Georgia’s context in recent ESC history consists of glamourous parties at Eurovision, Georgian wine, disturbing national finals, strong entries, decent results and Anri Jokhadze. This year – just like last year – broadcaster GPB is trusting in the benefits that an internal selection brings.

And so The Shin & Mariko are being sent to Copenhagen. Mariko Ebralidze is a popular jazz singer in her home country. “Shin” in English is a body part. It’s also a Korean name. However, the band’s name refers to the Georgian word for “home” (or did they really name themselves after the bone?). The Germany-based band’s style can be described as world music (which pretty much opens the doors for anything). They combine jazz and Georgian folk with inspirations from flamenco, oriental sounds and what I’d describe as something that sounds like Sami joik.

They may be earthbound in terms of their musical inspirations from practically every part of the Eurasian landmass, but – as their song title suggests – the whole package appears to be thoroughly extraterrestrial. In the preview video, The Shin & Mariko and various accompanying random people give the appearance of being the members of an alien hippie commune, surrounded by propellers, ladders and trees in a somewhat indefinable green-lit landscape in which it snows feathers. And there, in this space(ship?), they sing about returning to Earth – a process that apparently takes three minutes. What else can you say, really?

In other words, Three Minutes To Earth can’t be described. All I know is, after 3 minutes of being (up) high for whatever reason, we indeed land back on this planet again.

And my verdict? No doubt, this is the most interesting entry this year. It will be remembered, that’s for sure. But who on Earth would pay to help this climb on the scoreboard? And how will the juries rate it? If I have to make a decision, I’d assume it won’t make it to the final. But actually, it can’t be predicted, just as the song itself refuses to be defined by any kind of predictability. After all, I actually like this. In between all the polished and streamlined pop and ballads, there’s Three Minutes To Earth. And this is why I love Eurovision. 

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