Favorites are not left behind: these ten countries advance after the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Favorites Croatia, Ukraine and Ireland have qualified for Saturday’s final in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, together with seven other countries. The organization regrets that a Swedish singer had a Palestinian scarf around his wrist at the beginning of the show.
The ten countries that we will see again on Saturday in the grand final in Malmö are the following: Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg. There they will certainly meet Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and France, plus the countries that managed to qualify during the second semi-final on Thursday.
It’s no surprise to anyone that Ireland is included. Bambie Thug’s spectacle was watched with awe, and some fear. She performed the song Doomsday blues with passion, and during that act we seemed to have ended up in a horror movie. Anyone who doesn’t sleep well tonight could find themselves to blame in Ireland.
Things were just as tough for Croatia, the top favorite this year. Rim Tim Tagi Dim by Baby Lasagne is a kind of Rammstein light and really blew everyone away. Ukraine was also very strong: singer Alyona Alyona and rapper Jerry Heil performed the very beautiful Teresa & Maria and thus paid tribute to the women in their home country.
False note
At the beginning of the show there was the first false note when Swedish singer Eric Saade, who came to set the mood for the first performance, showed his support for the people in the Gaza Strip by wearing a Palestinian scarf around his wrist.
However, the display of Palestinian flags is prohibited during this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, so organizer European Broadcasting Union (EBU) thinks it is a shame that Saade broke the rules. “The Eurovision Song Contest is a live program,” the organization told Swedish media. “Everyone who performs is aware of the rules and we regret that Eric Saade has chosen this.”
Thursday
The second semi-final, in which our entry Mustii takes part, will take place on Thursday evening. Dutch singer Joost Klein will also enter the battle for a place in the final.
