In other editions of Eurovision, the second semi-final would be a straightforward affair with a lack of an intro. But this year, they decided to add a fun skit intro featuring the hosts Malin Åckerman and Petra Mede getting ready for the show and entering into tanning beds as they sang a spoof version of last year's winning song, Loreen's "Tattoo". Needless to say, it was a very amusing and delightful treat.
Needless to say, the hosts this evening remain very reliable, delivering witty quips, keeping the show going, and engaging the audience. Nothing to fault about them at all. I especially love their banter when they compared themselves to previous champions ABBA and Herreys, that Malin is an international superstar while Petra pops in periodically whenever Eurovision comes along. The most memorable gag was that they tapped a very famous viral meme on the 2018 Miss Universe pageant, in particular the preliminary competition intro, where France's Eva Colas introduced her country's name in an unusual way because her voice was hoarse.
Of course after watching the semifinal we know how the postcards format work this time, so it's again a great watch to revisit each country's previous highlights and see personal glimpses of the contestants.
For the interval act as the voting window opened, Malin and Petra noted that there is this long-running Swedish outdoor music festival called Allsång på Skansen [Sing-along at Skansen], where prominent Swedish artists perform concerts and engage audiences to sing-along with them. So they decided to feature a twist on that tradition by doing a Sing-along with Eurovision champions Helena Paparizou (Greece 2005), Charlotte Perelli (Sweden 1999), and Sertab Erener (Turkey 2003). All three champions sound terrific and engaging enough to turn the stadium into a mass karaoke party.
After the voting window closed and the results were being tabulated, this gave time for a well-conceived Broadway-style musical number featuring Petra. This time it's about common fan reactions whenever Sweden wins lately, and basically Petra's rejoinder is simply, "We Just Love Eurovision Too Much". She was joined again by Charlotte Perelli as they relay the ways Swedes love this contest too much. And then they sprung a much welcome cameo: last year's runner-up from Finland, Käärijä with his "Cha Cha Cha". He was scintillating as expected but after that fiery performance, Petra dismissed it as "that didn't happen". It may not be as iconic as her numbers with Måns Zelmerlöw eight years ago, but it's still a wonderful number.
The qualfiers' announcement turned out to be a very suspenseful affair as from the start they announced that an entry that most EUrovision fans and pundits felt was the cellar-dweller turned into a qualifier. So as the announcement wore on, you worry that one presumed shoo-in would not make it, and indeed that happened. Now in the previous semi-final, after all were announced Petra and Malin simply signed off with a gag about having cocktails afterwards. This time, they have a closing musical number featuring the 19884 champions Herreys performing their song "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley". They are obviously no longer at their prime, but it's a nice, entertaining way to cap off the night.
I'll now devote time to discuss the non-qualifiers, starting with...
ALBANIA (Besa) undeniably delivered stellar vocals, but the fact tat the song revamp stripped it of its ethnic flair may have resulted with the expected bloc votes not rallying around this entry, so I think this ended up at the bottom of the fact. The staging also lacks impact delivered by the other entries.
DENMARK (Saba) obviously needed jury support in order for it to make any serious inroads, as her vocals remain on point, but the simple staging simply fail to catch the fancy of the televoters.
We do have to salute CZECHIA (Aiko) as indeed her vocals were much improved from the national final, and te staging is sleek and polished, and the middle-of-the-song pause for dramatic dialogue worked. It may even fare better than initial perceptions taht it would be a bottom feeder.
SAN MARINO (Megara) delivered on the brassy, sassy hard rock and yes, brought spectacle that deserve attention and acclaim. I also have to give a shoutout to the backup dancers, woo were made up to look like skeletal ghouls--out of makeup, these are actually very beautiful girls, a welcome sigt amidst the bevy of hot hunks amongst the other delegations' backup dancers.
MALTA (Sarah Bonnici) undoubtedly gave her all with all the acrobatics and stunts in her act. She deserves mighty props because she actually delivered a great performance. But would that be enough to elp break this country out of its televoting doldrums as of late? It's strange that in the 2000s, they used to be able to drum up televotes, as their two best finishes (2nd place) with Ira Losco's "7th Wonder" (2002) and Chiara's "Angel" (2005) both took place in editions where it was televote only.
Now the big shocker was the exclusion of BELGIUM (Mustii). His vocals remain impassioned, but it was not as pitch perfect as the recording, and the staging looked lackluster--I think the choice of white pants instead of black leather may also have hurt his chances as it made him look more like a boy-band member instead of an edgy rocker which was what impressed me about the music video originally. So sad as I still think this is a quality entry.
Before I discuss the qualifiers, let's talk about the automatic finalists:that performed in this round (and voted, of course).
SPAIN (Nebulossa) as expected delivered a fabulous presentation with those two hot backup dancers. I still have much respect for this song and presentation, but I still have a gnawing feeling it will end up in the Bottom Five.
ITALY (Angelina Mango) got criticism for the choice of LED backdrop, as its imagery of tangled vines that although evocative of the music video, looked cluttered and busy onstage. Some fans also felt that Angelina doesn't need any backing dancers for her performance, but for me, I'm fine with it and I salute that she featured female dancers of all body shapes and sizes, perhaps to underscore how her song's message is universal. I still love this song and performance, but I can admit that in tis go-round, it is being overshadowed by...
...FRANCE (Slimane), who delivered a surprisingly intimate staging with the camera focusing on him in close-up. But the highlight was when he sang the song's climax, he distanced himself from the microphone to project how powerful his vocals were. It is indeed a major dramatic highlight I feel not only the uries will lap this up, but garner significant televote support. This entry looks Top Five-bound--would there be room for him and ITALY considering there are other big contenders out there?
I got eight out of 10 of te actual qualifiers. One of them emerged as a big shocker, and the oter I missed was simply because I thought the public vote might mirror the vocal protests and sentiments I've been hearing about the entry.
LATVIA (Dons) being announced first jolted me as I thought as polished and decent his presentation is, other entries are more compelling. But it looks like he connected with a significant amount of the European televoters that he broke his country's six-year losing streak. Good on im, tough I'm still not that crazy about his entry.
I was hoping that ISRAEL (Eden Golan) would get to air their piece and that would be it, and not cause further tension in the Grand Final by qualfiying. However, they somehow pulled through, and based on leaked results from the Italian broadcaster RAI, they might be dominating the televote in some countries. Is this reflective of the general public's actual sentiment towards Isarael's side in the ongoing Gaza war?
