Eurovision Song Context - Episodes Tagged with “Eurovision Analysis”

Episode 84: Eurovision 2026: This Feels Off- with Mark Bowden

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Episode References

United Kingdom – Look Mum No Computer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niMKvJ-Itq8

San Marino – Senhit (Adrenalina, Live 2021):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOQe-fQSFxg

San Marino – Senhit ‘Superstar’ (National Performance 2026):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOQe-fQSFxg

Boy George – ‘Miss Me Blind’ (see approx. 1:07:12):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkDWe3xS718

France – Monroe ‘Regarde !’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujoCYrvvTYQ

Finland – Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen ‘Liekinheitin’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bfwNIYb96Q

Eurovision Odds:
https://eurovisionworld.com/odds/eurovision

Episode 66, Mark talks ESC 2025:
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=2

Episodes 38/19, Mark talks ESC 2024:
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=4

Boy George Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EgT39WsFf0&t=13s

Mark Bowden

Official site:
https://truthplane.com/

Mark's Truth and Lies: What People Are Really Thinking
https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Lies-People-Really-Thinking-ebook/dp/B072L52J3D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3W19IBJF1NRZK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gg3FDkL8MMtgU7OW_-lBvDDi4pT47WY8dCZwgx1HxlIb5pGIsIFV6tA1NDyswSQia-F94q14CLEsOAH839MdIPI9eRDgDHanfTYk6oaLjTM.Ziln-trJvfT61cPzwGZwpGvG5g-3iAzjXHn8W6v3CsI&dib_tag=se&keywords=mark+bowden+book%2C+truth+and+lies&qid=1776132760&sprefix=mark+bowden+book%2C+truth+and+lie%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1

Episode 83: Love It or Side Eye: Eurovision 2026 Breakdown with Russ

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Bradley is joined by Russ from EuroRiffs to break down the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 lineup. No fluff, no over-editing, just real reactions.

Songs:

Why Greece’s “Ferto” (Akylas) is a top contender
Mixed reactions to Australia’s Delta Goodrem and big ballads this year
Whether songs like Estonia, Norway, and Armenia have enough to qualify
The ongoing debate around lyrics vs performance vs staging
Why some entries feel “very Eurovision”… and others feel like they could come from anywhere
Which songs risk getting lost in the semi-finals—and which might sneak through

Plus: staging worries, jury vs televote dynamics, and early predictions for who could land top 5—or miss the final entirely.

🎵 Songs Covered in This Episode

Episode 82: Festival da Canção / SAMAs 2026: Double Sleepy or Deeply Portuguese? with Sheldon Rocha Leal

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400

Episode Links - Festival da Canção / SAMAs
FESTIVAL DA CANCAO 2026
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Festival+da+Cancao+2026

NAPA ROSA
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Napa+Rosa+Festival+da+Cancao

DENISE MOTTA JURE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Denise+Motta+Jure

SANDRINO DISPOSTO A TUDO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Sandrino+Disposto+a+Tudo

JOAO RIBEIRO CANCAO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Joao+Ribeiro+Cancao

SILVANA PERES NAO TEM FIM
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Silvana+Peres+Nao+Tem+Fim

NUNCA MATES O MANDARIM FUMO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Nunca+Mates+o+Mandarim+Fumo

INES SOUZA UM FILME AO CONTRARIO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ines+Souza+Um+Filme+ao+Contrario

SAMAs / SOUTH AFRICA

KABZA DE SMALL IMITANDAZO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Kabza+De+Small+Imithandazo

ZAHARA LOLIWE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Zahara+Loliwe

MAFIKIZOLO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Mafikizolo

TYLA WATER
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tyla+Water

BEATENBERG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FavE84Mmc7s

Loved Sheldon on this episode?
Dive into his past appearances on Eurovision Song Context:

• Episode 64: Bonus: Eurovision 2025 Sanremo / Festival da Canção
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=2
• Episode 65: (follow-up episode)
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=2
• Episode 49: (Part 1) Milli Vanilli
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=3
• Episode 50: (Part 2) Milli Vanilli
https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/?page=3

Episode 81: SanRemo 2026: Old-Old vs Young-Old with Sheldon Rocha Leal

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Podcast Show Notes - Links
SANREMO 2026
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Sanremo+2026

SAL DA VINCI PER SEMPRE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Sal+Da+Vinci+Per+Sempre

FULMINACCI STUPIDA SFORTUNA
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Fulminacci+Stupida+Sfortuna

ARISA MAGICA FAVOLA
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Arisa+Magica+Favola

FEDEZ MARCO MASINI MALE NECESSARIO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Fedez+Marco+Masini+Male+Necessario

SERENA BRANCALE QUI CON ME
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Serena+Brancale+Qui+Con+Me

J AX ITALIA STARTER PACK
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=J+Ax+Italia+Starter+Pack

DITONELLAPIAGA CHE FASTIDIO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ditonellapiaga+Che+Fastidio

JONI MITCHELL BOTH SIDES NOW LIVE
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Joni+Mitchell+Both+Sides+Now+live

WE ARE THE WORLD DOCUMENTARY
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=We+Are+The+World+documentary

CELINE DION IF YOU ASKED ME TO
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Celine+Dion+If+You+Asked+Me+To

WHITNEY HOUSTON I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Whitney+Houston+I+Will+Always+Love+You

DOLLY PARTON I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Dolly+Parton+I+Will+Always+Love+You

