ESC 2018: Song Reviews – Recap!
Hello Dear Readers!
Here we are, at the end of another initial reviews week. I’m sure many of you feel vindicated, many of you feel confused, and some of you may even be angry – no matter how you feel, thanks for reading 🙂
In case you missed it, here are my song reviews:
Semi-Final One
Semi-Final Two
Automatic Qualifiers
Preferences
First things first, which songs did I like the most? Check out this year’s ESC Obsession 2018 Preference Bracket to find out.
Looking for your own bracket? Here is this year’s blank bracket for you and your ESC friends to fill out! ESC Obsession 2018 Eurovision Tournament
But, which songs currently comprise my personal Top Ten heading into the Contest?
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Armenia
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Belarus
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Belgium
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Bulgaria
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Czech Republic
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Estonia -
Israel
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Greece
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Latvia
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Sweden
Predictions
As a quick refresher, I predicted that these songs would finish in the Top Ten: (in no particular order)
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Israel
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Estonia
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Austria
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Australia
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Czech Republic -
Italy
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Germany
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Montenegro
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The Netherlands
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Sweden
Of, these, I thought five had a legitimate chance at victory: (again, in no particular order)
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Austria
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The Netherlands
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Czech Republic
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Montenegro
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Australia
Currently, Australia and Czech Republic are both in the top ten of the betting odds, meaning, that I will discuss them more in next week’s Contender or Pretender series. Let’s dive into the three other entries receiving little attention from the bookies.
Austria – From the very first time I heard this song, it sounded like a winner to me. From the composition and style to the lyrics to the how smooth César Sampson is. This song may not be on too many radars right now, but it will shoot towards the top of the scoreboard, I can feel it. Now, since I first heard this song in March, I have seen videos of him performing it live, and it does not quite translate, at least, not during the preview concerts. Ultimately, this impacts his betting odds, but it won’t affect his final position with the juries and televoters on the night. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s truly difficult for a person of color, particularly a Black person, to be particularly successful at ESC. I honestly think this can be a counterexample to that opinion.
Montenegro – This song is on no one’s radar and actually falls towards the bottom of the betting odds currently. So, why on earth do I think it can win? Several reasons: 1) it’s one of only a few true and well ballads, 2) it’s a very classic Balkan sound, 3) the other four former Yugoslav nations will struggle to reach the Final, let alone seriously compete, leaving Montenegro there to soak up all their big points as well as from other Balkan allies not voting for Bulgaria, and 4) it’s a high quality song! The composition alone is worthy of victory. The singing is right on and the lyrics are captivating. This song should narrow those odds greatly once it qualifies and then we’ll see just how big it will go. Again, without any other former-Yugoslav country (and really, any Balkan country not named Greece or Bulgaria) having a legitimate shot at even qualifying, I think Montenegro will do quite well.
The Netherlands – A song that started on everyone’s radar as it is performed by a one-half of a runner-up duo, it’s country rock – a genre not often heard (if ever) on the ESC stage, and it was one the first to be selected. Don’t underestimate the power of a well done song that is unlike any other in the competition. The real question is whether enough country and rock fans will be voting to bring the Netherlands up the scoreboard, as I think it will only finish in the high single digits/low teens among the jury. It is most definitely not a traditional Eurovision entry like Austria and Montenegro, but that just may be its saving grace.
Who do I think will actually win? Well, you need to check out my prediction bracket! ESC Obsession 2018 Prediction Bracket
The bigger story here is that, for as long as I have been keeping this blog (December 2009), no victor has come from outside the top ten folks according to the betting odds. This is going to be an interesting year – a well-deserved anomaly for Portugal, hosting for the first time ever after so many failed attempts.
Come back next week for the annual Contender or Pretender series where I break down each of the top ten songs according to the betting odds and determine which ones have a legitimate shot at victory and which are merely distractions.
