#armenia last instead of norway

[blueiscoool]

10 Dazzling Gold and Silver Treasures Discovered in 2022

Over the centuries, humans have crafted gold and silver into jewelry, coins and other stunning items. Some of these shiny objects were interred in burials or lost from loose pockets, only to be found hundreds of years to millennia later by archaeologists digging into our past or even unearthed unintentionally by members of the public. Here are 10 extraordinary discoveries that came to light in 2022.

1. 'Cheap Jewelry' is Really Gold Viking Ring

When a woman in Norway bought a bundle of cheap jewelry at an online auction, she was expecting to find some fun costume pieces to wear. Instead, she discovered something else entirely: a large gold Viking ring designed from twisted metal strands. The woman showed the ring to archaeologists, who dated it based on its style. According to the archaeologists, a powerful Viking chief may have owned this ring more than 1,000 years ago.

2. Kitchen Renovation Uncovers Gold Coin Stash

A routine kitchen renovation led to the discovery of a lifetime: a hoard of gold coins hidden beneath the wooden floorboards of an 18th-century house in the U.K. The stash includes more than 260 gold coins dating from 1610 to 1727 and is estimated to be worth around $290,000 (250,000 pounds).

3. Byzantine Gold Coins in Israel

Archaeologists on a nature reserve in northern Israel dug up a trove of 44 gold coins dating to the Byzantine Empire (circa A.D. 330 to 1453). These gorgeous coins date to the reigns of Emperor Phocas (A.D. 602 to 610) and Emperor Heraclius (A.D. 610 to 641). The hoard's owner may have buried the stash before fleeing from Muslim soldiers, who invaded the region in A.D. 635.

4. Gold and Silver Coins near an Egyptian Temple

For the last millennium, a cache of gold and silver coins sat buried underground near an Egyptian temple. These coins date to the Islamic era, which lasted from A.D. 610 until the 13th century. The coins are varied, including 286 silver coins of kings and kingdoms from that time, gold coins, a coin from what is now Armenia that was minted during King Leo II's reign in the 13th century, and bronze and brass coins from the Ottoman Empire.

5. 3,000-Year-Old Gold Funeral Mask from China

The 3,000-year-old tomb of a noble in what is now central China contained a rich treasure: a gold funeral mask, one of the oldest gold objects ever found in the region. The mask is large enough to cover an adult's face and may have symbolized that the deceased had an "imperishable gold body," researchers said.

6. "Abbess" Buried with Gold-and-Garnet Necklace

An elite woman buried in seventh-century England was laid to rest with a stunning necklace made of gold, garnets and Roman coin pendants. The burial included two impressive crosses, indicating that this medieval woman may have been an early female Christian leader such as an abbess, or possibly even royalty.

7. Gold Coin Features Assassinated Roman Emperor Volusianus

Excavators unearthed a "very rare" gold coin depicting a murdered Roman emperor in Hungary. The third-century A.D. coin shows the face of Emperor Volusianus, who co-ruled with his father for about two years before his own soldiers killed him and his father. Because Volusianus' reign was so short, coins showing his likeness are rare, especially in Hungary, where Roman gold coins are very uncommon. This coin was very valuable at the time, so losing it must have been a great loss to its owner.

8. Ancient Gold Belt Discovered on Beet Farm

In the Czech Republic, a beet farmer unexpectedly uncovered a crumpled sheet of gold on his land. The farmer alerted local archaeologists, who determined that the gold treasure was likely the front of a leather belt dating to the Bronze Age, nearly 2,500 years ago. Concentric circles decorating the gold sheet might represent cosmological systems, the archaeologists said. It's unclear who owned the belt, but whoever did was clearly elite.

9. Egyptian Ring Depicts 'God of Fun'

A 3,300-year-old burial from ancient Egypt contained a handful of valuable jewelry, including a gold ring with an engraving of the "god of fun." This deity, Bes, was often depicted as a dwarf and was usually portrayed playing music and having a good time. However, Bes was also known for protecting women during childbirth. Archaeologists also found a gold necklace and a ring with an Egyptian hieroglyphic inscription that translates to "Lady of the Earth," but the identity of the woman this inscription refers to is still unknown.

10. Rare Coin Shows Charlemagne Just Before his Death

There are precious few known portraits of Charlamagne made during his lifetime, but now one of them has been found on a rare, 1,200-year-old coin. The coin ended up in the collection of a French farmer, who left his treasured stash to his grandson. When his grandson went through the coins years later and put the Charlemagne item on eBay, German museum curators jumped at the chance to buy it. Charlemagne (ruled A.D. 768 to 814) had the coin, known as a denarius, portray him like a Roman emperor with a laurel on his hat and the dress of a Roman general, even though the Western Roman Empire had collapsed centuries before. Why? Because the Vatican had just crowned him emperor of the Romans on Christmas day in A.D. 800, so the coin was a fitting symbol.

By Laura Geggel.

[des-idk]

here are my current predictions for who’s gonna qualify this year

both semis have a clear top 5 already imo, with 6-13 of each semi being where a lot of things could change, cause of both the running order and the new voting system. from looking at other people's predictions, i think the top and bottom 3 are kinda predetermined so i’m not gonna talk about my opinions on those songs and their chances here and instead talk about what i have in yellow, the borderline qualifiers

SEMI 1

as much as i want both latvia and portugal to qualify, i think only one of them will and it’s gonna really depend on staging. i do think portugal might have the edge here though with it being a more upbeat song, but if latvia brings a really inventive staging they might sneak through, most likely over switzerland, and speaking of...

switzerland really drew the short straw being put between croatia and israel, both of which are gonna do well with the televote and potentially overshadow switzerland A LOT, and without juries i think they’re gonna struggle to qualify. it's not a bad song persay, but it is a bit too similar to last year for me to predict them qualifying in a televote only semi final

of all my borderlines, i think moldova and the netherlands have the biggest chances of each qualifying but again it is all gonna come down to how they do on the night. with good staging moldova could really impress, but similar to switzerland, it’s in between two fan favourite so who knows. the netherlands performing second last with a slower song AND following czechia isn’t great but it’s a good song so that’s sure to make up for the disadvantages of the RO.

SEMI 2

denmark is opening this semi (yeah i still don’t understand that decision) which in theory should make it a safe qualifier, but we've seen the opener fail to qualify before (rip albania 2022) and my god is the song irritating. i just don’t think this is gonna translate well into a live performance unfortunately.

romania cyprus and iceland all have good vocals but lacklustre songs, and once again this one is gonna come down to presentation. iceland could definitely qualify with interesting staging but the vocals need to be on point for this to work. i doubt romania will make it to top 10, probably gonna come 12th or something but with it being just televote, the public could surprise us

albania and lithuania also fit into the “good vocals meh song” category but being later on in the semi i think is gonna increase both of their chances of qualifying

belgium is the wildcard here, unsuspecting but could bring a really fun performance on the night and sail through to a respectable 8th

My Personal Qualifiers of Each Semi

NORWAY-SERBIA-LATVIA-PORTUGAL-CROATIA-MOLDOVA-SWEDEN-CZECHIA-NETHERLANDS-FINLAND

ARMENIA-ESTONIA-BELGIUM-ICELAND-SLOVENIA-GEORGIA-SAN MARINO-AUSTRIA-LITHUANIA-AUSTRALIA

that's all i have to say at present but lmk who you guys think will qualify or who you want to qualify.

considering that this is gonna be completely controlled by the public i'm so excited to see what absolute lunacy occurs once we find out the result. this is gonna be fun!!

[ntalksaboutshit]

Hey, uh, EBU, what the fuck is this

[maarigolds]

So basically, to recap, tonight we're getting:

The Czech Republic, who’s asking me to turn the lights off and then wondering where I am. And I mean, if the lights were on you’d know, don’t you think? Smh

Romania with a bisexual matador 

Portugal with a song that I’m really grateful is gonna be performed early, or else would have put me to sleep

Finland with the kid from It

Switzerland with Pee Break n°1

France, who decided to sing in Breton instead of French. For that only they deserve 12 points

Norway, with two yellow wolves from the Moon who want bananas. You know, business as usual.

Armenia, who apparently is solely responsabile for the toilet paper shortage we experienced in the last two years

Italy with a ballad duet, but it’s a gay ballad duet, so they get a pass

Spain, who might get beaten in her own language 

The Netherlands, who hasn’t had a haircut since 2005 (the year she was born in, probably, considering she looks like a fetus)

Ukraine with a guy dressed as a carpet and two (2) flutes 

Germany, who claims he used to be a rockstar. Can we get a source on that? 

Lithuania with Will from Stranger Things 

Azerbaijan with Pee Break n°2 

Belgium, who also could have sang in French but decided not to, and for that has my respect. Too bad he chose English instead :/

Greece, who for some reason thinks that murder-suicide pacts are a topic suited for a family friendly song competition (are you okay bestie?)

Iceland with three cowgirl sisters. No, this is not the start of a porno. 

Moldova with someone’s drunk uncles at karaoke 

Sweden with the mandatory barefoot performer of the year

The Uk, who thinks they actually have a chance to win lmaooo

Poland with Pee Break n°3, cause I’m gonna be needing many drinks to survive this

Serbia with a covid&mental health safety psa

And last but not least, Estonia with Orville Peck’s secret identity 

And a special mention to what we’re not getting:

San Marino with a gay cowboy on a mechanic bull

Georgia with a Tim Burton tribute band 

And Latvia with the only straights in this competition I respect (cause they eat pussy and are environmentally conscious)

[animationforce]

ANIMATION IS FILM FESTIVAL returns for its fifth event in Los Angeles, October 21-23 and October 29.

Event includes individual ticketed events for screenings and Q&As for more than a dozen feature films from around the world, with free screenings of animated shorts on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Animation is Film brings world animation to the U.S. with this year’s films from Japan, Ireland, France, China, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Brazil, Luxembourg, Armenia, Germany and Lithuania.

The festival also boasts sneak previews of Dreamwork’s “Puss in Boots The Last Wish” and Disney’s “Strange World.” Additionally, streaming-based films have limited runs at the festival, including Netflix’s “Wendell & Wild” and “My Father’s Dragon,” Apple’s “Luck” and Disney/Pixar’s “Turning Red.”

This year comes with an extra day, with a special “surprise screening” on the festival’s closing night, Oct. 29, instead of just one weekend of animation celebrations. While the special screening will be announced later, the first weekend’s lineup is available now at animationisfilm.com

- Courtney

[crystal-methionine]

It’s that time of year where I talk about this years Eurovision even though nobody’s asked me to or cares about it.

1. Armenia 🇦🇲 Rosa Linn - Snap: Before you all come for me, this song is the vibe I go for in a song. The staging was immaculate (even tho in the semi, she tore a post it off). Armenia was robbed for coming in 20th. I understand maybe why it wasn’t super high but like in my opinion, this was so so good. Glad Armenia is back. 100/10

2. Sweden 🇸🇪 Cornelia Jakobs - Hold Me Closer: Oh Sweden, how you almost send Anders Bagge instead of this is entirely a bunch of bullshit. It’s classy, a bit rocky, it’s so singable, and the bitch looked stunning. Staging was simple but flawless as Sweden usually does it. Definitely a Sweden fanboy this year. 95/10

3. Czechia 🇨🇿 We Are Domi - Lights Off: How in the hell did this get so low on the night of the final when it did so well in Semi 2??? It’s baffling to me because we’ve seen openers do well before (Belgium 2016). Czechia take notes bc this kind of song and staging was the best combo you’ve put out in a while. Deserved better for sure and I always belt with the “Where are you noooow”. 90/10

4. Iceland 🇮🇸 Systur - Með Hækkandi Sól: Come for me all you want for having Iceland this high. I don’t care. I want to see more from the Indigo Girls/ABBA crossover that these three make up. The song is so calming and beautiful. Brownie points for Icelandic, which I love to hear in a song. If I could, I would’ve given them all my 12 points just to see them do slightly better than 3rd to last. I get not everyone likes it, but y’all really got to let it go with the folky ballad hate. 90/10

5. Portugal 🇵🇹 MARO - saudade, saudade: THE song this year that makes me cry and just takes me away on a journey. The live for this had me living for it. I turned off all my lights, sat there, looked at my bf who couldn’t have cared left, and took my phone flashlight out, and swayed the entire time. Best Portuguese entry since Conan. Super happy it came in Top 10. 89/10

6. Ukraine 🇺🇦 KALUSH - Stefania: “Politics” aside, I was super happy to see them a) be able to represent Ukraine, b) glad they were so well received, and c) definitely a deserving winner in my opinion. I understand how some people might not like it, but bruh I was bouncing around trying my best to get the rap bits in whatever Ukrainian I could even remember from listening to it over and over since I had first heard it. Yeah they probably were helped bc of everything going on, but I don’t mind they won at all. 85/10

7. Greece 🇬🇷 Amanda Tjenford - Die Together: If I’m being entirely honest, this song was immediately one I kind of felt was overhyped. Overtime, it grew a lot on me. I knew it was going to place top 10 from the start, but at least I started to enjoy it more. The staging really did help it for me. While the broken chairs were a choice that were frankly confusing, Amanda sang and ate. 80/10

8. Norway 🇳🇴 Subwoolfer - Give That Wolf A Banana: Silly entries with a good beat seem to be my guilty pleasure because I always loved this song most from this year’s options for Norway. Glad it was chosen so it wasn’t super serious this year. Plus choreo even I could learn. Glad it placed top 10. Welcome back to the top Norway. I missed you last year. 75/10

9. Spain 🇪🇸 Chanel - Slo Mo: Aside from the Benidorm drama conflama, this was a smart choice in the end. Sexy choreo with a goddess always does well no matter who you are in Eurovision (other countries take note). I mean that dance break was having me yelling “You better mother****in WERK Bih!!” God it was so good. I preferred other songs, but Spain definitely found a formula that is gonna work in their favor. 75/10

10. Netherlands 🇳🇱 S10- De Diepte: My winner for the longest time. Thought we’d be going back to Holland next year, but the other songs commanded stage a bit more live. I don’t know any Dutch but this song is definitely helping me learn some more and how to pronounce words (this is why I like native tongue songs). S10 did so well and I think 11th is fine, but should have been in top 10. 74/10

11. Ireland 🇮🇪 Brooke - That’s Rich: Y’all who can vote suck. Ireland actually did something right for once and you guys did nothing to reward them. Sure That’s Rich didn’t have the same gags to it that maybe some other Semi 2 songs did, but y’all did my girl dirty. Bloodbaths be hard and Ireland always lands in them unfortunately it seems. 70/10

12. Romania 🇷🇴 WRS - Llamame: Bébé got me dancing. Welcome back Romania. This is how to do it. Again bonus on the choreo and the male male flamenco moment had me going even if it was just for a second. Wasn’t too high on my radar until the live performances. WRS killed it. 65/10

13. UK 🇬🇧 Sam Ryder - Space Man: UK him? You actually didn’t fuck up this year. I mean Molly and Lucie were fantastic as well, but the staging this year was top notch. I still prefer other songs but I guess a top 10 finish was deserved. 60/10

14. Cyprus 🇨🇾 Andromache - Eλα: Aphrodite called and said yes bitch. I personally think Cyprus was just victim to a tough semi. But JURY votes at 9???!!! 9????!!!!! Robbery of the biggest stint of this year in my opinion. Was it sang the best? Not 100% but still around 80%. The staging was also cool and very Birth of Venus clamshell realness. Bonus points for Greek. Studio was definitely better by a bit but should have qualified. 55/10

