Armenia: Srbuk – Walking Out

Martin: Whatever your thoughts about the producer-determined running order, we all enjoy guessing which countries will be chosen to open and close the shows.

The general assumption is that the semi-final opener has to be a relatively up-tempo number that’s easy to engage with. Makes sense, right? And in that respect, like many, I always thought of Srbuk’s “Walking Out” as a potential song 1 and was unsurprised to see it given that slot.

What I didn’t think it was was a particularly great song. But I’m pleased to say it’s grown on me a lot, to the extent that I’m starting to actively like it now. Which might seem to contradict what I said about the producers putting an instant song on first, but then I’m not really the core audience for this kind of in-your-face, borderline-aggressive track – so if even I’m getting it, that should bode well for Armenia to at least make a return to the final following their failure to qualify last year.

How well they do once they get there will depend on the effectiveness of the staging – the video shows promise, at least – and on not making the whole thing so dark that it alienates the average viewer. But there’s potential in here, definitely.

Felix: It gets a bit tiresome to say once again within this line-up check series that I don’t remember a song. That’s why I will actively play it now. Ah yes, the chorus I  remember, and it’s quite OK. But it doesn’t make me want to listen to the rest of the song.

Shi: Honestly, my biggest problem with “Walking Out” is that, when it starts, it sounds like it’s going to be way different and more out there than it actually is. But I really like it anyway, so oh well. I suppose I can live with that.

video and title image source: eurovision.tv