Blanca Paloma, better than Agoney and worse than Alice Wonder

One of the messages that was repeated last night at the Benidorm Fest has been that of "music wins".

No one has dared to specify what is important: what kind of music.

In this universe so close to a colorful dystopia that Eurovision has become, Benidorm Fest fulfills its role as an ideological armed wing.

The competition from the city of Alicante moves like a mini Eurovision and expands the philosophy of a contest that feels in its sauce, rewarding the staging, laboratory voices and dance groups.

And, okay, we get into the game and try to have fun, that's what it's all about.

From time to time, individual verses emerge that take us out of the chiripitifláutico mode and make us get serious.

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The incipient cult of Blanca Paloma, the winner of the consensus edition of the Benidorm Fest

Blanca Paloma, winner of the Benidorm Fest 2023, gets on the Remedios Amaya boat bound for Eurovision

It was what happened with the performance of Alice Wonder.

Her song,

is thrown off by the less inclusive members of this racket, saying that she has no chance because she is "little Eurovisive".

Because a Eurovisual proposal must be euphoric, choralable, danceable and sprinkled with visual lures

In fact, it doesn't go that way.

The woman from Madrid has an exciting voice, with soul, torn when she asks for the story and powerful when it is necessary to demonstrate lung power.

Her performance last night was a joyous parenthesis at a gala with a fair level.

More if we compare it with last year.

She didn't win Alice Wonder, of course, although she wouldn't have been crazy.

Because the concept of a Eurovision song has its cracks: Salvador Sobral slipped through one of them with his vibrant victory in 2017.

Of the two favourites, Agoney and Blanca Paloma, the best one won.

The experiences of Spain sending flamenco to Eurovision are not good.

It was tried with Remedios Amaya in 1983 and it was a disaster: the result (last place), not the song, which was funny.

Blanca Paloma will go to Liverpool with

a song with a flamenco imprint, a song with modern instrumentation that is inspired by the movement of singers who have been updating the jondo genre for some time, such as María José Llergo, Soleá Morente or Rosalía from

.

The woman from Elche sings well and although she abuses those insistent “eas”, the song has strength and passion.

From there to invoking Lorca ("a song with Lorca echoes" the enthusiasts repeat) is a long way to go.

But we feel more comfortable with Blanca Paloma than with Agoney.

The canary's performance was like walking into a nightclub in 2003 and seeing a go-go dancer shake on a metal platform.

It happens that

was built by an algorithm nostalgic for what was happening in the world 20 years ago.

Both the staging and the interpretation go beyond revolutions and are stunned by the obsession of implanting effect blows at random, just to create stimuli, as if we did not have enough.

There's a lot going on in the song, but none of it is suggestive.

It has plenty of leather and lacks soul.

Of course, dedication and enthusiasm nobody beats the canary.

The members of Megara repeated over and over again that they are a rock band.

Seeing his overloaded and parodic performance makes one think that yes, rock is very bad.

Kamento put the folk note.

He honest and the ball of him, until he pulled out a chorus as atypical as true.

Good for her and I'm sure he has a long career in this business ahead of him.

What to say about Fusa Nocta: Rosalía has such a unique style that seeing imitations creates a bit of a blush.

José Otero wanted to be Ed Sheeran and Coldplay at the same time: he got lost in the attempt.

Vicco had the catchiest song of the night.

It's as superficial as it is funny.

The favorite of the little ones in the house, without a doubt.

And be careful, Aitana fills pavilions with things like

So placid and predictable the night passed that there were not even polemics.

Well, if they take that away from us...

The Lorca sorority of 'Eaea', pushed by the impressive vocal performance of Blanca Paloma, has become the winner of the Benidorm Fest 2023 on Saturday night. In the photo, Blanca Paloma celebrates the victory of her flamenco bet. Joaquín Pascual (Europe Press)

Blanca Paloma, with her particular staging, during the final of the Benidorm Fest.

The 34-year-old singer from Elche has won with 169 points compared to Agoney's 145 and Vicco's 129 points, those classified in second and third place, respectively. Joaquín Pascual (Europa Press)

The singer's powerful staging, produced independently by a group of professionals who come from the theater, invokes the spirit of her grandmother Carmen, who was her initial reference in flamenco.

The musical career of this stage designer trained in the field of Fine Arts began with her and it has been her memory that has inspired 'Eaea'.

In the image, Blanca Paloma, at a moment of the performance that gave her the victory.

Joaquin Pascual (Europa Press)

Agoney, another of the favourites, during his stage display in the final. Morell (EFE)

The singer Vicco with her disco bet during the final. Morell (EFE)

In the final of the Benidorm Fest, whose gala has been presented by the singer Mónica Naranjo (in the image, during her performance) together with Rodrigo Vázquez ('El cazador') and Inés Hernand ('Gen Playz') from the Palau d'Esports l 'Illa de Benidorm, the eight resulting artists have participated after qualifying in the two previous semifinals.

Morell (EFE)

The singer José Otero, during his performance in the final of the Benidorm Fest 2023 that was held this Saturday in the town of Alicante.Morell (EFE)

The scenery of 'Eaea' uses the personal legacy of Blanca Paloma, surrounded by strong women and a circle of red fringes inspired by a shawl that belonged to her grandmother.

“It is the result of a need that came just when she was missing.

It was then, when she died, when I had the call of flamenco ”, the singer commented this Friday to this newspaper from her hotel in Benidorm. Morell (EFE)

The singer Fusa Nocta, during her performance in the final of the Benidorm Fest 2023, held this Saturday in the town of Alicante. Morell (EFE)

Alice Wonder, with her intense ballad 'I would like', a different bet for the final of the Benidorm Fest 2023. The woman from Madrid has an exciting voice, with soul, torn when the story demands it and powerful when it is necessary to demonstrate lung power.

Morell (EFE)

The artist Megara, during her performance in the final of the Benidorm Fest 2023. Morell (EFE)

Manuel Carrasco, guest star of the preview. Morell (EFE)

The singer Karmento, with her commitment to Manchego folk, during the final. Morell (EFE)

Megara performs during the final gala of the Benidorm Fest. Joaquín Pascual (Europa Press)

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