15. France 🇫🇷 alvan & ahez - Fulenn: A grower for me for sure. It’s hard to follow Barbara Pravi. Having Breton was super cool and the stage was not as hot a mess as it was in the French final. Did it deserve second last? No. Did it deserve top 10? No. I thoroughly enjoy the song and sing along when it comes on. 60/10

16. Italy 🇮🇹 Mahmood & Blanco - Brividi: Love the song and was a winner with just studio version for a while (til S10). The live was a bit of a let down especially when we can see what Mahmood is capable of (2019). Maybe a bit too much wine? Maybe they lost some of the sexual tension they seemed to have during San Remo? Either way, I still listen to the studio and sing along while belting Mahmoods part in the chorus. 55/10

17. Serbia 🇷🇸 Konstrakta - In Corpore Sano: I don’t like the song or listen to it. But I was still doing the hand thing and singing the chorus while watching. I begrudgingly put it here bc I have to accept defeat. Yell at me all you want for not top 10 but I wash my hands of your filthy negativity. 50/10

18. Albania 🇦🇱 Ronela Hajati - Sekret: Look, this song is fun and crazy. I get to whip my hair around and twerk in parts. Was it a bit of a mess sonically and I can see where it didn’t really get viewed as a qualifier? Yeah a bit. But I still wanted it. Why can’t the final be 30 songs? Rip to the Albania streak. Please don’t be discouraged from sending bops like this. 50/10

19. San Marino 🇸🇲 Achille Lauro - Stripper: At first, I wasn’t a big fan and tbh I’m still not sold per se. But that performance was everything chaotic and queer I needed in my life. I mean a bedazzled buckin bronco on stage and y’all said no?????? Shame we only got to see it once. Keep rockin San Marino. 45/10

20. Lithuania 🇱🇹 Monica Liu - Sentamentai: I HATED this song at first. Maybe a bit of hurt in that Ieva was back with an absolute masterpiece and got close to last in the final of the Lithuanian selection. But the spooky disco groove overtook me in the end. Still not my fave but glad she made it to the final and didn’t do necessarily too bad. 40/10

21. Australia 🇦🇺 Sheldon Riley - Not the Same: Wow what a voice. The costuming was impeccable. The song was I think the only thing a bit lacking for me though. Still love it and can relate a lot but alas, other songs exist and did better. 40/10

22. Austria 🇦🇹 LUMIX & Pia Maria - Halo: I wish I could put this higher bc I jam all the way out with the studio. The live detracted for sure. She improved on vocals pretty well, but in the end I guess it didn’t improve enough. Staging was also a bit blah. Oh well. Still got the studio tho. 35/10

23. Denmark 🇩🇰 Reddi - The Show: I do listen to this one when it comes on the playlist. Something nostalgic about it. Reminds me of What’s New Scooby Do? for some reason. That early/mid 2000 punk girl pop vibe. The indulgent holding of the notes in the beginning were my only negative for the live. 15/10

24. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 Nadir Rustamli - Fade to Black: I’m losing juice writing these reviews tbh. That’s how I feel about the rest of these songs in this year’s Eurovision. The rest are fine for the most part but no longer get above 10s. This song was carried by juries and I understand why. It’s not bad. It’s also Azerbaijan so it’s quality staging and singing. Qualifier? Sure. Did I want others ahead of it in semi 2? Absolutely. 9.5/10

25. Estonia 🇪🇪 Stefan - Hope: A bit of a western vibe is cool (Iceland did it better) but saying hope over and over just isn’t original enough for me. 9/10.

26. Belgium 🇧🇪 Jérémie Makiese - Miss You: The song is good but not great. Live was alright. Qualifier? Borderline and I’m fine that it did. Others were better. 8.75/10

27. North Macedonia 🇲🇰 Andrea - Circles: So so close to the right track. Song is fine. Staging was actually not half bad. Flag drama seemed a bit excessive but what can you do? I wouldn’t recommend withdrawing bc if this is the route North Macedonia is going, they’ll qualify next year. 8.5/10

28. Poland 🇵🇱 Ochman - River: Gripe about me but something about this song got tiring for me. I normally skip it. Idk why. Does he sing well? Hell yes. He sings so well. I just grew tired of the song rather quick. Deserve to qualify? Absolutely. Just not high on my rank. 8.25/10

29. Finland 🇫🇮 The Rasmus - Jezebel: Again gripe about me. I don’t care. It’s a good rock song. UMK this year had so many better options. This one just got old quick like Poland for me. 8.25/10

30. Croatia 🇭🇷 Mia Dimsič - Guilty Pleasure: The lesser of the folky girl songs. Definitely gave me Taylor Swift vibes. On the live performance, the Croatian bumped my interest but it’s pretty much just that and nothing else that makes me perk up. It was performed well though. 7.75/10

31. Malta 🇲🇹 Emma Muscat - I Am What I Am: This song suffers from basicness. Cliché Eurovision songs are fine to me, but this one didn’t even make it to the level of cliché where it’s good enough to overlook it. Instead,it’s so basic that it gets overlooked entirely. 7/10

32. Switzerland 🇨🇭 Marius Bear - Boys Do Cry: That we do. Especially after losing the streak of amazing songs coming from Switzerland. The song is a twinge off for me. A bit too boring. Didn’t really deserve the final but whatever. 6/10

33. Latvia 🇱🇻 Citi Zēni - Eat Your Salad: As a scientist, I approve of environmental messages. But this song I am not a fan of. It’s not about 😺 that gets me a bit turned off. It’s just too much in a not great way for me. Idk why. 5/10

34. Germany 🇩🇪 Malik Harris - Rockstars: Boring. End of story. But still better than some. Germany you can do better. 3/10

35. Moldova 🇲🇩 Zdob si Zdub - Trenuletul: Did they turn the party live? Yes. Did I still like the song? No. 3/10

36. Slovenia 🇸🇮 LPS - Disko: This song takes 5ever to start and doesn’t seem to go much of anywhere. I tried to give it a chance bc I love disco but alas. 2/10

37. Georgia 🇬🇪 Circus Mircus - Lock Me In: I’ll give them creativity and character. Costuming? Sure. Song? Too many components shoved into one. 2/10

38. Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Intelligent Music Project - Intention: Dads who rock in the garage should probably stay there. Nothing super bad, just wasn’t interesting for me. 1.5/10

39. Montenegro 🇲🇪 Vladana - Breathe: was she stunning? Yes. Was the song any good? Meh. I also didn’t like the vocals? Seemed out of breathe at times???? 1/10

40. Israel 🇮🇱 Michael Ben David - I.M.: I M over it. Officially. I found this super grating and annoying for some reason. Revamp was better than the original but still hated it. 0/10

[jackredfieldwasmyjacob]

Hi! I'm the same anon as the last year and I'm here to ask you again the same questione. Do you think that the SkamEs girl squad had a "Eurovision party night" together? Which entries are they supporting?

Hope that you had a nice Eurovision night!

Thank you anon!! I loved the question last year and I love it this year as well!!

And of course they did a Eurovision party night! They followed the Benidorm fest as well so this was a very intense Eurovision season for them. As for every individual fave:

Eva would absolutely love UK and she would also really enjoy Moldova.

Cris would be SO obnoxious with Chanel lol. But considering you can't vote your own country, she would definitely vote for Romania.

Nora would really enjoy Portugal, Greece and Italy, and would do covers of Saudade, Saudade, Die Together and Snap on her channel.

Viri would also be really rooting for Chanel, but vote for Ukraine. She would really enjoy Armenia and the Norway i think.

Amira would absolutely be rooting for Ukraine and Serbia, and i think she would even vote both. She would also be humming the BITI ZDRAVA part of In Corpore Sano for a while lol.

Joana would absolutely love Finland and Australia, and was super pissed San Marino didn't made it to the finals.

And even if only Cris and Viri were truly rooting for Chanel, as the others were still a bit pissed by Benidorm Fest, they all started screaming and jumping (just like i did lol) when the jury started giving us points and even 12 points instead of the disappointment of all years. In fact, I'm sure Eva and Cris convinced the girls to celebrate that 3rd place afterwards, and they went to the San Isidro prairie and danced and drunk and had fun until dawn!!

[fireladybuckley]

Eurovision opinions! I liveblogged the whole thing, but this is just a masterpost for my thoughts on each song, partially so I can remember later which ones I liked!

Czech Republic Lights Off - We Are Domi It’s not a bad song by any means, but I just found it okay.  Kinda catchy, but kinda generic.

Romania Llámame - WRS Love the outfits, pretty catchy, pretty gay.  Not bad!

Portugal Saudade, Saudade - MARO For a ballad this is nice.  I like their voices a lot and the vibe is very peaceful.  I still want more craziness, but I definitely don’t mind this one.

Finland Jezebel - The Rasmus My people!  Love it.  I never know my heritage would include hard rock but you know what, I’m here for it.

Switzerland Boys Do Cry - Marius Bear Honestly... I took a bathroom break during this song.  I love that it’s against toxic masculinity but such a slow ballad >.>

France Fulenn -  Alvan & Ahez Wow.  This is not at all what I was expecting from France, its pretty fire tbh.  Surprisingly good.

Norway Give that Wolf a Banana - Subwoolfer This is honestly a much catchier song than I expected given the weird ass gifs I’ve been seeing.  Still weird AF but I might actually listen to this lmao

Armenia Snap - Rosa Linn Honestly this sounds like something I might listen to normally, I like it.  Not really feeling the ESC vibe, but it’s a decent song.  

Italy Brividi - Mahmood & BLANCO Can’t say I’m a fan of this one tbh.

Spain Slomo - Chanel Idk maybe I’m the wrong kind of gay but I expected more from a song that “gives the gays everything they want” besides some thongs and raunchy dancing. 

Netherlands De Diepte - S10 Eh.  Boring ballad.  Sorry Netherlands.

Ukraine Stefania - Kalush Orchestra Well that was not what I was expecting but I like it!  Takes the vibes from last year and puts it into a new genre.  Catchy AF.

Germany Rockstars - Malik Harris Not a terrible song, but again, fairly generic.  It’s okay. I can’t not hear “farst” instead of “fast” though lol

Lithuania Sentimentai - Monika Liu It was fine.  Can’t get over that hair though lmao

Azerbaijan Fade to Black -  Nadir Rustamli Nice voice.  So slow though.  I can’t.  Starting to fall asleep.

Belgium Miss You -  Jérémie Makiese I appreciate the aesthetic and I love that he studied geology.  Not a fan of the song though.

Greece Die Together -  Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord Nice voice, but eh.  

Iceland Með Hækkandi Sól - Systur I wish I understood the lyrics.  Really like the vibes.

Moldova Trenulețul -  Zdob şi Zdub & Advahov Brothers Oh hell yes.  As usual, Moldova brings prime Eurovision mood.  Love it.

Sweden Hold Me Closer - Cornelia Jakobs I truly love her look and shes got a good voice.  But I’m just fed up with ballads at this point and I know there’s more so I’m just kind of not paying attention by this point.

Australia Not The Same - Sheldon Riley Another ballad.  This guy really does have an incredible voice and the song is beautiful.  Crazy outfit, love that.

UK Space Man - Sam Ryder Love the hair.  Song is meh.

Poland River - Ochman Another ballad?!  good god.  In terms of ballads, it was decent.  But I’m tired of ballads.

Serbia In Corpore Sano - Konstrakta That was... interesting.   I honestly have no idea what else to say about it.

Estonia Hope - Stefan It was okay.  Kinda boring pop number.  He’s cute and I like the sorta western vibe, but a lackluster ending to the songs.

[cosettefauchelevente]

esc 2022 semi final 1 thoughts

the camera work throughout was awful. why so many wide-shots? the hosts came across like kid's shows hosts, and her dress was ugly. however, we did at least get to witness mika and his amazing language skills!

the opening show looked like the stage version of the lion king. I think rai took notes from love love peace peace.

mixed feelings on the postcards. the drones looked a png. but I enjoy seeing italy's famous sites from different angles. and I did think the origin story of how the drone came to be was cute, I liked the pinnochio reference.

albania: awful staging, she shouted more than she sang, too sexual. it's a shame bc it had potential. 4/10

latvia: they bought pussy to eurovision. "instead of meat, I eat veggies and pussies" is my new favourite lyric, am vegetarian now. should have opened instead of albania. 10/10

lithuania: she might be the only person a bowl haircut looks good on. old-fashioned french music is a genre I sometimes enjoy. bad staging though. 6/10.

switzerland: nice staging, but extremely boring song. I almost fell asleep. I think marius himself got bored. most interesting thing was the hand movements borrowed from gjon's tears. 3/10. it gets less than albania bc at least I felt something during albania's performance

slovenia: this is last in the betting odds for some reason. I really liked it! unfortunately the camerawork was atrocious during this, but I loved the disco ball and the keyboardist's energy. 9/10

ukraine: a lot of people didn't like it, but I enjoyed the blend of rap with folk music. I think Epic Flute Guy saved it for a lot of people. the choreo was a bit awkward at times though. I wonder if the main singer could see out of his hat at all. 8/10

bulgaria: måneskin look different this year. did damiano david forget to dry his hair before going on stage? sounded like arena rock. 7/10, it grew on me after a while

the netherlands: the singer looked like a white, female bilal hassani to me somehow. very pretty girl, i adore her hair. the song had indie playlist created by spotify vibes. she was obviously nervous, but I think that actually suited the song. 7/10

moldova: this was deliciously bonkers. it had everything eurovision is about. folk music, meme potential, even a the ramones reference. I need them in the final. 9/10.

portugal: I liked the instrumental at the start, but didn't like when she started singing. sounded better when the other singer joined in. 6/10

croatia: chill, but not my favourite. 6/10

denmark: the singer was meh to me, but I lived for the drummer. she should marry me. 8/10, it gains points for drummer girl

austria: terrible vocals, okay song. 5/10

iceland: I didn't like it as much as their previous few entries, but I did like the old west theme. would have preferred ja ja ding dong though. 7/10

greece: good singing and staging, but the song is boring for me. 6/10

norway: 🐺🍌🐺🍌🐺🍌 I'm ready to join the wolf-banana cult. out of this year's "weird" songs, this had the best stage. this will be memed the most this year, I think. 7/10.

armenia: the staging looked like it was made of toilet paper, sorry 💀 she has a strong voice though. there was almost a huge mishap when the stage turned though (could the audience see her????). 6/10, didn't care for it particularly, but it wasn't the worst.

[babolat85]

MY FAVOURITE EUROVISION ENTRIES: DAY 36 - Norway

Norway is a tough choice for me, because there’s about 5 or 6 songs from the country that I really, really like. So instead I’m going with the song that’s had the most amount of playtime on my Spotify. 

I would have gone with KEiiNO’s Monument from last year, but alas it was beaten by TiX in the MGP.

So it’s back to 2011 with Stella Mwangi’s “Haba Haba”. It’s a shame the performance on the night wasn’t the best, which resulted in not qualifying for the finals, because I really love this song. 

A very close second for Norway would be their 2020 Entry by Ulrikke. That would’ve been amazing on the main stage, but alas the MGP performance will have to do.

PREVIOUS COUNTRIES:

Albania

Andorra

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

Morocco

Netherlands

North Macedonia

[sea-shelly]

Eurovision blogging

Czechia- meh. Why are they entered as the Czech Republic not Czecia. Is my main thought.

Romania- a bop, hope it does well

Portugal - snooze

Finland - love it!! JEZEBEL! Goth Valtteri!