Admittedly, ESTONIA (5MIINUST x Puuluup)'s presentation is threadbare and a tad messy, but I'm glad its entertainment value garnered enough support from the general public to pull though. Now let's see how it would fare with the juries and how the televote would pull them up.
AUSTRIA (Kaleen) is undeniably a bop that Eurofans would rally behind, but admittedly in terms of presentation, it pales behind the performances delivered by the entries below, and of course, MALTA. Still I'm glad this advanced, but I fear my forecast taht tis would finish in the Top 10 is fast diminishing.
GREECE (Marina Satti), ARMENIA (Ladaniva), and GEORGIA (Nutsa Buzaladze) delivered high energy performances that even if I expect they traded points for each other, those high marks are warranted as all three are extremely entertaining and polished audience pleasers. I'm glad GEORGIA joined LATVIA in breaking their drought.
I heard some viewers think NORWAY (Gåte) was "pitchy" but personally I found no fault with their performance and believe they're on track to finish in the Top 10. However, I'm hearing som ebuzz that they are not as popular as Eurofans may perceive, as based on Spotify streams they are reportedly struggling. I hope this doesn't be portent to their ultimate outcome.
Though there were some fans who complained that the NETHERLANDS (Joost Klein)'s presentation is not as polished as they expected (like in the music video) but for me it still dazzled onstage and is an entertaining visual treat. But the highlight was the coda when the otherwise peppy song winds down into a mournful piece as Joost spoke about the loss of his parents. That portion was what they used when they recapped the performances, so undoubtedly it tugged a lot of heartstrings. Let's see how it fared as the results are disclosed after the Grand Final.
The status of SWITZERLAND (Nemo) as a possible favorite to win remained secure with the performance delivered in this semi-final. They delivered that appropriate amount of frantic energy as called for in the music, and the vocals were top-notch. I may not be that into Nemo's outfit of a raggedy pink coat and simple withe miniskirt, but still it's a memorable, impactful performance. I would rate this the best, but I have a feeling this didn't win the televote.
I have a feeling I'm going to be way off in my Top 10 forecast as the Grand Final unfolds, but I'll still be sticking to my forecasted Top 10. Can't wait to see how the Grand Final would unfold.
As is now tradition, the opening portion of the first semifinal for the Eurovision Song Contest has to be grand, and the opening number fits that description. We have famously highly regarded high finishers Eleni Foureira (Cyprus 2018), Eric Saade (2011), and Chanel (Spain 2022) performing their now-iconic numbers "Fuego", "Popular", and "Slo-Mo" respectively. All were in top form, and I especially love the remix done on Eric Saade's song, as in its original mix I couldn't get behind it as I found it sounding like German duo Modern Talkingin their 1980s heyday, which for me was what I associate with utterly tacky music as it was ubiquitously playing at jeepneys and low-grade honky-tonk bars when I was younger. Anyway, there was controversy in this opening sequence as Eric opted to wear a keffiyeh on his wrist, whic the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) officers view as an unwanted political statement denouncing the ongoing war in Gaza. But for me, Eric has a right to make such a statement because he is of Lebanese/Palestinean heritage and as much as EBU has to appease a key sponsor and the Israeli side of the situation, there should be room for the other side to express their views, albeit silently. This is why the EBU did not officially load this sequence in their official YouTube channel and we have to parse those sequences using other sources.
Of course, after the opening number, we were introduced to our hosts for the entire contest, actress Malin Åckerman and Petra Mede. Both of them hit the ground running and prove to be terrific hosts, Malin proving poised and polised and Petra always being amusing and witty. I especially love those quips Petra made about Malin being a famous Hollywood actress and her being famous mainly every time Eurovision comes along. They were both flawless throughout this evening.
As the competition went underway, of course we could not forget that to introduce each entry we have the postcards. This year, they have a format where they highlight clips from two entries from that country's history and then a TikTok-style video footage of the performers doing their everyday things. It's a well-executed package that I wonder how subsequent editions could top it.
After all the performances were done and the voting window was open, This of course calls for an interval act, and this time they hired the other perosn who won this contest two times--Ireland's Johnny Logan, who performed his cover of Loreen's 2012 winning entry, "Euphoria" He did a good job adopting the song into his ballad style and I respect him turning the closing "up, up, up, up, uuuup" line in the chorus into a single, lengthy, sustained "up". But I have to note his performance was far from perfect as there were a few cracks and the climactic high note wasn't sustained. Still much respect to this Eurovision legend.
After the voting window closed and the results being tabulated, we were treated to a performance by 2018 alumni Benjamin Ingrosso, whose 7th place finish was jokingly quipped by Malin as "a disaster". Benjamin performed a medley of his newer songs, "Look Who's Laughing Now", :Kite" and "Honey Boy". I normally don't like guys who decided to grow their hair long, but Benjamin delivers an Aaron Taylor Johnson-meets-John Travolta energy and swagger that I dig it and ultimately don't mind the look. It befits the disco direction his latest music is taking.
Then of course came the climactic moment of the evening, the announcement of the 10 qualifiers to the Grand Final. Though I tend to know who were going to make it and nine out of the 10 I got correct, I felt that rush of satisfaction when I hear the names of the countries that qualifed announced and as the last country was announced, I felt sorry for tose that are left out.
It's sad that the two Eurovision returnees turned into the most obvious non-qualifiers in this batch. We have to appreciate the effort MOLDOVA (Natalia Barbu) and ICELAND (Hera Björk) brought to their performances as vocally they were both on-point. It's just that that songs and staging didin't make as strong an impact as those who qualified.
I also appreciate the stagng delivered by AZERBAIJAN (Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov) with those huge hand props and desert backdrop, but I knew the song just doesn't make that strong an impact.
We have to hand it to AUSTRALIA (Electric Fields) for bringing in a digeridoo player to jazz up the presentation, but we all know their standing was always precarious in this group. Much respect to them even if they delivered the second time shut-out from the Grand Final for this country.
I expected POLAND (Luna) to make it based on its staging and the expected diaspora vote, but apparaently the latter failed to materialize. I bet it only miss by a few slivers and perhaps what hurt its chances was that the vocals were not that pitch perfect.