Loved Sheldon on this episode?
Dive into his past appearances on Eurovision Song Context:

Episode 79: (Part 2) Zero Stars, Nul Points: June Thomas on Failure, Cynicism, and Eurovision

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 17:00:00 -0500

Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

Lucy Mangan — All’s Fair review — “Kim Kardashian’s divorce drama is fascinatingly, existentially terrible”
The Guardian — 4 Nov 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/04/alls-fair-review-kim-kardashian-divorce-drama-is-fascinatingly-existentially-terrible

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

Episode 78: (Part 1) Zero Stars, Nul Points: June Thomas on Failure, Cynicism, and Eurovision

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500

Links to June’s Newsletter!
https://buttondown.com/WhereAre

—

June Thomas — Book

A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture

Amazon US
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Place+of+Our+Own+June+Thomas

—

Podcasts by June Thomas

Working (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/working

The Waves (Slate)
https://slate.com/podcasts/the-waves

Outward (Slate LGBTQ podcast)
https://slate.com/podcasts/outward

Culture Gabfest (June as contributor / alum)
https://slate.com/podcasts/culture-gabfest

—

Eurovision Songs Discussed in This Episode

Jemini – “Cry Baby” (United Kingdom, 2003)
Placement: 26th of 26 — 0 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTV8GUwzRjw

Go-Jo – “Milkshake Man” (Australia, 2025)
Placement: 11th of 16 in Semi-Final 2 — televote only — did not qualify
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lSsijRZmrs

Jendrik – “I Don’t Feel Hate” (Germany, 2021)
Placement: 25th of 26 — 3 points
YouTube (music video — song begins ~1:00):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydgxZnHFLi4

Jeangu Macrooy – “Birth of a New Age” (Netherlands, 2021)
Placement: 23rd of 26 — 11 points
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Fag4yajxk

Olly Alexander – “Dizzy” (United Kingdom, 2024)
Grand Final placement: 24th of 26
Points: 46 (Jury 46 / Televote 0)
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4lu8pVGHlA

Remember Monday – “What the Hell Just Happened?” (United Kingdom, 2025)
Placement: 19th of 26
Jury: 88 — Televote: 0
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfeSxNubBQE

—

Guardian Review Referenced

—

Other Guardian context discussed

Zero-star review roundup reference (Guardian feature)
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/05/the-guardian-has-only-ever-published-15-zero-star-reviews-here-they-all-are

Commentary on star-rating / zero-star precedent (related debate)
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/06/one-to-zero-star-reviews

—

Article June Mentioned — Olivia Nuzzi memoir discourse

Slate — review of “American Canto”
https://slate.com/culture/2025/12/olivia-nuzzi-rfk-donald-trump-ryan-lizza-book.html

—

Optional background links for listeners

Jeangu Macrooy — Birth of a New Age (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_of_a_New_Age

Olly Alexander — Eurovision 2024 entry overview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_in_the_Eurovision_Song_Contest_2024

—

Show page & archive

https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm

—

Episode 75: (Part 2) Eurovision: When Life Drops a Plot Twist

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Open When: Songs for Life’s Hard Moments — Episode Shownotes

Sheldon’s Journey Articles
The Journey (I) – Dec 2022:
https://shelrochaleal.medium.com/the-journey-decb793f390d

The Journey II – Dec 2023:
https://shelrochaleal.medium.com/the-journey-ii-b9c5a37b40cc

The Journey III – Jan 2025:
https://shelrochaleal.medium.com/the-journey-iii-b52fd3ed2fbc

PLAYLIST — YouTube Links (Plain Text)

A. When It’s Hard to Be with Yourself

The Roop – “On Fire” (Lithuania 2020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EAUxuuu1w8

Diodato – “Fai Rumore” (Italy 2020)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx3ksX7K-1A

Blanche – “City Lights” (Belgium 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVZvz3j5AgE

KEiiNO – “Spirit in the Sky” (Norway 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1fl60ypdLs

B. When It’s Hard to Be with Other People

Maraaya – “Here for You” (Slovenia 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lWBDm7bm0M

Konstrakta – “In corpore sano” (Serbia 2022)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr7E8zK5fF8

Loïc Nottet – “Rhythm Inside” (Belgium 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JNxeraWCn8

Michael Schulte – “You Let Me Walk Alone” (Germany 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE2oS0NzVbg

C. When It’s Hard to Be with Your Feelings

Salvador Sobral – “Amar pelos dois” (Portugal 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qotooj7ODCM

The Common Linnets – “Calm After the Storm” (Netherlands 2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYOC-wfE5pQ

S10 – “De Diepte” (Netherlands 2022)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tRdbXVHVk

Zibbz – “Stones” (Switzerland 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaI5T0io798

Aisel – “X My Heart” (Azerbaijan 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZtG6bUtiE8

Bonus Songs Discussed

Brotherhood of Man – “Kisses for Me” (United Kingdom 1976)
https://youtu.be/6OW1JJwqVRQ?si=9CuhjWPps1zOjmbX

Cesár Sampson – “Nobody But You” (Austria 2018)
https://youtu.be/a8Yvzo1puoE?si=qvBly9XqIkc_CcsG

my email: eurovisionsongcontext@gmail.com

Episode 76: (Part 1) Eurovision: When Life Drops a Plot Twist

Bradley Dalton-Oates — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 -0500