Switzerland - songs to jump off a bridge to is NEXT month, this month is Eurovision

France - it's weird and catchy, which is what all eurovision songs should be. It's not particularly good though

Norway - givethatwolfabananagivethatwolfabanana

Armenia - first good ballad of the night, needs more enunciation

Italy - only EYE may win back to back eurovisions tan q

Spain - meh

Netherlands - nice singer, depressing song

Ukraine - genuinely the last thing they need is to be forced to hold eurovision next year, but the song is good. Well the song is ok. I'm a fan of the whole electrofolk stuff.

Germany - Macklemore wannabe (via my sister, savage and accurate)

Lithuania- I like it! Weird hair, no idea what she's saying, minimal staging, weird vocalisations! Reminds me of Liza Minelli.

Azerbaijan- THIS qualified instead of Ireland, despite being demonstrably shite. For. Shame. 😴. Jury vote rigging investigation when!!!

Belgium - ALSO qualified instead of Ireland, despite being demonstrably shite. Jury vote rigging investigation when!!!

Greece - songs to jump off a bridge to vol 2

Iceland - Marty described them as the Waltons, 10/10 I cannot be expected to be funnier than him lmao

Moldova- FINALLY SOME LIFE!! Genuinely hilarious. Objectively terrible, I love it

Sweden- THEY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO WIN. BOOOOOOOO. ONLY EYE MAY WIN SEVEN EUROVISIONS.

Australia - THAT is how you do a ballad at eurovision. I love the crystal veil very eurovision

UK - it would be very funny to make them host a celebration of being European with all the shithousery with bre*it. Song is middle of the road.

Poland - best ballad and its not even close!!!

Serbia- weird and catchy, the essence of eurovision. I remember it being better?? Obviously the clappy bits are the best

Estonia - I resent that this got through and ireland didn't.

[totaldramafan-lauri]

Eurovision 2022 Opinions, Predictions, and Rankings

Here it is, with a couple days to spare!

It was hard to motivate me to start it, but once I got going, I started getting hyped again. This is suuuuuuch a weird collection of songs, and I can’t wait to see which ones stick the most! So many songs that can be described as....“unique”, combined with Maneskin’s influence causing an influx of both native-language songs AND rock songs, just.....it’s so interesting! And of course, as per usual, I like the vast majority. There are only two songs in the “indifferent” category this year, and one of them is....complicated. And no songs I don’t like listening to!

Obligatory warning: I’m not a music critic. I just like talking about Eurovision. Also, my opinions are a bit weird. I have quite a few underdog favorites, and I also disagree with some (not all) of the most popular picks. If you’re gonna read all this, keep that in mind. If you disagree with me, it’s not a big deal.

And also, I have no idea how any of these will be staged, cuz I like going in blind on that.

With that all said, on to the weirdness!

(In alphabetical order by country)

Song: Sekret Country: Albania Thoughts: First off, we have....one of the weirdest songs to talk about...And there are a lot of weird songs this year, so that's saying something. XD This is a song I wish I liked more than I did. But instead, I have similar thoughts to it that I did about "El Diablo", last year (until the contest) - Absolutely awesome chorus, but I'm not crazy about the rest of the song. That's about it! This song is....really disjointed, but the chorus saves it for me. There just...isn't enough actual singing for me. Now, will this song grow on me majorly after the live performance, like "El Diablo"? We'll see. For now, I'll at least say that I like the verses of this one a BIT more than the verses on that, so there's a chance. Prediction: Even though this is the song that's gonna open the show, I actually think it’ll qualify. Albania have had pretty good success qualifying in recent years, and with the exception of "Mall", this is probably their most...stand-out entry in a while. I say stand-out and not BEST, but yeah, this is getting them more buzz than they usually do. So, I'm gonna say that this will not be the song to break their streak. It's not a front-runner, though. In the final, it'll probably do....maybe a BIT better than they've been doing? But probably not top ten.

Song: Snap Country: Armenia Thoughts: While not one of my favorites, I'm not gonna dance around this: This song has some of the best lyrics of the year. Hands. Down. SO many good lyrics that I could list. "I'm writing a song, said this is the last one / How many last songs are left? I'm losing count" "My heart's been on fire / I've been spending my nights in the rain trying to pour it out" and of course "And if one more person says 'you should get over it' / Oh I might stop talking to people before I snap". This song shows just how HARD it is to let go of past feelings, even when you're trying your best. Getting over it is NOT easy, and yeah, I respect the heck outta this song and its message. Musically, it's pretty good too. Despite the singer not having a good time, it's not mopey and slow. It's got a pretty good clap-along beat to it. This is one of the songs that I don't think about very much, but when it comes on, I wish I liked it more. Prediction: Hmmmm, this one's tricky. It's gonna close the first semifinal, and I wouldn't say this is a good closing song. I don't think it'll leave a big enough impression after everyone else has performed before it. Not to mention, it comes right after flipping Norway! How many people are gonna be thinking about this downbeat song that requires you to pay attention to the lyrics, after THAT musical masterpiece? XD But, honestly, looking at the list...Yeah, I can still see this qualifying. Armenia have a pretty good track record, and the song is still getting plenty of attention before the contest. I think it'll make it. As for the final, um....Maybe it'll place around the middle (somewhere 15-20 maybe?) cuz I can't see it flopping.

Song: Not The Same Country: Australia Thoughts: This one's....hard to talk about....cuz it's GOOD. I haven't heard a Eurovision entry that stuns me speechless like this since "1944". It's not one of my favorites, but I still like and respect it so flipping much for hitting me so hard where it hurts. It's not just that the emotion comes across super well, it's that....I relate. I've been there. I've been that kid who was pushed to try to make friends, only to be made fun of, cuz my mind works differently. "You're not the same as the other kids playing the same games"....I've been that kid who never fit in quite right, cuz I never knew how to stop talking about my special interests. "They never liked the things that I would like", but I still tried, until I was old enough to understand what was "wrong" with me. This song hits so hard cuz it's REAL. The struggle is REAL, and it continues to be for those like me, who are "not the same". On top of that, this has one of the best voices of the year. This man can BELT, and it sells the emotion just...so perfectly! The reason why I can't call this a favorite is (not only are there other songs I love more) cuz...this is the kinda song that I don't always wanna listen to. I'm not sure how much I like it as a Eurovision entry because of that. But as just a song, I'm really glad it exists. I'm glad there's a song about this kinda thing. I hope more people try to understand people like me cuz of it. Prediction: And I'm really happy this song's getting attention. Even though it's a very heavy song, I do want it in the final. It deserves to be heard...so yeah, it's gonna qualify and finish on the left side of the board. The music video is a live performance, so we already know he's gonna sound amazing live. Nothing more to say.

Song: Halo Country: Austria Thoughts: This is my second-favorite song of the year, only being beaten by a certain very high bar that I'll get to later.....Point is, second place is great when first place is so hard to reach. XD I flipping love this song! But the thing is, I don't really have much to even say about it - it's just a really catchy, solid pop song with interesting lyrics, and that's about it! It's not really complex, but it doesn't need to be. It's the best possible "turn your brain off and enjoy" song this year. Part of me feels kinda bad that this year has so much diversity in music and yet here I am gushing over the regular pop song....but then it comes on again and I realize I can't help it. Prediction: I am...SOOOO bummed about this song's low placement in the betting odds...The music video has one of the highest view counts, so naively, I assumed that meant it was popular....But guess I was wrong! Now, looking at the songs in the first semifinal, I'm worried about it. I'm gonna still predict it'll qualify, cuz I'm gonna be optimistic. This song better have cool staging to go with the theming, and maybe that'll make it stand out more. But as it is....uh, yeah, I might be proven wrong, but I don't think it has NO chance. Of my two favorites in the first semifinal, I have more hope for this one. If it does make it to the final, it's gonna be nowhere near the top of the board, though.

Song: Fade To Black Country: Azerbaijan Thoughts: One of the slowest songs, but that doesn't mean it's bad! It's pretty good! Just...not really a stand-out song compared to everything else going on this year. XD The ballads tend to be the weakest songs to me this time, which doesn't always happen, but this year is just that weird that I'm not really in a mood to hear a standard ballad like this, pfffff. But I do enjoy this song when it comes on. I like the lyrics. And I really like how much it builds. I like ballads that build. And the buildup fits, with the theme of the song being "Please stay, I can fix this, I swear". When the song starts sounding more frantic, it makes you feel like he's running out of time...until it slows down again. So, good song, but far from a favorite. Prediction: I don't even need to check the betting odds to predict that this will most likely qualify just by way of being Azerbaijan. Of course, with it being in such a packed semi for me, I kinda wish it wouldn't, since it's actually one of my more least-favorites of that group...But yeah, it's probably safe. It's not AS guaranteed as Azerbaijan's past entries have been, however, to the point where if it does fail, I would actually understand. If it does make it to the final, it won't be doing so well if flipping "Mata Hari" ended up THAT underrated...

Song: Miss You Country: Belgium Thoughts: This is one of many growers this year! This song has spent a surprising amount of time in my head this week, which, when competing with stuff like the songs from Austria, Ukraine, and Georgia, that's quite the achievement! Granted, I don't LOVE this song, but I do like it a fair amount. I like the bait-and-switch of the title making you THINK it's gonna be a sad breakup song, but instead getting "Am I gonna miss you? NO!" with this cool R&B vibe that, again, is unlike anything else this year. I like how this song captures the desperation of trying to escape the pain, by going through a good dose of good ol' denial until you believe it. All the repeated "I'm not gonna miss you"s really give off that impression, while the verses are like "Yeah, I'm still trying to get over it". Armenia's entry, which is also about trying to move on, is a lot sadder. This song is more about being frustrated, and it hits all the notes it needs to. Not one of my favorites, but a pretty solid entry from Belgium. Prediction: Now, as much as I do like this song, I kinda....don't want it to qualify, cuz I have SO many favorites in the second semifinal that I don't want it to push out. XD But, in all honestly, yeah this is probably gonna qualify. It won't be a big favorite, but it has enough support to get through and then do decently in the final. I overall think Belgium will do better than they did last year.

Song: Intention Country: Bulgaria Thoughts: One of the best things about this wacky year is how it has more rock songs than the average Eurovision does, and good rock songs at that! Whether this is coincidental, or actually influenced by last year's winner, I dunno, but I'm not gonna complain...if it gets us stuff like this! Oh my god, this song is sooooooo good! It's not the BEST rock song this year in my opinion, but uh...that's a REALLY high bar to reach, and we'll get there....but this is still a top three song for me. It's my BIG underrated favorite this year. I have a few of those, but this is my favorite of them. Normally, I would understand why it's underrated, cuz it's a rock song and "rock songs don't usually do well in Eurovision"...but after last year, there's no excuse anymore. Bulgaria's last few entries have been successful, so why not this one? This song is GREAT, and I don't understand why it's being overlooked. It doesn't have as much of a "punch" as my number one does...and I wouldn't really call it "catchy"....but the beat is still good, the riffs are awesome, and I really love the lyrics. "The more freedom I gain, the less real life I'm recalling" is one of my favorite single lyrics of the year, and the rest is great, too. So yeah, a big thumbs up for Bulgaria! I wish I could love you enough to make up for all those ignoring you! Prediction: I know it's probably too late for this, but in my head, I'm still thinking this could turn around. I keep trying to be optimistic and being like "They could still gain momentum! They could still do it! The semi they're in is the weaker one, and it's the only rock song in it, so!" Like....no, brain, please don't get my hopes up. I wouldn't say it's completely doomed, and I'm still gonna root for it HARD (since it and Austria are the only two of my top seven in that semi), but...yeah, I....I don't think it has that much of a chance. If it does qualify, I will be flipping ECSTATIC, though!

Song: Guilty Pleasure Country: Croatia Thoughts: My least-favorite song of the year, but that doesn't mean I dislike it...or, rather, that doesn't mean I dislike all of it. I'm usually all for songs about forbidden love, which is what I thought I was getting the first time I heard it....and, well, uh...it is about forbidden love! Can't say it isn't about that! But, there's just....one big problem that I can't get past....She's married. She's married and she's daydreaming about this other guy and it's all just- no! No! There's no angst, there's no hints of the husband being a bad person, none of that! For all we know, the husband could be a nice guy, but she just- she wants to cheat on him, just cuz there's this other guy she likes more! I know that you can't control who you fall for, but....lady, try to hold yourself back! At least show some hints that this is a big no-no! I'm not gonna act like I haven't liked songs about cheating before, but not ones involving one of the parties being married! I would be on-board with this song if it weren't for these lyrics right here: "I'm with him until the death due us part / But he doesn't do for this hungry heart". I HATE that part so flipping much. "Teehee, I'm married, but he's not good enough for me!" Combined with the happy tone of the song, and ugh...Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad song. Her voice is pretty, and the lyrics are technically well-written and clever. This song is overall in such an awkward place with me. It's so close to being a like, cuz it sounds so nice! But it's also so close to being my first dislike in years, cuz of that one part I hate! So, I decided to split the difference and put it in "indifferent". Probably not too fitting, since it does get a reaction out of me, but there's nowhere else to put it, so blegh. Prediction: I obviously don't want this in the final, but I dunno, part of me thinks it has a chance. I'm predicting it won't qualify though, cuz it's pretty low in the betting odds, pretty overlooked compared to competition in its semifinal, and also I'm being unabashedly biased against it. Keep the happy cheating song outta the final. XP

Song: Ela Country: Cyprus Thoughts: The newest entry in one of my favorite genres - the "I'm so in love with you that I can't think straight" genre! Yeah, I'm very biased towards this kinda thing, especially recently, when I've been listening to a lot of songs about that...for, uh, r-reasons...So, of course I'm gonna like this. There are songs I like more, though. This is only a borderline favorite...but that's still above most of the songs this year. It's not ALL bias, though...? I mean, it's got a pretty nice beat! And...it's got nice lyrics! Like, "Melodies, ringing through my head when you lay eyes on me"...*cough* Y-yeah, oops, sorry, I can't help it....D-dang it Cyprus, you did it again....A-and it's not the ONLY bias song this year, either... Prediction: I have a lot of favorites in the second semifinal (including my number one favorite), and most of them are underrated songs, so I'm gonna be soooooo stressed worrying about them that I won't mind TOO much if Cyprus don't make it...? As long as the songs I like more do? But I still really like this song...and honestly, I do think it'll qualify. I can't think of a reason it won't. It's doing decently well in the betting odds, it's getting attention, yeah I think it's safe. In the final, it probably will do about as well as Cyprus usually do - as in, around the middle of the board.

Song: Lights Off Country: Czech Republic Thoughts: When it comes to growers, there are two types for me: the "indifferent ---> like" type, and the "like ---> really like/love" type. There's a clear winner of the former category that we'll get to later, but this song right here is probably the winner of the latter. When I first heard it, I thought it sounded good, but didn't think much of it. This was probably cuz it was one of the victims of me listening to so many songs back to back, causing a few to blend together after a while. It only took a couple relistens for me to realize just how good this song is. It's still not a huge stand-out song, but it's very solid, and I enjoy listening to it even if it doesn't cross my mind that often. I really like synth music (although in that camp, France is doing that so much better...although Ireland would probably be a more fair comparison here, and yeah, I do think I like this a bit more than theirs). I do find myself forgetting the verses a bit more than I'd like to, but I will never forget the chorus. All the repeated "Where are you now"s really make this song sound a bit....desperate, but I like that kinda mood when it's done right. So, yeah, good song. Like it a lot. Prediction: Performing last, in such a strong semi, could mean bad news for the Czech Republic. But, for some reason, I don't think they're completely doomed? I think it’s possible for them to pull off a qualification...I counted all the shoo-ins right now, and counted eight songs, so there's definitely room for them! I wouldn't mind it, either! Would I prefer one of my three underrated faves make it instead? Of course. But pffff, like that's gonna happen. So, I actually predict that this will qualify. Why not, right? It seems decently popular! It's nowhere near big enough to be a top ten song, but I don't think it'll flop, either.

