San Marino sends first act chosen in national final

Poor little San Marino only reached the final once in their eight Eurovision participations. After sending singer Valentina Monetta for the fourth time and finishing last in their semi final last year, they are at risk of becoming the laughing stock of Europe in the contest. Their team decided to organize their first national final and Jessika and Jenifer Brening won with their song ‘Who We Are’. Will they be able to turn the tide for San Marino?

Not trying to be a Debby Downer here, but that seems highly unlikely. San Marino borrowed a singer from Malta and a rapper from Germany, but the tune they came up with, just is not strong enough compared to most songs they are competing with. Admittedly, there is a decent chorus hidden in there somewhere, but for the dance pop sound they are after, it does not stand out enough. What does stand out, be it like a sore thumb, is the rap verse and the inevitable talking over the second chorus. It all comes across as something for the local talent competition at the town square, but not for Eurovision. The same goes for the lyrics about being able to be who you want to be, which we have heard a thousand times before and better. I’m afraid San Marino might end up last for a second year in a row…

Review of Semi Final Performance:
San Marino has only made it to the final once so far and it was clear from the start that Jessika and Jenifer Brening were not going to change that with their song ‘Who We Are’. There is a decent chorus hidden somehwere in this pop dance tune, but it just is not strong enough within its genre. The act with the robots was confusing, Jessika missed all the big notes in the last chorus and Jenifer Brening’s rap did not come across strong live on stage either. I am afraid San Marino might have finished last in their semi final for the second year in a row. (It later turned out San Marino finished 17th out of 18)

Read our other Eurovision 2018 reviews: ALBANIA – ARMENIA – AUSTRALIA –AUSTRIA – AZERBAIJAN – BELARUS –BELGIUM – BULGARIA – CROATIA – CYPRUS –CZECH REPUBLIC – DENMARK – ESTONIA – FINLAND – FRANCE – FYR MACEDONIA – GEORGIA – GERMANY – GREECE – HUNGARY – ICELAND –IRELAND – ISRAEL –ITALY – LATVIA – LITHUANIA –MALTA – MOLDOVA – MONTENEGRO – THE NETHERLANDS – NORWAY – POLAND – PORTUGAL – ROMANIA – RUSSIA – SERBIA – SLOVENIA – SPAIN – SWEDEN – SWITZERLAND – UKRAINE – UNITED KINGDOM