Javier Herrero
Benidorm (Alicante) (EFE).- Not everything is said in Benidorm Fest 2023, which tomorrow Saturday will experience a duel of vocal height and staging between Agoney, the best classified in the first semifinal, and Blanca Paloma, who has blinded judges and public in the second round with his high-flying “pinch”.
The woman from Elche has stood out with her flamenco song “EaEa” and in the race to represent Spain at Eurovision in May she has won the gold pass at the Palau d’Esports l’Illa in this city that gives its name to the festival with 167 points, thanks to the best evaluation of the televoting and the professional jury (4 points from the maximum that can be granted) and the second of the demoscopic jury.
«I’m in a good shock», he later admitted to the press with an image on his T-shirt of the person who, from Seville, awakened the seeds of flamenco in him, his «grandma» Carmen with a red fringed shawl that has inspired his stage design, «like a circle” that embraces her.
Along with her, Vicco (“Nighttime”), Karmento (“I want and duel”) and José Otero (“Winters on Mars”) have also qualified for the final battle, while Famous have stayed on land (“La Lola” ), E’Femme (“Uff!”), Rakky Ripper (“Tracción”), Siderland (“Que Esclati Tot”) and, at the last moment and unexpectedly, Alfred García (“Since you are here”).
The “easy” round
Although in theory this Thursday was the “easy” round of Benidorm Fest, the gala hosted by Mónica Naranjo, Inés Hernand and Rodrigo Vázquez has revealed itself in general terms to be more diverse in genres and stage proposals than the first semifinal.
Miguel Poveda’s version of the Mocedades classic “Eres tú” has contributed to this, now that it turns 50, which has become the most successful song that Spain has exported to the world since its second place in Eurovision 1973.
The Catalan cantaor was not the only guest artist in a night that, towards its conclusion, also featured Álvaro Soler and the Mexican Gloria Trevi in a medley of “Todos me miran” and “Gloria” popularized by Umberto Tozzi.
Famous, winner of «OT 2018», could see the nerves of opening the performances with a very complete and aerobic number that raised the possibilities of his song with a vocation for a sports song, but which has left him somewhat drowned.
José Otero has orbited on a rotating device towards the dream of Eurovision, as he promised his deceased father. He has done it well wrapped up and pulling deep bass tones to survive his “Winters on Mars”, although the real warmth has been transmitted by Karmento, barefoot on a La Mancha field on a summer night and folk authenticity.
Faced with doubts, Rakky Ripper has shown that he does sing without the “autotune” voice modulator, prohibited in the contest live but used in the recording of his song for aesthetic purposes. Here, without that corrosion or a more aggressive staging, his “hyperpop” has sounded somewhat harmless.
A dedicated public
It couldn’t be a better time for the irruption of Blanca Paloma, the only repeater regarding the first Benidorm Fest, who seems to have proposed to pass her revalidation with registration. Her “antinana” full of iconic moments and stage tension has flown without ups and downs until a long final complaint that has left many mouths open.
In the midst of the stupor, the improvement in the synchrony of the “girl band” E’Femme with respect to their official presentation as candidates a few months ago has gone somewhat unnoticed, while Siderland has been able to take its toll on a more original performance in their first section, locked in a room that, despite what its court promised in Catalan, has not fully exploded.
Turn following the “author’s proposal” by Alfred García, almost a black and white video clip that has brought the viewer back to the 1962 Benidorm Festival, that of Raphael’s victory, but with so many transitions and elements that it was difficult take it in
To finish Vicco needed little to get the pass. The audience had turned their never-ending party in the form of a song into the most successful track on Spotify and also the audience has pushed its ranking tonight by turning the venue into a party.
The qualifiers are awaiting in the final on Saturday the other four contenders for victory who got their pass in the first round: Agoney (“I want to burn”), Alice Wonder (“I would like”), Fusa Nocta (“My family”) and Megara (“Arcadia”).