Song: The Show Country: Denmark Thoughts: This is a good song, but I'd like it a lot more if it didn't take soooo long to get going! I normally love a good buildup, but I dunno, this one feels like it takes too long. And I have no idea why it feels like that to me! I liked "Goodbye" back in 2018, which was another rock song that disguised itself as a ballad for...maybe even longer, so why does this one feel so slow? I couldn't tell you, and I wanna try to be fair to it. I think that my problem is that the slow beginning of this song did a lot less to grab me than the one in "Goodbye" did, but once it bursts, it sounds really good, so that's why I wish more of the song was like that. Cuz yeah, once it gets going, this is a fun, energetic rock song! Overshadowed by other energetic rock songs this year? Yeah, of course, but I still enjoy this one! I would say, however, that this is probably one of the most forgettable songs of the year, and I REALLY hate saying that about a Danish entry, since those are usually so good....but that's how it is for me. When I was trying to list off the songs in the first semifinal, this is the one I had the hardest time remembering. I wish that wasn't the case, cuz when it comes on, I enjoy most of it! So, it may struggle to stand out, but it's good for what it is. Prediction: Hmmm...I don't think this will qualify, honestly. Like I said, it's gonna have a hard time standing out, unless I guess it's performed really well. I consider the first semi to be the weaker one, so maybe it'll have a chance to steal a slot from someone? But I'm not really optimistic. If it does pull it off, then I won't be hurting or anything (unless it's Austria or Bulgaria they push out), cuz hey, it's not a bad song, and it means more rock in the final, but yeah, gonna say no.

Song: Hope Country: Estonia Thoughts: HEEEEEEEEEEY, sing your heart out, boy~! For all the people great and smaaaaall~! God, this is such a fun song to belt. Yeah, this is one of my favorite songs of the year, as well as what I consider to be the best country song ever entered in Eurovision....yeah, them's fighting words, I know. XD But geez, this is a good one! It's not the type of country I'd hear on the radio, but it still captures the wild west perfectly. But the genre isn't why I love it. My favorite thing about this song is how flipping triumphant it is! From the lyrics, to the music, this is a song that just....puts you in the mood to go accomplish great things. It's the feeling of "Heck YEAH, we're not gonna stand by and let ourselves get pushed around anymore! Rise up!" Sure, this is a song that didn't NEED the country edge, since it's not really about...being country, but that's fine, cuz that means it doesn't fall into any country music tropes (which, trust me, is a good thing). It's just an awesome song that sounds awesome, about being awesome. "When all else is lost, the future still remains our own!" C'mon, how can you NOT get into that? Never lose hope! Prediction: Luckily for me, this is one of two favorites of mine (the other one being right below) that I don't feel I need to worry about in the second semi! Woo! I'm happy this song's getting attention, cuz, when I first heard it, I expected it to be divisive! Turns out, people get just as into it as I do, and that's awesome. Cuz I already got three songs to stress over, so I don't need a fourth. XD In the final, this song will....probably not finish in the top ten? But I'm gonna be a bit more specific than usual and say top fifteen. Just cuz why not.

Song: Jezebel Country: Finland Thoughts: Last year, when the awesome "Dark Side" got Finland their best result in 15 years, I said this: "Finland should just keep sending rock songs". And that wasn't a joke! I completely meant what I said! Finland are clearly VERY good at rock songs, so it makes sense! I know that their rock songs don't always do super well (I haven't forgotten "Leave Me Alone"), but they still got their best results by trying it! And, lo and behold, they ACTUALLY DID IT! I was so surprised when it hit me that I called it! That was enough for me to be on board with this song, but yeah, there was no way it was gonna top "Dark Side". It'll probably take them years to send another song that go- NOPE! THIS IS MY NUMBER ONE, BOYYYYYYYS! And it wasn't even a competition! Usually, it takes some careful consideration for me to pick my favorite song of the year, after a close race between two or three songs, right? I picked this one out as my favorite after only three days. My love for it was that immediate. And then, this went on to be the only song of the bunch that I went out of my way to listen to on repeat. More than once. It's the only one I couldn't wait for on shuffle. Already, this song has etched a permanent place in my head, and I could not be happier! So, why do I love it so much? After all, the lyrics aren't anything too special or relatable. It's just a song about a dangerous woman. They are good lyrics, though. Fun fact: this song contains my favorite single lyric in all of Eurovision 2022 - "Your final kiss is to leave a scar on a heart". But the lyrics still aren't the best part here. Music-wise? This is my absolute favorite type of rock...The FUN kind of rock. Catchy and energetic, with a good-as-heck beat rather than just focusing on being heavy (I loved "Zitti E Buoni" for this too). EVERY little riff in this song is addictive. The one that starts the song, and returns frequently? An earworm. The one before the second verse? Perfect. THAT DANG BRIDGE!? BEST part of an already amazing song! I can't praise this song enough, it's just....soooo much fun to listen to! It's fun AND it pumps me up! This is a song I can just loop whenever I want a motivator to get stuff done. I can't NOT get energized when it comes on. Finland are officially the new Sweden for me, after four straight years of being in my top three. Can't wait to get hyped for their entries in future years!! Now, before I finish here, I will say this, all biases aside: Even though this was an immediate number one for me, I don't know if I'd consider this song better than "Dark Side", at least by a lot. The difference here is that "Dark Side" had really rough competition from other songs I loved just as much, while this song didn't. They're both really good songs that I'd say I love about the same, even if one was a number one and the other was a number two. Last year was just a REALLY strong Eurovision, so their ranks aren't really comparable. Moving on! Prediction: The best part? Even though they're opening the second semifinal (and I do think this is gonna be a really good opener!), I don't have to worry about the possibility of them not qualifying! Sure, they're not one of the fan-favorites, but they're just popular enough that I think they're gonna be a shoo-in regardless. Still, Finland have been underrated so many times, that I probably will still get anxious come the qualifier announcement...If they don't qualify, there is no justice. It will be some of the biggest loads of BS since Estonia 2017 and Iceland 2016. But that won't happen. I have faith in Finland. And I have faith in Europe for remembering that rock and roll never dies! Oh, and in the final, they won't do as well as last year, but will still do well for their standards. I accept that not everyone is as obsessed with this song as I am. XD

Song: Fulenn Country: France Thoughts: France at it again with yet another fan-favorite song! So, last year, I couldn't even remotely see the appeal of their song, finding (most of) it boring.....That is NOT TRUE this year. HOOOOOOLY CRAP THIS SONG IS COOL. This is my number eight, meaning it juuuuust BARELY missed my favorite section, but honestly...if I wanted, I would extend my favorites to a top eight just for this song. It DESERVES it. That flipping beat. Oh my god. It's the kinda song I can just...lose myself in, without paying attention to the lyrics. I do really like how it's in this really obscure language, but I barely notice while listening, oops...I just get way too absorbed in those addictive synths! Which, yeah, I'm a sucker for synths, and this is giving "SHUM" a run for its money, at least to me! I've seen this described as a "Celtic rave", and yeah, there's no other way to put it. I've never been to a rave, let alone a....Celtic one, pffff....but this song makes me kinda wanna try one. I can't dance, but when it comes on, my stimming almost becomes dancing. I adore this song. Part of me feels bad that I couldn't break it into my top seven, especially when I look at what my seventh place song is, I should like this one more than that one...but I just can't switch them due to personal attachment to my number seven. It's VERY close, though. I'm looking forward to rooting for this in the final, so go France!! Prediction: There's no justice in this world if this doesn't make it into the top ten, and as its popularity shows, that's what's gonna happen unless something stupid happens. So...top ten finish, moving on!

Song: Lock Me In Country: Georgia Thoughts: CIRCUS! MIRCUS! This song is one of the most unkillable earworms of the year. In terms of just catchiness and nothing else, this is definitely up there. Probably in the top five. But in terms of being a good song, not so much. I can't overlook just how unbearably catchy every single part of it is, but I can't think of anything else to say about it. It's short for Eurovision standards, making me wonder if they'll keep in that way live, or if they'll lengthen it a bit. But I don't mind it being shorter, cuz that means it doesn't overstay its welcome. I think this is the kind of catchy that can grate on you after a while, and it's just so....repetitive! And it's clearly trying to be weird too, and it kinda pulls that off, but there are other songs doing a more fun kind of weird than this is. This is just...It's catchy! That's its one trick! Moving on! (One thing I just noticed: I like how the music video was posted on April Fool's Day) Prediction: Georgia have had really crummy luck lately. They haven't qualified since 2016, and their entries are always really overlooked. So, I don't blame them for going silly this year. XD I don't think this'll qualify, though. It's stuck in a really strong semifinal, so it has no chance.

Song: Rockstars Country: Germany Thoughts: This song....exists, I guess. It's there, and it's not bad. But it's probably the most painfully average song of the year, and...yeah, I find it boring, sorry. When I first heard it, I thought it could possibly be a grower, but that never happened. It just gets so overlooked in such a fun year. I don't hate it, though. Far from it. It actually comes pretty dang close to being a low like, cuz I do like the subject, and there are a few lyrics I relate to ("I wish that I could just go back and be the way I was / I wish I'd still not give a damn about how I come across / I wish the way I saw myself had never gotten lost / in all the worries, all the thoughts, overthinking all the parts /So exhausted, always caught up inside my doubts and flaws") and yeah, there is emotion here. It does feel genuine. Sometimes I do wish I could press pause and restart....but, I don't think the lyrics are good enough to make me like the whole song, when it's so boring music-wise. I think that part of the reason I find it so boring is that, of all the songs this year, this is the one that sounds the most like something you'd hear on the radio here in America. That's not a good thing. It means that it doesn't sound new or fresh to me. It sounds like the type of music I avoid. And even among the other entries, in terms of songs I relate to personally, I like the Australian entry so so much more. That one has amazing vocals, and is about a more specific thing that not as many songs are about. This one...well, in terms of songs about nostalgia, I've heard better. Even in Eurovision. "Rock 'n Roll Kids" is still great. Prediction: I like how, after getting nul from the televote with their joke song last year, Germany are going in the complete opposite direction. XD Unfortunately for them, I....don't think it's gonna go over that much better. I mean, it's not hard to do better than last year, so yeah, it probably will accomplish that, at least. It'll still be toward the bottom, though.

Song: Die Together Country: Greece Thoughts: When I first heard this song, I was worried for a bit. But thankfully, it JUST manages to avoid the "too much of a downer for Eurovision" label, which I so far have only given to a select few songs over the years and hope to keep that way....There are only a FEW depressing lyrics in here, otherwise I like this song. I've always liked "staying optimistic in bad situations" songs, and while this one comes close to being too much, it avoids it by the end by just....BURSTING. That's my favorite thing here - just how BIG the chorus is. How it jumps out at you after the quiet verses. Overall, this song sounds almost like you're ascending, it's that grand. The fact that it's all cuz of just...being happy being with the one you love is really heartwarming, too. I like this song a lot, and the only reason I can't rank it higher is just cuz of competition. I totally get why it's popular. Prediction: Easy qualifier. As for the final....probably a pick for the top ten? The betters really like it, and I can't think of a reason I'd disagree with them right now. I can see this going over well. As a huge "Last Dance" fan, I'm kinda dreading how big the chances are of this doing better than it, pfffff.

Song: Með Hækkandi Sól Country: Iceland Thoughts: Iceland sending another song in Icelandic! And this won't be the last instance of a rare language this year, which....I approve. Loving the diversity. But anyway, this is a very soft, atmospheric song. I really like the mood it sets...it sounds kinda....dreamlike, in a way, if that makes sense? It's relaxing, but not boring. The vocals are really nice, too. Anyone who remembers my favorite song I praised to death in 2017 will know how much of a sucker I am for good harmonies, and this song has that in spades. Not one of my favorites, but it still stands out a lot to me. It's one of the ones my mind jumps to when I think of "like, but don't love" entries this year. I know I'm in the minority here, but eh, not the most egregious case of that. I really like this song and I'm not sorry. Prediction: The odds don't appear to be in Iceland's favor...but I wouldn't completely rule them out, either. I wouldn't be that surprised if they qualify, since there aren't THAT many killers in the first semi (there's...Ukraine, Norway, Greece, the Netherlands, and that's about it). But yeah, I'm gonna predict they won't qualify. I don't think they're gonna stand out enough, and the people who like this kinda music are gonna gravitate to Portugal instead (even though I personally like this song better, that's just me, and I don't have a say here). Will be more than happy to be surprised, though! Maybe Denmark's vote will help them. XD

Song: That's Rich Country: Ireland Thoughts: Yeah, at this point, Ireland should just try to have fun in Eurovision rather than send serious stuff. It's pretty clear that luck hasn't been on their side for years. XD And yeah, this song is a lot of fun! I really like the sheer amount of SASS here! SO many absolutely golden lines - "Take the mirror of your wall / Ain't you getting tired of your reflection?" "I think it's funny how you miss me when you never knew me / You were a lazy lover, I moved on to ones that move me" "You see me, NOW you want me?" That last one's my favorite cuz of the way she says it. XD It's been a while since I've heard a song that screams "DONE" as much as this does, and I love it for that. Not one of my favorites, but purely cuz there are plenty of other songs I like more. This is still one I'd really like to see get more attention than it does. Prediction: I do think this has a better chance of qualifying than the last few Irish entries have had. It's a really fun song. But, in the semifinal it was stuck in? Yyyyyeah, they got unlucky again. I can't see this standing out too well among such strong competition, unless, like, the staging is super good. I don't think they're gonna qualify, but hey, like I said, at least they're having fun! Ireland still have to wait for their year, cuz this is not it.

Song: I.M Country: Israel Thoughts: Hoo boy, this one....where to even start? Ummm....this may not be one of my favorites, but I have a lot of, uh....feelings....about it nonetheless, and....I-I have no idea how to explain without coming off as super weird to the Eurovision fans who don't partake in the same kinda...f-fandoms I do...So, I'll just say it bluntly: I'm currently really really really....i-into this one character right now, and this song's lyrics remind me of him. He's this....r-really smug, confident, charismatic villain who is an expert at reading people and getting them to do what he says....in multiple ways...S-so, the "You can say that I'm stunning, it's not a shame, cuz I know I am" part immediately made my stupid simp brain go there and I HATE it...Not to mention, his goal is to overthrow a king (role-wise, he's a lot like Jafar from Aladdin but more f-flirty, that's a pretty good comparison), so "I'm gonna take the crown, give it to me now"? I took that literally and hhhhhhhhh-! Again, I HATE this, cuz music-wise, it doesn't fit him. He would never sing this kinda thing! But I'm SO flipping biased that I can't separate it, and it sucks! When you get down to it, this is just another boy band "I'm awesome" song! Sure, I grew up with those, so I think I might've still liked it even without the bias, but the bias still helped it move up quite a few spots, ugh...It's a fun song, but I can't listen to it fairly, and I apologize... Prediction: M-moving on...I....I honestly have no idea how this song will do? It's being performed second, which is usually a death sentence (not to mention following Finland), and the betting odds are placing it low, so part of me wants to say it doesn't have much chance...but it's also from Israel! When was the last time they failed to qualify? Eight years ago (stillthinktheywereabitrobbedin2014BTW)? I do think they're a country that can easily rise above bad luck of the draw like that, so really, this could go either way. I think the staging will make or break this song. It's a fun song, but this semi is FULL of fun songs, so it needs to stand out, so early in the show, or it'll fail. But for my current prediction.....biases aside, ahem....my gut is saying they'll manage to qualify. We’ll see if I'm right.

