Slovenia SLOVENIA 2021 - Ana Soklič - Amen

[escYOUnited]

Hey child
Why ya hiding from the light?
Why ya cowering in fright?

Don’t tell yourself
The heavens cast you out
And you’ve fallen from grace

You’ll get beaten and bruised
You’ll be scarred unto your core
But it’s gonna make you who you are

When ya learn to heal
When ya learn to rise again
You can tell the sun, “Amen”

Hallelujah
We’re gloriousl
Hallelujah,
The day is dawning!
The storm’s relentless
But everybody knows
Everybody knows
We’re born to the fight

Hey child
The fear’ll never go away
Might as well accept it now

Learn to persevere.
Learn to count your blessings down
Greet the future with Amen

Hallelujah
We’re gloriousl
Hallelujah
The day is dawning!
The storm’s relentless
But everybody knows
Everybody knows
We’re born to the fight

Not until the rain has stopped,
Not until the thunder’s hushed
Are we at rest, are we at peace…
Just imagine it
Not until the storm has passed,
Not until it’s quiet
Can the heart that’s broken cry.

Hallelujah
We’re gloriousl
Hallelujah
The day is dawning!
The storm’s relentless
But everybody knows
Everybody knows
We’re born to the fight

Hey child
Why ya hiding from the light?​

 

[BorisBubbles]

just a friendly reminder that one of the most iconic performances in eurovision history was also a song about Jesus

Juliana Pasha, so epic and devout she performed for the nazi pope

I have no actual problems with 'Amen' being religious. Ana has always been known for her devout Catholicism and it was present in 'Voda' as well. The problem for *me* though is that Ana said she wouldn't do something like this to placate the fans and then did it anyway. She lied to me. WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME, ANA, I THOUGHT LYING WAS A SIN IN CHRISTIANITY???!???

also the song is basically a religious 'Fall From The Sky' and I have ZERO time for that piece of musical iceberg lettuce. 'Fall from the sky' is a musical nothing, and 'Amen' is likewise. So BYE, you lose, and also are worse than Spain GOODBYE ANA. Best of luck qualifying in a competitive, ruthless semifinal from slot #02 x0x0.

 

[hawadharma]

At least Voda was a bit melodic.

 

[opinionsigotem]

I actually hate the way it builds up sorry! It starts off really well and Ana's voice is perfect - but then it gets to that ending with the gospel chorus and the screaming and we're in the most basic talent show winner cliché BS territory. Can't be bothered.

 

[mauve]

I woke up and thought that maybe today after my long sleep I would see this entry being better ... but unfortunately it isn't and my huge disappointment is still there. Putting the lyrics aside, the song itself is just weak. It would have been so without knowing "Voda" which I truly loved. But the verses of "Amen" are weak (not her voice!), and the chorus is just something we heard so many times before. So apart from her stunning voice, the song is just a disappointment for me. I even had to downgrade it. Sorry, Ana.

 

[Ezio]

Who started the negativity contest in this forum this year? Covid19?

 

[Carian]

just a friendly reminder that one of the most iconic performances in eurovision history was also a song about Jesus

Oh hello Carian I am watching my tongue. Tough love, as we say.


Personally, I thought she was live simply because there was a bad mixing between her voice and the pre-recorded choir. However, it is possible that her voice was a pre-recorded live. We'll find out once the studio version is released. Often in EMA, interval acts lip-sync to pre-recorded live vocals.

I know I know. I was kidding. I am really indifferent to ESC this year. Too much on my plate personally. I came here last evening to see what people are saying. Well, I like the song and Ana is strong vocalist. And I still have good feeling about the song - ESC forums are only rarely right lately about the winners. So, people hate it? Okay. But let's see what happens in May.

 

[Ianp16]

@tuorem @RainyWoods

Was she singing this live in EMA? Is lanp 16 just trolling us?

I promise I wasn't trolling!

If we're talking about the official ESC video that was uploaded yesterday, she is definitely lip syncing. You can tell at the start as she's moving her mouth a little too strangely for it to match up to actual singing. The Honest Vocal Coach will solve the riddle when she reviews the performance soon

 

[Brandt]

Slightly better than Voda, but nowhere close to be good.
Boring. 2 points because at least an improvement since Voda.

 

[Mysteria]

Hmmm the vocal was stunning but to my ears didn't quite sound like that from a studio recording. Having said that, I watched it again and paid special attention to her lips and now I'm confused. We'll find out soon I guess when the song is released on Spotify, itunes etc

The one she performed on the slovenian television was live. The one On the Eurovision yt Channel is not.

 

[aef]

I can't help myself, I love everything about this although it's not my genre at all! Ana's voice, her beauty, the staging, the epic song ending...

 

[crashworld]

The one she performed on the slovenian television was live. The one On the Eurovision yt Channel is not.

Maybe that's why the video on the official ESC channel labelled it as "Official Music Video" instead of "National Final Live Performance".

 

[Sammy]

I feel the need to play the devil's advocate here. Though don't get me wrong, I do think the intent probably really is along the lines you suggest which is not cool.

"You are getting beaten and bruised but it's gonna make you who you are" is not only a religious element, but it could also be cut out straight from every other sports film such as Rocky, who can beat many opponents just because he is the one who can support more hits. So could be the lines about fear. I personally feel like you can either dwell on your fears, or try fighting through them - and I'd rather say the song can be interpreted as inviting you to do the latter.