Until next time, find me on Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, or YouTube, all @escobsession
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ESC 2018: Song Reviews – Semi-Final One
By far, Tuesday the stronger of the two semi-finals. Not just in my opinion, but also that of the bookies…and the majority of fan sites and Youtube playlists I’ve come across. It’s going to be a tough road for all those middle of the road entries.
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Country |
Performing Artist |
Song |
Selection |
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Azerbaijan |
Aisel |
X My Heart |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
It’s hard to believe that, after finishing in the Top Ten each of its first eight years in the Contest, Azerbaijan has not gotten back there since first failing in 2014. This will not return them to the Top Ten. It is a competant entry and should easily qualify, but it’s just too forgettable in a year full of strong songs. |
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Iceland |
Ari Ólafsson |
Our Choice |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Ehh…why? This song is not only dull and boring, but it is patronizing on top of it. This would have been average by early 2000s standards when this kind of stuff was en vogue, no, this will not break Iceland’s current streak of non-qualifiers. |
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Albania |
Eugent Bushpepa |
Mall [Yearning] |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Three entries, three forgettable acts. It’s almost as if the producers want to dump the weaker stuff first when folks are still late to tune in. This song is a bit bland and lacks much depth. The lyrics give it more intrigue, but, short of an amazing, life-altering staging, I doubt this will have much impact with either the juries or the televoters. |
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Belgium |
Sennek |
Matter of Time |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
The biggest beneficiary of the running order, I think, it will be the first strong song on the night, preceded by three weaker songs in one of the strongest semi-finals since the two show model was adapted in 2008. I love this song, personally, and think it also benefits from being the only James Bond-esque entry in the Competition. |
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Czech Republic |
Mikolas Josef |
Lie to Me |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
So much fun! Czechia has succumbed to the common strategy of throwing a hot guy at their problems in what is bound to be its most popular and successful entry to date. Despite Josef’s hotness and the amazing composition, the lyrics to this song are…poor at best. Give them a read, they make very little sense. |
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Lithuania |
Ieva Zasimauskaitė |
When We’re Old |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
The biggest loser in the running order. This is already a weak, forgettable song; though, it is incredibly sweet. It is sandwiched between two of the most popular and distinctive entries this year. As I said, this song is super sweet, but stands NO chance of making any kind of lasting mark. It will likely finish last. |
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Israel |
Netta |
Toy |
Mixed |
Thoughts: |
Love it! It’s fun, memorable, catchy, immediately sing-along-able, and distinctive. I don’t think it’s a winner, but should easily return Israel to the Top Ten. I’ll |
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Belarus |
ALEKSEEV |
Forever |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
I LOVE this entry, despite its dubious past (it was in a previous competition early last year in Belorussian, but they reworked the composition and switched it to English with the blessing of the EBU). It’s so haunting and captivating. It may just squek into the Grand Final, but I cannot imagine it doing well once it got there); I especially worry about his life vocals. |
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Estonia |
Elina Nechayeva |
La Forza [The Force] |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Another song that I absolutely love! It is utterly awesome and, like the majority of operatic songs at ESC, should have no problem qualifying for the Final. The question is: what will it do once it gets there? No operatic song has ever cracked the Top Ten. Not sure if this will change that. |
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Bulgaria |
EQUINOX |
Bones |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
So mysterious! I rather enjoy it, but am not quite sure what to make of it. The lyrics and composition linger with you long after listening. But, the questions are: 1) can an ethically diverse group succeed and 2) Can a weird song do well? It’s quite contemporary, but not really mainstream. We’ll see. |
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Macedonia |
Eye Cue |
Lost and Found |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
Upon repeated listens, this song seems like less of a hot mess, but, it’s still a hot mess regardless. This is not two, but three songs smashed together. Why? Heaven only knows. I don’t dislike this song, but I cannot see it changing Macedonia’s misfortunes. |
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Croatia |
Franka |
Crazy |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
An intriguing song that’s not completely put together. I like it; I think this song is sexy, but not captivating. As such, I cannot see it qualifying out of this semi-final, maybe it would out of Thursday’s line-up. |