Song: Brividi Country: Italy Thoughts: So, this is yet another big fan-favorite song from Italy. Big surprise. XD And it includes Mahmood, who did their runner-up "Soldi" in 2019, as extra pandering! Would you believe me if I said this song disappointed me on first listen? Cuz....yeah, it did...As my first impressions posts said, this song started out as my least-favorite of the bunch. After listening to so much high-energy stuff, this song just bored me, and I predicted that it'd end up pretty forgettable. And I did hold on to that opinion for a few days...but not anymore. ALL IT TOOK was me finally reading the translated lyrics, and yeah, I'm sold on it now. "Sometimes, I don't know how to express myself. I'd like to love you, but I'm always wrong". "I try to stay close to you, but I'm sorry if I mess it up". Not the best lyrics of the year (it doesn't beat Armenia and Australia in that category) but the emotion comes across very well. Both the love, and the desperation to keep that love when everything's going wrong...What is it with me and finding songs about unhealthy relationships interesting, pffff....I still don't love this song, cuz it's just a piano ballad that doesn't really build at all. It's not a song I wanna listen to all the time. And I don't really see it as a potential winner. But I respect the heck out of it now, in the same way as "Growing Up Is Getting Old" last year. Sometimes, even a normally-boring song can be brought into the like camp by lyrics alone (even if that didn’t help the German entry). And BTW, the whole "non- English song that grows on me after I learn the translated lyrics" thing? There's more than one of those this year. We'll get to the others, but this one was the biggest example. Prediction: At least a top five finish. I'm not gonna say it definitely won't win, cuz it might, especially with the juries. I think it'll be a sure bet to win the jury vote, but the whole thing? Ummmm...I dunno? With this competition, I can't really say. I know that I'd personally prefer Ukraine in terms of the big favorites, cuz I don't like this song nearly as much as other people do...But, putting my biases aside, it's still gonna be a top five finish. That's a sure bet unless something goes wrong live.

Song: Eat Your Salad Country: Latvia Thoughts: I know I've already said this like, three times already, but it bears repeating: This song has ABSOLUTELY NO RIGHT to sound as good as it does. When I first heard this song, I was SO BAFFLED by it, and even now, I'm still not really sure what it's doing here. Were there really no better options for Latvia? They had no choice but to send this thing? What...even is this? Is this a song that genuinely believes in its message, but has a sense of humor about it? Is it tongue-in-cheek? Is it a parody of environmental songs? What IS this?! Those flipping lyrics! It has to censor itself! I can't take anything about this seriously! And what I can't get past about this song is that....after the initial confusion wore off....I started to like it? Now it's my biggest guilty pleasure of the year, easily. I'm not gonna even lie here...Music-wise, this song is excellent. I love how much energy it has! Those horns are so good! I have a lot of fun listening to this, I can't help it! If it had different lyrics, it would probably be in my top ten. That's how much I like the sound of it. But as it is, my enjoyment is about half-and-half ironic and unironic....it's so weird! This is the most memorably bizarre Eurovision entry since "I Didn't Know". I think Norway and maybe Moldova are pulling off fun and silly better, but I still can't overlook this song and how split it makes me feel. This is a hard one to rank. Prediction: Pfffffffffff no way. Although, would you believe me if I said that, at first, I thought this had a chance? XD I mean, just cuz of how memorable it is? But nah, that was stupid of me. This song has no chance. Memorability didn't help "Euro Neuro", "Aina mun pitää", and "I Didn't Know", so why would it help here? At least I get to enjoy this song once! I hope the live performance is just as fun as it needs to be. XD

Song: Sentimentai Country: Lithuania Thoughts: This is the first song I've ever heard that's been completely in Lithuanian! Right away, it stands out, purely cuz of that! I absolutely love how many different languages we're getting this year, it's so diverse! But, uh, anyway, as for the song itself...It's a grower! I don't really have a lot to say about it, but I do like it. It's a very chill song, if that makes sense. This is more of really good background music for me rather then something I'll focus on, cuz there's nothing really that exciting about it to me, other than it being in Lithuanian. I can see why it'd be a bit on the overlooked side. But there's nothing wrong with just being mood music. There's a place for mood music in our lives. Prediction: Oof, the betting odds are not being kind to Lithuania...but y'know what? I'm actually gonna predict they'll qualify. They're not a shoo-in, of course, but they've managed to qualify with underrated songs multiple times in the past, and this song does stand out a bit compared to the wackiness of the first semifinal (I guess it does have competition from the few downbeat songs, though). But they are performing early, sooooo....Uhhhh....Yeah, this could go either way, and I won't be surprised if I'm overestimating this song, but I'm gonna predict it'll do it, even if just barely. Might bomb in the final though.

Song: I Am What I Am Country: Malta Thoughts: Of my top seven favorites, this is the one I feel like I'll have the hardest time justifying. Especially when I could've picked flipping France, and instead decided I liked this more. So, lemme explain - I know that songs like this have been played out a LOT. It's a fairly standard self-empowerment message...well, mostly. Maybe it's just me, but this song reads more as "You can't change me" rather than "I'm awesome", but point is, it's similar enough. A lot of people are gonna overlook this song for being on the generic side cuz of it. But....dang it, this song hit me so hard when I first heard it, and I never got tired of it! The lyrics are great and all, but the music really helped it make an impression on me. That big, soaring chorus is sooooo good! I've said it before and I'll say it again...I am a SUCKER for choirs in pop songs (like with "Amen" and "Too Late For Love"), and works SO SO well here, making the song sound so grand and uplifting. I see this as the optimistic version of the Australian entry. Yeah, I may not fit in, but this is how I'll always be, and no one can change that. I like being different! Take it or leave it, I am what I am, and that includes loving this song! Prediction: Unfortunately...this is one of three favorite songs of mine in the second semifinal that are in trouble. And of the three, I...I have the least hope for Malta. Don't get me wrong, I will  FLIP OUT if they qualify, but nah, I'm not counting on it...Like I said, this is the year of oddballs, and this song is gonna be seen as forgettable. If the live performance is really good, than maybe I'll eat my words! It's not a complete lost cause, cuz it's Malta, who have pulled off underdog qualifications before! So, it's not completely off the table, but compared to my two other underrated favorites, I'm probably not gonna get my hopes up too high for this one.

Song: Trenuleţul Country: Moldova Thoughts: What a good year to bring back Zdob şi Zdub, huh? With all these unique songs, they fit right in! Moldova's first ever entry has returned again with this happy earworm, and...yeah, there's not much to say here! It's fun and catchy, just as expected! I will say that...while the "Hey ho, let's go / Folklore and rock 'n roll" part does get stuck in my head from time to time, the rest of the song, well....It has STEEP competition this year. There are a LOT of songs competing for the "most catchy" title. I mean, Ukraine, Austria, Georgia, Serbia, and Norway all brought very catchy songs, leaving Moldova not SO LUCKY going against all that. I do like this song (I think I liked "So Lucky" more though), but it's not the best. It's just kinda...silly, but not as silly as other songs. Catchy, but not catchy enough. It feels like it's trying, and in a more normal year, this absolutely WOULD be the resident joke song you can't help but love....But 2022 is built different, and I gotta be fair here. It's a fun song, but yeah. This could ALL CHANGE with the staging though. I'm expecting amazing staging to go with this, just like in 2011. Give us the memes! Bring them on! Prediction: Probably gonna qualify, especially if the staging delivers. Moldova's entries always get the most attention when they're being as fun and memetic as possible, and with a song like this, by the "So Lucky" guys? Yeah, betting odds be darned, they're qualifying. If they somehow don't, it's gonna be close. I don't think this'll perform amazingly well in the final due to strong competition, but it'll at least stand out enough to not touch the bottom of the board.

Song: Breathe Country: Montenegro Thoughts: I! LOVE! This! Song! Oh my god, Montenegro knocked it outta the park with their return! This is the obligatory "I love this song that not many other people do, but I can't really articulate why" song in my top seven - it's not the only underrated song in my top seven, but it's the closest one that fits the "can't articulate why" part. At least with Malta's song, I could easily explain why I'm attached to it. Not so much here. This is a similar deal to Slovenia's "Amen" last year in that....It just makes me feel, and I can't make that come across in text. It just....sounds SO good. The simple, hypnotic, sway-along melody, combined with the way it builds and builds....and....it sounds good?! My stupid brain can't think of how to describe it! The vocals, instrumentation, and buildup just scratch my brain in the right way! Not every song I love needs a long description of things I love, I guess, but still...It really feels like I have little excuse here. The lyrics are good too, but they aren't my favorite part of the song. I still like the message of "Don't be selfish, help others". I had already made up my mind on this song when I learned about what inspired it...which is, yeah, the singer's mom dying from Covid...but I dunno, it doesn't sound like a depressing song to me, and I still adore it, so blegh. XP This is, without question, my favorite entry from Montenegro to date, finally dethroning "Just Get Out Of My Life" after so, so many years. Here's hoping they stay, and send more songs this good in future years, now that the bar's been set high... Prediction: It really pains me to see it be so underrated, cuz unlike with Malta, I really did anticipate this one having a chance....but, welp. Montenegro comes back, brings out a great song, but they always gotta be unlucky, huh....It's unfortunate, but...with the competition, I...I really can't predict a qualification here. I've come to terms with this being an underrated favorite of mine, so it hopefully won't sting that bad. Not to mention it being in the same semifinal as Finland means that hopefully the hype from that will cancel it out. I DO think it has more of a chance than Malta to surprise me, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

Song: De Diepte Country: The Netherlands Thoughts: Like with the Italian song, this one's a grower, especially after learning what the lyrics mean, but I'm still not nearly as crazy about it as other people. My main reaction to it is just...I find it relaxing, and....OK, I have another one, and I can't shake it, so even though it's weird, I'll say it anyway: this sounds like good driving music. Um, I don't drive. I just can't stop thinking that whenever I hear this song, and it's...weird, and I probably look weird for saying that, but uh anyway! The vocals are nice, and my favorite thing is that it's in Dutch - I love how many non-English songs we have - but the song doesn't really...jump out at me. And in terms of relaxing songs this year, I actually like Iceland's a bit more. But I still enjoy this song, I just don't love it. Sorry, but this is one case where I'm not on the bandwagon. Prediction: Qualifying. No doubt. It's in the top five in the betting odds as I type this. Granted, at the very bottom of it, but still there. And I can't think of any reason I'll fail, since the only real competition it has is Iceland, and...well, in that case, why not both. XD I don't really see this being a top ten song, but maybe the staging will change my mind. I'm gonna predict left side of the board though. This is good news for the Netherlands, since they were so robbed last year.

Song: Circles Country: North Macedonia Thoughts: Y'know, as I was listening to it again, I realized something....and this might be just me being weird, so sorry, but...this song is kinda like the counterpart to Azerbaijan's, isn't it? It's not intentional, obviously, but...the similarities are there! Azerbaijan's song is the hopelessly optimistic "Please stay, we can fix this!" and this song is the "Why are we still trying when we're obviously not happy? I'm finally making my decision" and...I dunno why I thought of this, but yeah, it's something I'll never be able to unhear. XD Hey, at least it's something else that makes both songs stand out more! B-but, uh, anyway, on to this song by itself...It's good! It's emotional enough to miss being boring, and I like the chorus a lot. But, in comparison to everything else, this is a song that winds up on the forgettable side. Unfortunate, since I really want Macedonia to catch a break. Prediction: I don't even need to look at the betting odds to know what to say here. It's Macedonia, it's an overlooked song, it's not qualifying. Bam, next.

Song: Give That Wolf A Banana Country: Norway Thoughts: This song is truly a masterpiece. There are no other words to describe it. It's too good for Eurovision, or for any of our minds to comprehend. It's so...masterfully crafted, with such raw emotion, that it nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it. With such powerful lyrics, such as "Want your grandma yum yum", and "If you don't like the name Keith, I'mma call you...Jim", this is a song that blows you away with its songwriting. I'm in complete awe of this thing, wondering why the Norwegians chose to send it to this silly contest. Do they really believe the feeble-minded general audience of Europe will fully comprehend such a powerful piece of music? Wouldn't it be too much to understand? This gripping story of the narrator accepting his grandmother's inevitable death by the jaws of the one known as Ke- I mean, Jim, opting to merely give him a banana as a peace offering, is really a message to all of us, that we can find things to be optimistic about, even in the face of tragedy...Because of that, we could all learn from this song in a way. It's not one of my favorites, but only because I'm a pleb with terrible taste in music. Let's all find our own wolf, and rather than be scared, let's give it a banana instead, and take the steps toward a brighter future....(inallseriousness,thissongmakesmelaughunironicallyandIflippingloveit) Prediction: Well, of course, this song is above this contest, b-but.....pffffff, sorry- U-uh, yeah, it's a fan-favorite. It's qualifying. It's probably gonna finish in the top ten, too. And, uh, yeah! No complaints honestly.

Song: River Country: Poland Thoughts: Another one of my borderline favorites! I would have never guessed that Poland of all countries would be in my top ten two years in a row, but here we are! And unlike last year, where I was completely in the minority with being in love with their entry (still am, BTW), I'm happy to say that that's not the case this year! This song's apparent popularity makes me very happy, cuz it so deserves it! There are a few songs this year that I'd describe as "atmospheric" - Iceland's, Portugal's, and the Netherlands' being other notable ones - and this is easily my favorite of those. While those other songs are enjoyable background music, this one actually grabs my complete attention. Even though, in my first impression post, I was initially interpreting the lyrics in kinda a....dark way, this song moreso perfectly captures the feeling of floating away and relieving all your stress...Just, escaping for a moment, and letting everything slow down. And I love this so flipping much? A stress relief song that's also very interesting and not boring? Hello, it's perfect? Honestly, this is probably one of the objective best songs of the year at setting a mood like this. And also the vocals are excellent, as just the cherry on top. Whenever this comes on, it's almost magical, and just makes me wanna...relax by the river, and forget all my troubles... Prediction: Even though this isn't one of my favorite favorites, I'm still so hype about it being in the top ten of the betting odds! Heck yeah, Poland getting attention for this! The second semi is gonna be a rough one for me, so it feels good not having to worry about this song at least. In fact, with THREE of my favorites in that semi on the chopping block, this could end up in my top five for the final. Which I'm totally cool with! This'll be the first time I've rooted for Poland so hard in a final since 2014! I do think this'll give them their best result in years, easily.

Song: Saudade Saudade Country: Portugal Thoughts: Probably one of the more relaxing songs of the year. I have similar thoughts about this that I do about Lithuania's entry - it's good mood music to play in the background rather than something to actively pay attention to. When it comes to the atmospheric background stuff, I really would rather actively listen to the song from Iceland. But this one is pretty good. And for Portugal, "pretty good" is a compliment, looking at my history of indifference to their entries. XD I do like the lyrics, especially ones toward the end. "I've tried, alright / But it's killing me inside / Thought you'd be be by my side, always..." There's definitely emotion there, and I respect that. Still, I wonder how unpopular an opinion it is to say that I liked "O Jardim" more as slow songs from Portugal go... Prediction: This song's getting a lot more attention than I expected! And I don't mind it, cuz it's in the semi where I'm rooting for the less songs. So yeah, I wouldn't mind if this qualified! Which it totally will, BTW. No questions. It's not a winner at all, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did....hmmm, about as well as "Love Is On My Side" did? So, right outside the top ten? Maybe a bit better. I think that's overrating it but blegh, my opinions don't matter here.

