WELL wasn't last night just a complete EPIC! We have our first 10 qualifiers to join the Big 5 and Portugal on Saturday and I have to say, for me, there is no one I'm totally devasted for/confused by like last year (Blackbird 2017-2017 R.I.P.), which of course means tomorrow night will probably throw up some stinkers in return for treating us so well. Azerbaijan lost their 100% qualification record, along with other big hitters from yesteryear, Greece and Armenia also missing out. Albania and Ireland defied everyone and made it though, their first finals since 2015 and 2013 respectively.

The second semi final has less of the favourites, but that could potentially make it more exciting in terms of who'll get the final 3 or 4 qualifying spots so it's all to play for! 18 countries will be participating and voting, along with France, Germany and Italy.

Use this thread to discuss everything leading up to Thursday's big show, including Wednesday night's dress rehearsal where the juries will decide 50% of the final result. Also feel free to make your predictions of which 10 countries will make Saturday's grand final. I'll be adding together everyone's predictions shortly before the live broadcast to see how right Buzzjack were!

Let the Eurovision Song Contest begin!

01. Norway Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write A Song
02. Romania The Humans - Goodbye
03. Serbia Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova Deca
04. San Marino Jessika ft. Jenifer Brening - Who We Are
05. Denmark Rasmussen - Higher Ground
06. Russia Julia Samoylova - I Won't Break
07. Moldova DoReDos - My Lucky Day
08. The Netherlands Waylon - Outlaw In 'Em
09. Australia Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love
10. Georgia Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao - For You
11. Poland Gromee ft. Lukas Meijer - Light Me Up
12. Malta Christabelle - Taboo
13. Hungary AWS - Viszlát Nyár
14. Latvia Laura Rizzotto - Funny Girl
15. Sweden Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off
16. Montenegro Vanja Radovanović - Inje
17. Slovenia Lea Sirk - Hvala, Ne!
18. Ukraine MÉLOVIN - Under The Ladder

Here's who the bookies are predicting to qualify as of Wednesday morning, using Eurovision World as the source.

 

01. Norway

02. Sweden

03. Moldova

04. Ukraine

05. Australia

06. Poland

07. Denmark

08. The Netherlands

09. Hungary

10. Latvia

---

11. Russia

12. Romania

13. Malta

14. Serbia

15. Georgia

16. Montenegro

17. Slovenia

18. San Marino

Not sure I'll bother watching this semi final as there is no song I really care about in this one...

And so many atrocious songs in this one.

I have to agree with the top 9 of the bookies predictions - the last qualifier is a toughie; Russia and Romania have diaspora help; Russia also has neighbourly help - though the effect of both seems to be a lot less these days, thankfully! I think it'll be one of these two to grab the last qualifier spot. If Julia is much better vocally - or they've managed to get backing vocalists strong enough to mask her - then they'll go through I think. It's the strongest song of the remaining (bar Montenegro, but that's probably just me - I'd like to see that through). Romania's has been growing on me despite me feeling it doesn't really go anywhere. I expect it may have an epic live performance like Switzerland's last night - though they still managed to miss the final - though in a much stronger semi.

I can still see Denmark failing to make it here, I don't think they're as certain as a lot are saying.

Denmark of those 10 is certainly the one that sticks out as potentially being a shock DNQ, in favour of probably Malta or Romania. I've got a horrible feeling Jess might do a Sea Of Flags type vocal and come like 11th but this semi is so awful that surely not :drama: It seems straightforward as only really Malta or Romania sound like they cause an upset of the predicted DNQs (I *guess* Russia but not if her vocals are that bad) but you never know with Eurovision :lol:

All four of my favorites predicted to get through hope this is the case especially one because I know it will piss everyone off *.*

Want

 

Denmark Rasmussen - Higher Ground

Moldova DoReDos - My Lucky Day

The Netherlands Waylon - Outlaw In 'Em

Australia Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love

Hungary AWS - Viszlát Nyár

Sweden Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off

Ukraine MÉLOVIN - Under The Ladder

Malta Christabelle - Taboo

Poland Gromee ft. Lukas Meijer - Light Me Up

Norway Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write A Song

 

I don't really care about Norway or Poland not qualifying, would be hilarious if Rybak DNQ. Norwegian media is putting Rybak in a unhuman pressure, and a 2nd place now would be a looked at like a flop.

