Last week singer Tom Leeb debuted his Eurovision song “The Best In Me” with a dramatic performance atop the Eiffel Tower. The reception from fans was mixed, but now a new acoustic performance is giving the song new life.
Tom delivered the acoustic performance as part of an in-studio appearance on French radio station RTL’s show A la Bonne Heure. The show is hosted by Stephane Bern who is also the French Eurovision commentator.
Gone is the bombastic orchestral sound. Instead, Tom accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, joined by another guitar player.
The stripped-down arrangement lets Tom’s vocals shine. As well, the acoustic guitar sound brings a warmth to the performance, something perhaps less apparent from the studio version with the swelling orchestra.
The acoustic performance also has a fresher feeling to it, more reminiscent of the sort of male singer-songwriter style music that can be found in the pop charts around the world. It’s also the style of music Tom has previously released.
Should Tom Leeb perform the acoustic version of “The Best In Me” at Eurovision 2020?
As soon as the video was uploaded to YouTube, viewers commented that they had enjoyed the acoustic version much more than the studio version. People also noted that the folky style of the acoustic performance suited Tom’s personality better.
Some fans even suggested that France should perform an acoustic version of it as their Eurovision entry in Rotterdam.
i think this version suits your voice so much better, i'd love to hear it at eurovision
— harper (@purpleharper1) February 19, 2020
I jus sent a DM to Tom Leeb asking him to keep the acoustic version for eurovision, trying to save France from the bottom 5, let’s go team pic.twitter.com/9CS1lHVdHo
— Evelyn (@eveboriee) February 19, 2020
Following the enthusiastic reactions about the new version of ” The Best in Me”, Tom reacted on Instagram. He wrote, “I understand that some of you are surprised by the Eurovision version… but I am preparing a folk version”.
Broadcasters still have just over two weeks to submit their entries for Eurovision 2020 to the European Broadcasting Union. So, in theory, France could switch the orchestral version of “The Best In Me” with a new folk-style version.
What do you think? Should Tom Leeb perform the acoustic version at Rotterdam? Or should he stick with the studio version? Tell us your thoughts below.
The UK are not punished by Europe for anything other than sending songs that are mediocre at best and far below the general quality and power of your music industry. Are Michael Rice, SuRie, Electro Velvet, Molly, etc, mega successful or even moderately successful in the UK? No. Do people buy their records? No. Then don’t expect anyone else to do so either.
Don’t get bitter just get better.
dashing stud
It’s not with this song, that they will be able to put him naked on stage.
Wow, that is a billion times better! Tom needs to do that in Rotterdam for sure!
My opinion was asked, so…
Keep the full orchestral version, please.
Better yet, choose a different song entirely. There is still time to do so. (I’m serious.)
You’re not alone!
Although I agree with you for (probably) different reasons (as listed in my recently-approved comment below).
I would not change anything about this.
No keep the original. One less threat for Russia.
Wow. Boy can really sing! This acoustic set was adorable.
As a francophone, I quite like Tom’s song (the original version but especially this accoustic version). Truthfully its the kind of song you would hear on the radio here in Quebec, Canada. I wonder if its just a style of the song that just isnt as appealing outside of french speaking areas. Or perhaps Im just one of the odd ones out who likes this song
Un autre fan de l’Eurovision du Québec? Wah… faudra se rencontrer, on est si rare! 😛
haha toi aussi? t’habite à mtl j’imagine?
Non. Ville de Québec! 🙂
France should change their song ASAP! Just sell this one to San Marino, where they make a disco remix to be sung by Serhat and Valentina Monetta. Everybody wins.
Ahahahah 😀 Excellent deal! (I am French)
Serious question (although it may seem moronic): can France change the song to a different one altogether?
That HOD has internet, right? Can’t she see the reactions to the song?!?!?! P.S. I understand French, but I don’t trust myself to write ;))
Admittedly, this version is marginally better than the original, but not enough to get out of the 26th spot.
For me, this song was in the “not that bad (at all)” section ever since its’ release. Surprisingly, the accoustic version adds significantly more flavour to it. Somehow, every important aspect of the ‘entire package’ meets here: the artist, the song, the theme of the song. Yes, there are songs that go deeper in meaning, yes, there are artists who create vocal rollercoasters, yes, there are songs with more distinct flavour but what Tom gives us seems totally credible to me! 8/10
Hungary 1994, Ireland 1994, The Netherlands 2014, all had result in TOP 5
This is like an opposite of Serhat in 2016. I personally like his song but it is also a huge improvement to change it to the acoustic version. Also, maybe he could lessen the “you are” parts as they sound too repetitive.
If only the lyricist had thought of an alternative to all those “You Are”s. A few more minutes with a thesaurus and/or a rhyming dictionary would have been worth it.
I’d rather listen to Release Me than this.
I dont think it’s that bad actually, i just confused why people just keep bashing this song. For me both version is still listenable
Listenable means forgettable mean bottom 5
Same. It reminded me of Westlife. Also, nice name. I love that horror movie.
Yes, this is in fact a lot better and more suited for him. But sorry regardless of which version he sends it’s still placing 26th in the final…and doesn’t really deserve the automatic qualification to begin with.
