PHILIPPINES - Kenneth Stromsnes. I've noticed that like Mister International (New Era) last year, both THAILAND and this country fielded Eurasians--this guy is half-Norwegian, so he's also the lone representative for the Nordic region as SWEDEN is not competing this year. I'm not that into his features and his long hair aggravates matters to me, but he has the trendy slender Timothee Chalemet frame and is one of the tallest guys in this batch, so I don't know if this pageant would favor his type. But then again, from time to time this contest put some long-haired guys through, so could he do well in this milieu?
PUERTO RICO - Edgar Rivera. In another pageant, his brand of scruffy handsomeness would've made more serious impact but in this milieu, his winning the Mister Friendship prize seems to be achievement enough for his journey.
SIERRA LEONE - Sahr Fatoma. He obviously base his poses after female models and beauty queens, so we have to award him the Sy Lee Fabulousness Award for this batch. He was awarded the Best African Model award prior to the final so I wonder--was he really considered better than ANGOLA, or is this a consolation prize as I know there is also SOUTH AFRICA who would've gotten this continental honor. Wonder how this will all go?
SINGAPORE - Damon Chua. I find it weird he was awarded the "Best Fashion Model" award, as if I were to screen him at a fashion casting, I would probably dismiss him. Unless perhaps you don't need good looks to sell clothes and just view him as a blank canvas to which you drape your designer clothes on. For me, he's one of the weakest links in this year's batch. He doesn't even have a buffed physique which used to be a hallmark of representatives from this country--instead MALAYSIA took over than mantle.
SOUTH AFRICA - Luke Van. He has that classic beefy handsomeness that this competition typically prizes, so I have a feeling he's a shoo-in for a Top 10 spot with a possible play for the Final Five.
SPAIN - Daniel Llorente. This country is fielding the tallest guys of any male pageant batch as of late, and this guy is no exception. Like ITALY is possesses this mix of Timothee Chalemet boyish handsomess with a classically toned physique, so I feel not only he'll make the Top 10 but possibly become a Final Five finisher.
SRI LANKA - Janitha Jeewantha. This guy garnered a special award of Best in Formal Wear--could this mean he could possibly be in contention for a Top 20 slot? I would find it very refreshing if he indeed made it as I find him handsome and like his buffed phgsique.
SWITZERLAND - Marcel Ignacio Riera. After his stints at Mister International 2022 and Mister Global 2023, he had a radical makeover as he grew out his hair and shaved off his scruff. It was a bit jarring at first, but the new look drew out a youthful vibe that may be more fitting for him (even if I actually prefer his scruff) especially with his reputation as the "Beefy Vegan"*1. He had this makeover months before he's announced as the Manhunt representative but it's fortuitous this happened because this competition favors clean-shaven looks. He remains a consistently strong performer here, so I really hope that this time around he'll advance beyond the Top 20 as he's owed that much as he deserved to finish higher than he did in his previous stints.
*1 When I think of vegans, I tend to think they'll possess the lanky frames of, say, AUSTRALIA this year, and not the filled-out buffed physique of this guy.
THAILAND - Kevin Dasom. Since his 3rd runner-up finish at the highly competitive Mister Supranationsl 2018, this Eurasian (half-Irish) developed way more major charisma that even if he's the host candidate, he's the front-runner in this competition. He simply exudes charisma from his pores at every appearance so it looks like this is his competition to lose even with the formidable presence of striking European contenders (plus a white South African).
U S A - Kevin Puri. He got the title of Best Commercial Model--if you ask me, I would've probably given that honor to the big front-runner THAILAND as that guy can sell me anything and I'll guy it. He's reasonably appealing (he may look Filipino but he's actually of Indian heritage) though I wonder if that special award means he has made serious inroads into the Top 20.
VENEZUELA - Victor Battista. This guy exudes classic Latino handsomeness from his pores, and based on him getting a Digital Challenge award for his casting video, it makes me think he may make serious inroads into the Top 20. I believe PERU is the best Latino in this batch, but I should keep a close eye on him as he could make serious inroads.
VIETNAM - Huynh Vo Hoang Son. He got the special award of Best Asian Model but we all know the real winner of that honor is the big front-runner so this seems like a consolation prize. I feel he made a big boo-boo in the haute couture garment choice as it seems he was wearing a national costume than a fashion outfit. The likes of LEBANON and VENEZUELA got away with it because they are believably wearable and exude a modern vibe, whereas this guy's outfit was obviously meant for a different kind of pageant. I don't foresee him finishing high unlike his predecessor, but he looks like he can make a play for the Top 20.
With all 37 contenders accounted for, here's how my leaderboard shapes up:
TOP CONTENDERS: FRANCE, ITALY, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, THAILAND
SHOO-INS: BRAZIL, COSTA RICA, KOREA, NETHERLANDS, PERU, SWTIZERLAND, VENEZUELA
LIKELIEST: ANGOLA, CANADA, COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, INDONESIA, LEBANON, MACAU, MALTA, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, SRI LANKA, U S A, VIETNAM
CHALEMET FACTOR: AUSTRALIA, PHILIPPINES
BODY FACTOR: MALAYSIA
DIVERSITY / FABULOUSNESS FACTOR: SIERRA LEONE
EXCELLENT: NEPAL, NEW ZEALAND, PAKISTAN, PUERTO RICO,
VERY STRONG: FERNANDO DE NORONHA, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE
Here's my "Fearful" Forecast on who would make the Top 20:
FINAL FIVE: FRANCE, ITALY, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, THAILAND
TOP 10: BRAZIL, COSTA RICA, KOREA, PERU, SWITZERLAND
TOP 20: ANGOLA, CANADA, COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, EL SALVADOR, INDONESIA, MACAU, NETHERLANDS, VENEZUELA, VIETNAM
BUBBLING UNDER: LEBANON, MALTA, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, SRI LANKA, U S A
STRIKING DISTANCE: AUSTRALIA, MALAYSIA, NEPAL, NEW ZEALAND, PAKISTAN, PHILIPPINES, PUERTO RICO, SIERRA LEONE
I feel that this competition is for the host representative THAILAND (Kevin Dasom) to lose, but we have a bevy of handsome Caucasians nipping closely at his heels, with FRANCE (Lucas Schlachter) seemingly leading the pack and the likes of ITALY (Vincenzo Melisi), SOUTH AFRICA (Luke Van), SPAIN (Daniel Llorente) and even SWITZERLAND (Marcel Ignacio Riera) in hot pursuit. Among the Latino contingent, it seems COSTA RICA (Roberto Mena) and PERU (Francisco Dall'Orso) are our best bets, with VENEZSUELA (Victor Battista) following closely behind them. Though I won't really declare this batch as a "Magnficent Batch", almost all of the guys competing have compelling cases on why they are worthy of advancing to the Top 20. I can't wait to see how that all unfolds.
