The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — has travelled to Norway to review the songs competing in Melodi Grand Prix 2019. Ten years on from their last win, we are looking for the next Norwegian “Fairytale”. The next song up for review is “We Try” by American Idol alum Chris Medina. Is Chris trying too hard or just the right amount? Read on to find out.
Chris Medina — “We Try”
“We Try” reviews
Izhar: Initially, I thought that this was just an average song, but to be honest, it has since grown on me. The song is very melodic and I like how it evolves from soft verses to a powerful chorus. I also like Chris’ vocals and soulfulness. The only problem here is that it can be perceived as a generic song —mostly by the public because the jurors are more likely to appreciate it — and as such it will be forgotten. The staging here is therefore crucial. Chris’ charisma and connection with the audience must be emphasised in order for this to stand out.
Score: 7.5/10
Julian: Chris Medina has such an impressive voice. This is very obvious in the verses. The melody immediately goes into one’s ears and the refrain is very catchy. To be honest, the first time hearing it, I immediately thought that this could be a David Guetta song from a few years ago but I don’t mean that in a negative way. “We Try” is one of the few songs where the 3 minutes feel like 40 seconds. This is one of my favourites in Norway. The only fear I have is if Chris can’t bring the same energy live.
Score: 7.5/10
Antranig: This is insanely catchy! I have had it on repeat since I first heard it and I’m absolutely in love. The message is strong and familiar, Chris Medina is charismatic and the chorus is absolutely delectable. It is definitely not explosive but its strength lies in its simplicity. “We Try” is simply a great pop track with flawless execution.
Score: 9/10
Antony: “We Try” has a modern and energetic beat with fantastic vocals. However the song does sound a bit linear as it does have a common sound. It is a solid entry with good production values which may do well together with appropriate staging.
Score: 7/10
Robyn: “We Try” has an odd feeling to it. Chris Medina is a likeable performer and delivers excellent vocals, and yet somehow he comes across like a guest vocalist singing on a superstar producer’s track. Sometimes the song feels bigger than the singer. It will be interesting to see how the live performance comes across — that will be what makes the performance.
Score: 7/10
Oliver: A modern and contemporary number with very good vocals but it doesn’t feel like anything revolutionary to me. While I appreciate the production value and professionalism of the song, it faded into the background a little bit after the first chorus. Nevertheless, a very respectable entry which could do well in the competition.
Score: 7/10
In our Melodi Grand Prix 2019 Wiwi Jury, we have 14 jurors but only room for 6 reviews. The rest of our scores can be found below:
| Sebastian: 9/10
Deban: 8/10 Florian: 7.5/10 Pablo: 6/10 |
Luis: 5/10
Renske: 7/10 Steinunn: 6/10 Bernardo: 6.5/10 |
Before calculating the average score, the highest and lowest scores are dropped. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 5 and a high of 9.
i personally like this song, i do however think Norway will go for spirit in the sky instead
i knew Chris Medina since american idol, he has really changed for the good, looks wise and voice wise too this is actually his first song in the EDM genre and it suits him really well
my score for him 8.5/10
It sounds a little outdated.
he should try harder
I really like this and would not mind it winning. Everyone knows that Chris can sing live so yeah, some good staging support and this will be AT WORST, better than what Estonia are sending.
I am impressed with the scores for MGP this year. Looks like MGP is turning out to be the best national preselection of the year based on these scores 🙂
You don’t need the scores to know that. It is definitely the strongest one this year.
We Try – It’s a pretty solid pop / EDM song, but it would be so much better if the beat isn’t so loud at all times. Chris’ voice is obviously strong and it can carry this song. If the instrumental was a bit more subtle, his voice and the lyrics would be more noticeable. The lyrics are quite nice for a ”typical” song too. It’s about giving your best and I appreciate that. The big plus here is that the chorus is memorable. – 6.5/10
I wanted to up it to 7/10, but the editing time expired, so – 7/10