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EUROAlfa Panel is back! This year, 8 of our members will rate and comment on every single entry in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest! Today’s country is Romania, represented by Alexandra Căpitănescu with her song “Choke Me” 🇷🇴

1️⃣ Raul: The surprise of the year 🙂 I honestly did NOT expect us to send such a good song and that voice, wow!!! They’re amazing. I’m really excited to see the full performance, but vocally we’ll have no problems at all!!!

Grade: 10/10

2️⃣ Reza: “Choke Me” keeps you captivated and engaged for the full three minutes, and that is a very important factor at Eurovision. Alexandra delivers a strong vocal performance in a song that is very demanding vocally, moving from opera to rock and then all the way back again. But that works in its favour, because it will be noticed and appreciated by both the public and the jury. On top of that, the lyrics could be interpreted in a controversial way, which can be both a good and a bad thing. Personally, I do not really mind them, and I think people are exaggerating when they say that this song encourages sexual strangulation. Moreover, the melody is great and catchy, it has a strong chorus, and it really sticks with you. Even though I was not totally sold on this one when I first heard it, I have to admit that it is a strong package. I really hope the performance from Selecția Națională will be elevated to another level, because everything: the performance, the choreography, the stage presence , needs to be stronger than what we saw there. Hai, Romania!

Grade: 9/10

3️⃣ Florin: I was chocked from the first listen. I’m really glad that we are coming back with a song like this, because when SN was announced, my expectations were sooo low. There are so many elements that work together creating an amazing song. Alexandra is one of the best vocalists this year and she can deliver on stage. For the first time in many years, I think Romania is back on the left side of the scoreboard.

Grade: 10/10

4️⃣ Stefania: Wow!! A unique rock entry that I absolutely love. It stands out instantly and has a strong identity. I’m really curious to see how it will be translated on stage. Definitely competitive, and I can see this finishing in the Top 5.

Grade: 9/10

5️⃣ Laur: I’m trying to stay objective. The voice is good. The juries won’t love it, but they won’t rank it very low either. It all depends on how the final note is delivered. The song has a memorable element, and the chorus sticks with you. The staging will decide everything. I’m quite confident it will reach the top 10.

Grade: 9/10

6️⃣ Titi: After two years of absence, Romania returns to the competition with a SONG. Alexandra has the strongest and most flexible voice this year, and “Choke Me” is a song clearly made to be performed on a big stage. I’m sure Alexandra will dominate the stage in Vienna and manage to bring Romania back to the final—and why not even the top 10. I gave it the maximum score based strictly on the song, but if the staging isn’t done properly, it could destroy the song’s chances. Still, I trust Alexandra and her team to do a great job. Hai, Romania!

Grade: 10/10

7️⃣ Nella: Disclaimer: The ranking of Romania is not biased. I love metal, heavy instruments and raw vocals with a splash of operatic rock. I think Alexandra raised the bar this year with her participation and I am more than glad to see Romania’s reputation getting revitalised slowly but steady. We might’ve just send out the best female vocalist since our participation and that shows in Alexandra’s versatility of showcasing the importance of the song. If we win Eurovision by acident, I wouldn’t even be surprised, but I’d rather stay afloat on reality and focus more on what’s important for Romania in Eurovision: getting the best result.

Grade: 10/10

8️⃣ Mircea: Yes I know, many people would say I’m biased, but I am trying to be very objective about this entry. But what can I say, I love it. The first seonds of the song are so catchy, very easy to remember. Alexandra has an amazing voice and I am impressed by her rock and opera vocal abillities. The revamp makes this song even better and I can see a good staging with many pyros. For me it’s a safe qualifier, hoping that both juries and the public will vote for it.

Grade: 10/10

📝OVERALL GRADE: 9.63/10

Scoreboard:

1. Greece 🇬🇷 – 10.00
2. Finland 🇫🇮 – 9.88
3. Cyprus 🇨🇾 – 9.75
4. Romania 🇷🇴 – 9.63
5. Australia 🇦🇺 – 9.38
6. Denmark 🇩🇰 – 9.13
7. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 – 8.75
8. Montenegro 🇲🇪 – 8.50
9. Albania 🇦🇱 – 8.00
10. Malta 🇲🇹 – 7.75
11. Georgia 🇬🇪 – 7.63
12. Czechia 🇨🇿 – 7.50
13. Germany 🇩🇪 – 7.38
14. Poland 🇵🇱 – 7.25
15. France 🇫🇷 – 7.25
16. Croatia 🇭🇷 – 7.00
17. Moldova 🇲🇩 – 6.68
18. Italy 🇮🇹 – 6.50
19. Armenia 🇦🇲 – 6.50
20. Belgium 🇧🇪 – 6.13
21. Lithuania 🇱🇹 – 6.13
22. Luxembourg 🇱🇺 – 5.75
23. Latvia 🇱🇻 – 5.75
24. Norway 🇳🇴 – 5.38
25. Portugal 🇵🇹 – 4.88
26. Austria 🇦🇹 – 4.88
27. Estonia 🇪🇪 – 3.88
28. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 – 2.75