Conchita In America

Well, Eurovision 2014 has come to an end, and we're all getting over our little Eurovision hangovers. We're rested, rehydrated, and ready to talk about CONCHITA!

This little lady has clearly taken Europe by storm. But now she's spreading her Austrian phoenix wings and making the trip to the United States. American news sources, from CNN to The New York Times, even The Wall Street Journal and my own newspaper, The Chicago Tribune, are reporting on Conchita's victory.

John Oliver, who is, of course, a native Brit, commented on Conchita's win, and also how the crisis between Russia and Ukraine played out during Eurovision, on HBO's Last Week Tonight.

What is it about this Eurovision result that makes it newsworthy in America? Advances in social media certainly make following the Contest easier nowadays. And, of course, Americans are taken with Conchita's unique look. Eurovision has been around for almost six decades, but there's something exceptional about this year, and that's why it's being reported in the States.

Conchita Wurst is front page news because she, a transsexual played by a man named Tom Neuwirth, won the votes of an incredibly complex and disparate continent. A transgendered woman won before, and a drag queen once came second, but Conchita's win this year is important because of the dangerous clashes in Eastern Europe. Russia, unfortunately, is a nation known for its homophobia and mistreatment of gay people. And they were audibly booed in the arena when they were awarded points. The battle lines have been drawn, and people are taking note. Austria didn't win with just the help of Western Europe, they received votes from almost all of the former Soviet countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Even Russia gave Conchita Wurst five points!

The victory of Conchita sends a signal to the entire world that times are really changing and progress is being made. Eurovision was created in 1956 to reunite a war-torn continent. And it's being used today to mend relations and show the way towards a future of peace.

So, congratulations to Conchita Wurst. I hope we keep hearing about you in America.

And The Winner Is...

The upmost congratulations to CONCHITA WURST from Austria! A dark horse from the beginning, Conchita became an audience favorite thanks to her originality and talent.

In a year where parts of Eastern Europe are war-torn, the victory of Conchita is truly moving. In the arena, during her performance, the audience could be heard singing along with "Rise Like A Phoenix." As she was crowned the winner, Conchita said, "This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are. We are unity, and we are unstoppable."

Austria's final vote tally was 290. In second place, The Netherlands, with 238 points. Sweden came third with 218. What a wonderful, and talented top three!

It was an amazing night. Congratulations to Conchita! Can't wait to see you in Austria next year!

Results From The Second Semi-Final

Part two of the 2014 semi-finals took place today in Copenhagen, and here are our ten qualifiers!

Firelight from Malta: This gets the family-friendly vote for sure. Their folksy song is incredibly likable, and it will do well in the finals.

Carl Espen from Norway: Simple and moving. Loving this moody ballad.

Conchita Wurst from Austria: WOW. Well, this is an amazing performance. There is a huge movement behind Conchita, and it's now believed this underdog has a real chance to win on Saturday.

Sebalter from Switzerland: Another cute folk song, but this won't do as well as Malta.

Teo from Belarus: The Belorussian Robin Thicke advances.

Tinkara Kovac from Slovenia: This is the most surprising finalist of the night. I like Tinkara, but her song isn't as dynamic as some of the others.

Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd from Greece: Greece really brought it this year. Their song is probably the most fun, most party-ready song in the whole contest right now.

Softengine from Finland: An alternative band with a catchy song. They get the straight guy vote.

Donatan & Cleo from Poland: Welcome back, Poland! Though Cleo's voice faltered, the performance was incredibly entertaining (let's be real here: this made it through because of gratuitous Polish boobs).

Paula Seling and Ovi from Romania: This performance gave me LIFE. It was completely over-the-top and wonderful, everything we (I) wanted from Romania. From holograms to a circular piano, Danish presenter, Lise Rønne, could not have been more correct when she commented, "Less is not more."

Shortly after the finalists were announced, a running order for Saturday's final was created. Remember, in an incredibly competitive year like this, the order in which you perform can mean everything. Traditionally, entries have a much better chance of winning if they are placed within the second half of the show.

The Best of the Rest

Tonight is the second semi-final in Copenhagen. 15 entries will compete for the remaining 10 spots in the final.

