Benny Cristo brings the party from Czech Republic in Eurovision
Not a lot of Eurovision fans were convinced of the Czech Republic’s chances in Eurovision 2020. Benny Cristo won their online national final with his bop ‘Kemama’, inspired by African beats and rhythms. Somehow, I seemed to be one of the few who believed that the Czechs could actually have reached top 10 with an energetic staging to underline the swinging nature of the song. The Czech broadcaster showed they have faith in Cristo too as they asked him back to give it another go this year, after the cancellation of last year’s contest. In 2021, he will will represent his country with the song ‘Omaga’.

Cristo wrote the tune himself, with Filip Vlcek producing. Cristo opted for a song that is just as swinging as his entry last year, but at the same time sounds completely different than its predecessor. Gone are the African influences, as they made way for a more funky groove. ‘Omaga’ (oh my God) is an upbeat, happy love song on which Cristo admires the girl he fell in love with. I have to admit that ‘Kemama’ was more instantly impactful to these ears, but ‘Omaga’ has some seriously catchy hooks too with the kind of carefree and happy vibe Europe needs after months of lockdown.

Cristo already showed last year that he is an energetic performer with a good voice and slick moves. If he can translate this energy and the positive vibes of the song into an effective staging, I could still see the Czech Republic sail into the final. Having said that, the tune will need some very strong visuals to be remembered in a competition like Eurovision. Cristo recorded a music video for the song in which he enacts different famous movie scenes. His happiness on screen is contagious and that is exactly what he will need to bring across in May.

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