperate desire to sound edgy with the over-use of a terrible word. Everything about it screams… Read more »