Both versions sound like American church band music and that is NOT a compliment.
Just send the song back to sweden. Nothing good comes from the Lund:sons.
An acoustic version of a Bryan Adams song is not the recipe of sucess. They still have time to change the song to anything not writen by Lundvik and G:son aka the new Ralph Siegel
Using the acoustic version would be better, because at least the song would partially suit his vibe. But don’t get me wrong, the entry would still sound like a mistake made by the French delegation.
Tom himself seems to realize that the melfest reject is not the song for him…a different version cant save this game. Change the song completely.
Certainly better, but not sure if it will be enough to save this mess
Okay, France might actually do well if they have “The Best In Me” performed in its acoustic version instead of the power ballad version. No seriously. Now will Tom Leeb and the French delegation please do what Serhat did and actually listen to the fans suggestion to have a different version of the entry performed at the Eurovision. I know Serhat’s first try didn’t get him into the finals but I’m sure he would have done even worse if he had not listened to the fans’ suggestion to use the disco version of his song back then.
Bring back Bilal
It still has the 90s vibe and sounds more Bryan Adams. That’s a positive thing though. It sounds far better. So yeah, go ahead with the acoustic Tom.
Better, but it only narrows the gaping chasms that are the flaws in this song
That’s so much nicer! A bit less cliché.
Maybe because the folk version is closer to his own own style, it allows the song to sound more genuine and authentic?!
I actually quite like the song. I’m not sure why everyone is B!tch!ng about it..
I actually like the original version. But this is sounds very beautiful. It gives the song this more personal feeling. I wouldn’t mind if they went to esc with an acoustic version but I doubt they will.
I’d prefer a new song to be honest.
In more exciting news: snippets of Rosen’s five candidate songs for Romania are out, and WOW. All super radio-friendly, they show great range (really good ballads and at least one really good bop), and we know she can sing live. The trouble is the best one has a similar sound to Belgium (same half of the same semi), but hey, similar songs have made it through the same semi before. Romania are on a good track. I could see most of them qualifying.
What, is there something new to say about France that I missed?
The original version will bring France last place with 0 points.
The acoustic version will bring them last place with 1 point.
100% French will bring them last place with 2 points.
But people give them hope, and they don’t see that the problem is that the song is Brian Adams 1990. But their HoD thinks this is a good thing.
Why all this disapproval of this year’s French entry? Way above lots of the others so far (in my opinion)!
This is still underwhelming but this version is better. I would like it much more if it was sung entirely in French.
None of them.. I can’t believe France has done this. 2016,2017,2018,2019: so many great songs, but this year? It’s my last place (!) at the moment. Please change the song
The acoustic version sounds good, but he should be sing the whole song in French. For me the English lyrics are so cheap.
I think they will send an acoustic version to Rotterdam. Then France will probably place between 16 and 18, continuing their downfall trend since Amir. But it will still do better than the first version which would have definitely ranked 22-26.
This sounds far more in line with Tom’s previous output and the acoustic guitar disguises how generic the production is…it’s still not a great song and easily the worst thing France have sent since 2014 but it’s cute and less dull now.
All the 5 songs snippets by Roxen sound better that the French entry
Yes, please – do this version at ESC. It’s not perfect by far, but I think the only good thing about this song is Tom himself and his performence and here he shines the best.
I don’t think anything Will save the song right now.. Even if they have the best staging in the world.
They should do what some countries did in the past(Ukraine, Malta) and just send something else.
it’s not too late to scrap it entirely
Unpopular opinion…a bad song is a bad song. Embrace it! Go out there and Lundvik this up to the max. Give me MORE orchestra!
A good example would be Serhat 2016. That song was awful but it was GLORIOUSLY awful. Then, he released a half-ar*ed disco version that wasn’t as awful but was entirely forgettable. It did nothing in the Semi Finals and was forgotten. If he had stuck with the original, he would’ve been a Eurovision legend three years earlier.
Just a thought. 😉
Yup! So much better without the cheesy reality-singing-competition-winner’s-single production.
Nice to finally hear him live too. Pretty good live vocals. I have (more) hope now. Go France! 🙂
OMG please this has Tom Dice vibes and is totally more Tom Leeb than that version. So please begging you!
You’ve only posted the story where he answers to a fan but in the next stories, there was some videos and there’s a real change, we can’t even recognize the song, there’s guitar and drum, it sounds really folk and much more modern and personal. They need to keep that version for the contest if they want to avoid the bottom 5. Please Alexandra, ne fais pas l’idiote, mets ton égo de côté et fais les choses bien.
Anything would be better and more authentic, if we are being honest!
This seems to be more like his style!!
Okay… for realz France needs to consider doing this version instead of the one they originally released. The acoustic version sounds so much more authentic to him and changes the way the song sounds/feels(at least to me), like I hated Sweden’s and the UK’s song last year(and the same guy wrote this one right?)… but this version I didn’t get the same vibe and enjoyed it so much more.
Much better! Increases the chances so much.. Suits his voice much more and sounds more personal than the Disney version.. This has promise