Song: Llámame Country: Romania Thoughts: Ahem...Why. The. CRAP. Is this song not getting more attention!? I genuinely do NOT understand! Romania have had plenty of popular entries in the past! Well, not recently, but still! There is no excuse to sleep on this song! This is one of their best entries in SUCH a long time, if you ask me! This song is so flipping cool! It's one of my favorites, and I can't even think of what to say about it! There's not much to talk about with the lyrics, cuz, like with the French entry, this song is about the beat. And it's a good beat! Might not be the most energetic in the world, but it's more...hmmm, what word to describe it....Ummmm....mesmerizing, I guess? Kinda just...something you can vibe to, and kinda just lose yourself in the music. I know this isn't the best comparison, but the closest song I can think of that captured a similar mood was "Fly With Me", the Armenian entry in 2017. That kinda thing - A downbeat song with an addictive melody. And c'mon, the instrumental breaks are just...phenomenal. Romania really upped their game this year, which is why I don't understand why this is so flipping underrated!! Ugh, they deserve better! Prediction: Romania's bad luck the past few years, combined with this song's low placement in the betting odds, has me really nervous about its fate. I obviously REALLY want it through (seriously, as someone who actually liked both "Goodbye" and "On A Sunday", this song is so much better and does NOT deserve to be overlooked like those were!), but for my actual prediction....I DO think this has a better chance at surprising me than Malta and Montenegro do, betting odds be darned, so...I'm gonna try to be optimistic and say that they'll qualify! Screw it! Nothing else this year sounds like this! And if they don't, and it's either Malta or Montenegro who surprise me instead, that's cool too! If all three of them don't qualify....Welp (at least I'll still be happy enough over Finland, unless tragedy strikes there). Uh, and as for the final, I don't think they'd do super well, but them just being there would be enough for me.

Song: Stripper Country: San Marino Thoughts: The last of the rock songs this year! This song is fun, but it's also the very definition of outclassed. I love the songs from Finland and Bulgaria SO much more, than I barely ever think about this one until it comes on. Unfortunate, I know, since this isn't a bad song, but...it's just really unlucky to have competition THAT strong. The only real thing that stands out here is that it's in Italian, which, yeah, love the language diversity but we've also heard it before. Oh, and the title being "Stripper", that's kinda hard to miss, too. XD This is one of those songs that I'd probably like a bit more if I heard it on its own, and didn't have to compare it to other songs. But I'm happy its here! Rock and roll never dies! Prediction: Kinda conflicted here. San Marino have just qualified two years in a row, so will this make it three? I, uh...I'm kinda half-and-half, but leaning a BIT more towards a no. Even though they're actually higher on the betting odds than I expected (although I don't really approve of them being more popular than Bulgaria), it's still San Marino, and they're also in a VERY strong semifinal, so I gotta be realistic here. It would be cool to see them pull it off, but yeah...I don't think that's gonna happen. I wouldn't mind if I got proved wrong on this (as long as Finland qualifies too), but it's not really a song I'm gonna root for.

Song: In Corpore Sano Country: Serbia Thoughts: Another country that took a risk this year! I've already talked more than once about non-English songs that grew on me rapidly after I learn what the lyrics mean. This isn't just one of those, but it might be the best of those. Here we have a unique song about prioritizing physical health over mental health, with Latin chanting at the end, all with a pretty good beat to go along with it. It's not one of the absolute catchiest of the year overall with the competition it has, but I have caught myself with the "Biti zdrava, biti zdrava, biti zdrava, bi- bi- bi- biti zdrava" part repeating over and over in my head many times. But this is a song that's carried by its lyrics. In some ways, I do respect this song more than I like it. It's not one of my favorites. But it makes an impression. And those "A sick mind in a healthy body, a sad soul in a healthy body" lines....I'm not gonna act like those don't get to me. Prediction: Should be an easy qualifier, for being a popular song that stands out among the crowd. In the final, it won't be a front-runner, but it'll still do decently well.

Song: Disko Country: Slovenia Thoughts: This song's cute (and so is the music video)! While it's not my favorite genre of music, I always seem to like it when disco shows up in Eurovision. It's always a pleasant surprise, and the songs themselves are usually pretty good (look no further than "10 Years" for that, pffff). This isn't a song I think about too much, but when it comes on, it's a treat. It's the kinda song I'd listen to just to put a smile on my face. I've actually been liking it more and more after every listen! It's been climbing up my ranking for some time until I found a spot for it. And that's all I can really say here! There's not a lot to unpack! It's just a cute, happy song that's also unique! I would say it needs more love, but yeah, this kinda thing would be pretty love-it-or-hate-it....I know what side I'm on, though! Prediction: Seeing this song toward the bottom of the betting odds is...kinda painful, but I saw it coming. Yeah, this won't be qualifying.

Song: SloMo Country: Spain Thoughts: It's no secret that I've kinda been disagreeing with the popular picks this year, and this is probably gonna be one of my most unpopular opinions, soooo here goes....Of all the upbeat songs, this one's probably my least-favorite. NOW HEAR ME OUT- this doesn't mean I dislike it! Not even close! I do like it! It's just...one of those songs that I enjoy in small doses. When I hear it too much, it...kinda grates on me? I know that this is a very loved song, and I couldn't tell you WHY it does that to me, but I gotta be honest here. But when it comes on after I haven't heard it in a few days, I do enjoy it! It's got a lot of energy! It's just a personal taste thing. I'd much rather listen to other fun songs than this one. When I compare it to the ones most similar to it, I even prefer Albania's entry - this song has better verses, but I like that one's chorus more than anything in this one. So, if you like this song, that's great, I do a bit too, but not nearly as much as most people. Also, there's only so much I can like a song that includes the words "booty hypnotic". Prediction: I'm fairly happy to see Spain get so much attention after the bad last few years they've had. I don't personally think this'll be a top five song like the betters are predicting, though. It's still Spain. It seems like whenever they send a song that seems popular (like "Say Yay!" or "La Venda"), they still manage to bomb. They're almost as bad as the UK in that aspect. I'm not completely ruling out the possibility of this doing well, but to be safe, I'm just gonna predict this'll be Spain's best placement in years.  

Song: Hold Me Closer Country: Sweden Thoughts: I hate to say it, I really do....but, in a year filled with such fun, colorful, catchy songs...Sweden's comes off as....comparatively boring....COMPARATIVELY, but still. This isn't a bad song at all. It grew on me a lot more than stuff like Germany's and Switzerland's songs. The singer has a nice voice, and I like the lyrics a far bit. I haven't heard that many songs about that specific type of breakup - the "It was the wrong time" kind - so that's one way it stands out. I like that there's no bitterness from the singer, instead, while she clearly doesn't wanna, she's not stopping them from leaving. My favorite lyric is "I'm about to lose the best I've ever had". And even musically, this song manages to have a different feel than the other ballads this year. Just goes to show that Sweden are still a cut above the average, even when they're "boring". Prediction: I do think that its third placing with the betting odds is kinda undeserved (might just be that there are people who just bet on Sweden every year cuz they're the safe choice), but yeah, I don't need to say much here. It's gonna qualify and do fairly well. However, I'm gonna be bold here and say that it'll do worse than the betters are predicting, kinda like Malta and "Je Me Casse" last year.

Song: Boys Do Cry Country: Switzerland Thoughts: The slowest song of the year, and one that I respect a lot more than I like. I'd still say that I like it a bit, but compared to everything else, this is easily on the low end. It's a bit unfortunate, since I do appreciate the message a lot. The lyrics are the only thing saving it from indifference from me. More songs taking down toxic masculinity, I say! It's just music-wise that I can't say I enjoy it any more. I'm happy it exists, but it's probably not best suited for Eurovision. Prediction: Oh...this is currently smack dab in the middle in the betting odds....Welp, that makes this difficult! Uhhhh...I'm gonna go with my gut and say....this is gonna be jury bait. It's probably gonna qualify in the same way "Love Is On My Side" did last year - because the juries loved it. This would be an overlooked song if it weren't for that fact. I'm sorry if I sound a bit harsh, but yeah...I kinda don't want this in the final, since again, it's kinda boring compared to almost everything else...but it does have a chance at making it through. And I gotta predict something, so yeah, I'm gonna predict it'll be the surprise qualifier. The first semifinal is the weaker one, at least to me, so it could happen.

Song: Stefania Country: Ukraine Thoughts: And so we come to the last of my borderline favorites! Even in a sea of unique sounds, this one stands out! But the reason I like it so much isn't just cuz of the cool instrumentation, or the impressive lightning-fast rapping, or any other specific details...It like it so much purely cuz it's just SO GODDANG CATCHY!! Seriously, that flipping chorus! And that woodwind instrumental! Those two parts are the biggest earworms of the year. That, AND at the same time, it doesn't get grating at all. In terms of just catchiness, I think this is number one this year, although I like Finland's and Austria's songs more overall. I just can't overlook this one, and I'll probably still be humming it next year. Prediction: ......So, uh...this is the favorite to win, and....I'm conflicted. I do like the song a lot, but....I don't think it's winner material, and...seriously, I don't think it deserves to have a whopping 42% chance in the betting odds, when the next highest is 15%! If the actual televote is THAT much of a curbstomp, I....I dunno if I'd approve. Now, getting this outta the way....Like I said in my first impression post, I knew pity votes for Ukraine were gonna be a thing. I totally expect it, I understand that, and I'm choosing not to get upset about it. I just didn't expect it to be that overwhelming, is all. I thought there'd be at least a BIT more people putting the music first, but eh, I can't complain. There might just be some people who do really like the song, like me, so yeah. Favorite to win, don't really agree, but I won't be mad if it wins cuz at least it's a really fun song. Y'know what? Despite EVERYTHING I just said, this is actually my favorite out of the current top five with the betters! So, if those are the options, then yeah, I'll be fine with this unless it's a curbstomp (and I don't THINK the juries will make it a complete one). It's a sure qualifier, and it's gonna place in the top five. Moving on. XD

Song: Space Man Country: United Kingdom Thoughts: And finally, the UK, back for redemption! This song and I have a pretty weird relationship. In that....it's a grower, but a lot MORE than I expected it'd be! I already liked it from the start, but after a week or so, I caught myself singing along to it, and....I knew most of the lyrics? I can't believe it either! I wasn't TRYING to learn the lyrics! The song just ended up sticking with me THAT much I guess, and...it's weird, because, when I hear this song, I don't EXPECT it to be something I'm crazy about, but it's just so...likeable! Now, it's not one of my favorites. But for how much it grew on me without me consciously knowing, it stands out to me. Also I like the lyrics. I like all the space stuff. "Gravity keeps pulling me down / As long as you're on the ground, I'll stick around" is my favorite part. Hopefully the UK will be able to do something with this, cuz it seems like people are agreeing with me....Seems... Prediction: Hoo boy....this song being fourth in the betting odds is kinda awesome. I don't think it's THAT good, but just seeing the UK up there is awesome. But the last couple years have burned me too much, so part of me is like "Yyyyyyeah, that's not gonna last". For now, all I really want is for it to just....give them their best result in a while. This song is clearly popular, and the UK have recently been doing by far better with the juries (exceptlastyearobviously), so when you combine the two, then yeah, this will probably achieve that unless something goes wrong. I'm not gonna predict top ten, and especially not fourth, but being around the middle will be a cause for celebration for so many in the UK. Please, Europe, they deserve it. Don't do that again.

Aaaaaaand there we go! That’s all of them! If you read all of that, thanks....and I’m sorry. XD I know I’m a rambler, but....I hope you had fun, at least? But now, here’s the important part, my ranking!

Favorites:

1. Finland 2. Austria 3. Bulgaria 4. Estonia 5. Montenegro 6. Romania 7. Malta

Borderline Favorites:

8. France 9. Poland 10. Ukraine 11. Cyprus

Like:

12. Australia 13. UK 14. Israel 15. Norway 16. Slovenia 17. Serbia 18. Iceland 19. Greece 20. Czech Republic 21. Ireland 22. Armenia 23. Belgium 24. Latvia 25. Moldova 26. Albania 27. Georgia 28. Portugal 29. Lithuania 30. Azerbaijan 31. North Macedonia 32. San Marino 33. Denmark 34. Netherlands 35. Sweden 36. Spain 37. Italy 38. Switzerland

Indifferent:

39. Germany 40. Croatia

[obsessionsposts]

🇳🇴Yan!Nyo!Norway with a Magical! Fem! Country!s/o🇳🇴:

Tw: Manipulations, gaslighting, war, violence, slight power complex, unhealthy relationships, violence, objectification, delusional thoughts and monopolize, etc....

Ah, Norway. One of your favoured places around the world, due to its mystical nature and enticing history. Not to mention, Camilla was and will always be the reason for your frequent visits to her country. Alongside the fact, that both of you are allies for eons.

One of the reasons that bonded you with her, is that you were innately sensitive to the presence of supernatural creatures and your interest of mysticism.

It all took place in 1231 AD, when a young girl with flowing (h/c) that cascades her shoulder and a warm (e/c) that are filled to the brim with curiosity ventured into her lands. At first, she was skeptic of your intentions but that changed as fast as her air currents.

To her, the fact you were aware of the creatures that hid behind nature made you special. Not everyone-especially her idiot søster-, are capable to witness such creatures without fearing their lives or commenting obnoxious remarks.

Instead, she saw you mesmerized and fascinated with the elves. And that fact, you interacted with them without any ulterior motive.

Since then, you become her new point of focus. Maybe....you're not as bad as the others. Plus, she found another girl who shares the same interest as her. So, she took the chance to form a political and romantic platonic relationship with you.

As time passed by, Camilla's bond with you skyrocketed as you both showcased your abilities, hidden dreams(outside your duties as a country) and open hearts to each others. Now, all that's left is for you to become hers...

Camilla Bondevik is a precise, calculating and 'has a stoic approach to life' kind of women. Unlike her male counterpart, she is a bit warmer. Which eases the manipulating romantic process significantly.

Rather being direct and risk her relationship with you, she'll begin to play the puppeteer with you. However, you must understand that you mean the world to her. Thus, you'll understand her actions..... And if you don't, she'll force make you!

Anyway, Camilla decided to lure the female country with the premises of experimenting new type of magic and exploring the vast enchanting lands of hers that houses all sorts of creatures. Her main goal of attracting the (h/c), is to slowly entrap her in her country without her awareness. Afterall, war is such a fickle thing she'd rather avoid. So, she'll have to be patient for her plan to work. She is willing to wait a century, if it means that she'll get you in the long run.

"Don't worry, Freyja. We have much to explore if you're up to it. It would be a shame, if we did not uncover the mysteries of Alfheim. Also, it would do great harm to our diplomatic relations wouldn't you say?"

Another thing to note, is that she'll keep an eye in your magical abilities. On one hand, she wants to tutor you in the arts of magic to see what you'll create. But, Camilla paranoia is picking her mind apart. Will you use it against her? Will you run from her? No, No. That simply won't do.

In this phase, her possessive nature will be bare for the eyes to see due to the rising fear that you may leave her like her damn younger søster. This is your last chance for you to take action, before you get retracted back to her.

At this point, Camilla knew what she's doing is irrational but she can't help it. You're filling the aching void in heart, that her sister left. From this point on, her actions becomes progressively aggressive until you are subdued.

She'll monopolize you, if she has to. Whether diplomatically, by anonymously spreading rumors about you funding terrorists in multiple nations. To which, it results in numerous countries cutting relationship ties with you forcing you to depend on her.

If that didn't deter you, then be prepared for war(which is her last resort)and mind you it's not a fair one either. She'll have the other nordics nation to back her up, so it will be 5 vs 1. Unless you have reliable allies or powerful forces, you'll be physically and mentally cornered. Just like how she prefers it.