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Austria |
Cesár Sampson |
Nobody but You |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
I really like this song. Even more so, I think it will be highly succesful and be a legitimate title contender. It is captivating, interesting, well-performed, continually builds throughout the duration of the song. I think that this should be considered for victory. |
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Greece |
Yianna Terzi |
Oneiro Mou [My Dream] |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Whoa! Talk about a haunting song that stops the show! It’s dark, it pulls you in, deeper and deeper – by far, Greece’s strongest and most unique entry in quite some time (maybe since 2013, incidentally, its last time in the Top Ten). |
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Finland |
Saara Aalto |
Monsters |
Mixed |
Thoughts: |
A fun and contemporary song. We’ve had transexuals, cross-dressers & drag queens, gay men, and bisexuals but is Aalto Eurovision’s first out lesbian? While the composition is fun and the generic inspirational lyrics achieve their purpose, I have a feeling this might this year’s most overrated entry. |
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Armenia |
Sevak Khanagyan |
Qami [Wind] |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Joining Georgia, Armenia is submitting its first ever entry in its national language. It’s a captivating and intriguing song that teeters between broody and dark. This lack of a distinct tone will be this song’s undoing and prevent Armenia from returning to the Top Ten. |
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Switzerland |
ZiBBZ |
Throwing Stones |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
Hmm, this song feels generic. I have a feeling, though, if this was coming from Sweden or Romania, it would be in victory conversations. It is from Switzerland, as such, it will most likely fall flat. I don’t dislike this song, but I’m not crazy for it either. |
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Ireland |
Ryan O’Shaughnessy |
Together |
Internal |
Thoughts: |
A pretty song, not dissimilar from last year, but not as good in my opinion. A simple song about a guy being betrayed by his wife. A simple composition that puts the listener at ease. Like Croatia, I think this song might be more successful if it was in the weaker Second Semi-Final, as such, I don’t think it has enough juice to qualify out of the First. |
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Cyprus |
Eleni Foureira |
Fuego [Fire] |
National Final |
Thoughts: |
A very contemporary and American-sounding entry, I can see this flying through to the Final and potentially cracking the top five to give Cyprus its best finish to date. Potentially. It won’t because I have no reason to believe that Cyprus knows how to properly stage a song, but the important thing is that it could. |
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*Selection of the competing song can be internal (selected by producers or a secret jury), come through a national selection (singers with songs competed against each other), or mixed (either the song or the artist was picked internally and the other was picked in a national final)
So, who do I think will qualify? (in no particular order)
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Armenia
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Greece
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Azerbaijan
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Czech Republic
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Cyprus
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Finland
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Israel
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Bulgaria
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Austria
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Estonia
And which songs are my favorite? (in order)
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Estonia
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Israel
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Belgium
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Belarus
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Austria
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Greece
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Bulgaria
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Croatia
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Ireland
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Armenia
And, more importantly, who do I think has a legitimate shot at winning?
More on this next week, but, right now Austria and Czech Republic are the two I think have the best shot at victory. I know that Israel has dominated the betting odds, but each of the last two years, the leader in the betting odds has been the same throughout the entire pre-season and going into the Final and ended up not winning (2016 – Russia. 2017 – Italy). Bulgaria (which has been rising) and Estonia (which has been falling) are towards the top of the betting odds, but as of my initial reviews, I don’t think either has what it takes to win.
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Eurovision 2017 – First Semi-Final Recap and Podcast
Hello Dear Readers!
Yesterday was the First Semi-Final – which, despite all the issues in the organization, went very well! UA:PBC has, thus far, put on a great show with a beautiful stage (oh my goodness, it’s beautiful!) and fun hosts. Overall, I feel like the good from yesterday’s show outweighs the bad. First, a brief review.