Norway's Carl Espen is expected to do well. "Silent Storm" was chosen through Norway's Melodi Grand Prix (which is similar to Sweden's Melodifestivalen in its scope and popularity). It's not my typical Eurovision pick (I usually prefer something a bit more flashy or ridiculous), but I'm captivated by Norway's haunting ballad.

From Israel, we have Mei Finegold with "Same Heart." GET IT GIRL. Mei got her start through Israel's version of American Idol, a program called Kokhav Nolad. Israel last won Eurovision in 1998 with the lovely Dana International, who is a transgender male-to-female performer. "Same Heart" is a great pop song with a strong club following, and it will do well among certain audience members (gays).

And now, we got to Malta with the band, Firelight. Malta has participated in the Contest 27 times, and they've never won. Personally, if you want folk, I think The Netherlands is putting forth a stronger entry. But there's a lot of buzz behind "Coming Home." With the popularity of bands like Mumford and Sons, Firelight has a very good chance of making it to Saturday's final, and maybe winning the whole thing.

American viewers, the second semi-final starts at 2pm Central Time. Watch here.

The Wild Cards

There's a lot of talk about Austria's Conchita Wurst. She was chosen as the representative very early in the Eurovision process (back in September of last year), which is usually a good sign. Of course, the first thing people notice about Conchita is her out-of-the-ordinary look: a beautiful drag queen with a full beard. But what's really exciting is the realization that she can actually sing. Reports from rehearsals say that Conchita is killing it in the vocal department. 

Could Conchita Wurst actually be victorious at Eurovision this year? It's unlikely, but never forget that a bunch of Finnish men in monster costumes won in 2006 with record-breaking votes. So weirder things have happened.

After taking a two-year hiatus from Eurovision, Poland is BACK. Poland has never won Eurovision, and for the past decade, they have rarely made it out of the semi-finals. But producer Donaton and singer Cleo seem to make a good team. Their song, "My Slowanie" (translation: "We Are Slavic") has been getting a lot of buzz. Partly, because it is a fun song and such a great return for Poland, and partly, because the gratuitous music video is full of hot, sweaty boobs. The Metro called this "the rudest Eurovision entry ever," but it doesn't bother me. I'm loving Cleo's look, and of course, the clapping. More clapping in songs!

Two other unique entries are France and Belarus. It's unlikely that Twin Twin will win the competition for France on Saturday, but "Moustache" could become the song of the summer. Teo from Belarus will likely share a similar fate: his song, "Cheesecake," is fun and kind of ridiculous. He won't win, but his future as a Belorussian Robin Thicke looks promising.

Austria, Poland, and Belarus will perform in the second semi-final, taking place tomorrow night (2pm Central Time for my American friends). Let's hope they all get passed on to the final! Watch here. 

Results From The First Semi-Final

Eurovision 2014 has officially begun! The first semi-final took place in the B&W Hallerne music arena in Copenhagen. It was a fabulous start to what looks to be a landmark year for Eurovision. And we have ten finalists! They are, in no particular order:

Aram MP3 from Armenia. No surprise here, he's a frontrunner in the competition.

András Kállay-Saunders from Hungary. Another obvious choice, although I still don't know how I feel about a pop song about child abuse.

Sanna Nielsen from Sweden. Looking and sounding beautiful, Sanna!

Dilara Kazimova from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan always puts on a good show, and this year is no exception.

Pollapönk from Iceland. A fun, silly song about loving others.

Tolmachevy Sisters from Russia. These poor girls were actually booed when it was announced they made it through the semi-final. The audience was not feeling Russia.

The Common Linnets from The Netherlands. I was blown away by this performance. Very beautiful and subtle. And I am an American, so I have a soft spot for country music.

Mariya Yaremchuk from Ukraine. A fierce performance from Ukraine. Loving the hamster wheel.

And, for the first time, Montenegro and San Marino both qualified for the final! Congratulations to Sergej Cetkovic and our girl, Valentina Monetta! And congrats to all the finalists.

Balkan Power

Never underestimate a good Balkan entry. The people in this region are fierce Eurovision fans. They vote a lot, and usually, for each other.  There's a strong, uniting drive that brings these countries together and makes them a powerful force in Eurovision.

The last Balkan nation to win Eurovision was Serbia in 2008. I think it's time for another Balkan victory.