ITALY - Vincenzo Melisi. He possesses a very appealing boyish handsomeness that strikes a great balance with the current slender trend epitomized by Timothee Chalemet and classic handsomeness with toned physiques that this competition rewards time and again. So I see him as a possible Final Five contender, and a possible usurper for the title behind the likes of FRANCE and THAILAND.
KOREA - Yoon Sung. I find it odd that he won a special award of "Face of the Year", as if you ask me I would've probably given it to, say, ITALY. Still, I feel he has a polished image and has an appealingly beefy physique that I can foresee him making the cut and making a play for the Top 10.
LEBANON - Abed Seeman. He stands out with his wavy long hair and handsome, swarthy features. Glad this contest has relaxed the clean-shaven directive they used to enforce so I'm reasonably confident this guy can pull off a Top 20 finish. Admittedly I'm normally not into long-haired guys, but I can make an exception for him. Nevertheless, I don't foresee him advancing further as he's not as breathtakingly gorgeous as, say, Mister International (New Era)'s Saif Walid El-Harb, who would've made a big splash here, but he's now the reigning Mister Grand International so he's not inclined to compete here at this time.
MACAU - Yue Yu. He got the special award of Best Runway Model, which might be apt with the gimmicky posings he tends to make. For his haute couture outfit, he chose to dress up like a riot policeman--is he making a pro-China political statement with his outfit, I wonder? I have a feeling those gimmicks might give him a possible "in" to the Top 20.
MALAYSIA - Joash Choo. Being award Best Body is very apt for this guy because he really has an enviable physique--traditionally this is a territory that is the stranglehold of this country's former territory and current neighbor SINGAPORE but this year this guy wrested the honor for his country. He's reasonably polished enough, but he doesn't quite possess much charisma, so I'm not certain having an enviable body would be enough for him to enter the Top 20.
MALTA - Ilyan Seychell. He was given the special award of Best European Model, which I found a bit dubious considering the presence of FRANCE, ITALY, SPAIN, and SWITZERLAND, so I have a gnawing feeling it's like a consolation prize for being competitive enough but not enough to fare as high as the aforementioned guys. Still I think he is of a claiber to make a possible play for the Top 20.
MEXICO - Adrian Jesus Villela. He is handsome and in another year he could've made more serious inroads and be a Top 20 contender. But he also possesses a bulky bodybuilder's frame, which is not really favored in this pageant.
NEPAL - Abhinav Tapa. He's probably considered raw, but I think he actually is reasonably good looking and buffed enough--just that there are others who are buffer and handsomer than him. I noticed some swimsuit photos that seem to indicate he's a rival behind COSTA RICA for the Dino Nicolina Award.
NETHERLANDS - Ilyas Chaouki. He's surprisingly more polished than I thought he would be. He would be another beneficiary of the relaxation of the clean-shaven directive as he pulls off charisma even while keeping his scruff. I don't see him faring as high as his two most recent predecessors, but he's a Top 20 shoo-in with a possible play for the Top 10.
NEW ZEALAND - Raven Henry. He got a special award as Best Oceania Model, so it made me wonder--did he beat AUSTRALIA and this batch of judges prefer his beefy frame over AUSTRALIA's trendy Chalemet-style slenderness, or is this another consolation prize like the other continental special awards?
NICARAGUA - Jeril Vado. He evokes a slender version of Mister International (New Era) 1st runner-up and Mister Supranational 2021 2nd runner-up William Badell from Venezuela. He can make a play for the Top 20, though for now my eyes are focused on the likes of COLOMBIA, PERU, and VENEZUELA.
PAKISTAN - Ahmad Khan. See NEPAL, but light-complexioned and scruffier and not quite incontention for the Dino Nicolina Award.
PERU - Francisco Dall'orso. I tink this guy has the looks, physique, and charisma to be a Top 10 contender, and I hope the Best in Swimwear special award he won was an indicator that he'll do well in this competition. But I do notice that facially, if you put him together with COLOMBIA and MEXICO, it's a bit hard to tell them apart. Still, I think he's a standout and deserves to go far in this competition.
COMING UP: PHILIPPINES to VIETNAM plus the "FEARFUL" FORECAST
The 22nd edition of Manhunt International is held in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Although the contestants were there for a mere eight days, they were given a full itinerary that combines soaking up the ancient Thai culture, photo shoots with sponsors, and a couple of modeling events--mainly in swimwear, but one event showcased them in traditional Thai garb. Then of course, there was the preliminary competition, which is actually the competition that matters as if I'm not mistaken, most of the final decisions are based on the performances from that round.
It's nice to see that this edition seems to also be a mini-reunion of previous champions, as not only the reigning champion, Lochie Carey is on hand to crown his successor, but also showing up were Paul Luzineau (2020, Netherlands), Truong Ngoc Tinh (2017, Vietnam), June Macasaet (2012, Philippines), and going all the way back in time, Peter Eriksen (1998, Sweden). All were on hand to judge the preliminary and final competition.
Reunion of champions with Manhunt President Rosko Dickinson: Peter Erisen (1998, Sweden), Paul Luzineau (2020, Netherlands), Lochie Carey (2022, Australia), Rosko Dickinson, June Macasaet (2012, Philippines), and Truong Ngoc Tinh (2017, Vietnma)
As of late, Manhunt president Rosko Dickinson prefers to limit the roster to 40. It seems to beased on which franchise holders were ready to declare their representatives and which were not ready--could this explain why normal stalwarts like GREECE, INDIA, JAPAN, POLAND, and SWEDEN are missing this year? There were actually 40 countries who confirmed but three backed out. Let's briefly talk about them starting with:
NIGERIA - Henri Keyz. This beefy ebony specimen looks like a strong contender wo could have made serious inroads into the Top 20. Wonder why he was the first to back out?
MYANMAR - Yelko Htet. He seems dusky and rough in one picture, and refined in another. Not sure if that will allow him to make serious inroads into an already murky Top 20. Wonder if the ongoing civil war conflict in his country is to blame for his absence?