Our qualifiers from last night: (in alphabetical order with their Grand Final half)
©EBU Thomas Hanses
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Armenia (first half)
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Australia (second)
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Azerbaijan (first)
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Belgium (second)
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Cyprus (second)
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Greece (second)
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Moldova (first)
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Poland (first)
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Portugal (first)
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Sweden (second)
The Big Five also had their drawing: Italy was drawn into the first half, while France, 
Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom join Ukraine in the second half of the show. This means there are only three spots left in the second half for qualifiers from tomorrow night’s semi-final. That plays to the benefit of Belgium and France whose primary competitors, Italy, Portugal, and Azerbaijan all take place in the first half and remaining favorites, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Romania have slim odds of getting into the later part of the show.
Some historical markers from last night:
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Azerbaijan upholds its 100% qualification streak. Sweden extends its to seven (including its two automatic qualifications). Armenia extends its to 5. Belgium and Poland extend their qualification streaks to three. -
Portugal’s qualification rate is now 50% since first qualification in 2008. Moldova gets its first qualification since 2013.
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This is only the second time in history that there has not been at least one female host, the first being 1956 (the first Contest) in which Lohengrin Filipello hosted on his own. Conversely, 24 Contests have had solo women or exclusively women hosts.
My Reactions:
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Pleasantly Surprised: Poland – I thought she sounded great last night and that song was well-staged (despite the volume issues); Portugal was amazing! I thought it was a good song before, but was absolutely taken aback by its awesomeness live yesterday -
Disappointments: Australia – Isaiah sounded pretty off-key throughout the entire performance yesterday. Actually, many of the artists seemed off-key last night sadly. Cyprus’ staging (and subsequent qualification) were greatly disappointing.
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Biggest Shock: Finland – a perfect performance of a perfect song with a failure to pass through to the Final. -
Happiest Non-Surprise: Belgium – a great song and Blanche’s vulnerable performance was a good fit for the lyrics, very happy that this qualified.
Eurovision 2017 – Grand Final Live Notes!!
Hello Dear Readers and Welcome to the live notes for the Grand Final of Eurovision 2017!!! Kyiv hosts the 62nd edition after previously hosting the 50th back in 2005. Tonight, 26 songs battle it out to be crowned the victor – but who will win?
Bulgaria, at least, that is my pre-show prediction. I think the rest of the Top Ten will be comprised of: The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, United Kingdom, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sweden, and Romania. That can (and probably will) change after we see the 26 performances tonight, but those are my thoughts heading into the show.
**Be sure to keep refreshing the page to see my notes as they appear.
Also, if you’re new or just want some info about this year’s Contest, you can find my ESC Notes and Country Profiles here!
On to the show!!!
Parade of Nations
I still think this is a pointless exercise. But the sparks and the effect of them appearing seemingly out of nowhere is pretty cool.
Opening Act
Boo!! No opening act. Another reason to get rid of the parade of nations.
On to the songs!
01 Israel I Feel Alive
IMRI sounds really off tonight. The dancing is on point, though. Oh, just when I thought he had righted the ship, he misses the big note.
02 Poland Flashlight
I’m guessing Poland didn’tfinish too high on Tuesday to be assigned the cursed #2 spot. This seems less emphatic and enthusiastic than on Tuesday. Still good, though. Especially that last note!
03 Belarus Historyja Majho Žyccia/Story of My Life
So much fun!! They are so into this — definitely taking hold of this moment. Ha – she almost fell! Very good performance; they definitely gave it their all.
04 Austria Running on Air
He sounds WAY better than Thursday night. Still not good enough to make a big impact, but he should definitely be proud with how he did tonight.
05 Armenia Fly with Me
Another fantastic performance from Artsvik – listen to the crowd reaction! Definitely going to the Top Ten.
