ScottyEm

Cool and impressive

He’s got a couple of gigs in mid May, so it can’t be him? I hope not anyway.

With the situation in Ukraine, perhaps the BBC have (rightly) reconsidered how/when to make the announcement.

I am OBSESSED with Luma. Is this the one considered to take it? I do think it could well give Slovenia their best result yet.

Struggling to see this make it to Saturday. UK and Ireland not in the semi to help out either.

I think they had a couple of songs in their NF that could’ve got into the final in Turin. This isn’t one of them.

Hold Me Closer is stunning! And I see it wasn’t just me who immediately saw the close resemblance to Emma Willis.

Mindful how badly this post will age, but the energy feels different. It’s difficult to envisage TaP orchestrating a dud. If you need an injection of optimism, listen to the latest Euro Trip podcast.

The winners from 2014, 15 and 17 all performed 10-11. I don’t necessarily think performing much earlier will massively hamper their chances ie Malta. Also, the producers apparently don’t have access to the semi results, so it’s not necessarily based on their chances of winning but more to do with have a good pace and moving or props etc.

Surprised to see a lack of faith for Croatia. I think it’ll go through.

I thought the rehearsal footage of Embers was awful. We’re not getting this at all are we? James sounded vocally poor as well.

Semi 1 (no order) Lithuania Russia Sweden Cyprus Croatia Belgium Romania Azerbaijan Ukraine Malta Semi 2 San Marino Greece Austria* Iceland Serbia Albania Portugal* Bulgaria Finland Switzerland *Took out Czech Republic and Moldova after rehearsals, as much as it pains me.

I don’t believe the average viewer knows about their aloof attitude from last year. And I thought CATS was utterly forgettable and bland. I think Wrong Place has a quality that could really captivate.

Belgium will either to a Common Linnet or just sink. I think it’ll do the former. I also think Czech Republic will outperform expectations.

Also perfectly feasible outcome. Maybe I’m just reliant on the theory of national kitsch acts not translating. It feels like something Peter Kay could send as a parody. Semi 1 is generally a very, very tricky one to predict with a path to the final for nearly all acts.

I can’t see a path for Norway? To anyone outside of Norway, he looks like he’s basically taking the piss. Without the aesthetic, it’s a drippy, dated boyband song. Juries will likely kill it. I also think Croatia is being relatively underestimated. She’s up against lots of bops but she has great attack, a very hooky song that has immediacy. Not suggesting it’s a likely qualifier but I’m semi-expecting to see Albina on Saturday.

Bulgaria is the one that’s giving me the winning vibe. If they can get convey the emotion in the staging, we’re looking at a first-time win. A year of wall-to-wall bangers will swing in their favour too.

Semi 1: Defo: Sweden Cyprus Malta Lithuania Likely: Azerbaijan Slovenia Ukraine Borderline-In: Russia Croatia Romania Borderline-Out: Australia Belgium North Macedonia Israel Unlikely: Ireland Norway Belarus Semi 2: Defo: Iceland Bulgaria Switzerland Likely: Greece Moldova Latvia San Marino Borderline-In: Czech Republic Finland Albania Borderline-Out: Serbia Austria Unlikely: Estonia Poland DOA: Denmark Portugal Georgia Semi 1 is a *lot* more difficult to predict.

I’d argue Latvia is a likely qualifier?

First time Sweden are in my bottom half, this is so disappointing and that sort of fodder UK would send because we think it sounds “Eurovisiony”. Might do OK but diminishing returns from the televote I predict?

I was of the 0.5% that found Think About Things borderline excruciating but I’m into this. Sounds like Nile Rogers has had a hand in it. Infectious stuff.

This is excellent. Feels more stadium sized than last years entry.

This has a lot of punch! Could do really well.

It’s relatively contemporary and not out of place on a radio1 playlist but it’s verging into “nice” rather than exciting? I think the staging will need to do a lot of heavy lifting to get this out of the bottom five especially given this year is offering a lot of bangers north of 110BPM.

It’s now the bookies fave!