PANAMA - Rubén Salcedo. He's the last to back out--wonder if he has issues obtaining his travel papers that caused him to be forced to withdraw? Anyway, he has these swarty looks that might work better in Mister Supranational but in this milieu he'll probably be at a disadvantage.
The final roster of 37 is a big improvement from the turnout in the past three editions, and it equates the turnout in 2017. I hope in the future Rosko releases the 40-country cap as this contest used to be capable of drawing in around 45-50 during the 2000-early 2010s era. They had their biggest turnouts back in 2006 and 2012, when there were 53 contestants present.
Without further ado, let's discuss the 37 contestants, starting with...
ANGOLA - Felipe Salvador Maria. I've noticed this year's batch is filled with long-haired contenders, and tis is the first one. But I like his look and vibe as I think he exudes polish and sex appeal. I wonder why he was not accorded the Best Model for Africa special award, as I feel he's delivered the goods--were the judges blinded by flamboyant fabulousness?
AUSTRALIA - Tim Gamlin. He's a handsome, boyish guy with a slender body. In other years, this would have been a disadvantage but with the fashion industry and Hollywood lately going for the slender, less toned types, this guy might have an "in". I call this the "Timothee Chalemet effect", as thanks to the success of Wonka and the Dune movies, he's now the standard to which every leading man is compared to.
BRAZIL - Ruan Mendes. He stands out with his mocha complexion and curly brown afro. If this were Mister Supranatiaonal, his exotic vibe would've made more serious impact, but I feel he's undoubtedly still Top 10 bound.
CANADA - Matt Dixon. I don't quite consider this blond guy classically handsome, but I know many fans and pundits who do. He would've fit the classic clean-cut archetype if it weren't for the huge tattoo on his upper left arm. He also made a standout impression in the haute couture round with his grandiose multilayered cape over his blinged-up tuxedo--does the cape evoke the natives who lived in his country before the Europeans arrived? Whatever the case, he looks regal in it. And he can secure his Top 20 slot by his positioning as the only blond in this batch.
COLOMBIA - Luis Gonzales. I find him buffed and classically handsome. Wonder what does the sepecial award Best America's Model (should've been Best Model - Americas) mean--is this a lower-tier prize for peraps not quite finishing in the Top 10 in the preliminaries, or does this mean good things for him on finals night?
COSTA RICA - Roberto Mena. This Top 15 finisher from Mister International (Distinctively Handsome) is aiming to improve on his previous sowing by competing here. He seems to be on-track as he was cited as topping the Physique round of the Digital Challenge. Interestingly he's relatively one of the shorter guys in this batch, so I wonder if that could hamper his prospects for maing Top 10 or beyond. But I have taken notice that in te first swimsuit parade, there is something prominent sowing as he faced sideways, so I feel he deserves to win the Dino Nicolina Award.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Juan Starlyn Terrero. He has a military-style haircut and features that I'm not that into, but he seems to be generating a lot of positive buzz so he looks like he is going to secure a Top 20 spot.
EL SALVADOR - Andre Ticas. He has a boyish Latino cuteness that could work in this milieu, and it seems with a prominent sponsor having also be his national director, he might have an advantage and secure a Top 20 slot.
FERNANDO DE NORONHA - Hudson Malagutti. He actually is good looking and has swarthy appeal, but he's not generating enough charisma and it doesn't help matters that he's the shortest guy in this batch and that his couture wardrobe lacks any distinction--it's basically a plain off-white jacke-and-pants ensemble sans undershirt. So thus continue the tradition of the "extra" Brazilian representative failing to make the cut.
FRANCE - Lucas Schlachter. After his perceived surprise Top Five finish at Mister International (New Era) he seems to have stepped up his charisma and appeal on the road to this competition that he has emerged as one of the front-runners. I think he's a lock for a FInal Five finish and a possible play for the big title.
HONG KONG - Song Yunye. Normally representatives from this territory generate attention and could make serious inroads into te semifinals. But this guy, I just don't see much charisma at all, and it seems he's overshadowed by MACAU. He also has that slender but not toned physique--would he benefit from the "Timothee Chalemet effect" or would he be a total miss?
INDONESIA - Stefan Yogi Firdaus. I may not find him that charismatic, but he undeniably has a polished presence, so it's likely he'll make the cut to the Top 20.
Admittedly due to my work commi9ments, I couldn't devote time to come up with a full-fledged Homestretch review for Miss Universe Philippines 2024, so this "Fearful" Forecast would have to do.
But I do have to note that I'll pay tribute to the dandidates who, in the middle of the proceedings, backed out for one raason or another:
ANGELES - Joanna Marie Thornley
KANANGA [Original]- Natasha Jung.
QUEZON CITY [Original[ - Lorraine Ojimba.
WASHINGTON - Kiara Landon
TOP CONTENDERS: BACOOR, BULACAN, ILOILO CITY, QUEZON PROVINCE, TAGUIG,
LIKELIEST: AUSTRALIA, BACOLOD, CAGAYAN DE ORO, CAMIGUIN, CAVITE, DAVAO CITY, FLORIDA, HAWAII, LAGUNA, LEYTE, MANILA, NAIC, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, PASIG, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, TACLOBAN, UNITED KINGDOM, VIRGINIA, ZAMBALES
EXCELLENT: BANTAYAN ISLAND, BUKIDNON, CABANATUAN, DAVAO DEL SUR, KANANGA, MARIVELES, MIAMI, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, PANGASINAN, SAN PABLO, SIARGAO, SYDNEY, TALISAY CITY, TOLEDO CITY, VIRGINIA, ZAMBALES
VERY STRONG: ALBAY, BATANGAS, BOHOL, LUCBAN, PAGADIAN CITY, QUEZON CITY, TUGUEGARAO,
"Fearful" Forecast
FINAL FIVE: BACOOR, BULACAN, ILOILO CITY, QUEZON PROVINCE, TAGUIG
TOP 10: BAGUIO, CAINTA, CEBU, PALAWAN, PAMPANGA
TOP 20: AUSTRALIA, CAVITE, DAVAO CITY, FLORIDA, HAWAII, MANDAUE, NUEVA ECIJA, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, QUIRINO, UNITED KINGDOM
STRIKING DISTANCE: BANTAYAN ISLAND, BUKIDNON, CABANATUAN, DAVAO DEL SUR, KANANGA, MARIVELES, MIAMI, OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, PANGASINAN, SAN PABLO, SIARGAO, SYDNEY, TALISAY CITY, TOLEDO CITY, VIRGINIA, ZAMBALES
Though many fans and pundits quibble that in terms of interview skills, the top favorite QUEZON PROVINCE (Ahtisa Manalo) tends to be oversadowed by stronger communicators out there, she still seems to have the overall package to make major waves in Mexico later this year and break our long shut-out record for missing the cut at Miss Universe whenever it was held in Mexico. Now the intriguing part is that after this pageant, there will be other pageant titles designated for next year's Charm, Cosmo, Eco International, and Supranational. Apparently holding the so-called "The Miss Philippines" pageant is turning out to be a one-time only affair as after an admittedly slipshod staging of that pageant, it is back to being integrated into this system.