Before we discuss the qualifiers, time to talk about the automatic qualifiers who performed alongside the semifinalists.
We have to salute GERMANY (Isaak) for the staging of the song and the strong vocal performance delivered by the artist. Though I wish there was a fireworks climax at the end, hope for this country not finishing last this time seems to be going brighter and brighter. Can they even rise above Bottom Five?
SWEDEN (Marcus & Martinus) as expected brought the Matrix-style presentation from Melodifestivalen to this stage and it's a spectacle to behold. It will become a jury darling, no doubt, but will the televoting public also rally behind it?
But in terms of staging, I like UNITED KINGDOM (Olly Alexander) the best, as I like those sexy backup dancers. They were such standouts that they were used in a gag where Petra needed help going down the steps so she can interview Bambie Thug and employed the assistance of Olly's backup dancers to escort her down the steps.. My worry though is that Olly's vocals are imperfect, so I don't know how that would impact in the voting.
It's time to discuss the qualifiers.
I know I didn't forecast CYPRUS (Silia Kapsis) as a qualifier as I thought her streetwear style would be overshadowed by POLAND, but I'm not that surprised that she actually did, as her vocals and dancing were generally on-point. And much respect as they didn't need GREECE's help to go through.
Now, I'm mightily pleased that the quality entries from SERBIA (Teya Dora) and SLOVENIA (raiven) got in, and though we can attribute it to a likely strong Balkan bloc that they form with powerouse CROATIA, I'm glad they seem to have enough support from the rest of the group to advance. Was there a diaspora factor at play here as well?
In a similar vein, I'm also extremely pleased at PORTUGAL (Iolanda) making it. I thought on LUXEMBOURG could propel this forward, but it seems the televoting public also appreciate a quality entry when they see one.
Speaking of LUXEMBOURG (Tali), I find her male backup dancers highly appealing that they rival Olly's hunks. There were some fans who fret that they are vulnerable and might miss the cut, but I'm glad there was enough popular support for this entry, and this considering that traditional allies like BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS, and FRANCE are not in their bracket.
The cheeky and flashy presentation delivered by FINLAND (Windows95man) is undeniably a televote magnet so qualification in this round is expected. Now, I'm curious on how it will fare with the juries in the final.
LITHUANIA (Silvester Belt)'s moody club light show is a highlight. Now can it deliver on its mission to bring forth this country's best finish in this contest ever?
IRELAND (Bambie Thug) delivered the artistic highlight of the evening, as indeed they cast an indelible spell with their presentation that combines interpretative dance and Wiccan rituals (yes, some conservatives may view this as "demonic"). I'm curious at how high it actually fared with both the juries and public at the Grand Final.
UKRAINE (Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil) can be relied upon to deliver epic staging and this entry doesn't disappoint in that aspect. Some might be divided about the shaky-cam effect made when Alyona Alyona did her rap (is it a bit of a fat joke or just a reflection of the heft of the message Alyona was delivering?) but the closing LED floor tableau of women reclining is gorgeous and iconic.
As expected by now, CROATIA (Baby Lasagna) proved why he's a frontrunner to win this contest, as he delivered on charisma and fireworks worthy of this rocking number. But tere are contenders performing from the second semifinal who could still wrest the crown from him. Still, undoubtedly he dominated this round and I'm rooting for him to shine in the Grand Final.
So far, an impressive start for this contest. Let's see how the second semi-final would unfold and how that would impact the Grand Final.
The second semi-final is emerging as one of the toughest semifinals to call. Almost each entry has a compelling case on why they should advance to the final, but there are also factors that might also work against them--of course save for a few favorites. There is also that factor on how much the public sympathizes with ISRAEL or those vocal protests against it because of the treatment of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza. How will it all pan out?
01 MALTA: "Loop" - Sarah Bonnici. Most fans don't think the song is anything special, even if a revamp did improve prospects for the song. But many would love to salute Sarah's daring in her performance, like that blindfold flip that she did in her national final that she intends to also retain in her performance on the main stage. She is reportedly adding some other acrobatics into her performance so I wonder if all those would make more of the televoting public vote for her--I hope it does.
02 ALBANIA: "Titan" - Besa. She was not the winner of her national final, Festivali i kengest and in fact did not even finish in the Top Three, but she got the highest popular vote in that contest, and that gave her the right to compete in this contest. It was of course originally performed in Albanian under the title "Zemrën N’dorë [Hand in heart]" and as it was I didn't find it as distinctive as the other entries turned out to be but I do love the melody of the chorus, as it reminds me of the Cranberries' 1994 smash hit "Zombie". I thought it could coast by with the expected support from neighbors like ITALY, GREECE, SWITZERLAND (because of a significant diaspora), and possibly ARMENIA and GEORGIA.
But then they decided to revamp the song by changing the language to English. But not only did they change the language, they also changed the song's subject and made some radical rearrangements. It's substantially a different song now, barring the melody which remains the same. The Albanian original is about a spurned lover warning her departing ex that he'll be doomed without her, and the revamped English version is now an empowerment anthem about a person confronting the people who were obstacles to her goals and dreams that she's unstoppable and she'll "riiiiiiiiiiiise". To be honest, I find the English lyrics trite, and what is a fully realized line in the chorus is turned into an extended one word "rise" in this version. However, I don't mind the rearrangement to turn this a bit R&B and I do like the rave-up climax that reminds me of The Weeknd's 2020/21 longevity chart mega-smash "Blinding Lights". But it's akin to the situation with songwriterDesmond Childwhen he rewrote "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)" (a single for Bonnie Tyler) and converted it into Bon Jovi's mega-smash "You Give Love a Bad Name", except in this case it was done in reverse. Will the traditional supporters still go behind this song?
03 GREECE: "ZARI [DICE]" - Marina Satti. When I listened to this song, what struck me is that it evokes Bollywood for me. But Overthinking It revealed there is a whole lot more to this song besides being a catchy ethno-bop, like the fact that Marina's artistry comes from her knack of synthesizing and mashing up multiple influences to create her own sound, and that was the approach she did with the song--she had the Greek broadcaster ERT request for song submissions, and then Marina pick and choose elements of some of them and fused them into this song. I also love Overthinking It's commentary about what tourists think of Greece and what the real Greece is very insightful. It made me appreciate the song even more.