A scared little animal cornered by a large predator. She won't deny it, but it gives her the satisfaction and power to see her s/o in such comprising positions. It has been so long since she has been in control.

And, so long you are (c/n). Now, you are simply a colony of your former delusional friend. Your history is shadowed by her. Whatever she says, it goes. Afterall, Camilla knows what's best for you! Even if she made a sea of carcasses out of your people, to prove that you desperately need her for protection that she's willingly to give.

"Shhh, no need to cry. I'm here. Afterall, we were bond by the fates to be together. As long as you're with me, I'll give you everything you desire and I'll protect you. Min elskede."

-----------------------

A/n: Sup, it has been a while. Sorry for that, I had alot of things to do and I was burned out. Anyway, I have some news for you.

First, I've got accepted at CS department in my University. 😁

Second, Historical Hetalia is acceptable if you want to request(if I opened the request) from them.

Third, Hetalia OC's are fine as well. Ex: Albania, Armenia, etc...(any nation that didn't appear in hetalia).

[whenitsdarkweilluminate]

Düsseldorf 2011 – Semi-Final 1

Host: Germany Slogan: “Feel Your Heart Beat!” Participants: 43 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - combined) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host General Overview: 2011 sees Eurovision return to central Europe for the first time since Switzerland hosted in 1989. Like last year, there are no opening acts in the semi-finals. Instead we go straight to the host introductions. The presenters are Anke Engelke, Judith Rakers and a familiar face to the contest: Stefan Raab. He was responsible for Germany's joke entries from 1998 and 2000, and he organized the 2010 national final that Lena ultimately won. The trio delivers plenty of comedy throughout the night, but YIKES at Raab's misogyny “jokes”. This year sees four countries return: Austria, Hungary, San Marino, and of course the big one: Italy (which I'll cover in the Grand Final). None of the 2010 participants withdrew, so the number of overall entries matched the record of 43 again. The interval act involves an ensemble of drummers. The musicians are talented and there's a couple of cool moments, like when they drum each other's drums, or when one dude runs across the drums. Once again, the phone lines were open from the beginning of the show instead of after the last performance. This rule will be reverted next year. The 2011 contest is notorious for having unexpected results, and that begins in SF1 where Armenia and Turkey fail to qualify. Both countries were basically guaranteed to finish on the left side of the scoreboard during this time period (along with Russia, Greece and Azerbaijan... all of which are in this semi). But this time the juries said NOPE, even though both were top ten on televote. Which I don't mind since “Boom Boom” and “Live It Up” are massive steps down in quality. I suppose this justified the inclusion of the juries. Well, I would say that, but they also blocked Norway from advancing. In their place, we have Serbia, Switzerland and... the jury winner itself Lithuania. Which is the only time that a semi-final jury winner wasn't top 10 on the televote. Just another example of how erratic the results are this year. Also of note: only one point separated Switzerland, Malta and Armenia from being the 10th qualifier.

× Poland: Magdalena Tul - Jestem First up, it's the last placed entry of SF1... which I think is an overly harsh result for this. The production is stylish, the choreography looks fierce, and the snaps and whispers are seductive. The “breakdowns” (the parts with the fluttering taps and whispers) give the song flavour. There's also a bouncy groove and a strutting rhythm. “Jestem” paints the image of Magdalena confidently walking onto the scene. The choreo and the puffs of smoke enhance that attitude. Lyrically, Magdalena describes how she has the power in her relationship because her love interest is dependent on her. So why did this flop? Well, the studio recording is better than the live version. The vocal mixing on the ESC stage is messy. Magdalena's lead isn't that cohesive with the backing singers. That said, this entire semi-final seems to have audio issues. So perhaps being first in the running order made Poland's flaws look worse. × Norway: Stella Mwangi - Haba Haba Seeing what last year's host country sends is fascinating to me for some reason. In recent years they've ranged from obvious NQ (Latvia 2004), to continued ambitiousness (Turkey 2005 and Ukraine 2006), to more of the same (Greece 2007 and Finland 2008), to not taking it seriously at all (Serbia 2009 and Russia 2010). Norway 2011, meanwhile, tries something fresh by channeling African influences, since Stella is of Kenyan origin. “Haba Haba” features prominent steel drums and the main hook is in Swahili. Said lyric is a piece of advice from Stella's grandmother that translates to “little by little fills the measure”. It's about having patience and believing that things will turn out okay in time. The song promotes a positive mindset, and I'm a sucker for some infectious positivity. The tone is sincere and encouraging. The steel drums establish a laid back, sunshiny mood. And Stella and the backing exhibit radiant smiles on stage. The chorus is also hard to resist singing along to it. The biggest flaw is the minimal lyrics – every line in the song is said twice. The staging lacks something too. × Albania: Aurela Gaçe - Feel the Passion Well, Aurela certainly “feels the passion” in her performance, but her vocal style is not for me. It's too unrefined, uncontrollable and screechy. Yes, raspy vocals are emotionally expressive, and intense passion should be unrestrained, but Aurela's wailing is unpleasant on the ears. The other aspects of this entry are fine, though. The rock instrumentation, the red colour scheme, the blasts of fire... I appreciate what it's going for. There's a sinister vibe to this song. Like the movie's villain has trapped you or something. The pre-chorus is decent too. Lyrically, “Feel the Passion” describes how love makes Aurela fly like an eagle, and there's even eagle wings on screen to match. But yeah the vocals ruin the experience for me. × Armenia: Emmy - Boom Boom And with that, Armenia's top 10 streak comes to a screeching halt. Their previous entries all understood what would succeed in this era of the Eurovision. But in 2011, they went the opposite direction. They chose a campy entry (the kind that I'd expect from the Netherlands) and the juries sunk it. It became Armenia's first non-qualifier. “Boom Boom” is a chipper bubblegum pop song, but it's too juvenile to work. In particular, the main hook – the “boom boom chucka chucka / your love is like a like a” part – sounds silly. It's spoken like a cheerleader chant. The lyrics, meanwhile, compare fighting for love to a boxing match. And the staging takes this metaphor literally. There's robes and a giant boxing glove. But the peak moment is when the backing dancers create a boxing ring out of tethers. I face palmed at that. The percussion beat also slams like a punching fist. Otherwise, “Boom Boom” is a somewhat catchy song, but it sounds cheap and tacky. Emmy delivers some enthusiasm but my eyes are on the male backing dancers though lol. × Turkey: Yüksek Sadakat - Live It Up Likewise, Turkey's consistent run comes to an end in 2011 via their first non-qualifier. The last time they missed the Grand Final was in 1994 (due to relegation), so this is their worst result in 17 years. “Live It Up” is yet another rock song from Turkey. They had excelled with that genre in recent years so I can't blame them. But “Live It Up” pales in comparison to their 2004, 2008 and 2010 entries. “For Real”, “Deli” and “We Could Be The Same” each had something special. This does not. The guitar groove is generic, the melody is forgettable, and the atmosphere is bland. The lyrics promote being happy in the moment, but the execution (the instrumentation, the vocal tone) doesn't raise my spirits. The song is just nothing. It sounds half-hearted. Also, why is there a body contortionist in a cage and why does she sprout wings at the end? I don't get it. The smoke and fire aren't impressive on this one either. The “HEEEYS” are alright though. ✓ Serbia: Nina - Čaroban “CHAR...OH...BAHN!” I've totally overlooked this entry until now. “Čaroban” is simple in concept. It's a homage to 1960s music. The instrumentation (the horns, the percussion) is similar to songs of the time; while the staging embraces that retro aesthetic. The LED screen encompass a hypnotic swirl of gaudy colours and the performers are dressed in vintage clothing. The song, meanwhile, exudes a smitten and joyful vibe, where Nina declares she's found her perfect match. The chorus is a frantic rush of excitement over the situation. It gets broken up by the staggered “CHAR...OH...BAHN!” hook, which balances out the frantic parts. The pauses are an effective method to make that hook land. And the camera cuts on each syllable are cute. “Čaroban” is likable entry and Nina delivers friendly stage presence. But it's too “simple” to reach my overall top 10. ✓ Russia: Alexej Vorobjov - Get You By landing in 16th, this is Russia's worst placement since the introduction of the televote (and their worst until Julia Samoylova). There's many things to hate about this entry. Firstly, Alexej seems arrogant and unlikable on the live stage. Secondly, the lyrics sound presumptuous rather than flirtatious (ie. “Oh oh... I'm coming to get you” and “I know you want me to”). Alexej's overconfidence makes it sound worse. Finally, the song is just generic boyband pop. The Russian chanting at the beginning doesn't fit in either, even if it does offer something different. Still, Russia provides high production values here. The choreography routine is impressively synchronized. And that “OHH OH” hook is begrudgingly stuck in my head. I should note that RedOne was involved in this. He was a definitive part of the pop landscape at the time; supplying hits to Lady Gaga among others. “Get You” is no “Bad Romance” or “Alejandro”, but it is structured like a radio hit. The melody is there and the production is full. It's booming dance-pop with some alarm beeps. But it's not that distinct. ✓ Switzerland: Anna Rossinelli - In Love for a While Switzerland achieves their first qualification in 5 years (by 1 point!)... only to finish in dead last at the Grand Final anyway. It's not that bad? “In Love for a While” is a cute and bubbly song, although it does sound like a TV advertisement song. It reminds me of “New Soul” and “1234” in that regard. Still, I appreciate the day-dreamy atmosphere and Anna is a capable vocalist. She emphasizes the melody. And the twinkly plucking of the strings establishes a laid back and innocent vibe. The song is dominated by stringed instruments. Also, the “na na na na na” bit in the middle is like Anna drifting off into thought while spontaneously singing to herself. Although, those “nana”s go on too long. The song involves her reflecting on and cherishing her long term relationship. There's also bubbles in the background lol. ✓ Georgia: Eldrine - One More Day A nu metal song gives Georgia their equal best result to date at 9th. Interestingly, their first four entries all placed between 9-12. “One More Day” is probably my favourite Georgian entry overall though. The verse/chorus contrast is effective, while Sopho Toroshelidze's gritty vocal complements the angst-y vibe. The verses project a misty image, thanks to the looping guitar. The chorus, on the other hand, is an anxious jolt back to reality. It's when the heavy electric guitars burst onto the scene and Sopho's impulses take over. She rebelliously erupts in the succeeding lines as the lights flash in the background. In the song, Sopho experiences an internal, indecisive, tug-of-war. She's tempted by desire but holds back for “one more day”. The post-chorus is where she resigns to her fate. The second verse involves the rapper providing his perspective. He also interjects in the rest of the song. I don't mind his contribution though. As for the staging, it features some green and black outfits that ultimately won the Barbara Dex Award. Moldova was robbed. ✓ Finland: Paradise Oskar - Da Da Dam “Da Da Dam” is a folksy lullaby about environmentalism. I thought this was going to be the “Me And My Guitar” of 2011, but it sunk into the bottom 5 at the Grand Final. And that's despite finishing 3rd in this semi. I prefer “Da Da Dam” to Tom Dice's song, though. Oskar's performance is genuine and heartfelt. He tells a story about a boy named Peter who's determined to save the planet but no one will listen to him. The lyrics are centered around Peter's story instead of the issue itself. The final chorus switches the speaker to show how Oskar is inspired by Peter's earnestness. Yeah, this entry is waaaay overly cutesy, especially with the rising Earth image on the background LED. But the melody is cozy and effortless – the “da da dam” hook fulfills the same purpose as the “na na na” one from Switzerland earlier. And Oskar displays some charming smiles. The song has heart and melody. × Malta: Glen Vella - One Life Well, this is bland and forgettable. The issue with “One Life” is that the song has no hook. Not a single line jumps out. The melody is weak and it doesn't stick with me. The song's message isn't that deep either – basically Glen urges taking a chance on love because YOLO. It's easy to see how this entry got lost in the shuffle; although the juries were more favourable towards it. There are some positives, though. Glen puts a lot of effort into his performance. The key change is fine. And the dance-pop production is probably the best aspect? It channels that euphoric atmosphere that's present in 2011 music. The swinging back-and-forth beat is lively too. But the song never becomes the bop it wants to be. It's like the “Angel si ti” of 2011. × San Marino: Sen(h)it - Stand By The first appearance of the icon Senhit! Except her 2011 entry is nothing like “Adrenalina”. Instead, “Stand By” is a retro-sounding introspection ballad. The instrumental is hazy in a way. The arrangement ebbs and flows like waves crashing on the shore. The lurching guitar and the backing vocalists are highlights here. Senhit's approach is also personable. In the song, she wants to forget all her troubles for one night. Like mentally escape from a painful situation. Possibly the death of a love one? “Stand By” is a warm and gentle song, but the pacing is noticeably sluggish. The song is kinda boring tbh. Similar to Malta, the juries liked it but the televoters were apathetic. × Croatia: Daria - Celebrate Croatia was one of my favourite countries up through 2010, but I don't expect that to continue lol. “Celebrate” is a total train wreck entry. Daria gives one unenthusiastic/half-assed performance here, between her lacklustre vocals and her amateur-level choreography. Lol at those arm waves. There's also TWO costume change magic tricks for some reason, initiated by a magician/DJ who exhibits awkward energy. Plus the song is trashy. The “shine like a comet in our musical galaxy” lyric is corny and clumsy. And the production is so mechanical. It's very 2011 dance-pop, packed with industrial beeps and boops. There's also a dubstep breakdown during the bridge. Which I think is the first instance of dubstep in Eurovision? This entry is a mess... but in a guilty pleasure way? ✓ Iceland: Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home It's impossible to look at this entry without acknowledging the context surrounding it. Sigurjón Brink was scheduled to perform “Coming Home” at the Icelandic national final, but he died one week beforehand. Subsequently, his musician friends gathered to perform it as a tribute. And they obviously won the national final. Coincidentally, the song's tone is appropriate for a state of grief. It's very comforting and peaceful. The lyrics are about anticipating a meet-up with a loved one. But lines such as “it's time to go”, “I just wanna see your face again” and “when my time on earth comes to an end” take on new meaning. Like the narrator is reuniting in spirit. It implies that Sigurjón is in a better place now. Musically, “Coming Home” channels 1920s vocal harmony groups. There's prominent horns too. The harmonizing is tight and there's positive energy on stage. The group also have some doofy interactions. Otherwise, the chorus melody is clear and instant, and the slow-down transition into the final chorus is alright too. ✓ Hungary: Kati Wolf - What About My Dreams? This was a hyped-up entry that floundered at the Grand Final. In studio form, “What About My Dreams?” is a winner contender. But the live version is a disappointment. Indeed, Kati appears stiff and nervous on stage and her vocals are shaky. The verses are especially awkward because of how the production breaks. It leaves the spotlight entirely on her. The song is a powerful assertion. Kati is standing up for herself in a one-sided relationship. But her nervous performance undermines that message. The black backdrop is interesting idea though. That said, she does improve in the Grand Final performance. Otherwise, “What About My Dreams?” is an ANTHEM. The verse/chorus contrast is impactful. The verses are static and pensive (with some anticipatory drums), while the chorus soars thanks to the dance-pop production. The chorus conveys a sense of running away or standing out on the edge. The song title is exclaimed like a rooftop declaration. While the “I can't hold back, I can't go back” response takes it to the next level. The final post-chorus is a powerful moment too thanks to the backing singers. There's also 80s synths and claps at one point. × Portugal: Homens da Luta - A luta é alegria Portugal had a low-key resurgence during 2008-2010, but it's back to DNQ territory until Salvador. This year they selected a band of comedic street performers with a protest song against the “reaction” (a reference to the Salazar era). On stage, they're dressed as working class citizens while holding signs in a variety of languages. The aesthetic is very colourful. “A luta é alegria” is basically a joke/parody entry that goes right over my head because I don't understand the nuances of Portuguese culture and history. Are the outfits meant to be stereotypes? Their expressions imply it's a joke. Musically, it's a Portuguese folk song that follows a drum march beat and involves collective singing. But it's just monotonous and relentless. Like it just keeps going. ✓ Lithuania: Evelina Sašenko - C'est ma vie The jury winner of SF1, despite finishing 11th on the televote. “C'est ma vie” is the only conventional vocal ballad in this semi so that explains that. The song is very theatrical; like a Broadway or West End showtune. To be honest, I just find ballads in this style dull. “C'est ma vie” is all bombast and has insufficient emotional resonance. Evelina provides a technically skilled vocal performance here. She carefully shows off every single note and she displays a confident beaming smile while doing it. She ensures her vocals are at the forefront. But it's a bit tedious. The intensifying orchestral peaks are probably the best aspect of this song. The performance is also notable for Evelina using sign language during the second verse. ✓ Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki - Running Scared (winner review in the Grand Final post) ✓ Greece: Loukas Giorkas feat. Stereo Mike - Watch My Dance The winner of SF1, largely thanks to the televote, and another easy top ten for Greece. “Watch My Dance” is an ambitious entry. The song fuses classical Greek singing with English rap verses. It includes prominent bouzouki to ensure that Greek characteristic. And there's architectural columns on the LED screen lol. Loukas's vocal in the classical parts is smooth but Stereo Mike's rapping is.... not. He has a grunting voice and his flow is weak. Otherwise, “Watch My Dance” is remarkably atmospheric in how the percussion consumes the entire arena. It's a series of incessant, pounding, Earthquake stomps. It's apocalyptic. Like the world is crumbling down around them. The lyrics are about self-empowerment, maintaining inner strength and fortitude, and not giving up in the face of adversity. So the production represents that adversity as the duo stands tall and fearless in the raining debris. The pyro captures the dramatic nature too. It's a well-staged entry. Gotta love the break-dancing going on in the background. But 2011 is the year where all my favourites disappoint me for one reason or another, and Stereo Mike is the reason for this one. My Ranking: 01. Georgia: Eldrine - One More Day ✓ 02. Hungary: Kati Wolf - What About My Dreams? ✓ 03. Norway: Stella Mwangi - Haba Haba 04. Serbia: Nina - Čaroban ✓ 05. Greece: Loukas Giorkas feat. Stereo Mike - Watch My Dance ✓ 06. Iceland: Sjonni's Friends - Coming Home ✓ 07. Poland: Magdalena Tul - Jestem 08. Switzerland: Anna Rossinelli - In Love for a While ✓ 09. Finland: Paradise Oskar - Da Da Dam ✓ 10. Lithuania: Evelina Sašenko - C'est ma vie ✓ 11. Croatia: Daria - Celebrate 12. San Marino: Senhit - Stand By 13. Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki - Running Scared ✓ 14. Russia: Alexej Vorobjov - Get You ✓ 15. Malta: Glen Vella - One Life 16. Armenia: Emmy - Boom Boom 17. Albania: Aurela Gaçe - Feel the Passion 18. Turkey: Yüksek Sadakat - Live It Up 19. Portugal: Homens da Luta - A luta é alegria I only really like 1-9. Picking a #1 was so difficult. None of these are a 10/10.