Admittedly, I got five of the Top 10 correct, one of my weakest forecasts to this contestat to date. I was shocked by the weak showing of NORWAY, and that LITHUANIA and GREECE didn;t quite garner enough points to latch onto this level, plus that disqualification of the NETHERLANDS. I had been anticipating AUSTRIA has been falling in buzz that it would fall out of the Top 10, but joining NORWAY at the bottom? Also a shocker.
I should've included PORTUGAL (Iolanda) in my "Bubbling Under" list as I realize that this is very much a jury darling, which turned out to be true as she ranked 7th with them. She officially ranked 20th with the televote, but if the full rankings were applied and averaged, she was actually next-to-last--her standing was mainly buoyed by douze points from LUXEMBOURG. Her 10th place overall showing was mainly due to the points amassed with the juries. If the full average rankings were applied, she would've dropped down to 14th place and GERMANY would've replaced her in 10th place. I also have to note that there was controversy over the apparent delay in the posting of her performance video on Eurovision's YouTube channel--though officially the EBU cited "technical" issues, it seems the delay was caused by flak from the Israeli delegation contesting the subtle statement Iolanda was making with her fingernails, as she painted her nails with the colors of the Palestinian flag, and her closing remark "Peace will prevail" after her performance. For what is supposedly an "apolitical" event, the EBU was obviously taking a political stance, right?
SWEDEN (Marcus & Martinus) were always expected to be a jury darling, and this was reflected with their 8th place ranking with the juries. It did respectably okay with the televote, as they finished 11th, so they ended up ranking 9th overall. As Malin earlier talked about Benjamin Ingrosso's 2018 showing as she introduced his performance in Semifinal 1, this ranking is welcomed in other countries but for this country, it's a "disaster".
ARMENIA (Ladaniva) finished 9th in both jury and televote, and their consistent showing rewarded them with an 8th place overall finish, their best showing since the last time this contest was held in Sweden eight years ago when Iveta Mukuchyan finished 7th with "Lovewave". This pair were just a bundle of pure joy and positive energy that was very refreshing for this crisis-fraught contest.
ITALY (Angelina Mango) is the only one who made a significant change in her staging for the Grand Final, as she and her dancers changed from the lacy brocade outfits they sported in Semifinal to into solid black outfits. I suppose there was feedback on how she and her dancers were drowned by the backdrop with their outfits hence the chnnge in the final. She finished 4th with the jury and 7th with the televote, but because the points amased with the juries is not quite as strong as her standing would suggest, she finished 7th place overall. However, if we applied the full rankings, she would've finished 5th overall, as her entry was not as divisive as two entries that officially ranked above her--she didn't figure at all in the bottom five of any country either in juries or televote.
IRELAND (Bambie Thug) was officially 6th in all measures--6th with the juries, with the televote, and overall, so the 6-6-6 combination made some conservative people observe that it seemed apt as they might view their act as "satanic". Still it's incredible how this act had a rising trajectory that they were initially perceived as continuing in this country's doldrums, to garnering raves for their almost uncompromised*7 artistic vision that was undeniably risky, but in the end yielded rewarding results--this is tis seven-time Eurovision champion's best showing since Eamonn Toal's 6th place finish all the way back to 2000 with the overly sentimental (and ultimately forgettable) ballad "Millennium of Love". I've noticed that if the full rankings were applied, Bambie didn't fare that well with the juries as they seemed, as there were countries that ranked this entry in the bottom five, and the average would've placed them 9th with the juries.
*7 I say "almost uncompromised" because originally Bambie was supposed to have the word "CEASEFIRE" written in Ogham script on their outfit but the EBU told them to remove it because of its "political" content.
ISRAEL (Eden Golan)'s presence in this contest in light of the Gaza war was always going to be controversial and divisive, and this was reflected in the results, as she officially finished 12th with the juries but 2nd place with the televote. The divisiveness would be even more felt as the full rankings were applied, as when the full rankings were applied with the juries she would've ranked 16th (15th if NETHERLANDS was included) and despite garnering 15 douze points in the televote (including "Rest of the World" vote), she would've ranked 3rd instead of 2nd. She would've swapped with ITALY and finish 7th place overall.
Here, I would like to share my thoughts on the EBU's hypocrisy towards politics, and how this year, Israel seemed to be launching a propaganda war for this cause with the European public, and the apparent anomalies in its televote score. For starters, avoiding "politics" is a fruitless affair unless you're a hermit, as any kind of human interaction could be considered political in nature. You don't call any interaction in the workplace "office politics" for nothing. So almost all decisions determining the winners of this long-standing institution always has a political dimension even if efforts are made to minimize such effects. Ultimately in terms of decisions it is up to the individuals involved if they choose to weigh the merits of each entry over their own personal/cultural/political preferences or biases or not.
What caused this event to be accused of being hypocritical is that it ultimately took a stand behind the political stance of a public broadcaster and a key sponsor and immediately suppress or block expressions of the opposing side of that broadcaster's (and sponsor's) viewpoint. Which leads me to the second point about public broadcasting. Sure, institutions like the BBC for the UK and PBS from the US may attest that their views would always be independent from the stance of any of their respective governments, but the fact that they are required to receive funding from their respective governments and this rule also applies to all public broadcasters mean that a government's voice will always be somehow reflected and represented by the broadcasters. So it's ingenious for the EBU to say that Israeli broadcaster KAN is not linked to its respective government, nor the corporate nationality of key sponsor MoroccanOil doesn't share in the viewpoint of said government.