04 SWTIZERLAND: "The Code" - Nemo. In a way, this country is taking a risk with this non-binary artist as this is an avant-garde pop song that fuses rap, pop, electronica, drum-and-bass, and opera. However, what seems an unwieldy fusion on paper works wonderfully as a cohesive whole in this song. That derring-do alone makes this a standout favorite, but it is revealed that Nemo can perform all those intricate parts live turned him into the big rival who could stand in the way of CROATIA's victory. It dawned on me that this potentially unwieldy fusion and theme of self-discover hearikens back to an iconic classic: Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". It's increasingly becoming evident that Queen's mega-shash was about Freddie Mercury coming to terms about his own queerness, Nemo's is about coming to terms and celebrating being non-binary. The way Queen was inspired by various classical works in its opera sequence is also mirrored in Nemo's riff on "The Queen of the Night" aria from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Magic Flute. This is undeiably emerging as a jury darling, but will there be a close rivalry with, say, FRANCE or ITALY?
I do like this song but there is one thing that is preventing me from rooting for it wholeheartedly--Nemo resembles a whole lot like another non-binary artist, who happened to have a very dismal reputation--The Flash's Ezra Miller. But as long as Nemo doesn't behave anywhere near like Ezra, I'll be fine.
L: Nemo; R: Exra Miller
05 CZECHIA: "Pedestal" - Aiko. This song sounded terrific as a studio recording, as it's a polished pop-punk ditty. However, she was all over the place during the national final, barely holding her pitch that even if her entry was indeed the best, many felt she could become a cellar-dweller on the main Eurovision stage. However, during the live pre-party circuit, many are complimenting on how her vocals were improving, and based on rehearsals we are going to see polished staging and improved vocals. But would that be enough for this to advance?
XX FRANCE: "Mon amour [My love]" - Slimane. He's the first to release his entry, and many have placed this in high regard as this is a passionately sung modern chanson.. But of course with all the other entries coming in it got a bit drowned out in terms of buzz. There are still adherents who still believe this will fare high, and perhaps this will win over the juries, but I'm not certain how he could be a contender. We'll see how the actual semi-final performance turns out.
06 AUSTRIA: "We Will Rave" - Kaleen. Many Eurofans embraced this dance-pop ditty, and I get the appeal as it's well-produced and catchy. But as the live pre-party performances came in, buzz towards this entry dissipated a bit--but I still think she delivers solid vocals, But in terms of performance level there are others who seem to be edging her out. Let's see how everything will unfold.
07 DENMARK: "Sand" - Saba. There are fans who love this electro-pop entry and placed this highly in their ratings. I also appreciate this entry a lot as Saba is a strong singer--her music and presentation reminds me a lot of Latvia's Aminata with her 2015 entry "Love Injected". But at that time Aminata had juries rallying behind her in both rounds and in this semifinal Saba doesn't have the benefit oF garnering jury votes, and although NORWAY and conceivably FINLAND may rally around her, it may not be enough for her to qualify to the final.
08 ARMENIA: "Jako" - Ladaniva. I've noticed that empowerment anthems in this contest tend to be serious and preachy. They don't capture what it feels to be empowered. This song addresses that and it's exhilirating. The unbridled joy by singer Jaklin Baghsadaryan is just so palpable that you can't help but join in with her joy. Her partner, Louis Thomas, supports in her joy with all that ethnic instrumentation. I'm confident this will do well and the audience will participate in the call-and-response portion of the song.
09 LATVIA: "Hollow" - Dons. Dons has been attempting to represent Latvia for about a couple of decades now, and finally with this dignified pop ballad and a shaven-head look, he finally got his chance. The song's quality is actually undeniable--it's a polised, well-sung ballad that sounds like a mellower version of Imagine Dragons' 2013 smash "Radioactive". But with the televote-only semi-final, would he be able to connect with the public to break Latvia's six-years-and-counting non-qualification drought?
XX SPAIN: "Zorra [Bitch]" - Nebulossa. I've learned that the song title is actually considered a vulgar word, but to English-speaking ears, its sounded pleasant--my translation of te word is actually considered a mild equivalent. There are a lot of Eurofans digging this 1980s synth-pop song and ranking it highly, but I have a feeling it may not connect as strongly with the rest of Europe as what the online Eurofans would presume. Yes, it might have points from the Rest of the World vote thanks to Latin America, but other than that, I fret that it may not rise above Bottom Five. Still, much props for lead singer Mery Bas giving Jennifer Coolidge-style fabulousness embracing her age, and those sexy backup dancers with their derring-do baring their butts.
Another piquant note: last year, they tried out for the SAN MARINO national selection, but they didn't seem to have polish and sheen then and hence were eliminated in the first round. This entry is indeed a big improvement over that entry and a worthy winner of Benidorm Fest.
10 SAN MARINO: "11:11" - Megara. This act made a big splash at last year's Benidorm Fest with "Arcadia", which placed fourth. This year they decided to try out for this country's national final, and they ended up securing their ticket to the big Eurovision stage. Many fans still have a higher regard towards their previous entry, but this one still is a very listenable hard rock number. This country is not known for faring well in this contest, but this looks like it will at least not finish last unlike last year.
11 GEORGIA: "Firefighter" - Nutsa Buzaladze. She's a charismatic perfoemer touted with great vocals, and she brings it with this ethno-pop banger. Buzz increased as rehearsals wore on, so it's likely she'll break this country's seven-year-long drought and qualify to the final.
12 BEGIUM: "Before the Party is Over" - Mustii. When I watched the music video, I thought Mustii exudes this Iggy Pop-style charisma, and I found the song to be a powerful rocker that I thought this looks likie a shoo-in. However during the pre-party circuit, many observers noted his vocal seems inconsistent and he doesn't quite exude much charisma as his glossy music video seems to suggest. And buzz from rehearsals seems to be that there is disappointment with the staging. But I feel the song has strong merits, so would tat help him still secure his slot in the finals?
13 ESTONIA: "(Nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi [We (surely) know nothing about (these) drugs]" - 5MIINUST x Puuluup. At first listen, one might assume that this is a troll act a la the 2008 entry, Kreisiraadio. But as thoughtfully explained by Overthinking It, these are two very popular acts in their native country that decide to combine forces because of genuine mutual admiration for each other, even if on the surface their genres were disparate. 5MIINUST (pronounced vees-mee-noost, meaning "five-minus" or "minus five") are a top-selling Estonian hip-hop leaning act that used to indeed be a quintet but still carried on with the name even if one member left for a solo career (love the shoutout to the Sara Bareilles-led Netflix musical sitcom Girls5Eva, Overthinking It) while Puuluup developed strong acclaim and following for their knack of combining modern musical styles while playing the traditional talharpa, a bowed lyre.