The only ones I particularly want to Q are Australia, Ukraine, Moldova, Sweden and Slovenia, and I've made peace with the fact the latter isn't getting above 17th :lol: I don't mind Poland/Denmark/Hungary/Netherlands so them being predicted to Q is fine, but I'm also not that fussed if they didn't Q. Ideally Rybak would flop on his arse with possibly the most embarrassing song ever sent to Eurovision, but dream on Liam :lol:

 

 

I'm hyped for Mt. Samoylova though, I shouldn't laugh but the staging omg

If staging is good, I can see Poland being this year's Moldova.

I guess I'll predict now, so I don't forget to post it as I did with Semi 1.

 

01 Norway: Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write A Song

02 Sweden: Benjamin Ingrosso - Dance You Off

03 Moldova DoReDos - My Lucky Day

04 Ukraine: MÉLOVIN - Under The Ladder

05 Poland: Gromee ft. Lukas Meijer - Light Me Up

06 Hungary: AWS - Viszlát Nyár

07 Australia: Jessica Mauboy - We Got Love

08 Romania: The Humans - Goodbye

09 The Netherlands: Waylon - Outlaw In 'Em

10 Montenegro: Vanja Radovanović - Inje

 

11 Malta: Christabelle - Taboo

12 Denmark: Rasmussen - Higher Ground

13 Serbia Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova Deca

14 Russia: Julia Samoylova - I Won't Break

15 Latvia: Laura Rizzotto - Funny Girl

16 Slovenia: Lea Sirk - Hvala, Ne!

17 Georgia: Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao - For You

18 San Marino: Jessika (feat. Jenifer Brening) - Who We Are

If staging is good, I can see Poland being this year's Moldova.

I can see Moldova being this year's Moldova again. 🤣

I can see Moldova being this year's Moldova again. 🤣

I have to say, it's really starting to grow on me... it's so cheesy it's unreal 😂

I can see Poland doing a Norway 2017 for sure, modern Spotify hit finishes low top ten. But yes, it does look like Moldova may do a little better than that!

Why is Malta not looking to qualify? It's an actual banger and I'd have thought it was a really safe qualifier?!?! I'm really upset that she doesn't look like she's gonna Q!

Good chorus, but the verses are so, so dull. It takes far too long to get into it. It's a shame because it has the ingredients to be good. Good vocal though.

I believe Russia may struggle this year.

 

A final without Russia and Azerbaijan no one would have predicted due to their qualifying rate.

 

 

He won the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 and told Europe “music is not fireworks”. But a year on Salvador Sobral thinks he has failed to change the contest.

http://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/scalefit_630_noupscale/58831965170000fa01fdfe63.gif

 

“YouTube thought I would like the Israeli song. I opened it and a horrible song came out of it. Luckily this year I do not have to hear anything.”

 

“I hope to stop being regarded as the winner of the festival and to return to just being Salvador Sobral of music. There aren’t many stories in Portugal history of such instant fame. I was not ready. When I arrived in Portugal, after the victory, it was hard. I was tired of crying. I said to myself, “What did I do?” I could not go outside.

 

http://i.imgur.com/oftNs1I.gif

Argh. He's so... Ugh. SURELY he knew what would happen, no?!

 

You entered the biggest music contest in the world. What did you expect, over dramatic, pretentious little shit. Ffs.

He's just sounding like a whiney brat! Especially the fact he can't wait to escape the fame of becoming a winner... why enter in the first place?

 

I do get the feeling we're going to get a 'fast food' pop song winning this year after the last two winners, we have strong uptempos and I think the public are wanting a 'fun' song to return to the top. We haven't had anything that could be described as 'fun' and 'carefree' since Satellite imo!