gooddelta

Saved the best for last for me. Although Erika really reminds me of Geri Halliwell circa-2000!

Going to vote for Baller anyway on Sat, she sings it ok, but the song is the dance banger of the year, and easily the most contemporary/actual relevant to 2025 music scene song in the contest.

Silenced boos and piped in cheering instead.

Argh, Denmark is such a great track. Be such a shame if it goes out. Reminds me of an Ella Henderson chart hit.

Jury is going to obsess over France, not sure about the public, I can't really see a Slimane level televote.

Serving is a lot of fun, she's hilarious and great.

Greece will Q I think. That was a vocal masterclass. Not my favourite song but she sold it so well.

Yeah that was delivered perfectly by Remember Monday. In terms of appealing to the jury, they've done everything right. Song is still disjointed and the chorus grates a bit, but the verses are really strong for me. The added pomp of the extra brass on the chorus made me laugh.

Going into the hosts hall of fame for sure.

Austria definitely just isn't for me. I have a massive disconnect personally with the vocal and performance, even though he was technically brilliant and the staging is ambitious.

Latvia staging and presentation was beautiful. The song isn't as completely essential for me as some other Tautumeitas stuff but still good. Would be nice to see Latvia in.

Yeah, the last 30 seconds and the final shot was good for Ireland, otherwise not brilliant.

Self Esteem - A Complicated Woman Aly & AJ - Silver Deliverer PinkPantheress - Fancy That Real Lies – We Will Annihilate Our Enemies Lights - A6 Kate Rusby - When They All Looked Up Prima Queen - The Prize lozeak - LOZEAK Bananarama - Glorious (Live In London) Keri Hilson - WE NEED TO TALK: LOVE

9 To 5 doesn't strike me as the kind of song they would include on a Vault release. Most of these songs are completely forgotten. I don't recognise many titles on here at all, so sure it will be an interesting listen as per the other Vault albums.

A new song taking off in week one, we truly are not worthy.

X Factor. Quite the obvious brand extension at the time and a very overwrought cover but there are some decent vocal turns on it. The Fifth Harmony cover is pointless.

Three great songs but Basement Jaxx.

Easily Avril in this lot.

50 Cent, not really a classic of his for me.

1. Ed Sheeran - Azizam 2. KAJ - Bara Bada Bastu 3. Abor & Tynna - Baller 4. Shkodra Elektronike - Zjerm 5. Zoë Më - Voyage 6. Remember Monday - What The Hell Just Happened? 7. Grace Davies - MDE 8. Addison Rae - Headphones On 9. Real Lies - Wild Sign I Choose You 10. Lorde - What Was That 11. Gabry Ponte - Tutta L'Italia 12. Rayvn Lenae - Love Me Not 13. The Ting Tings - Good People Do Bad Things 14. Elton John & Brandi Carlile - Who Believes In Angels? 15. Self Esteem - Cheers To Me 16. KiLLOWEN - pick your poison 17. Laleh - Jag Är 18. Erika Vikman - ICH KOMME 19. Polly Scattergood - Nitrogen Pink 20. Miriana Conte - Kant

I've put my £3.50 Portugal winnings onto Montenegro, because who the hell knows what will happen now and 7/1 was a good price for it. All the NQs last night were English, so maybe people will appreciate the Balkan ballad. Also would have put money on Latvia but not really worth it as my £3.50 would only have returned about £4.25.

Blimey. Another musical crime from DJ Ötzi. Unsurprisingly giving it to my favourite cover version ever, Heaven.

Easily Scooter, great use of the sample. I never really liked Cupid's Chokehold.

One win so far: Portugal to Q from Semi 1 - £1 at 5/2 (if not Slovenia then one slower song is going through, I'm sure...) Should have put my £5 here though instead of Slovenia, damn.

Tonight has been a good reminder to me that January to May is noise, there's no point making predictions until you see the performances. Belgium killed its own chances I think. I did expect to see Slovenia through but it's not a great loss, interesting that the public didn't go for the back story though. I did win some money on Portugal going through, it was a safety bet on one of the ballads getting in (if Slovenia didn't). Delighted to see San Marino and Iceland defying the odds! All of my favourites in the semi went through. Yasss for Albania and Sweden of course.