I will also defer to Overthinking It to explain what the song is really about, and it's both satirical and serious in its commentary on Estonian society. So there is actual depth to what seems to be a very entertaining novelty party song. But what made me obsess over this entry is the way various elements of this song triggered a lot of pop culture references in my already pop-cuisinart-addled mind. Let me count the ways:
2) The guttural vocals of Puuluup's Marko Veisson make me recall the vocals German producerFrank Farian delivered for 1970s group Boney M*4.
*4 Though Boney M fans know the male member being Aruban dancer Bobby Farrell, he never sang on those hit recordings though he did occasionally sing the male parts of the songs live. He was basically hired for his looks and dancing skills. Frank later pulled off this similar ploy a decade later with Milli Vanilli--interestingly that notorious duo has an actual Eurovision connection, as the late Rob Pilatus actually performed with the band Wind in 1987 with their entry "Laß die Sonne in dein Herz [Let the Sun into Your Heart]" as they placed second behind Johnny Logan's "Hold Me Now". Considering this was in an era where performers were required to sing and play their instruments live, and Rob was singing and playing a guitar, Rob must have had actual musical ability--maybe not to the standards that Frank Farian required, but still he should've given Rob a chance to use his voice and musical ability somewhere--I mean, Rob's partner, Fab Morvan has developed into a good singer and he's gradually rebuilding the act's tarnished reputation.
3) At the same time, Marko's parts made me think of those catchy guitar instrumental parts in Henry Mancini's iconic "Peter Gunn" theme from 1959 which then make me think of early-1960s instrumental surf music like Dick Dale's "Miserlou"*5 from 1962.
*5 It's actually a folk song of unknown Eastern Mediterranean origin but became popular starting in the 1920s as performed by Greek, Turkish, and Arab musicians all over.
4) At the same time, Marko's vocal parts made me recall the opening German lines on "Dancing Lasha Tumbai", that now iconic 2007 Ukrainian Eurovision entry by drag performer Verka Serduchka.
5) The instrumental talharpa sequences made me recall the opening portion of The Offspring's 1998 international smash hit "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" (the "Give it me baby / uh-uh, uh-uh" part) and I think we can overlay those vocals over the instrumental parts and it will work.
6) Since I don't know Estonian, I think of certain word associations when I listen to the chorus, and to my ears, the chorus sounds like "Khumb Mela / My gumamela / My gumamela / C'mon lemme at 'em!". "Khumbh Mela" is a famous Indian religous festival along the Ganges, but I first came across the word as a brand for a range of knapsacks and outdoor gear. "Gumamela" is a purple hibiscus that is very common in my country, the Philippines. And "Lemme at 'em" is the catchphrase by the notorious Scrappy-Doo from the Scooby Doo franchise.
I know this number is not going to win over the jury, but I'm hopeful that it will garner enough televotes to bolster its fortunes, but I'm fretful about this round as SWEDEN and FINLAND are not in their bracket. Hope they would survive and advance.
XX ITALY: "La noia [The boredom]" - Angelina Mango. Her facial features remind me of Lady Gaga and I see her as Lady Gaga's younger, arguably prettier sister/cousin with a more tasteful but still edgy sense of style. I was drawn to this song and artist ever since her first night performance at Sanremo with this song. It's spellbinding, engaging, danceable and boppable. You can escape to its hypnotic Latin-inspired*6 rhythms, but the song's lyrics has a deep message about embracing the blues, grief, or boredom headfirst with a dance in your heart. The message would strike a deeper chord when you learn Angelina is the daughter of a famous Italian artist, Pino Mango (often billed mononymously by his last name), who passed away when she was 13 (she's only 22 now). The song continues to enthrall me after repeated listens and I'm rooting for this to win.
*6 Cumbia is actually a musical genre popular in Latin America, supposedly originating in Colombia then spreading northward to ga as far as Mexico and had also taken a hold worldwide.
The rhythms of this song also made me recall 2018 Eurovision veteran from Portugal, Claudia Pascoal's "Nasci Maria [Born a Maria]", which placed third at last year's Festival da Canção--much respect to Mimicat, but this is my favorite song from that competition and this is a way better showcase of Claudia's artistry than her 2018 entry, "O jardim [The garden[".
14 ISRAEL: "Hurricane" - Eden Golan. I know there is a lot of hate for this entry amongst vocal Euro-fans out there sympathetic to the plight of Palestinian civilians in the ongoing Gaza war. What further fuels their ire is that even if the lyrics were watered down from its original incarnation as "October Rain", you still get the subtext that it's about the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel, which triggered the war. I stand with the Israeli victims of those attacks that they do not deserve it and sympathize with them, but Benjamin Netanyahu's government's scorched-earth response towards Gaza is not the right way to go.
I want to detach myself from all the drama and focus on the merits of te song and the singer. First, Eden Golan is a gorgeous lady and a great singer, and she delivers heartfelt vocals to this song. Melody and out of context, the song's composition is pretty, and somehow I have visions if Daft Punk's 2001 classic "One More Time" was slowed down into a ballad and mashed up with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's hit duet from te 2018 film A Star is Born, "Shallow". It's a pretty ballad on its own, but I don't really connect to it. It's similar to the sentiment I feel for the Eurovision 2015 runner-up from Russia, Polina Gagarina's "A Million Voices"--it's a well-sung, solidly composed and produced ballad that doesn't stir my heartstrings, and it has nothing to do with the hypocrisy of the sentiments expressed in these songs by the countries they're representing.
The question for me is this--how strong is the pro-Palestinian sentiment amongst the European public? If the vocal protests mirror the general public sentiment and televote, then I feel this will then not advance. I'm curious about how this would go.
15 NORWAY: "Ulveham [Wolf's hide]" - Gåte. The song is actually derived from an 11th century folk song whose melody has been lost to time. The band (pronounced GOH--tuh) has long been fusing old fusic with extreme hard rock, and this entry is par for their course. Overthinking It again explains all tese fully in their video so I'm posting that video below. For me, it's a tarrific number that I'm bullish it will continue in this country's series of strong finishes in tis contest as of late.
