When Julia speaks. We listen. Here are her top six picks for this year's Eurovision Song Contest - artists she thinks will make the finals, songs that deserve to but mightn't make it, and songs she's ready to get up and dance to.
1. AUSTRALIA: Sound of Silence - Dami Im
Julia's verdict:
"I’m very excited that she’s going to be doing our song. She sounds amazing, and looks amazing! But most importantly she’s been through X-Factor, like Guy Sebastian who did Idol. So she’ll be okay with the pressure of a competition. I think she’ll definitely be in the top five."
2. FRANCE: J'ai Cherché – Amir
Julia's verdict:
"France is obviously on this list because I’m French. But this year we’re in with a chance! I can’t believe it! The lyrics are mostly in French, but the chorus is in English – *sings Youuuuu* – which gets everyone involved.
"And Amir is gorgeous! He wrote the song himself so he sings it authentically. And he seems naturally happy and genuinely excited to be doing Eurovision.
"As long as he keeps the staging good, France might be in the top five which hasn’t happen in a long time! It’s so catchy I will be very sad and very annoyed if he doesn’t."
“How the song comes off in the room is one thing, and how it comes off in the little screen is another.” – Julia Zemiro
3. SPAIN: Say Yay! - Barei
Julia's verdict:
"She’s so funky! I love the away she dances. And the room loves to dance! She seems very celebratory not like she’s trying to be a diva. It’s such a fun song and I’m assuming she’ll have some background dancers like she does in the video."
4. RUSSIA: You Are The Only One - Sergey Lazarev
Julia's verdict:
"Hmm, I think if you put everything you need for a Eurovision song into a computer, it’ll give you Russia. It’s got the right build, all the right key changes, the minor key bit, the lyrics are simple. And of course, Sergey’s easy to look at.
"But I do like Amir more. Sergey looks like he wouldn’t eat carbs. But Amir is French and if you’re French you have to eat bread."
“Sergey looks like he wouldn’t eat carbs. But Amir is French and if you’re French you have to eat bread.” – Julia Zemiro on how France’s Amir has stolen her heart.
5. BELGIUM: What’s The Pressure - Laura Tesoro
Julia's verdict:
"It’s really disco, very ‘70s. And we haven’t had a purely disco song in Eurovision for a while. Plus it’s one of those very catchy songs. You can hear it once and you kind of know it and can sing along. And Laura is gorgeous! She’s very bright and bubbly and people will enjoy dancing along with her. It might not make top five, but it should!"
6. ITALY: No Degree of Separation - Francesca Michielin
Julia's verdict:
"I’ll include her only if she’s still singing in Italian. But we don’t know yet. Oh wait, she is? It’s a bit of English and Italian? Good! I just love hearing Italian. I think it really works whether it’s opera or pop or rock. And she’s got a beautiful voice. Italy’s been doing some strong stuff lately. Strong stuff!"