This decision also had the repercussion of giving Israel permission to use this contest as a propaganda ploy for its wartime causes. First, they would immediately ask the EBU that any criticism lobbed at them is tantamount to anti-Semitism, and to extend that logic, anyone bringing any cultural symbol of Palestine should also be suppressed on the same grounds. It's the same logic employed by Kathleen Kennedy-led Lucasfilm as they tout their shows as complying with corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) directives without regards to quality or good storytelling, and that fans criticizing the quality of their content should be dismissed as racists, sexists, and homophobes. Israel also want to present itself as an LGBTQIA+-friendly country, even if reality is the government is increasingly being run by extreme conservatives. And they admitted that they actively had a campaign launched in various countries to vote for their entry, so they can justify a narrative that despite the protests, the general public voted for them. Based on the results, it seemed to work.
However, the conspiracy theorist in me felt there is someting diabolical that might have occurred--which is especially possible with the existence of virtual private networks (VPNs), it's possible that Israel hired a pool of keyboard warriors transmitting votes online by masking their true locations so the online votes would reflect as votes from any of the participating countries in the contest. Slovenia actually raised a fuss questioning their televotes, as they noted that Slovenians never had voted for Israel throughout their history so it's strange why all of a sudden there are 10 points from them for Israel. Let's see what the EBU will do to safeguard the integrity of televoting in light of the existence of such technology? Anyway, I'm sharing YouTuber Stuart MacLean's video discussing all of these controversies for better input.
FRANCE (Slimane) was 2nd with the juries and 4th with the televote, though I discovered if full rankings were applied, this entry would've slipped to 3rd with the juries because there were actually a few countries which ranked this towards the bottom, which of course wasn't counted in the system in place. Still, the overall 4th place finish is a feat worth saluting.
UKRAINE (Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil) were consistently strong, finishing 5th with the juries and buoyed by the points it amassed in televote for a 3rd place finish that they finished 3rd overall. I started to actually like this song more and more as I listen to it, because of the gospel elements that I hear in this song.
It's obvious CROATIA (Baby Lasagna) would top the televote. But I wonder if the EBU or Swedish producers tried to downplay the expected popular dominance of this entry as in the recap, instead of playing the live response by the audience, they opted to mute the crowd response and play the response as reflected on the playback/studio recording. Is this a ploy to help boost the votes for Israel? I also have to note that if full rankings were applied for the juries, this would actually beat FRANCE by a narrow margin with the juries and be in 2nd place instead of officially 3rd. Of course, the way the eventual winner dominated the juries, it didn't provide enough leeway for this to become the overall winner. It also makes me wonder that if the NETHERLANDS wasn't disqualified and amassed all those televote points, would that provide room for this entry to win?
I didn't expect how SWITZERLAND (Nemo) would dominate the juries--in fact he was even more dominant than Loreen was last year. Even it they ranked 5th in televote, the jury domination helped him amass such a strong lead that they could not be overtaken even if the televotes were factored in. I resepct the results, as the performance and artistry of this person was undeniable.
After performing their encore after their victory, Nemo accidentally broke the crystal trophy. Some pundits felt this is symbolic of the messiness this year's edition emerged to be. Now, wonder how the EBU would address the issues raised by the controversises in this year's contest to ensure those incidents would be minimized or avoided, and help recover the currently low turnout, as there seems to be threat of further attrition because of these events. I hope there is a path for recovery for this contest for next year.
Before I discuss the results of the Grand Final, I'd like to touch upon the results of each semifinal . In both cases I was surprised on who ended up 11th and was saddened when I learned who finished last in Semifinal 2.
In Semifinal 1, I presumed POLAND (Luna) would be the 11th placer but it turned out to be AUSTRALIA (Electric Fields). But if we factor in all the rankings (i.e., including 11th to 15th) it turns out that AUSTRALIA would not only beat 10th placer SERBIA (Teya Dora), but would've placed 9th and beat SLOVENIA (Raiven) in the process--it seems SERBIA and SLOVENIA had bloc voting to thank for surviving and making the finals. Sad to say that ICELAND (Hera Björk) was indeed the cellar-dweller, not only in this group, but overall. I was expecting MOLDOVA (Natalia Barbu) to join Hera at the bottom but it turns out less people were enamored with AZERBAIJAN (Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov) were less successful in connecting with the televoters, and the points they amassed was even lower than the last placer in Semfinal 2...
...MALTA (Sarah Bonnici). She was an unjust last-place finisher in Semifinal 2, as all her onstage efforts deserved better appreciation. And analyzing the full rankings reveal that she was not actually last overall but exhibited the Ryan Dolan Conundrum*5--in fact she was actually 14th, outranking SAN MARINO (Megara) and ALBANIA (Besa), the latter taking up the rear. Like Semifinal 1, I was wrong in my presumed 11th placer as I thought it was BELGIUM (Mustii) but the already weak reception towards his staging was worse than I thought that he ended up 13th. The actual 11th placer was CZECHIA (Aiko) and if we apply the full rankings of the televote, she actually averaged in 10th place and could've knocked out the official 10th placer NORWAY (Gåte). CZECHIA also exhibited the Edurne Paradox*6, as she garnered points from 14 countries over NORWAY garnering points from 11. With NETHERLANDS' disqualification only announced on the day of the final, there was also this missed opportunity to have CZECHIA see action in the said Grand Final.
*5 Based on Ireland's Ryan Dolan's performance at the 2013 contest, when he was last in terms of points, but if you average the full rankings, he actually wasn't last--Spain's ESDM was the actual last-placer by this measure.
*6 Based on Spain's Edurne's 2015 showing as she garnered points from more countries (8) even if several other countries ranked above her and relegating her to 21st place. The Paradox also applies if based on average rankings, you rank significantly higher than your official ranking, as Edurne would've ranked 11th instead of 21st if the full rankings were applied.
Now, it's time to analyze the results of the Grand Final. Lots of stories can be told about the finalists.
Since NETHERLANDS (Joost Klein) was officially disqualified on the morning of the Grand Final, the juries got to vote for him, and it was disclosed he actually got 53 points from the uries, making him rank 12th. So any speculation that this entry could've won is out the window--even if he garnered a Kalush Orchestra-level of televote points, it's unlikely he'll win. What was the likeliest scenario is that he would have been 4th in the televote behind CROATIA, ISRAEL, and UKRAINE, but would dilute the points tey amassed that instead of three 300-point televotes, we would have maybe around five 200-point televotes (or more likely, four 200-pointers and two at the 180-180 level). The disqualification ironically enhanced the appeal of this song, as it became the top streamed song amongst this year's entries. That could be a nice consolation prize for this entry, even if his Eurovision dreams had been dashed.
