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 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.