Hungary appeared at Eurovision 4 times between 1994 and 1998 - and only achieved one impressive result (4th in 1994) consequently disappearing from the Eurovision map until 2005.  In 2005 they had a great song, and qualified easily within the top five in the Semi.  Unfortunately, the early draw must have damaged their chances, and Hungary finished just outside the qualifying zone.  Due to financial restrictions they missed the 2005 contest and are now back by popular demand for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest.

 

 

I was very happy to see Hungary make the effort and enter the Eurovision Song Contest this year – and was even happier when I heard the song.  This year, in complete contrast to their 2005 ethnic flavoured traditional dance song, Hungary send an Eva Cassidy/Norah Jones-esque blues tune – with the edge.  Magdi Rusza will be performing ‘Unsubstantial Blues’ and it’s one of my BIG favourites this year.  The song’s a brilliantly catchy and professional sounding blues tune, and Magdi has an amazingly unique voice, and a look which gives the whole thing that wonderfully modern and all important up-to-date edge.  For a blues tune it doesn’t sound dated at all, and being so different fro everything else in the competition won’t do this any harm at all either.  While I don’t think we have a winner here, I do think it would be a shame for this to languish near the bottom of the scoreboard – it’s a very classy tune which has been extremely well produced, and a solid performance could certainly make this top ten in the Final – here’s hoping!

 

 

I think Hungary have one of the best songs in it this year, and if Europe's voters take to it then Magdi should be very content with qualification and a sound placing in the top ten in the Final.  I wouldn't mind to see this win at all though!

 

 

Magdi gave a flawless performance of a wonderful song, and while I don't think she'll challenge for victory, she should easily make the top ten.

 

 

The Hungarian entry, along with this year’s Slovenian entry, is proof that the draw in Eurovision really does matter.  In the Semi, Magdi performed 6 from the end in spot 22, and managed an extremely impressive and deserved 2^nd place to Serbia.  In the Final however, the draw wasn’t quite so good and performing a rather more expansive 16 places from the end of the show she mustered up 9^th place with an equally moving and emotional performance.  ‘Unsubstantial Blues’ will always be one of my big Eurovision favourites, I think the song’s wonderful and Magdi did it great justice on both nights with a powerful and appropriate vocal.  The staging was grand, although I wish they had have left her on her own rather than with the band behind her.  It was encouraging, however, to see Europe go for pure talent in this year’s Semi, I just wish they had have stuck to it in the Final and maybe Magdi would have enjoyed another deserved 2^nd place rather than finishing up 8 short from the top.  Despite all this, she matched my prediction for the Final, yay!