NORWAY (Gåte) based on actual points alone exhibited the Ryan Dolan Conundrum as it didn't place last at all in either juries or televote--ESTONIA and the UNITED KINGDOM were officially last in those categories. But the low amount of points amassed by this entry made it last overall. And I discovered if we get the full average rankings of the jury and televote, it also exhibited the Edurne Paradox B, as it actually ranked significantly higher than its points would suggest--instead of 23rd in the jury it would've been 19th (20th if NETHERLANDS was included), and instead of 24th in the televote it would've been 20th.
AUSTRIA (Kaleen) ranked in a tie for 19th with the juries and was 23rd with the televote, and the low televote points it amassed caused it to be officially 24th in the ranking. However, examining the full televote ranking average, it turns out she exhibited the Edurne Paradox as she ranked 17th, six notches above her official standing.
SLOVENIA (Raiven) has her Balkan blocmates to thank for avoiding last place overall as it was actually 2nd to last with the juries and dead last with the televote if full rankings were applied. I feel sad that the sentiment of the Europeans toward this song is so low as I actually like this entry--ironically the music reminds most of Edurne's 2015 entry, "Amanecer [Dawn]".
SPAIN (Nebulossa) officially ranked a tie for 19th with the juries and 22nd with the televote for a 22nd place overall finish. If we apply the full rankings, it was actually weaker with the juries as it would've ranked 21st (22nd if NETHERLANDS was included), but it exhibited the Edurne Paradox with the televote, as it actually ranked 14th, as 10 countries actually voted it as bubbling under the Top 10.
GEORGIA (Nutsa Buzaladze) deserves better appreciation for the fierceness she brought onstage than what her 21st place overall ranking might indicate. Like SLOVENIA, I feel sad that both European juries and televote appreciated her less than she deserved, as if full rankings were applied she actually ranked lower than her official standing, ranking 22nd with the juries (23rd if we included the NETHERLANDS) and 22nd with the televote--she seemed to be benefiting from bloc or neighborly voting.
ESTONIA (5Miinust X Puuluup) last place finish with the juries is not surprising, that it had to rely on televote to put it out of the Bottom Five, and that it did by finishing 13th there and hence finishing 20th place overall. If its staging was more inspired, it would've gotten more televote points, but it was clearly overshadowed by other spectacles, such as....
...FINLAND (Windows95Man). Even if ESTONIA officially outpointed this entry by one point in the televote, if we apply the full ranking it actually blew way past ESTONIA, as instead of being 14th in the televote, it was actually 11th. Televoters liked the visual gimmicks from this entry enough to make it fare respectably well in that category.
UNITED KINGDOM (Olly Alexander) seems to have a mirrored scenario to ESTONIA, being officially last in the televote with the dreaded nil points, but having a respectable 13th place showing with the juries to save himself from a Bottom Five finish. I have to note in the televote, he was actually Ryan Dolan-ed, as applying the full rankings SLOVENIA and PORTUGAL fared worse than him--if we even go more granular, he was last in the televote in only four countries, while SLOVENIA was last in 20 countries and PORTUGAL in six.
SERBIA (Teya Dora) has bloc voting to thank for her 17th place standing, as if full rankings were applied, she would've ended up in 24rd place overall. Based on points she was 18th with the juries and 14th in the televote, but based on the full ranking average she was 19th with the jury and 21st in the televote.
I had presumed LATVIA (Dons) to be the one dangling by hus fingertips to make the Top 10 in Semifinal 2, but it turns out he was safely in 7th place, and this pretty much is reflected in his Grand Finals performance, where he finished 15th with the juries and 16th with the televotes. But if we apply the full rankings of the televote, he actually fared better, moving a bit up to 13th place there.
Like LATVIA, I presumed CYPRUS (Silia Kapsis) was the 10th placer in Semifinal 1 but it turns out she was also in 7th place--the quality ballads by PORTUGAL, SERBIA, and SLOVENIA were not as strong with the general public as I thought they would've been. In the Grand Final, she was 16th with the juries and 11th with the televote but if full rankings were applied, she fared a bit better with the juries at 14th place (this is excluding the NETERLANDS) and dropped to 16th place in teelvote, indicating she has GREECE to thank for her 11th place showing in the televote.
Many fans presumed that LITHUANIA (Silvester Belt) would outdo The Roop in this Grand Final like he did in their national final. But that didn't materialize as he finished 15th with the juries and 10th with the televote for a 14th place overall finish, simply equaling Monika Liu's 2022 showing. So The Roop still holds the trophy as this country's best performer in this contest thus far.
How the fan reaction towards LUXEMBOURG (Tali) was like a rollercoaster--when she won her national final, it was regarded highly but as other entries came in her buzz got diminished. But the juies got her back as she placed 11th with them and even if she was weaker in televote, placing 17th, she managed to stay at the left-side of the scoreboard with her 13th place overall showing.
I know that GERMANY (Isaak) got positive notices for his staging, but little did I know that this generates significant love from the jires that he placed 10th there and the jury points he amassed helped him stay on the left side of the scoreboard even as he finished a weak 19th place with the televote. This is at least a welcome respite from the doldrums for this country, but could it be the start of a new renaissance? Stefan Raab, who had a hand in contributing to some of this country's strong finishes in the late 1990s to 2010s, is reportedly returning to assist in the national selection--can't wait to see how it all unfolds next year.
GREECE (Marina Satti) was 15th with the juries and 8th with the televote for an 11th place overall finish. If we apply the full ranking on the televote, she actually only averaged in 10th place, meaning 8th place televote ranking was mainly buoyed by bloc voting, like douze pints from CYPRUS and Top Five showings with the televoters from SERBIA and ARMENIA (SAN MARINO televotes are actually based on the bracket it belongs to and not actual televotes, which included CYPRUS and GREECE, because that country is so small it uses ITALY's country code for its phones).
The Grand Final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest was supposed to be a superbly produced affair. as Sweden has been known for delivering top-notch productions. Host Petra Mede has been a reliable quantity in the previous editions she has hosted, and what she delivered in the two semifinals with Malin Åckerman prove no different (and speaking of Malin, she's also doing a very competent job). Everything seemed to be pointing to an enjoyable affair like last year's Liverpool edition and the now iconic editions hosted by Petra in 2013 and 2016 (yes, with 2015 champion Mån Zelmerlöw). But two events turned out to be dark clouds hovering above the proceedings, and their impact turned out to be indelible.
