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. 

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.

Great News From The UK and Romania!

After months of rumors and speculation, the BBC has finally revealed who will represent the United Kingdom in Copenhagen. No, it's not Geri Halliwell, Susan Boyle, Rylan Clark, or Belinda Carlisle. It's newcomer, Molly Smitten-Downes, who will be going by just "Molly."

This is great for the UK. Someone young and relevant (unlike their past two contestants, 77 year-old Engelbert Humperdinck and 62 year-old Bonnie Tyler). Molly is giving off some ethereal Florence Welch vibes, which will be well received at Eurovision. She sounds "new," the way Loreen did in 2012, and Emmelie de Forest in 2013.

After lots of success and five victories in the early years of Eurovision, the UK has dropped off since the 2000s. They last won in 1997 with Katrina and the Waves' "Love Shines a Light," and their most recent success was in 2009, when the Andrew Lloyd Weber-penned "It's My Time" placed fifth. But they have also come last three times, in 2003, 2008, and 2010. I think Molly will do very well at Eurovision. It's exciting to see the UK coming back with an entry that could actually be a contender.

Now onto Eastern Europe, where Romania has chosen their representative through a televised national selection show. Former Eurovision competitors, Paula Seling and Ovi, will return to the Contest in May.

There's a special place in my heart for Romania. They are one of the few countries who, since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, have never missed a final. Romanians have so much passion for the ESC, and I would love to see them win for once. Paula and Ovi are a good choice for representatives; when they came third in 2010, it was Romania's best ever placement. "Miracle" is a great, upbeat pop song, and it will be accessible and enjoyable for voters. Paula's voice is no joke, and I know they'll bring their over-the-top enthusiasm to Copenhagen. Great job, Romania!

Melodifestivalen: Andra Chansen

Saturday was the long-awaited Andra Chansen (the second chance round) for Melodifestivalen entries. The opening included a musical interlude that I can only guess was about these entries escaping death and crawling their way to the Andra Chansen round. Have I mentioned that these programs are entirely in Swedish (aside from some of the songs), and I do not speak Swedish? I can't find a video of this, so you're just going to have to trust me on this one!

The line-up:
1. "Raise Your Hands," Ammotrack
2. "Bröder," Linus Svenning
3. "Love Trigger," J.E.M.
4. "All We Are," State of Drama
5. "En himmelsk sång," Ellinore Holmer
6. "När änglarna går hem," Martin Stenmark
7. "Survivor," Helena Paparizou
8. "Echo," Outrigger

Eurovision Royalty: Helena Paparizou

An interesting thing might happen later this year. A former Eurovision winner is trying to return to the competition. But this time, she's aiming to represent a different country.

Eurovision 2014: #JoinUs

Eurovision season is underway, and host country, Denmark, revealed the theme artwork and catch phrase for 2014's big event.

In past years, the theme art has been butterflies, flames, bubbles, and colorful paint brushstroke-type things. This year it's a DIAMOND! Yes, a beautiful, blue diamond. From Executive Producer, Pernille Gaardbo:

"Eurovision diamond symbolizes what the competition means to us: a hub that is at once sparkling and strong. Diamond has lots of different sides and shows the diversity and the richness that will be on stage at the Eurovision Song Contest." 

And the catch phrase, "#JoinUs." Which, I suppose, displays how technologically-advanced the show in Copenhagen will be? Or they're just trying to appeal to the younger generations.

Read the full article at eurovision.tv.

Great News From Austria!

Austria has announced they will send Conchita Wurst to Eurovision in 2014! Conchita, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, competed for a chance to represent Austria in 2012, but she was defeated by this MESS. Her entry, "That's What I Am" came in second place.

Austria, typically, does not do very well at Eurovision. They have only won the Contest once, in 1966. And they have placed last seven times, with many of their entries receiving zero votes.

Will next year be different for Austria? There's no way to know for sure, but Conchita Wurst does have a hot name, a perfectly manicured eyebrow/beard situation, and I'm sure she'll put on a great show. Great work, Austria! I look forward to seeing Conchita in Copenhagen!

Denmark Announces Host City

And it's Copenhagen! Not a surprise, considering that Copenhagen has been the city of choice for all three Eurovision Song Contests that Denmark has had the honor of hosting (in 1964, 2000, and 2014).

Some fans are disappointed in the uninspired choice. Early rumors predicted that the city of Herning would be the favorite, and another city, Horsens, proposed hosting Eurovision in an old prison. But the Danish producers of Eurovision have big plans for Copenhagen. The Contest will take place on a former shipyard called the B&W Hallerne. The whole area will be revamped into a "Eurovision Island," complete with shops and a state-of-the-art music arena.

The official slogan of Eurovision 2014 is "Join Us," and the Contest is scheduled to take place May 6, 8, and 10.

Great News From San Marino!

According to esctoday.com, Valentina Monetta will be representing San Marino again in 2014!

There will always be a place in my heart for Valentina because of her first entry, 2012's "The Social Network Song (Oh-Oh-Uh-Oh-Oh)," which was a hot mess. And when she returned to Eurovision this year, she took a very different approach. She did well (finishing 11th out of 17 in the semi-finals), but not quite enough to qualify for the finals.

Will 2014 be Valentina's year? And the first year for San Marino to make it to the finals? I think the Sammarinese are onto something. We wish you the best of luck, Valentina!

The Question on Everyone's Minds

Who is going to win Eurovision 2013?

The contest ends today. I don't pay attention to betting odds (yes, there are betting odds for Eurovision) mostly because I don't understand how they work (and I'm too lazy to Google it). So my picks for the winner are based completely on my own knowledge of what the average Eurovision audience member is looking for.

1. SPECTACLE! Is it exciting to watch? Is the song dynamic? Does it have a key change about 3/4 of the way through? Is the performer compelling in some way? Where is the DRAMA?
2. Is the song universal? Can everyone in Europe relate to it? Are the lyrics in English? Because that usually helps.
3. Does the song celebrate the country's individual culture and heritage? But not like, in an annoying way. Don't be ostentatious. Universal. Greece, I'm looking at you. Refer to point #2.
4. Every few years, it seems that a certain region of Europe holds popularity. It was very fashionable to vote for Eastern Europe around ten years ago. Then the Scandinavians broke that streak, and Finland, Norway, and Sweden have all won in the past six years. Are Europeans still interested in what Scandinavia has to offer? Or will voting patterns shift? The one tried and true rule is that no one ever votes for the UK. Sorry, Bonnie Tyler. I think you're great.

So, with that being said, here is who I think will win.