Will Jamie-Lee's Sailor Deutschland cosplay give Germany a "Ghost" of a chance at Eurovision?
Country: Germany
Song Title: "Ghost"
Artist: Jamie-Lee Kriewitz
Last year's entry: "Black Smoke" - Ann Sophie (26th Place (Tied with Nil Points))
When I first wrote about Germany's entry -- "Ghost" by Jamie-Lee -- it was based solely on audio and a lyrics video rather than the performance from Unser Lied fur Stockholm. Here's that performance, which is reportedly going to be close to what we will see in Stockholm:
Will Sailor Deutschland allow her country to improve from its disappointing((Embarrassing?)) finish in Vienna? I've warmed up to the song slightly since its selection, though it wouldn't be my first choice for a Eurovision Greatest Hits collection. If this song had to compete in the semi-finals, I could see it succeeding in the first semi-final, though it would probably be riding the bubble. I have a tough time imagining a scenario where Jamie-Lee could advance out of the second semi-final, with her look being the only thing to distinguish "Ghost" from Switzerland's "Last of Our Kind" or Slovenia's "Blue and Red."
So, if a song couldn't qualify out of both semi-finals, how does that translate to predicting success in the Final? I fear this may be more bad news for Germany, as the songs that are expected to advance have power, are a bit more uptempo, and aren't so dang passive in their storytelling. Even of the six autoqualifiers, "Ghost" lacks a sense of... fun isn't quite the word, but it's along those lines. If the songs were guests at a party, this one feels like the one hanging out by the punch bowl telling anyone within earshot about how bad its day was. Dressing like a pinata doesn't automatically bring the party vibe.
Does Germany have to worry about another nil score? Possibly. I don't see juries ranking this in their top 10, especially if the performance is based mostly in stage decor rather than active presentation. Even if viewers want a sad song to send votes to, Serbia, Ukraine, and Sweden have much more pop-friendly downers in the mix.
Sorry, Germany, but you have become a "Ghost" of your Eurovision self from the past few years.