In February, during the final of Eurovision: Australia Decides 2020, Dami Im delivered a sensational performance as a special guest. But she also revealed that she wanted to throw her hat in the ring for Australia’s Eurovision 2021 selection. Angels sounded. Eurofans Down Under — and Up Here In Europe — rejoiced.
But with Montaigne’s Eurovision 2020 participation pushed back to 2021 because of the pandemic, Dami won’t have the chance to compete in a national final. Thankfully she will have the chance to perform her would-be entry “Paper Dragon”, which is out now.
Scroll down for the music video
“I am so thrilled to share my new single with you,” she says on Instagram, working a dramatic red eye. “It’s called ‘Paper Dragon.’ I co-wrote it with ELKI and it’s produced by Konstantin Kersting.”
“It’s an anthem telling your doubters who you really are, that ‘I am a dragon.'”
“I originally had considered this song for my entry toward Eurovision next year. But since everything has changed now, and I didn’t want to wait, I decided to release the song anyway.”
Dami worked with an Italian stop-motion animator, who created the whole video using paper cutouts. It’s a delicate and endearing way to present a song about inner strength and unleashing the beast within.
The verses are light and bouncy — but listen closely and the picture isn’t so cute. Dami is being underestimated and misunderstood. The repetition of the lyrics suggests it’s habitual.
Colour me in, scribble me out, tear me up, throw me out
Colour me in, scribble me out, tear me up up up into tiny pieces,
You say I’m nonsense
Thankfully Dami is a lot stronger than paper, and she’s ready to breathe fire.
I am a dragon, I got magic powers
Don’t even try, don’t even try, I’ll fly for hours
Are you loving Dami’s feel-good song as much as we are? Would you have loved to see this on the Eurovision stage? Let us know down below!
Paper Dragon lyrics — Dami Im
Colour me in scribble me out tear me up, throw me out
Colour me in scribble me out tear me up up up into tiny pieces,
You say I’m nonsense
Figure me out, analyse me scratch me out, start again
Figure me out, analyse me scratch me out into tiny pieces,
You say I’m useless
Well, You try to stamp me out, but I’ll come to life
You try to burn me up, but I’ll never die
I am a dragon, dragon, I breathe fire
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight watch and admire
I am a dragon, I got magic powers
Don’t even try, don’t even try, I’ll fly for hours
Sticky tape me re-arrange me throw me out, start again
Re-use me, confuse me
Shred me up, up into little pieces, you say I make no sense
O you don’t own me, I don’t think you’re fair
Try to destroy me, I don’t care
I am a dragon, dragon, I breathe fire
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight watch and admire
I am a dragon, I got magic powers
Don’t even try, don’t even try, I’ll fly for hours
I’ll be staring down at you when you look up into the sky
You thought you pushed me down but I am flying high
And I will fly
Watch me fly high, watch me fly high
I am a dragon, dragon, I breathe fire
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight watch and admire
I am a dragon, I got magic powers
Don’t even try, don’t even try, I’ll fly for hours
I am a dragon, dragon, I breathe fire
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight, watch and admire
I am a dragon, I got magic powers
Don’t even try, don’t even try, I’ll fly for hours
And I will fly
You can’t figure me, figure me out
Ooh Ooh
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight
Watch and admire
Don’t try to fight, don’t try to fight
Watch and admire
Incredible voice and the video is so clever.
We love ALL love Dami… and we all think there is magic behind this song after she does have “…magic powers”, but this was not a winning song. Australia’s national final is one of the strongest, and I just don’t think this would have even won that, let alone make it to the grand final of ESC and try for 2nd… but we LOVE DAMI IM
The song does nothing to show off the uniqueness and power of her voice. Honestly, it would have a hard time getting out of the semis.
I love Dami Im. She really does have a great voice and a presence when she performs. However, for some reason, I don’t think she has yet to put out a good, original song. It’s almost as if she doesn’t know how good she actually is and settles on generic, safe, forgettable pop when she’s clearly capable of so much more.
What might have been. I guess we’ll never know now. The song is very JESC friendly as well, I thought – did anyone else think that?
Yes, it sounds like a positive empowerment song specially made for children 😀
Enjoyable poppy tune. I doubt it would’ve won but could’ve placed top 10 as it has quality and meaning.
a little too major and positive 4 me but that’s just my own taste, hope Dami will return in 2022 with a better song
It’s a song you have to see performed on stage with all the power of the voice of Dami, and yes it could have been impactful in an NF or even in the Esc, it was the same with the Sound of silence, not a studio version really impactul, but on stage it was something.
I really enjoy it, doubt it would achieved the 2nd place, but top 10 would be really likely!
Not as good as her previous songs. I’m a big Dami Im fan but I’m not feeling this one yet. Mind you, I didn’t like Montaigne’s at first but it grew on me!
I like the song, but i doubt it would have been a contender.
I just know that Dami would have gone all out on the ad libs and vocal runs towards the end of this song – would have elevated this song just like Sound of Silence
Love the song! Too bad she doesn’t get to bring this to the Eurovision stage. Would love to listen her ad-lib the hell out of the final minute… That would’ve been glorious.
Dami belongs to the same group as Eleni and Kristian: I like her a lot, but I’ve seen what I need to see of her at Eurovision. Plenty more fish in the sea. We can cherish what she brought to the table in 2016 and support her new work.
kinda like it.
It’s great. Would’ve been an interesting entry. I think this is a song that Montaigne should gun for because it would allow her to do some of her crazy stuff on stage and it wouldn’t feel “weird”. At the same time, Australia has soooooo many artists I would like to see at Eurovision and I personally don’t need to see Dami another year again.
Yea no thanks :/
Good, cus unfortunetaly I dont like it and i think it wouldnt do well at esc, so i hope she comes up with a better song for 2022
It doesn’t sound like a Eurovision song, more like a theme song for a kids cartoon about a dragon. Dami should make another attempt in 2021 with a better song.
But Montaigne… she was confirmed for 2021… you sure you didn’t mean to say 2022? Eventhough it seems Dami Im wouldn’t really be of presence then