Its official, we here at EQ Music are in full blown Eurovision mode!
So, let’s continue to look at what pop gems are heading Stockholm shall we?
Next up we have Norway’s entry Agnete with ‘Icebreaker’
Agnete Kristin Johnsen (Known simply as Agnete) only comes in at a ripe age of 21 but quite the credentials under her belt. Since 2008 she had been right out in the public eye fronting the teen punk band The BlackSheeps. In the same year of their formation (2008) the band had gone on to win Melodi Grand Prix Junior with their song ‘Oro Jaska,Beana’ (be quiet, dog). In November of 2008, the group won MGP Nordic 2008 after obtaining more than half the votes. With a number one single and a shaken lineup to the band, they would enter Melodi Grand Prix 2011 with their song ‘Dance Tonight’ ultimately ending the competition in 2nd. Later in 2011, the band would sadly split.
Since the breakup, Agnete would compete in and win the 2014 edition of Norway’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (‘Dancing with the Stars’ elsewhere). Since 2013, Agnete has begun to shed that punk image of her youth whilst transitioning into a more pop oriented sound. Now she’s ready to bring it to the Eurovision stage with ‘Icebreaker.’
‘Icebreaker’ is a very uniquely structured pop track. You enter in with a very gentle electro melody in the verse, then the tempo drops quickly. It is quite jarring if you don’t expect it. The tempo change may have been placed in there to give that added immersive element that she is breaking into help this romantic partner out of his or her own personal dismay. By using that bit of metaphor in the lyrics: I’ll be your Icebreaker, when you’re stuck in frozen water; you get a better sense of how deeply serious the situation is for the romantic interest.
I would be very surprised if ‘Icebreaker’ doesn’t gain much traction in the charts leading up to the finals this year. A very popular modern pop song may give Agnete the upper hand in the new voting system implemented. Remember, you, the viewer have much more power at your fingertips! She could give some of the top 2% a run for the top spot.
Will she break into the competition like an ‘Icebreaker’? Or will she melt away faster than the icecaps? We’ll have to wait until 12 May to find out! Until then, Stay tuned for more Eurovision coverage right here on EQ Music Blog!