These two fabulous weirdos are back with "Miracle." Paula Seling and Ovi were last seen at Eurovision in 2010, when they came third, giving Romania its best ever placement. It's no secret that I love them and would like to see them win on Saturday. They are great performers, and Romania would make a wonderful Eurovision host next year. This song might be a little too old-school-club-hit for some of Western Europe, but the Balkan countries will no doubt throw Paula and Ovi their support. Let's all hope Paula can hit that note.

Sergej Cetkovic is representing Montenegro with "Moj svijet" (translation: "My World"). Montenegro has been participating in Eurovision since 2007, and they have never made it through the semi-final. But with "Moj svijet," they have their first legitimate chance. Sergej is a big celeb in Eastern Europe, and I think this beautiful Balkan ballad will enchant international voters. Montenegro appears in the first semi-final tonight, and hopefully, they will sail through.

Russia, though not part of the Balkans, obviously has enormous influence in this region. From the gay rights scandals during the Winter Olympics, to the horrible ongoing clashes in Ukraine, Europeans are not happy with Russia's behavior lately. The Tolmachevy Sisters, two twin girls who won Junior Eurovision in 2006, will also perform in the semi-final tonight. Since their Eurovision debut in 2000, Russia has never missed a final. Will they be able to get the votes to make it out of the semi-final tonight? Or will Western European countries send their support elsewhere?

Americans watching at home, the first semi-final takes place at 2pm, Central Time. Watch it here.

Everybody's Talking About...

According to online polls and Eurovision bloggers, Hungary is the one to beat this year. New York-born András Kállay-Saunders is representing Hungary with his song, "Running." It's a good song, although perhaps a bit puzzling to some. The lyrics deal with the somber issue of child abuse, but the music is upbeat and club-influenced. This may turn off some who feel the topic of domestic violence is too heavy for a music contest, or it might convince voters that songs from Eurovision can be more meaningful and have a positive social message. Either way, it is a strong entry, and András is one of the most talented vocalists in the competition this year.

People are also talking about Spain's Ruth Lorenzo. Now, Spain last won Eurovision in 1969, and since then, they have done poorly in the Contest. Ruth might change all of that this year. She started getting international attention in 2008, when she appeared on the fifth season of The X Factor (in the UK, which could get her some big votes from Britain). Ruth has a beautiful and strong voice, and "Dancing In The Rain" is extremely accessible. Personally, I find this song BORING, but it might be sweet and simple enough (read: BORING) to captivate audiences of all ages.

And then we have the lovely Molly from the United Kingdom. Yes, this is a great song. Very current, very fun. But I think the reason why "Children of the Universe" is getting so much buzz is because it is so vastly different from the last few British entries. Finally, the UK is trying again! They're not sending someone over the age of 60, there's no rapping, no gimmicks, no Andrew Lloyd Weber. It's just a good song written by an up-and-coming young artist, and it will be well received by international viewers. Good for you, Britain. Welcome back.

And from the far east, we have Aram MP3 from Armenia. Eurovision betting odds have picked "Not Alone" as the winner. Armenia has only been in the Contest since 2006, but this is the entry of a much more seasoned pro. The song ties together a ballad with dubstep, and it works, somehow. It's a very strong contender, and I think the staging and performance will be crucial in determining if this is our winner.

The Time Is Nigh!

Eurovision 2014 is upon us! Performers arrived in Copenhagen last week to rehearse for the big event. The running order for the two semi-finals have been established, and there's no doubt it's going to be a spectacular week.

The competition is fierce this year. For the first time since I started watching Eurovision, I have no idea who will win. Usually, there are clear front-runners, and you just know they will do well, as with Alexander Rybak in 2009, Loreen in 2012, and even Emmelie de Forest in 2013. But the competition this year is neck-and-neck. There are at least ten very strong entries, and quite a few dark horses that have people talking.

What this means is that we have a very exciting week ahead of us. Since most of the songs are so good, the actual performance on the Eurovision stage will count for a lot. That, and running order in the final, which is determined by officials from the host country (Denmark, of course) after the second semi-final. The strongest position to have is in the last quarter of the show. Whoever wins will have to really fight for it.

Semi-finals are Tuesday and Thursday, and the finale will be on Saturday. You can watch live through the eurovision.tv website. Tomorrow, I will start analyzing the contenders. I'll be posting all week, bringing news from Copenhagen.