06 The Netherlands Lights and Shadows
Uh oh, someone seems to be flat. It sounds, like, she is sick, maybe? But they still sound great — their harmonies are just a little less tight than usual.
07 Moldova Hey, Mamma!
Still fun, still exciting, still not going to get into the Top Ten. But I think they’ll finish better than they did in 2010 (22nd place).
08 Hungary Origo
He seems markedly less nervous and has better pacing than on Thursday. Wow! You can feel his passion burning in that rap verse. This could do better than I thought; I probably still not Top Ten, though.
09 Italy Occidentali’s Karma
Our first major contender of the night, let’s see how this goes. Still do not understand the hype. I just don’t. Maybe there’s something about seeing it in person? But my god, the crowd sounds like they’re about to go marching forth.
10 Denmark Where I Am
Stronger than Tuesday, for sure, but still not at the level of her DMGP performance. Definitely good enough for a Top Ten finish, I think, though.
11 Portugal Amar Pelos Dois
Amazing! I just got goosebumps! Even better with Tuesday. He even fixed the part where he backed too far away and wasn’t picked up by the mic. Loved it! Oh, it might actually win. It is number two in the betting odds.
Speaking of odds sitting at third is Bulgaria, which is second-last in the running order tonight.
That was an awesome joke “(from Twitter) ‘I can’t believe in a few hours it will all be over and we’ll be wondering what to do with the rest of our lives.’ (Host) ‘Us, too.'”
12 Azerbaijan Skeletons
Better than Tuesday, but still not good enough to seriously contend for victory. I think Azerbaijan will, however, easily be waltzing back into the Top Ten.
13 Croatia My Friend
I still think this staging comes off as silly. Well, less impressive with the stronger competition ahead of him. He sounded great – it’s just a terrible song.
14 Australia Don’t Come Easy
Definitely better than Tuesday — WAY better! But still a lot of missed notes. There are too many strong songs tonight for this to do well.
15 Greece This is Love
Yikes! That was a big note to miss. I didn’t notice that before, the dancer on the left is also a backing singer. Yikes – she missed another note at the end of a verse. Nope – not going to be Greece’s triumphant return to the Top Ten, but not last place either, so, good?
16 Spain Do It for Your Lover
And if you had any doubts about the vocals being live, that cracked note is your proof. I bet Germany is happy because now they may not get last.
17 Norway Grab the Moment
He sounds spot on tonight. Really good – only makes me like this song more. Perhaps it’ll finish in the 11-15 range. Good, but not great in a year of strong competitors.
Hahahaha! Måns! I love this host-training montage.
18 United Kingdom Never Give Up on You
A love ballad from the UK to Eurovision, haha. Very well done, I see why this song shot up the betting odds over the course of the week. Wow! The UK just might find itself back in the Top Ten.
19 Cyprus Gravity
Why is he so flat? I still think that this staging is oh so very weak compared to what it could be. Even just one silks dancer would have been amazing. At least his vocals seemed to have leveled out.
20 Romania Yodel It!
Ugh, this song is so bad. At least their performance is still good. I can’t believe that this song will probably do well tonight. Hopefully, it will be no where close to the top spot.
21 Germany Perfect Life
This is an average song that is staged quite poorly. Maybe she has done enough to beat out Spain and avoid being the third straight last place finish for Germany.
22 Ukraine Time
This gets two bumps 1) for being from the host country and 2) for being this year’s only rock song. It is alright. I think we’ve heard better ones through the years. But, despite the supercreepy head on stage with them, they did a good job and will probably finish in the 11-15 range.
23 Belgium City Lights
She still looks kind of scared – so, I guess that’s just how she looks. Despite the fear in her eyes, I think she still has a commanding presence on stage. She forces you to pay attention. Well done! Belgium back to the Top Ten!