16 NETHERLANDS: "Europapa" - Joost Klein. When I first heard this entry, I first doubted if this country is bound to repeat the non-qualification of last year's entry, as this is not only sung in Dutch, it at first sounds like a silly novelty song that I thought most people outside of the Netherlands and Flanders portion of Belgium might not get. However, I've heard a lot of growing positive buzz amongst Euro-fans and Joost's background and the underlying message of this song is striking a wide chord. First, is Joost's background as having lost both of his parents at a very young age. Then, as explained again by Overthinking It below, Joost has always been marrying bright, peppy, and sometimes silly music to this tragic backstory. And then, the way Joost is talking about the state of Europe and link it with his own personal tragedy seems to indicate a fetful fear about the rise of nationalist / populist movements that could tear the European Union apart the way his parents' deaths seems to continue to loom over him. Admittedly this song is starting to win me over, and in fact, the chorus makes me think of the ubiquitous brassy instrumental riff of Frankie Valli's 1966 mega-smash "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".
So who do I think would qualify from this semi-final? Here's my take:
And amongst the Big Five in this round, here's how I think they would fare:
TOP FIVE: ITALY
TOP 10: FRANCE
BOTTOM FIVE: SPAIN
If my own forecast holds, here's how I see how the finals would pan out:
FINALS TOP 10 FORECAST: LITHUANIA, UKRAINE, CROATIA, GREECE, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE, AUSTRIA, ITALY, NORWAY, NETHERLANDS
BUBBLING UNDER: SWEDEN, IRELAND, UNITED KINGDOM, LUXEMBOURG, ARMENIA, GEORGIA, BELGIUM, ESTONIA
Many times my own personal favorites don't match what would end up faring well in te contest, so here's my personal Top 10 ranking and others wo I held in high regard":
For me it seems to be a three-way race among ITALY, CROATIA, and SWITZERLAND, with UKRAINE and the NETHERLANDS looming strongly beind them. Talk about ISRAEL looms large in this contest--would there be a fallout if it turns out ISRAEL would be doing well and advance to the final?
The first semi-final feature a couple of huge favorites to win, some artful female performances, and the return of two veterans who had previously seen action in the final--would those two be able to replicate their previous showing? With the new format introduced, I'll also integrate the Big Five + Host countries that are performing and voiting in this round.
01 CYPRUS: "Liar" - Silia Kapsis. The broadcaster decided to tap another Australian resident to represent them. This teenager (17 years old and yes, the youngest in this batch) delivered a solid, catchy pop empowerment ditty. Many pundits of course wonder if she can deliver the goods live, and with her appearance at the Dutch Eurovision in Concertpre-party, she made a convincing case that she can sing and dance to the song live. Now, during rehearsals, people are still fretting whether this entry could make the final because her staging and costuming are very simple--very much streetwear. One must also consider the fact that GREECE is not voting in this round as it is competing in the second semi-final, so can it count on the UNITED KINGDOM, AUSTRALIA, and perhaps even IRELAND for this to advance?
02 SERBIA: "Ramonda" - Teya Dora. This dignified waltz ballad can also be seen as an empowerment anthem as it's basically touting the properities of a ramonda flowr, which is known to gorw on rocky terrain, and hence make analogies about persevering through life like that flower. Some might worry that because this is a slow ballad it may not garner enough televotes especially in this televote-only semi-final round, but we have to note that CROATIA and SLOVENIA are in this bracket, so that could help this entry secure a finals spot.
03 LITHUANIA: "Luktelk [Wait]: - Silvvester Belt. This dark and moody dance track has garnered a significant fan following amongst online Eurovision fans, that there is talk that this could deliver this country's best finish in this contest. Remember that he beat the formidable The Roop,who had scaled this country's highest heights thus far*1. So can he do it? I think it's still possible.
*1 Yes, I remain in denial about the existence of LT United's "We Are the Winners".
04 IRELAND: "Doomsday Blue" - Bambie Thug. When it was performed in the Late Late Show, I presumed that this is likely another bottom feeder from this erstwhile Eurovision powerhouse. But since the premiere of her official music video, this non-binary artist has been receiving increasingly positive buzz, and based on the heavy buzz about their preformance at rehearsals, this is emerging as more a finals shoo-in. Yes, this type of music remains abrasive and divisive, but the artistry and standout impact seems undeniable that this country will finally break a five-year finals drought and advance.
XX UNITED KINGDOM: "Dizzy" - Olly Alexander. This artist garnered fame as part of the band Years & Years (and assumed the band's name in latter years even if it has turned into his solo project, a la Panic! at the Disco and 1990s era Tears for Fears). So there was excitement when he was confirmed to be the UK representative. However, upon the release of the song, buzz dissipated--yes, the song seems fine, but many online fans felt that there are other stellar standouts. The music video was artful and well-produced, but didn't really quite pop. But then came the staging as Olly delivered on his promise to "gay it up" for this stage, as he featured a bevy of hunky backup dancers in jockstraps over boxing shorts (to comply with broadcast standards, of course) and a grimy shower set that seems to be located in a spaceship as there are gravity-oriented illusions in the performance. I feel this would at least bring it to a more respectable middle-of-the-board finish, with a possible play for the Top 10. This set-up should have been the music video in the first place!
When listening to this song, there is something about it that made me draw out this image--it made me imagine former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes performing a cover of the Barry Manilow-penned tune "Could It Be Magic"*2., as if inspired by British boy band Take That's version and update it with electro-pop flourishes.
*2 Barry Manilow himself noted that the song is derived from classical composer Frédéric Chopin's "Prelude in C Minor", and he originally recorded it in 1971 as part of the studio group Featherbed in a bubblegum-pop-meets-Motown style and then recorded it in 1973 as a ballad, which was then re-recorded into the hit version in 1975. Donna Summer then released her now-iconic disco version, which wasn't a big hit during its release but grew in regard and popularity as time goes on. Take That came out with their version in 1993 that was inspired by Donna Summer's version, but ended up actually sounding closer to Featherbed's original recording. It became a big UK and European hit. Interesting how an iconic song evolves.
