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.