24 Sweden Can’t Go On
I keep forgetting that he is purposefully singing gravely and low – I think it’s supposed to be sexy. This song is just obnoxious, though. I know Sweden is trying to protect its Top Ten streak (three in a row, including a winner), but this song does not deserve to be in the Top Ten. There are so many more that have greater artistic value (for example: Hungary, Belgium, Portugal) or more genuine performances (for example: Croatia, Romania, the Netherlands) that deserve that spot more.
25 Bulgaria Beautiful Mess
He’s behind Italy and Portugal in the betting odds, but not by much. He needs to bring his top performance if he hopes to win — performing so close to the end does not guarantee a strong placing (just ask the UK). Wow! Started a bit shaky, but he definitely finished strong! Is it enough to win? I’m not sure. Portugal, UK, and Belgium all gave pretty amazing performances as well of their strong songs. Not to mention that Italy sounds like he raised an army with his. We’ll see, it should be close!
26 France Requiem
I am so confused by France’s staging. Why is she alone and without dancers? Is everything spinning? She is stunningly beautiful, though. Hmmm, maybe not enough for the Top Ten, but should finish with a respectable position.
And there you have it! One of these 26 songs will be our new champion. But who will it be?!
Well, I think that it will come down to Bulgaria, Portugal, Italy, and the UK. Which, I guess, isn’t too surprising. I think these had the best performances tonight and captured audience interest while also garnering jury support. I think Italy will be super popular among the televoters while Portugal and the UK will be favorites among the jury. Ultimately, I think one song will garner enough support from both to claim victory: Bulgaria. I know, boring that my prediction has not changed, but I still think that this song has what it takes to win. And I think it will be quite close, with Portugal coming second within a reasonable margin.
So, who do I think will be in the Top Ten?
Bulgaria
Portugal
Belgium
Italy
United Kingdom
Belgium
Romania
Sweden
Armenia
Azerbaijan
And, who were my ten favorites from tonight?
Hungary
Armenia
Belgium
Portugal
Bulgaria
United Kingdom
Denmark
France
Norway
Poland
Voting Entertainment/ Interval, I guess
While I think Ruslana, contemporary-traditional Ukrainian fusion music, and Jamala were all super awesome — I don’t understand why this is happening during voting. This is why shows keep running over, because they try to do a thousand things. I bet Jamala is going to be the Interval Act – adding yet more time. This should be a tight, three-hour show. Let last year’s winning artist (in this case, Jamala) open the show with a reprise and whatever new single they are hoping to promote (and get rid of the parade of nations), keep the voting to a tight 15 minutes, and move the entertainment back to the interval act, which can be shorter thanks to the fact that fan votes can continue to be verified while the jury votes are provided. It just doesn’t make sense.
LET THE VOTING BEGIN!! Here are the jury votes!
Sweden – Whoa! Sweden gave its twelve to Portugal. That’s highly unexpected (and no points for Norway) Portugal will either run away with these points or fall flat
Azerbaijan – No Russia, now to its twelve goes to…Belarus.
San Marino – more points to Portugal
Latvia – and the points continue for Portugal
OMG IBA from Israel is shutting down! Bombshell announcement live on air! Maybe Morocco and Lebanon will finally return?
Israel – Another 12 to Portugal
Montenegro – 12 to Greece
Albania – 12 points to Italy
Malta – surprise, instead of the UK their 12 goes to Italy
Macedonia – first 12 for Bulgaria
It’s going to be interesting to see where points from the former USSR will go without Russia. And from the former Yugoslav with Croatia being the group’s only representative.
Denmark – 12 to Sweden. surprise, surprise
Austria – 12 points to the Netherlands. Interesting
Norway – 12 to Bulgaria (and not Denmark or Sweden, surprisingly)
Spain – 12 to…Portugal (no surprise)
Finland – 12 points to Sweden (no surprise)
France – 12 points to Portugal (much to Belgium’s chagrin – zero points from their French friends)
Greece – 12 points to Cyprus (no surprise)
Lithuania – 12 points to Portugal (yea, I’m sensing a runaway)
Estonia – 12 points to Bulgaria (keeping them in the realm of closeness)
Moldova – 12 points to (let me guess….) Romania — no surprise.
