LexC

Kill Parasect with fire now!

Great 01 Spain: Chanel - SloMo 02 Czech Republic: We Are Domi - Lights Off Good with potential for growth 03 Albania: Ronela Hajati - Sekret Meh 04 Moldova: Zdob şi Zdub & Fraţii Advahov - Trenuleţul Dead On Arrival 05 Bulgaria: Intelligent Music Project - Intention

Chanel gets the ticket to Turin - a week ago this would have been a shocker but after that performance in the semi that was the performance to beat!

Flower of Sorrow is just about the only one that I'd describe as "salvageable" - if it was me I'd be tempted to pull a Moldova 2013 and change the lyrics to Macedonian and then you'd have a medium sized balkan ballad.

The first four national finalists. Lolita Zero ran away with the televote and Queens of Roses just squeeked in so not a bad crop all told. 4iBqZbIzoxc Kz56jk6K-jI Ov3e06qNVJA QRLn8zXBxOE

This was the obvious choice and it's alright if still a revamp away from reaching its full potential.

Fully team Rigoberta tonight - there's potential for Spain's best result in years with that one!

Okay 26th in THIS semi is actually legit insulting!

The votes are in from New Lexico!

Lithuania putting all of their good songs into Heat 3 has backfired on them somewhat! This is the only one in each of the three heats to have topped the jury and televoting so far so it's likely the one to beat. xbQelNb-JrQ

Okay forget Gebrasy and Ieva - THIS is the one! ZHBTJ9MIVeU

The next entry is already up; AeRbnNFowwo That'd be the most modern and energetic Irish entry for a long time if they pick this one! Definitely the best so far.

The Italian press have had their usual early preview of the competing songs and La Reppresentante di Lista seem to have got the best reviews along the lines of "if this wins and we send it to Eurovision, we win again!" The other best reviewed in the press are Mahmood & BLANCO, Elisa, Dargen d'Amico and Massimo Ranieri. I don't think Maneskin were necessarily picked out as the obvious frontrunners from the press previews last year but it gives us our first clue to what we might be seved this year.

On that note, a song that definitely wasn't Plan B for The Mamas! c-Ictxoepqk

Krystian Ochman could be dangerous in this selection if this 5 million views plus video is anything to go by 9B_Vi7oulnE

All songs now available here

Look, I could write out a whole post about the absolutely coconuts selection process that San Marino are running this year but I think it's best that you read it for yourselves. @1483146738244411393

San Marino 2022 Stripper Achille Lauro P-RloZ-Fv38

Ireland insisting on only having a radio rip of one of the songs available like the last 10 years haven't happened! I'm Loving Me is a good throwback bop that I think a better country than Ireland would be able to style out as retro but RTE would somehow mess it up enough for it to be "dated" Real Love is dull af - it'll probably win!

The Rasmus's song is out. Personally I think Cyan Kicks gives you your rock fix better and with more energy. Don't think this will be the walkover for them that this might have been!

Washing Machine is a bop but Ieva is the first song in this selection so far that I can see being in Turin.

First NF heat of the season for me! Expecting/hoping for 'Ecstasy' to make it from these first four songs.

Hurricane is very KEiiNO playing Maneskin via CHVRCHES to me - can see that doing very well with a goof tailwind!

Now that's more like it! Thank you to all who voted for moi x

Both the country bops from Semi 2 are through - yippee!