Besides, the idea of embracing the pain as the inevitable part of life that can actually make you stronger is not exclusively a religious idea, it is present in a few philosophical currents as well, among which I believe also belongs ancient greek's Stoicism.

"Hey child" doesn't really feel like belittling me, more like addressing the hurting part of my soul that could use some rest from burdens and fights of the adult world.

"I've been tellin' the rain to stop
Not until the thunder's hushed away at rest" could also be the imagery or tears and hurt. Basically, pain is part of life, so are tears, if you cry, feel ok to cry proper until the hurt is washed away.

Overall I think I can actively choose to interpret the song as a comforting invitation to stand up and keep fighting while not being ashamed of my hurt and tears - and put the religious intentions at the back of my mind. But given whose song it is, those religious intentions are in fact there, yeah.

I appreciate your effort and if you can read the text in this way - good for you. Still there is the question why the title and the chorus features „amen“ and „hallelujah“ and why there is this undeniable religious pair of heaven and grace in it, if it‘s just a self struggle.

My perspective is based on the fact that I have spent a couple of years in my teenage years in an evangelical parish (one of the extreme ones) and I know this narrative and the mindset how people should be from the inside because I spoke it myself, I believed it myself. I used these metaphores, I am familiar with these images. The clever thing is: you mask all of this rhetoric in a way that you can always find a „gentle“ so to speak interpretation if you face criticism.
It took me a while and a lot of strength to get out of it and embrace myself (something I have fought against to get the heavenly grace, to rise again against the devil, to overcome those bruises... this song could have been one of the teachings I then got to deny my homosexuality).

Try this with the text: replace „hallelujah“ and „amen“ with „Insh‘allah“ and „allah u akbhar“. would your interpretation still be possible?

Just to be clear: I don’t think this song shouldn‘t be on stage in Rotterdam, and whoever can enjoy it - perfect. But I can’t support a song that uses a rhetoric that I clearly recognize as being hostile against who I am. And even if there is a pretty melody, that I can somehow enjoy, even if Ana is a great singer and her vocals impressive - it‘s my first fat this year. I don‘t drink poison, even if it tastes like sugar.

But don‘t worry I will not rant here from Malaga down to Toledo on a cruisade against the song, the singer or its/her fans

 

[gingerale]

My biggest issue is that it reminds me of X Factor / Idol winner songs.

When the vocal powerhouse won the season but didn't do well afterwards because the runner-up got more time and released something very current.

 

[Ezio]

Geography Now claims that Slovenia is Wannabe-Austria.

Geography Now! SLOVENIA

Dragons, honey, accordions and wine. Not in that specific order. Thanks Guest stars! Check out their Instagrams here: Art: https://bit.ly/2OejD6vKaleb: https...

www.youtube.com

Amen!

But I totally think that this is adorable and appropriate, and that Austrians should not try to sell out to Swiss and Germans but keep Slovenes closer.

 

[EscGeek]

I'm not religious at all, but luckilly, the religious theme doesn't bother me. You should know however, that Ana definitely believes in all of that. In her winning speech last year, she was mentioning Jesus Christ. It was cringeworthy.

I prefer this over last year, just because the chorus and pre-chorus feel more intense. But i won't be crying rivers if we fail. #JusticeForOmarNaber

 

[NikolaiMoller]

This will probably be my favorite ballad of the year - gosh her voice is just

 

[apasionata]

Amen wishes

 

[rasmuslights]

I'm not religious at all, but luckilly, the religious theme doesn't bother me. You should know however, that Ana definitely believes in all of that. In her winning speech last year, she was mentioning Jesus Christ. It was cringeworthy.

I prefer this over last year, just because the chorus and pre-chorus feel more intense. But i won't be crying rivers if we fail. #JusticeForOmarNaber

please justice for omar naber. That was 9/11 for us..

 

[Carian]

I read these posts taking issue with the religious undertones in the song, but I really do not get it why you are upset about it. I mean, what is wrong with being religious???

And @EscGeek, you know I love you man, but why do you say it was cringeworthy her mentioning of Jesus Christ last year? Yes, gurl is religious, but I am not religious and I really did not bother with that. At the same time, please correct me, but if I am not mistaken, I think she had a very turbulent and unhappy youth and she found her "salvation" and way out of her troubles with the help of religion. I remember I saw her interview long time ago, where she was discussing her past problems. So, what's wrong with that? She publicly aknowledges what helped her to pull through during her dark days. I mean, good for her, right?

 

[apasionata]

Geography Now claims that Slovenia is Wannabe-Austria.

In Serbian we colloquially call Slovenes 'Austrijski konjušari' (Austrian grooms/horsemen).

I don't like that term though and find it derogatory. It stems from (in my opinion) misconception that Slovenes always had 'westernmost' mentality, attitude and behaviour compared to other nations in ex-Yugoslavia or Balkan whatsoever, even claiming they are somewhat arrogant in that regard. I do know they have derogatory term for us also, I forgot it but I ask some fellow Slovenes here to remind of it haha.

I think it's not their fault they are more hard-working and less tempered than us. They have always been most developed and educated part of Yugoslavia.

EDIT: Oh right, it's 'čepurci'