05 UKRAINE: "Teresa & Maria" - Jerry Heil & Alyona Alyona. Like SERBIA, this song salutes the power of perseverance, as it touts the Virgin Mary and Mother Teresa*3 as paragons of this virtue. It's a good epic pop song, though the droning chorus makes me recall a late 1980s-early 1990s Aerosmith classic, "Janie's Got A Gun"--it could be arguied that both songs indeed tackled the theme of woman empowerment, but while one song is uplifting and positive, the other one is dark and tragic. Many people are buzzing that this could be a possible winner--I see other stronger contenders out there, but I won't be surprised if this fared high like most of its entries as of late. It's a given this country will sustain its unblemished qualification streak.
*3 I know there are unsavory revelations about Mother Teresa's conduct after her death--it turns out her mission is not to relieve the plight of the poor, but to glorify poverty and suffering as the shortest path to heaven.
06 POLAND: "The Tower" - Luna. This is a likeable 1980s-style synth bop and the staging promises some elaborate set pieces that evoke the sleek music video. I'm bullish about this entry's prospects of advancing, especially with te expected diaspora vote and the visual gimmicks. Now te question is if she'll remain on pitch during her performance as that could make or break her chances of making the finals.
07 CROATIA: "Rim Tim Tagi Dim" - Baby Lasagna. I would defer to the guys of the Overthinking ItYouTube channel to explain the background of the artist and the song, as they did a terrific job providing an in-depth take on this entry. What I'll add is that this song makes me imagine Jon Bon Jovi and Desmond Child coming up to a sequel to the 1986/87 smash "Living on a Prayer" and then the German hardcore techno-rock band Rammstein barged in and offered a variation of their 1997 pan-European hit "Du Hast [You Have]". I should also note the chorus also reminds me of the first third of the chorus of Boston's 1986 US number 1 hit, "Amanda", basically interrupting that chorus with the "Whoa-hoh" singalong chant. With such homages to these classics, it's no wonder why this song is such a catchy standout, and combine it with the stage presentation, one-hand-one-leg dance and now viral memes like "Meow cat, meow back", this is THE frontrunner to win Eurovision. The public will overwhelmingly vote for it as its sentiments are actually human and relatable--about apprehensions leaving your hometown for possible better opportunities out there. Yes, this will not win the jury as most likely it's a neck-to-neck race among SWITZERLAND, FRANCE, ITALY, and possibly PORTUGAL but it will score high enough to likely clinch the win.
08 ICELAND: "Scared of Heights" - Hera Björk. Here is the first of the Eurovision returnees, having made the final in 2010 with "Je ne sais quoi" and although this is similar in style to that previous entry, it's more a lighter, more dated take, and many online fans felt this lacks impact that it is often ranked at the bottom of the pack. There is something in the chorus that reminded me of K-pop group BigBang's 2012 classic "Fantastic Baby", but again this entry lacked the oomph and impact of that song. I have a feeling if we feature those grimy instrumentals from the BigBang song, it would do wonders for this song.
XX GERMANY: "Always on the Run" - Isaak. This is a solid pop song, with a tribal "run-run-run-eh" chorus that gave me visions of rumbling elephants marching. If you tinnk the joke is petentially offensive because of its oblique reference to Isaak's size, please take note that I'm also of Isaak's body shape also. Initially most fans felt that this country would not escape its last place doldrums with this number, the staging offers glimmers of hope as it's visually striking with a house-on-fire imagery. There might be juries tossing points this way, but still I have a feeling that it will stay in teh bottom five.
09 SLOVENIA: "Veronika" - Raiven. When I first heard this song, I had visions of Edurne's 2015 Eurovision entry, "Amanecer [Dawn]"because it has this epic galloping feel like that song. But this song is telling a dark tale, about a medieval story of a woman accused of witchcraft and was killed via drowning. I loved the provicative music video with all the suggestions of nudity and I was wondering if she'll replicate the look onstage. She actually came close as the dancers are in nude bodysuits though she herself is clad in skintight purple. Some are fretful about this not advancing as it's more a jury-leaning number, but we have to note that CROATIA and SERBIA are in its bracket and perhaps there will be some support from GERMANY, too. Since I don't know the Slovenian language, I invent my own silly English nonsense words to sing the chorus, and for this one I have "Laptop, PC / Veronika!"
10 FINLAND: "No Rules" - Windows95man.Overthinking It uncovered a lot of background story about the artist, that for more of that, please watch the video below. I think this entry has this 1980s sound that I think would fit well in the Cobra Kai soundtrack, alongside Greek/Dutch artist Stefania's 2021 entry, "Last Dance". Now, we have to note that Windows95man is not the sole performer of this entry, as he employed the help of singer/acter Henri Piispanen who does the chorus and the sung verses. If AZERBAIJAN decided to credit the other prominent singer, why not this entry? In my opinion, this is the closest thing we have to 1979's German entry, Dschingis Khan (with, yes, the song titled eponymously) where the lead guy is more a mascot than a singer. The difference is that at least Windows95man does rap in his songs and he actually began his career as a radio DJ, while the guy playing the titular character, Louis Hnedrick Potgieter, was mainly a dancer, and it's the other people who do te singing. Anyway, I know this will clear the televote--now the question is how weak will it fare with the jury? I have a feeling they will be at the bottom of the pack.
A piquant note: I notice that Henri resembles one of my favorite food YouTubers, Andong from My Name is Andong channel.
L: Henri Piispanen; R: Andong
11 MOLDOVA: "In the Middle" - Natalia Barbu. She's the other returnee as she previouly made the Top 10 back in 2007 with the rock song "Fight". Even then she showcased her violin playing and her operatic register, and those elements are also in play with this atmospheric, classically tinged pop song. The problem is this entry is not really an impactful entry, and the staging approach involves Natalia basically standing still as she sings her song. They did change their staging approach--at the national final, Natalia dyed her hair blonde and had five clones imitating her movement, and this time she went back to her natural brunette hair color and had computer backdrops do all the spiffy presentation for her. Still it will be an uphill battle for her to make the 10 qualifiers, and worsening matters is that Romania is nowhere to be found this year as they decided to sit out this year's edition due to budget issues asd last year's dismal showing (tied for last with San Marino with 0 points)..
XX SWEDEN: "Unforgettable" - Marcus & Martinus. These Norwegian twins were runner-ups to eventual overall champion Loreen at Melodifestivalen with "Air", and this song shares many of the same elements as that entry--slick electro-pop with a well-produced light show. This is likely going to score high with the juries, but I have a feeling the televotes would be weak, though we could still see this at the left side of the scoreboard and possibly making Top 10.