[aprilskyforever]

Henny ranks Eurovision 2020 (1st edition, studio/national final versions)

hi!!! it’s time!!! we have all songs gathered for eurovision 2020, and we can finally start guessing how it’s gonna go in may (if... we actually get there, that is, but let’s hope). i’ve done my first sorting with the gerbear, but it’s far from certain, and so i’ll do just like last year, devide the songs into categories instead. disclaimer though; some song i haven’t listened to properly, just heard in recaps, and others i have listened to but forgotten how they sound.

category: give them the crown 👑

1 Bulgaria - this song felt like a warm hug the first time i heard it. released on the same day as the melfest final, it was the perfect song to help me through the sorrow i felt that night, both because the wrong song had won but also because i felt so alone. i love her voice, i love the strings, i love how it tells me everything’s gonna be okay.

2 Iceland - i didn’t listen to any other song from söngvakeppnin when they were released, only this, praying to everything holy that he would win. then the song started going viral, and i felt somewhat proud, like the song was my baby. this is quirky and cute in all the right ways.

3 Lithuania - a bop and a half! this was the first song of those who were actually chosen when this won that i felt: oh i vibe with this. i can get behind this. this is my jam! and now, weeks later, i’m still not tired of it.

4 Germany - oh how i pray and pray that this will be good on stage. please. this is a song i wanna hear on every dancefloor i go to, i especially love the horns in the chorus.

5 United Kingdom - this, lithuania and germany are all fighting for my award for “the most pleasant surprise” this year. what a great leap forward from what they usually send! this is such a solid song, in a good way. (bulgaria 2018 was solid but in kind of a bad way you know?)

6 Azerbaijan - yes!!! yes yes yes! finally a little ethnic sound from azerbaijan, this has a wonderful structure as well, the only thing i don’t like is the ending (or maybe i just don’t like how the mv doesn’t match the beat of the melody). i can’t wait to see this on stage.

7 Israel - as many people have pointed out, there’s a lot going on in this song, but for me it all works. everything fits you know? feels very eurovision somehow, in the best way possible.

8 Switzerland - just beautiful. gives me the vibes of walking alone in a forest in winter, or stadning exhausted on the top of a mountain, searching for something but you’re not sure of what.

9 Denmark - like iceland, this was my winner of the national final! i’ve had it added in my library since it was in the web-based semi, even. they need to make some changes to their staging though, and work on their chemistry. they’re supposed to look like they’re in love for god’s sake!

category: good and enjoyable but not winner material

10 Ireland - i didn’t think i could get nostalgia vibes for 2010/2011 since i have a hard time accepting it’s actually quite some time ago now, but this did it. this is a happy pill, and something i wanna hear on the floats on pride this summer.

11 Russia - a bit of a letdown, to be honest, i was expecting more. it still bops though.

12 Italy - beautiful! i think this slips mostly because it doesn’t live up to all the other good stuff italy has sent the last couple of years. but that says more about italy than diodato/fai rumore itself.

13 Netherlands - it takes too long to - pardon me - grow! the build-up is too long. i adore the ending but the rest? hmm..

14 Sweden - it’s no secret they weren’t my winner of melfest this year, and while i am warming up to it now, i still don’t get what people see in this. like, it’s good but not show stopping you know? it’s just a nice radio song to have playing at work or something.   

15 Greece - this is nice, plain and simple.

16 Austria - if the viewers paid benjamin dirt in 2018, what will they do to this? i love to have it playing while i cook though. a good dancing-around-in-your-home-song.

17 Belarus - love the sound of this. i’d like to request a change of styling for eurovision though.

18 Norway - solid and beautiful, but doesn’t hit that sweet spot for me really.

19 Malta - there is... something about her voice i don’t vibe with. 

20 North Macedonia - nice, but a bit anonymous? idk

21 Latvia - i used to not like this at all, but a few days ago i couldn’t stop listening to it. i love the instrumental breaks.

22 Czech Republic - there were other songs i prefered in the national final but this is nice too.

23 Ukraine - i like the intrumental but not her voice at all. feels like poland last year. 

category: this doesn’t leave a mark, i don’t have anything to say

24 Georgia 25 Spain 26 Australia 27 Belgium 28 Finland 29 Croatia 30 Cyprus 31 Albania 32 Portugal

category: this is either not my thing, or provocatively boring

33 Romania 34 San Marino 35 Moldova 36 Poland 37 France 38 Serbia 39 Armenia 40 Slovenia 41 Estonia

[eurosong]

Good morning folks, and welcome to today’s, not statistical map but rather statistical posters, showing how jury and televote top 5s have diverged since 2009. It’s something that’s been on my mind since the jury results were revealed, and after @lonelyislanders ‘ suggestion, I definitely thought I should share this with you all now rather than at the start of the next season. Let’s take a quick trip through the last 11 years of ESC history of jury-televote agreement and discord!

2009 was when juries were introduced - not for nothing, this was after “western” countries’ worst-ever ESC year, where only Sweden qualified from the semi-final. All the jury’s top 5 came from Northern Europe this time, only two of which - Norway and Iceland, coïncided with the televoters’ top 5, though Estonia, the jury’s 5th, came close as the televoters’ 6th. Amongst these tops, the biggest disparities were that of Azerbaijan (getting around 140 points less from the juries than the televoters) on one side and UK and France on the other (getting 110-120 points less from the televoters than the juries.) At least the winner, Rybak’s Fairytale, was shared by both groups - though his win would have been rather less rotund if only juries had decided it.

In 2010, we saw an even greater level of disconnection, as the top 5 of the jury and the televote shared only one song in common - again, thankfully, this was both group’s winner, Germany’s Satellite. Lena romped home in the televote, but she won the jury vote over Belgium’s Me and my guitar by a matter of just two points. The jury put all the other 4 of the public’s top 5 in their top 10 - with the biggest dropper, Turkey, having around 60 points fewer from the juries - but some of the juries’ most loved tracks really didn’t get much of a response from the televote, most notably Israel with a hundred points less than with the jury, ending up only 14th as a result.

2011 is a notoriously fractious year, intriguing for us statistics lovers. Once again, the jury and the televoters shared only one country - only this time, it wasn’t the winner of both groups. Azerbaijan squeaked by an extremely narrow win in the public vote over Sweden, but were only 2nd in the jury vote behind a triumphantly returned Italy. Whilst the public only placed Madness of Love 11th with ~150 points less, the jury love was enough to place it second behind Azerbaijan, whose relatively lukewarm scores with both voting groups gave the Azeris their first win. Some of the distinctions between the tops were brutal this year. UK was 5th with the public, but 4th last with the jurors, dragging them down to 11th place. Austria, 5th with the juries, were 2nd bottom with the public, and only managed 18th with the combined vote. 2011 is kinda one big advert for the current “two separate scores” system for how much one vote cancelled out the other.

In 2012, we at least had agreement on the winner yet again - though, this time, Sweden’s Euphoria absolutely romped home with the juries but got an oft forgotten only marginal win over Russia in the televote - one more douze to the Russian grannies would have handed Party for everybody the public win instead. They got a respectable-enough 11th with the juries, which meant that they weren’t dragged down too much and came in 2nd. Serbia, 3rd in the televote and 2nd with the juries, completed the podium. Once again, the jury dragged Azerbaijan and Turkey down - Love me back was 4th with the televoters, 5th last with the juries, who gave it ~125 pts less. The Turks still managed a top 10 result in 7th place, but it was to be their final ESC participation for now.

In 2013, we saw a very similar situation to 2012 - the public and jury shared a winner, this time, Denmark, and one group gave a song 2nd place, another group 3rd place - this time, that was Azerbaijan, whose Hold me ended up 2nd in the joint votes. The biggest disparities were the jury’s 3rd and 5th, Sweden and Moldova, ending up 18th and 19th in the televote (Moldova ended up 11th and Sweden 14th in the joint vote) and the public’s 4th, Greece, ending up 14th with the juries (but 6th overall).

2014 was the most harmonious year of jury-televote results to date. Both groups agreed on not just the winner, Austria, but also 4 of their top 5 - with the Netherlands, Sweden and Armenia ending up 2nd to 4th as a result. The one disparity was with the fifth member of the top 5. There was not much difference between the jury’s 4th, Hungary, and the public’s rating of it (10th, but only a difference of 30 pts - leaving the Magyars 5th overall), but the distinction was huge with the public’s 5th, Poland‘s My Slowanie, coming fourth last with the jurors, gaining ~140 fewer points, and dragging them down to 14th overall.

2015 brought the drama of Poland’s drag moreso than the harmony of the rest of the results. The jury and televote top 5s had three songs in common, but that belies the drama: the televote’s clear winner, Italy’s Grande Amore, who had 80 points above 2nd placed Russia and almost 90 more than 3rd placed Sweden, were ranked only 6th by the juries, who gave them almost 200 pts fewer than the public, dropping them behind Sweden, the jury winner, and Russia, the jury 3rd place, in the combined rankings. The juries also only put Estonia, the public 5th place, in 11th, but in the combined rankings, it was able to hold onto a spot in the top 10. On the other side, the jury’s 4th place, Australia, and 2nd place, Latvia, got 5th and 6th overall having been placed 6th and 8th with the public.

2016 brought in a new voting system where the jury and televotes would be unchained from one another and two sets of votes given. This was supposed to increase fairness and allow for public and jury favourites to both get recognition - but this occasion was marked with some controversy, when neither the runaway jury winner, Australia (4th in the televote with ~130 votes less than with the juries), nor the public winner, Russia (5th in the jury vote with ~230 points less than with the public) got the win. Instead, Ukraine, a country that had come 2nd in both, took the win. Australia would have won under the old system despite a lukewarm response from the public, so a song winning that did well with both groups was an improvement on the old system in my eyes. Other than big disparities between this eventual top 3, the jury and televote differed on the other two songs that comprised their individual top 5. Each had a song they marked well that the other group marked decently (Jury’s 3rd, France, being 9th with the public and so 6th in the combined vote; public’s 5th, Bulgaria, who were the jury’s 7th and ended up 4th overall) and a song the other marked down radically - the jury’s 4th, Malta, were the public’s 6th last and they ended up 12th overall; the public’s 3rd, Poland, were 2nd last with the juries but ended up 8th. Under the old system, Malta would have ended up 24th and Poland 19th.

2017 brought something we’d never seen before - the juries and televoters agreeing on the exact same top 2, Portugal and Bulgaria, by a convincing distance. They disagreed on pretty much everything else though :v . The public’s 3rd, Moldova, got such a strong score that they ended up 3rd overall despite only being the jury’s 8th - they would have been 5th under the old system. Belgium’s Blanche clinched 4th in the televote and overall vote, despite getting almost 150 fewer points from the juries. The biggest disparity of the year was that of Australia - 4th with the juries, second last with an embarrassing 2 points from the public.

As I had predicted way back in March, 2018 saw a clear televote winner beating out jury vote favourite from a much more divided field. The jury’s #1, Austria, ended up only 13th with the public, but this was enough to get a place on the podium in 3rd place. What’s intriguing is that all 8 songs across the jury and televote top 5 ended up in the top 10 but would have been dragged way down under the old system - like Sweden, second in the jury but fourth last in the televote, still 7th overall, or the third to fifth sequence of Italy, Czechia, Denmark who came 17th, 15th and 20th in the juries but ended up in 5th, 6th and 9th place in the overall tally.

Perhaps 2019 was the craziest year of all. Neither the televote winner, Norway, nor the jury winner, Macedonia, the first jury winner in Eastern Europe by the way, managed to make it into the top 5, getting 200-250 points less from the other group. In Norway’s case, they wouldn’t even have qualified had the juries had their way. The only songs that were shared by both groups’ top 5s, Netherlands and Italy, ended up 1st and 2nd in a similar way to Jamala. All the songs that the juries and televote didn’t share ended up in the top 10 anyway, either because of the force of one element’s vote (Norway 6th and Macedonia 7th despite very mediocre scores in the jury and televote respectively) or because they got decent votes from the other element, as is the case for Switzerland (5th with the public, 7th with the juries - 4th overall), Russia (4th with the public, 9th with the juries - 3rd overall), Sweden (2nd with the juries, 9th with the public - 5th overall) and Azerbaijan (5th with the juries, 8th with the public and overall.) The mathematics still amaze me of this year!

As we set sail for another decade, I wonder whether 2020 will bring similar discord or what would be only our 2nd shared winner since 2015?