Wikipedia

Firefighter (song)

"Firefighter" is a song by Georgian singer Nutsa Buzaladze, released on 11 March 2024 by Stop Talking. It was written by Ada Satka and Darko Dimitrov, and represented Georgia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, where it placed 21st in the grand final with 34 points. In the process, the song became the first Georgian entry to qualify for the grand final since 2016.

"Firefighter"
The cover artwork for "Firefighter". The cover features Nutsa Buzaladze in a black outfit, posing with her hands on her hips amongst a black background.
Single by Nutsa Buzaladze
Released11 March 2024 (2024-03-11)
Length3:04
LabelStop Talking
Songwriter(s)
Nutsa Buzaladze singles chronology
"L.O.V.E"
(2023) 		"Firefighter"
(2024) 		"Mother's Love"
(2024)
Music video
"Firefighter" on YouTube
Eurovision Song Contest 2024 entry
Country
Artist(s)
Language
English
Finals performance
Semi-final result
8th
Semi-final points
54
Final result
21st
Final points
34
Entry chronology
◄ "Echo" (2023)
Official performance video
"Firefighter" (Second Semi-Final) on YouTube
"Firefighter" (Grand Final) on YouTube

Background and composition

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"Firefighter" was written by Ada Satka and Darko Dimitrov.[1] In an analysis by Wiwibloggs' Rezo Mamsikashvili, they wrote that the song represented a "metaphorical fight" against hate, hoping to display kindness and love in the wake of times of struggle and hatred. In interviews, Buzaladze stated that throughout her life, she fought "negativity with love always... Fire represents all this negativity that is going on in the world right now. I’m trying to save this love and I am actually putting out the fire with love."[2]

According to Buzaladze, she was first offered to compete in Eurovision when a producer from Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) called her while she lived in Miami. Upon the producer accepting the condition that she would be involved in "every little detail" of the entry, she accepted the offer.[3] On 6 March, the song's title, "Firefighter", was announced,[4] with the song officially releasing five days later.[5]

Music video and promotion

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Along with the song's release, an accompanying music video directed by Zaza Orashvili was released.[6] To further promote the song, Buzaladze announced her intents to participate in various Eurovision pre-parties throughout the months of March and April 2024, including Pre-Party ES on 30 March,[7] the London Eurovision Party on 7 April,[8] and Eurovision in Concert on 13 April.[9]

Critical reception

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"Firefighter" has largely drawn neutral to negative reactions. In a Wiwibloggs review containing several reviews from several critics, the song was rated 6.43 out of 10 points,[10] ranking 21st out of the 37 songs competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 on the site's annual ranking.[11] Another review conducted by ESC Bubble that contained reviews from a combination of readers and juries rated the song 11th out of the 16 songs "Firefighter" was competing against in its the Eurovision semi-final.[12] Jon O'Brien, a writer for Vulture, ranked the song 35th overall, proclaiming the song to be a "Frankenstein's monster of a half-dozen different ethnopop bangers, even if none of them are particularly memorable or tuneful".[13] ESC Beat's Doron Lahav ranked the song 26th overall, stating that although he thought Buzaladze's vocal abilities were "very talented", the song was "too technical... regarding the text and the emotions".[14] Erin Adam of The Scotsman rated the song five out of 10 points, writing that the song was a "flawless, if formulaic, entry".[15]

Eurovision Song Contest

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Internal selection

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Georgia's broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest, the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB), confirmed its intentions to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 on 15 September 2023.[16] Buzaladze was later announced as the country's representative on 12 January 2024,[17] with the songwriting process starting the next day.[18] By mid-February, songwriter Darko Dimitrov was announced to have joined for what would be the song that Buzaladze would sing at the contest.[19]

At Eurovision

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The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 took place at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden, and consisted of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 7 and 9 May and the final on 11 May 2024. During the allocation draw on 30 January 2024, Georgia was drawn to compete in the second semi-final, performing in the second half of the show.[20] Buzaladze was later drawn to perform 11th in the semi-final, after San Marino's Megara and before Belgium's Mustii.[21]

For its Eurovision performance, American director Sagiv Karpel was appointed as the creative director.[22] The performance featured Buzaladze in a bronze-coloured outfit accompanied by four backing dancers, with heavy use of pyrotechnics being applied during the performance.[23][24] "Firefigher" finished eighth, scoring 54 points and securing a position in the grand final.[25][26] The qualification was the first for the country of Georgia since 2016.[25] In response to her qualification, Buzaladze stated in a press conference that she "dreamed that Georgia would get to the finals after seven years... Many people worked on this performance, and thank you all for doing so. When you work like that, it always pays off. This was my dream."[27]

 
Buzaladze performing "Firefighter" at a dress rehearsal before the second semi-final of Eurovision 2024.

