The Eurovision Song Contest second semi-final running order has been revealed. Now we can engage in wild speculation!
Yesterday, my esteemed colleague Ben made his predictions for how he thinks/hopes the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest will break down based on his coverage of first impressions. I will be doing the same right now for the second semi-final. Next week, we will be swapping our semi-finals to begin discussing each entry and how each will fare in the competition. Will our predictions this week change when May rolls around?
Making the Cut
- Norway — "Silent Storm" is one of the favorites to win the Contest outright, so it would be a real shock if the song didn't advance.
- Greece — Although I don't care for this song, previous Greek entries I disliked more won their semi-finals.
- Slovenia — The studio version of this track addressed the problems I had with the live version, and now I am really excited about this entry.
- Poland — The English version is more of an earworm than the Polish version. Welcome back, Poland!
- Malta — Of the folksy entries this year, Malta's is the strongest. This entry could be a dark horse.
- Austria — "Rise Like a Phoenix" is a solid song that has been well-received so far.
- Romania — Lyrically the song is Eurovision bait, but the technical aspects (read: 18-second key change) give this entry legitimacy.
- Finland — This is one of the most commercial-friendly entries this year. Hopefully it didn't already peak.
- Israel — As goofy as the lyrics are, I'm eager to hear the remixes this track could generate.
- Ireland — The studio version of this song is an improvement over the stage debut, but Ireland will likely be on the bubble.
Not Quite There
- FYR Macedonia — Yesterday the song reminded me of something you would hear while waiting for your turn at the hair salon. Radio-friendly, but instantly forgettable.
- Lithuania — I adore this track, but the bookmakers and other Eurovision fans do not seem to share that opinion. Also, Lithuania's friends are in the other semi.
- Switzerland — I don't adore this track, and the bookkeepers and other Eurovision fans do agree with me.
- Georgia — I gave this the edge over Belarus strictly because it is a band...
- Belarus — ...but if TEO plays the maracas, it is a dead heat. Emphasis on dead.
Part 2 of our Eurovision Song Contest coverage will begin next week! Until then, here's a reminder of the running order for the second semi-final:
[table id=14 /]