Thursday, June 23, 2016

Bulgaria - If Love Was A Crime - Poli Genova

Promo cd single
4 - 307 pts / 5 - 220 pts in semi 2

2011 Eurovision singer Poli Genova (Поли Генова) returned to the contest to represent Bulgaria for the second time.

Poli's song, If Love Was A Crime was presented on March 21.
It is sung mostly in English with a few words of Bulgarian thrown in for good measure. (О, Дай Ми Любовта!, (Oh, give me love)
If Love Was A Crime is written by Borislav Milanov, Sebastian Arman, Joachim Bo Persson and Poli Genova.

You can download the song at Poli's website. The song was also released as a digital single on March 30 through the usual sources.
This commercially released version is the same as the one on the Stockholm 2CD. See below for explanation.

Picture from BNT press release
"Chipmunks"
There are two released versions of the song.
The first version uses high pitched backing vocal samples (effects, FX)(a.k.a. by the fans as the chipmunks), this one is on the Stockholm 2CD.
The second one, which was on Poli's website, adds flute to the pitched vocals (but the chipmunks are still there at the start), here are no chipmunks 2:18. This one is also on the promo cdsingle.
No chipmunks were heard at the contest, all the vocal samples were replaced with flute parts. And of course there were the celebrated backing vocalists appearing at the end of the performance.
A nice (unintended?) statement against the ridiculous practice of hiding the backing singers which seems to be the trend now.

A promo cdsingle is issued, it has the flute/FX version and Flute/FX karaoke.

Watch and listen here

With Na Inat (На Инат) Poli Genova ended 12th in the second semi in Düsseldorf.
In 2015 she hosted the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Digital release image
Versions
If Love Was A Crime - original version (FX)
- videoclip, digital release, Stockholm 2CD
If Love Was A Crime - alternate version (Flute+FX)
- site download (not available anymore), promo
If Love Was A Crime - Karaoke (FX)
- Official karaoke album (digital)
If Love Was A Crime - alternate Karaoke (Flute+FX)
- site download, downloadable here at Poli Genova's website, promo
The final Eurovision version differs from both released versions, only the flute parts were used (not the vocal FX).
This version remains unreleased.

Charts
Bulgaria top 40: 36, 22, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 8, 13, 18, 24, 34, 40, -
Sweden top 100: 47
France top 200: 129
Austria top 75: 72


Poli Genova (a.k.a. as Polly Genova) has appeared in several Bulgarian national finals.
2005 - 9th with Otkriy Me Sega (group Melody)
2006 - 4th with Love That You Can't See (Melody Traffic)
2009 - 2nd with One Lifetime Is Not Enough. (as a solo singer)
2011 - 1st with Na Inat, 12th in the second semi in Düsseldorf (48 points).

Coverversion
Greek singer Demy (Dimitra Papadea, Δήμητρα Παπαδέα) recorded a coverversion titled Isovia Mazi (Ισόβια μαζί, Life together).
The track uses one of the backing tracks from the original singer (The Flute+FX version). The Bulgarian words "O dai mi ljubovta" are used in this version. The rest of the song is in Greek.
Isovia Mazi is out through the usual digital sources. (Panik records)


2011 Na Inat Digital Release Image
Links and sources
Thanks to Milena at BNT and Thanks to Frank.
Poli Genova FB and website (offline)
BNT Eurovision pages

Bulgaria's recent entries
No participation in 2014 and 2015
2013 - Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov
2012 - Sofi Marinova
2011 - Poli Genova
2010 - Miro
2009 - Krassimir Avramov


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