Buzaladze performed a repeat of her performance in the grand final on 11 May. The song was performed 24th in the final, ahead of Croatia's Baby Lasagna and before France's Slimane.[28] After the results were announced, she finished in 21st with a total of 34 points, with a split score of 15 points from juries and 19 points from public televoting.[29] No countries gave a set of the maximum 12 points in either category for the song. Regarding the former, the most a country gave was a set of seven points, awarded by Azerbaijan. Regarding the latter, the most given was five, which was awarded by three countries.[30]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Firefighter"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Lithuania (AGATA)[31] 90

Release history

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Release history and format for "Firefighter"
Country Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various 11 March 2024
Stop Talking Music Group [32]

References

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  1. ^ Maude, James (11 March 2024). "🇬🇪 Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze's "Firefighter" Out Now!". ESC United. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ Mamsikashvili, Rezo (25 April 2024). ""Put out the fire" -- Georgia's Nutsa Buzaladze sings of emerging stronger from adversity in the "Firefighter" lyrics". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  3. ^ Bronson, Fred (7 May 2024). "After 'American Idol,' This Singer Is Moving to an Even Bigger Stage: Eurovision 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  4. ^ Bijuvignesh, Darshan (6 March 2024). "Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze Will Sing 'Fire Fighter' at Eurovision 2024". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  5. ^ Mamsikashvili, Rezo (11 March 2024). "Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze releases her Eurovision song "Firefighter"". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  6. ^ Kartozia, Marika (11 March 2024). "Nutsa Buzaladze's official music video for Eurovision 2024 premiered". 1TV. Georgian Public Broadcaster. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  7. ^ Garnett, Georgia (17 March 2024). "🇬🇪 Nutsa Buzaladze to perform at Pre-Party ES 2024". That Eurovision Site. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  8. ^ Percy, Lucy (29 March 2024). "Georgia's Nutsa Buzaladze brings the fire to London Eurovision Party 2024". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  9. ^ Gannon, Rory (12 March 2024). "🇬🇪 Nutsa Buzaladze to perform at Eurovision in Concert 2024". That Eurovision Site. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Wiwi Jury: Georgia's Nutsa Buzaladze with "Firefighter"". Wiwibloggs. 8 April 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  11. ^ Vautrey, Jonathan (7 April 2024). "Eurovision 2024: Reviews and rankings by the Wiwi Jury". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  12. ^ Juhász, Ervin (23 April 2024). "The Public Reacts to Sweden: Marcus and Martinus – Unforgettable". ESC Bubble. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  13. ^ O'Brien, Jon (6 May 2024). "Every 2024 Eurovision Song, Ranked". Vulture. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  14. ^ Lahav, Doron (16 April 2024). "Eurovision 2024 Songs Review – Part 5 (Armenia, Greece, Georgia, Malta, and San Marino)". ESC Beat. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  15. ^ Adam, Erin (7 May 2024). "Eurovision Song Contest 2024: All 37 songs reviewed ahead of semifinals, including UK's Olly Alexander". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  16. ^ Jiandani, Sanjay (15 September 2023). "Georgia: GPB confirms participation at Eurovision 2024". ESCToday. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  17. ^ Adams, William Lee (12 January 2024). "Nutsa Buzaladze is Georgia's Eurovision 2024 singer". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  18. ^ "დაწერე ევროვიზიის სიმღერა ნუცასთვის - პირველი არხი სიმღერის შესარჩევ კონკურსს აცხადებს" [Write a Eurovision song for Nutsa - the First Channel announces the song selection contest]. TV1 (in Georgian). Georgian Public Broadcaster. 13 January 2024. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  19. ^ Kizel, Ido (14 February 2024). "גאורגיה: דרקו דימיטרוב עובד עם נוצה בוזלאדזה על השיר לאירוויזיון" [Georgia: Darko Dimitrov working with Nutsa Buzaladze on the song for Eurovision]. EuroMix (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Draw results". Eurovision Song Contest. European Broadcasting Union. 30 January 2024. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  21. ^ Adams, William Lee (26 March 2024). "Eurovision 2024 Semi-Final Running Order Revealed". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  22. ^ Lee, Samuel (11 March 2024). "Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze releases her Eurovision 2024 song 'Firefighter'". Aussievision. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  23. ^ Farren, Neil (30 April 2024). "🇬🇪 Georgia: All the Details About Nutsa Buzaladze's First Rehearsal". Eurovoix. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  24. ^ Lahav, Doron (8 May 2024). "Eurovision 2024 Semi-Final 2: Dress/Jury Rehearsal Live Commentary". ESC Beat. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  25. ^ a b Bronson, Fred (10 May 2024). "Switzerland, Georgia, Israel & 7 More Countries Qualify for Grand Final of Eurovision 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  26. ^ Vautrey, Jonathan (12 May 2024). "Eurovision 2024 semi-finals: Detailed results show Croatia and Israel won each show". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  27. ^ Alimova, Svetlana (7 May 2024). "Georgia's ESC contender says she dreamed of Georgia in finals, feels proud of Georgia". 1TV. Georgian Public Broadcaster. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  28. ^ Vautrey, Jonathan (10 May 2024). "Eurovision 2024 grand final running order: Ukraine in second, Austria closes". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  29. ^ Dobordjginidze, Elene (11 May 2024). "Switzerland wins 2024 ESC". 1TV. Georgian Public Broadcaster. Archived from the original on 13 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Grand Final of Malmö 2024 - Georgia Grand Final Results Allocation". Eurovision Song Contest. European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  31. ^ "2024 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 17 May 2024. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  32. ^ "Firefighter - Single by Nutsa". Apple Music (US). 11 March 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
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