I missed most of this semifinal so I had to rewatch it today on youtube so the performance might not have made as much impact. Here are my thoughts on it.
MALTA
Firelight - Coming Home
I know it's quite a toned down track but I really think they could have made more use of the stage since it's so good. It's an ok, watered down Mumford and Sons esque, track but doesn't really stand out.
7.25/10
ISRAEL
Mei Finegold - Same Heart
The staging was quite nice and I thought this would attract the diehard Eurovision voters but I guess the somewhat lackluster performance sealed the deal for this.
7/10
NORWAY
Carl Espen - Silent Storm
I loved how he got the audience to hold the lights, it was a beautiful staging. However realistically I was kind of disappointed with this. This was possibly my pre semi-final favourite but Carl doesn't have a strong enough vocal to really bring this song to life because it is a very low key song. Saying that, I still like the performance and I hope it does well.
8/10
GEORGIA
The Shin and Mariko - Three Minutes To Earth
This is just sadly really messed up. It sounds like so many songs being merged into one another. Unfortunately sounds really amateurish.
5/10
Poland
Donatan & Cleo - My Słowianie - We Are Slavic
This sounded slightly crazy to be honest but the craziness worked for it. It's one of those Eurovision moments that only works at Eurovision. I'm sure the suggestive Slavic girls scored it many votes as well.
7.25/10
AUSTRIA
Conchita Wurst - Rise Like a Phoenix
Personally I'm not too keen on Conchita's voice but she does a decent job of the song which sounds a bit Bond-wannabe. It just feels a bit too old school for me and never really has any moment despite all the grand gestures.
7.25/10
LITHUANIA
Vilija Matačiūnaitė - Attention
This is as messy as I remembered it to be. It's not as messy as Georgia but just doesn't work and doesn't have any hook to it.
5.75/10
Finland
Softengine - Something Better
This is a nice rock pop song but the lead singer could be stronger in all honesty, he is too shaky on some of the high notes. But it's a decent track. If the falsetto was on track this would have scored higher for me but sadly those notes just stuck out like a sore thumb.
7.5/10
IRELAND
Can-Linn feat. Kasey Smith - Heartbeat
As I said before this is a bit too generic to make enough of an impact though the performance was better than I expected and realistically should have gone through over Belarus.
7/10
BELARUS
Teo - Cheesecake
There's an obvious hook that people could buy into but this just doesn't work for me, it just feels to me like Eurovision in the early 00s. And also the tune sounds very very familiar, or maybe it's just too simple that it can literally be overlaid onto any other song.
5.75/10
MACEDONIA
Tijana - To the Sky
This is another rather bland performance that is just too low key and doesn't bring much to the table. It doesn't leave any lasting impression sadly.
6.25/10
SWITZERLAND
Sebalter - Hunter of Stars
The whistling in this track makes you remember it and the flair keeps it in your mind but in all honesty it's a rather bland track with a lot of stage tricks.
6.75/10
GREECE
Freaky Fortune ft. RiskyKidd - Rise Up
This is ok, it will obviously get its voters especially since it's Greece, they always do well. But I would have liked to hear a bit more Greek flair in it rather than a rather generic pop/rap track.
7/10
SLOVENIA
Tinkara Kovac - Round and round
The song doesn't stand out at all and there are parts which don't work that well but it's a solid track but will probably be forgotten in the finals.
7/10
ROMANIA
Paula Seling & OVI - Miracle
I love the circular piano! Whilst this doesn't pack as much punch as their previous attempt it's still a decent track that easily beat all their opponents in this semifinal and is a good closer to the semifinals
8.5/10
Not really any shocks to be honest, I would probably not have predicted Malta to go through and instead predicted Ireland or Israel. I think Israel's early running cost it as I think it was between her, Ireland and Slovenia for that spot.
So after semifinal 2 this is my updated list
FAVOURITES: Netherlands, Sweden, Romania
Waiting to hear more: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Norway, Finland
In it for the ride: Russia, Montenegro, Iceland, Malta, Austria, Poland, Greece, Switzerland
Toilet Break: San Marino, Belarus
From the remaining 6 I'm excited for Denmark, Italy, UK to some extent Spain, I'm hoping she'll blow me away and remove my doubts with her live performance.
Just a quick analysis of the running order:
Ukraine starts the show, is it a blessing or a curse?
Belarus and Iceland will probably be forgotten due to their early running order
Will Azerbaijan make it into the Top 10? It isn't garnering much favour from the sounds of it.
Sweden is just before the break, will it be a good end to Part 1?
Netherlands are in prime position at 24th, will it really manage to rise up the ranks?
The UK close the show, this could be interesting!
I think on the finals watch out for Sweden, Netherlands, UK to possibly take it all.
Ukraine and Greece will probably do well.
Austria will get a respectable placement.
Montenegro will probably do better than I expected.
Armenia and Azerbaijan might fall from grace
It's interesting that Austria is now second for the bookies and Armenia has been pushed to 4th. Good job Molly for staying in the Top 5.
See you tomorrow!
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