Armenia – 12 points to Portugal!
Time for a breather – wow so fast, these votes! I think Portugal will handily win the Jury. The question is, how will it do with the televote?
Bulgaria – 12 points to Austria? That was unexpected. Strategic?
Iceland – 12 points to Portugal. Oh yeah, two out of four Nordic countries, definitely going to win the jury vote.
Serbia – 12 points to Portugal
Australia – 12 points to (the UK?) Yep. First time they sent 12 points to the motherland, fyi
Italy – 12 points to Azerbaijan?! Huh. Strategic?
Germany – 12 points to Norway – interesting
Portugal – 12 points to Azerbaijan! Interesting…strategic?
Switzerland – another 12 points to Portugal
The Netherlands – 12 points to (wait! only 2 points to Belgium?!) Portugal
Ireland – 12 points to Belgium! (can’t think of the last time Ireland gave 12 points to the UK)
Georgia – 12 points to Portugal!
Cyprus – 12 points to Greece (I love how the spokesperson even knew that everyone already knew that their points were going to Greece)
Belarus – 12 to Bulgaria (benefiting from the lack of Russia, I bet)
Romania – 12 points to (Italy?) the Dutch! wow wow!
Hungary – 12 points to Portugal! Maintain the lead, but its definitely not as thick as it was. But, win or not, Portugal will definitely get its best ever placing tonight.
Slovenia – 12 points to Portugal
Belgium – 12 points to Sweden – that was highly unexpected
Poland – 12 points to Portugal!
United Kingdom – (yes, Katrina, we all know who you are) 12 points to Portugal!
Croatia – 12 points to Hungary – well deserved, I’d say
Czechia – 12 points to Portugal, 94 points ahead of Bulgaria
Ukraine – final 12 points from the juries – 12 points to Belarus! Whoa!
Portugal has won the jury votes by 104 points, leading Bulgaria who is 60 points ahead of Sweden. Australia led Ukraine by 109 at this point last year.
Televote!
Spain is saved from null point land!
And there goes the UK’s shot at the Top Ten
A lot of interesting televote points…And a lot of low point values. All the ones outside the top ten of the televote have fewer than 90 points
France got 90 points
Croatia got 103 points
126 points to Sweden
152 to Hungary – and quite the jump!
Italy – 208 WOW!!! Way underperforming for the bookie and fan favorite going into the Contest
Romania – is next with a sizeable jump
Portugal, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Belgium left to receive points
255 points to Belgium (WOW – how many points did Moldova get?!)
264 points and third in the televote to Moldova
Bulgaria v. Portugal
337 points to Bulgaria
WOW Our first new winner since 2011 (Azerbaijan) and PORTUGAL’s first ever victory!!! It took 49 attempts and a lot of shame, but Portugal has finally won. It is no longer the country with the most participations without a victory (Cyprus now takes that helm with 30 participations without a win). Congratulations and next year in Lisbon! Also, great job Ukraine, after a lot of confusion and craziness, you put on a fantastic show!
Awww, he has his sister (who wrote and composed the song) up there with him to sing the winner’s reprise as a duet with him. A beautiful moment for a beautiful song. A well-deserved, well-earned victory for Portugal.
Check back tomorrow for our wrap-up podcast with DizzyDJC as well as my wrap-up article about the Grand Final.
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May 13, 2017 | Categories: Eurovision 2017 - Kyiv, Live Commentary on the Night | Tags: armenia, australia, austria, azerbaijan, belarus, belgium, bulgaria, croatia, cyprus, denmark, esc 2017, france, germany, grand final, greece, hungary, israel, italy, moldova, netherlands, norway, poland, portugal, romania, spain, sweden, ukraine, united kingdom | Leave a comment