CITY LIGHTS 

BLANCHE

SECHUK JURY

Rating

 256/320 (80%)

INTERNATIONAL JURY

BELGIUM

INT

JURY TOTAL

121.5

Amar

Since when has Belgium become a Eurovision powerhouse? This is phenomenal! Very modern and even a bit experimental. The song is captivating and mysterious from start to finish -- I feel like I could hear this both at a coffee shop and remixed at a club. Definitely a contender for the win! 

10

Benedek

This is a modern song with 2017 fresh sounding. Belgium will go easily in the final and will be a top 10 contender. Good effort good song good singer. I like it a lot.

9

Christos

Guys, is this year’s Grand prix or not.? A modern song with an amazing voice and performance. It sounds to me like a song of Hooverphonic or Anne Clark… the Belgian adorable music scene of the 80’s. This video clip is one of the best of this year’s preview clips. I think that its time for the contest to renovate the style of the participant songs and the stage performance of them. Enough is enough with all that phantasmagoric acts. Come on Belgium the time has come…

10

Daria

This is what I usually listen to and what is not so typical to Eurovision. Very modern sound and with Blanche’s voice it sounds very integral. Now I’m curious to watch what they will bring on stage in May!

10

Douwe

Belgium have upped their game recently and are clearly in it to win it. This  is deep, dark, moody and modern. Avant-garde, layered, innovative, relevant and captivating with hints of Birdy, Kodaline, Lorde and Lana Del Rey. The deep vocal is outstanding. This is sailing into the final. The only criticisms here are that it remains flat (a key change maybe for the last chorus ?), the ending is a bit strange and it is slightly repetitive. Creative staging could bring this to the top 5 and if someone is going to steal the trophy from Francesco it could well be Blanche.

8.5

Elena

This is one of those half tempo songs I just can't with. If a song can sound lazy, this one definitely does.  I usually like a deep female voice, but to this song it only makes it sound even sleepier.

3

Frederico

It is beyond me how this song is one of the favourites to win this year. What an immense bore. And Blanche needs to improve her diction as it’s barely impossible to understand what she is saying.

2

José

I'm not sure if this song is for Eurovision. But what I know it's a total grower on me, with a very modern and apealing style for my ears, that can make a brilliant show in Kiev .

8

Mark L

A bit of an Adele thing going on here. Seems to be very hot with the bookmakers, but I have to say does nothing for me

4.5

Melissa

This song is beautiful, the clip is gorgeous, her voice is unique but totally suitable to the song. This is a wonderful example of atmospheric synth-pop and I hope that they manage to stage it in a way that warrants the top-5 finish the song deserves.

10

Octavio

This song is amazing, fresh, modern and dark, at the same time. It's amazing. It's actually freaking awesome, and that ending. So original!. 

10

Paul C

I love this one and it could be a very good result for Belgium again this year. Love this melancholic and dark sides of this song. Wouldn't be unhappy to see this winning.

10

Pia

Ok, I can listen to this, but it´s not my favourite .....

6

Roberto

It seems you have listen to it a million times somewhere else. Monotonous and bland, partly weak and inconclusive. It leaves me cold.

4.5

Roy

I was not so impressed with the video, in fact it seemed like an endless walk through passages with lights going on, it really distracted me but the song alone is not bad and actually tends to stay with you.

7

Samantha

Super-chill, super-modern, super-catchy, and I can't WAIT to see what they do with their staging! It doesn't build too much, but that kind of works with this...feels more hypnotic. Love it.

9

UNITED KINGDOM JURY

BELGIUM

UK

JURY TOTAL

134.5

Andrew G

This is very good quality, and it is instant, and different, i like this very much, deserves a win or a top 3

10

Danny

Now this is something different! This is SO 2017 and I absolutely LOVE Blanche's deep vocals. The production is so interesting and I love the layers in the song and how it builds. I never expected this from Belgium but this is just outstanding. I really think this could do VERY well for plucky little Belgium !

9

David B

A dose of Lana del Misery with a spoonful of Blondie thrown in for good measure. Blanche manages to be doom-laden and uptempo at the same time and I'm looking forward to seeing her stage presentation. I'm not totally sure why I like this one but I do.

7

David E

Wow!  Surely this will be one of the most contemporary sounding songs in the contest this year.  Belgium have played a blinder with Blanche’s dark and moody electro-stomper!  This is mega! 

9

Dean

A really tricky one to judge this. Very modern production and a really nice vibe to the song.  I think I’ll end up really liking this, and I can’t wait to see the stage presentation.  On first listen I wasn’t sure if I’d heard the chorus, but now I know where it is, I like it.  Compared to some of the more generic uptempo pop songs this does feel fresh and current. Deserves to do really well.  Top 10.

8

Eddie

Great modern track – a deeper tone for a woman! I can’t wait to see the performance of this. I hope they pull off something magical. Very current and hopefully the third Top 10 finish for them in 3 years.

9

Edward

I am a Pet Shop Boys fan, so I appreciate this!  Androgynous synth pop is an unusual and brave choice.  The innovative pop video demonstrates that visual effects and careful stylization are key for our understanding, but there is the risk of becoming pretentious and aloof.  Staging is therefore key.

8.5

Gary

A surprisingly deep voice with a pretty haunting production. Belgium is having a good few years at Eurovision and this deserves a decent placing. It rolls along nicely and I’m expecting an imaginative presentation. Top 5? Very possibly… but its out of my top favourites list because I can’t listen to this more than once. Favourites I want to play on repeat but I find her voice too depressing for that.

6

Joe  

Wow this is good. It's very dark, and with the right staging this could look really effective.

9

Kevin

Belgium presents Blache with city lights this year, I was not expecting this, sort of stop me in my tracks and put in a trance, nice little mild electro number which is getting a lot of positive feedback, think we are looking at a final contender…

9

Lloyd

A good contender for the top spot this year, a contemporary modern song that puts you in a trace. I believe with good staging this has potential to go far.

8

Mark M

Belgium keep up their good recent form with another contemporary pop song that will sail into the final and will likely do really well.  Blanche has such an usual voice and I'm not sure it's as instant as their previous two entries but I like it a lot.

8

Martin

RTBF have done it again - "City Lights" would not sound out of place on Radio 1. Blanche's distinctive vocal style and the electro pop interspersed with the breaks and relentless drum beats gives us this year's most interesting song.  Non-fans loved "If Love Were A Crime" last year - they'll flock to this one in 2017...

9

Matt

I do like this although her voice is perhaps a little too deep as it is near to being a mumble?  Quite atmospheric but will it be better in studio form than on stage?

7

Nico

Wow, wow, wow! What dark wizardry is this?  Is this really the same broadcaster that internally selected an Elvis impersonator to represent them? It spooks me, gives me goosebumps and sends shivers down my spine. This is simply spellbinding and somehow three minutes too short. If they can work their Loïc hoodoo on the staging the shadowy Blanche is surely going to bewitch the whole of Europe . There is of course only one word to describe this, MAGIC! 

10

Sally-Ann

Well, this is a surprise!  A downbeat voice heralds the most fabulously fresh dance tune that could come straight from an uber trendy Made in Chelsea soundtrack.  The stage performance should sort it out - deserved winner.

8