FIFTY3FRIDAYS: BELLA, BELLA, BELLA HUH!
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
You may have spotted that I did not publish anything last Friday. Having devoted a few column inches to Eurovision 2026 the previous week, you might have reasonably surmised that I had to keep a low profile after describing what transpired to be the winning entry, “Bangaranga” from Bulgaria’s Dara (pictured above), as truly awful. (Sorry Dara). Yet again your ashen-faced scribe did not trouble the Eurovision bookies as my taste in music is clearly poles apart from that of the international viewing public.
Photo of Dara © EBU / Corinne Cumming
For the record, the Maltese entry was my favourite song of the evening so you can hear that one at the end of today’s digest. “Bella” by Aidan did quite well with the juries but bombed in the public vote, finishing in 18th place. Meanwhile the UK’s Sam Battle aka Look Mum No Computer scrapped a solitary point from a single jury and zilch from the public. In the words of Ireland’s winner from 1980, Johnny Logan, “What’s Another Year?”
Moving on to this week’s music choices, let’s begin with the two songs I chose as my Alt Picks from the previous week’s Fresh On The Net entries. Cork, Ireland native Nella Dwyer who works under her first name as Nella has a broad musical CV. She wrote her first songs aged six and went on to study music at leading institutions in Ireland, followed by vocal collaborations ranging from a World of Warcraft soundtrack to the Folk-Metal band Cruachán. Nella has also worked with Irish music legend Donal Lunny, which reminds me that my housemates and I once served marmite on toast to Donnal and fellow Planxty bandmate, Andy Irvine after a gig at Exeter University in 1973.
There is even a Eurovision sequitur of sorts here. Having just about recovered from being battered into submission by serial oversinging during Eurovision 26, Nella reminds us that this is how to sing a big song. “Weightless” describes the intoxication of love, how wishing to stay in that blissful state overrides a sense that the person is not the right one. Nella gives a beautifully controlled vocal performance from moments of calm contemplation through to the song's climactic closure. If Ireland ever return to Eurovision, this one would go far.
My second Alt Pick is from Swedish-born, London-based artist and producer Anna Haara Kristoferson aka ROLEPLAY whose blends emotionally intelligent electronic pop with lustrous vocals and polished instrumentation to create a euphoric sound. Her collaborations include the likes of Ghost Culture (Kelly Lee Owens, Goldfrapp, Sophie Ellis-Bextor) and Graham Godfrey (Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka) while she has gleaned extensive support across BBC music stations. Her recent live highlights include sold-out headline shows at The Social and Where Else, alongside festival appearances.
"True Spring” is a song for someone who has found their voice; a personal reflection looking beyond the conventional sense of self and, in Anna’s words, “the labels we attach to everything around us.” It seeks the hope of a clear, blue sky. I love the production on the song and how Roleplay's dreamy vocal carries genuine uplift with an undernote of reflection. I'd describe it as quiet euphoria; a dance-ready track equally suited to chilling out. Roleplay could even be a sister act to Self Esteem. Fashionistas may spot that the rather amazing dress in the video is by Rick Owens.
Three months ago, we featured Eastbourne-based electro-pop singer-songwriter Alan Dreezer around the launch of his Kickstarter campaign to co-fund his album, the prophetically titled Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes. The record is due for release on 2 June and a further preview arrived earlier this week in the shape of new single, “Delusional” which highlights the mental pressure that creativity exerts on artists. The song is described as the emotional centrepiece of the album, walking a fragile line between ambition and self-belief and questioning the point at which believing in yourself becomes delusional.
“Delusional” combines the honest sentiments of the songwriter with a sympathetic electronic soundscape created by Alan’s producer and writing partner, Elliot Richardson. The self-driven pressure to write and perform songs plays with who you are – as a person, as an artist – setting up contractions between supposed outward confidence and inner uncertainty. The song is delivered with quiet yet earnest intensity by Alan, edged by the warmth of his tenor vocal. The campaign around the song’s release has focused on mental health awareness, particularly in relation to musicians, with the artist making personal donations to MIND for every 1,000 streams. A dedicated fundraising page encourages listeners to get involved and support the charity's work. You can support it HERE.
It struck me that a song from a song from Surrey-based troubadour, Andrew Maxwell Morris, would make an apt companion piece to Alan’s “Delusional.” There are several candidates on Andrew’s 2022 excellent self-titled album – especially “Chasing Time” and “Satisfied” which deal with different aspects or perceptions of fame – but I settled on “I Will Go There”. The artist versus individual dilemma here is about money, and by implication fame, not bringing the desired happiness or fulfilment. It was great to dust this one off and hear it again. Should you wish to hear more of Andrew, our Track-by-Track feature on his album can be found HERE.
Photo of Rowena Wise by Nick Mckk
Next, we travel down under to meet a new name to Fifty3 Fridays, Rowena Wise. Though grounded in indie rock, garage pop and alt-folk, the Naarm/Melbourne-based artist draws strongly from 60s folk storytelling. Her 2024 debut LP, Senseless Acts of Beauty, was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize and a follow-up titled Bad Things Feel Good will be released in August. The album is heralded by Rowena’s new single "Diamond In The Rough”. The single struck me as carrying sentiments akin to those explored in Alan and Andrew’s songs featured above.
"Diamond In The Rough" explores the darker side of being viewed as exceptional, the loneliness of standing on a pedestal not entirely of your making and the quiet pressure to remain impressive at all costs. The accompanying video brilliantly captures the battle between internal isolation and external performance, drawing inspiration from Jamie Lee Curtis' character in The Last Showgirl in the scene where she dances deliberately and dejectedly in a busy Las Vegas casino, ignored by passers-by. Not wishing to erect a further pedestal, Rowena’s music shares some common high ground with that of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus and I can’t wait to hear the full album.
We finish back at Eurovision (keep up!) and I promise I won’t mention the word again till next May. However, I did really love Malta’s entry so here is Aidan with “Bella.” He is one of Malta’s most successful artists in recent years through live shows and chart hits. He recently made history by attracting a record crowd for a local solo artist in Malta.10,000 people came to his concert, humbly called Aidan The Show. Though the orchestration occasionally thinks it is scoring a James Bond movie, the tenderness and charm of Aidan’s vocal is the star here.