First is the presence of Israel in the contest. Yes, this country is a long-standing stalwart in this contest, and since at least 2019 this contest relies on a major sponsorship from Israeli hair care company MoroccanOil to help finance the entire endeavor. But since October 2023, Israel is mired in a war against Hamas at the Gaza Strip, and though Israel did not draw first blood (unlike Russia when it invaded Ukraine), its scorched-earth approach causing the destruction of hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians' lives is deemed excessive and reprehensible--many in the international community are declaring this is an act of genocide. Having this country present in the contest does not seem to be good optics, and hence there were street protests outside the venue against the presence of this country.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has stated that the contest is not among the countries' governments but among the countries' public broadcasters. But me, when I think of my oun country's public broadcaster PTV-4, I tend to view it as inextricably linked as a government's mouthpiece--but then of course I realize the US's PBS and the UK's BBC are not necessarily the mouthpieces of their respective governments, but the fact that they rely on funding from the governments to keep on going still make me think the separation between government and broadcaster is disingenuous, at least. Exacerbating matters is that the Israeli broadcaster KAN has been toeing the government line and in its selection of the artist, it featured some patriotic themed programs that indicate their support of the government's war effort. In fact, the initial entry submitted was deemed too political which is supposed to be against EBU's policy that it had to be rewritten to its current incarnation in order for Israel to not lose its spot.
As rehearsals for the Grand Final wore on, we were then hit with shocking news about The NETHERLANDS (Joost Klein) as he was barred from rehearsing for the Grand Final. First, the EBU permitted to juries to view his pre-taped Semifinal 2 performance instead as a backup. Speculation ran afoot of the cause of this--some thought it was because of Joost's testy behavior during the post-Semifinal 2 press conference when he heckled at Israel when they decided to deflect a press question about Israel's participation putting all other artists' safety in jeopardy, with Joost uttering a sarcastic "Why not?" Fueling further speculation was footage where a member of the Israeli delegation was hounding on a bodyguard from the Dutch delegation when Joost was barred from performing. In the morning of the final, it was announced that Joost was disqualified, and it turns out that it was due to an altercation with a female member of the EBU camera crew. As the EBU issued their statement, they emphasized that the incident did not involve members of other delegations. I'm glad that even with this disqualification, the Netherlands' juries and televoters were still allowed to participate. Still, undoubtedly the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS was very upset at this development, and it seems many other delegations did not welcome this development.
With these two dark clouds looming over the Grand Final and creating a chaotic atmosphere backstage especially among the delegations,, how did it affect the conduct of the Grand Final?.
The opening number is an oblique reference to ABBA's Eurovision victor--though everyone attributed ABBA's victory as the beginning of Sweden's breakthrough in the international music scene, many people would like to note there was a precursor as in the week that ABBA won Eurovision, the No. 1 song in the US Billboard Hot 100 was actually by the Swedish band Blue Swede, with their cover ofBJ Thomas' 1968 song, "Hooked on a Feeling"*1. So, they hired the band's lead singer Björn Skifs*2 to perform the song as the opening number. I think of Björn Skifs as the Swedish counterpart to Tom Jones as they share a similar earthy, bellowing vocal style. And like Tim, he still has the strength to sing his songs at full strength, just like this performance--hard to believe this man is already 77 years old! And he's looking pretty good--it seems that he, the other famous musical Björn ABBA's Mr. Ulvaeus, and The Beatles' Ringo Starr, have found a health routine that helped them retain vitality as well as they have in their advanced ages.
*1 That song has a very interesting journey towards its status as a pop culture legend, especially how it evolved from BJ Thomas' sitar-laced version to the now iconic Blue Swede version--I recommend visiting videos by YouTubers Todd in the Shadowsand Proferssor of Rockfor detailed backgrounders on this. Needless to say, Blue Swedes' immortal "ooga-chaka" intro was not even their innovation but was copied from now-disgraced British artist/producer Jonathan King's 1971 version. Blue Swedes' version was brought into the pop culture zeitgeist twice after its original peak thanks to its use as a meme involving a computer-generated dancing baby in the TV series Ally McBeal in 1998, and then its prominent use in the 2014 smash hit film Guardians of the Galaxy.
*2 Mr. Skifs (pronounced "shifs") is also a two-time Eurovision veteran, representing Sweden in 1978 and 1981, placing 14th and 10th respectively. He also has an ABBA connection as he recorded a duet with Frida in 1975 wtih the song "Med varann [With each other]", a Swedish language cover of the Stylistics' 1974 smash "You Make Me Fee Brand New". He also sang "The Arbiter" on the concept album for the musical Chess, which of course is famous as composed by ABBA's Mr. Ulvaus and Benny Andersson alongside famous lyricist Tim Rice.
Since the 2013 eiditon, the finalists were introduced to the stage with a flag parade, were each artist march forward on stage often carrying their flags as they were introduced. Like last year's sequence, they used recordings of famous songs/artists that have made Sweden a global pop force over the years. So, this flag parade features the tracks "I Love It" by Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX (2012), "Beautiful Life" by Ace of Base (1995), "The Look" by Roxette (1989), "I Follow Rivers" by Lykke Li (2011), "Sun is Shining" by Axwell X Ingross (2015) and finally "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" by ABBA (1979). I like this song mix, though there is a side of me that wishes they yank out Lykke Li and replace with, say, Robyn's "Dancing on My Own" (2010)
Like in the previous two evenings, hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åckerman wree in top form as usual, delivering witty quips and keeping the show going well, even if some segments were starting to emerge as misfires. One favorite segment for me is when Malin noted that her moter-in-law turned out to be the key choreographer of the winning entry by UK quarter Bucks Fizz in 1981, and of course this led to a skirt ripping gag as Malin revealed her black dress has a miniskirt underneath.
