Eurovision 2019 spotlight: San Marino's Serhat with "Say Na Na Na"...

I'm coming to the close of my spotlight on the entries in the first semi-finals for this year's Eurovision Song Contest being held in Tel Aviv, Israel next month (although there'll be a slight twist). If you wish to catch up on the series so far, you can do so by clicking here. And away we go...

Giving the sweet closing spot in the first semi-finals, which greatly helps their chances, is the tiny "microstate" republic of San Marino, located inside of Italy (as does the Vatican City). However as opposed to the Holy See's 800 permanent residents, this hilly land is home to more than 30,000 people, but still when the country started to compete in the annual event, it found itself often farming out for talent outside San Marino. Last year, Maltese singer Jessika and German singer Jenifer Brening (who replaced a Sammarinese artist who quit) represented the country with the lite-EDM style jam "Who We Are", and ended up placing 17th in the semi-final (not a surprise, the country has only qualified once - more later). It wasn't the worst they could do (and they had robots to boot), but it was so way beyond the level the other songs last year that it was pretty much forgotten. This year the country tossed their "national final" this was picked from that lasted only a year to go back to internally selecting the artist and song going to the contest. After scary rumors that the guy who had surgery to look like a Ken Doll was entering (probably started by himself), San Marino announced that Turkish TV host and singer Serhat will again compete in Israel. Serhat, born in Istanbul, was on Eurovision in 2016 with the song "I Didn't Know", which also failed to make the finals, going 12th in the semis (not a too bad showing though). In fact the song ended up reaching the American dance chart in a remake with Martha Wash, peaking at #25. That song was a cheesy post-disco romp, and he doesn't go too far this time out either...

San Marino - "Say Na Na Na" by Serhat

Well, i can say that the production of this cheesy post-disco romp is a bit better, inspiring booty-shaking from the get go. But as much as I cheer San Marino to make the finals, as many Eurovision fans are, I've got to be realistic about the song. I know that Serhat wrote the song to save the country from finding one (along with song doctor Mary Applegate, who stunningly co-wrote "The Power Of Love" for Jennifer Rush that Celine Dion took to #1), but they either ran out of budget or time to replace words for "Na Na Na" in the chorus? I mean really, "Say Na Na Na"? I sooooo still want to like this, and the music video is so epic in the Eurovision tradition, but man not one more day to come up with three syllables to be there?

Nevertheless, this song is damn catchy and its production could've easily won Eurovision in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Hell, it sounds like Army Of Lovers without the camp. And as I said, there's a groundswell of support to have the country make the final, and with the last in running order spot in the "weaker" of the final, there's a very good chance he'll squeak in. Whether he deserves to from this collection of 17 is another story. It will be harder than usual with both Italy and Malta voting in the second semi. I would still be rooting for it, but damn it I wish he made a real chorus here. (Rating 6/10)

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San Marino has been taking part in Eurovision since 2008, and out of their nine attempts so far, four of them were from Sammarinese singer and hometown heroine Valentina Monetta. And it's only fitting that she has been so far the only entry from here to reach the finals, ending up in 24th place ahead of Slovenia and France (!) in 2014 with "Maybe"...

But for me, I prefer her song "Crisalide (Vola)" ("Chrysalis (Fly)") from the year before, which just missed the final, placing 11th in 2013 (you need to be 10th and higher to qualify)...