12 AZERBAIJAN: "Özünlə apar [Take me with you]" - Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov. It's a welcome development that this country is tapping on its native culture instead of hiring Swedish songwriters to generate their entry. This number is an atmospheric tune with English language verses and the chorus sung in Azeri, the first time we hear this country sing in that language. But even if I can respect the song, I feel this is a weak entry that would generate the third time this former recent powerhouse would miss qualification. The only support I could see for this entry is the Turkish diaspora based in Germany, as Azeri and Turkish are ethnically and linguistically related.
13 AUSTRALIA: "One Milkali (One Blood)" - Electric Fields. This duo made a splash in 2019 at the Australia Decides search with "Happy 2000 and Whatever" and this entry is actually in the same vein, albeit in a mellower mood. We can expect Zacharaiaha to deliver the expected stellar vocals and Aboriginal flavor, but many are fretting they may end up like Montaigne back in 2021 when she missed qualifying for the final.
14 PORTUGAL: "Grito [Scream]" - Iolanda. This is what I call "art-pop", as this is a very artistic ballad that is supported by this stunning contemporary dance choreography. There are many Eurovision YouTubers who regard this song as one of their favorites. But I'm worried with the televote-only semi-final is if this entry would have enough support from the general public, as this country's typical allies such as SPAIN and SWITZERLAND are in the other bracket. But then, there is a significant diaspara that might vote for this from...
15 LUXEMBOURG: "Fighter" - Tali. After a grandiose national selection, how would this entry hold its own against a bevy of heavy hitters? It's interesting that though the artist indeed grew up in Luxembourg, her heritage is diverse as she's half-Peruvian and half-Israeli, and is trying to make a name in the US as of late before this contest. Overthinking It discussed her normal musical style (introspective pop) but still this entry, which reminds me of Sia's 2016 smash hit "Cheap Thrills" especially with its tropical rhythms, she was able to be comfortable with it. It's a breezy bop sung mostly in French with an English chorus, so I think it will advance to the final. Not sure how high it will fare with some highly touted contenders out there.
Sweden hosting, logo, 50th anniversary of ABBA's Waterloo victory
Hosts Petra Mede and Malin Ackerman
Rule changes: voting window, making the automatic finalists more integral to the semifinal shows, changing the finals draw system.
The Käärijä effect--IRELAND, FINLAND, ESTONIA, CROATIA, NETHERLANDS, SWITZERLAND
Tapping into folklore: SLOVENIA, NORWAY, ESTONIA, GREECE, ARMENIA
Goth-girl chic: CZECHIA, IRELAND, SAN MARINO. Goth-adjacent: SLOVENIA and NORWAY plus possibly ITALY
Non-binary: IRELAND, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA
Dignified ballads: SERBIA, PORTUGAL. Some might want to add SLOVENIA and ISRAEL to this mix.
Hunk of Eurovision 2024--some might argue that it should go to a backup dancer or performer this year, especially with the offerings provided by the UNITED KINGDOM, CYPRUS, IRELAND, SLOVENIA, LUXEMBOURG, MALTA, AUSTRIA, SPAIN, and GEORGIA but I still maintain that this honor should go to the main artists, whether solo or in a band. Admittedly this year it's slim pickings for the male contingent, but it's interesting that again this year like in every even-numbered year in the 2020s, the Hunk of Eurovision 2024 goest to a Frenchman. But no, it's not Slimane. Instead I'm bestowing this to the instrumentalist in ARMENIA's Ladaniva, Louis Thomas.
Yes, there is heavy buzz towards CROATIA's Baby Lasagna, but for me he's in my 1st runner-up spot in this contest.
2nd runner-up is a tie for two of the members of ESTONIA's 5miinust.
3rd runner-up is AZERBAIJAN's featured ululator, Ilkin Dovlatov.
4th runner-up is LITHUANIA's Silvester Belt, for his charming boyish appeal.
BELGIUM's Mustii was originally my 2nd runner-up as he exuded Iggy Pop energy in his music video, but his appeal just diminishes to me the more I see him.
For girls hungry for boyish dreamboats besides Silvester Belt, they can go for the host entry from SWEDEN (Marcus & Martinus).
In-between appeal: AZERBAIJAN's Fahree and LATVIA's Dons.
Alternative appeal:
The other two members of ESTONIA's 5miinust.
NETHERLANDS' Joost Klein
FINLAND's Windows95man
GERMANY's Isaak
Zaddy appeal:
ESTONIA's Puuluup
AUSTRALIA's Michael Ross from Electric Fields
FRANCE'S Slimane.
Queer and non-binary people:
UNITED KINGDOM's Olly Alexander.
SWITZERLAND's Nemo.
AUSTRALIA's Zaachariaha Fielding from Electric Fields.
IRELAND's Bambie Thug.
The babe of Eurovision seems to go to AUSTRIA (Kaleen).
Ice queen realness from POLAND (Luna)
Divatastic appeal of GEORGIA (Nutsa Buzaladze)
ITALY (Angelina Mango)
Fierce showmanship of MALTA (Sarah Bonnici)
Sweet ingenue beauty of ISRAEL (Eden Golan) even if because of the current political situation she's treated almost like a pariah amongst the Eurovision online fandom.
UKRAINE (Jerry Heil)
MOLDOVA (Natalia Barbu)
Youthful hip tomboy energy from CYPRUS' (Silia Kapsis) and hipster styling of LUXEMBOURG (Tali)
Playful vibe of ARMENIA (Jaklin Baghdasaryan of Ladaniva)
Surprisingly youthful GREECE (Marina Satti).and NORWAY (Gunnhild Sundli of Gåte)
SLOVENIA (Raiven)
ALBANIA (Besa)
Diversity for DENMARK (Saba)
Goth-girl chic of CZECHIA (Aiko) and SAN MARINA (Kenzy Loevett of Megara)
Dignified balladeers SERBIA (Teya Dora) and PORTUGAL (Iolanda).
Women of heft: UKRAINE (Alyona Alyona) and ICELAND (Hera Björk).
For those into a Mrs. Robinson / Stifler's Mom kick, we have SPAIN (Mery Bas of Nebulossa)