One segment that proved to be a huge misfire was a pre-taped segment featuring Swedish singer/comedienne Sarah Dawn Finer as "EBU Spokesperson" Linda Woodruff performing her usual malaprop-laden shtick before going into a musical ode to EBU Executive Supervisor Martin Österdahl, "Good to Go". It's unfortunate they had to run the skit at this tension-filled atmosphere as Martin has gotten a lot of flak regarding the EBU decisions to allow Israel to compete and accommodate to their needs above the other delegations and that Joost Klein decision, so the ode is obviously not received well. I have to hand it that Martin's role could be be viewed as a thankless job, as he often had to enforce disciplinary actions when anyone misbehaves--and remember what he did to the juries of five countries back in 2022 because of reported collusion? One might criticize how he handled such situations and believe the vitriol against him is warranted but we all know there are hard choices needed to be made when somebody misbehaves. If we were to oust him, would his successor be able to enforce order when something goes awry?
It's almost a requirment tat the reigning champion returns as an interval act, and this is true this year as Loreen performed her latest single "Forever", which of course is then blended with her winning song "Tattoo". It may not be as memorable as her winning performance, but we have to appreciate that the way she performed this number is not as easy as it seems--the way she poses and arches on a small metal chair is actually a feat of stamina and body control, and in this respect Loreen was actually very impressive--ordinary folk would be straining in pain doing the poses she made in her performance.
After closing the voting window, Malin excitedly announced to Petra about the reunion of a disco-oriented group that began with the letter "A". Of course most people were expecting the 1974 Eurovision champions, but of course they decided to trot out the Alcazar reunion. This is the first time this group got to perform at the main Eurovision stage after five previous attempts*3 at Melodifestivalen to represent Sweden at this grand stage. The song they chose to perform is their first charted single back in 2000, "Crying at the Discotheque". The group was in top form, and the song olds up well, but I feel sad that ulitmately they are dismissed as a gag as Petra declared that this was not the reunion she and many were hoping for. In a way, this is partly true, as even though the trio lineup of Tess Merkel,Andreas Lunstedt and Lina Hedlund were the longest-standing lineup and are terrific in their own right, I feel their peak lineup was the 2002-2005 quartet combo featuring Magnus Carlsson as the second male member and Annikafiore Kjærgaard instead of Lina.*4
*3 They had a great run of Melodifestivalen entries that eventually became pan-European hits: "Not a Sinner, Nor a Saint" (2003, 3rd place), "Alcastar" (2005, 3rd place), "Stay the Night" (2009, 5th place), "Headlines" (2010, Andra Chansen, not quite making the final), and "Blame It on the Disco" (2014, 3rd place). Actually the long-standing male member of the band,, Andreas Lunstedt, got to compete on the main Eurovision stage back in 2006 as he was a member of a one-off collaboration, six4one, that represented Switzerland and finished 17th with their carity-oriented number "If We All Give A Little".
*4 Magnus basically joined the band because he became Andreas's boyfriend and he's a good singer in his own right. This era featured some inspired Eurodisco twists on some unlikely songs, like "This is the World We Live In" (a mash-up of Diana Ross's 1980 classic "Upside Down" and Genesis' 1986 smash "Land of Confusion") and "Start the Fire" (lifting the chorus from Billy Joel's 1989 smas "We Didn't Start the Fire". But my big favorite performances of theirs were the live covers they did with ABBA's "As Good as New" and the shoulda-been ABBA song "Funky Feet"*4a. They achieved the heady heights of ABBA's blissful pop perfection in these performers way better than A*Teens (which was formerly formed as ABBATeens) ever could.
*4a Benny & Björn wrote the song but felt the song sounded too similar to their immortal classic "Dancing Queen" that they decided not to record it and instead give it away to the married duo Svenne & Lotta, Benny's former bandmates from his group the Hep-Stars (take note that Lotta joined that band in their later stages alongside Björn). This is not the first time Svenne & Lotta got a Benny and Björn song as the 1975 ABBA tune "Bang-a-Boomerang" was originally performed by this couple as a Melodifestivalen entry--like ABBA's "Ring Ring" two years before, they finished 3rd. The couple covered more Benny & Björn throughout their long career.
It was obvious that it's unlikely that the members of ABBA would not be physically present in this event in person, as they would rather prioritize their induction into the prestigious Royal Order of Vasa by no less than the King and Queen of Sweden at the end of May. But well, at least they allowed the ABBA-tars from the Voyage concert to make an appearance and banter briefly about their Eurovision experience. This then segued to a tribute performance by previous champions Carola (1991), Charlotte Perelli (1999). and Austria's Conchita Wurst (2014) sang their version of ABBA's "Waterloo". They all did a competent job, no doubt about it. Of the Swedish Eurovision champions, I observed one conspicuous absence--Måns Zelmerlöw (2015). He had popped up at various recent editions of this contest, so it's a bit of a headscratcher why he sat this out--was there bad blood between him and anyone involved in the production of this contest? Was he simply more focused on his wine venture? Anything related to the ongoing messes because of Israel's participation? I would like to know.
The disclosure of the results is always a highlight in this contest, starting with the satellite call to the various countires as the jury results. It was intended to be star-studded with Eurovision alumni and celebrities like the UK's Joanna Lumley (of Absolutely Fabulous fame) announcing her country's jury results. It still is star-studded, especially learning that 2016 champion Jamala is very much pregnant with her first child, and it's nice to hear from the likes of Armenia's Brunette (2023) and Azerbaijan's Aysel (2009). But there were two originally two 2023 Eurovision artists originally designated as spokespersons who decided to back out last minute, apparently related to Israel's presence in this contest: Nor, whoway's Alessandra because of her stance on the ongoing Gaza conflict, and Finland's Käärijä, who got caught up in a social media furor when he was photographed with Israel's representative Eden Golan and Käärijä requesting the photos to be taken down as Israeli parties are using them as propaganda implying that he supports the Israeli side of the war (which of course is not the case).
Like in 2022, Martin Österdal stepped in to announce jury results for at least one of the countries. But unlike in 2022 when it was involuntary and five of the countries involved in the Semifinal 2 jury collusion controversy were only told last minute that their actual jury votes would not be read out or used, this time it was because in protest over Joost Klein's disqualification, the Netherlands decided not to field any spokesperson, and hence Martin stepped in. Because of teh aforementioned controversies, Martin was greeted with boos as he showed up, and the boos never relented whenever he's called or shown on TV.
After the jury results, it turned out SWITZERLAND was dominant, arguably more dominant than Loreen was when she won last year. So the question was if any of the Televote leaders are able to amass points to offset SWITZERLAND's lead. It turns out that even if CROATIA, ISRAEL and UKRAINE amassed at least 200 televote points each, SWITZERLAND amassed enough points to maintain its standing as champion.
